Chapter Text
You pathetic shit, you can't do anything right. You're the problem and the reason all this is happening. Face it no one loves you no one cares about you. Tim let his thoughts rage for god knows how long before slipping into a shitty sleep.
The next morning was one of the hardest mornings. Tim couldn't find the will to get out of bed and knew he had a meeting soon. Around noon a soft knock at the door made Tim stir once more.
"Yeah?" His voice was weak from sleep.
"Can I come in?" Bruce held the door knob.
"Eh," Tim thought for a moment. "I guess."
Bruce opened the door. Tim didn't move, he still faced the wall. Bruce walked in sitting on the edge of his son's bed.
"I made some calls."
"For?" Tim closed his eyes taking a deep breath despite the tightness in his chest.
"Jason didn't tell you?"
"Didn't tell me what?" Tim straightened out a little, his legs no longer folded into his chest.
"About the gala... What happened? He didn't explain that you don't have to hide it."
Tim shot up into a sitting position "What?!"
Bruce winced a little. "Phil Marin."
"NO!!! You guys weren't supposed to know!!!" Tim hissed, tugging at his hair.
Bruce reached over to stop Tim from pulling his hair but Tim leaned away getting up.
"No no no no no no" His breaths were shallow and quick. He paced around the room stumbling over his own feet.
"Tim breathe. No one is going to think differently of you." Bruce got up standing in the way of his pacing.
Tim stood still far from Bruce for a moment overthinking about everything. His hyperventilating caused shaking and the shaking caused him to wobble in his place.
"Tim, hey, breath chum." This wasn't the reaction Bruce was expecting but now he knows Jason didn't say anything about knowing to him.
Tim pulled at his hair thinking somehow that would be calming, it wasn't, but it was worth a shot. Anything Bruce said went in one ear and out the other. All Tim could think about was the meeting he was supposed to go to, what happened, how it happened, how Bruce found out, how Jason found out, everything. Time was moving so fast but so slow at the same time. Thinking felt impossible but it was all that was clouding his head at the moment. Every bone in his body ached every handprint left, burned. Suddenly something touched him. Tim flinched stammering back knocking into the wall sliding down it. He tucked his knees to his chest every muscle tensing suddenly back in that room where the gala was held. So many voices he covered his ears squeezing his eyes shut. So much going on, happening too much going on too much happening all at once. He couldn't breathe something was suffocating him. A weight suddenly pressed around his shoulders and back the voices somehow clearing but also still chirping too much. It was too overwhelming.
"The blanket should help." Dick sat on the floor not far from Tim.
"I didn't think trying to tap his shoulder would be the last straw." Jason frowned quietly. He stood in the middle of the room.
He and Dick had been called in Tim froze and started breaking down more. Somehow Dick was the only one who knew how to start de-escalating a panic attack when it came to Tim. Dick knew how to calm anyone down actually, it's part of his role as the golden child. Jason sighed looking between Dick and Tim. Tim really did look scared and freaked out when they came in. He would have brought it up with Tim last night but Tim also voiced something Jason wasn't ready for. He didn't sleep that night having thought about it. He sat at Dicks desk reading not wanting to be alone. It's not every day your little brother voiced their suicidal thoughts out of the blue. Jason wasn't good with feelings either so when Tim asked him to go, he left. He told Dick and he said he would talk to him in the morning but Tim had slept most of the morning until noon when Bruce knocked. Dick told Jason to keep an ear out while he finished up something for a case in 'Haven. Both of them were not expecting Bruce to call them in to help, surely not Jason. But now here they all are. Tim crumpled up in a corner with a weighted blanket covering his ears struggling to breathe. Dick sitting not close but not far from him talking softly and Bruce sitting on Tim's bed looking like a failed parent who can't help his child.
"He started shutting down when I told him I knew what Phil did." Bruce sat on the edge of Tim's bed.
"To be expected" Jason shrugged. Bruce's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "He hid it from us because he's ashamed, of course, his reaction wouldn't be good when a detective did his job."
"You told me" Bruce sighed
Jason sat next to him. "Because I sure as hell wasn't going to hide it too. He needs help like- right now." Bruce sighed so Jason continued. "Look, you tried, you were calm but the panic attack was bound to happen. He did a damn good job at suppressing everything but this is something he should have told you from the start. But you didn't tell or get mad, you tried to talk to him. Like a father, you talked to him. His reaction I would say was not only a build-up of stress but he's also just found out what he thought should be a secret is no longer a secret and we all know."
Bruce grunted.
Dick slowly inched himself over to Tim as slowly and quietly as possible. He leaned his back against the wall and Tim flopped over to his side letting out a choked sob. Dick adjusted the weighted blanket running a hand through his hair several times creating a soothing motion.
Being trapped in your own head for an hour is no fun when you have both your siblings and your father in the room watching you. Tim winded down a bit relaxing into the floor and Dicks lap. He was exhausted but at least he could breathe now. His hands still shook but he could really care less about it.
"Sorry," The word finally made it out of his mouth.
"For?" Bruce prompted.
"Being a nuisance"
"Your not though" Jason qued in.
"I feel like I am."
"You never have been and you never will be," Bruce said softly. He and Tim made eye contact before Tim looked away.
"I don't know I just feel like one I guess."
"How can we help?" Dick asked continuing to card his hand through Tim's hair.
"What do you mean?" Tim asked in confusion staring at the floor like it would answer for them.
"How can we help you? How can we help you feel better?" Dick restated calmly.
"And- Phil is out of the picture. Oracle is helping me with that." Bruce slid in.
Tim paled his heart pounding against his chest. Phil is how he got into this mess and now he put his problems on Bruce. Guilt grabbed at him the only thing keeping him from spiraling again was Dick's hand running through his hair and the sound of the fan in his room. He took a few deep breaths and relaxed his body again. His stomach flipped more but he sighed rolling his shoulders back. "I don't want Drake Industries to be around anymore."
"What?!?" Jason looked dumbfounded.
"I don't want DI to be around anymore," Tim said with more strength in his voice now.
Bruce thought for a moment. "What is Wayne Enterprises bought Drake Industries."
"My parents would roll in their graves."
"Let them. They deserve it." Jason scoffed waving his hand in an exaggerated motion.
Tim sighed worrying his lip between his teeth. He couldn't even begin to fathom what Bruce said to Phil or whoever he talked to. He must have been so mad about the whole situation. Tim also couldn't help but still blame himself for everything that happened. He planned to fix this all on his own and now everyone else is involved. His head pounded and the weighted blanket shifted on his shoulders and Dick adjusted it.
"I'll deal with it." Bruce broke his thoughts
Tim stared at him. He simply had no words. Just a sigh of relief came from his lungs as he melted into Dick's side. Suddenly he could breathe and things would be fine. He knew things would be fine. Bruce would help him he would figure it out. Tim was a Robin, Batman always helped Robin.
Drake Industries was sold to Wayne Enterprises.
Tim was slowly getting better.
Things looked to be getting better. Things were getting better.
"Morning."
Tim placed his mug on the counter. "Morning."
It was a long week for everyone. Bruce smiled softly getting a mug from the cabinet.
"So I've been thinking." He filled up the mug adding a small amount of milk.
Tim tilted his head. "About?"
"About taking time off of work and taking you guys to do something."
Tim chuckled. "Really?"
"I think we all need a break. From the daytime and the nighttime." Bruce sat down at the head of the table.
Tim took a sip of coffee. "With Babs, Steph, and Cass as well?"
"With everyone."
"That sounds nice." Tim smiled. He rested his head on his hand.
"How have you been?"
Tim thought for a moment. "Good. I'm feeling better. Life is getting better."
"Therapy helping?"
"I still have my days, but yes therapy is helping."
"Good. I'm glad."
Tim smiled. He took another sip of coffee getting up.
"Tim."
Tim paused putting his mug back down on the table. "Yeah?"
"I'm proud of you."
Tim paused for a moment. Leaving his mug on the table he saw Bruce get up and in a moment he shot into his arms. "Thank you."
"I know I don't say it enough to you guys, but just know I am proud of you. All of you."
Tim smiled melting into the hug. Bruce was proud. Bruce was proud of Tim and that's all Tim ever wanted. The smile that grazed his face couldn't be wider.