This chapter is for the lovely Abrielle Walker for giving me the awesome prompt. Thank you!

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.26

Livy had crazier nights. Once she had to fight a gang who had a pirate theme including a talking parrot. Another time she had to deliver a baby in France in a McDonalds while some mad scientist was trying to turn everything into a cheese. She had to fight a guy who called himself Robe Man who wore nothing but robes and would sometimes flash people since he would wear nothing underneath. She had even pretended to be Taylor Swift to get into a club to bust a drug deal and then had to sing Bad Blood to prove who she was. So really, yes, Livy had crazier nights.

However she never expected to be in a position where Damian was making her a romantic dinner and then have his assassin of a mother crash through the window bloody and beaten. Yet… there she was.

Damian stood in the kitchen doorway of Livy's safe house with two plates of lasagna in each hand while Livy was sitting at the candle lit table. On the ground several feet away from Livy was glass from the broken window and Talia.

"Mother?" Damian's voice was a mixture of shock, anger, and horror.

"Hello son of mine." Talia smiled but then grimaced in pain. "Hello Livy." She nodded at the girl. "I have come here to ask for a favor."

Before Talia could say anything, Livy was immediately at the woman's side, looking over her body to examine the injuries.

"These are gun shots wounds, and also… are these stab wounds as well?" Livy said as she looked over the woman.

"Yes and I also have a feeling that I have some broken ribs." Talia informed and Livy nodded her head seriously.

"I'll get my medical kit." Livy stood to her feet but Damian stopped her.

"Livy hold on for a moment." His eyes then went to his mother. "What are you doing here?"

"I can explain once your love stops my bleeding." Talia stated but Damian shook his head.

"Why should she help you? After what grandfather did to me-"

"Damian, she is bleeding out. You can yell at her after she's for sure not going to die." Livy stated as she sprinted out of the room to get her medical kit.

For several seconds, Damian stared at his mother who was lying on the ground bleeding. With a heavy sigh, Damian placed the plates of food onto the table and then walked over to his mother.

He gently lifted up the woman and then placed her onto the couch as Livy entered the room with gloves on and her medical kit.

Damian let Livy get to work while he stood back to stay out of her way, however he kept an eye on every movement his mother made. If Talia hurt Livy, Damian wouldn't hesitate to bring the woman down.

An hour passed and Livy finished patching up Talia. Soundlessly, the woman sat up on the couch and even if she seemed to be in lingering pain, she remained her calm and collected self.

"Thank you very much for helping me, Livy." She nodded and Livy slowly nodded back.

"No problem. I hope that you are feeling better."

"Livy, you have no need to speak to her so politely." Damian growled. "She makes it clear that she dislikes you. She doesn't like that you are my girlfriend and she probably would kill you."

"But she hasn't, Damian. She is your mother so I should talk to her with respect. Not to mention that she has shown care for me before. I should return the favor." Livy stated as she peeled off her gloves.

"Shown care for you when? She had you kidnapped, and her father tried to have me kill you!" Damian exclaimed and Livy let out a long breath.

"There was a time when I was attacked in Ireland and Talia helped me."

"Who attacked you in Ireland?"

"I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I was attacked by the league but Talia called them off. Honestly Damian, she helped me. She could have let the league kill me then and there but she didn't."

Damian ran his hands through his hair.

"Fine, so she showed you mercy." Damian huffed but clearly was still upset. "Mother, what on earth happened?" Damian questioned and Talia looked at her son, hurt.

"I wish you would speak to me more like a mother than an enemy." She frowned.

"You've done more to prove yourself as an enemy rather than a mother." Damian snarked and Livy quickly stepped in between the two.

"Alright, how about Talia can tell us what happened while we all eat." She said in a light voice, trying to break the tension between the mother and son. Livy helped Talia to the table while Damian reapportioned the dishes to be for three people.

"Did you make this yourself, Damian?" Talia inquired as she ate the lasagna.

"Yes, mother, I did."

"I never knew that you are a decent cook."

"Yes mother, if you cared enough you would find that I am decent at many things other than fighting." Damian grumbled and Livy cringed.

This is not good. She thought with worry.

"So Talia, what happened?" Livy inquired, trying to change the topic.

"I was investigating a small group of league assassins who had resigned. I cannot get into the details but I was spotted and shot and stabbed at. I underestimated their skill. That was a major error on my part." Talia said slowly and when she was finished, she took another bite of food. Something about Talia was so regal to Livy that the girl had no idea how to respond. However, Damian clearly did not view Talia the same way that Livy did.

"How did you manage to find us?" Damian questioned. It was clear that Talia did not want to the answer the question, however she held her head high and said,

"I make it my business to keep an eye on Livy. I often know where she is staying and where she is in the world. When I came here I was expecting to just see her. I did not know that you would have been here as well." Damian's eyebrows furrowed over his eyes in anger. When he spoke, it was clear how he was trying to hold himself back from shouting.

"Mother I am not thrilled to hear that you have been keeping track of my girlfriend."

"I am a mother, Damian. I am allowed to be concerned about who my son is dating."

"You are hardly a mother to me. I care about Livy and it is not your job to stalk her. If anything, it makes me uncomfortable. What is keeping you from killing her?"

"You are. Because I care for you, she remains alive." Talia informed in a cold tone. Damian pursed his lips together and sat in silence.

"So… Talia. Would you like some water? Or maybe some wine? I mean, it's not fancy wine but-"

"Livy, stop evading the topic." Damian snapped. "My mother just said that she was stalking you. Does that make you comfortable?"

"… well, honestly no. I do not like being stalked because… well, I don't think anyone finds it pleasant. However, I understand her reasoning. I wouldn't want her to continue, but I understand." Livy informed.

"How do you understand?" Damian questioned.

"Because she's a mother, Damian. You may not think so, but she is. There was a while when Selina used to see where you would go when you left the house and I had to tell her to stop. She was doing it because she was concerned for me. She's like my mother. And don't get me started on how Jason feels about you sometimes. So I understand because she is acting as a mother usually does. She's acting how I would if I had a son." Livy informed and Damian huffed yet again.

"Women are ridiculous." Damian crossed his hands over his chest and stared down at his food.

"Damian, I am thankful that you have a love who is understanding." Talia spoke quietly. "I am still weary of her but that is how I am. I acknowledge your love and I will not do anything to harm her if I can help it."

Damian did not speak, but he nodded his head. He understood what his mother was saying even though he didn't like it.

"I appreciate the food and the care, but I must be going now." Talia said as she staggered onto her feet.

"Talia, in your condition moving quickly isn't-"

"Thank you for your concern, but I can handle myself." Talia stated, walking towards the door. She bowed respectfully and then left. Despite her wounds, Talia moved expertly and silently through the night.

"I know you don't like her much, but your mother is pretty amazing." Livy stated but Damian cupped her cheek with his hand and gave her a soft kiss.

"Not as amazing as you are." He held Livy close, looking around paranoid if his mother was still watching.

"Let's go to the manor. You can spend the night there. I would prefer it if you found a new safe house." Damian stated and Livy didn't debate with him.

"Sorry that your dinner date didn't exactly go as planned." Livy said as Damian drove them back to the manor.

"I will rectify this." Damian smirked at her. "I have already texted Pennyworth. He is preparing a candle lit dessert for us."

"Alfred texts?"

"I don't think you give the man enough credit. He is very tech savvy." Livy chuckled at that but then frowned a bit.

"Do you really think your mother doesn't care for you?" Livy inquired and Damian let out a long sigh.

"Honestly I do not know what to think." He then looked over at Livy. "All I know is that she has yet to harm you, and for that I am grateful. Because if she does harm you, regardless if she is my mother, I will not hesitate to make her regret it."

"You sure can be scary sometimes." Livy said with a small chuckle.

"I get that from her."

"I thought you got it from your Dad."

"I have superior genetics. Both my parents are frightening. However, if I were to ask you who was scarier between my Father and my Mother, what would your answer be?" Damian questioned and Livy nodded slowly.

"Your mother."

"Exactly." Damian smirked and Livy laughed at that.

Livy had had some crazy nights. And even though this wasn't one of the craziest it most definitely was going onto the list. It would be 'the time that She and Damian were going to have a romantic dinner but then Talia came crashing through the window and she had to heal the woman and then sit through an awkward dinner with the mother and son, find out her boyfriend's mother was keeping tabs on her and then find out that Alfred could text.' Yes it was definitely a crazy night.