Tim Drake Gets the Love he Deserves

Chapter Four

"I just don't understand why she ran out. I mean, she knows you're you." Bart said, tapping his chin and tilting his head. 

Tim shook his head with a fond smile. "Unless Steph changed drastically when she came here, then that reaction would make sense. She is a Bat, afterall. We don't exactly have good coping skills. Well, except for maybe Dick, and even then its iffy." 

"That... actually adds up. Wow." 

"Okay, so what about Jason? How is he still alive?" Tim asked, moving on to his next question.

"Hmm, well I think it was just one of those things, ya know? Like, Robin told Alfred about his birth mom and stuff, so when Jason disappeared, Alfred told Batman and then it was pretty much research from there? From what Rob told me, Bats arrived just in time to pull him out of the warehouse." 

Tim nodded. "That's good. Jason definitely didn't deserve what happened to him." 

Bart huffed in agreement. 

Tim hesitated before he continued. "Just... Just one last question." 

"Ask away." 

"What... What happened to me? The me in this universe?" Tim asked, though it looked like he already knew the answer.

Before Bart could answer, a knock came at the door and Cassie stuck her head in. 

"Um... Hi, Bart... Tim... Um, Oracle is here and she wants you both out here. She said you'd better... come willingly or she'd drag you out by your ears?" 

Bart had never seen Tim get up so fast.

...

When Babs arrived the entire mood of the mountain's occupants changed. They all sighed in relief and Steph had to give the older girl props. Only very powerful people could calm down a whole bunch of superhumans with just their presence. Steph would hate to see what would happen if Oracle wasn't on their side. 

Total death and destruction, though that much was obvious. 

"Wonder-girl, go grab Bart and our guest. Tell them that if they don't come willingly I will drag them out by their ears." Barbara ordered, rolling over to sit in front of the team. Steph giggled. Babs had learned all about how terrifying she was in Stephanie's universe. She was certainly using that knowledge to her advantage. Babs is what Steph aspired to be when she grew up, as impossible a feat as that was. 

"Right." Cassie replied, running over to the room.

"I take it you know something about this?" Dick asked. Steph sighed. Even across universes he was still making those same lovey-dovey eyes. It was as adorable as it was annoying. 

Babs smirked. "Oh, I've known about Tim for quite some time." Oh shit. She wouldn't. "In fact, far longer than he's been here." Apparently, she most certainly would. 

Damn it, Barbara. 

"How?" M'gann asked. "I've never heard about Universe travelling before."

"Steph." Babs answered. Except...

Wait...

That was two different voices. 

Well crap. Tim was here. And he knew.

Everyone turned to see Tim standing between Bart and Cassie, an unreadable expression on his face for most of the occupants in the room. 

Not all, but most. 

Because Steph could read his face, even though its been years since she had too. 

And he was looking at her with nothing but hope. 

She'd ignore how her heart skipped a beat for now. She couldn't focus on how seeing him made her feel like a silly teenager in love all over again. No, she couldn't bring back those feelings. 

Especially not now, not after he'd been given a chance to move on. And he no doubt had. She was gone for years, he though she was dead. Steph couldn't blame him if he did move on and fall in love with someone else. (No matter how much it hurt, and no matter how much she wanted nothing more than to kiss him again.) 

"Hehe.. Hey, boy wonder. Long time no see." she said, the definition of awkward. Hopefully nobody payed attention to how her voice cracked when she said his old nickname. 

Tim stepped forward, his arms twitching as if he wanted to hug her, but he held back, obviously decided against it. Steph wasn't sure she wanted to know what mental debate he had to decide whether or not he actually should. 

"Wait, how does... Tim... know Steph?" Jason questioned, pausing before he said Tim's name. 

Steph rubbed the back of her neck. "I um... maybe, might've, possibly... came from the same universe as him?" 

The team looked physically constipated and Steph really had to fight the urge to make them more confused. They'd been through enough already, why add more on?

Okay, well, the obvious answer to that is: why not? 

And now Steph just had to. She couldn't not do it. This was just way to much fun. 

"Oh yeah. Tim is my. Ex? I guess, I died before we broke up, so..." 

Tim face palmed and Steph burst out laughing at the look Babs gave her. 

"You haven't change a bit!" Tim huffed, looking resigned. This was only answered by Steph's laughter. Tim's lip twitched, but he resisted it and instead put on his impassive face. 

This was going to be a long day.