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[theyoungdetective]

It was a nice and casual day. Still another week before orientation for his classes, and the plans for the completion and release of his smartwatch's development were almost done. He was debating what to do with his day before readying for patrol, just petting a sleepy Ace and lounging on his couch and reading news on his tablet when he gets the linked alert to a text mid-article.

It was from Billy. Just two words that had him confused for a moment before realization hit Tim like a wave and he felt his stomach drop. He didn't think this would happen again. At least, he hoped it wouldn't. But it has, and he needs to be there for his best friend.

She's gone.

Tim jumps off the couch, making Ace whine at being displaced so suddenly. He spares the dog an apologetic pat before he throws on a pair of jeans and grabs his bag, keys, and helmet.

"Sorry boy, but a friend needs me. You be good while I'm out, okay? I might be back late."

The pit-lab whines again, but he's been well trained. Tim knows he'll be okay. Worst case, he'll message Aggie to stop by and check on Ace if he's out until patrol.

He runs down the stairs of the building and check's Billy's location through their watches, speeding off to him when he gets it.

Comments

[theyoungdetective]

His throat feels tight at that news. Tim knows how serious Billy and Izzy were, and moving in is such a huge step. A step towards so much more. There is so much his friend could have had here with her, but the nature of the city just took it away from them both without warning. He bites his lip and pulls out his phone, hitting one of his top contacts.

"Hey, Aggie?... Yeah, I'm not going to go out tonight. Is that okay with you?... Cool, thanks. ... No, I just— I'm at Billy's. ... Yeah, could you? I think I might stay over, so if you could check on him in the morning. ... Great, I owe you one. Thanks. I'll catch you later."

Tim ends the call, then toes off his sneakers and joins Billy on the couch, sitting close and tucking up his legs.

"I'm here for anything you need. Even if it's just staying with you on this couch all night and staring at the wall, hating this stupid city. I'm here."

He reaches down and takes his friend's hand, squeezing it in reassurance.

[sayshazam]

Billy sat in complete silence while Tim called Aggie and asked her to look after Ace. He felt bad about the fact that Tim wouldn't be with his pet tonight but Billy really, really needed someone here with him right now. He just wanted to not be alone.

"I can't hate the city too much. I wouldn't have ever met her if it wasn't for this place," Billy said. He'd been angry before when people left and it hadn't helped at all, he'd just been miserable with anger as well as sadness. He'd prefer to just be sad.

[theyoungdetective]

"...No, you're right. There are too many important people to all of us here that we'd never have met otherwise. I wouldn't know you at all, probably. Not the same you."

Tim feels a lot of anger, but most of that is from being away from those back home. But he wouldn't trade those loved ones for the ones he has in Darrow either. He wouldn't be here to help out Billy, he wouldn't have Aggie to take care of Ace, or even Ace for that matter.

The city takes away a lot of things, but it gives as well. There's no overlooking that fact, frustrating as the former is.

[sayshazam]

"I just wish the people it gives me would stick around a lot longer," Billy said, leaning more fully onto Tim, a silent acknowledgement that at least Tim has been a constant in his life for a while. Even if they didn't always get along at first when they were hiding their secrets from each other.

"Sometimes I feel like the only sure way to get out of here is if someone is important to me. I know that's not true because a lot of people who are important to me are still here, but it feels like it at times."

[theyoungdetective]

"A lot of people lose people close to them here. I really don't think it's singling you out. But hey. Maybe they didn't got that far. Maybe they're just in that other Darrow, and we can try punching a hole in reality again to see them there," he offers. It's a weak attempt at humor, but it's also a thought. Maybe, if either of them are pulled out of Darrow, they won't actually wind up going back home. Maybe they'll end up in the other Darrow, or another similar situation where they don't just forget everything that happened in the city. Maybe they'll run into people they've loved who still remember as well.

[sayshazam]

"Yeah, I don't- last time things went really bad with the two worlds. I don't think I can risk everyone's safety just on the chance that she's there," Billy said, shaking his head. It wasn't something that he could ever mentioned to anyone else that he might be able to do that. They might not see it the same way as he did and there were a lot of people that had lost people they might want to see.

[theyoungdetective]

"Oh jeez, I wasn't serious." But he probably should have joked about it either. You can't just joke this kind of thing away. He just wants to try to make Billy smile a little.

"I know it was. I just... I really suck at this."

Tim goes silent for a bit.

"When I was back home... My best friend died, and I tried to re-clone him because I couldn't handle it. It was stupid and desperate, and I shouldn't even joke about doing anything similarly stupid or desperate."

[sayshazam]

Billy had heard about that from Steph a bit, Tim trying to clone his best friend or something. It was one of the things that had made him dislike Tim without really meeting him first. Now he could understand that sort of feeling though. But Billy wasn't going to do anything like that.

"It's going to hurt for a long time and I'll always miss her but I know eventually I'll be okay. It just hurts so much."

[theyoungdetective]

"I know. And I'm so sorry."

Tim gives Billy's hand a squeeze again and rests his head on Billy's shoulder.

"But you will feel better with time. In the meantime, you got me and everyone else here for you to help. And we all love you. Just don't forget it."