Hello,

This is my first story and I've decided to try and give the Batman world a try. Please review with constructive criticism or some nice cookies. Enjoy!

Red Nightmare

Tim awoke to screaming.

His first thought was that Jason had had one of his more intense nightmares and any minute now he would hear the shower run or the man's heavy footfalls making an escape from the manor.

But he quickly realized that none of that would be happening.

For it was his throat that felt raw and his body that was still trembling.

And with that realization he got flashes of what his subconscious had just made him suffer through.

Bruce covered in blood and unable to stand up. Dick desperately reaching for him for what seemed like a last hug. Even Damian hunched over beside his father, sobs shaking the boy's bloody body. But even more surprising to him was when he turned from the disturbing scene there was his last brother. He wasn't with the group and when Tim inspected further there were signs that the man had been beaten repeatedly. His symbol on his outfit had been tarred off leaving his torn skin more visible.

Blood.

Tim repeatedly took long breaths and tried putting his mind to solving this nightmare instead of reimagining it over and over again.

But even though this was a routine that usually relaxed him he realized this time that he continued to shake and his skin still felt too hot.

He combed a hand through his hair and realized that he was still really sweaty.

And this was probably why Jason always took showers after.

He quickly scanned the room and listened for anything out of place. The manor was silent and there seemed to be no disturbances. If anyone had intruded then Bruce would surely have noticed and be monitoring the hallways. But it was quiet.

On second thought that disturbed Tim.

Tim was up and moving before he really thought about his actions.

When he left his bedroom, he made another scan of the manor.

He stepped quietly to his oldest brother's bedroom and put his ear near the door. He heard the insistent purring of the kitten Damian had adopted the beginning of this year. Dick's muffled voice could be heard through the door as he consoled the youngest Robin. He heard Damian's signature "Tt" to the man's comments but it seemed weaker than usual.

He looked at the room at the end of the hallway and hesitated. Bruce's room had been a place he always avoided. Usually if he had a nightmare he would head in the direction of Bruce's room unconsciously but then Dick's door would arrive first and his oldest brother was always great at comforting. But then Damian had come and Dick didn't have much time for the third Robin now that a fourth had arrived.

So Tim turned and headed back to his room but then his eyes fell onto the last bedroom door.

And then Tim realized why it was odd that the place had been so quiet.

Sometimes Jason would disappear for a week here and there and the manor would feel different…feel incomplete. Tim liked routines and wouldn't be able to sleep well the nights any of his brothers were away. He would need to have a goodnight hug from Dick (even when he would roll his eyes and tell the eldest that he was too old for this childish routine) and then there would be the scratching of Damian's cat as it tried to get into the youngest boys room. There would be silence for a little bit and then he would hear Bruce come to bed, his footsteps pausing at each boy's room. Tim always wondered what their father figure was checking for but the man seemed to be assured after a few minutes and move onto the next door. He assumed it was some sort of Bat sense…or perhaps a father sense that he wouldn't be able to understand. And then the last step of the routine was something that had recently just been added but seemed to be the puzzle piece that completed it.

And it was missing.

Jason had only been back for a couple of months but Tim had already grown accustomed to the snoring that could be heard from their connected wall.

Remembering Jason brought back images from his nightmare.

Separated from the group.

Beaten and bloody.

Symbol of the Bat ripped from his chest.

Tim paused at the last door as he analyzed these details. He did have reoccurring dreams of losing his new family. He had lost so many people these past few years that he was always worrying over the others. Dick and his snuggles and laughs. Bruce with his silent pride and protection. Even the Demon…with their constant bickering and thrilling duels. And now Jason had become part of that. Jason who helped fix his car when it had broken down. Who had punched a bully at Tim's school when he was harassing him. Tim would have gotten expelled if he had done that but Jason had just smirked when Bruce tried to reprimand him once he received the call later that night.

Jason and the other family members were still trying to adjust to his remittance to the family. Tim still had his uncertainty when it came to the black sheep of the family. But he supposed that was to be expected from all the times Jason had tried to kill him and Damian.

Yet when he trained with him or awoke to one of the screams a terrible nightmare would drag from the older man, Tim was reminded how he was a Robin like the rest of them.

And Tim realized his dream hadn't just been about losing his family but also about how Jason had been away from the group and had lost his symbol that had kept him connected to the family.

Tim and Dick hadn't really been around the house much until Jason had come home. Then it had just kind of happened, like they both unconsciously knew they needed to be home for them all to become a family again.

Tim put his hand on the door knob and prepared himself for the likelihood that the Red Hood had snuck out alone to patrol or gone on one of his disappearances.

He opened the door and wasn't surprised to see the room empty but he couldn't stop his shoulders from sagging with disappointment.

The window was open and he decided he might as well shut it for he wouldn't know when the vigilante would be back.

But as he approached it the signature smell of nicotine flowed from the faint breeze.

He poked his head out the window and found the second Robin perched on the roof; a faint red light glowed from the cancer stick. No matter what Alfred did to rid the Ex-Robin from the alcohol, guns, and cigarettes the latter habit always found its way back into his hands.

Tim wasn't sure what made him crawl out the window but it could have been the breeze that felt so good on his nightmare clammy skin (or maybe to reassure him that his last brother was indeed alright).

Jason heard his approach and just scooted over as if he needed to make room for Tim on the large expanse of roofing. However Tim took it as a sign that he was in a pretty good mood and was accepting his presence.

Tim took the spot and stared at the sky that the older man beside had been doing before he had arrived.

Time passed peacefully and Tim found himself relaxing and found the breeze to become a little chilly now that the heat of fear had passed from his nightmare.

"Alfred would want me to push you off for having one of those on premises." He nodded towards the stick as Jason let out a large exhale.

Jason gave a small laugh that seemed forced. "And Bruce would be so proud. Yet here I am."

Tim wasn't sure what to say. Jason had this technique of making small things hint at big issues. There were many times when little bickers would happen and Jason would say something that would escalate things or give him a reason to run from them.

It was Jason who broke the next silence.

"Everything alright, Babybird?"

Tim immediately softened more at the endearment. His parents had never used nicknames and had been very formal. To hear such things from the darker man seemed to make it even more significant.

"Just couldn't sleep."

And Tim only realized that by trying not to tell his brother he had a nightmare he basically had outright told him. He had been a Robin and had probably used that same line on Bruce like the rest of them.

There was a moment of silence that Tim waited to see if Jason would just leave the comment alone.

"Where's Golden Boy?"

"With the Demon Spawn."

Jason gave him an inspection and Tim wasn't sure to go before things became serious and his wayward brother got frustrated with a situation that could be too emotional for his tastes.

But Jason surprised him.

"We all have them. Even Bruce, I betcha. And they never stop."

Jason gave a glance to the side to gauge the reaction of his listener.

The elder smiled and continued. "I like to keep one of my guns under my pillow. One time I guess I was having a bad one and Roy shook me. Put a hole through his favorite cap."

Tim smirked. "So you missed."

Jason scoffed but there was still a smile in his eyes.

Tim mulled over this comment and realized that Alfred did not allow weapons out of the cave.

"What do you do now?" He always feared asking Jason personal questions especially something that could evoke the pain of the past.

The thought that the other man may run because of something he said made Tim's insides coil.

But Jason seemed to be calm tonight. Perhaps because he got his nicotine or maybe he hadn't had nightmares as the other birds had.

The bulkier man shrugged. "Fight harder."

This seemed significant to the boy because he realized this was something he could relate to. While he had nightmares of what could happen to his family, this man in front of him had his memories that were nightmares enough.

While Jason saw fighting harder as never being defenseless again, Tim saw it as training harder to protect the people he called family.

Tim shivered from the cold or perhaps from the thought of Jason not having them to protect him. "Dick says to surround ourselves with people you love and trust."

Jason snuffed out his cigarette on a tile. "Yep, that helps too."

"You don't need to leave all the time. A house full of bat trained warriors is probably the best kind of people to surround yourself with."

Jason stiffened and Tim feared he may have overstepped that invisible line that was always there with the second Robin.

But Jason seemed to relax again and put an arm around the younger teen.

"And a Butler that can beat all of them."

And Tim couldn't help but laugh and lean in a little closer to the warmth.

Epilogue

The next night came and all Robins had gone to their nests for the night.

A shadow slowly rose up the stairs and paused at the first door.

He could hear the steady voice of Tim as he explained the difference between foam and feather pillows.

His voice was muffled mid topic as what could only be by said pillow.

Jason's gruff voice was heard. "G'night."

The shadow silently moved onto the last door.

A squeak made it past the wooden door.

"It always does that! I think it wants a nice scratch and then I get bitten!"

"You're just not a cat person, Grayson."

A dramatic gasp.

"I'll have you know that Richard John Grayson is an everybody person."

A "Tt" was the only reply.

Bruce Wayne smiled and headed into his own room where he would be able to peacefully sleep.

For as Batman has to patrol Gotham, Bruce Wayne has to patrol the manor before deciding all is well.

End