Black Alley

Finally, Some Clarity

Marinette took a deep breath as she stared at Bruce Wayne's office door. Her heart was racing and her palms were sweating. She felt Mlle. Bustier hand rest on her shoulder. "You've got this Marinette. And if you want to leave, you just need to tell me,"

Marinette took another deep breath before placing one a fake smile. "Je suis prêt," Marinette said. Mlle. Bustier pushed open the door.

The first thing Marinette noticed was that the whole family was there. They really decided to hit me with the whole family, she thought.

Bruce was sitting at a desk with Tim standing next to him, looking at whatever paper Bruce was reading. Damian was staring out the window, his arms behind his back. Jason was standing next to Damian, his arms folded in front of him. Cass was in a different chair talking to a man she didn't recognize.

That's when she realized Tim had turned his head towards them, catching Bruce's attention, catching everyone else's attention. Those that were sitting stood up and the others that were standing, stood straighter.

"Marinette," she heard Jason say in a low tone.

Marinette nodded her head and then looked down, ignoring the gaze of her father. It took a second before anyone moved. The first person who did was Bruce.

"Hello, I'm Bruce Wayne," he said, sticking out his hand towards Mlle. Bustier.

"Je suis- I am Caline Bustier, Marinette's teacher. Is there a reason you called my student here today?" Mlle. Bustier asked.

"We wish to conduct a DNA test to help verify and/or disprove claims and rumors," Bruce said. "Of course, we needed your permission of course, since you are her guardian for the time being."

"Marinette," Mlle. Bustier asked in French, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm sure but can you still stay here?" Marinette asked. "Of course," Mlle. Bustier smiled at her, making her smile as well.

She turned towards Bruce with a small smile on her face. "I'll do the test."

Bruce smirked a little which she noticed instantly before he led her to a chair. The chair that he was just sitting in.

The man who she didn't recognize sat closer to her. "I'm going to need you to take off your jacket," he said. She did as she was told when she noticed that he had brought out an elastic band, cotton swab, medical alcohol, and a syringe with a vial.

And oh boy that was a big needle. She knew it was dumb. Ladybug, superheroine, savior of Paris, was scared of needles. It was even more dumb because she was a fashion designer and had poked her fingers and skin more than she could count. Anything to do with syringes scared the hell out of her (and it didn't help that there was that one akuma, Dr. Depression, that hurt Chat and her badly).

She felt the man wrap the elastic band around her arm, trying to find her vein. "My name is Lucius Fox," the man introduced, "What's yours?"

He sounds like Morgan Freeman, she mentally noted. Marinette stared at where he was wiping the alcohol on her arm. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Dupain-Cheng? Two last names?" he questioned. Marinette looked away as she saw the needle. "I took my father's last name when I was four," she winced a little. Marinette hated that she was over sensitive when it came to her body.

Once the vials were done, Tim took them to a machine which instantly took the samples. Marinette and Bruce's face appeared with a little bar under it saying one percent.

Bruce had gone to talk to Mlle. Bustier. "Wouldn't it be funny if it came back negative?" a voice said beside her. She looked up to Jason on the side of her. "It would save some trouble. DNA tests take a few days right? Do I still have to be here?" she asked.