(no subject)

[thegoshdarn]

Ever since Tim worked out (a) worked out Batman and Robin's identity and (b) realized that she could sneak out of the house at night without anyone noticing, she has a system. She keeps a bag packed with her camera, a bottle of water, and some snacks in case she gets hungry, and she has a set of dark-colored clothes, a nice warm jacket and shoes with a lot of grip for running around Gotham. When she gets to go out depends on who's at home with her that night. Tonight is really easy, because her parents are in the city but at a big party, and usually they go right to bed when they get home without checking on her.

She's gotten really good at analyzing patrol patterns based on current crime rates and past patrol routes. Bruce Wayne is supposed to be at the party tonight, so she heads to one of the most likely places Robin is going to go to tonight.

It's colder than she expected tonight, but that's okay. Tim finds herself a snug, semi-hidden place on a fire escape and settles in with her legs pulled up to her chest for warmth. All she has to do now is wait.

Comments

[utilitybelted]

"It's ok, it's ok," he promised soothingly, hugging her tight and waiting for her to be calm enough to speak. When she does speak, he frowns.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

[thegoshdarn]

"I don't know!" Her grip on him tightens. "I, I must've made them mad at me but I don't remember what I did? And, um, I'm really sorry," not that she has any idea what she's sorry about, but she's prepared to be really sorry about whatever it is, "and I wanted to tell them that but I don't know where they are or if, if they don't want to talk to me or..."

[utilitybelted]

"Made who mad? What do you mean you-" he freezes, realising what she might be getting at "Tim, do you mean your parents? Are they not here? Have you been left on your own?"

Either they'd left the house without telling her where they were going or why, or they were still in the house but hadn't come into her room in...however long it was since she'd seen them last, either way it was enough to make him seriously angry. She was just a little kid! He kept it in check for her sake, but if they were here...

[thegoshdarn]

"I don't know!" she says again. "I tried calling out for them but no one answered and I can't go out and check." She pulls back a little now so she can wipe her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "I guess I made them angry but I don't know what I did and I just want to know!" Well, that and eat something, but she guesses she can live with it if she's supposed to skip meals as a punishment for something as long as she knows what the something is.

[utilitybelted]

"Wait here," Dick untangles himself from her and picks up the gift bag "I got you a little something, why don't you have a look and I'll be back in a second." he hands her the bag and heads over to inspect the lock on her bedroom door. A few tools from his utility belt later and he's picked it and slipped out into the corridor. It's a few minutes before he's back, frowning.

"Tim.. how long is it since you saw them?" he asks carefully, wondering how long she's been left, locked in her room all by herself.

[thegoshdarn]

The gift bag is at least enough to distract her while he's looking around. The little stuffed bear with a Robin mask and cape gets a slightly watery grin, and she's arranging it in her lap when he gets back. "Last night?"

[utilitybelted]

"Last night?" he repeats incredulously "You haven't seen them all day? Have you... have you had anything to eat?" he suddenly realises. He's having trouble keeping a hold of his anger, but he's doing his best to keep a lid on it for her sake.

[thegoshdarn]

She starts getting teary-eyed again and stares down at the plush Robin instead of the actual Robin in front of her.. "Uh-uh." She's not supposed to have snacks or anything in her room.

[utilitybelted]

"Right." he says firmly, then takes a deep breath to calm himself.

"Come on Timmy, we're going to go out for something to eat, and then... well, we'll get to that."

[thegoshdarn]

That sounds good. Except.

"I'm... not supposed to go out?" Isn't that what got her into all this trouble in the first place?

[utilitybelted]

"This time you have permission, I am giving you permission to come out. You need to eat, so please come with me?" he had to work hard to keep his voice gentle, because seeing her so scared to go out when she had been left all on her own without food made him really want to punch something, what the hell had her parents told her after Batman's visit?

[thegoshdarn]

She was supposed to listen to her parents and not make Batman and Robin have to come back. But, maybe this time it's okay? Because Robin's inviting her to go out. Also, she is really hungry. "Okay."

[utilitybelted]

He forces himself to smile, glad at least that she agreed to come with him.

"Okay, let's go get you some food," he motioned her over, crouching down "I'll give you a piggy back."

[thegoshdarn]

"Okay."

Once she figures out if she can carry her new stuffed animal while getting a piggy-back ride from Robin. "Where are we going?"

[utilitybelted]

"Just tuck the bear between us, he'll be safe there," Dick tells her, waiting for her to get comfortable before straightening up "Where is your favourite place to eat?"

[thegoshdarn]

The bear gets kind of squished like that, and she pats it a little like an apology before throwing her arms around him. "Ummmm. I dunno?"

[utilitybelted]

"How about this, we'll pick up some takeaway burgers and go eat them somewhere with a really good view, okay?" he offers, there were at least three or four rooftops in town that were safe enough to reach while carrying Tim, and it might be better to talk in private anyway.

[thegoshdarn]

She brightens up a little. She hasn't been able to get out much since Batman found out about her, and she misses it. "Okay."

[utilitybelted]

"Great, let's go," it takes a little while to get them sorted, but he manages to pick up the required meals and settle them up on a rooftop without too much trouble, and he dishes out the food to Tim while he tries to think of exactly how to tackle the conversation they're about to have.

"Have your parents ever done this before? Left you alone without food?"

[thegoshdarn]

Tim focuses on getting her Robin bear comfortably situated in her lap. He gets a napkin of his own before she's ready to start answering. "Uh uh." Of course, they didn't start locking her in her room until recently. She used to be able to just get to the fridge on her own.

[utilitybelted]

"They've left you to miss meals before?" he asks with wide eyes, not quite realising that usually she is at least able to feed herself.

"...Tim that's a really bad thing for them to do, that's...that's wrong."

[thegoshdarn]

"No!" She may be panicking a little now because she's getting her parents in trouble again, isn't she? She's not supposed to do that! "They don't! I can make myself sandwiches."

So sorry, it's been a really busy couple of weeks!

[utilitybelted]

Dick just stares at her blankly for a moment before catching himself and reigning in his anger, he reaches over to ruffle her hair.

"That's pretty cool of you, but they really shouldn't leave you to do that."

No problem.

[thegoshdarn]

She shrugs a little. "It's okay. I can do stuff for myself."

Re: No problem.

[utilitybelted]

"Do you have any kind of contact for them while they're away? Did they give you a number before they left?"