Cat or Mouse?

Chapter 8

Marinette

Something was wrong.
And then I felt a giant hand on my shoulder and was roughly pulled backwards. I slammed into a table, my hip slamming into his, and my head hitting something hard, causing spots to appear in my vision. I barely saw Chloé laying on the ground, with Jon hovering above her. I barely recognized that fact that my knees gave out and I was now sitting on the ground staring. My head was spinning, but I did my best to clear my vision.
"Alright little Lady, get up." A deep voice said from above me.
Was he walking to me?
"Yes I'm talking to you." He grabbed my arm, and I didn't have any strength to fight him. My focus on clearing my vision. He held me in front of him, something was pointed at me. And I'm pretty sure it's a gun. Or a toy that looks like a gun. My head is too fuzzy to even consider the fact that I might be hallucinating. The last thing I remember is a deep, growling voice saying something in my ear, before I felt something stab into my neck. Before the screaming surrounded me.

I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or reliving it, but there stood Mourning Mother with a lifeless Manon in her arms. Then Siren, the lifeless bodies floating on top of the water. Hawkmothous, a look a like that ended up killing me and Chloé.
Then I was reliving my early years in Gotham. My old parents beating me, throwing me down the stairs, throwing bottles of alcohol at me, downing me in the bathtub if I cried. And the laughing. The laughing and screaming was mixing together making a choir of chaos. The memories stood over me like giants, haunting me and reminding me, how worthless I am.
And then the worthlessness melted away, and anger took over. Anger at how worthless I felt. Angry at Hawkmoth, my old parents, Lila, Alya, and whoever hit me in the head. Then my old dad was standing in front of me, yelling and laughing. And I couldn't stand it. I used the little amount of fight I had left and tackled him, raining blows to his face and neck. Hitting him for all the pain he caused me. And when he stopped moving, I continued to hit him. And a sharp prick in my arm, the world tilted and I was consumed by darkness.

When I woke up, my head was pounding, and my hands hurt. I shot up ad I remembered what I saw and frantically looked around. I moved my arms and legs to make sure I wasn't bounded anymore. And only when a gentle, soothing hand was on my cheek, did I calm down.
"You saw them didn't you, kitten?" Aunt Salina whispered.
I nodded wordlessly. "It was terrible. The screaming, the hitting, the bottle chucking, the bathtub, Hawkmoth, Syrian, Mourning Mother, Hawkmothous, it was like I was reliving everything." I whispered. It sounded so sad and broken.
"They're gone now, Mari. Ok? They can't hurt you." Salina said with a sad smile, moving so she was next to me. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders, and mine shook slightly. As silent tears rolled down my cheeks. And I fought every memory, till they were back in tiny, tiny, tiny little boxes and shoved in forgotten closet.
"Thank you, Aunt Salina." I whispered, wiping my tears away. "Where's Chloé and Adrien?"
"Chloé's in the next room with Jon. And Adrien is somewhere trying to cool off, Helenas with him. Now, Damian is sitting right behind that door. He didn't know if you would want him in here when you woke up, so he's sitting and waiting in a chair."
I chuckled before standing on wobbly legs. And I crossed the room to the door, and opened it. Damian instantly stood and pulled me into a hug. Placing gently kisses on my neck and shoulder. I heard him take a deep breath before releasing it. I sighed, both of our arms tightening as we sought comfort in the other. He pulled back, his hands going to my cheeks as he looked me over, before placing a gentle kiss to my lips.
"I'm ok." I whispered. "Just a little tired and drained." I said when we pulled back.
"You scared me half to death. Especially when you took on Scarecrow." He hands moving from my face to my hands, gently holding and tracing the cuts and bruises that lined them.
"Trust me, I was scared myself. When your me, you don't want that stuff in your brain. It's bad." I said. "I am hungry. Alfred got anything made? And I gotta find Adrien, and make sure he gets his mother hemming out of the way." I said, shaking my head slightly, testing for pain. Oddly enough, just mild soreness.

Damian kept his arm firmly around my waist, making sure I didn't fall, and that I couldn't go far from him. We found Adrien and Helena in the garden. Adrien was pacing in front of Helena, who was the first to see us. She grabbed Adriens hand, forcing him to stop, before pointing at us. The second he saw me, he raced over and gently pulled me into a hug.
"Oh my god! Your ok! Do you hurt anywhere? Do you need water? Food? Damn it Mari, stop laughing."
"Adrien, I'm fine. Did you get your fill, or do I need to do flips too?"
"Spin in a circle and I'll call it good." He said, crossing his arms and waiting.
This isn't the first time this has happened. So I stepped away from Damian and spun around. When I got the nod of approval, he hugged me again a bit tighter then last time.
"Anything in Chloé yet?" I asked, pulling away slightly.
"Alfred said she should be waking up soon. I don't know when that is. I've been trying to keep busy, but it's hard so I've been pacing. And Helena's been watching me."
"How long was I put for?" I asked quietly.
"A few days. I think part of it was the trauma your brain sustained. With the fear gas it only made it worse." Helena said, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. "Aunt Salians been keeping an eye on you. She and I took turns watching Adrien and Damian." She filled in.
My turn. "Did you eat? Please tell me you at least showered!? That is discussing!" I said, looking over the boys, messing with their hair and pulling back their eyelids a little. They laughed at me, and I smiled before we walked back inside.

Jon

I was officially going nuts. Chloé hasn't moved once in few days she's been unconscious. I was going crazy, and was wracked with guilt. All I could focus on was her heartbeat. Making sure it continued to beat, and listening to her breathing. I held her hand, kissing it several times and talking to her like she was away. And I couldn't take it anymore. I stood to go get some air, when I heard a groan. My eyes snapped to the source of the sound, and held my breath and Chloé's hand shot to her eyes. Rubbing them gently.
Her icy blue eyes met mine and she groaned. "Jon, what happened?"
I sighed and rushed back to her side. Grabbing her hand and kissing it gently. "You got hurt during Scarecrows attack. You and Marinette have been out of it for a few days."
"Is she ok?" She asked, shooting up. But groaned again and gripped her head. "My head is pounding." She whined.
"That's what happens when you sustain a head injury." I chuckled dryly. She must have noticed how it was because she pulled me into a kiss with a smile.
"I'm ok. Tired, fuzzy, but ok." She whispered.