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Not A Typical Mother Son Relationship

When Sofia and Leo met with Barbara, Tabitha and Selina under the Crown Point Bridge they had Martin with them. Leo tries to run over to Martin but Sofia stops him and holds him back.

Leo glares at the three women and demands, "Let Martin go right now!"

"Sorry kid!" Barbara said with a mock pout, "But this was your mommy's idea, not ours."

Leo looks at his mother in disbelief. "You did this to Martin? Mom how could you? He's my friend!"

"It's unfortunate, but necessary," Sofia states, not bothered by the hurt and betrayed look in Leo's eyes.

"You promised me Martin wasn't going to hurt," Leo states, "You promised..." But Sofia interrupted before Leo could finish.

"Yes, I know what I promised," Sofia said, "But I'm doing this for us, for you."

"If you hurt Martin you hurt me!" Leo states with anger in his voice.

Instead of answering her son Sofia tells Barbara, "Keep a good hold on him."

Barbara wraps her arms around Leo's chest, holding him in a firm grip. Leo tries struggling, but to no avail.

A few minutes later a car pulls up. Sofia, Leo, Martin, Barbara, Tabitha and Selina stand near other park cars. A couple bodyguards flank the group. Penguin and Victor Zsaz exit the car.

"Glad you could make it, Oswald," Sofia smirks.

"Everything will be all right, you two, I promise," Oswald assures the two boys.

Martin nods and Leo gives a small smile.

"Oh Oswald, Leo is no danger, he just needs to be here to see this. But as for Martin, well, that depends on you," Sofia said, "Turn over control of the underworld to me, and I'll let little Martin here... keep his head." Sofia smiles putting a hand over the boy's shoulder.

"The name Falcone used to mean something in this town. Wait until your father hears of this... threatening the life of a child! Who is also a friend of your own child! He will be disgusted!" Penguin remarks.

"Wrong!" Sofia yells, "My father will be proud."

"Must be hard to live your whole life trying to get Daddy's approval, even at the cost of ruining your relationship with your son," Penguin taunts, "I, myself, can't relate, seeing as my parents loved me without condition."

Sofia pulls Martin in front of her. "Say one more word and I will kill him, and then I will execute you," Sofia threatens, "I am choosing compassion, but I am willing to change my position."

"No!" Leo cries. He tries to stop his mother, but Barbara keeps a tight grip on Leo.

Martin stares with tears in his eyes.

"Don't hurt the boy. He's innocent," Penguin says, looking desperately at the woman before stating, "I submit."

Sofia smiles, "Go ahead," she whispers to Martin.

Martin runs to Penguin as the women look victoriously. Leo wants to go to run over to Penguin too, but Barbara was still holding onto him and he knew that Sofia would just drag him back.

Penguin touches Martin's shoulder and says, "Martin, I want you to know... I'm sorry for what I said. I do care about you. You know that's true, don't you?"

Martin nods and shares a small smile with Penguin.

"Good. Now, go wait in the car," Penguin tells him.

Martin runs off to the car. Victor runs a finger down his cheek mimicking a falling tear. Reaching the car Martin pauses at the back door to look at Penguin. Martin then opens the door and gets in.

Penguin then turns to look at Sofia and says, "You were wise to use the boy. As you know, my heart is my greatest weakness, but... I will not allow him to be used as a pawn in your game anymore."

Holding his fist up Penguin push a detonator button. The car explodes and catches fire. The women stare in shock while Leo cries for his best friend.

"Martin!" Leo cried out.

Victor and Penguin's other men open fire. Sofia quickly takes Leo in her arms as Barbara and Tabitha shoot back. Then Sofia, holding Leo, Barbara, Tabitha and Selina run and take cover behind their car.

"You wanted a war, you've got one!" Penguin shouts, as rapid gunfire goes off.

The women and Leo hide from the gunfire and Penguin limps away.

At the Falcone Mansion, Barbara, Tabitha and Selina follow Sofia, who is holding Leo's hand in a tight grip, into the living room. Leo tries breaking free from her.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Leo cried.

"Leo stop this right now!" Sofia demands.

"No! You tried to hurt Martin!" Leo cried out, "You lied to me, just like you lied about Daddy! Mr. Penguin was right!"

The next second, Sofia struck Leo so hard in the face that he fell to the floor. Selina looked disturbed, Barbara frowned and Tabitha was indifferent. Leo put a hand to his cheek and felt a warm red hand print on it.

"Go to your room!" Sofia said coldly.

The boy then got up and ran up the stairs to his room and slammed the door.

"Well, that backfired," Barbara said wanting to change the subject.

"Penguin's gonna be coming for us. What are we gonna do?" Tabitha asks, looking at Barbara.

"We hit him before he hits us," Sofia answers.

Selina looks at Sofia in disbelief, "Lady, you lost," she said, "Penguin just blew up that kid."

"I admit I didn't see that coming," Sofia confesses, "But Oswald still has to align his capos before he moves on us. We use that window of time to make our play.

Barbara gives Sofia a look and says, "You didn't get told "no" a lot as a kid, did you? You took your shot and you missed. We're going it alone from here."

But before the three women leave Sofia speaks up, "You leave now, and you will never have a piece of this city."

Eyes narrowing, Barbara turns to Sofia, "Now, that sounded like a threat," she said dangerously.

"Your club is destroyed. You have nowhere else to turn. You need me. Penguin may have won the battle, but tomorrow we win the war," Sofia states with determination.

In his bedroom Leo sits on his bed crying and hugging Romeo. He then opens his locket as the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." It makes him cry even more as he thinks about his mother striking him and about Martin.

In his office, Penguin stands by the desk when Victor Zsaz enters.

"Boss," Victor says.

Penguin turns to Zsaz who shifts his gaze to reveal Martin, who is alive and well, walking out from behind him.

Penguin smiles at Martin, "My boy. You did a splendid job of dying," he praises him.

Flashback,

Martin opens the car door. He finds a sign by a trap door reading, "This Way." Martin crawls under it.

Flashback Ends

In his office Penguin gestures Martin to approach him. "Victor will take you to a safe location. You can never return to Gotham. This is good-bye, my friend," Penguin states sadly.

Martin shakes his head and writes on his notepad. He shows it to Penguin and says, "I don't want to leave you."

Penguin is moved by it, but forces a smile as he pushes the notepad down.

"There, there. This is what I have to do to protect you. One day, when you are older, you will understand," Penguin states.

Wearing a somber expression Martin hugs Penguin. Penguin fights back tears as he hugs the boy back. Then Martin writes, "Can you at least let Leo know that I'm okay?"

Penguin nods, "When I get the chance I will."

"Sofia's on her heels, boss," Victor states, "Let's finish her off. Have someone else take the kid."

"No. I want my top man on this," Penguin insists, "Besides, I have something much better planned for Sofia Falcone."

In the next chapter Carmine Falcone returns to Gotham, but not alone.