Hey guys and gals! Sorry if these chapters are emotional... I am kinda just free writing in one sitting. I will go back and edit these chapters later. That being said if you catch any of my mistakes, such as 'Adrian' instead of 'Adrien' or any spelling/grammatical errors, please PM me or leave a review! Thanks you guys! Shout out to Toshiro of the Eternal Dream for leaving the first review on this story!

I'm thinking that this will become a multiple song-fic. This was only supposed to be about Isak Danielson's song, Broken, but now I have a list of songs that fit the story. The next song I was to focus on is Pretending by Alec Bejamin. I keep trying to underline or italicize song lyrics so that you all can understand my inspiration. Some of the lyrics don't match up, so I might forget to highlight them.

That's all I had to say. Enjoy!

Hospital (Marinette)

Pain. Marinette was in pain. It was like she had been stabbed in her stomach. It was-

Gone? The pain was gone? Marinette opened her eyes and found herself blinded by the white hospital lights.

"What happened-?" Marinette's voice sounded like gravel, but it was enough to get the attention of her parents.

"MARI?!" Tom exclaimed. "SABINE WAKE UP! SHE IS AWAKE!" Tom reached over to shake Sabine, who shot up instantly at the word 'awake'.

"MARINETTE!" Sabine exclaimed with joy at her daughter's open eyes. Marinette cringed at the shouting, but paused when the pain registered in her arm. Looking down, Marinette noticed the double IV going on. She had one tube in each arm the feeling of the liquid fluids had numbed her arms. It was that awful kind of numb. The kind where it hurts when to try to resist.

Sabine noticed the flinch and began to reach for the button to call a nurse.

"I'm fine-" Marinette received disapproving glares from both sides but continued to speak. "Really okay I'm- Okay I'm really- I'm okay! Really!" Marinette groaned at her inability to speak. Eventually, she managed to say the right words. While her stumbling of words would normally be concerning, the proved her point. Her parents knew that the girl was fine if she could get tongue-tied, but considering the circumstance, it was in everyone's best interest to call the nurse regardless.

"There is no harm in being sure." Sabine stated in her stern motherly tone.

"Marinette..." Tom set his hand over Marinette's left hand. "We need to talk about this." She looked away of out of embarrassment. "Why wouldn't you tell us?"

Marinette wanted to wipe away the tears rolling down her face, but the IVs weighed her arms down making it impossible to move them. Looking away from Tom, did not protect the glassy beads from view. No, looking away from Tom, meant looking at her mother, and Sabine would see right through her.

"Why?" Sabine asked again as she wiped the young girl's tears. Sabine considered herself luck in that moment. Unlike Tom or Marinette, Sabine had already cried every tear she could. Marinette had not.

"I was- I wanted-" Marinette's words were lost in the tears and hiccups. The most understandable part was when she said, "... And I tried- to tell Alya- jealous?! ...but I'm not- and... Lila...fooled-"

Sabine didn't need to hear anymore. Being her mother, Sabine was well versed in the language of Marinette. She was one of the few people who could understand the tongue twisted girl, and she did not like what she was hearing.

"Why?!" Sabine was upset. Marinette had been enabling the bullying by not standing up for herself. Mari, Sabine would have sighed if she wasn't so angry at the situation. She has too big a heart for this cruel world. "Why would you choose to sacrifice yourself for such disloyal friends?!" Marinette paused in her speech. Must have got it right, Sabine thought sourly.

"How did you-?"

"I am your mother. Mothers always know what their child is saying." Sabine took a moment for herself to breathe. I must not let my anger cloud my actions. Marinette needs her mother, not an akuma. Letting out a sigh, Sabine felt her anger calm. "Why would you risk your life for that naive class of yours? You don't owe them anything! I don't understand why-"

Marinette looked away at this. She knew the class had abandoned her. She knew they had turned on her, but she didn't want to believe it. Knowing doesn't make it an easier to accept. So why-? Why do I keep making excuses for people I have already lost? "They're good people," Marinette almost cringed at her own words with disbelief. "They are just... deluded by Lila's words! They're still good-" Marinette couldn't finish the sentence a second time. She was lying to herself.

"Good people don't just turn their back on you, sweetie." Tom finally spoke up. Both women had almost forgot he was in the room due to his lack of words. "Good people... They would have stood by your side regardless of any lie."

"So why?" Sabine wiped the tears from her daughter's face, making their eyes meet. "Why are you pretending?" What are you defending?

"There's nothing left to say."

"Mari-?"

"It's fine-"

"Princess-?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"MARINETTE,"Sabine shouted.

"I KNOW!" Marinette's voice was still sore, but that didn't stop her from screaming the words out to silence her parents. I know, she wanted to cry but her eyes were dry. "I know... that we're drowning... I just can't accept that... there is nothing left."

"Let go, hon." Tom sighed as Marinette shook her head. At least we're all out of tears. She is in so much pain, but the truth is- "There is nothing left."

"BUT I AM FINE PRETENDING!" Marinette cried, but her eyes held no tears. If the scene wasn't heartbreaking enough, her words would have made even Jagged Stone cry. "I am fine... pretending... things are alright?" The words no longer sounded confident. Marinette couldn't tell if she was trying to convince them or herself. "I know things are ending... but I keep on bending-"

"What are you defending?!" Sabine could not bare to see her daughter hurting herself for some immature kids. Her friends are always pending, so why does she keep defending them? Sabine needed her child to accept the truth. It hurts me to see you so sad, Marinette. "Open your eyes, honey. Look me in the eyes."

Marinette knew the truth. Now, she had to face it.

"It hurts, maman! It hurts so much..."

Sabine and Tom immediately enclosed the young girl. All the sorrow had finally come to surface.

"Let it all out, princess." Tom squeezed his family tighter in his arms. It's gonna be okay, he thought. You have been so strong. You can survive this, Mari.

They sat there for a while in a messy sobbing heap, even though most of them had run out of tears earlier in the night.

It is possible the mixed family could have stayed like that until the sunrise, and they probably would have if the nurse hadn't entered. The nurse tried to make his visit brief after seeing the irritated eyes of both parents and child. He recognized the sadness that surrounded them. It was thick and heavy, and it felt made him feel as if he were intruding on their personal affairs. He left shortly after inform the family of Marinette's improving condition. "She is making an uexpectedly swift recovery, escecially after loosing so much blood. The doctor would like to keep her here for a day or two... just to make sure she doesn't have any significant post-injury effects." And with that, he fled the room.

Marinette, Sabine and Tom sat in silence staring at the walls. A lot had happened in such a short time period. The scary revelations and newly accepted truths were finally sinking in. Marinette touched her wrapped wound, determined to focus her mind on anything else. Tom was struggling to process the news of his child's hidden pain. The large pieces of information overwhelming his brain and luring him further into the silence.

Sabine, however, was trying to figure out how to bring up the next daring topic. Marinette is Ladybug. Marinette is Ladybug. Marinette is- Sabine couldn't help it. She opened her mouth and emptied yet another one of her child's secrets.

"It is gonna hurt for a while, but you have endured worse injuries as Ladybug." Sabine's comment jolted Marinette out of her daze.

"How did you-?!" Marinette's jaw dropped. Her mother knew! Her mother knew! WAIT! How does she know?! I never told her! And surely Tikki wouldn't-! Suddenly, Marinette's shock was replaced by a new set of worries. "TIKKI!" Marinette's mind was set into overdrive. Where is Tikki? I thought I saw Plagg... ADRIEN?! Her mind was consumed by rushing thoughts until the pieces all fell into place.

"Adrien is Chat Noir." She didn't scream or shout. She didn't flail her arms around or fall off the hospital bed. Nope. Marinette simply admitted the truth in a calm whisper while collapsing into her self.

Tom and Sabine sat in silence. They watched their daughter anxiously awaiting the loud trademark reaction. They waited, but it never came.

"I'd like to see them."

Okay! I'm done with this chapter. I'm not really sure where I want this story to go.

I'm thinking about writing a prequel to the fanfic. I need a way to loop Chloe into this mess.

Anyways, that's all for now! Hope to post again soon.

PEACE OUT AND STAY SAFE!