This chapter is for an anon called Rose who wanted some more Carter Grills :) Please enjoy!

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.12

"Seriously? How can they be out of Count Chocula?" Livy pouted as she noticed the empty space on the cereal shelf. Now she had to settle for coco puffs, but Count Chocula was just so much better.

That's when she spotted it. In the very back of the row in the shade from under the shelf was the last box of Count Chocula.

Yes! She thought with excitement as she reached her hands for the box. However, as he hand went into the cavern, another hand joined hers and when the box was pulled out, both hands were gripping onto it.

Now, if a little kid was the owner of the other hand on her Count Chocula box, she wouldn't have mind. However, it was a man holding the box, and Livy was prepared to fight for it.

"You best let go." Livy hissed.

It had been a tough week. Three jewelry store robberies, five drug busts, a kidnapping, and four shootouts. And a week prior was when her boyfriend just about killed her in a very intimate way while being mind controlled.

So, it had been an awful two weeks, but she could always count on a box of Count Chocula to cheer her up in the morning.

Livy glared at the man, but then her eyes widened in realization. It was Carter Grills.

He had let go of the box right away, smiling a bit at her.

"I didn't know you vigilante folk were so serious about your cereal." He chuckled.

He should meet Dick. Livy thought, however she made her face look clueless.

"What are you talking about? And who are you? Wait, you're that guy from the dinner Damian took me to, aren't you?"

Carter wasn't taking her bate.

"Nice try, but you're not fooling me." he chuckled. "Anyway, speaking of your boyfriend, where is he? I'm sure he could buy you a mountain of Count Choculas. Enough so that maybe you could spare me a box." He grinned.

Livy bit her lip a bit, looking at the ground and Carter's eyes widened.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry. So… you two broke up?" Livy's eyes widened and she frantically shook her head.

"No. No... we haven't broken up. We just needed some space for a bit." Livy informed slowly, but just thinking of the ordeal made her heart beat rapidly in fear and brought a sick feeling to her stomach.

"Little Red, I know you're dating Damian, but do you think you could have a platonic lunch with me in my apartment?" Carter inquired with a little bit of hope.

"I'm not Little Red." Livy stated, and Carter rolled his eyes.

"Then what's your name? The tabloids always have a different name if there is any." Carter pried. Livy looked at him skeptically, trying to think if telling her his name would have any negative repercussions.

"Livy." She answered after a pause. "My name is Livy Todd."

"Livy." Carter grinned. "So, is that short for anything?"

"Nope." Livy stated, shaking her head. "Just Livy."

"Alright so, Livy, would you mind having a little lunch at my place? Just a platonic thing." He said with a smile.

Livy was balancing her options in her head. She felt like she could trust him, but then again, one of the people she trusted almost killed her about two weeks ago.

"If I go with you, you have to promise me that I can keep the Count Chocula." Carter chuckled, but smiled at her happily.

"You drive a hard bargain, but deal. Looks like I'm getting myself some raisin bran."

~*~*~*~*~*~At Carter's Apartment~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Carter seemed buzzing with excitement as he took Livy's jacket and led her to a stool for her to sit on while apologizing profusely for the mess of his apartment. He then grabbed some bread and started to spread some peanut butter on it.

"You like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, right?"

"Is the pope catholic?" Livy chuckled. She actually liked Carter's apartment. It was messy, sure, but so was most of the warehouses and abandoned building she and Jason stayed in.

It smelled like firewood and had pictures of people all throughout the wall. The pictures featured him with four women. It seemed that's how it was with all the pictures.

However, when Livy's eyes laid on a picture where Carter looked younger, there was five women instead of four.

"Is that your family?" Livy inquired, pointing to the picture, and Carter smiled.

"Yup. That's me, my mom, and my four sisters." He informed. He frowned for a moment as his eyes rested on the girl who wasn't in any of the more recent pictures.

"This girl is Natalie, my youngest sister. She was the trouble maker of the family and would always give mom heart attacks. Mom swears Natalie's the reason she has a full head of grey hairs. Anyway, one day when Natalie went out with her friends to a party and then decided to walk home alone…" Carter shook his head. "Police found her body later that night. Some scum raped her then killed her." He informed solemnly.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." Livy whispered, and Carter smiled sadly at her.

"I got consumed with revenge. I stopped working and looked for the guy who killed her. I even got his name too… but one day on the news, I found that he was apprehended and a girl was saved. The girl was about the same age as Natalie and it made me happy that she lived. One less big brother to worry, y'know?"

"So the police caught him?" Livy questioned, but Carter shook his head.

"No. You did." He smiled.

Livy's eyes widened. She caught so many rapists that they all started to blur together, but still, it was a nice feeling that her work was appreciated. She forgot sometimes how people other than the victims were effected.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Livy huffed, however she accidently let a small smile slip.

"Whatever you say." Carter grinned. "Anyway, sorry it got so depressing real fast. Depressing you wasn't my intention." He said as he handed her a sandwich.

"Your meal is served." Carter grinned.

"Thanks." Livy honestly couldn't remember the last time she had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but she told herself she needed to eat them more. She forgot how good they were.

"So, why exactly did you bring me here?" Livy inquired and Carter chuckled.

"Well… I guess it's just a small stupid way to thank you. I know it's not much but… I don't know. I just wanted to show how much I appreciate all you do."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Livy stated, but knew that saying that wouldn't help her any. He didn't believe her.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the sandwich anyway." Carter shrugged. "Even though I guess it's not as good as whatever your fancy rich boyfriend gets you."

"Rich food isn't always as good as it's cracked up to be." Livy stated with a small smile. "And in case you haven't noticed, a lot of the pictures of me in the tabloids aren't when I'm at some party, but when I'm in a burger king or pizza hut."

Carter laughed, then questioned, "Can I interest you in a wonderful vintage of Coca Cola?"

"Oh, what year is it?" Livy smirked and Carter hummed a bit.

"Well, it says since 1886." Carter chuckled.

"Oooh, that sounds like it's aged plenty." Livy smiled and Carter poured her a glass, then poured himself a glass.

"Pinky out, right?" Carter questioned, and Livy laughed.

"Why of course. What proper person in society wouldn't have a pinky out while drinking perfectly aged soda?"

The two laughed as they drank the soda. Carter let out a loud burp, but covered his mouth, looking at Livy apologetically.

"Sorry." Livy burped loudly, smirking at him.

"You should be sorry. That was weak." The two laughed and went back and forth burping. Having lunch with Carter Grills definitely got Livy's mind off of her awful week.

~*~*~*~*~Later~*~*~*~*~

Livy carried out the little boy out of the house, dodging flames as she went. Luckily the fire wasn't too bad, but the little boy was too frightened to get out of the building on his own.

Livy passed the boy over to his parents.

"Bless you." The mother smiled gratefully, tears in her eyes out of joy to have her son in her hands.

"Thank you, ma'am." Livy grinned.

"We should make you an honorary fire fighter." Livy turned to see Carter Grills, walking away from the building that he and his crew had doused with water.

"No need. I don't fight fires, only the arsonists that start them." Livy grinned. Carter chuckled.

"Anyway, it's appreciated. Maybe I'll see you around?" he questioned.

"Sure thing." Livy shrugged with a smile.

"Another peanut butter and jelly get together sound good?" he inquired, and Livy smiled at him.

"Yeah, it does." Carter laughed and smirked at her.

"Finally got you to slip."

Livy paused for a moment, her eyes widening and her face paling with fear. However, Carter gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

With that, Carter joined the rest of the firefighters on the fire truck and drove off. With a small smile, Livy was off into the night.