Coming out of her stupor, Gemini smiled. "Well...I can't say I'm thrilled with the idea of you out every night fighting, I also can't really say no. Not if it's something you're this passionate about." She sighed. "You're growing up too fast, Rose. But I'm proud of you. Still, the final decision isn't mine."

Rosemary looked thrilled that Lori had given her support, and her hopeful expression turned to sheer joy when she heard what her mother said. However, her expression clouded over when she realized that Bruce still hadn't spoken. She looked at him expectantly.

Bruce sighed, then chuckled. "It seems I'm outnumbered." He said, shaking his head slightly. "I'd be a hypocrite if I said no, especially since I'm training my own son for the same thing. So, the answer is yes. But!" He held a hand up before Rosemary could react. "You have to promise to do exactly as you're told, no questions asked. No complaining, and you're not allowed to give up. Once you start training for real, it's going to be difficult, and you won't be allowed to stop. Are you sure you can handle it?"

It was possible that no child had ever looked as determined as Rosemary did right then. "Yes! I can do it! I promise I'll do better than my best!" She said. Receiving a nod from Bruce, she jumped up and down, squealing happily. She ran to Lori and hugged her, then the same for Gemini, and then finally Bruce. "Thank you thank you thank you!" She yelled happily. "Oh, but I can't be Robin, because Damian's already Robin. So, I'll be Batgirl!"

"Sounds perfect." Lori smiled then turned and went back to getting Martha her toys a shadow falling over her face as she walked.

Rosemary went to Damian. "Did you hear? I get to train with you for real! You'll help me train, right?"

Leaving Rosemary to celebrate, Bruce went after Lori. "Lori, what's wrong?" He asked, catching up to her.

"Nothing." Lori didn't look up as she gathered a few of Martha's toys. "Just getting some toys for Martha."

"It's great." Damien grinned. "Batgirl." he liked the way it sounded.

Bruce frowned. "Don't lie to me, Lori." He said, moving to try and see her face. "I know you. You're upset about something. If you don't tell me, I can't help you. Please don't shut me out."

Rosemary grinned, also liking the sound of it. Especially when someone else said it. "Hey, wanna go train now?" She was too excited to do much else.

"Sure." Damien lead the way smiling as they got to the training room. "no more holding back." he pulled out old case files. "First the Penguin he's easy enough to understand."

Lori sighed shifting the toys in her arms. "It's nothing Bruce really." she smiled at him though it didn't reach her eyes. "I should get the toys to Martha before she throws a fit." she turned in time to see Alfred holding the fussing girl. "To late." she chuckled and handed the girl one of her toys instantly calming her down.

Rosemary followed, listening with rapt attention. She was finally getting to learn for real, and she was going to learn as much as possible.

Bruce sighed. He and Lori had known each other their whole lives, and there were very few things they hid from each other. It bothered him that she wouldn't tell him if something was wrong. Still, he wouldn't force her. She'd tell him when she was ready.

Gemini came over and poked Bruce. "Hey." She said, getting his attention. "You'd better keep Rosemary safe. If my daughter gets hurt..." She trailed off.

"I understand. I'll do my best, Gemini. I promise."

"And if she starts to catch on about her father-"

"-I'll take care of it. There's no reason for her to catch on, since only we know. But...you'll have to tell her someday."

"I know. Someday. But right now, she's still young. She doesn't need to know yet."

Once Damien had crammed her head full of Oswald Copplepot knowledge he stretched. "Want to take a break?"

Lori meanwhile was sitting watching Martha lost in thought.

Rosemary yawned. She hadn't known any person could be so boring. "Yeah, let's get a snack." She said, standing up and stretching.

After her conversation with Bruce, Gemini went to sit next to Lori. "Hey." She said, watching Martha. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Not even Bruce has enough penny for what I'm thinking." Lori chuckled softly then shifted. She bit her lip chewing on it for a second "am I...always going to be weak and helpless? You, Selina, Pam and know even Rose are all fighters but all I can do is sit here and look pretty."

Gemini blinked. As long as she had known Lori, she had never heard the other woman doubt herself. "Lori, I'm no fighter. I'm a waitress. If anyone in this world is strong, it's you." She said. "I can't think of anyone else I'm afraid of, or anyone else who can make Bruce behave. You're mentally strong, which comes in handy more often than physical strength. But you have physical strength, too. You proved that by carrying and giving birth to Martha. But if you're really that bothered by this, why don't you train with Bruce?" She chuckled. "I'll bet anything you'd catch on quick...actually, maybe don't. A Lori who can kick ass in every way is a scary thought."

'you really think so Gemini?" Lori sniffled. "I just feeling like such a burden. If anything where to happen Bruce would have to say me and that makes me feel horrible if he had to choose me over someone else. He's going to hate me someday I know it." she hadn't noticed that Bruce had entered.

"Of course I think so! You're not a burden, Lori, you're the glue that keeps us all together!" Gemini said, glancing up to see Bruce enter. She gave him a meaningful look.

"I will never hate you, Lorinda." Bruce said, coming to kneel in front of her. "You're right, I would always choose you first. That's because I love you, and nothing will ever change that. You're my world. You and Martha are the most important things I my life, and I swear I will never regret that."

"But what if you do?" Lori started to cry. "What if saving me meant that the mayor died r someone else important to the city? I don't think I could live with myself." she sniffled as her body shook from holding back her tears.

Bruce reached forward and pulled Lori close, hugging her. "I want you to listen to me and listen well. There is absolutely no one in this world more important than you. Politicians can be replaced, but there is only one Lori. I will not hesitate to protect the people that I care about, and I will never regret it. Not ever. Do you understand?"

"yes but." Lori trailed off and sighed hugging him back. "I'm just being stupid I guess." she let the subject drop neither of them understood how she felt. She blinked as Martha started to cry and pushed Bruce away turning her attention to Martha going to change the girl. "What do I do?" she whispered to the girl who just tilted her head.

Bruce sighed. He had a feeling the issue was not resolved, but he didn't want to push her.

Gemini didn't give up so easily. "Lori, wait." She went after her friend. "Lori, you're not alone in feeling that way, you know. I'm the same way. I can't fight or defend myself at all- I'm just a waitress. I worry all the time that something will happen and I won't be able to protect Rosemary. I know you don't think so but I do know how you feel."

"What do I do Gemini? I feel like I'll never be able to protect myself even if I do train with Bruce." Lori studied the diaper she was throwing away. "should I train? Should I just go along being helpless and hope Bruce never has to decide between me and say Martha." she shivered at the idea. "He would choose Martha I would make him."

Gemini's expression hardened into something very familiar: determination. "We can train together. You and me, we'll train and learn and then neither of us will have to feel useless ever again, and we can protect our children so Bruce won't have to choose." She said. "It's you and me, right? We've been doing stuff like this together almost our whole lives. With both of us, there's no way we can fail."

Lori folded Gemini into a tight hug leaving Martha on the table for a moment as she found the comfort she needed in her friend. "We'll go talk to Bruce right know!" she finished changing Martha then took Gemini's hand and lead the way downstairs.

Gemini hugged her friend back. "Right, let's go!" She said, going along with Lori.

Bruce was currently staring out a window, lost in thought. He was startled back to reality by Lori and Gemini walking into the room. "What's up?" He asked them, since it was obvious they wanted to talk about something.

"We want to learn to protect ourselves no arguments aloud or I'll sick Martha on you." Lori held up Martha who was gumming her teddy bear.

Bruce blinked a few times. "Well, I certainly don't want to be attacked by Martha. But, I would have said yes anyway." He said, smiling at the women. "We can start whenever you're ready."

"You two watch Martha for a while." Lori let Damien take Martha. "I'm ready."

Damien blinked at his sister who smiled at her. "Looks like we are babysitting you for know."

Rosemary smiled. "Yay! Martha's so much fun to babysit." She said happily.

"I'm ready, too." Gemini said with a smile.

Bruce nodded. "Alright then, follow me." He said, turning to lead the women to the training room.