Nearly two months had passed since his family's trip to Paris. Ladybug had graciously accepted their help although she maintained her stance that they could only help from outside of Paris until she trusted them enough to maintain their emotions while inside the country. She hadn't asked for their civilian identities, only trusting that they'd honor their world not to remain any longer than necessary.

Damian had been furious at being left behind until he learned they all effectively been banned from the country pending Ladybugs approval. His father was quick to offer him up as one of the first to return to Paris once her trust in them grew. Damian was a master at suppressing his emotions. His time spent training in the League left no room for emotions to get in the way. Bruce recognized that although he didn't want to encourage Damian to hide his emotions, he was their best chance at helping Ladybug in a more direct way.

For now, they helped track akumas through the city, and put together a comprehensive list of all citizens in the city. They were currently narrowing it down based on location and the few things they knew about Hawkmoth. He hardly appeared during fights, but they'd managed to eliminate a good percentage of the population already and soon they'd hoped to close in on his identity.

It was decided that once Christmas came and went Tim and Damian would be headed back to Paris to assist Ladybug directly in their fights. Only Robin would appear in battle unless Red Robin was absolutely needed, but the less Hawkmoth new about the Bats being in Paris the better. Damian was transferring to the school near Le Grand Paris where they'd all stayed initially.

In a strange turn of events Damian was pulled aside by his father when the decision to return to Paris was finalized. He awkwardly asked Damian to check in on a girl who went to the same school that he'd be transferring into. Marinette Dupain-Cheng; the same girl that his brothers couldn't stop talking about since their return. Apparently, they'd all managed to meet her separately before Jason arranged for her to meet them all via prank war. She was quickly adopted into their family except on paper because apparently Bruce had already been told she had parents.

Tim was rubbing it all in their faces that he'd get to see Marinette again while the rest of them stayed home. Jason had tried to convince Bruce to send him instead and was quickly shot down. Alfred foiled Dick's planes to book an extra plane ticket without Bruce's knowledge. It seemed he was the only one in the family not currently obsessed with the Parisian girl. In fact, he slightly despised her, she was another thing his family shared that he wasn't apart of, and it only made him slightly resentful. For Christmas she'd sent them all wonderfully made gifts, and it made him reconsider his stance on her. She must have asked his brothers for a recommendation for a gift but some how it had made him warm up to her without ever meeting her. He'd received a beautiful sketch book, and although it was standard the drawing inside the front cover was anything but. She sketched out all his animals with a simple quote in her own handwriting.

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

He'd traced over the delicate handwriting several times since he'd gotten it. Somehow, she'd managed to learn enough about him to know how much he valued his animals. Small gestures like that were made for them all without a thought. She didn't seem to care about their status or trying to use them for personal gain.

In fact, his brothers were 99% certain that she wasn't even aware they were the Wayne family. She'd shown no recognition when they'd all sat up in Le Grand Paris after Jason had attempted to prank them all by letting her in and claiming that she was their new sister. Apparently, he'd had Tim convinced that he'd managed to forget a whole other sibling in his haze before his morning coffee. Dick wasn't fooled from the moment he saw her and instead had started hugging her rapidly chatting away like they were old friends. Tim had to go lay down after that.

Damian looked up from his sketch as the ding of the seatbelt sign sounded in the cabin. Tim was passed out in the seat next to him.

"Drake get up we'll be landing soon." He shook his brother's shoulder and began packing up his things. Thankfully, their plane landed quickly and soon they were out of an overcrowded airport and in a taxi on their way to the hotel where they'd stay until their apartment was ready. They'd arrived after the new year, and just a few days for school began for the next semester.

Damian was attending Lycée Professionnel Gustave Eiffel while staying in Paris although he wasn't looking forward to it. Apparently, he was being put into Marinette's class and as one of the few upper level schools in the area he was going to be in all her classes. All his brothers spent their time boasting about her, even showing things off to Bruce on occasion, but he felt dread build in his stomach at finally meeting her. If he didn't like her or she didn't like him then it would be another person Damian was unable to get close to. He'd never admit it to anyone but himself, but Damian envied his brothers abilities to make genuine connections, but for him it was always a struggle. He'd been taught to never trust anyone other than himself, and that was still a hard habit to combat even with his own family. Worst of all if he did anything wrong there was no doubt that all his family would murder him for upsetting the girl.

The first day of school came sooner than he was ready for as he made his way to the classroom he'd been directed to. He was able to pick her out without really trying, he'd seen pictures that his brothers had shown him, but it was obvious since she did look exactly like someone Bruce would be willing to adopt. The dark hair alone was an obvious sign that Bruce's serial adoption instincts couldn't ignore.

No one even glanced in his direction as he walked through the door, class hadn't begun yet, and the class was too busy trading stories of their holiday adventures to bother with the new kid. He saw most of the class hovering nearby a girl in orange who seemed to be enthusiastically telling a story about visiting Achu and spending time with her beloved Prince Ali.

He made no mention, but he'd met the Prince a few times, but never had he heard of him having a girlfriend. He filed it away into unnecessary information and stopped listening after that. He cursed his father one more time before sliding into the seat next to Marinette.

She gave him a sideways glance, and offered a nod of acknowledgment before returning to whatever book she was hunched over when he came in. He'd expected more of a reaction for the way he'd heard his brothers talk about her. They described her as lively and cheerful nothing at all like the quiet sullen girl currently sitting next to him.

The teacher strode in calling the class to attention. "Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful break. As you may have noticed we have a new student, Damian please introduce yourself."

He stood and gave a disarming smile to the class, "Hello my name is Damian I recently moved here with my brother from America." He was glad they'd arranged to leave his last name out of public knowledge. Unless someone recognized him, no one would ever know there was a Wayne sitting in the classroom. Well no one he supposed beside Marinette, his eyes unconsciously slid to watch her as she effortlessly followed along with the teacher. He felt people glance at him periodically, many of them thought they were subtle, but he saw each of them. The girl from earlier he noticed paid little attention to the lesson instead focused on trying to get his attention on her. Each class passed slower than the last, and by the time lunch rolled around he felt like the day had been dragging on for longer than necessary.

"Oh Marinette, how could you be so rude to the new student! You haven't even introduced yourself. Gosh what a horrible seatmate, maybe Damian should switch to the front row with me? I'm sure no one would mind rearranging the seating chart. After all I am the class representative."

Marinette turned to face him, "Welcome to the class, I hope you feel welcome. I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Nice to meet you." She sent him a genuine smile before grabbing her bag and disappearing out of the room without waiting for a reply.

"Gosh she really is just so rude! Let me welcome you properly, my name is Lila Rossi the class representative, and if you need anything at all you can ask me!" She offered her hand with a smile that would've fooled most people, but he'd seen it before on the face of every woman who'd tried to earn a place at his side with a smile. She was a parasite, attaching herself to the newest shiniest thing in hopes to gain status or favor. He knew she was hoping for a kiss on her hand by the way she daintily held her hand out to him, instead of complying he grabbed his own bag standing as he did so.

"Thank you I assure you I'll be perfectly fine there's no need to worry. Please excuse me." He left no room for argument as he strode out of the room ignoring the way her false smile turned to a glare.

He slipped through the groups of students standing around in the halls aimlessly chattering with each other until he found his way back out the front doors. He scanned the area to see if he could spot Marinette, but she'd disappeared faster than he'd expected. He hadn't even meant to seek her out, but he was curious. She hadn't been the way his brothers described, and he was irked that she was now an unknown.

He abandoned looking for her and found a quiet place to relax while the lunch hour passed. When he headed back to the classroom the girl in orange, Lila as she'd introduced herself earlier, was leaning against the wall just outside their classroom waiting for his return.

"Hi Damian! I talked with the teacher, and we felt it was best that you sit next to me while you're getting settled in. As class representative- "

He smoothly cut her off, "Thank you but I'm sure I'll manage fine. If I need any assistance, I'll speak with the teacher myself."

She glared at him before schooling her features into a look of concern, "Okay well just make sure you let someone know if Marinette begins bullying you. She's been known to take her frustrations out on others. We didn't want to say anything earlier since we try not to taint everyone view of her, but she just can't seem to help herself. She's constantly causing problems." Her eyes slid from his face to right behind his shoulder, "Oh Marinette I'm glad your back on time today! I was just telling Damian here about your issues. I hope you don't mind."

Marinette appeared at his side scowling at the girl, a silent conversation passing between them. Without reply Marinette swept past them both and into the classroom. Damian made to follow until Lila stepped in front of him placing her hands on his chest, "Don't let Marinette fool you. She seems kind when you first meet her, but she'll quickly turn on you, just ask anyone in the class. They all used to be her friends but a few years she just snapped and starting bullying everyone."

He stepped back walking around her, "I'm sure it has nothing to do with you lying to everyone, but I suppose we'll see wont we?" He couldn't find it in himself to care that he'd managed to make enemies on his first day of school.

He slid into his seat, "Remind me why I allowed my Father into talk me into joining my brother here?"

Marinette scoffed, "Last I heard you were volunteering to get away from Jason."

"Well I suppose I can deal with Lila if it means being away from Todd and Grayson. At least Drake isn't annoying, and easily bribed with coffee." At least she wasn't going to be horrible to sit next to for the rest of the year. Maybe he could even convince her to help him torture Drake while they're in Paris.

They lapsed back into silence as the teacher began the next lesson. Damian was relieved. She didn't immediately hate him, and at the very least she was more tolerable than anyone else he knew. Maybe he could even convince her to help him torture his brothers.