Chapter Text
It happens one unremarkable day. Under-caffeinated and sleep deprived, he walked to where he could hear the other members of the household. Tim looks up and sees the Wayne family, whole, for the first time in probably forever. In the Blue Sitting room - the most commonly used family room - there they all are. Bruce and Jason, by the bay windows with one of Gotham’s few days of sunshine shinning in, are arguing the finer points of some classic novel, Dick, perched on the back of the couch like its gymnastics equipment, is trying to convince Alfred that cereal is in fact, dinner food, and Cass and Damian are sitting on the floor on either side of the coffee table and seem to be playing Clue and Jenga simultaneously.
For once everyone is alive. No one is lost in time, dead, or angry at one another. They are a family again, and something that been broken since Jason died, has finally been mended. It hits Tim like a punch to the gut he didn’t see coming, there is no air left in his lungs. He is no longer necessary. He has been here so long that he had almost forgotten that it was just temporary. He was there to plug the holes in a sinking ship.
Save Batman from himself when Jason died and Dick was angry and estranged. That had been his mission, the role he had created for himself to protect this city and the family he had always envied and wished was his.
But it didn’t stop there. Dick and Bruce started getting along again, and Bruce wasn’t crazy with rage and depression. When he had first realized Jason was back, he had thought that was that. Life would return to what it was before, and Tim would sent back to his empty mansion, where he would continue to dream that he was a part of this amazing family.
But no, Jason had come back angry, and vengeful, and homicidal.
With the Pit Madness and Talia’s twisted mind games, it took much longer to bring Jason truly back to them. How Jason could ever have believed that Bruce would replace him with Tim was truly baffling. Bruce loved Dick and Jason, they where his sons, nothing could replace them, least of all Tim. Bruce hadn’t even wanted Tim there, Tim had forced his way into their lives-blackmailed really-, he wasn’t chosen, Bruce had only adopted him after his father was killed because it made the most sense logistically. It would be harder to be Robin if placed in a group home or with foster parents who would most likely wonder about his whereabouts and injuries more the Jack and Janet ever did.
He had, of course, tried to explain it to Jason, but it was hard to hold such a conversation when fighting for you life.
But time had went on, and Dick and Bruce had put their all into showing Jason that they cared, that they wanted him home with them, and that Talia had filled his head with lies. So of course, Robin had still been needed. Though, as usual, as things seemed to be calming down, Jason warming up to them, more had to go wrong.
Next came Damian and his host of issues from being raised by assassins, then Bruce being lost in time, an no one believed him, he had to continue on. He had promised himself to protect this family who protected Gotham. He would bring them their Dad back.
And he had done it.
He brought Bruce back.
Jason had moved back in the manor (temporarily old man! Just while I setup my new safe-houses) and was on friendly terms with everyone.
Cass had moved back now that her business in Hong Kong was done.
Damian, while he could never erase his time with the League, was learning it was ok to act his age, and show emotion more and more everyday.
So now there was no place for Tim.
But he had proven his usefulness over the years. Maybe that would allow him to help with their work? Damian at thirteen was much too young to be CEO and Dick, Cass and Jason didn’t want it. Also with Tim still running Wayne Enterprises until Damian was old enough, would give Bruce more time with his family and more time on Bat-Business. He was sure he could get Bruce to see reason in that.
And for the night jobs, well Ra's al Ghul only called one other person besides Batman detective. They had all over the years reached out to Tim for help on cases, surely they would let him keep working as a vigilante in Gotham.
But yes Tim understood that he should be moving out of the Manor the soonest he was able, as not the get in the way of Family time. Mother and Father didn’t like when he was underfoot.
Would he able to keep his name? The name Red Robin, as far as the superhero community went, tied him to the Batfamily. Would they want him to distance himself? His presence in the family, Bat or otherwise, had always upset Damien and Jason. And of course Damian would need a new identity when he out grew Robin. Bruce would do anything to stay on good terms with his kids, so a new name was probably in order.
Tim, from the doorway, stared at the happy scene for a moment longer, trying to commit every detail to memory. In the future, when he was alone he could revisit this memory and it would bring him some solace that he had helped them all get to this point. That even if he did not have his own family, he could remind himself that he had help save another family.
His hands ached for his camera.
Tim turned to go. He would go to his room, pack and start making arrangements. He supposed he would have to talk to Bruce tonight about WE and his position on the team.
“Replacement!” Jason called out. Freezing Tim in his tracks. “Will you come here and settle and argument, dear old dad here thinks he knows more about Jane Austin than ME!”
Tim glanced back into the room
Jason is smiling like he has already won the argument, Bruce is smirking amusedly -clearly had taken the other side of the argument just to rile up Jason- the others in the room eyes flicker up briefly at the pair before returning to their own activities.
Tim’s brain briefly stutters. “I-it’s-Sorry. This is clearly family time, I didn’t mean to intrude.”
It’s like a bomb had gone off, or no, the opposite of a bomb? At his words the entire room had frozen, all eyes snapped to him, it felt as if the temperature had dropped 5 degrees in an instant.
“Want to repeat that again for me Baby Bird.” Came from a tense Jason.
Tim shuffled his feet uncertainly, as his eyes flicked between the people in the room.
“Well-I was just coming down to ask if any one had seen the file I was working on last night, but I forgot that everyone had today off so you where all going to spend some family time together. I really didn’t mean to interrupt, I’ll just head down to the cave and get to work on those reports, you won’t even notice I’m here….” Tim trailed off. Jason had seemed to get angrier the longer he talked. Tim steadfastly refused to look at Damian, he didn’t want to see the smug satisfaction on his face, from Tim finally accepting his place.
Tim tensed as Jason took a step forward, but he was quickly stoped by Bruce putting a hand on his shoulder. He had thought he and Jason had been getting along, that they had a good working relationship. Sure, Jason still mostly referred to him as ‘Replacement’, but didn’t try to kill him any more, and usually pretty easy conversation.
Jason turned and glared at Bruce, but Bruce respond with a small shake of his head and a squeeze of Jason’s shoulder. Jason huffed and then said “fine”.
Bruce refocused on Tim. “Tim could you come in here for a minute?”
Tim entered the room and took the seat in the chair that Bruce indicated he take.
As Tim sat, he noticed that everyone had seem to form a semi-circle around him. Bruce standing to his left, Alfred standing on the right, Dick had joined Cass and Damian on the floor and Jason standing a little behind and to the right of Bruce.
Tim’s eyes met Bruce’s again. Oh god. Where they going to kick him out as a group. Was this the intervention where they tell him that he has been to needy and clingy, and lay down the new rules. He had always disappointed mother and father. They always complained that he sought too much attention, and mother hated when he’d cling to her skirts at parties when he was little. He thought he had gotten better at this.
“Ok Tim, I just want to ask some clarifying questions.” Bruce said
“First question. Who is part of this family?”
Tim gave Bruce a confused look before replying. Is this a trick question? “You, Alfred, Dick, Jason, Cass, Damian, and I guess you could count Barbara and Steph as extend family, like cousins,” at the slightly angry look on Damians face Tim continued. “and of course Titus, Alfred the Cat and Bat-cow.”
There was sudden whine of distress that came from Dick, who turn to his adopted father with a look of horror on his face “Bruce…”
But Bruce hadn’t taken his eyes off Tim, he was looking at Tim with such a sad look on his face. Tim wasn’t sure what he messed up, but it had to be big for B to show that kind of emotion.
“Alright Tim, and what are you?” Tim felt his brain lag, like he was trying to load a webpage with dial-up internet.
“I-hun? What?”
Bruce crouched down so he was looking up at Tim.
“Tim, what are you to this family?” He said softly. Actually that was the voice Batman used when talking to sacred victims he needed information from.
He was confused and sure he had missed something, but he tried to answer Batman’s question.
“Well I’m tech and research guy? I guess? I mean its not like you all can’t do it on your own, but me doing it saves time. And some needs to run WE, and no matter what Damian says they will not let an thirteen year old be CEO, so until he is old enough I can take care of that? I guess I’m just here to help in what ever capacity you need from me.”
“Oh my God this is torture! Timmy—” Dick started, moving to stand.
Bruce held up his had “Dick, wait.” He turned back to Tim.
“Tim you do remember, that I adopted you right? That you're my son that that these are you brothers and sister? Did you get hit on the head patrolling last night? Doused with any toxins?” More Batman bleeding in to Bruce’s concerned face.
Tim huffed, starring to feel frustrated at not understanding the point of this conversation. “Of course I remember. Our cover identity’s are perfectly intact. You know I monitor all identity situations”
“Yes I do, and I know you do a great job. Ok, different question. Yes or no answers, Not Cover identities, Not Secret Identities, just us, normal us. Is Dick my son?”
“Yes.”
“Is Jason my son?”
“Yes.”
“Are Jason, Dick and Damian brothers?”
“Yes.”
“Is Cass their sister?”
“Yes, what is the point of—”
“Are you my son?”
“No” a look of hurt crossed Bruces face, that Tim couldn’t understand. Bruce seemed to flounder for a moment. He stood up running a hand over his face.
“Why are you not Bruce’s son Timbers?” Jason questioned.
“He didn’t adopt me because he loved me, and wanted me. He adopted me because I knew all the secrets and was Robin, and I couldn’t still be Robin from some foster home. I would get caught. He was super nice, even though I forced my way into your guys’s life, B still let me stay here, didn’t mind when I talked too much.”
“So to clarify,” Bruce started. “You don’t have any objections to me being your Dad—”
“Of course not! I’ve always wanted you to be my Dad!” ShitFuckShit. You where never supposed to say that out loud you dumbass.
Bruce crouched down again and turned Tim’s back towards him, to look him in the eyes.
“Tim you are my son, not for a cover, not because you know too much, not because it was convenient, but because I love you. I love you. Tim Drake-Wayne. Not as Robin or Red Robin, or as CEO of WE, just Tim. You are my son and I love you. Your brothers love you, your sister loves you, Alfred loves you. Do you understand Tim? To you believe me?”
Tim’s eyes started to sting, looking at Bruce in disbelief. Then around to the others.
Cass stood and walked to him, she smiled softly and said “Stupid brother.” Then kissed him on the forehead. Dick unable to reign himself in any more leapt at Tim and smothered him in a hug. “How could you not think we loved you?! How could you not think we are brothers?” He wailed.
Tim’s head was still spinning from what Bruce had said, but at Dick’s words Tim felt his frustration and anger rise. “No,” he stood up quickly, pushing Dick off him. “No, I don’t know why you're lying to me but I know where not brothers! You threw me away! A better baby brother came a long and your real brother was back from the dead!” He paced angrily around the room, and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “You felt like shit for how you treated Jason before he died and used treating me like a brother to make your-self feel better. Even Bruce used to mix me up with Jason all the time!”
Gesturing to Jason he continued on. “Jason knows, he always knew. Replacement.” he spat. “This pretending has to stop! Because it hurts. It hurt when you threw me away because I forgot that I wasn’t family. I know now I shouldn’t have fought you on taking Robin, shouldn’t argue with Damian on my place in the family, but I forgot that you weren’t by brother, I forgot that Bruce wasn’t my Dad.” His voice cracked on the last word.
He scrubbed his hands over his eyes harshly, “The pretending has to stop now. It doesn’t just affect me, me being part of the family upsets Damian and Jason,” he looks pleadingly across the room to Bruce. “You just got Jason back and Damian is finally settling, my presence here is just a catalyst for more fighting.”
Tim let out of frustrated breath. “And I'm not sure why were pretending anymore, my loyalty to you all can’t be in question, you know I would protect you all with my life, and we don't need that many public appearances together to keep the cover ID intact”
Tim stared at the ground breathing harshly, his eyes where stinging but he would now cry. Stop being a goddamn baby. You are stronger than this, you don’t need hugs and I love you’s, Janet taught you better. No matter what he told him self he couldn’t raise his eyes to look at hi-not his-family. Looking might break him for good. Because while his brain knew that they were not his, his heart had claim them as family long ago. Before they even knew who he was, nine-year-old him stalking them across rooftops. Alone in his wide empty mansion, his make-believe friends were Dick and later Jason, and Tim would spend his days pretending that they were his brothers, that Bruce Wayne-Batman!- was his Dad.
His heart raged in his chest, it screamed its love for them at him, it stretched out desperate to hold onto them. But his heart was small, and chipped, and cracked in places, and Tim knew it couldn’t take much more, he had to protect what was left.
Tim was pulled out of his swirling thoughts as a large hand landed on his shoulder and another coming up to cup the side of his face, Tim’s eyes rose to take in Bruce’s face. Bruce had tears in his eyes and his face was pinched in a look of great pain.
“Ti-”He took a deep, strengthening breath. “Tim, I am so sorry that you feel this way, that we made you feel this way,” Bruce’s thumb wiped a traitorous tear off Tim’s cheek. “I don’t know how, but we are going to fix this, together as a family, because that’s what we are Family. And that includes you. You are just as important, and just as loved as any of your siblings. And I know you might not believe us yet, but we are going to keep saying it till you do, we love you and we are not going to let you go.”
Tim’s vision was too blurry with tears to see anything now, so he closed his eyes as Bruce crushed Tim to him in a bone breaking hug. Tim tried-and failed- to suppress his sobs as his heart sang wanting to believe, but Tim was still so so scared that this was all some big joke, or dream, or nightmare and the rug would be pulled out from him again.