"Anyways, did I hear Chat Noir call you Mari?" Alya teased, Marinette blushed a bit. "Please Alya, everybody calls me that." That was a lie, nobody ever called her that. Alya just laughed at her shy friend. "Marinette, come on. It was still so cool how you fought off that akuma with your crutches!" Alya said. She just being proud of her best friend, but Marinette was embarrassed. "I don't know Alya, I think I was being a little rash. I honestly don't even know how I did that, pluss it didn't even end well. Figures though, clumsy me." Marinette laughed. "I bet you just did it to get closer to Chat Noir." A voice Marinette knew all to well spoke. Chloe. "Trying to catch the fast train to fame Marinette? I don't blame you. Bet you were hoping to show off infront of Chat so he'd fall for you instead of Ladybug." "What? No. That's not it at all. I just thought he could use some help when Ladybug had to leave." "Whatever! Like it matters what you say. Quit trying to be Ladybug Moron-ette. Compared to her, you're nothing. Why don't you go destroy a china-shop or something?" Chloe Laughed evilly. Marinette just looked down. She already knew she was nothing compared to Ladybug, but when Chloe said it, it just made things worse. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. "Go away Chloe? Do you have nothing better to do?" Adrien stood there with Nino behind him. "You're right Adrikins. Come on! There are much better things to be doing than being in the same place as these low-lifes." "Whatever Chloe." Adrien said, sitting down next to Marinette. Her face flushed as she watched Chloe huff and stomp away. The 4 all sat down and laughed. Alya kept bringing up Marinette heroism, who politely kept turning it down. "Come on Marinette, you got to at least pat yourself of the back a bit." Adrien said. As he started to pat Marinette's back to make his point she gasped in pain. Her eyes teared up as Marinette held her breath in an attempt to control her breathing. "Marinette! Are you alright?" Nino asked concerned. "Girl talk to me. What did you do." Alya asked Adrine, confused. "I-I don't know. I just-" Adrien face palmed, "oh my gawd, he back. I am so sorry Marinette. Are you alright?" Adrien asked feeling really guilty. Marinette had tried to regain her composure as fast as she could an put on a fake smile. "O-oh yeah. S-sorry Adrien. Um.. You just-I mean, I just--... Umm, I mean-- I'm fine!!!" Marinette managed to make it seem like it was just because Adrien was the one the touched her. They bought it. Adrien seemed confused, but Alya and Nino smiled, completely unaware of the amount pain Marinette was in. "It's alright bro." Nino said, placing a hand on his buddies shoulder. Marinette just sat there, trying to hide her face.

The day went on. Marinette found it hard to walk since that morning and it was only getting harder. Tikki sat on her shoulder because the street was empty.

"Why did you lie to your friends?" Tikki asked as she munched on a small cookie. "Because I don't want to worry them anymore than I already have Tikki." Before Tikki could open her mouth she sensed someone coming and hid. Marinette looked around to see a hooded man in black clothed walking behind her. No one else was on the street. Marinette got a bad feeling and started to head for a main road. The man never changed his pace, but it was still fast. Hoping he'd just past by her, Marinette stopped, set down her crutches and pretended to tie her shoe. To her dismay, he stopped with her. "You're a friend of that girl who writes the Ladyblog, yes?" He asked. Marinette looked up. "Yes???..." All she could see was his disgusting smile. "Perfect." The man grabbed her shoulders and shoved her into a nearby alley. "Ahh." Marinette fell to the ground and her stomach. The man spoke again as she tried to get up. Before she could the man place a foot on her back and stepped down. "You're more beautiful in person." Marinette screamed in pain. "Best part is, you're so badly injured, I won't have to worry about you fighting back." He laughed and Marinette wanted to vomit, but the pain was to much. She tried to stand up still, ignoring her pain. She was to her hands and knees when he stopped laughing to speak again. "Oh yeah? Let's see how you deal with this!" The man stomped full force on Marinette back. She had managed to crawl away bit while he spoke, but now her stomach landed on a broken bottle. She could feel the sharp glass against her skin. She gasped and groaned in pure pain. "Stop! P-Please." Marinette breathed out as she tried o stand up again. Once again the man stomped her to the ground. The glass set gashes in Marinette's skin. "Hmm... No." The man flipped Marinette over. "Now, let's get a good look at you." He said as he pulled glasses out of his pocket. Marinette couldn't see him all that well due to fading vision, but could hear his words clearly. "Damn bitch! You are ugly as fuck!" The man laughed and Marinette could hear him run away laughing. When she was sure he was gone She used all her energy to open her bag. "Tikki...Spots..on." Marinette transformed. She knew she didn't have much energy, even in this form, but at least she had enough to get home.

Ladybug de-transformed on the balcony. Marinette crawled into her room and fell onto her bed. Marinette passed out on her bed like that. Her clothes were ripped and torn and her stomach was cut up. Tikki knew the trouble there would be if Marinette's parents saw her like this, so she gently covered the girl with a blanket.

The next morning Marinette's mom came up into her room to find her sleeping. When she tried to wake her daughter, Marinette barely responded. Naturally, her mom checked for a fever. "Oh honey, you're burning up. Hun! Call the school, Marinette need's to stay home today."

Marinette woke up from her dreamless empty sleep to a darkened room. Marinette didn't even register it as she got changed and ready for school. As she was putting her shoes on, Marinette heard a tapping at her window. It didn't seem to faze her as she drowsily opened the window. "A little birdy told me someone skipped school. Honestly princess, I didn't take you for a rebel." Marinette just looked at him, her eyes still barely open. The was a moment of silence when something registered in Marinette's brain for the first time all day. "Chat Nior!!!" She yelped as she jumped back from shock. He exploded with laughter. Marinette looked around to see that it was dark because the sun had gone down. She ran to check her phone, the date, She had slept all day. Chat was on the ground in laughter when she saw a note left for her on her desk.

"Hey honey. Called you off today. go back to bed and sleep. ~mom"

"Oh yeah, ha ha very funny. Will you get up?" Marinette said sarcastically to Chat who was whipping a tear from his eye. "You wound be princess." Chat said dramatically. Marinette just rolled her eye's. "And you annoy me. Come on silly kitty. Wanna watch a movie?" Chat's ears perked up, but Marinette noticed a sudden pain in her gut. She stopped and remembered what had happened. 'I can't let Chat know.' "Um... Why don't you just turn my computer on. I left a show on on Netflix. Just watch that. I'll be back." Marinette ran to the bathroom and Chat flung himself in front of her computer. He turned on the screen to a live-action Sabrina the teenage witch. It had been paused in a screenshot of Salem, the black cat. Chat didn't know how to feel about this. He left it and waited for Marinette.

In her dress making room, Marinette took off her shirt and looked at herself in a full length mirror. Her stomach had gashes that still held some green glass shards. There were two full length mirrors facing each other. It had been set up like that for her. She looked at the reflection of her back. It was seriously bruised. She couldn't stand straight up either. Her foot was almost healed, but was still wrapped. Marinette couldn't believe herself. Tears of shame started to well up in her eye's.

"Princess did you honestly-"Chat stopped when he saw her. Marinette collapsed onto her knees and covered her head with her hands. "Please. Don't look." Marinette shouted, trying not to cry. She didn't want cry. Chat was speechless. His friend who had been so selfless as to help him and some random kid, was seriously hurt. "Mari... What... What is this?" He asked. "When did this happe-" He stopped himself because he already knew the answer. "I-I'm sorry." He heard Marinette whisper. "Sorry for what?" Chat was starting to get upset. How could she not tell him. How could she just pretend everything was alright. How could she lie to him. "I'm so sorry. I just--" Marinette was finding it harder not to cry. She took a deep breath and stood up. Marinette forced herself to be void of any emotion so she wouldn't cry. Chat saw her stomach and ran to her. "Mari, how--- what happened?!" She sat him down. She wanted him to be calm and smile again. What she wouldn't give to see his signature smirk right now. "Listen Chat. I'm fine. Some creepy stalker just tried to attack me. In the end he left me alone so it's fine. The only reason got seriously hurt is because in my attempts to get away, I didn't see the bottle. It's my fault. Please don't be upset with me. It won't happen again. Next time I'll fight harder. I-I wont fail." "Next time? Really?" Chat asked, his hair covered his face. Marinette bowed her head in shame and nodded. "I-I mean, ho-hopefully there won't be a next-t time though. R-right?" She asked carefully. Chat was very upset, but he kept his emotions in check. Marinette still knew he feelings though. He stood up. "Come on." Chat said, holding out a hand. "We need to get you cleaned up. If you can ACTUALLY stand Mari?" Marinette filched at his words as she took his hand. Chat lead her to her chaise. "Umm..." Marinette didn't know what to do. "We need to at least get the glass out of your skin." Marinette nodded in understanding. Not a word was said as Chat skillfully used tweezers to take the glass out. He then had Marinette stand up so he could wrap a bandage around her. "What's this?" He asked, her back was covered in bruises, he was sure that there were some broken bones too, but he was curious when he saw a bruise shaped like a boot print. "What's what?" Marinette asked, just looking forward. "This one looks like a boot." Mairnette tensed. "Oh, um..." "There's no use hiding it from my at this point Mari." Marinette sighed. "When the guy attacked me he threw me on the ground. Every time I tried to stand up, he would stomp on my back. When I tried to crawl away I didn't notice the beer bottle that ended up under me until he stomped on me again. It broke under me and..." Marinette trailed off, remembering what the man had said. Chat clenched his fists in anger. Marinette could feel his frustration radiate off him. She just bowed her head. "I'm sorry." It was all she could think of to say. Chat stood up and walked toward the window. "I need to go. Get some sleep. I'll check on you to make sure you're up." Marinette just sat there in shame as Chat bounded away. Tikki was already asleep so Marinette curled up alone on her chaise, determined not to cry.

Chat sat on a house a ways away, watching his princess curl up on her chaise. 'Marinette. I'm sorry for not being there.' A tear fell from Chat's eye, he was upset with himself for not being there for Marinette. He couldn't believe how blind he was to the amount of pain she was in. How could he be so stupid. He felt something flutter passed him. 'A-an akuma? Here? But why--' He stopped. "Mari!" He said aloud. "Oh no you don't." Chat said as he captured the akuma in a jar his kwami gave him. It was so he could catch akuma's when Ladybug wasn't around. It couldn't purify them, but it made sure they never reached their target.