Else-world

Summary: Chapter One - Big Brother Rules

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.

Tim knew eventually that the war would reach Gotham, it was inevitable. Especially since Metropolis had been pulled only weeks before and Gotham had always been attracted to trouble; it thirst for it. The people wanted the war and in turn it came with a fierceness of two lovers who had not seen each other in years.

There were rules of course, self preservation rules to at least keep Gotham's population, because without its people, even the vilest ones, Gotham would disappear.

So Tim stood outside as he was held back by Jason, Damian by Cassandra. One of the neighborhood kids Stephanie, who always visited them held his hand tightly as he screamed at his oldest brother. Dick stood in front of the sharply dressed soldier accepting the draft papers that would take him away from his home and family. Every eldest son from every family was to go to war, if there was no father or son, an uncle or a cousin from the family was needed.

Dick was the oldest, and he took his responsibilities as the oldest seriously, gentle Dick, happy and optimistic Dick who had openly condemned the war. He didn't belong in it.

Tim should have known, should have done something when Dick had pulled Jason and Cassandra away to talk to them, should have realize when he heard Jason screaming at their oldest brother about how he would have taken his place. Jason, strong, hot-headed Jason who seemed so eager to go out in the war more than anyone else, who stood taller and was built bigger than the eldest, all hard muscles and hard stares, so different from Dick's lithe toned body and gentle eyes.

But it was useless, five years younger than Dick; he didn't earn the right to the papers, the name in the papers that asked for Richard Grayson Wayne to fight not Jason Todd Wayne.

Tim pulled and fought, but Jason had always been the strongest in the family. His grip was painful and Tim realized it wasn't because he wanted to pull Tim back, but because he couldn't do anything himself. Tim looked up at his brother's cold stone face, a face that resembled their dead father. Bruce should have been here, but he had been in Metropolis when the war hit it. MIA, they reported or most likely killed. They haven't heard from him in weeks and Dick took it for what it was.

Tim didn't believe it. Their father was a strong man, he couldn't have just died in such a way, they didn't find a body, and until he saw a body he wouldn't believe it. He should be here right now, fighting against them from taking his oldest son.

"Grayson!" Damian shouted from Cassandra's arms, eyes narrowed to slits as the uniformed man gave a stern salute and turned around to leave.

In all the years he'd lived in the Wayne Manor Tim finally saw the concrete truth that rooted fear in his stomach and climbed up to his heart before it settled in his throat. Truth that he had all too happily ignored when the war had broken out in Europe.

He watched as Dick stoned his features, no longer a smile twinkling before Prussian eyes. He stiffened his shoulders, stood straight and saluted back, reporting that he would see the commanding officer in three days.

Three days.

His oldest brother, who had always been a rock for all of them, would soon be gone in three days. Tim fell to his knees, Jason followed him, large arms enveloped him from behind holding him as he shook. Stephanie who had let go of Tim's hand had stepped back as she wrapped her arms around her stomach, biting her lips to keep from sobbing openly.

Damian refused to imitate their defeat; he finally shook off Cassandra and ran toward the eldest Wayne ready to rip those papers from his brothers' hands.

Dick let him, let Damian rip the papers to shreds; let him throw it on the ground before pointing a finger at his chest and telling him that he was staying. That the war didn't need to take two people away from him.

It was useless of course. Those papers didn't matter, they were just an invitation, Dick would go. He would leave no matter what.

Big brother rules, Tim vaguely remembered. If danger came, if one of them would not be able to make it, if war was unavoidable. The oldest brother was the protector. That was the rules that had been set up, what Dick had instilled in them.

And if the time came that Dick…wasn't able to take his responsibility, Cassandra, the second oldest would be in charge. Jason would be third, and Tim would be fourth.

Tim watched with blurred eyes at the younger brother he would protect if all defenses were down.

He would be the one to take the draft papers if it ever happened. In a way Tim understood the rules, but Damian... could never fully understand the rules. The sacrifice.

Because he was the youngest, and he would be the last.

END.