The Pied Piper [Miraculous Ladybug]

Chapter 2

Alya and Nino found the two quickly, and just as quickly backing up slightly when they realized what was happening. They waited for Marinette to calm down slightly before approaching, but when it seemed like she would be crying forever Alya finally took a step forward and spoke.

"Honey, we need to get you to the nurse." Marinette peeked up from Adrien's shoulder, but never fully pulled away. Alya nodded to the girl's bloody hands, Marinette not even realizing that some of that blood was not all Chloe's.

Adrien pulled away from her, eyes wet and cheeks red, "Can you walk?"

Marinette nodded and Adrien helped them both up, Nino darting forward to grab the swaying Marinette before she could lose her footing.

The group helped her down into the nurse's office and sat her down on one of the cots, Adrien sitting next to her since her hands had yet to become untangled from his shirt. They waited for the nurse to join them, the silence a little unbearable.

"She's up in the classroom right now," Nino mumbled, "I don't think she will be enough though..."

Nino gave her a sympathetic smile, but it only made her realize what she had done. Burying her face in her hands she started to cry once more. Alya moved next to the girl, rubbing her back when she saw her friends face turn a sickly color.

---

The nurse simply cleaned Marinette's hands and wrapped them in gauze. Her knuckles had broken open during her fight with Chloe, probably from swinging blindly and swinging through to the ground a few times. She was lucky nothing was broken.

Chloe had to be taken to the hospital. She was bloodied and bruised but the only thing that seemed to be broken was her nose.

"At least now she can get that second nose job." Alya joked as they left the principal's office.

Mr. Damocles didn't suspend Marinette, but he did recommend she take a few more days off if she needed it, Alya confirming that she would get all of Marinette's work for her.

As they made their way to the waiting boys, Marinette spoke to them all, "I think I'm going to head to the hospital. Would you like to go? I'm sure mama and papa would love to see you guys."

Everyone looked taken aback, surprised at the invitation, but all of them eagerly accepting.

The four made their way to the hospital, Marinette guiding them to the section her father was being kept in.

As they approached the room, Marinette noticed the door was closed, her mother inside talking to the doctor caring for her father. Sabine looked distraught, the doctor had a hand on her shoulder as she started to sob as he spoke.

Marinette bolted into the room, her friends following behind "Mama? What is it? What's wrong with papa?"

Sabine waved a hand, covering her sobbing face with the other as she sat down. The doctor turned towards Marinette, a soft look on his face as he glanced at the paper in his hands and then back to her, "Marinette, I'm sorry but your father has late stages of cancer."

Alya was the one to catch her this time as she falls backward, stumbling into her friend's arms and she stared wide-eyed into the darkness that clouded her eyes.

As her eyes became clear again, she rose from her friend's arms and made her way next to her father. She looked back up to the doctor and whispered, "Will he wake up?"

The doctor looked back at her and sighed, "We don't know. He's in a lot of pain and the medicine we gave him is making him incredibly drowsy. We don't know when he will wake up next, or if he will even be fully conscious."

The Doctor turned back to Sabine, who wasn't sobbing anymore but was breathing heavily, "Ma'am? I know this is a difficult time for you and your daughter, but we should talk about a treatment plan."

Sabine nodded and took a few deep breaths, "Marinette? Will you and your friends leave, please? Maybe go and get some food from the cafeteria, alright?"

"But mama, I-"

"Marinette, please." Her mother's voice cracked and she finally look at look at her at her mom, so small and tired. She didn't have the energy to stand up anymore, let alone argue with her daughter. Marinette leaned over, hugging her mother tightly and planting a kiss on her cheek and then moving to join her friends, who with open arms led her out of the room and onto an elevator to the cafeteria.

As the elevator door closed behind them, she felt her friends press in on her for one large group hug. She didn't even realize she was crying again until Alya offered her a small pack of tissues before the metal doors opened.

Marinette cleaned her face a little as they walked out and into the hallway, making their way into a large cafeteria area. They found a seat and Alya and Nino left to get some food for them all, leaving Adrien to simply take hold of a silent Marinette's hand to try and comfort her. But there was no comforting her now. Right now there was no feeling inside of her. Just the sense of dread and despair.

The kind you would see from an Akuma. But there would be no Akuma today. Just a dying father and his breaking daughter.