Marinette had been acting weird for the past month. She was distant and didn't go out as much as she used to. She spent most of her time in her room. Everybody was worried. Her friends and family couldn't understand what was wrong with her. Alya tried to talk to her about it but she kept insisting that everything was fine.
Marinette was in her room, lying on the floor and listening to music. She had been doing that a lot lately. She missed Master Fu. Ever since he left, she felt lonely. He was the one she could always turn to when she didn't know how to handle a situation and now all the responsibility was on her. She didn't know if she could handle it. Tikki kept telling her that she was ready and Master Fu wouldn't have done what he did if he didn't think so. It was still hard. Now, she had to be more careful than ever.
She was listening to the new Jagged Stone single when her parents shouted at her to come to the living room. She got up and went downstairs. In the living room, Marinette's parents and three friends were were sitting on the couch waiting for her to come down.
"Hey, guys. Is everything okay?" Marinette asked.
"Not really," her best friend replied.
"What's wrong?"
"Have a sit, honey," Sabine told her daughter.
"What is this? An intervention?"
"No. We just wanted to talk to you. We are worried about you. You have been very distant and closed off lately," Tom said.
"I am fine. You have nothing to worry about," Marinette tried to reassure them. " Yes, I'll admit that I have been going through something but you shouldn't worry. I am fine, now."
"What happened?" Adrien asked.
"I can't talk about it. I wish I could but I can't."
"Why can't you talk about it?" Nino asked.
"I can't tell you," Marinette said.
"Marinette, please. Just talk to us." her dad pleaded.
"Fine! Someone I love and trust very much had to leave very suddenly. I got to say goodbye but I miss him. I feel like I have no one to depend on. I feel so alone. He believed in me a lot but I don't know if I can be as good at it as he thinks I can be. " She couldn't look at anyone in the eyes. She wish she could tell them everything. She had worked so hard to keep her secret , there was no chance she was going to blow it now.
"Who was it?" her mom asked.
"It doesn't matter. You don't know him."
"Yes, it matters, Marinette," Alya said.
"Okay, his name is Wang Fu. Happy now?" Marinette told her. She got up and went upstairs to her room. The room was silent. Adrien was the one to break the silence, "I will go talk to her. I knew Wang Fu as well." He got up and went after Marinette. Adrien found her on thee balcony crying. She wiped her tears away but not before he saw her.
"Hey, Adrien."
"Hi, Mari. Can I talk to you for a bit?"
" Adrien, I am really not in the mood to talk about it again."
"Then, just listen. I understand that you miss Master Fu, I do too. But you shouldn't doubt yourself. You are a great guardian and an amazing Ladybug."
"What? How did you-?"
"You are smart enough to figure out how I know by yourself, Bugaboo."
"Kitty?"
"You are not alone. You have me. You can depend on me. We are a team, always have been always will be . You do know that, right, my lady?"
"I do. It is just that whenever I had a problem as Ladybug, I went to him. He said that my training is complete but I don't feel ready. I don't think I'll ever be ready."
"If you weren't ready then the lucky charm wouldn't have been that key chain alerting Master Fu of what he needed to do. He believed in you. I believe in you and I will do everything I can to make you believe in yourself."
"Thank you, my kitty. That was just what I needed to hear." Marinette said. Adrien smiled at her and held his hands out for a hug. She hugged him. They stayed like that for a while before deciding to go back to the others. They refused to tell them what they talked about and the others didn't pressure them. They were just happy to see Marinette feeling better, lighter.
