Please, Don't Leave Me

Chapter 6

Nathaniel walked silently with the girls, lost in thought. He couldn't get the image of how torn up Marc looked tonight out of his head; it broke his heart. He saw Adrien confront Chloe with an aggression he'd never seen before, but he knew that if he told him Chloe had the diary Marc would panic worse and possibly get akumatized. That thought alone scared the hell out of him. Nathaniel sighed and he felt Marc shift to where hes holding onto Nathaniel's neck a little tighter in his sleep, snapping him out of his thoughts and making his eyes soften. Marinette looked over and smiled until she felt her phone vibrate. She checked it and answered the phone call. "Hello? Marc? I'm sorry. We went to a party and it took a lot out of him so he's asleep. What.....? Oh no.... He's going to be devastated..... Yes sir... I'll have Mama break the news to him in the morning.... Please, travel safely...." When she hung up, she was in tears, earning a look from Alya and Nathaniel. She shook her head and softly said, "That was Marc's father... There was a car wreck involving their cab in New York City in the United States.... His father will be in the hospital until he's fit for travel... His mother, however, didn't make it..."

Everyone's eyes widened then Nathaniel sniffled, waking up Marc, who rubbed his eyes sleepily, smudging his makeup even more. "Mmm..... How long was I out...?" Nathaniel's eyes darkened. He couldn't bring himself to speak now. "Hey, Marc... We're almost back at the bakery..," Marinette said with a hoarse voice. That didn't go unnoticed. "Marinette...? What's wrong...?" he asked. She shook her head before finally caving in and explaining what his father told her. "No.... You're lying.... You're lying!!!!" he screamed before burying his face in Nathaniel's neck, not realizing it was Nate but also not caring. Nathaniel's eyes darkened as he heard Marc sobbing. He couldn't take much more of this heart break and fear. Marc had been through enough lately. He was left here while his parents traveled and now he just lost his mother. He didn't know what to do to offer him some comfort. Before long they arrived at the bakery and Nathaniel went straight to Marc's room, which was their only guest bedroom, and set Marc down on the bed before sitting next to him. "Marc, I am so, so sorry...." Marc looked at him and for the first time since they met he saw understanding and empathy in Nathaniel's eyes. All his shyness left him as he just hugged him and buried his face in his chest.

Nathaniel held him close and rubbed his back. When he was younger he lost his father so he understood this grief Marc felt. They sat like that until Marc fell asleep. He gently laid him down and removed his wedges before covering him with his blanket. He then reached and gently took his hand before kissing it. He hated to leave him, but his own mother gave him a curfew and right now, he wanted to go hug her tight and let her be his strength. After one more kiss on his hand, Nathaniel stood back up and left the room quietly. The girls looked at him and hugged him tight. "Be safe going home, you hear?" Marinette said. He nodded and hugged both girls before going home. When he did he was just staring at his feet as he entered the house, his mother watching TV. She heard the door and looked over. "Welcome h- Sweetheart...?" Nathaniel looked up at her, his electric blue eyes full of tears before he just hugged her tight, allowing himself to break down and let her hold him. "Imadeanewfriendatschoolandhewasatapartytonightbutthenhelosthisdiarysowegotitbackandhewascryingsomuchandthenicarriedhimhomebecausehecriedhimselftosleepbutthenhisdadcalledandtherewasacarwreckandhejustlosthismom!!!!!!" He got out. Her eyes softened and she made him look at her. "Nate, Sweetie, I can't understand you when you run your words together... Take a deep breath and slow down..." He took as deep a breath as he could and released it slowly before repeating himself, "I made a new friend at school and he was at a party tonight, but then he lost his diary so we got it back and he was crying so much because of losing the diary.... Well he cried himself to sleep so I carried him home but then his dad called and said there was a car wreck...." He ended up breaking down more than before, "HE JUST LOST HIS MOM!!!!" His grip tightened on his own mother, whose eyes widened then darkened. "Oh Sweetheart..." She remembered how badly he took his father's death;he wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep, he wouldn't even get ready for school. She had to literally force him to do certain things, but back then, if she made him eat he would force himself to throw it all up. He didn't improve any until he met Marinette.

"Come on... I was starting a movie... Wanna watch it with me...?" He nodded and refused to let go. In the past she could pick him up and carry him when he got like this; however, as a teenager in High School, that was no longer possible so she walked with him as best she could. She sat him down on the couch and pressed play, starting the movie "Love, Simon." He smiled sadly; he loved this movie so it cheered him up some, but he was still hurting for Marc. "So, tell me about your friend.. What's he like...?" Nathaniel actually smiled lovingly. "Perfect... in every aspect... He's shy, innocent, and obviously gay, given how he wears makeup and how he dressed tonight... At the party, I couldn't take my eyes off him..." His mother smiled and he realized he basically told her he was falling for a boy. He blushed big time and looked away. His mother's eyes softened, glad she was able to get him to think about something other than the tragedy that happened tonight. Nathaniel pulled out his phone and showed her a picture he took with Marc while they were still having fun, and the look on his mother's face said it all. She kissed his temple. "Looks like you found your perfect match... He looks so sweet and innocent, just like my own baby.." Nathaniel blushed even more, "Mom... can we just watch the movie....?" She giggled and pulled her baby boy close to her so she could love on him while they watched the movie.