⚠⚠⚠ (!!Warning!! Suicide, abuse, self-harm, swearing and bullying are mentioned throughout this chapter and I advise sensitive readers to be cautious reading ahead.) ⚠⚠⚠

Lots of love Abs xx

Now Marinette never swore, she was quite the opposite actually. When growing up her siblings swore frequently and she had to put them in their places while covering her ears, she was the literal incarnation of innocence. Moving to Paris she didn't changed and she hadn't planned on changing either. So to find herself swearing at least thrice a week was something she adapted to quickly along with the people she surrounded herself with, to be painfully honest, Chloe was a big impact on her journey to swearing.

So to hear their baby sister swear so easily without any hesitation is more than a surprise, she always reprimanded them when they did and made a 'dumb promise' in their opinion. to never swear; yet here she is.

She was let out of the hug and her hair that flew freely while slowly moving backwards, eyes stuck on her class .

"Swearing?! I didn't really think that was your sort of thing?"

Ignoring what Tim said, she continued on swearing.

"Shit, Shit, Fuck!!!"

She had moved back quite some distance that she made contact with her suitcase, nudging it slightly to her side. Her once fierce and strong demeaner now replaced by one of fright and wariness, the warmth that once filled the room, drained away.

Shaking her head vigorously, she seemed to realise the greatness of her actions.

"Fudge."

What could she say, she's not the biggest fan of fudge and preferred caramel or toffee.

Works right?!

Something was said in French but due to her normal Gotham accent you couldn't exactly interpret what was said. A shaking hand gripped onto a black handle before running from the frozen room and to their awaiting coach, all eyes followed the bluenette run away.

The class followed her dangerously slow, they looked like they couldn't harm a fly and their aura wasn't the same as hers, the bluenette from earlier felt like she could kill with looks but these... didn't seem to be the same story, they didn't have anything surrounding them, they looked to be normal and harmless kids.

The pressing of keyboards echoed almost mutely throughout, people posting of her arrival and sharing the scene with the media. The four men that had made contact with the 'mysterious' girl came back to their senses and stared at each other telling stories with their two eyes, they needed some answers and fortunately for them, they would be stuck together for a full 2 weeks! The coach ride for the class was short yet they sat in an excruciating silence, Marinette had to mentally prepare herself for what's to come, she wouldn't have enough time for physical prep.

*****

They soon came to the hotel and the bluenette was once again alone at the back not catching the eyes of many pedestrians, she walked to the receptionist ready for something, anything from her bullies.

The brunette sitting at her computer wearing a classic customer service smile welcoming the somewhat familiar girl in front of her.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, class trip for two weeks." the woman typed up the name but got no results "I'm sorry, your name isn't here, you got a Guardian's name?"

She stood pondering, three names didn't work with the tickets, it seems her father wasn't playing around.

"French class, Marinette... Wayne"

Her surname whispered as if she was ashamed despite the brunettes eyes going wide, jaw slightly dropping. The mouse clicked along with the sound of they keyboard, several key cards were given to the waiting girl,

"Welcome back home." this time a real smile was given, not the strained and practiced one that's given to every hotel visitor.

"It's good to be back."

and with that she disappeared into the talking crowd of teens.

There was a mini fight over the rooms and one person even had the guts bringing up the commotion from the airport, all was ignored by the bluenette before walking to her room she luckily had to herself. Her room was the same size as everyone else's but spacious for the single girl and her magical pocket sized friends.

Unpacking took 10 minutes max, she kept some things in her suitcase warry of the several encounters she's had with her class when out of Paris. She sat on the cream fluffy carpet the floor was lined with staring out her wide window embracing the view despite it not being Golden hour just yet. She missed this place more than she thought but did she even have enough courage to muster the words 'I'm home'?

For the first two days they would settle in and get used to the different times and even wonder around like the two other classes did, this meant she had the rest of the day and the full of tomorrow to herself. The billion dollar question was, what does she do now? All she's really doing is enjoying the peace and quiet, no human or Kwami interaction. She didn't know how long she sat staring out the window before a knock sounded, what did her class want now?

She didn't react, she just carried on wanting them to disappear, human interaction wasn't what she wanted at the moment. Whoever was at the door must've been waiting a while because they ended up entering the room themselves, where did they get a key from? All she heard was the handle moving along with shuffling feet, movements muffled by the thick layer of carpet, when did her class get this stealthy? They're the ones constantly making the biggest ruckus.

The people were probably staring down at her before joining her on the floor, imitating her actions. Her gaze was fixed on the sky not bothering to give a single glance to the people besides her despite feeling the familiar aura, the comforting aura, the one she sought for years.

Honesty is the best policy, she knew it and believed it too yet how honest is she? She's been keeping secrets ever since she received some earrings at the age of 13. There's only a few she can be honest with yet secrets still stand tall. They carry guilt, they carry sorrow. All she has to do is let one out and she can feel again. A fire breathing dragon can't do much when it's lost its fire and flight.

Words aren't easy when your mute. Seeing is hard when your blind. Listening is hard when your deaf it's practically impossible really. Yet here she is, in a class that share all three. Some students sit by while she struggles against the heavy knuckles not even stopping them from flying to her body, too blind to notice the glitter on the liars 'bruised' cheek, too deaf to realise her fake claims due to their adoration for them.

When your Marinette life's hard. When your Ladybug life is hard. When your a human living in Paris, life is hard. You don't get what you want with the snap of your fingers, you earn your way up the ladder to achieve your dreams. You don't give up. When someone kicks the ladder and it topples down along with you, you don't give up, you begin the climb.

Yet here sits a near woman, climbing a ladder that rots by the day, she's toppled down too many times to count. She's at the bottom staring up to find the finish of her climb, all she see's is clouds of her fantasies. Be realistic, you don't always get what you want. You dream big but end up being a waitress at a rustic diner.

Without noticing it, a cold salty liquid slides down, followed by the bluenette's head leaning against the shoulders of the man that sat to her right, he didn't move, she liked it. The silence played as a lullaby pulling her into a sleep but not so fast!

"Got any coffee?" her voice soft and quiet, as light as a feather and no longer hoarse from the crying previously at the airport.

"Coffee isn't good for you, sleep pixie." his voice levelled hers.

"No, I'm not tired." the body she leaned against vibrated as he chuckled.

"Becoming a Tim Jr I see?!" she didn't answer but a smile sat on her soft lips.

"There might be some in the cafeteria, wanna go?" the pros and cons flashed through her mind before she nodded against his shoulder.

"Just lemme grab something first" she didn't wait for a reply, she went to where her bed was and picked up her red and white purse along with the glasses she placed on the desk, it was going to take some time to get used to them. The Kwami caught sight of their Guardian's actions and flew into her purse, accompanying her on her journey to get herself some much needed coffee.

*****

Well, the coffee was definitely interesting to say the least. It tastes like any other coffee, ordinary with a hint of bitterness, that's what happens when you ask for it to be strong I guess. She definitely preferred the coffee she was taught to make by Sabine and Tom.

Sitting at a table with her brothers, she stares down at the mug sitting in her two hands, her thoughts running wild, her classes words cutting in deep as lemon to a paper cut. Living in Gotham was amazing till she left, everyone loved her and she loved them all. Just a single stare from her, a single smile from her and your day practically became sunshine and rainbows despite living in a crime filled city.

She was an angel but what is she now? She's an angel wearing a cracked halo. This angel's wings are being ripped away, she's been pushed from heaven and falls, and falls, and falls. No one preparing her soft landing, no one jumping after her, she's alone.

She's a fallen angel.

Staring at her skin everyday doesn't help. There's blood oozing out of her stick like arms. Black and purple patterned on her fragile body like leopard skin. A pair of bluebell orbs stare, the orbs soon glisten in the moons light, wet drops collide with the porcelain. Her face expressing nothing but grimace.

The worlds a magnificent place yet it holds thousands of dangers, it's fragile yet held its ground all these years, it's quite like Marinette. She's a special girl, she's the most powerful thing to exist, she's held herself and continues with the ground falling beneath her. She's essential for the earth to keep spinning, the sun shining during the day, the solar system moving. It's a good thing Master Fu found her.

She's so very special.

She's weird, she's normal, she's different, she's abnormal. The knife pushes in further, the wound widens, why is she here? does she even belong? Where? She wants an answer and needs one now, she's not being selfish. It's called compassion, selflessness, love.

Everyone has their time, their all a ticking bomb waiting to explode but don't know when. Marinette's programmed hers, she's given up, her timer is ticking, faster and faster. The sounds become irritating now, she's run out of time.

The look she was giving to her mug of coffee could've disintegrated it then and there but she hasn't got the ability for lasers to come shooting out her eyes, she's all of a sudden lost her appetite, the sound of drinking coffee making her feel sick to her stomach. What's this that she feels rising up in her throat?

"You know what? I don't need it." her head shakes side to side slightly, her voice getting the two men's attention.

"You not hungry? When did you last eat?" her last meal played in her head, she ate half a portion of pasta on Friday night, It's Monday afternoon.

"We were all served on the plane. Cleaned my plate clean."Lie

Another man entered the room and joined his siblings. "Just in time Tim, this lonely coffee no longer has someone willing to eat it" The white mug is pushed against the table and into the waiting hands of said man.

"How come you never told us you were coming, you scared the shit out of us in the airport." a smile appears on her lips "I just thought a little scare wouldn't do much damage, but you gotta admit, you weren't expecting my class?!" the smile turned into a smirk, she did her job well.

"You did Pixie, we sure did leave our mark on you but when we scared you when you were little, unforgettable, the faces you made." Fake tears were forming in his eyes reminiscing the times he tormented his baby sister, she pouted.

"I was young, you can't blame me, and I've changed."

The three brothers raised their eyebrow, the same one at that, why did they all raise their left brow like that, it's kinda creepy to be honest.

"Oh really?!" his eyes filled with mirth and his grin widened "Yes really!" her features imitated his as both her elbows touched the table surface.

"Bet" his eyebrow raised, the same left brow... "Since when did Cupcake start betting?" he was enjoying this too much, curse you Jason.

"Shut up Dick, what type of bet Pixie?" amusement was more than apparent on his face, the same amusement mirrored on Marinette's features.

"If you can scare me a total of 5 times this first week, you can make me do whatever you want on the last week but if you loose and don't scare me..." the endless possibilities ran wild in her mind, she could torture him real bad if she liked, keyword being if, her pause of speech seemed to intrigue him.

"I get to paint your helmet with my choice of glitter paint, you'll have to wear it during each patrol till I leave." Oh was she going to enjoy this, she could already smell victory.

His jaw dropped, coffee was spit and someone seemed to choke on their saliva... "What do you say Jay-Jay?" Her hand was held out ready to establish the deal.

"Hm, with a glittery helmet and with your choice of colour. This is going to be fun." the oldest of them chuckled pulling out a $50 bill, smacking on the table.

"I bet on Mari, only because I need to see this helmet you speak of." her smirk only widen gaining support.

"I could pay to see that." he shrugged, coffee mug now empty, a second $50 pilled on.

"May the best sibling win Pixie, prepare yourself." they shared a long sturdy handshake before pulling apart, something sparkled in the females eyes, something the men hadn't seen in a long time.

"I wouldn't be too sure on that Jay." her voice sounded sinister, what was this?!

"Good luck Pix." this time, her left eyebrow was raised, a small giggle escaped her lips.

"I won't be needing it, but you sure will." she winked at him before turning back to her two other siblings starting small talk. He wasn't too sure what she meant, but he had to tread carefully, wouldn't want to step on an eggshell now would he?!

Marinette wouldn't admit it, but this felt good, it felt right to be happy. She wasn't going to lie either, but this bet was sure going to be something. She was going to enjoy the next week.