A Little Too Soon for Goodbye

10 -Gone

Adrien's pov
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I walk behind Plagg, wanting to see Marinette again. I got him, just like she asked. I'm worried about her. I truly am.

I look up and see Dr. Charm standing in the doorway, all color drained from his face and his figure completely frozen. I rush forward, and look through the doorway, seeing Marinette unconscious, her head fitting the shape of the headboard that it is resting on, and blood oozing around her.

There's so much.

There's too much.

"Help!" Plagg screams, running into the room and grabbing gauze pads, lifting her up and pressing them to the back of her head. They instantly are dyed red.

A few people rush in, but I'm frozen. I can't unfreeze. Time is moving so slow. She's going to die.

I watch, unable to move, as they move her bed and rush her out of the room, through a set of locked doors, and to an elevator down the hall, on the other side of the red line that I'm not allowed to go passed.

I look into her room again, seeing the blood on the floor. It's dark, rich, and makes me feel sick. I turn, and press my back to the wall right next to the door, sliding down to the floor.

Time goes back to normal, and I breathe. More like let out a strangled gasp. I curl my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around my legs, and tuck my head in between my knees.

I force myself to breathe, but it doesn't help.

She's going to die.

I lost so much time with her.

I begin to sob, not wanting her to go yet. I want her to go when she's 102, warm in bed, and surrounded by family. I want to be with her through it all. I need to be there.

She's my best friend.

(A/N: hate to ruin this moment but it hurt me to write that.)

I hold myself until someone touches my shoulder, and I jerk my head up, meeting the soft green eyes of my mother, and the worried grey ones of my father.

I instantly am wrapped in their arms, and I sob. I sob loudly, gripping onto them and saying, "She's going to die. She's gone. She has to be gone by now." My mother pulls away, still crouched in front of me, and uses her hands to cup my cheeks, her fingers wiping away my tears.

"Have the doctors come out to talk to you?" She asks, and I shake my head no. "Then she's still alive. If they aren't talking to you, then she's alive." I sniff, looking deeply into her eyes, and swallow, hard.

"O-okay." I say, it coming out unsure and weak. My dad pulls me into his arms, rubbing my back as I continue to cry. "It hurts so bad." I say, heaving against him. "I know." He whispers. "I know."

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A few hours later, I see Plagg come through the doors, and I instantly stand up, holding Marinette's mom's hand tightly in my own.

Her parents showed up about 10 minutes after my own did.

He takes his scrub cap off, tears in his eyes. "No." I whisper, a small broken word. "No." I say louder, my voice thick with emotion. He smiles at me, a few tears streaking down his face. "She's okay. She'll be okay. We're bringing her down soon. She needed a blood transfusion, and it took awhile to get the bleeding to stop, but we did. It's going to be awhile before she wakes up, considering that she has suffered significant trauma. We won't know if there is any brain damage until then. We were also able to remove the tumor, so hopefully there won't be another one. Hopefully no more surgery."

I am frozen in place as everyone begins to hug each other, and I watch as Plagg walks off, going up to his wife and giving her a hug.

I crouch down, tears running down my face as I feel so overwhelmed.

She's okay.

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A few hours later, they bring her down after being 100% sure that she is stable. She looks too pale, too still. Only the steady beat of the machine and the rise and fall of her chest are the only indications that she's alive.

Her head is wrapped in gauze, and her body is completely limp. Her skin is 10 shades too pale, and her usual rosy pink lips are now a dull version, and they are cracked.

Yet even in this state, where she looks truly sick, I can't help but find her beautiful.

And for the first time, I'm not afraid to admit that.

For what feels like forever multiplied by another eternity, I hold Marinette's hand. We all wait, not saying a word. Occasionally, Sabine sobs, and her husband holds her. Giant tears roll down the baker's cheeks as sadness gets a grip on him. My mom and dad have been snuggled up next to each other the entire time. My mom hasn't been able to stop crying since they brought Marinette down. She occasionally whispers, "Not her. Please not her."  My dad just occasionally wipes his eyes, and they are red rimmed and puffy.

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One eternity turns into two, and those two turn into a week. She still hasn't woken up. I still haven't left the hospital. I know I look like a cave man, and feel the urge to shower, but I can't leave. I have to be here.

Either when she wakes up.

Or flatlines.

She has a chance. Plagg said that she just needs time. Her body went through a lot of trauma. If she doesn't wake up by day ten, then we can start worrying, but until then we should just give her time.

"Adrien." Tikki coos behind me, and I jump, going out of my dazed state. "Yes?" I ask, clearing my throat. "Your mom couldn't stay, but she dropped off new clothes for you. Along with some shampoo and conditioner, and other necessities that you might need besides the toothbrush and deodorant. If you want, you can take a shower in the bathroom right there-" she points to the small bathroom in the corner-"And not have to leave. Does that work?" I nod, smiling tiredly at her, and stand up.

I grab the bag and grab everything that I need out of it, then walk into the bathroom. I relish in the warmth of the shower, and wish that everything would stop. That while I am in here, everything will go back to normal. That Marinette will be okay when I walk out. That she isn't dying. That she is completely healthy.

Where I have more than 5 months with her.

I pause for a second. Has it already been that long? Has it already been a month? It is mid November. Wow. It has been that long.

But as I sit with her, I am grateful for that time. Because even though it isn't nearly enough, it is all I need. To say goodbye.

————

Two days later, Marinette suddenly makes a small groaning noise, squeezing her eyes tighter and slowly trying to open them.

All of us are standing around her, and I hold one of her hands tightly in mine.

Her eyes slowly open, and she looks at me, giving me a sleepy, sleepy smile. "They're gone." She whispers, looking at me.

"What is?" I ask, hanging onto every word she says.

"The voices." She sighs out, closing her eyes again. "They're finally gone."