Tim sighed as he checked his clock again. 15 minutes left of class. This was the day. He was finally going to stand up for himself and all the other kids the gang of bullies liked to pick on. Last week they had cornered him in the alcove with the extra lockers. It was positioned that if you stood in a certain corner, you could not be seen from the hallway. The leader of the gang, a burly 8th grader named Michael Shapre, had promised certain bodily harm if Tim didn't help him with a coming paper. And by help he really meant write it for him. Today, he was supposed to hand over the assignment and they would part ways until the next time Tim's services were required. Tim was fed up with being pushed around. He was tired of not standing up for himself. Robin would. Robin defended those weaker than himself. Jason would have ended this long ago. Tim could do this.

The bell finally rang, and everyone rushed down the hall. Tim took his time making his way toward the locker alcove where he knew the boys were waiting. As he walked, he rehearsed the plan in his head. It wasn't ideal, but if he was lucky it could work.

As promised, all three boys were waiting for him. The moment he stepped into view Tim was pushed up against a locker.

"Do you have it?" Michael asked. Tim looked him in the eye.

"No. but I do have certain information that will go to the principal if you don't leave me and everyone else you push around alone" he said firmly. The boys all laughed.

"Smart guy, are you?" Michael asked, scornfully.

"Yeah actually." Tim said, slightly surprised by his own boldness. By now he was running on adrenaline and could not stop. He stepped forward, pointing at the two goons. "You two have been harassing a girl. She's too afraid to say anything but I have evidence." He turned to Michael. "You cheated your way into the gifted program so you could keep playing soccer. If your grades slip your parents will pull you from the team. I found the email your dad sent to the couch. I also have all the answer keys for the exams you downloaded to your computer. Leave me alone. Leave that girl alone or I'll tell everyone."

The boys all looked stunned. Tim held their gaze, daring to hope they would comply to his demands. His heart sank as Michael laughed. "There's no way. Besides, we made a deal. You bring me what I need, or you get a fist to the face. I don't see a paper or anything else that proves what you're saying so..."

Before Tim could process what was happening, he felt a sharp pain in his face. His head slammed back into the locker and he crumpled onto the ground. His vision went fuzzy. He braced himself for another hit but instead he heard a yell and the sound of footsteps in the hallway. He looked up and there, in the entrance of the alcove, was Jason.

"What the hell is going on here?" Jason shouted placing himself between Tim and the other boys. The boys backed off nervously. Jason, as a former street kid, had earned a reputation as a fierce brawler and Tim didn't doubt he could beat all three of them blindfolded and handcuffed if he had mind to. Michael tried to say something, but Jason didn't let him finish. "You get out of here before I start swinging. And don't you dare touch him again." Terrified, the boys ran off.

Jason knelt beside him. "Aww geez Timmy, wait here." He rushed off again and came back a minute later with a bunch of paper towels. Tim realized that his nose was bleeding. He took a paper towel while Jason checked for other injuries. "Looks like you have a lump on your head, can you stand?" Tim nodded, which hurt more than he expected, and Jason helped him up. "Let's get you to Alfred. He'll fix you up no problem. Now, are you going to tell me what happened or am I gonna have to beat it out of them." Tim's eyes widened and he snapped out of his daze.

"No, don't do that!" he pleaded. "It was a mistake that's all. I messed up." Tim scowled, losing himself once more in thought.

"Well?" Jason asked, thoroughly exasperated. Tim sighed.

"They've been picking on kids, harassing girls, and using people to write papers for them and cheat on tests. The big one, Michael, tried to use me. I guess he thought that he could scare me since I'm smaller than everyone else. I decided to blackmail them. I have pictures, emails, a bunch of stuff. I was going to send it to the principal if they didn't leave me and everyone else alone."

"Where is it?" Jason asked.

"Huh?"

"The pictures! Don't tell me you decided to blackmail someone without some sorta evidence to shove in their face."

"The printer wouldn't work this morning." Tim muttered, scowling to himself.

"Damnit Tim!" Jason shouted. "You don't go to blackmail someone without evidence and you definitely don't walk into a place where you're gonna get hit unless you know you can hit back harder."

"They were going to come after me either way. I didn't have much of a choice." Tim tried to defend himself.

"You could have come to me! What would have happened if I hadn't shown up? God, do you even know how to fight?"

Tim shook his head. "I tried to sign up for a martial arts class once, but my parents forgot to fill out the forms." Jason huffed in frustration.

"You keep doing stupid shit like this I'm gonna have to teach you how to fight." He looked down at Tim who was staring firmly at the floor. "Well, it could have been worse. You should've seen some of the stupid shit I've gotten into fights over. Nothing as impressive as what you tried to do." Tim refused to meet his eye and Jason sighed. "Come on, let's go home."

The two boys walked out to the car. Jason pushed Tim into the back seat and announced, "Timmy got into a fight today. It didn't go as planned but it was for a good cause." Tim blinked at Jason, confused. Was that pride he heard in his voice?

"I see. I would hate to hear that anyone under my care has been fighting needlessly. Any injuries to report?" Alfred said evenly.

"Just a bloody nose," Tim muttered. "and a bump on my head."

"I will get an ice pack for you when we arrive at the manor and you can borrow one of Master Jason's shirts." Alfred said.

"Oh" Tim said, suddenly realizing how much blood had leaked onto his shirt. "Thank you."

"And once Alfred gets you fixed up; we can work on that blackmail of yours." Jason seemed rather chipper considering how he'd seemed ready to punch a wall only a few minutes earlier.

"Blackmail?" Tim saw Alfred raised an eyebrow in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah," Jason said. "To avenge Timmy and protect those who can't protect themselves. Anyway, it was Tim's idea to begin with. I just want to make sure he can pull it off without being punched in the face again." Tim blushed.

"It's not my fault the printer broke." He insisted.

"We'll use Bruce's." Jason said. "Don't worry dude, I'll look after you." Tim smiled.

"Thanks Jason."

Later, Tim and Jason compiled enough evidence to get all three of the boys suspended, if not expelled, and anonymously sent it to every administrator of rank at Gotham Academy. At one point, Bruce had come over to see what they were doing. Tim had tensed, expecting a harsh reprimand for any number of offenses, but Bruce had simply read over his shoulder and grunted approvingly. He'd also assured Tim that if those boys, or anyone else, ever bothered him again, Tim could talk to him and the situation would be taken care of. Tim had accepted Bruce's word numbly, not really believing but seeing no lie in his eyes. He simply did not understand why Bruce would want to get involved. If it were Jason maybe, Bruce was Batman and Jason was his son. Tim was nobody. He was supposed to be able to do this on his own; he had all the resources he needed to look out for himself and others. How had he failed so miserably?

Except he hadn't failed because he had Jason and Alfred. And Bruce.

Tim decided to think more about it later when he wasn't so tired. It was getting late and he was ready to go to bed. He bid Jason and Bruce goodnight and Alfred drove him home. As they pulled into the driveway Tim realized that the lights were on and he saw shadows moving against the windows. His parents were home.