Bruce was pissed about the new Bats. Batwing and Batwoman both got calls from Dick, and you had a stern talking to about what to do when he was gone.
You didn't like the way he talked to you. He was angry, which was odd. You hadn't seen Bruce angry in two years, when the Court of Owls infiltrated the Batcave.
"Bruce," you began. "I, Dick, Damian, Kate, and Luke just saved your ass. Can't you be a bit more grateful?!"
"I don't need to be grateful!" Bruce yelled, and you took a step back, eyes wide. "You went on a dangerous, unauthorized mission and risked everything!"
You raised an eyebrow at his wording.
"What's 'everything' in this scenario?"
In response to your question, Bruce raised his hand, and smacked you. You gasped, your hand flying up to feel your stinging red cheek.
"Father!" Damian yelled, but immediately shrank back under Bruce's glare.
You retreated to your room for the rest of the night.
After a week, you sat in the Batcave. The swelling in your cheek had gone down days before, and your mood had softened. Bruce had also seemed to forget his anger.
"You really should be resting." Dick commented as Bruce continued to deadlift.
"The summit is tomorrow." You agreed.
"It's been a week, I'm fine."
"Like father, like son." Alfred mused. Damian glared. "All things considered, Master Bruce, you're in surprisingly good condition."
"Yeah." You began. "It's suspicious."
Bruce put down the weights and looked to you.
"What did she do to you?" You asked, eyebrow quirked in curiosity.
Bruce stood, and walked off.
The ride to the summit was eerily quiet. You didn't like it. Bruce wasn't a chatterbox, but he would make conversation with you. You were his sidekick. His adoptive daughter. His friend.
You shifted uncomfortably in your dress. Bruce had insisted that you wouldn't need your suit today. That everything would go smoothly for once. To just trust him.
You didn't.
You had your suit under your dress, probably why it was so uncomfortable, your boots in Alfred's case, as he had also found it odd Bruce had said you didn't need your suit, and your domino mask wedged into your suit.
The drive did go smoothly, you would give Bruce that. Alfred helped you out of the car, and the paparazzi screamed with joy. You made your way down the carpet, answering questions.
"Miss Wayne!" A reporter yelled. "Do you currently have a lover?"
"I'm afraid that's personal."
"Do you know what will happen tonight?"
"You'll just have to wait and see."
"How old are you now?"
"I'm 13."
Bruce grabbed you by the shoulder, steering you towards the summit.
The show went pretty smoothly too. The ambassadors all seem fairly impressed as the building began to drift off the sea and into the air.
You watched, smiling warmly, before everything went dark. The screen behind Bruce began to flash all different colors and patterns. You looked to Alfred with a confused look, only to see him on the ground, unconscious. You ducked under a table, trying to steady your breathing. The eerie warbling continued as the hypnotic patterns continued on the screen. You heard footsteps exiting the room, and left the table. You ran over to Alfred, shaking his body aggressively. When he didn't wake, you sighed, before ripping of your dress, throwing on your boots, and applying your mask.
You ran down a series of hallways, trying to track any sort of commotion. You heard voices, and took a sharp turn.
"We don't have time for this, Damian. Join us or die."
"Talia Al Ghul." You yelled, entering the room. "And here I thought it would be difficult to find you."
Talia turned behind her, seeing you.
"Kill the bitch first." She ordered.
Without a second thought, Bruce charged at you, fully costumed as the Batman.
You dodged a few of his attacks as Batwing, Batwoman, Nightwing, and Robin began to attack the henchmen.
"Get out of my way, Bruce!" You yelled, finally kicking him dead in the face. "Damian! Come get your dad so I can kill your mom!"
"Be my guest!" Damian yelled back, smirking while charging at the Bat, Nightwing by his side.
With Bruce distracted, you chased after Talia. She turned to you, a look of annoyance on her face.
You ran forward, swinging at her. Talia dodged and tried to shoot you, yet you caught her gun in one hand, and her hair in the other. You yanked her forward, slamming her head against yours, and then kicking her. Talia stumbled back, shooting at you again, but the bullet only grazed your arm.
"What did she ever do to you?!" You screamed, managing to get the advantage by knocking Talia's feet out from under her. "Get up!"
Talia tried to stand, but was far too slow for your liking. You swung your foot into her stomach, and she rolled away, finally managing to stand, she tried to shoot you again, but you dodged it all the same, grabbing her gun once again and slamming it into her face. She stumbled back, and you kicked her in the stomach. She fell again, and you began to kick her over and over again. When you stopped, Talia lay a gasping mess on the floor.
You grabbed her by her hair again, forcing her head up. "We both know you could have won that. You just underestimated the bitch, huh?" You let her head drop. "Get the fuck up."
She stood again, this time managing to hit you square in the nose. You felt blood trickle down your lip as you swung at her, blows raining down on her.
She hit the ground again.
"STOP LOSING!" You screamed. "GET UP. I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU FEEL ALL OF IT. ALL THE PAIN YOU PUT THEM THROUGH. GET UP!"
Talia got up again, trying to fire at you once again, yet for you to take her down again. You grabbed her by her suit this time, her hands immediately going to your wrist.
"How is it you're so weak?!" You screamed. "You killed such beautiful, powerful people, yet you lose to a pathetic child!"
You began to punch her again, over and over and over again, till you couldn't feel your fist. You raised your fist once again, yet stopped short. You dropped her, and turned away, eyes wrenching shut.
"Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance. Justice, not vengeance." You repeated the words over and over again, trying to call yourself. "Justice, not vengeance."
"Lorri, get down!"
But it was too late. Batman threw you to the ground, attacking you.
"What has gotten into you, Bruce?!" You screamed as he put a hand around your neck. He began to squeeze, cutting off your airways. You gasped for air, your feet lifting off the floor.
Damian charged forward, kicking Bruce's arm, setting you free.
Talia watched as her son bent down in front of a girl she should have killed long ago.
"Beloved." He whispered, taking you face in his hands.
She turned on her heel.
••
You all watched as Talia escaped off into the horizon. Damian was slung around your shoulder, one of his hands gripping his stomach, the other holding onto you tightly.
You gasped as Talia's vessel hit the water, skipping a few times, and exploded.
"Damn..." you muttered.
Damian glared into the distance, and you turned to him. "I'm sorry."
The next night, Bruce had a heart to heart talk with Damian while you and Dick had a talk of your own. You sat out on the patio, enjoying the sunset together.
"I'm sorry for all those things I accused you of." You began. "When Grace died, I felt empty. Broken. And I blamed it all on you. Talia took her in hopes of getting to Bruce. I should have never roped you into it."
Dick looked down, sipping his glass of lemonade. He was pondering something.
"For what it's worth, I and Grace weren't together anymore."
"What?" You asked.
That didn't make any sense! You had seen them kissing the day before.
"Yeah. We talked a few months before, and broke up."
"Why?" You asked, pure curiosity in your voice. This had to be a lie.
"She was a sister to me, Lorri." Dick smiled. "And this ain't Alabama."
You chuckled. "I guess."
Fucking bullshit.
You remained silent. "Kori is a nice girl. She's perfect for you. She'll keep you grounded."
"I know."
You turned to him. "You should go to her. She's probably missing you."
"I know."
Dick stood, and you joined him, briefly embracing him.
"Hey," he bent down, placing his good arm on your shoulder. "She would be proud of you."
Tears began to well up in your eyes as you smiled, nodding. You sniffled, before screaming.
"YOU WHORE!" You laughed, drenched. Dick had shoved you into the pool. He threw off his own jacket, before cannonballing in.
"AH!" You screamed, trying to swim away.
You jumped out of the pool, screaming across the yard. In your haste, you tripped into the small water feature Damian and Bruce had been talking at.
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, standing.
You cackled as Dick tackled you, shoving you deeper into the water feature.
"Oh."
Without a second thought, Bruce jumped in as well, crashing into you both.
"AHH! NO FAIR, TWO AGAINST ONE!" You roared, trying to swim away. "Damian, help me!"