Jokes on You

Chapter 3

Marinette

When I got to the hospital, reporters were everywhere. I shoved through before turning to face them.
"If you don't leave right now, I'm through lawsuits at all of you for blocking the hospital entrance!" They scattered like bugs. Huffing I raced to the front desk, showed them my ID before rushing to the indicated room.
When I opened the door, Penny was sitting next to a hospital bed.
"Penny?" I asked
Her head snapped up, a tears streamed down her face as she stood and gathered me in a hug.
"What happened?" I groaned as I tried to control my tears, when my eyes landed on the unconscious man in the bed.
"He was walking Fang and someone tried to jump him. He got pushed into the road as a car came by. I got a call from the hospital an hour ago." She cried. I held her tightly as I wiped the tears away when she wasn't looking.
We sat down and started talking to Jagged as if he were awake, it only killed me more. When a doctor came in, and asked to speak with Penny, I knew it wasn't good. So while she was in the hallway, I grabbed Jagged's hand and proceeded to cry.
"Come on Jagged. You helped me survive Lila. When I was in the hospital you sat next to my bed and held my hand. And you waited for me to wake up. You knew I would, because you keep claiming I'm a fighter. Now I'm going to do it for you. Ok?" I whispered. "You gotta wake up. I need you to wake up. Your one of the only people I have left. I didn't tell you that mama and papa kicked me out, because I didn't want to worry you." Tears were streaming down my cheeks, and I felt awful. "Please, Uncle Jagged, you gotta wake up." I said as I wiped my tears away and gripped his hand harder. It was still cold. When the door opened I saw Penny walk over.
"Marinette, it's not good." She whispered
And I cracked. I let go of his hand and sobbed, covering my face as tears streamed down my cheeks at full speed.
"No. I-I can't lose anymore people! I can't!" I sobbed. Penny wrapped her arms around me as I sobbed into her shoulder. She gently stroked my hair, but didn't say anything. She knew I didn't want false hope. I pulled back wiped my eyes.
"I'm gonna go get some clothes, and coffee. Do you want anything while I'm out?" I asked quietly.
"Just coffee." She whispered, not taking her eyes off Jagged's still figure.
Nodding, I left.

When I got back to Karas house, I ignored her and MonEl as I headed upstairs. I gathered a bag, and shoved sweatpants, shirts, jeans, beanies, face wash, anything I might need. Before I threw in any sewing projects I could do while there, along with my sketchbook.
"Where are you going?" MonEl asked as he leaned against the doorframe.
"The hospital." I stated, as I held back a fresh batch of tears.
"Why?" He asked as he stepped inside.
"Because, a family member is there and I need to be there. He was there for me when I needed him. I'm going to be there when he wakes up." I refused to say if. I held my breath as I grabbed some last minute things, before leaving. "Tell Kara where I am. Just tell the front desk that your looking for me and they'll let you back."

I had three coffee cups in my hand, my bag on my back, and pastries in another bag. I was just outside of the hospital, when I was stopped.
"What are you doing?"
Groaning, I turned and saw Damian standing behind me.
"I'm staying here with my aunt and uncle." My voice cracked on the word uncle. When he didn't say anything, but stared at me, I sighed and glared. "What do you want Damian?"
"I want to know why the hell your here?" He stepped closer. Almost threateningly. Almost.
"What do you want me to tell you?" I said as frustration and dread pooled in my stomach. I need to get back to Jagged, I don't want to be away too long.
"Why are you here, in Gotham?" He crossed his arms.
I sighed. "I can't do this right now." I said and turned around and started to walk away. I felt a hand grab my arm and turn me around.
"Why are you here?" He asked again, his voice cold and fierce.
Tears streamed down my face. "What do you want me to say!? My parents kicked me out? My uncle is in the hospital?! What do you want Damian!? What do you want from me? I dont want anything to do with you, but you obviously want something from me." I took a deep breath, and wiped my eyes. "Just stay away from me, Ice Prince." I took off into the hospital and didn't look back.

The room was silent.
The only thing you could hear was a heart monitor.
"I got coffee, and treats." I said as I handed Penny a drink and the bag from the bakery. I set my bag of clothes down in a corner, before taking a seat next to Penny and Jagged. I sipped my coffee and stared at Jagged, watching his chest rise and fall.
"Why are you in Gotham Mari?" Penny asked.
"They kicked me out thanks to Lila. I'm staying with my Godmother." I whispered, my eyes not leaving Jagged's.
"How's Tikki?" Penny asked. "I saw the latest Akuma. How you feeling?"
"Sore, but I'm ok." Lie. I broke at least a rib.
"Jagged as a friend here in the city. I'm not sure if I should call him. They haven't talked in awhile, and I don't know if it's crossing a line." Penny said. "I don't know what to do!" She cried. "My fiancé is laying in a hospital bed! And he might not wake up! I hate sitting here not knowing!" Penny yelled as fresh tears race down her face. I set both of our cups of coffee on a stand before pulling her into a hug as she sobbed.
I swallowed the lump in my throat the best I could. "It's going to be ok." I whispered as confidently as I could, but not believing a single word. "He'll wake up, and be ready to sing his heart out." I felt my own tears race down my cheeks. As I pulled back and wiped Penny's away. "He's going to wake up." I stated.
"I hope so. Or he won't know he's going to be a dad." She whispered it so quietly, I almost didn't hear it.
"Your pregnant?" My voice cracking.
"Yeah." She breath with a smile.
"When?" I asked as a smile grew on my face.
"A few days ago. I had an appointment today to confirm it. That's why I wasn't with Jagged when-"
"When this happened." I said, glancing at Jagged.
I sighed. Can this get any worse?
Then the door opened, and a tall, broad man walked inside, with five people behind him.

"Who are you?" I asked, standing between them and Jagged.
"My name is Bruce Wayne, I'm an old friend of Jagged's." He said solemnly. "Who are you?"
"My name is Marinette, I'm Jagged's niece. Why are you here? And who are they?"
"I'm here to check on my friend, and these are my sons. And one of them is my sons friend. Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, and Jon."
The second I saw Damian, I glared harshly at him. I crossed my arms before nodding my head at the other.
"Hey, Marinette. How are you?" Jon asked as he stepped forward.
"I'm fine, Jon. And go away." I said before retreating back to Penny's side.
"Hi, I'm Penny Rowling. Jagged's fiancé." Penny said as she walked over to shake their hands. I ignored them in favor of grabbing Jagged's hand. The noise and voices faded till the only thing I heard was the heart monitor.
"Come on Jagged." I whispered, but the heart monitor got faster with each passing second. The beeping growing louder. And I was shoved to the side as a team of doctors surrounded the only remaining family I had. I watched as they pulled out the defibrillator, one was performing CPR, and the others were shouting numbers while two nurses wrote the numbers down. I felt my back hit a wall and I slid down it as a wave of helplessness fell over me like a blanket. I threw my hands over my ears as I tried to suppress a sob. I heard the word clear five times, before the beeping calmed down, and everyone sighed in relief. I didn't move. I stayed still, my head on my knees, and my hands over my ears.

I didn't leave the hospital. I nearly left the room. I didn't eat or sleep. Just watched. I made sure Penny ate enough, and got some sleep, but other then that I didn't do anything.
One night, while Penny was asleep, I crawled into bed with Jagged.
"Please wake up Jagged. I need you. I need you right now, more then ever. It took me two days to wake up from Lilas attack. It's been a week, Jagged. Please just open you eyes and tell me your ok. Tell me that I can move past everything that's happened. Start bragging about how amazing I am, while I blush seven shades of red." I begged. I don't know how much longer I can handle this. Losing people that I love and cherish. First my friends, then Chat, then my family, now Jagged.
"I can't keep losing people. Jagged, tell me what to do. Please. I'm so lost right now, I can't see the sky, or tell where solid ground is."
I sat up, kissed his head, before walking out of the room. I just wondered the halls, before I realized I was on the roof. I walked to the edge and looked down. The hospital was half the size Wayne Enterprises is. I leaned a little bit more, and actually thought about jumping before I sat down with my legs hanging over the edge.
"What are you doing here Damian?" I asked
He sat down next to me. "Checking on you. I actually thought you were going to jump for a moment."
"I thought about it. I have plenty of reasons to do it. But I'm not done until I know Jagged will wake up. And I'm running out of hope." I said through the growing lump.
"I'm—I'm—I'm sorry. About how I treated you."
"Damian don't. I know who you are, so just don't." I said as I looked out across the city. I felt completely alone. I couldn't figure out how to not feel like this.
"I'm not good with friends. I don't know how to act, but I want to be your friend." He whispered, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulling me against his chest. "I know you might feel alone, but Jon and I want to help you. We want to be your friends." I quickly wiped my eyes and sighed heavily.
"Thank you." I whispered.