Title: Three Things
Author: Yami no Kaiba
Series: Nightwing
Rating: PG
Characters: Tim

Summary: He lives by three things now.
Note: Quotes taken from Batman: Gotham Knights #26.
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by DC comics.

*---*---*---*---*

Three things I need you to know. I mean, really know, deep in your gut, okay?

*---*---*---*---*

One: As long as you're with Batman -- or me -- you're safe. Neither of us would ever let anything happen to you.

He's fingering the seam where the blue blends into the black of the gauntlet.

“You don't have to do this, Tim.”

And really, it says a lot about how screwed up his childhood was when he feels *comforted* by a presence lurking in the shadows.

“I really do. Steph... Steph will make a good Robin.” He frowns. That was a statement. In this suit, it shouldn't *be* a statement. It should be a question, because-

Nightwing wouldn't have stated. He would have questioned, because Nightwing was never really sure of what he really *was* to Batman.

He pulls on the weirdly lighter feeling material.

He'll have to practice that.

*---*---*---*---*

Two: We don't quit. Not once has anyone who knows Batman's mission failed to get up again after being knocked down.

The first night is easy in some ways, harder in others.

Easy in that Blüdhaven's general population of criminals has grown lax in being on guard in the week after the city's resident hero had disappeared.

Which made the reappearance of the hero scare the general crap out of them at first. Certainly made for an entertaining night from Tim's point of view when he'd dropped down silently behind a supplier and made him jump by the age old usage of the word 'boo'.

One of the harder parts was convincing Mrs. Rohrbach not to shoot him.

A second was being the solid, calm shoulder to cry on after. Especially when he wanted to join her.

*---*---*---*---*

And three: Batman doesn't kill. Not ever.

The medical report on one Mr. Desmond is the first document that red flags from Tim's computer search for abnormal news and information. He strips off the uniform from his first patrol while reading through it.

The projection of the head physician is that it's doubtful Mr. Desmond will ever wake up from the coma. Even if, by some miracle that should occur, the likelihood that Mr. Desmond will retain an I.Q. above 25 is nonexistent.

Tim shuts down the computer and goes to shower.

He'll be leaving to visit the memorial after.

--Fin