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rayofsuns · 4 months

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Mother Dearest: pt 7

Story Summary: Damian Al Ghul loved his mother to no end but when she threatens to harm the one person he loves more; he has no choice but to go to his father for help.

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Leona loves wash day. it felt like the only time her and Damian could talk without the other boys interrupting, talking over them or just being downright annoying. it was a day Leona spent with her head in a sink as damian's long nimble fingers massaged shampoo and conditioner into her scalp while she asked whatever questions she could think of. It was a peaceful day for her and Damian, A day they both looked forword to for different reasons.

For Leona it was a chance to ask Damian any and everything, questions Damian wouldn't normal answer. It was one of those rare days that Damian was relaxed, his only concern was keeping soap out of Leona's eyes and that made him easier to talk to.

Damian didn't know why wash day relaxed him, his guess is that it has something to do with focusing on only one thing for a change. Usuually his mind was plagued with every possible danger that can harm his sister. it was the only time that his worries seems to melt away. "When is the last time you got a full night of sleep?" leona asked, eyeing the dark bags under her brother's eyes. Damian let out a laugh.

"Bruce snuck a sleeping pill in my dinner last week. I sleep the whole day." Damian said, his voice heavey with humor as he comb the tangles out of her hair. If it was any other family that sentance would have been concerning; but this isn't a regular family now is it. Damian knew about the pill in his drink yet he drunk it anyways. Nowaday the only way Damian could sleep was with the help of sleeping pills. Everyone in the Manor knew about his sleeping problems so naturally they've decided to get involved.

More than once Damian has had one of his siblings trying (and failing) to get him to take these pills. each taking a different approach.

Dick liked to talk to him about his sleeping schedule. He was one of the only one who didn't try sneaking it into his food or anything. Dick's talks never worked. "How can you protect Leona if you're too sleep deprived?" was his favorite line.

Tim; the hypocrite, was sloppy, the pills will be half dissolved in whatever drink Tim would bring to him out of the 'kindness of his heart'

Jason is more forcefull, often times he tries forcing the pill into Damian's mouth and down his throat himself. those times Jason would leave the manor with fresh stitches and bruises. Damian actually stabbed him one time when things got too rough.

Duke is the only one who didn't care enough to try. "you're not hurting anyone but yourself" he would shrug "as long as you're alert on patrol I don't care how often you sleep" it may have sounded harsh but Duke didn't mean it that way. Duke cared about about his found family so of course he wanted Damian to be healthy but he also didn't want Damian to feel like everyone was ganging up on him.

Cass is the only person (other than Bruce) that Damian has had to keep and eye out for. she like him is an assassin. she knows how to sneak something into someones food. Cass was the only one of his siblings that was has been successful in getting him to unknowingly take the sleeping pills. Damian to this day stills doesn't know how she did it, the only way he knew that she was successful was because he woke up two days later.

Leona hummed out a reponse before decideing not to push the subject knowing how defensive Damian can get when it came to him 'relaxing'. "Can I ask you a question Dami?" Leona asked. Her eyes were closed and her head was laid back in the shampoo sink. "Of course." Damain said, messaging the shampoo in her head.

"I know you don't like talking about her but I just have to know. Why did Talia want me dead?" Leona felt damian stiffen. He didn't really like talking about his mother or most importantly her fall from grace. Leona was ten when Damian explained to her what happened to their Umi and how their mother went crazy resulting in them having to flee from their home. He still remembered the hurt in Leona's eyes when he told her. No ten year old should ever hear that their mother, the one person who was suspose to protect, them wanted them dead.

This was the first time she even asked about her umi. Damian cleared his throat thinking about what to say. "Still to this day I have no idea why. Umi's death hit us both hard and I think her mind just snapped. Umi's death was her fault in a way and she couldn't handle that"

"her fault?" Leona asked, intrigued by this new piece of information.

Damian nodded even though she couldn't see him with her eyes closed. "when Umi died I did some digging. the man who killed our Umi and tried to kill you was from a village Talia eradicated ten monthes before. According to the files I found a woman by the name of Elena Heartfelt had set up a meeting with Talia, she had asked for talia's protection from the village that had been harrassing her in exchange for a gift. Apparently the village dislike the lady, the report didn't say why they dislike her all it said was that they wanted her dead." Damian explained. "what was the gift?" Leona asked, her eyes open and her intrest piqued. Damain shrugged. "it didn't say but I hope it was worth the life of my Umi." Damian took a deep breath trying to keep his anger under control. "What she didn't know was that a small group of man and woman had left few days prior on a hunting trip, when they came back their loved ones were dead. They wanted revenge and they got it." Damian sighed, turning on the water and started rinsing out the shampoo.

the room was quiet until Leona sighed "I wish I could have meet her" she said, Damian's eyebrows furrowed. "Talia?" Leona shook her head. She would never admit it but the thought of Talia scared her. She's never had a desire to come face to face with the woman. "No Umi" she said

Leona has always wondered what her life would have been like if Aaliyah was alive, what type of mother she would have been. From the stories that Damian has told her she was have been an amazing mother.

Damian laughed "you know you look just like her. you have Talia's eyes but other than that you're an exact copy of her." Leona smiled. Damian's favorite thing to paint and draw was Aaliyah. Even at a young age Damian realise the resemblance his Umi and sister shared. If the eyes in the painting were brown it was Aaliyah and if it was Green it was Leona.

Damian smiled fondly "I use to hear stories of people forgetting what the dead looks like. they forget how they talked and how they smiled and it scared the crap out of me. I didn't want to forget my Umi; in my mind she was the only one who actually cared about what I wanted and how I felt. I would lose my mind if I forgot her. you've helped me to remember her." Damian leaned down to place a kiss on Leona's forhead. Leona smiled, reaching up to squeezed Damian's hand.

"Did Umi and dad ever meet?" Leona asked after a moment of silence, Damian shook his head no. "Father knew nothing about Umi until I arrived at the manor with you. I wish they would have met; I'd like to think that they'd be really good friends." Leona smiled softly at what could have been.

Leona studied her brother's face again before sighing, giving his hand another squeeze. "You know I'm safe right? I'm sure she's forgotten all about me so you have nothing to worry about. We. are. safe." Damian sighed, nodding his head even though he wasn't convince. Everynight he goes over every possible plan of attack, every way of entrance and with the manor so being big there's so many. If the Manor security's were to fail and the league found a way in. Damian shook the thought from his head. He just had to make sure they were safe.

"I'll be fine Leona. it's my job to worry about you, you know" Leona groaned. "I just don't want you to worry about me all the time. You know I have other brother's and a father that can protect me." Damian frowned, the room was silent until Leona sighed as she decided to change the subject.

"when you and Jon first became more than friends was it... awkward?" Damian chuckled. "Is it awkard between you and Jace?" Damian asked, Leona blush nodding her head yes. "That's the thing is I don't know if Jace and I are even together." She cleared her throat. "I mean He's going through a lot right now so we haven't really been able to talk about what happened a few months ago" Damian nodded in understanding. Damian thought about his answer before speaking.

"when Jon and I decided to be together it wasn't awkward at all for us. Being friends first seemed to have really helped. Maybe you and Jace just need to sit down and talk about what you want from each other?" Leona shook her head no the best she could since Damian was gently massaging the conditioner in her hair. "I can't. He's going through a lot right now and it'll be selfish of me to add this onto his plate."

John and connie, Jace's parents, had Jace scared to death of them.

They sounded like real sociopaths. They beat him almost everyday. Sometimes it was so bad Jace had to stay home from school for days on end just so he can heal; his body so bruised and beaten he couldn't move and Leona would have to steal pain pills from Alfred's secret stash. Those were the days Leona was most tempted to call Jason, knowing jason would handle it in a heartbeat.

"what's got you so angry?" Damian asked, pulling Leona from her thoughts. Leona relaxed her face; not realising her face was scrunched up in anger. "Nothing; just thinking about Jace." Damian nodded. "Ok. I'm done by the way" Damian said, wrapping Leona's hair in a towel. Leona sighed finally being able to sit up. They moved over to the vanity area. Damian took off the towel and started parting her hair, combing out any knots and greasing her scalp. suddenly the door to the in-home salon slammed open revealing a very stoic looking Bruce. he was in his 'Batman mode'

Leona laughed not taking the look seriously "who died."

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Leona never ran so fast in her life before, Guilt and shame laid heavy on her chest like an obese elephant. "Leona slow down." Damian said trying to keep up with the frantic girl as she ran through the hospital. Leona ignored her brother as she made her way other to the nurses station. "I'm looking for Jace lovett's room?" Leona asked, her eyes widen with fear. The nurse typed something into the computer before frowning.

"I'm sorry darling but he's still with the doctor, it might take a while before you're able to see him." The nurse said, a sympathetic frown on her face. Leona took a deep breath trying to stop her racing heart. It didn't work. "can you at least tell us what happened?" Leona asked, All Bruce had told her was that he got a call from the hospital saying jace was in the hospital but that was about it. Leona has never been so thankful that John and connie added Bruce to Jace's emergancy contact. other than that they can rot in hell

The nurse looked left and right, almost like she was making sure no one was listening into our conversation before saying "I was outside smoking a cigarette when suddenly this huge white van comes speeding into the ambulance bay. They pushed the boy out of the car not even bothering to slow down or stop." The nurse shook her head. "The police are waiting to question him about who was in the car but like I said the doctor is still with him." she nodded her head to a corner where two policeman were leaning agaisnt the wall. the looked to be bored just standing there a cup of coffee in both of their hands.

Leona's hand balled up into a fist. "leona do you know something?" Bruce asked, His voice was stern and he gave me a look that said 'you better not lie to me' she sighed moving away from the nurse's station and were no one can hear them.

"do you know who did this to him?" Bruce asked sternly.

Leona nodded. she explained everything she knew about the abuse Jace has been going through. She also told them how she stole drugs from Alfred to help Jace. Bruce gave her a disappointed sigh. "we could have helped him Leona, before it went this far." Bruce said. Leona rolled her eyes. "I know that but I couldn't just say 'oh jace trust me you'll be safe from your abusive parents at the manor because my dad is the batman' now could I." Leona snapped. she didn't mean to but she was stressed out. Bruce sighed. "everything is going to be alright Leona. I'll ask Gordan to put out an warrant for John and connies arrest in the meantime he'll come live with us." Leon sighed laying her head on Bruce chest.

"Damian go over and tell the police officer what Leona just told us and make sure they take a report. I wont have them just sweeping this under the rug." Damian nodded before turning and heading over to the police officers. "Family of Jace lovett" an middle age doctor called out into the waiting room.

Leona and Bruce walked over, worry painting her face. "Here" she breathed out. The doctor smiled at her sweetly. "He's a strong young man." she sighed. "he has three fractured ribs, His left was arm broken in two places and his body is just covered in bruises but that is the extant of his injuries but other than that he's going to be ok. He can actually go home today if he'd like" Leona sighed.

"Can we see him?" Leona asked. the doctor nodded "he's a little loopy from the pain killers but yes you can see him. he's in room 2OA" Leona thanked the doctor before leaving to find Jace's room.

Leona has never been so angry before. Angry at herself for not telling Bruce about the abuse and angry at John and connnie for doing this to their son. How can someone be so cruel. "Leona" Jace's voice was low as he called out for her. "Oh Jace" she cried running over to him and throwing herself at his side. leona gasped as Jace let out a groan. Leona stood back up feeling like an idiot for forgetting why jace was laying in this bed in the first place. Two fractured ribs and an broken arm. Leona couldn't imagine the horrors jace had went through only a few hours before.

"sorry" she said, kissing his cheek. Jace let out a low dark laugh as his face turned red. "it's alright, I'm just a little sore" Jace said, pushing Leona's hair, that was still wet, out of her face. Leona glanced at the mirror that was opposite of the small hospital room and flinched at the sight of her hair. Her damp hair stuck to her head on one side while other was sticking in all different directions. She knew the Media was going to have a field day with this; they just couldn't help themselves. Leona sighed, peeling her eyes away from the jagged girl in the mirror and back towords Jace.

Jace eyes seems to be studing the girl infront on him. he seemed to be taking her in; like there was a test about her face and he just had to study for it. "I was so worried" Leona said resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm fine now that you're here" Jace laughed, winking at Leona. Now it was Leona's turn to blush. "Jace--"

"come lay with me" jace asked, his voice low and hoarse. Leona shook her head no. "you're hurt." Leona said, concern written on her face. Jace shrugged, groaning in pain. "just be gentle." Leona eyed Jace, waiting for him to start laughing because he couldn't be serious.

Leona sighed when Jace's face stayed straight and almost emotionless as he stared at her with his sky blue eyes. Eyes that seems to be growing hazier and low by the second. Leona cleared her throat before slowly getting into the small one person bed. The bed was so small that she practically had to lay on top of him, their face so close that their lips almost touched.

"I told my dad about your parents. he said you can come live with us for now on." leona regretted her words the second Jace stiffened beneath her. Jace groaned as he shifted to a more comfortable position. Leona, thinking she was hurting him, tried to jump down from the bed but before she could jace snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. "you smell good." Jace said, he shoved his nose into her neck and took a beep breath. He was so close that his hot breath tickled her neck when he breathed out making her body become hot with desire.

Leona shook the though away. "Um thanks..." she cleared her throat. "It was wash day." Jace chuckled placing a kiss on her neck before pulling away which she was thankful for. Leona let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding before willing herself to stay calm and focus on Jace.

"You're acting strange J." Leona said, laying her head next to his on his pillow behind them. Jace shrugged "I think I'm done being afraid Lee"

"you'll never have to be afraid again Jace. My family will take care of you, I will take care of you for now on." Leona reasurred. For the first time in her life she understood her brother. The need to protect, to defend flooded her veins. No one was going to hurt them ever again.

Jace looked to be in deep thought, his lips curled downwords in a deep frown. Leona flinched when Jace eyes snapped towords hers. They were dark almost crazyed looking. "You are mine and I am yours" He stated. cupping my cheek with his good hand as his thumb traced my lips. "say it." He demanded. My mouth opened but no words spilled out. "I need to hear you say it" Jace said pulling her face closer; which she didn't think was possible. their lips so close they were almost touching

Jace has never given Leona a reason to fear him; but for some reason she still felt like she was signing a deal with the devil. "I am yours and you are mine." she repeated. Jace smiled a dazed looked in his eyes. Their lips connected in a slow heated kiss. "always and forever." Jace promised.

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