Hey everyone !

I´m sorry I updated the wrong chapter. I updated the same chapter I had already posted last week, I may be tired, but that´s no excuse!

I wanted to thank the guest who quickly made ma aware of my mistake! Thank you! :)

She woke up the next morning a few hours before her usual alarm woke her up, drenched in cold sweat. She couldn´t remember the nightmare she had and actually didn´t want to. Her bed sheets were crumpled at the foot of her bed, she must have been restless in her sleep.

Knowing she wouldn´t fall back asleep, she decided to take a burning hot shower hoping it would relax her tense muscles and sore body. She must have been crying in her sleep, her eyes were blood-shot and she had dark circles under her eyes, and her cheeks were slightly sticky from the salty susbtance. She knew make-up couldn´t help her and she wasn´t up to it to smear her face with it. She didn´t care what she looked like for once.

She scrubbed her skin as hard as she could, leaving a few red marks. She could already see a few bruises and scratches on her ribs and wrists that her attacker left on her. She hysterically tried to scrub them off, as hot tears made their way along her cheeks again. She willed herself to calm down once the bar of soap had sprung out of her hands and she realised she was having trouble breathing correctly. Marinette steadied herself on the shower´s wall, forcing herself to calm down and breathe. Once she was calmer and registered that she had used all the warm water of the whole building did she got out of the shower.

The hot steam of her shower had gotten to her mirror. Taking her towel, she swiped it only to see the hickeys he had left, marking her. It was a physical reminder like her wound, the bruises, and scratches, that he had forced himself on her. She quickly looked away not wanting to be reminded of that painful memory. She had forgotten to ask Adrien when he would pick her up, so she decided to get already get ready in case he was coming early. Just as she finished brushing the knots out of her hair, did she hear a light knock at the door. She opened him the door, offering him coffee. Even if he saw how exhausted she looked, he didn´t say anything.

He drove them the hospital in a comforting silence. The slow rumble of the motor nearly lulled her to sleep. Marinette was grateful that he was also coming, since she was sure she wouldn´t be able to go on her own. She was so relieved that he hadn´t forgotten her and helped her trough this. Even if he wasn´t saying anything, she didn´t need him to say anything actually, his presence was calming her already, as if it was a constant reminder that everything would be okay. She felt guilty as she saw his bruised knuckles.

Adrien had already asked the Chief to clear an hour of their schedule. They didn´t bother to change into their scrubs like normally, they directly went up to the sixth floor. Marinette walked behind Adrien, scared Dr. Mal would be wandering the halls and see her. He halted in front of the Professor´s personal office and she tensed as she heard him calling them in. Adrien walked in first with Mari right behind him, hiding behind him. She saw the professor´s surprised look as he recognized her. He still had no clue about what was going on. He mentioned to them to sit down. Mari shifted nervously in her seat, not knowing if she should start even if she knew she couldn´t, she had no power to do so, after her restless night. The professor only looked at them both one afetr the other as if trying to comprehend why theor were both here. He could only see that both looked exhausted. Marinette looked like she hadn´t slept in days. AFter a couple of minutes he spoke up, which made Mari slightly flinch since she thought he would stay silent. She let out a relieved sigh.

"So what brings you here this morning?" Mari shot Adrien a nervous look and he took her hand under the desk to help her calm down. Seeing her distressed look, he decided to start.

"Pr. Kelt, we would like to fill in a report." The professor looked at him confused.

"A report for what?"

"Abuse, sir." The professor looked at them like they had grown two heads. The professor´s frown deepened.

"What are you talking about Dr. Agreste? I know everything that happens on this floor; I never heard anything of the sort!" He exclaimed. Mari let her head down, not wanting for him to see the tears welling up.

"I am only a witness Professor" The professor diverted his attention to Marinette, whose shoulders tensed as she felt her gaze on her.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng? Would you maybe like to say something?" He asked. She looked up, she eyes red and the tears started to stream down her face. She felt Adrien traces circles in her palm. She cleared her throat; she knew she had to speak up now. Even if the professor looked at her expectantly, he wasn´t pushing her. She had buried all the emotions and stress related to Dr Mal´s abuse over the couple of years they had worked together on the same floor. It all came back in one day, crashing drown on her small shoulders and she was having a hard time dealing with those feelings. She squeezed the hell out of Adrien´s hand for support.

"I w-wanted to f-fill a rep-port against Dr.- em Dr. Ma-Mal." She finally said with her eyes still closed. The professor's eyes widen. He looked between her and Adrien trying to figure out if it was a joke or not. Seeing how serious Adrien looked and hurt Marinette looked by his expression, he leaned in the back of his seat and continued.

"It is in the protocol that I have to ask you exactly what he did or you to file a complaint."

She nodded weakly and a chocked sob came out of her as she remembered the events. She clutched Adrien´s hand who attempted to speak up for her, but the professor didn´t let him start, telling him he had to hear it from her. She related everything that had happened since she had been working with him, she was only interrupted by her own sobs. The professor seemed to be taking her seriously.

"Any physical proof?" He asked quietly after he took in everything she had said. She nodded and showed him the wound Adrien had treated. Turning around she showed the hickeys he had left on her upper chest, neck and collarbones. He nodded scribbling down a few more notes. Adrien testified as well, avoiding to say that he punched the hell out of Dr Mal.

"Thank you for coming to me. The next step of the protocol is to speak to Dr. Mal. We´ll see how it goes from there. Miss Dupain-Cheng, I´m sure you could use a few days off. I´ll make sure you schedule will be changed so you won´t have any shift with Dr. Mal until the whole thing has settled. Mari nodded and left the office. Adrien came out a few minutes later.

Nobody broke the weighing silence as they made their way out of the hospital towards her apartment. Marinette looked like shit, and she felt this way as well. She was thankful that Alya had taken a few days off to spend with Nino, while he had nothing to do. She wanted to be alone… or with Adrien. He was able to calm her down like nobody else, not even her mother. She had absolutely no idea how he did it. Once she entered her bedroom, she slumped on her pillow. Adrien came back in a few minutes later with a cup of tea and her favourite chocolate bar. She managed to let out a small thanks and smile as she gladly accepted what he offered her. She hadn´t eaten this morning and couldn´t eat much more.

She rested her head on the pillow. She didn´t want to close her eyes even if her body begged her to rest. Each time she would close them, it was like Dr. Mal would appear in front of her again. She shook her head rapidly, as if trying to shake her thoughts away. Adrien noticed her scared look and gently took the hand she hadn´t tucked under the covers. She squeezed his hand, trying to erase his deepening frown.

"Hey, I´m here. Nothing is going to happen to you."

She nodded weakly against the pillow, quiet sobs escaping her. She just wanted her brain to stop functioning, stop making her remember what she didn´t want to. Adrien combed his hand through her hair, hoping it would somehow relay her. He knew it worked for him. She harsh breathing continued, but the sobs stopped. In every class she had had about patient who had been through a difficult episode, felt better once they talked about what was troubling them. She took a deep breath.

"I-I close my e-eyes and the o-only thing I-I see is h-him." He continued to caress her hair.

"You have nothing to worry about, I´m right here" He repeated with a gentle voice.

"I-I thought P-pr. Kelt wouldn´t t-ake me seri-iously, maybe I´ll get f-fired." Her sobbing started again and Adrien scooted closer, taking her half on his lap encircling her waist. She rested her head on his abdomen and cried loudly. The lack of sleep and the storm of emotions and events took the best of her. Adrien rubbed her back, letting her time to calm down on her own. Sometimes the best thing was to let it all out.

"You won´t get fired. I won´t let it happen Mari." Her heart fluttered at the nickname. Only her parents and Alya called her that, as well as a few close friends. He whispered sweet encouragements and compliments making her slowly feel better. She rapidly started dozing off, his belly being the perfect combination of muscles and fat so that she considered it the best pillow of the Universe.

So sorry again!

I hope you liked this chapter! :)

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