Nightmare in Red

Nightmares in Red

(This is a oneshot that was originally published with my dc collection but I felt like it needed to be a standalone. So here is the improved version. Enjoy)

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.

Because 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.