a/n - so for this chapter, i'm gonna just have tim be subdued and have morphine and vertigo in his sytem, disorienting him. then the rest will unfold as the story goes along. also any guesses as to who kidnapped tim? i'll let you chew on that, and happy reading!

□Tim□

I can't feel a fucking thing, which means I'm dying.

Right?

Right.

Which means Dick is probably dead.

Right?

Right.

But they are coming to get me, right?

"Wrong."

I don't look up to the voice, too tired to do so. It's a low and raspy tone, reminding me of something. I can't picture it yet, but I know it's there.

"I can see you thinking through this situation, just like him."

Who is he talking about?

Why is everything so hard right now?

I can't focus, but I need to. I just need to. If I can just focus slightly, I might be able to escape.

Somehow.

And find Dick, wherever he is. If he's still alive anyways. No, don't go there - he's Dick Grayson, he'll be fine.

"Your going to get out of here, if that's what you were wondering, Timothy,"

Well, that's good news and bad news. Good new, I guess I'm getting out of here.

Bad news, he knows my name. I mean, my mask isn't off at all whatsoever, nor is my suit, so he knows me otherwise.

That could be a problem.

I don't want more problems right now.

"I just want to see him, in the flesh. See how he much he cares."

What? The hell is he going on about?

Who?

Okay, breathe. In, out. In, out. Who could he be talking about. Who could this guy be talking about.

I don't know.

Okay, focus. Start from the beginning.

How did I get here - start there.

He kidnapped me, subdued me, I woke up numb with my suit on, and now wants to see this 'him'.

He can't be talking about Batman, can he? I don't know, can I take the chance that he's talking about Batman?

I have to assume and analyze every option, so I guess he could be an option.

That's not good.

Wait, again, how did I get here? This guy has to have some pretty good training to get through Dick and I, let alone end up kidnapping me without Dick taking him down.

Which means he's skilled. Which also means he probably knows the area well if he beat Dick. This is our home, and he beat us here, where we're the most comfortable.

So now the question is simple.

Who's this guy?

□Mara□

The next thing I know, Alfred's near me in the med bay, cleaning up Dick's other wounds that aren't life threatening. We - okay, Dad, Dami, and Alfred - all patched up Dick's gunshot wound, and brought him over to the medbay. I watched for the most part, but now I can't watch anymore.

Because Dad and Damian are going out to find Tim, while Alfred mans the comms and computers. I have been ordered to man my oldest brother. Alfred tells me a few quick things, and then rushes off to the computers as we hear the rumble of the Batmobile echo the cave as it leaves.

I'm a bit nervous, to explain myself at the moment. I mean for real, my brothers life is kinda in my hands.

And that's a lot of responsibility. So I guess lets put on a thinking cap and make sure he doesn't die. I can't let him die, honestly, because I love him too much. He's the big brother who cares a lot. He shows it too. Damian's the older brother who's protective. Tim's the brother who I can relate to the best. And Jason -

Deep breaths. Just let it pass and focus on Dick. 

I hear a slight moan from Dick, alarming me immediately. My mouth flies open to shout for help, for another person to help, but I know I can't do that. I turn back to my brother and shuffle to his side, grabbing his hand and squeezing it a little.

"You're gonna be fine Dick, you're gonna be perfectly fine. You've got the best of the best here to make sure you deliberately die," I joke, hoping he can hear me. I know he probably can't, but it's worth a shot.

Suddenly, I see the faintest hint of a smile on his face, which surprises the crap out of me. I didn't think that would actually work, nor did I think he would listen. I thought he was out cold, but apparently not.

I mean, at least he's still alive, thank god.

"H-hey," he whispers, tapping a finger against my hand. I smile, knowing he's going to fight to stay awake.

"Hi there Dick. How's your day been?" I ask quietly. He lets out a small, pained breath that tried to come out as a chuckle.

"Ah, it's been good,"

"Good, that's good,"

"You?" His voice is raspy.

"Mm, it's fine. You got it worse though," I stop, listening to Alfred's words that echo through the cave.

As I half listen, I realize I wished I would've told Dick I wasn't fine. But I can't -- he's shot, and I'm not. He doesn't deserve my problems because his life was on the line; or in easier words, he's got his own life to take care of, he doesn't need mine as well.

"Hey," Dick says, "don't worry about me, okay?"

My head snaps back to him, a scowl on my face.

"What? Dude, you just got shot, you had a fricken bullet in you, which could've killed you! Do you understand that?"

"But did I die?"

My mouth drops open at his response, a few noises escaping my mouth in awe. He just smiles weakly and chuckles, holding his side with his free hand.

It takes me a moment, but I find the words to respond.

"Uh - Dick are you kidding me?! The hell kind of an answer is that?!"

"A great answer, Mara," he replies, a wide grin on his face. "And watch your language missy."

I sigh heavily in defeat, muttering a small sorry, when a shadowy figure reaches the corner of my eye. I feel the hairs on my neck stand up slightly, and I turn quickly. I see Alfred standing there, taking a breath before coming down to us.

I immediately don't like the look on his face as he comes down into the dimlit medical area, and I can tell Dick doesn't either.

"Master Dick, are you stable to stand and sit in another chair?" I turn to Dick, and see his face scrunch up for a moment, and then watch him nod his head.

"Alfred," I start, "what's going on?"

"Your father has found Timothy," he pauses, as almost to attain more suspence to the situation. "And he's sent a reluctant Master Damian back to the cave, and I need you to be moved off the table, just in case,"

"In case of what?" I demand, suddenly feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over me, for my brothers.

For Dick, with a gunshot wound laying next to me, for Damian, who is out their coming home in the dark where the human monsters hide, and especially for Tim, who's kidnapped, and could be going through hell right now.

That all scares the living hell out of me. I can't- I won't --

I cannot lose another brother.

I just can't. I can't take that pain. They're my family, after that witch of a mother threw me out of my own home - a supposed safe place.

And now my brothers are my safe place. If I lose another, I might just lose it. I wouldn't know how to move on.

So I need answers right now.

"Alfred," my tone is sharp and almost razor like as I speak.

He looks a little startled and a little surprised that I used that tone with him. I even feel Dick's stare burning into the back of my head.

Dick calls Alfred's name once more, shaking him out of whatever trance he was in.

"Uh- oh yes. Your brother -- Master Tim, could be possibly hurt. Damian is on his way back because your father did not want him to get injured. Or worse. Now, your father is going to bring your brother back to the cave, and then patch him up if need be, so we need this table clear. Do you understand?"

The room is quiet for a long moment, as Alfred's words sink in.

...Master Tim could possibly be hurt...your father is bringing him back...patch him up if need be...

I know exactly what Alfred meant to say.

He meant to tell us that Tim is in fact hurt, or worse as he put it, and Dad sent Damian back here because it was too dangerous, and Alfred and Dad are going to need the operating table to save Tim's life.

"Yeah, we understand," Dick saves us both from the shame of making Alfred repeat himself, and then grabs my hand for support, and me and Alfred help Dick off of the table. He hops down onto the floor and immediately lurches my way, so I grab his waist and hold him up as best I can.

Then, I reach with my leg, snaking my foot around the leg of the spinny chair, and kick the chair over to us quickly. We sit Dick down, and he grimaces in pain, and I give him a weak smile, trying to tell him a 'sorry' for making it hurt.

He just shakes his head and smiles.  I sigh, and turn to see that it's just me and him now in the room, as Alfred's probably back up to the computers.

I begin to feel sick myself, a queasy feeling spreading in my chest, and my vision starts to get spotty and blurry.

"Hey," a hand reaches to grab mine, "look at me Mara."

I look at Dick.

"Everything is gonna be fine -- we've got everything we need to save a life in here, and you better bet that we're going to use it to save Tim, if he even needs it. You get that?"

I nod, feeling a little better.

"Thanks," I mumble, squeezing my older brothers hand.

"Anytime M, anytime. And sit down, it'll help calm your nerves."

"Oh, okay -- wait what?"

"Oh, I said you could sit -"

"No, did you call me 'M'?"

"Yes, yes I did. Can I call you that?" Dick asks, and I can't help but smile at him.

"Yeah, of course. And I think I will sit down."

I grab another chair - that happens to spin - and flop down on it, immediately feeling my exhaustion consume me.

"For now," Dick's voice is soft as I feel myself start to drift off, "just rest."

I give a small noise of agreement, and let myself fall asleep in the midst of all that chaos. Well, the chaos that seemed calmer than before anyways.

If only I'd have stayed awake.