It had been a while since Jason came out from his territory to patrol somewhere else. It was not something he normally did unless others need his help during their patrol. But, today was one of the days when he felt like he needed to get out from his comfort zone. It was never really a comfort zone to begin with since everyone's territories were filled with criminals to fight with. Yet, he had heard from the family that the littlest of the family's territory had an increase in crime numbers after it had been abandoned for a while by its supposed protector. Not that he complained about helping to calm the crime rates since it would be good frustration management to take it out on all these criminals. But, the fact that the littlest Wayne didn't tell anyone anything about himself was what frustrated Jason the most.

If at least, the first Robin had known about Damian's reasoning for quitting Robin, Jason would have been fine. Yet, the fact that Dickie didn't even know about it was what made him had the need to take the anger out to somewhere else. Often than not, he took it out on the face of the criminals with just enough power to take them out of their consciousness. Unless it was more serious and life-threatening crimes. A few good punches and bruises wouldn't hurt the face of the criminals since they had done nothing good in society.

He sighed into the night as he jumped off from a roof of one building to another. He only stopped to listen to someone's conversations in the dark alley of Gotham while keeping himself shadowed from the two guys.

Jason only reacted when the man pulled out a gun from his black jacket while threatening a man smaller than him. He jumped off the fire escape right into the man, knocking him off ground right into unconsciousness. He kicked the gun away before turning his head to the smaller guy in front of him who was looking at him with fear in his eyes.

"Heard you guys talking," Jason started as he tried to analyze the person in front of him. "What are you doing here, kid?"

He had done his analysis. Though it was vague, he could see the person in front of him was an eighteen years old teenager with five foot four tall and more or less than a hundred thirty-five pounds for weight. The kid was smaller for his age, just like Damian. Damian could have been lighter than the kid standing in front of him.

"He was trying to rob me," the kid was shaking. "I- I owe him money but he wants to take more."

Jason was not reacting to any of his talks yet. He stood there and tried to listen to his surrounding in case there were more criminals around then, he looked at the kid. The short and light-weighted kid in front of him who had the same appearance like his littlest brother.

"What do you need the money for?" Jason asked as he sent a signal to GCPD to pick up the unconscious man on the ground and to alert Batman of his location.

"Ma's sick. Her medicine runs out and... dad's gone," the kid replied, calmer than before.

With that, Jason let out a sigh and reached his back pocket to get any money he had left from his dinner. He took out a hundred and fifty dollars, the only cash he had, before pressing it to the kid's hand

"Scoot, boy," Jason said as he watched the kid ran out from the dark alley. "Don't get caught again," the boy disappeared into the crowd.

Jason looked at the guy on the ground as he could hear the police siren went off and got closer to the alley he was in. He noted to himself to visit the manor after he was done patrolling. Not only to visit the old mansion, Alfred, and the old Bat, but maybe he could see Damian before his day job called him.

Yeah, that would be perfect, Jason thought and added an extra note for himself to stop at the grocery store to get something to bring to the littlest and lightest kid in the whole goddamn world - their Damian Wayne.

--

It was past one in the morning when he arrived in the cave that was still so lively despite the timing of his arrival. The lights were on and so did someone who was typing something onto the computer. He saw Bruce behind the big computer, working on something as he turned around to see the person who had just announced his arrival to the 'home'. Jason didn't say anything as Bruce looked at him and the brown paper bag he had on his hand. Jason knew - he knew there was something to talk about, yet it was like a taboo. A taboo that no one ever wanted to talk about unless they wanted to get into trouble with the old bat or get emotional with the eldest Robin.

Jason sighed quietly as he walked closer to where Bruce was sitting to see the data that were analyzed by the computer. No one said a thing as both of them were just looking at the big screen as if watching everything evolved into something completely different. Bruce didn't say a thing when Jason finally moved away from the big screens; he only glanced at the brown paper bag before turning his attention to something completely different.

"Have you talked to Damian lately?" The question just hung in the air after Jason opened his mouth.

Bruce couldn't face him. No, perhaps that was the wrong word to use. Bruce couldn't bear to look at his biological son in the eyes and knowing that his son - Damian - had something to hide from him. That Damian, the son he loved, was old enough to actually hide something from his own father and acted like nothing ever happened. These were the reasons why he couldn't even talk to his own son. Though he had secretly visited his son during his sleep, he knew it was different than actually talking to him as father and son.

Jason saw the look in Bruce's face. The apologetic look of a father for not doing what he was supposed to do - an apologetic look of not knowing what to do. He didn't pressed him further. No, Jason wasn't that heartless to begin with and even if he wanted to do it, he would have done it a lot earlier than just stretching the long waited silence of doom.

"Dickie and Timmy pressed him into talking but they failed," Jason paused and looked at the expression Bruce made before continuing again. "Damian cried when Dick kept asking him. Told Dickie that he would tell him when the time is right or he's ready."

"But, he's not ready to tell us anything yet." Bruce firmly said like he was declaring the truth everyone needed to know.

Jason quietly nodded his head as he walked back toward Bruce's direction. He dug something from the brown bag he had been holding on before handing it to the old man. Bruce was surprised when Jason had actually tried to make an effort for Damian; but for him to actually support Bruce to rekindle the strained relationship he had with Damian, it was something uncalled for.

"He enjoyed the first novel of this trilogy," Jason explained. "Thought he might enjoy the second and third novels as well."

Bruce just looked at the novels on his hand. Two novels from the modern and well-known suspense fiction writer of Stephen King. Praise for Mr. Mercedes, he read and continued, and Finder's Keeper, on the back of End of Watch - the newest book.

Bruce smiled as he noticed the word 'Detective' written on the back of the novel. He didn't know that Damian was reading the first book of the trilogy, but he sure loved suspense and many different kinds of genres.

"Thank you, son." His voice was low, grateful, if that didn't convince anyone, then his smile would. "I'll give this to him tomorrow, maybe it will open him up."

"No worries, old man," Jason replied. "I'm staying for the night. Don't stay up too late, B."

With that, Jason walked away from the cave to the stairs that led toward the manor. He made a mental note of dropping some perishable in the kitchen for Alfred to make one of his infamous delicious pancakes and cupcakes. It was a longshot but maybe, just maybe, it would brighten up the little kid's face from the tension the whole family seemed to give him.

Jason laughed at himself for a reason - a reason that he would never think he could give. He cared about the kid. He actually gave a fuss about him suddenly withdrawing himself from the role he was supposed to play as. Maybe Jason was actually surprised that he cared about something and someone.

Regardless of that, all he wanted was for the kid to be like he was before. Just Damian Wayne being the Damian Wayne he had always been.

--

He had finally fallen asleep. It was already dawn when he did, and he was stressing to himself just how much sleep could make a difference for him. The difficulty of falling asleep never bothered him. It never did until he had seen exhaustion washing his little brother away like the sand swept away by the ocean. The moment exhaustion came to his littlest brother, he couldn't get away from it and just flown with it as if he never had the intention of ever fighting it at all.

Yet, Tim knew Damian was never the one to actually get exhausted easily. He was never the one to just rest right away when he was tired unless he was really exhausted to the bone. Now, Damian took a lot of rest time for a reason no one could comprehend. Tim saw him all around the house just for resting. Many times he found Damian sleeping it off inside his room with his giant dog and loyal cat accompanying him. However, there were times when he found him lying on the ground of the most unused library of the manor. He was just lying on the floor as if he had fainted and hadn't woken up from it.

Titus and Alfred were always there like they were. The giant dog always curled around him, resting its head on the left side of his master's chest as if checking his master's heartbeat while Damian slept off his exhaustion. Alfred the cat would be there too. Sometimes, he would call out to anyone in the house and leading them to where his master's sleeping. Often times, Tim was the one who always found him and the cat always walked ahead of him to direct him to where their boy was sleeping. He didn't really do anything about Damian other than covering him with a blanket after picking him up from the carpeted floor to his bedroom. He was even surprised that Damian didn't wake up from the noises he, Titus, and Alfred's made.

It never bothered him that Damian slept really easily, but it bothered him of how easily exhausted Damian was.

Tim grunted by the moment he woke up from his not-so-night sleep. He stretched his arms and looked at the mess his bedroom had become as he passed out by working himself through-and-through. Papers were scattered all around his bed onto the floor along with two other files that were still intact on the bedside table. Tim sighed; looking at all the mess his bed had become before he scrambled through the bed to get out from the mess he made. Alfred would be furious, he knew and took off the shirt and pants he wore before throwing it to the pile of laundry inside the bathroom.

He stumbled his way into the tub to take a shower, turned on the water and let the water washed away the sleepiness that was still in his brain. The cold water felt good on his skin; it awakened him from the tiredness he had felt from working hard last night. Tim breathed in and out slowly, calming his mind then he heard someone knocking on the door of his bedroom. He also heard his name was called by an older and raspy voice of the butler of the house.

"Master Timothy?"

"Be out in a minute, Alfred." Tim said as he quickly washed off. He knew Alfred would clean his messy bedroom and at least, turning it into a proper room for humans to stay in.

Tim dried himself off as he walked into the walk-in-closet to get his clothes. A simple white shirt and black short pants were what he chose as he was not going to the office for any meetings or work. He threw the towel to the pile of laundry. Alfred was going to take from his bathroom, and it was probably a laundry day for Alfred, the only reason the butler waited until Tim finished his shower.

"Sorry for the mess, Alfred," Tim walked out from the closet, turned the knob of his bathroom door to unlock it. "I'll clean it up as soon as possible." The butler smiled at the statement as he went inside to take the laundry bag off from the room.

"I'm sure you will clean it up, Master Tim."

Tim smiled, headed toward the bed to take some of the pile and place it on the table. It was quiet. No one really talked then, they focused on cleaning up the papers that were scattered everywhere. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but there was a tension in the silence that Tim dislike.

"What are we having for lunch, Alfred?" Tim asked, hands filled with piles of paper that were ready to be transported to the cave. "I'm starving."

The older man smiled back as he handed the two unopened files back to Tim's hands.

"Master Jason made blueberries pancakes for breakfast, the leftovers are in the fridge if you would like some," Alfred said, adding to Tim's surprised since Jason had rarely come back to the manor. "I have made almond salad and beef lasagna for lunch. Master Jason has also prepared vanilla pudding and ice cream for everyone."

Tim nodded at the explanation. He wondered the reason for Jason's visit but never asked Alfred for it.

He figured he didn't need an explanation. Why bothered to ask one now?

"I will head down now, Master Tim. Lunch should be ready in a few minutes."

"Damian?"

Alfred turned, looked at him from the door, and smiled. His hands were occupied with Tim's laundry bag and some files ready to be moved to the cave.

"Master Damian should be in his room," Alfred paused; taking the clothes on the side chair. "Master Jason was in there for a while before Master Dick came and accompanied him until just now."

He nodded in acknowledgment. Alfred was almost out the door.

"He should be alone right now."

The door was shut tight as the older man went on his chores of the day. Tim wondered if Alfred knew anything but decided to save it for later.

Now, he had a new destination to go to.

--

He was here, in front of Damian's room. Tim knew Damian was should be awake now since he was already bothered by their older brothers. He knocked and heard the noises of a dog tag along with Titus' barking at the door as if allowing whoever in front of the door to come in. Yet, the barking was immediately and gently hushed by the person inside the room.

He opened the door; welcomed himself until he saw Damian lying on his bed with his eyes closed.

"Damian?"

No answer.

"Damian," he called again. "Lunch is ready, and Alfred wants you to go down."

Still, silence filled the room. Only the quiet jiggle of dog's tag filled the room along with a slow meow from the cat.

Tim entered the room with Titus and Alfred the cat welcoming him. The big dog walked closer to him, wagged his tail in excitement of someone finally visiting their master again after a short period of quietness. He petted the great dane's head and closed the door.

"Damian."

Damian didn't open his eyes, but his breathing was steady.

"Hey," Tim shook the body; Damian's was strangely cold for the summer heat. "Lunch is ready. Are you going down to eat?"

Titus whined, catching Tim's attention, as the big dog walked to Damian's bedside, kept his head low, and sniffed the carpet like something fell onto the carpet and couldn't be retrieved without human's help.

Tim walked toward the dog to find papers scattered on the floor and underneath the bed along with its envelope. They were still intact; the papers weren't torn apart, probably just flew from the bedside table. He picked it up, all five pages and organized it accordingly; he also grabbed the envelope and flipped it to see the sender of the mail. Gotham City Hospital was written on the front of the envelope including its address and logo. He didn't suspect a thing, not until he saw Damian's name on the top of the page including all other general information such as age, address, and others.

Tim turned to check on Damian before reading the paper. The babybat was still asleep, breathing steady, and eyes shut tight. He knew this was disrespectful of him, to read something that wasn't his to begin with and to know a disclosed information without its owner knowing. However, if this could explain the sudden change in Damian's behavior and withdrawal from their vigilante life, then it would be worth it.

It had to be worth it.

The detective read through it, carefully one-by-one as it revealed information about Damian's blood test in many different detailed ways. Most of them were normal, some were lower than average, yet there were some higher at least by forty to fifty percent. Tim frowned; unable to explain the reason for such a detailed blood test to be performed. He believed that Damian could have asked Alfred to do the blood test, but the result came from an actual laboratory in the hospital.

Not from Alfred.

Titus barked; his innocent eyes looking at Tim as the loyal companion turned to his master's sleeping body and whines. His paws and head were resting on the bed, probably worried for his master hadn't woken up from the long and too early morning nap.

"Shush..." Tim gently quiet the big dog from making any more noises while his hands slowly stroke the strong head.

He slowed himself down, unwilling to make any judgments, statements, or predictions with the lack of evidence. Yet, he was trying hard to connect the two dots: Damian's resignation and the blood test. Maybe, just maybe a little bit too hard.

Tim exhaled before taking in the oxygen to fill his brain with a new dose of patience. The paper was now folded and tucked away in his pocket; he had to discuss this with a certain someone before he could take any further actions.

"Will you keep this a secret, Titus?" The dog turned and gave a low whine, his right paw on Tim's lap.

Damian didn't show any sign of waking up or even noticing that someone was in his room.

"Don't tell Damian that I'm taking this for a while, okay?" He petted the dog's head, and Titus wagged his tail again.

Tim stood from the floor, walked toward the door, and left Damian with his companions. He only turned to see Titus sitting on the floor, looking at him, and Alfred the cat curling up on Damian's right side gently while flopping its tail on his master's chest.

Damian was still asleep, and Tim noted to himself that this should be brought to Alfred's attention or Bruce. Tim was never the one to see Damian napping this early in the morning, but he knew someone should, at least, wake him up for lunch.

Tim sighed; he left the room, quietly closed the door with a hope that he could talk to Damian about what he had found. But, he knew it would be impossible. There was no way he could talk to Damian about it personally without the whole family figuring it out. After all, their family was notorious for having zero privacy; sometimes for the good of the family.

--

Titus barked repeatedly at the door while jumping at the doorknob to open the door by himself. It was loud, really loud that it stirred Damian awake from the short nap he was having. He grunted, slightly annoyed that his nap was disturbed by a loud noise that he didn't know how long it had been. The great dane fell silent once the door was opened and a head popped in to see the inside of the room.

"Is everything alright, Master Damian? I heard Titus barking miles from the hallway."