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“What… happen…?”
Something loosened in Jason’s chest at the sound of Tim’s voice, soft though it was.
“Rise and shine, morning glory,” Jason said, trying to keep his own voice light. “Why don’t you try and stay in the land of the living with me for a bit, that sound good?”
Jason pulled the younger boy up from where he had situated him in front of him on his motorcycle, cradling him against his chest and grimacing up at the secret entrance he knew led to the Batcave.
“I’m up,” Tim said fuzzily, sounding comically like a teen being shaken awake on a school day.
“Not quite the word I’d use to describe you at the moment,” Jason admitted. “Alive is what matters, though. Alive is good. Let’s settle for alive for now.”
That pulled a weary smile from the battered Robin, and Jason chose to take this as a good sign.
“Well, fingers crossed that fuckin’ Brewski isn’t home,” Jason said, unable to help the barest tremor of nerves.
“He’s not,” Tim assured him. “He’s… he’s…”
“Hey, what did I say about staying with me?” Jason said, giving Tim a slight jostle. It was no use, however; the kid was out again. His head fell heavily against Jason’s chest.
“Shit,” he muttered, wasting no more time in making his way into the cave.
“Al?” Jason called once he was inside, sending a cloud of bats fluttering. Alfred was never far from the cave when Bruce was patrolling, and he appeared almost instantly, blinking incredulously at the unusual sight before him.
“M-Master Jason?” he stammered.
“Hey, Alfred,” Jason said with a shadow of a grin. His relationship with Bruce was still on tenterhooks, but he’d never had anything but respect for the dutiful butler. “Listen, I’d rather not be here when the big guy gets back, but the kid, he —”
“Good heavens,” Alfred said, closing the distance between himself and the boys so he could get a better look at Tim’s injuries. “What on earth happened?”
“It’s my fault,” Jason said, guilt washing through him like nausea. “I’m gonna make it right, though, I promise.” A brief silence passed between them. Then, quietly, “He’s gonna be okay, right?”
Alfred led Jason with a gesture to the corner of the cave that served as his small clinic, where Jason gently lowered the unconscious Robin onto a cot. “It’s difficult to say from just a once-over,” Alfred admitted. He smiled. “But if there’s anything you boys have all had in common, it is resilience.”
Jason ducked his head to hide a small smile of his own.
“Thanks, Al,” he said. “Well, listen, I’m not gonna overstay my welcome —”
“My dear boy, you must know you are always welcome here,” Alfred cut across.
Jason huffed a bitter laugh. “Well, by you, maybe,” he said. “But listen, just.” He handed Alfred a small communicator. “Can you just. Let me know how he does?”
Alfred’s eyes were soft as he smiled at the young man who it seemed only yesterday had barrelled bullishly through this cave in a bright yellow cape of his own.
“Of course,” he said. “Do look after yourself, Master Jason.”
Jason replied with a little salute before vanishing with practiced ease into the Batcave’s many shadows.