In Another World (Miraculous Ladybug)

Chapter 5: Is it Time?

Marinette woke up at 4:00 am again, at least this time it wasn't from a nightmare she mused to herself. She left her bed and sat on the armchair she kept by the window. Watching the stars and moons reminder her of her balcony back in Paris. She wrapped herself in the quilt she made herself. After four months of waking up at 4:00 from nightmares, she figured her body was just used to it now. It was only an hour earlier than she planned on getting up anyway. Four months.... Had it really been that long already? She had found herself referring to here as home, it's not that she didn't want to go back to her family and her boyfriend, but her heart was tired of hoping that they would. 

She and Nino both had started investing in this place, that was probably her fault, after about a month of being here and really only spending time with Edward, Maryweather and Alice, Henry and Vik. She'd had a breakdown. She could still remember the look on Nino's face when he walked in the door that day. 

"Hey Mar! I'm home! Man, that kid Henry set me up with to second with is straight fire!" He walked in from their small entryway, "Woah... Mari, you've made enough baked goods to feed a small army...." 

"Well it was my solos first day off since we got here, and once I wasn't busy my mind started going places it really shouldn't so I figured I would bake some treats for Alice and the other designers at the boutique and well I guess I kinda let things get out of hand... Oh, Nino! It's 5:30 and I haven't even started supper yet! I'm so sorry I was so busy baking..." her eyes flood with tears.

"Hey now" Nino quickly came a gave her a hug, "Breath for me." She did and the oven dinged, she left Nino's warm hug and pulled her last tray of goodies out of the oven. "Look today's Friday, the night's still young, go wash up and but on something nice, and I'll take you out for dinner, and tomorrow we can figure out what to do with all the goodies." He smiled softly. 

She gave him a soft smile, "That sounds really nice Nino, can we try dinner in the little hotel? Alice said it was her favourite spot in the village center? And I've only eaten at the bar when you DJ." she took off her apron and hung it up. "As for the goodies, I was thinking we could take some to the staff families here? We haven't met them yet and I want to." 

Nino had agreed with her so, after their first night out, they packaged up goodie trays to take to all the families. And just like that, they were apart of the bigger family. They helped babysit, which helped them battle some of the homesick feelings, they were invited over for dinner, there wasn't a weekend that went by where they weren't babysitting or having dinner with families. It was also thanks to the Families that Nino and Mari started taking a weekly dance class, it had become the break they often needed, it was something that felt familiar to them, like a touch of Pairs. 

Marinette had formed almost a daughter like bond with one for the older women Jenifer, on the homestead, she was married to the Ferrier, he loved taking care of the horses, Jenifer like Mari loved to bake and sew, she had been the one to suggest to Mari if her nightmares were waking her up, she might as well just get up and start her day. After that Mari had started getting up at 5:00 and by 5:30 was out and about greeting the workers as they did their early morning chores. Sometimes she'd go and help hand out tea and coffee, other times she visits the stable workers. Then once she had done her rounds she'd go have morning tea with Jenifer on her front porch until her husband came in for breakfast. Then Mari would return to her home and make breakfast for her and Nino. Sometimes Nino joined her but not often, his DJ gig required later nights, so he often got to know the night crew better. 

Her alarm went off. She smiled and turned it off. She slipped into the bathroom, Nino had been kind enough to give her the master bedroom, so she had the ensuite. She washed her face and braided her hair and slipped on what she called her farm clothes. It was a tan skirt and dark brown long bell sleeve blouse that on cooler mornings she paired with a wool cape Alice had given her. Maryweather had also helped her find a pair of lace-up boots to wear around the farm. Mari solemnly wore pants anymore, she found the skirts to be more freeing, she wondered if that would change when it snowed. If it snowed here, she'd have to ask someone about that.