"Okay." Rosemary released the safety and fired.

"Our 40's may not be old, but it's certainly too old for this job." Bruce said. "Lori, it's not selfish of you to want your husband to be with you."

"I want you to retire so bad." Lori kissed him. "We should probably get going." she stood sticking close to Bruce.

Joker looked surprised as he fell off the cliff laughing as he plummeted into the darkness. Damien appeared just then "I hope croc eats him."

Bruce nodded. "Then I'll retire. I'll talk to the kids later." He said, standing with her. "This way." He started leading her back home.

Rosemary wasn't finished yet, though. She started climbing down the cliff. "I can't take any chances. I have to make sure, for myself, that he's dead."

Damien followed her "You know that's all water down there right?" he sighed a little. "Your right of course after last time." he scowled.

Lori followed along with Jason, Tim and Richard bringing up the rear. "He really went out of the way to get us all together." she frowned holding Martha closer.

"I know." Rosemary continued down. "But if he somehow survived that, like the cockroach he is, I'll never forgive myself. Just...help me find him." She said.

Bruce nodded. "I know. He was always insane, but this...it was like he reached a new level." He sighed.

Damien jumped to the bottom first glancing around for Croc. "No signs of the alligator." Jokers body was floating face down in the water blood flowing down the sewer. "We won't have long though."

Lori pulled Bruce to a stop. "Please tell me there's more then one way out." she was staring at the mountain of rock's that the blast had knocked loose.

Rosemary hopped down beside Damian and pulled Joker's body from the water. She started to check his vital signs, then gave up on that and shot him square between the eyes. Then she pulled out a knife and slit his throat, just to make completely sure he could never survive. She was silent the whole time. Then, still on her knees, she hunched over and started to cry over the body of the father she never had.

Bruce looked at the rocks and sighed. "There are plenty of ways out. This was just the quickest one." He said. "We're in for a long walk. Can everyone handle it?"

"I'm fine." Jason assured him. "So are we." Richard spoke for both Tim and himself. "I'll be fine so long as we trade off holding Martha." Lori glanced at the girl who was asleep.

Damien pulled her to him pushing the body with his foot into the water. "I got you." he soothed running a hand over her head.

Bruce nodded. "Of course." He said. "Alright, let's get going. There's another exit this way." He started leading them all in a different direction.

Rosemary leaned against Damian and sobbed. "I killed him, Damian...I killed him. My own father. I killed...I'm just as bad as he was."

"No because you did it to save those you loved. He did it for fun and because he could." Damien frowned wishing he had killed him instead.

Lori soon started to get tired as well but trudged along glad when Tim took Martha from her. She rubbed her asleep arms keeping on hand tangled in Bruce's cape."

Rosemary sniffled. "I said I was going to do it...I kept saying it, but I never thought I could do it. Not really. I thought I'd be like uncle Bruce, that something would hold me back. But I did it, no problem, like it was nothing. I didn't care that we were family, just like he didn't care that Jason was family. The only difference is that I feel bad about it."

Noticing how tired Lori was, Bruce paused for a moment and scooped her up in his arms, bridal style. "You go ahead and take a rest." He said. "I'll carry you the rest of the way."

"Your not like him. Not at all." Damien frowned at her. "I'm more like him then you are."

Lori gasped and blinked at. "I'm fine.'' she blushed softly. "You don't have to carry me."

"No, you're not. You're nothing like him." Rosemary protested. "You're kind and sweet and strong and honorable and brave. You're everything he wasn't."

Bruce smiled down at Lori. "But I want to." He said. "If you don't want me to, I won't, but...I want to."

Lori blushed more. "Just...if You get tired promise you'll put me down." she placed her head on his shoulder sighing happily.

"I was just like him. I killed and didn't think anything of it. Even now I don't care if I kill." Damien shrugged. "It's better then it use to be."

Bruce nodded. "I will, I promise." He told her, then continued walking.

"But that's not your fault." Rosemary said. "It's how you were raised, before you came here. It's hard to change the way you think after you've been taught to think that way. And you are better at it now. You care, at least enough to know that you should care."

Lori found herself falling asleep in his arms. She fought it so that if Bruce had to put her down she would be awake.

"Let's go back." Damien took her hand. "Forget this clown ever existed...plus I see Croc heading this way."

Bruce noticed how hard Lori was fighting to stay awake. "Let yourself sleep, my love. You deserve it. I'll be fine." He whispered to her.

Rosemary nodded. "Is it bad that I kind of want to see Croc eat him?" She shuddered, feeling sick at the thought. "Never mind, let's go."

Damien lead the way down a short cut emerging a ways from the manor. "Ah fresh air." he helped Rose out of the hole and held her against him.

"I'm fine." Lori mumbled words slurring a little. "Don't mind me."

With Damian's help, Rosemary climbed out of the hole and then sank into his arms, exhausted. She didn't have any tears left to cry, so she just closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest. "Damian...don't ever let me become like him."

Bruce smiled. "Alright, I won't." He said, still walking. It wasn't long after that they found the exit, and Bruce led them up to the surface. They were pretty far from the manor at that point, but at least now they were above ground.

"We are a long way from home." Lori sighed. "I think a quick change is in order so we can get a cab. Alfred can't walk that far."

Damien lifted her into his arms. "I promise not to become like him."

Bruce looked down, surprised. He had thought Lori had fallen asleep. "You're right. Let's find somewhere to change."

"No, don't let me become like him. I'm not worried about you." Rosemary repeated.

"Sorry I'm half asleep." Damien chuckled and headed up the street toward the manor. "At least it will be a shortish walk." he shrugged. After twenty minutes he pushed the manor door open and carried her to her room. "here we are." he tucked her in and then crawled in next to her.

They found a alley that was out of the way. "OK boys you first." Lori smiled as Alfred took Martha.

By the time they reached the manor, Rosemary was nearly asleep in his arms. As soon as he climbed in next to her, she turned and curled into him, seeking confort. She had completely forgotten that she was still dressed as Batgirl.

Bruce put Lori down, taking a moment to rest before changing.

Lori stretched out and started to look for a cab. "Ah!" she spotted a taxi van and stepped out waving at it. It quickly pulled over though when the driver saw the boys he looked disappointed. Lori just smirked at buckled Martha in between Tim and Jason.

Damien smiled and fell asleep as well. He didn't really care that he hadn't changed it wouldn't be the first time he had slept in his suit.

Bruce gave the taxi driver a warning look as he got in, waiting for everyone else to get in first. Once everyone was in and secured, he told the driver where to bring them.