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Tim hummed a tune, rocking Jack back and forth. It had been a horrible year. So many people he'd loved had died, most had come back, but that didn't fully take away the pain.
He'd gone a little crazy. Tried to clone his best friend. The best friend he only realized he had loved too late. He had failed so many times before he finally gave up, not realizing he'd left one of his latest attempt combining their DNA running.
He had gone through hell to get Bruce back. There were numerous times where he thought he would die. Where he wanted too. That fact scared him now, especially holding his son.
It was only after the Justice League went for Bruce, Tim remembered the mess of cloning materials he'd left. He made the rational decision to destroy it all to prevent the chance of any of his or Conner's DNA ever getting into the hands of someone like Luthor.
Stepping into the large room, Tim had barely kept himself upright. There in a tank was a tiny baby. He hadn't looked preterm, but he was pretty damn young. No more than a month or so biologically.
Now, Tim would be the last person to tell you he had been in the right headspace to raise a child at the time, but he was all he had left of Conner. Besides, there were few people who could reasonably raise a Kriptonian, even if he was only one fourth of one, so Tim made his decision.
He had just got Jack to sleep when he heard a knocking on the door. Tim pressed a kiss onto his little face, laying him down in his crib.
"Coming," Tim said, mostly to himself. He opened the door, and was suddenly very glad he sat down his son, knowing had he had anything in his arms he would have been incredibly likely to drop it.
"Hi," Conner said.
No. No, that wasn't Conner. It couldn't be Conner. God, he'd thought he'd gotten past the hallucinations. He'd been doing so well lately.
He felt something brush his arm and he flinched back. "Who are you?" Tim hissed.
Not Conner looked at him in what looked like concern. "Tim, It's me."
"No. No, you're dead. This isn't—" Tim dug his nails into his palms and took a few breaths.
"I came back," Not Conner said, with a laugh.
"Tell me something only Conner would know."
He was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Once when you were mad at Bats, I helped you write a spite fanfiction where he and Hal Jordan made out."
Tim swallowed. He had made sure no one outside of them would ever know that, and along with what his instincts were telling him... well, it was all he could do not to sling his arms around Conner and never let go. "How?"
"It's a long story, but, uh, it might be better to tell you inside."
"Right," Tim said, motioning for him to come in.
Conner told him what happened. How he was revived. The whole nine yards.
Part of Tim wished he'd known to do what Starman had done, but he pushed it away. The fact that Conner was sitting in front of him was enough to push away that particular what if for the time being.
"How have you been?" Conner asked.
Tim let out a weak chuckle. "It's been a rough year. Everyone thought I had gone crazy because I knew B was stuck in time." I was crazy, Tim didn't say. Just not for the reason they thought.
They were interrupted by a small cry.
"Sorry," Tim said. "I need to get him."
Tim stepped into the nursery, with Conner not far behind. He picked up Jack, rocking him gently. "Did you just want to be held?" He chuckled, only getting a gurgle in response.
"Are you baby sitting a new little brother?" Conner asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Uh, not exactly..."
"Is he yours?"
"I think we should sit back down for this conversation."
They sat down on a worn couch in the nursery.
"Where to begin..." Tim whispered. "I wasn't in a good place when you died. I did something I never should have done. I don't regret Jack, but..."
Conner sucked in a breath as Tim continued the story. About the failed attempts at cloning him to try and get any of him back. Then him mixing their DNA to try and bring him back. How after he gave up, after he'd worked with Ra's al Ghul, he went back to destroy everything to keep anyone else from trying to do it again, but instead finding a baby. Their baby. Once Tim finished, Conner didn't know what to say. What could he say?
"Just get it over with," Tim said. "I cloned you like a creep, now we have a kid. You have every right to hate me, and I understand if you never want anything to do with me or Jack. I'll un—"
"Tim, I don't hate you," Conner said. "I, God... I don't know. That's a lot."
"Yeah..."
"If you'll let me, I'd like to be a part of Jack's life."
"If you're just doing this—"
"I'm not. I know how I felt when Clark refused to be a part of my life when all I wanted was for someone to care about me. I'm not letting Jack feel that way. Besides, I doubt you're equipped to deal with him getting superpowers," Conner teased
A small smile stretched across Tim's face. "No, I guess I'm not." He looked down to the now sleeping Jack. "Would you like to hold him?"
"Can I?"
"He's your son too." Tim took care in adjusting Conner's arms before transferring Jack to his arms. "Don't forget to support his head, he hasn't fully developed his neck muscles yet."
Conner nodded. Jack was a cute baby. He absolutely fit with the whole bat aesthetic between the blue eyes and black hair. "How did the others react to him?"
Tim let out a humming sound. "B was just happy to have a grandchild. Alfred too. Cass is a good babysitter, and so is Jason, surprisingly enough. He has spent a lot of time with Lian, so Roy probably taught him. Dick found out at the same time I told him about the League of Assassins. I wanted to make him feel like shit for at least a little while. I'm not leaving him alone with Steph or Damian until he's invulnerable," Tim laughed. "Damian has gotten a lot better, but I don't trust him not to give Jack a sword."
Conner chuckled. "I'll be going for the top babysitter spot."
"You can be more than that, if you want."
Conner looked up into Tim's eyes. They held nothing but sincerity. "I think I'd like that."