No Time To Die

Cass and Steph chose that moment to burst through the skylight, Tim would deal with repairs later, and start taking out assassins with deadly precision. Cass looked terrifying in her Black Bat armor, the one with the stitching on the mask. Steph was slightly less intimidating, but made up for it with her snark, creatively insulting every assassin she incapacitated. The girls worked together so efficiently, it was like they were two halves of the same person. Once Tim knew they had the situation under control, he felt much more confident, turning his gaze back to the assassin in front of him. And that's when all his confidence shattered.

Bang.

He jumped in front of the bullet, but it was too late. Bernard fell down with a cry, hands pressed against his side. Dark, sticky, blood leaked from the wound. It blossomed across his shirt and stained the beautiful carpet. Tim screamed in rage. He lunged forward, knocking the gun from the assassin's hand. He flipped the bigger man over his shoulder. He knew the reporters would have questions. He didn't care. He dodged and punched and kicked. The man- this monster shot Bernard. Shot Tim's boyfriend.

He was on the floor, straddling the assassin. His fists came down one after the other. He never stopped, never hesitated, never faltered. His hands were soaked in blood. Was it his? He didn't know. Didn't care. He just kept punching. Was this how Dick felt? Slamming his fists into the Joker's face over and over? Killing him? Tim barely registered the tears streaming down his face. He thought he heard Cass yelling for him to stop. That was wrong, Cass didn't yell. Steph was shouting at him. Saying 'use 5-4-3-2-1, Tim! Stop!'

But Tim was using it.

Can you tell me five things you can see, Tim?

Assassin.

Tears.

Fists.

Carpet.

Blood.

C'mon babe, four things you can feel.

Assassin.

Fabric.

Heartbeat.

Blood.

Three sounds, baby brother.

Bones cracking.

Labored breathing.

Blood.

You're doing so good chum. Two things you can smell?

Smoke.

Blood.

There you go Timbo, one thing you can taste?

Blood

All he could see, all he could feel, all he could hear and smell and taste was blood. Blood and tears and the crunching of bones. He was sobbing before, now he was silent. He was silent until he screamed. A knife stuck out of his thigh. It went all the way through, straight into the other man's side. The assassin's hand dropped from the hilt.

"Ra's is coming," he hissed weakly. "He's coming and none of you will be safe."

"Shut. UP!" Tim punched him one last time, knocking him out cold. He couldn't stop crying, everything was too much. He pulled at his hair, probably getting it all bloody. Black gloved hands caught his wrist, firm but careful.

"Baby brother," Cass whispered.

Tim couldn't breathe. Everything hurt so much. Bernard-

Oh shit.

He snapped back into reality. He was so busy with revenge, he hadn't checked on Bear. Tim was the worst boyfriend ever. He tried to turn, tried to look, but all that did was cause the knife to cleave his skin further. He cried harder, sobs wracking his body. Cass held him tight. She was smoothing his hair and whispering quiet reassurances in his ear.