When a liar gets you left behind

Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Speedy Recovery

{———}

  Marinette's muscles ached with each movement she made as she got closer to the now-captured Akuma. She walked slowly, yet steadily as she passed the debris from the battle. Trash and rubble lay all around the path as she got closer and closer to the Akuma.

Disappointment flashed through her, as well as guilt and sorrow. Whether or not she had been taken, and had no control of the situation, at the moment, she could not help but feel slightly guilty. If she had just been here sooner—regardless of the issues she had faced recently in Gotham, this would have been over quickly, and smoothly.

"This isn't your fault," Chloé's voice rang out from in front of her, honesty ringing through her voice as she turned her head back towards Marinette.

Marinette pursed her lips for a moment, thinking of the right response. Because this was—no matter what had stopped her—been her fault, though she knew that she could not help it being her fault. She knew she had no control in that situation.

"It is." She let out a dry, thin laugh, "but I couldn't control why I wasn't here—I know that."

Chloé seemed to think about this for a few minutes, as she did not reply.

"Listen, none of this," Chloé said as she gestured to everything behind her, "Is your fault. You hear me?"

Marinette stared at the blond, her eyes on the ground, her guilt not going away.

"It's Hawkmoth's fault, okay?" She continued. "Without him, you would have nothing to worry about."

"Yes, but it's still partly my fault. Maybe the reason as to why this happened is Hawkmoth's fault," She agreed, "But how prolonged the fight was because of me. That, is my fault."

Chloé opened her mouth to disagree but stopped, she looked at Marinette intently before shaking her head in frustration and continuing to walk towards the Akuma.

Marinette watched as the disarray in the area doubled, mountains of crumbled concrete going up two times taller than her.

She looked down, instead staring at the large cracks in the concrete beneath her feet, feeling extremely guilty.

Then, the piles of trash and destroyed items opened up, a clearing coming out from the path.

There, right in the middle of the clearing, stood a purple object, Marinette recognized it as a purse.

Silently, Cat Noir, coming from who knew where, and Lady Honey came in from each side of her, slowly approaching the object.

Marinette mumbled under her breath: "Lucky Charm."

When the object appeared, she quickly through it up into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug."

And just like that, all the damage disappeared, the rumble being restored and the random things strewn in the streets being put back in their correct spots.

Marinette sighed as she finally felt the weight that had somehow sit itself on her shoulders leave, making it feel much easier for her to breath. She had not realized that she felt so burdened by this task, which made her feel slightly more guilty. She should not have to feel burdened by this, it was a job for her, but a job that brought her joy.

"Alright," Lady Honey said gently, her face showing none of her true emotions. "Let's get you back."

Cat Noir fell into step beside Marinette as she slowly walked and went to the edge of a nearby building, watching her with a careful eye of a cat.

"Rest for a bit, Ladybug. You deserve it." He walked in front of her, not waiting for a response.

Marinette nodded silently at this, then yo-yoed to the top of the building.

On the top, she quickly made a portal and slipped into it, satisfied with herself.

She had messed up, but she had fixed her mistake. That was what mattered.

As soon as she worked her way back to her Uncle and Aunt, they pushed her into the car, ready to take her to the doctor.

She did not protest when they drove their way to the doctor, knowing that it was futile, they would just ignore her.

She did, however, feel very sleepy. She struggled to fight the brutal battle of keeping her eyelids open.

"Aunt Penny, I'm going to go to sleep for a bit," She said briskly, her voice groggy as she closed her eyes.

Her aunt peered up at this. "I looked it up—and it isn't good to sleep after a concussion if you have slurred words—or if it was a serious one that caused the person to pass out."

But her head felt much better after being suited up for a bit—it still hurt, but the throb easily fell into the background.

"Her transformation should have healed any major injuries from the incident, just enough to keep her from dying," Tikki said helpfully.

"And I'm not slurring my words," Marinette added.

Her aunt watched her carefully. "Fine, you look exhausted."

She was sleepy, and too delirious to even process most any of her important thoughts, so she shoved them away.

She nodded in her aunt's direction and let sleep finally overcome her.

{———}

She was fine, overall. The doctor was very thorough with checking Marinette, being kind enough to even be patient with her as thought about her reply to each question he asked her.

After a careful and slow-paced check-up, the doctor announced that she would probably wake up with headaches for a few days to a few weeks, but that there was not going to be any permanent damage.

She had a slight concussion, so the doctor recommended that she should stay at home for the next few days, as her head would need to rest for a bit after being thrown about.

He also advised Penny to which medications she should go about giving Marinette, as certain ones would not be good to give to her at that time.

When she was told she had a slight concussion, she knew it was because of the Miraculous, as that was what made the most sense. Logically, she should have experienced something worse than a slight concussion.

She hoped that the Miraculous made her headaches go away quickly as well, that would help her focus just a tad more.

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