"I'm fine really." Damien sighed. "I just want to get home before its time to patrol and Martha goes without me."

Martha stood in the doorway frowning. "Daddy come out and walk Ace and Hermione." she dragged him out giving him Ace's leash. "You shouldn't be so hard on mom. Your still her knight and she knows your strong but...she remembers seeing you lying there on the cave floor. You can't really blame her for making sure your still ok."

Rosemary frowned but nodded. If he didn't want to talk, she wouldn't force him. "Alright, home it is."

Bruce sighed, knowing he was about to get a lecture. "I know that, Martha, but she's going too far. I'm not allowed to do anything anymore. It's like she thinks I'm going to shatter into a million pieces any second."

"She lets you do plenty. Except patrol which your to old for now anyways and well I now you to don't." Martha cleared her throat. "But she lets you do everything."

Damien let her drive in silence deep in thought.

"It doesn't feel like it." Bruce said. "I suppose I'm just being a grouch. I feel like an old man." He sighed. "I'll apologize to your mother."

Rosemary drove in silence, at least for a while. They were close to home, she pulled over and got out of the car very quickly to throw up on the pavement."

"You are a old man." Martha pinched his arm. "Do you want me to come with to your doctors appointment?" she asked yelping when Hermione went off to sniff something.

Damien hopped out and held her hair. "You alright?" he asked frowning.

Bruce chuckled. "Did your mother ask you to go and make sure I behave?" He teased. "I don't mind if you want to tag along, but it's going to be boring."

Rosemary managed to take a few breaths. "I-I'm fine. Nausea is part of the deal. I just need a moment." Luckily for her, there wasn't much in her stomach to begin with.

"I'm so sorry Rose this is all my fault." Damien held her close.

"no she did not." Martha scowled. "I just want to hang out with my dad."

Rosemary looked up at him quizzically. "How is this your fault? There's no blame here. And if there was, I'd say it's fifty-fifty. It takes two to make a baby, you know. So what exactly are you sorry for, anyway?"

Bruce held up his hands. "Relax, I was only kidding! Like I said, I don't mind if you come along." He said.

Martha blinked. "I don't think I'll ever get use to you joking." she teased him pulling Hermione back inside. "Can I drive?" she pouted.

"I'm sorry I let this happen. I should have been more careful." Damien sighed and helped her back into the car.

Bruce grimaced. He would really rather she not drive. "Alright, but only one way." He conceded.

Rosemary shook her head. "You need to stop blaming yourself for everything. Like I said, it took both of us to make this happen. Besides, you never forgot to wear protection. It's just that even the best condom is only effective 99 out of a hundred times. There was literally nothing we could have done differently to make this not happen." She smiled, looking over at him. "Anyway, I'm happy. The way I see it, this happened because it was meant to happen. I always secretly dreamed of being a mother. I just take this as proof that I'm supposed to be one after all. And I will never apologize for a life you and I made together."

"Awesome!" Martha grinned and headed for the car climbing in. "Come on dad!"

Damien glared at the steering wheel. "You don't understand." he took a breath and pulled his sword from the backseat. "Stay in the car." he slid out locking the doors just as a few ninjas appeared. "Your grandfather wishes to speak to your girl and you." One stepped forward. "If he wants to talk he knows where I am." Damien glared.

Bruce chuckled and followed her, instructing the dogs to go back inside. "Calm down, the car isn't going anywhere without you." He said.

Rosemary opened her mouth to ask what she wasn't understanding, but stopped when she saw his sword. For once, she did as she was told and stayed in the car, hands gripping the steering wheel. If things went wrong, of course she would help...but what would happen if she got hurt? She couldn't risk the babies health.

"Very well young master." The ninja vanished. "He shall see you soon." the last words echoed in the silence. Damien got back into the car and put his sword back. "He'll make this fun." he sighed and headed home.

Martha waited for his to get in. While she had inherited her need for speed from her mother, she also had enough sense to drive safely and according to the laws. So they made it to his doctor with no mishaps.

Rosemary sighed a little in relief when Damian got back into the car. "Want to bed he somehow already knows about the baby?" She said. "We're going to have to address that issue soon, too."

Bruce got in and buckled. They made it to his appointment without incident, and the doctor examined him quickly enough. It wasn't long before the appointment was over and Bruce was getting back in the car.

"Damn right he knows.'' Damien drove home. "If he touches you I'll kill him!"

Martha let him drive home singing along. She opened the door when they got home and jumped when Hermione tried to knock her over. "Easy girl. Whats wrong?" she frowned when the dog pushed her towards the kitchen. Lori stood at the sink holding her hand which was bleeding. "MOM!" she hurried over. "What happened?" "I cut myself." Lori said dryly.

Rosemary nodded, her expression dark. "He is not coming near this child." She said.

Bruce rushed in on Martha's heels. When he saw Lori bleeding, he moved with purpose, grabbing the first-aid kit from a cabinet and going to her. He took her hand gently and rinsed it off, then disinfected it and started wrapping it. "Have you lost a lot of blood?" He asked gently.

"It doesn't matter you can't do anything but sit down." Lori glared at him clearly still mad. "Um...I'm going to go upstairs." Martha raced away with Hermione.

"That's what we say." Damien snorted. "He'll figure out a way."

Bruce tensed, but finished wrapping the wound. "You know, I was going to apologize. But it sounds like you want to stay mad at me, so maybe I'll save it." He went to the fridge and got her a glass of juice, then brought it back to her. "Here, drink this. I don't know how much blood you lost, but it was enough that you'll need to replenish."

"No!" Rosemary said angrily. "I will kill that old man before he comes near my child! I'm sorry, Damian, I don't want to insult you or anything but I will not see our baby raised the same way he tried to raise you. I don't want his influence in their life." She was shaking, clearly afraid. "I just want them to be safe and happy."

"I don't need juice." Lori placed it in the counter. "And yes I'm mad at you! Why are you being such a...poo? I did great you like glass when you first got hurt. How could I not? I...saw you my strong knight lying there close to death. I was so scared Bruce but I don't treat you that way anymore. I just want you to be careful that's all. I don't...no I couldn't handle it if you got hurt again."

Bruce sighed and turned to face her. "Listen, I'm sorry. I get overly sensitive because I'm an old grump, and I'm not taking the aging process well. I'm used to spending all my time active and running and jumping around...now that I'm getting older, I guess the change in lifestyle is tough for me. And I took it out on you, which I never should have done. I promise I'll try to keep my grumpy old man-ness in check from now on."

Lori sighed and ran a hand over his face. "A grumpy old man you maybe but your my grumpy old man." she grinned and leaned against him hugging him with all her might. "You'll always be my knight no matter how old we get."

Bruce smiled and hugged her back tightly, glad that he was forgiven. "I'll do my best to live up to that. Even if I'm a grumpy old knight." He said.

"I should sit since your all thats keeping me upright." Lori glanced at the juice. "Should have drunken that after all."

"He's not going to give up easily." Damien warned. "I mean he's still after me to become the head of the League of Assassins."

Bruce helped her sit down, then handed her the glass of juice. "You still should drink it." He said.

Rosemary sighed. "I guess we can only hope that this baby is a girl, then, since he's so opposed to a female taking that position."

Lori sipped the juice slowly. She stared at her hand which had started to shake. When she looked up again she gasped. "The hell?" she was staring at something behind Bruce. "I have a meeting with my grandson." Ra's stepped around Bruce. "Sorry mom, dad when I opened the door I barged it." Martha appeared behind him.

"He was going to give it to mom but Lori killed her. So even a girl would not be safe." Damien gripped the wheel tighter. "This is exactly why I didn't want children!"