Chpt.31

"I have to leave." Livy sighed. She had just gotten back to Gotham, but Jason had a mission he had to carry out in Ireland. The first day she spent back in the city was with Damian and he had been glad to spend the day with her, but she got the text from her father saying that he needed to track down some mercenaries.

Damian stared at Livy in shock, not a word exiting his mouth. He had just gotten her back. How could she just leave?

"Damian, my dad's gonna want me to run back up." Livy frowned, feeling the tension in his silence.

Damian stared into Livy's eyes and his own eyes widened.

She didn't want to go. This wasn't a 'her being afraid of Gotham' thing. This was an 'obligation to her father' thing. She felt like she needed to help her father. However, she didn't want to leave. He could see the dampness in her eyes from holding back tears.

Taking in a deep breath, Damian said something he never said to her before, knowing that Livy had to leave to not feel so smothered and to lessen her fear of the city. However this was different. She wanted to stay. She wanted to be with him.

"Please don't leave." Damian whispered. Livy stared at him in shock.

"What did you-"

"Please." Damian cupped the side of Livy's face. "Please don't leave."

Livy shook, staring at Damian.

"But… my dad… he might need back up. I can't just abandon him. He's done so much for me… just… I can't…"

"He'd want you to be happy." Damian stated, wiping a small tear that rolled down Livy's cheek. "Will leaving make you happy?" he inquired. Livy closed her eyes, but shook her head.

"No. No… I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave yet." She whispered, hugging Damian tightly.

"Then tell your father that."

"Tell him… I…" Livy's eyes were wide and she looked pale. Damian could see how nervous she was.

"Livy, there is nothing more important to your father than your happiness. Don't be afraid to tell him what you want." Damian stated, and Livy slowly nodded.

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

Livy walked into Jason's room where he was packing his bag, wrapping up some guns in his clothing, then shoving it into the suitcase.

"Jason… I want to talk to you about… something." Livy stated weakly, and Jason looked up at her, all attention on his daughter.

"That doesn't sound good. What's up?" Jason questioned, sitting on the side of his bed and patting the space next to him for her to sit. Jason's hardened features softened when around Livy, and she felt more comforted by it.

Livy sat next to him, feeling the bed dip slightly under her weight.

"Well… I… I don't want to leave." Livy whispered. "I know that sounds selfish and wrong I just… I really want to stay awhile." Once the words left her mouth, she braced herself. She knew that Jason wouldn't hit her, but she was afraid that he'd be upset. She was terrified to disappoint him.

Livy's mind filled with all the things Jason had done for her her entire life. He saved her on multiple occasions, he got her away from a group of terrible men she had been staying with. He raised her. She didn't want to sound ungrateful.

"Livy, it's not selfish." Jason chuckled, kissing his daughter on her forehead. "It's fine if you want to stay." The words sent a shock to Livy's system. She expected him to be angry, or disappointed.

"Really?"

"Of course." Jason pulled Livy into a strong hug, rocking her back and forth in his arms with a small smile on his face.

She's getting over her fear. Jason thought happily.

There was a time when just being on an airplane back to Gotham made Livy sick to her stomach. Now she wanted to stay, which was wonderful in Jason's mind. She was getting better.

"I love you, Dad." Livy whispered and Jason smiled, knowing that when the name 'Dad' was used, she was serious.

"I love you too, Livy." He grinned, hugging her tightly in his arms.