Tim switched on the television, taking a seat on the couch in front of it. He knew there had to be a reason Jason told him to watch the news, so he flicked through the channels until he found one showing a live broadcast of the main bridge over Gotham River.

His eyes widened, seeing the Joker standing on a container and the Red Hood standing on a bridge post. GCPD helicopters were whizzing around them but neither dared to interrupt the scene that was unfolding.

The boy was glued to his seat as he watched the whole commotion unravel—Joker setting Black Mask and his goons on fire, the Batcopter diffusing the flames, and finally Red Hood escaping with the Joker.

For a second, he almost wished Batman hadn't diffused those flames. Perhaps then he could have been free of the powerful crime lord who held him like a puppet in his grasp.

But his thoughts flickered to Lorena, and he faltered, knowing she wouldn't want her father to die. What exactly was she up to in the entire time he had been kidnapped? He thought about it but didn't know her well enough to guess the answer.

Chances were that she would be angry, pacing in the living room of Sionis Villa, demanding to be taken to see her father immediately.

Of course, why would she pay Tim any heed? Her father and his current situation would be more worrisome to her.

Reporters surrounded the GCPD as Black Mask was led to the police van and Tim's heart dropped, seeing the crime lord alive and fuming in anger as usual.

News of Black Mask's arrest had spread like wildfire. Headlines on every channel were already announcing the downfall of one of Gotham's most notorious villains. But Tim knew it wasn't a permanent victory.

Even if the crime lord was arrested, he would eventually get out on bail. So, if Jason let Tim go, Black Mask's men would still find him and drag him back to the miserable life he was leading at the Sionis Villa.

He didn't want to return to that confinement. So far, being the Red Hood's hostage was more convenient than constantly being tormented by Black Mask and his daughter.

He shut off the television with a weary sigh, feeling his stomach rumble in hunger. Jason would obviously not return anytime soon, so he decided to go to the kitchen and find something edible.

Much to his surprise, he found a box of homecooked pasta in the refrigerator. As he closed the door, he also saw a note pasted over it.

"Coffee is in the second drawer to the left of the fridge. Don't set my kitchen on fire." He read out loud from the note, then took the pasta and the coffee jar from the location Jason had written down.

He made himself a thermos of coffee, heated the pasta in the microwave, and then returned to the living room. It was going to be a long night for Jason, he thought, unable to keep his mind from drifting off to the young man who had abducted him.

He hoped the man returned alive from whatever chaos he unleashed on Batman and the Joker. If he didn't, Tim would have no means of escaping that safehouse, and he didn't even know where it was located, so he couldn't possibly find his way back home.

But then, did he even have a home?

The Sionis Villa was far from that, and the Drake Manor had already been sold. Indeed, he had no home to return to. So, all he could do was wait.

***

Jason didn't return the next day and night, making Tim worried for him. The boy had hardly eaten anything after the reheated, although the coffee jar was almost empty. He was pacing anxiously in the room, hoping nothing bad could have happened to Jay.

In the few days that he had come to know him, Timothy felt he was another kindred soul—stuck in orbit in Gotham's injustices. The only difference was that he actively tried to set things right even though his method was not what Batman could morally approve of.

The door opened, startling Tim out of his wits, and he turned to see the Red Hood enter the safehouse. The man was battered up but his wounds had been taken care of as he could see the bandages wrapped over his wide frame, peeking out from under the shirt and jacket.

"Woah, what happened to you?" Tim quickly came to his side, helping him to the couch. His voice was concerned, and his blue eyes were taking in the damage he had sustained.

"It's all in a day's work... How are you doing, kid?"

"I... I am okay," he said, not expecting that question, so he was slightly taken aback. "I mean, I didn't set your kitchen on fire."

"Good... Did you eat something?"

"Yeah, that pasta..." Tim replied, but his stomach growled, betraying his act and revealing that he was indeed rather hungry.

Jason's eyes flickered, and he looked at the digital clock on the counter. "It's been two days. What about now?"

"Nothing," he replied honestly but then flinched as Jason tried to sit up and winced due to the pain.

"You will find snacks... The third cabinet under the counter," he instructed him, his head dropping back on the armrest of the couch as he stretched his legs out. "I'll take a nap then we'll decide what to do with you."

"Excuse me?" Tim suddenly became alarmed. Was Red Hood going to get rid of him now that he didn't serve any purpose?

Would he kill him? No, that was preposterous. But then the man had a reputation for getting rid of Black Mask's lieutenants in just one day. He had also fired an RPG directly at the crime lord's office, which could have killed him. And Timothy certainly didn't want to know the latest ruckus Jason had caused, which made him so battered up.

He felt afraid for himself.

Jason must have sensed the horror in his voice as he opened his eyes and looked at the boy's timid form. "Jesus, I meant we will decide where to drop you off safely! I'm not going to kill you..."

"Oh... Thank God," he mumbled, relaxing at last, "And thank you."

A smile would have taken over Jason's features to see him get so easily scared otherwise, but he didn't give in to the temptation. He was too tired at the moment.

"Nap first, decisions later. And if I wake up to see you haven't eaten anything, I might reconsider letting you go."

Tim hurriedly went to the kitchen to fetch those snacks, "No need for that. I am eating, see?"

"Good," he rested his head back, exhaustion creeping over him again. In a few seconds, he had drifted off to sleep.

***