I wrote this as an ask!fic for Tesiri on Tumblr who posted this:

On a bright note, I've had a funny thought where the reboot is actually a dream/virtual reality/some magical shenanigan created by their enemies or some higher being messing with them and the only way out is to die/realize what's happening. Tim was smart and figured it out and is trying to free everyone (and now Damian's helping him…reluctantly) and the "Tim" in reboot is a placeholder (I don't think I used that word right) acting (and failing) in place for the real Tim (who escaped a long time ago).

Enjoy XD

It wasn't difficult, figuring it out, or maybe that was just him. But he was stuck with two versions of everything; what he remembered-

"Batman needs a Robin"-

and what had been implanted on top of them-

"I want to apply for the job, as the new help."-

So no, it wasn't that hard to figure out; this wasn't their world.

Alternate universe, crazy ass mind control, mass hallucination, nightmare world, alternate reality, call it what you like but there was only one thing he knew was true; he had to get out. He had to find the blue pill. Just figures it's death, right?

It took him the better part of a year, but the preparations for his departure were finally ready. He's just thankful for his eidetic memory, and that Bruce doesn't care for him enough here to check up on what he's doing at all; oh and that there was an organisation dabbling in cloning technology.

It's just a little annoying that he doesn't get to see the crushing of it through, all he needed was the pod to grow him another... Well him. One he can implant the memories of who he's supposed to be, and then leave to try to fix this. To get his family and friends back.

Waking up however was painful, the gunshot hadn't hurt much, and nobody would find his body, but the taking his first breath of real air after what seemed like years hurt. His chest didn't want to rise, his diaphragm didn't want to expand, it was like being on a ventilator for months again when he caught the clench all the way back when, his muscles ached from disuse and his eyelashes seemed stuck together.

But he was okay. He was alive again for the first time in forever, the pain was welcome because that's how he knew it was real, nothing really hurt where he was before.

"Tim? TIM!" The familiar voice rang through the room and Tim had no time to prepare himself before he was barrelled into by a blonde and brunette.

"You're awake?!" And he felt so close to tears because Steph and Cass were right in front of him, in existence and it was just so... Right.

"Yeah, I um, had to shoot myself though. Seems like the only way out is dying" Steph grimaces and hugs him again whilst Cass nods knowingly

"Many suicides have woken up" her broken English music to Tim's ears.

"How many of us are there?"

"Not many, the number's grown though, Talia's coordinating everyone she can, turns out it's handy when the leader of a ninja league of assassins enjoys killing his followers." Steph helped him off the hospital cot and he got his first look around.

Everyone was there; Bruce, Dick, Clark, Kon, Cassie, Bart; everyone except those he doesn't remember existing in the other world.

"We thought it was best if we brought all of us together in one place, Wally's been running himself ragged"

"How long has it been for you?" He doesn't feel any older despite how long had passed in the dream.

"About three months."

"Time's not congruent then, it's been about three years in there." Cass spoke this time

"We know, Talia told us, the second time she came back"

"Second time?"

"Yup" Steph smiled brightly

"She managed to build a machine to let her go in and out, spent a few weeks back in there; it was only a couple of days here"

"She's currently using Leviathan to get the rest of the family out, said we would be the most helpful... And Batman Inc is something you're all involved in etcetera; really I think she's just missing Damian and Bruce"

"Can I go back and help?" Cass shook her head

"Not until Talia comes back out, it may hurt her" if there's one thing Tim hated the most, it was the feeling of not being useful.

Not that he felt that way for long; there was a lot of work to do. Everyone had basically just fallen asleep. Wally had done a great job at getting everyone inside, and the sleep seemed self-sustaining but there was a great deal of organising going on, usually just using an old radio station to broadcast where people can go to get help from heroes where they are, and just trying to keep people's hopes alive.

But then, about a week later he was checking some things on the computer they had in the Hero's Ward, as Steph liked to call it, when he heard a small gasp behind him. Damian was awake, sweaty, terrified and tears streaming down his face.

It was more out of instinct than anything conscious when he ran up to him, cloaking him in his arms whispering "Shush shush, it's going to be okay Dami, you're all right now" Talia's method of getting Damian out must have been traumatic.

"I- I don't understand, am I dead?"

Then he smiled, "Nope kiddo, welcome back to the real world" it may have please him just a little too much to see Damian's confused face turn to awe as the memories came flooding back and the realisation set in.

"I do not understand Drake, you are not dead"

"Nah, I cloned myself, oh don't give me that look, it's not too difficult, I just can't believe you guys thought I could be that much of an asshole."

Damian's laugh was so aloof and Damian like that it make butterflies flutter in Tim's stomach, some things were finally going right. Damian's small smile as he turned to look at Tim told him a great deal about how the dream had affected the ten year old. He was nicer, mellower now, brotherly almost.

"It was nice, do you think it'll be like that when they all wake up?" This he knew for sure

"Definitely Dami, definitely" and he tightened his hug, for once not caring that this kid had never been very nice to him, Damian was back and awake and crying like the kid he was; and he was hugging Tim back.