Chapter Text
**Marinette**
I open my eyes and see that I'm lying in the hospital. I look to my right and see the TV remote lying on the nearest table. I try to reach for it but can't. My right shoulder is in a cast along with the rest of my arm. I reach for it with my other arm and feel a spike of pain coming from my gut, I groan and decide watching TV isn't that important. I stare at the wall, feeling goosebumps rise on my thighs from the cold air. I hear the door open and slowly turn my head in that direction.
"Glad to see you awake, Marinette. I'm your nurse, Ms. Kelly Mintz," the nurse told me as she's writing something down.
"Uh- how long was I out?" My voice came out hoarse, and my throat hurt.
"Two nights."
"What happened?"
"You were hemorrhaging from your abdomen; you got fourteen stitches, and we had to give you forty units of O positive blood to keep you alive. Your right shoulder and right elbow are both dislocated. Your cast needs to stay on for at least ten weeks before we can remove it, and you will need physical therapy twice a week for two weeks. You also got five dissolvable stitches in your left hand." My eyes widen at this shocking information. It didn't seem that bad.
"I need to leave, I can't afford this."
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You must stay under the hospital's care for another 3 days, in case your immune system rejects the blood we put in." She states, looking at my closely monitored heart.
"This is bullshit. You can't just lock me in here, I'm a minor." My temper rising at her carelessness.
"Actually, we have your mother's signature to keep you here."
"My mom?" I smile a little. "No, my mom's in Shanghai, and she doesn't care enough to fly out. It was probably my dad's side piece." She looks down at the clipboard in her hand.
"Sabine Cheng?" She looks at me, and I just nod. She abruptly exits the room. She's one hundred percent lying. I haven't heard from my mom since I was fourteen; I'm sixteen now.
"Wait!" I yell, and she opens the door back and looks at me. "Hand me the remote." She rolls her eyes and walks to the table where the remote sat; she picks it up and hands it to me, quickly turning around and leaving again.
I turn on the local news to see if there's anything going on in Paris. I watch the channel, and the weather cuts to Nadia.
"Update on the viral video circling the world right now," It cuts to a video of Ladybug getting stabbed by the akumatized villain, then detransforming into Marinette. "It is confirmed that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is in fact Paris' most beloved superheroine! She is in the hospital now and is expected to make a full recovery." It cuts back to the weather. My heart drops.
I can't believe someone would record one of the most traumatic times of my life and post it for everyone to see. I can't believe everyone knows I'm Ladybug. I can't believe my mom is back. Where's Tikki? Where's the twin queens? Hawkmoth is going to find me. I can't be here.
As I continue to stress, it gets harder to breathe, my heartbeat becomes louder, and it's suddenly very hot in this room. I lift my trembling hand to the collar of my hospital gown and begin tugging at it. I flinch when my heart monitor unexpectedly starts blaring loudly and flashing a bright red light. I regulate my breathing and lower my heart rate. The monitor goes back to its quiet self, but the door opens.
A tall man with blonde hair walks in. He wore black jeans and a loose-fitting Vogue green t-shirt. why is he carrying a purse?
"Hey, Mari."
"Hi Adrien." I gasp, out of breath.
"How you holdin up?" He tilts his head to the side like a cat.
"Bad. I have to stay here for three more days. Can you believe that shit? But look at this— He steps closer, and I show him my left hand, "That will be one bad ass scar." I chuckle and notice Adrien wasn't. "What?"
"It's not funny, Marinette. You almost died." He said, concerned, sitting down on the rocking chair to the left of my bed. I roll my eyes.
"You don't think I know that? It's all over the fuckin internet!" I cover my mouth with my left hand and quickly apologize for unintentionally raising my voice. He gives me a sympathetic look, then hands me the purse but tells me not to open it until he leaves.
"I have a question." I place the purse underneath the weak hospital pillow and pick the skin around my right hand's fingernails.
"Yea?"
"Was my mom out there?"
"Um." He sighs and then sits on my bed. I get out from underneath the napkin-like covers and rest my legs on his lap. "Yea. She was out there. We talked. She lost hella weight.”
"Was my dad?"
"No."
I hum in response, not knowing what to say.
After a few moments of silence, he speaks up.
"Alya's losing her shit."
"That's weird, she already knew I was Ladybug." A hint of anger flushes his face. He looks down and pulls his phone out.
"Ah. I gotta go, my dad's outside waiting in the limo." He abruptly stands up, and my legs that were on his lap follow him. When my body is suddenly yanked to the left, pain erupts from my abdomen. I grunt and throw my head back in pain, pressing down firmly onto the stitched-up wound in an attempt to stop the aching.
.
It's been a few hours since Adrien left, and I've been sitting in my uncomfortable bed staring at the wall. I've decided I'm not going to talk to him for a while after that stunt he pulled earlier. It is getting dark out, and I haven't been fed any food, been checked up on, or gotten any new visitors. It's going to be a rough three days. I remember that I was given a small purse, so I reach behind me with my good arm and grab it. I open it, and inside I see Tikki and my phone with a charger.
I gasp at the sight of unconscious Tikki. I gently lay her on my lap and try an effort to wake her up by poking her forehead. It didn't work. I'm going to have to wait until I go home to read about this.
I place her back into the purse and carefully drop the purse onto the floor by my bed. I power my phone on and see all the missed calls, texts, and even emails I've received. I let out a long sigh and press on Alya's profile.
alya: GIRL TEXT ME WHEN U SEE THIS
you: what
alya: UR ALL OVER THE NEWS
alya: R U OKAY PLEASE GIRL
alya: IM ABT TO BAORD THE NEXT FLIGHT TO PARIS
you: im fine just enjoy your vacation
you: OMG ALYA I FORGOT TO TELL U
alya: WHAT
you: its my mom
alya: SAY NO MORE. IM ALR ON MY FLIGHT HOME ILL SEE YOU IN THE MORNIN BAE
I set my phone down, and I notice there's a hair tie on my left wrist. I gather my hair with my left hand and attempt to braid my hair with only one hand. Without a doubt, I fail miserably. I suddenly wish I had my secret phone so I could see if Chat Noir is texting me now. I wonder if he's thinking about me.
I hear a knock at the door and yell for them to come in. The last person I want to see right now walks through the door: my mother. I feel a pit form in my stomach at the sight of my once best friend and favorite person, now an anorexic stranger who I happen to share DNA with. im gonna be sick.
"Hey, Marinette." I press my lips into a thin line and stare at her.
"Can you leave?" I muttered, bringing my left hand to tug at my hair to distract myself from crying.
"How's your dad?" She sat on the rocking chair by the bed and laid her hands on my legs in an attempt to comfort me. I quickly kicked her arms away. Typical, ignore the fact your child is lying in a hospital bed and ask about your ex-husband. I look down, refusing eye contact. "I got your call! Where are you staying?" She continued, acting too optimistic for the situation.
"He let me back in."
"Nice!"
"What do you want?" I hissed, looking back up at her.
"Well, my oldest daughter is in the hospital—" She keeps talking, but I ignore her, feeling my heart drop.
"You had more kids?" My voice small and weak. She gives me a nod and a smile.
"Yes, I have a son now."