So I got a new laptop finally. I should be getting back to my regular writing schedule after I catch up and get used to typing on a smaller keyboard. Anyway, enjoy some angst that was written really fast and has no plot. :)

"I can feel myself slowly fading from your mind," Tim said sadly.

"You're not," Dick denied vehemently, shaking his head. "You can't be. Tim, I won't forget you."

"You will. You are, Dick. Don't bother lying to yourself or to me. It won't help anyone." Tim rolled his eyes and placed a gentle hand on Dick's shoulder. "It's okay. I promise. You can forget."

"You're my brother, Tim. Stop saying I'm going to forget you," Dick screamed, feeling the tears start to slide down his cheeks. "I'm not."

Tim smiled again. It was bittersweet.

"Dick, I'm not here anymore. That's why it's okay to forget. Remember?"

Dick froze. "What?"

"I'm dead and you're dreaming. It's crazy what fear toxin can do, isn't it?" Tim shook his head. "I can hardly believe it."

"You're not dead, Tim. You're not."

"Aren't I?"

Everything faded to black. Dick shot up like he'd been electrocuted.

"Tim!" he yelled.

And then there was Tim, standing in front of him and looking no worse than he had near the end of their fight with Killer Croc and Scarecrow. He still had blood dripping from him, he still had a limp, but he was there. He was alive.

Dick launched forward and wrapped Tim in a bone-crushing hug. Tim hugged him back. After a moment, Dick realized Tim was sobbing.

"Tim?" he asked, pulling back. "What's wrong? What is it?"

Tim shook his head. "Dick, you idiot," he said, sounding choked. "I told you to forget, you idiot."

Dick felt the blood drain from his face. "What?"

"I told you to let me go. Dick, why couldn't you let me go?"

"What are you talking about? How did you know about…"

"Look around, Dick. And think," Tim demanded.

Dick listened. He looked around and saw Alfred frantically performing CPR on someone laying on a bed. He saw Bruce yelling and Damian screaming. He saw Jason sobbing angry tears and Stephanie sitting stock still and pale-faced. But he didn't hear anything.

"Why am I on that bed?"

"Because you died, dumbass. You died just like me. Why couldn't you let me go?"

"Oh," Dick said absently, feeling suddenly woozy. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh," Tim mocked. "Damian needed you, Dick. They all did."

"And you didn't?"

Tim shook his head. "I shouldn't."

"But you do."

"I'm so scared. I've never died, Dick. You've never died. And Bruce is just going to fall apart. Damian is never going to be okay again. And it's all my fault."

"You couldn't have stopped them, Tim."

Tim laughed bitterly. "Wanna bet? I didn't think holding off on stopping them would cause you to die. Just me."

Dick felt his stomach drop.