Stephanie's neighborhood was chaotic as people were discussing the feats pulled by the Red Hood recently.

He had gotten Black Mask arrested and then blew Joker up in an abandoned building in Crime Alley. It felt impossible for an average human, but then rumors existed about the new Red Hood being much stronger and capable. Some said he was a metahuman, and others compared him to an android.

Whoever he may be, he had left quite an impression on the citizens.

Some were even pointing him out to be the next Batman, a vigilante who would not be afraid to press the trigger if a criminal stood before him.

In just one night, the man with a red helmet and firearms had become a hero for the desperate civilians who felt Batman's no-killing rule was useless against the incorrigible criminals of Gotham.

Batman put criminals behind bars only for them to escape and cause havoc again. Red Hood put a bullet through their heads so they would never rise from the dead.

To many, he was a savior.

But for Steph, he was an enigma.

Little did she know that enigma would turn up with an unexpected guest at her place that night.

The doorbell rang, and she looked up at the clock, knowing it wasn't the time that her father returned home. No one else had ever come to visit her, so she was a bit cautious about going to the door.

Picking up a baseball bat, which was the closest thing possible for her to use as a defensive weapon, she came to see who was outside.

She peeped through the hole in the door, and a red helmet caught her eye. She drew back, wondering why the Red Hood would come to her place. She thought it could be due to her father. Arthur Brown was mainly the reason Batman also came to that house in Alleytown.

"Stephanie Brown? We come in peace. Open the door."

The robotic voice sounded from outside, and she considered whether to open up. But then, deciding that the Red Hood had never done anything hurtful to civilians and that everyone in their neighborhood sung praises of him, she creaked open the door a fraction.

"What do you want? My Dad's not here, so if you were looking for him..."

"I am not looking for your father," he replied, tilting his head to the person at his side. "I just had to drop this one off."

Her green eyes widened in surprise when she saw the boy standing beside him. "Timothy?"

"Hi," he mumbled awkwardly, "I hope you don't mind me coming here..."

But his words were cut short as she opened the door and stepped out, her arms wrapping around him tightly in a hug. It had been months since she had seen him and days since she had last heard of him through the news. Of course she was worried.

Tim surely wasn't expecting that. He didn't know how to react except to raise his hands to hold her by the arms, which also seemed an influence of muscle memory. He barely recalled being hugged before, and it made him get awkward.

She asked as she pulled apart but didn't let go of his arms, "Where were you?"

Red Hood stood aside, watching that reunion silently. It made him wonder whether he would be greeted similarly if he returned to Wayne Manor. But he quickly shrugged that thought away. He didn't have any intentions of going back to his family.

"You can't just drop off the face of the Earth like that, y'know," Steph said, still reprimanding him for not contacting her in so long. "I thought you had died! I was so worried. And I know you're some CEO something now, but that doesn't give you the liberty to ghost your friends."

Tim had braced himself for the outburst, "I... I was kidnapped. It's a very long story."

"Right, come in," she offered, turning to look at Red Hood, "Since you found him, thank you very much. I don't know how we could ever repay you."

Red Hood and Tim exchanged a glance, and then the boy remarked, "Well, actually... He was the one who kidnapped me, so..."

"Wait, what?"

Jason let out a short, amused chuckle, but he disguised it as a cough. Steph was still trying to comprehend the situation, but he didn't have much time to stay and explain.

"Alright, kid, I've kept my end of the deal," Red Hood remarked, ruffling Tim's head affectionately, "I'm leaving now, but if you want any help, you know how to find me."

"Woah, wait a second... Where are you going?" Steph asked, recovering from the slight hock.

"A man of my reputation has other places to be," he replied cheekily and it sounded very strange in that robotic voice. But then he added in a softer tone, "Stay out of trouble, both of you."

With that final remark, the Red Hood had vanished, leaving both of them at the door. Steph was confused about a lot of things, but she brought Tim in and closed the door behind him.

"Now tell me everything," she remarked, but in the meantime, she brought some food for him that she had kept for dinner, "And eat. You look like you're intentionally starving yourself."

He told her how the Red Hood kidnapped him but didn't mention anything about his secret identity. He knew the man had trusted him, and he didn't want to betray that trust. Luckily for him, Steph was more interested in how Red Hood treated him and whether he was really worth the praise the citizens were bestowing upon him.

The hours ticked by as the two caught up with each other, discussing everything that had happened in their lives in those several months of staying out of contact.

Tim felt relieved to be with Stephanie rather than under the careful watch of the Sionis heiress. However, he knew that short respite would end soon, and he would have to return to that villa in the suburbs.

But for the time being, he kept his focus on Steph. He did not want those anxious thoughts about the future to ruin what little time he had with the only person in his life whom he felt at home with.

He had no idea whether he would be able to see her again or not so he wanted to make the most of the short time they had together.

***