Marinette's POV
It's been twelve days. If it were the twelve days of Christmas, maybe she would've felt even a tad bit better.
Well, now, she feels better. A little off physically, but she can lie about that to her doctor because she thinks she's better anyway. She's finally getting out.
"I made your favorite," her papa says.
Fruit cream cake - she hopes she can muster enough appetite to finish it whole.
She eagerly sits in the wheelchair and lets her papa push her through the white boring halls, into the elevator, and finally out the automatic glass doors.
When she stands, her legs quiver. She looks up at her papa, hoping he didn't notice and wouldn't worry, and only then does she start walking towards their van.
But her secret - how every step was like walking through fire - wouldn't stay hidden for long. She falls barely even a meter near the vehicle, numb in pain.
"Neurogenic Atrophy. I am hoping that after a few physical therapy sessions, you'll be back on your feet like before. Worst case scenario, you become limited to a wheelchair if you're not able to recover." Her neurologist says, still lacking sympathy as always. There's no 'I'm sorry.' that comes after that.
She's still sitting on the MRI table as her mother hugs and weeps into her shoulder. She feels as numb as her legs are, to be honest.
"Don't worry, Mama. We'll be strong. We'll fight through this, just like always," she still says.
In truth, she wants to die. If the result would only be her death, why not do it now? Why not fall dead right here, right now? They would understand.
The rest of the day, she listens to her physical therapist detail the treatment. She doesn't say anything at all. They try the bars again, and when she falls midway through and calls it a day, she fakes a smile. It's still a smile.
They suggested she use the wheelchair as much as possible, but after a long night discussing the pros and cons, her parents let her ditch it the next day and go to school.
Her classmates throw her a party for one whole period - balloons and paper cutouts to act as confetti.
She's the last to go out of the room when the lunch bell rings. Alya holds her by the arm the entire time they walk to the cafeteria, collapsing once she finally reaches a chair to sit on.
She contemplates the first time this happened, but back then, she didn't have Alya. She looks at her best friend, who looks at her from the lineup. This time, she has Alya.
Heading to the music room, she struggles and even falls once. Adrien noticed this, almost missing a step as he darts down the staircase.
Kira, the young girl she has set to teach, visibly trembles in worry.
"Marinette, your friends told me that you were hospitalized for so long. What happened?"
The young blonde leaves her violin on the floor as she finishes toning it. Marinette sighs. She's decided to open up to those who she knows will be there for her, fighting alongside her.
"I have a medical condition. It costs me my muscle function and coordination. It basically destroys my nervous system, I guess. It also affects my heart, causing it to occasionally stop." Kira's eyes widen, waters even, to which she only chuckles.
"W-why are you laughing?"
"There's nothing we can do, Kira."
"Cheer up, Maestro. You're strong. You're gonna get through this." Kira chokes out, on the verge of tears.
"You haven't told me what it is."
"It's Friedreich's Ataxia. It's a really rare disease. I guess I really lucked out."
"No, no." She breaks at the sight of the girl breaking down, so she gets up to fetch a black case abandoned by the door. She opens it, catching the other's attention. They haven't stopped sobbing, but she has their attention.
Its outer is of thick authentic leather. The black velvet inside makes it addictively soft to the touch. She turns it to face the younger, showing her junior the fresh-looking baroque violin with the signature of Isaac Stern.
Brown eyes look at her confused, "Think of it as an early Christmas present, and don't think of rejecting it."
"I didn't think I'm part of your will," and those mahogany-colored eyes now focus on the maroon floor.
"You could die, right?" She kneels, hugging the oh-so-small girl.
"I'm still here."
YOU ARE READING
Take Me With You ✓
Fanfiction"Love is a springtime plant that perfumes everything with its hope, even the ruins to which it clings." Marinette Dupain-Cheng was diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia at the age of eleven-an incurable, slowly progressing, genetic disease that will e...
