Live for them

Chapter 39/ Marinette

And so I told Ms. Bustier everything. Starting from the day I first met Lila to seconds before Ms. Bustier found me.

Ms. Bustier covered her face in her hands and let out a sigh while the tears that attempted to swallow me whole fell from my cheeks to the cloth of my shirt.

"I'm so sorry Marinette. I should have known that you were telling the truth."

I hated the way Ms. Bustier blamed herself, but I didn't have the mental strength to comfort someone else at the moment.

Ms. Bustier took my now empty cup from my lap and she stood and took both mugs to her kitchen. I looked over at Tikki who had stopped nibbling on cookies and was instead staring at the table in front of her with dazed eyes.

"Tikki, are you okay?" I asked quietly, and Tikki jumped.

"Y-yes. Sorry, Mari." The kwami apologized before floating toward me and snuggling my cheek.

"Are you sure?"

Tikki settled into the palm of my hand and sighed. "It's just become so much. I've never seen a villain last for so long or be this vicious. I'm worried, Marinette. We have to get back to your friends as soon as possible."

I nodded and looked up at Ms. Bustier. She was washing the cups slowly in the sink. She stared at the cups, almost glaring at them.

She closed her eyes for a second.

I quickly climbed off of the couch, being careful to not apply any pressure to my bad foot.

I crouched down, struggling to balance.

"Tikki, spots on!" I whispered, and in a pink flash of light, I was Ladybug.

I looked back at Ms. Bustier who was cleaning the mugs with so much pressure, I thought the was going to break the mug.

I opened the window as quietly as I could before grabbing a piece of paper off of the coffee table.

Thank you for you hospitality. I promise I will do everything in my power to get everything back to normal. Please take care of yourself.

The words seemed weak against everything she had done for me, but it would have to do.

Placing the note down on her book, I looked at my teacher one more time before slipping out of the window and closing it behind me.

I quickly threw my yo-yo in the direction of the hotel where my friends were.

The pain had long worn of now, but my muscles were still sore from the strain. I hoped that Alya and Nino were okay.

As I swung through the open window and landed on both feet, I cried out my de-transformation and fell.

Tikki whooshed out of my earrings and flew directly into Trixx and Wayzz's fins, letting out sobs.

I looked around for Alya and Nino and found Alya passed out on the couch with Nino pacing beside her, head in his hands. He was so worried that he didn't even notice that I had come.

"Nino!" I got up to my feet and ignored the screams of protests from my leg.

I rushed to him and pulled him into a hug.

It took him a second to realize who I was, but when he did, he hugged me right back.

"Marinette! Thank goodness you came back!"

When he pulled away, fresh tears pooled in his eyes.

"Alya passed out after you left and she hasn't woken up since." Nino looked at Alya and I knelt by her side.