Grayson filled him in.

"You've been missing for months, Tim" Grayson explained, leaning back in his chair. "Lucius contacted us when you stopped answering your email, so Bruce went to your safe house, and really," Garyson's face twisted into disapproval, "Falcone's torture basement?"

"How long did it take you to find it?" Tim rasped, his throat dry. He glanced around, trying to spot something to drink.

Grayson disapproval eased only a little. He began to twiddle his thumbs. "He found the cap of a needle that contained trace amounts of a fast acting sedative and that you were in the middle of an email when you were taken.

"Tim, how did you let your guard down that badly?" Grayson shook his head disbelieving, as though he'd never been caught in his life. Yeah, right.

"Tt. Drake continues to be a thorn in the side of natural selection," Damian sniped from where he haunted the corner.

"We looked hard for you, Tim," Grayson promised, and it hurt that Grayson knew it was something that needed to be stated instead of just understood. "We checked every supplier of the drug and discovered that one of the companies was selling it on the streets, so there were too many people who had access to it…" He trailed off in frustration. He'd always hated a puzzle he couldn't solve. "Whoever had you would have seen the email, would have known who you were, so we waited for someone to make the accusation.

"It never came." Grayson leaned in close to Tim. "We didn't know what happened to you, baby bird. We didn't know where you were."

"Alternate universe," Tim said around his sore throat. He really needed water. Even ice chips would do. "Needed help on a project. Took me."

Damian scoffed. "Did they need a macaroni drawing?" All the pity Tim had dredged up for Damian was rapidly dwindling.

"They found you in a sublevel of Watchtower of all places," Grayson continued, as though Damian hadn't spoken. "You wouldn't stop screaming, so they had to sedate you. Zatanna said there was a boatload of magic wrapped around you. She was able to dispel it, but wanted to let you know that if you feel weird for the next few days it's to be expected."

"Evil Zatanna," Tim whispered in explanation.

"You're going to be staying at the Manor." That was an order, not a request. Grayson shifted in his chair. "We had thought you died, Tim."

"We had hoped," announced Damian.

Grayson didn't even flinch. "And we pretty much tore your safe house apart looking for clues." Tim didn't let himself think about the loss of his safehouse.

"Water?" he croaked.

"Oh, of course." Grayson poured him a glass.

Tim tried to sit up, but he was so thirsty he ended up spilling as much water on himself as he managed to drink. "Pig," Damian said scornfully.

Grayson said nothing, just as he always said nothing.

Tim didn't want to think about that. "Where's Bruce?" he asked instead. The man wasn't in the Batcave with them.

"Where he always is," Grayson said with fond exasperation. "Working a case."

"Right," Tim answered dully.

"It'll be nice to have you back in the Manor," Grayson admitted. "We can always use your eyes on the cases. You really are such a detective."

"Thanks, Dick." A few months ago, Tim would have been thrilled to hear that. Now they just carved away another sliver of his hurt.

The man had a pleasant smile, but it was his company smile, not one meant for family. He didn't touch Tim to offer him comfort, didn't ask if Tim was okay. The expectation was that Tim would be fine, so Tim would be fine.

Even with Damian hanging over his shoulder, letting Tim know how disappointed he was that Tim hadn't just kicked it, that he wasn't rotting in a ditch somewhere, his voice positively dripping with sincerity.

And Bruce was off on a case. Of course he was. Tim had been missing for months. What were a few more hours until their reunions.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Other Bruce swung by later that night. Morning? It was so hard to tell in the cave and no one had told him. "Tim," he greeted cooly. "Report."

"I'm feeling okay. A little wonky but that's suppose to pass." The corner of Other Bruce's lips turned down and it took Tim a few seconds to realize where he'd gone wrong. The Mission. Right. This Bruce didn't care about how he felt. That was irrelevant data. A distraction. "A Batman counterpart infiltrated my safehouse and passed himself off as you. Once my guard was down, he drugged me and took me to his universe. He needed me for a project."

"What project?" Bruce asked intensely.

Do not admit Tim was the project. "Computer security. Their Watchtower was nowhere near as secure as ours." Half truth. Close enough.

"Any events relevant to our universe?"

Tim shook his head. "They're a few years behind us, and wildly different. Beast Boy is only thirteen there." A frown carved its way into Other Bruce's face so Tim offered him a shrug. "I didn't get his full story, so I don't know how that happened. I tried not to think about it." The frown deepened.

"We're going to increase your training." Tim tried to protest but Other Bruce raised a hand, a demand for silence. "The intruder was clever enough to fool Catwoman but I expect you to be better than Selina. You were also sloppy with the Riddler."

Tim placed his hand on his forehead, dissecting that statement. There was something important in it. "You knew," he settled on. "You knew about the alternate universe."

"I suspected," Other Bruce admitted.

"You didn't tell Dick." Why not? Why would he keep that secret?

"We don't currently have the technology to traverse the multiverse. A Boom Tube would not suffice," Other Bruce laid down the cold, hard facts. " I didn't want Dick wasting his time trying to find a solution that was beyond us. You would either find a way to return, or you would not."

Right. That was true, something Tim had known. It shouldn't make him feel so cold.

"I need to talk to Dr Thompkins." Other Bruce's face went immediately stormy at the mere mention of the woman. It looked like he still hadn't patched things up with her after the whole thing with Steph.

"Why?" he growled out.

Tim felt like he was confessing a sin to a priest and he didn't know if penance would be required. "Medication. I'm on antibiotics for my spleen and they put me on antidepressants."

"You will stop the antidepressants," Other Bruce ordered, not even caring what had prompted Tim to take them. At least he wasn't yelling.

"I can't," Tim admitted.

Other Bruce crossed his arms. "Drugs cloud the mind."

Tim shook his head. "No, I mean I literally can't. Just stopping antidepressants could kill me. I'm going to have to be eased off."

"You should have never taken them in the first place."

Tim couldn't help but think of Dami, following him around like an angry duckling carrying around mugs of soup and bottles of pills. Tim had ruined that, but the memory was something warm to hold onto. "I didn't really have a choice, Bruce," Tim grumbled, the edges of his temper beginning to fray.

Other Bruce raised an eyebrow in chastisement. "There is always another choice."

I'm not you, Bruce, Tim wanted to scream. There isn't always another choice for me. Instead, he asked mildly, "When do you think I can talk to Leslie?"

"Red Robin can swing by her office tonight."

"I could probably go in plainclothes now." Tim wasn't sure he was ready to be back in costume. He could still taste his silent screams.

"Tim Wayne is currently doing a world sail tour. You can't be seen back in Gotham." Tim groaned. That was going to kill any reputation he'd managed to build as a responsible CEO for Wayne Enterprises. "Next time don't get kidnapped," Bruce said reading the thought from Tim's expression. As though this situation was Tim's fault.

Tim sucked in a breath. "I don't know if I'm ready to fly again."

"Don't be selfish." Bruce snapped. Tim flinched. "People need us, will die without us. You need to put whatever doubts you have aside and focus on the Mission."

"Right," Tim twisted his face into a repentant smile. "Right," he echoed himself dimly. It was stupid that he wanted a hug.

X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

He grappled his way across the city. Barbara had gushed over how glad she was that he was back before getting back to business. He tried to go straight to Leslie's, but it didn't take long for Oracle to redirect him to a jewelry store robbery. Three guys with guns and no hostages. The police would be there soon but Tim was closer.

He swing through the already broken window, swinging his bo hard to express his displeasure at being delayed. He knocked them into a pile feeling no satisfaction at the task. The police could have handled that. "I'm resuming route to Leslie's."

"Belay that," Barbara ordered and the only reason Tim didn't throw his head back and swear was because he was a professional. "Red Hood requires immediate assistance."

"Can't someone else-"

"You're closest. You really need to get over whatever grudge you have with Red Hood. He's a valued member of this team." Barbara rebuked.

Tim rubbed at his face. "I'm on my way."

Red Hood really was in trouble, which Tim supposed was a good thing. It meant that this wasn't a trap for Tim. He took stock of the situation before swinging in, one hand on his bo. He slammed into the crowd of gangsters, Black Hood's men by the looks of it, and started swinging. He was doing a pretty good job of it when something hot buried itself in his thigh.

Tim cried out as his leg gave. He fell to his knees while surrounded by enemies. He activated his staff, the gift from Dami and only physical momento he had that proved the other universe hadn't been a ragged dream, and swung it desperately. Men screamed as the hissing turned into cracks as lightening entered their skin, dropping them instantly. It gave him enough room to get back to his legs, blood oozing from a bullet wound to his thigh.

His armor was tough. These thugs wouldn't have been packing the kind of heat needed to pierce it. Unless…

He turned to Jason, the man spinning a gun in his hand. "Hey, Replacement," he greeted cheerfully, as though there was no undercurrent of murder in his voice. It was fairly hidden by the electronic filtering of his helmet, but Tim knew the man. "I heard they'd found you." He pointed at Tim's wound with his gun. "Looks like you got clipped. Hit an artery?" He feigned concern.

"It's fine." Tim had no idea if it was fine, but he wasn't going to hang around with Jason to find out.

Jason took a step forward and Tim took a step back. "Scared of me, baby bird?" His voice was mockingly sweet, like a twisted parody of Jay's.

"Yes," Tim admitted, tired of this game, of all the games. "You're trying to kill me and no one cares. Of course I'm scared of you."

Jason cocked his head, expressionless helmet trying to bore into Tim's soul. "It took you this long to figure it out that I was trying to kill you? Or that no one would care if I did?" he sneered.

Tim felt his shoulders slump. He just… he couldn't do this. Couldn't fake it for these people anymore. Couldn't listen as Jay's voice threatened him. As Damian called for blood. He couldn't take a Dick that didn't care.

Couldn't handle a Bruce that would never love him.

"You've got your shot." Jason crossed his arms at the statement but didn't say anything. Tim folded his staff up and tucked it into place in his harness. "I won't dodge, won't move. You're right that no one will care."

Jason scoff, the noise echoing weirdly from the helmet. "You suicidal or something?"

Tim bared his teeth. "It took you this long to figure that out?"

Jason laughed as his own words were thrown back at him. "I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth." He took long steps until he was standing right in front of Tim. "If this is one of your stupid little games I will make you regret being born," Jason hissed.

Tim laughed mirthlessly. "I already regret that." He closed his eyes and waited for the pressure of the barrel against his forehead. Jason did not disappoint. Tim didn't even flinch.

"You've got guts, Timmers. It's a shame. Maybe in another lifetime we could have been friends."

They had been, until Tim had ruined it.

Tim relaxed, leaning into the barrel. He just needed this to be over.

The pressure disappeared as Jason swore, a shot booming right beside his Tim's ear. Tim dropped to the ground, covering his ringing ear. He opened his eyes and in the alleyway Nightwing was viciously kicking Jason's ass. "You think," he slammed his sticks across the helmet, "that you can," Jason's arm definitely cracked, "shoot my little brother?" The tips of both sticks jabbed into Jason's diaphragm, dropping him like a stone.

Tim stood again, feeling confused and slightly disappointed. Now what? Tim was probably going to get shit for provoking Jason.

Instead, Nightwing folded him into a hug. "Holy crap you were going to let him shoot you!" What was going on? "Don't scare me like that. I love you too much to lose." Oh. Oh my god. It was Dick. Dick had come for him.

Tim started to sob, holding onto Dick desperately. "You came," he whispered, "you came for me."

"I promised," Dick whispered. "I promised you I would always be there." He shifted Tim so that the hug was with one arm, the other going to his ear. "I've got him, B. He's wounded and a mess. We need to evac now."

"Red Robin, report." Oracle demanded.

He pushed off of Dick, making it clear he was on comms. "Here. Red Hood's situation has been resolved."

"I've got unusual activity in you area. I'm going to hack comms, but see if you can't get your eyes on the problem." It wouldn't take her long to get in.

Tim turned to Dick. "Comms are compromised."

"That's okay," Dick grabbed Tim's hand. "Meeting place is already set up."

He waited until he was sure Tim would follow, and then shot into the night.

They ended up back where it all started. At the restaurant. They beat Bruce there, so Dick sat Tim on the dilapidated counter counter and wrapped his thing with stark white bandages. "I was carrying extra because you are you," Dick informed him primly. It made Tim chuckle. Dick's next question did not.

"Who was that guy in the alley? I don't think we have him in our universe."

Tim shook his head. "You don't want the answer, Nightwing."

Dick ut a hand on Tim's shoulder. "If you can live with knowing, so can I."

Tim shuddered. Dick wasn't going to let this go. "That was this world's Jay." Dick sucked in a breath through his teeth. "I told you that you didn't want to know."

Dick responded by wrapping his arms around Tim, pulling back when there was the soft whisper of the Batcloak. Sure enough, Batman materialized in the doorway. "Hey B," Dick greeted. "You're getting slow in your old age." He went to move closer but Tim grabbed his elbow and pulled Dick back.

"Batman," he greeted Other Bruce.

"Red Robin," he growled out flatly. He was pissed. So very pissed. Tim couldn't help but flinch back.

Dick, stupid loyal loving Dick, drew his escrima sticks and stepped inbetween Tim and Other Bruce. Dick, who didn't stand a ghost of a chance against a man who'd spent his entire life doing nothing but becoming the prefect fighting machine.

Other Bruce took a step forward and Tim could read the intent to hurt written all over his body. "Don't," Tim pleaded. Other Bruce's eyes flicked to Tim for the barest second.

"You've been compromised." He raised his fists.

Tim grabbed his bo. He knew this Batman, could read the lines of rage as clearly as he had when he was a child. This was a Batman who had lost a Robin, who thought he was losing a Robin again. But this time he had a chance to reclaim his partner. It wasn't about Tim. It was about symbols and Tim didn't want that anymore. He didn't fit into the hole they'd carved out for him and he couldn't live with being stuffed back in. He stepped up beside Nightwing, staff extended.

Smoke filled the space, and Tim flipped him and Nightwing over the counter so they weren't sitting ducks as it cleared. He listened hard, trying to get a sense of Other Bruce's position. There was the slap of kevlar on kevlar and Tim tipped his head high enough so that he could see what was going on.

Other Bruce was on his knees while Bruce stood over him, shaking in rage. "You never come near my sons again."

Other Bruce slid to his feet, as graceful as a shadow. "Tim is my son." Oh god. Don't fight. Other Bruce was older and far more vicious. He didn't waste time having movie night with Jay, or taking Dami to the zoo. He trained and he fought and he trained again. One on one Bruce couldn't beat him and Other Bruce wouldn't stop pounding once it was clear it was over.

"No," Bruce hissed. "Tim found you. He offered you everything, and you chose to make him a soldier. You feed him and you give him marching orders, but beyond his use as a tool you don't care."

"I adopted him," Other Bruce fired back, his voice made of granite. Dick grabbed Tim's elbow and together they slowly rose to their feet.

"You abandoned him!" Bruce roared. "You abandoned him and I found him! I held him why he cried, gave him the love you are so incapable of! I won't allow you to break him again!" They stuck to the shadows, moving closer to Bruce like ghosts upon the unsuspecting. Tim had no doubt that Bruce knew exactly where they were.

Other Bruce remained silent, as though he was collecting shadows. It took a moment for him to respond in a gravelly voice. "Tim picked this. He chose to be Robin."

"And I picked him! I carved out a place for him to fit in my life. He is mine now and I will not allow you to take him from me."

Other Bruce eyed Bruce up. "You're outmatched." It was painfully true.

Bruce scoffed. "And you're outclassed."

He took a step back and Dick grabbed his arm and slammed Tim against his back. The world flashed to static that he had to blink away. When the effects of photobleaching ended he was back in the restaurant, Jay and Dami both waiting anxiously.

"Did you…?" Jay asked anxiously. Bruce took a step to the side, revealing Tim, and Jay uncoiled.

Dami dashed forward, stumbling across the debris in a way that would make his teachers pull their hair out. He didn't seem to care as he slammed into Tim, sobbing hysterically. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll never be mad again so don't leave. I love you, Timothy. You're my brother and I love you. You have to stay with me."

Tim kneeled down and held Damian tight. "I won't. I'm sorry. I didn't want to go. I'll stay," he promised. "Don't be sorry. I'll stay." When it became apparent that Dami was not going to let go, Tim lifted him and the boy automatically wrapped his legs around Tim's waist, making him easier to carry.

Jay came up and put a hand on Tim's shoulder. "You're an idiot and I feel like you might trip down the stairs and die, but I love you, little bro." He gave Tim a pat.

Bruce came up and pulled Tim into a gentle hug. Dami grumbled as he had to share, but Bruce was careful not to squish him. "Let's get you home."

Home. Tim liked that.