Bruce stood behind his desk, one hand resting on the wooden surface. He tapped his index finger almost nervously. He’d never faced a situation like this one before. He’d never had to face Dick’s parents, or Jason’s—for sad reasons—so this was almost new to him.

Alfred kept telling him that it had to happen one day, that he’d have to talk to Tim’s parent. And that fateful day had arrived. For reasons as yet unknown to him, Tim’s guardian had finally learned that he was secretly training the latter’s son to become Robin.

And honestly? Bruce wasn’t going to stop all this just to reassure a panicking parent. Sure, he could understand the panic of knowing his kid was risking his life against crime—especially after what had happened to Jason—but he had to convince the parent that everything was going to be okay.

His failure with the previous Robin had left a deep scare in him. Meeting Tim had genuinely helped him get past the pain. Bruce had learned from his mistakes and looked after young Drake as if he were his own kid.

“Look, your son Tim is a gifted young boy,” and again, gifted sounded almost weak to characterize what he saw in his new Robin. Tim was becoming more talented every day, his mind and brightness fine enough to match Bruce’s.

“He is a good boy determined to help people and...” Bruce hesitated for a moment, aware that Tim was probably listening while he was in the next room with Alfred, “and I need him. the Dark Knight needs Robin.”

His gaze met the parent’s anxious one. Bruce winced inwardly; he wasn’t good at emotional conversations. Perhaps he should have asked Dick to handle it for him.

“I know I didn’t measure up with the last one, though it’s different this time.” He wouldn’t let Tim die like Jason. That was out of the question. He’d rather sacrifice his own life than see another Robin lost his.