AU where Marinette isn't part French, but part American! Born in New York and moved to Paris for middle school (I actually have no idea what the heck middle school is, here there's only pre-school, primary school, high school and university). Also swearing because I can.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was on her phone when she first walked into her new school. She always found that having something to do would make her more confident about new places. Talking on her phone, texting, listening to music, it gave her the confidence to hold her chin up high and tall.

"No, no, no, honey, you need to pair those jeans up with the crimson tank top, you know, the one with the sequins? Yeah, the one I picked for you. It goes great on your skin tone, and you know how red and black goes together like yin and yang." She paused in her conversation. Heads were already turning to look at the girl with the heavy American accent. "Oh yeah, I'm here now, actually. Yeah, it's broad daylight, and there aren't even any skyscrapers! I've been here for two weeks and I'm already homesick."

A blond girl with tacky clothes was walking up to her, followed by a red-head that was a stereotypical nerd if Marinette ever saw one. The blunette eyed them before returning to her conversation.

"I swear, some of these people have the worst taste in clothes. I ain't kidding, there's a girl wearing the tackiest clothes I've ever seen! Makes my eyes want to barf." She let out a loud, wholehearted laugh, and by that laugh anyone could tell this girl was confident and warm and loving. "Reyna, babe, that boy has been in love with you since grade two, you're just blind as a bat with macular degeneration."

"Excuse me, new girl!" The blond folded her arms and plastered a fake smile on her face. Marinette glanced at her, scanning over her clothes and face again.

"Listen, Rey, there's a literal Barbie doll here wanting my attention. I'll call you later, 'kay? Alright babe, tell me everything later. Bye." She hung up her phone and turned her wide blue eyes innocently blinking at the blond in front of her. "Can I help you, doll?"

The blond flipped her heavily sprayed hair. "My name's Chloe, and I'm here to show you who to hang out with and who to never go near." Chloe flashed another fake smile at the American, who waved a hand.

"I'm sure I can find my own way around, but thanks anyway!"Just as she was about to brush past the obvious bully, manicured nails dug into Marinette's arm. "Christ, woman, what are those nails made of? Metal?"

"Listen here, bitch. My Daddy's the mayor, so you better do what I tell you." Chloe hissed. Marinette stood still for a second before wrenching her arm away and cracking her fingers menacingly. Students across the courtyard had stopped their conversation to watch.

"You listen here. I don't care if your daddy's the mayor of Paris or the president of America, tell me what to do and y'all are gonna have a bad time." Marinette's voice betrayed her inner emotions, particularly anger and annoyance. "I come from a place where bullies like you were around every corner. Do you wanna know what I was taught to do when a someone like you threatens me?" She cracked her knuckles again as Chloe grew pale. "Didn't think so. Now run along and no-one needs to get hurt today, alright," Marinette pushed her face to stare right into the eyes of the Parisian. "doll?"

Chloe literally ran away the moment she thought no-one was looking. Marinette let a satisfied smirk work its way onto her face, and finally noticed the thirty or so students watching her with looks of awe. She walked forward, towards where the principal's office was, and turned around, winking at everyone behind her, leaving boys practically swooning and girls admiring her.

Knocking on the door to the principal's office, she nudged open the door with her foot. "Mr. Damocles?" The bald man looked up from his paperwork to see the girl standing in the doorway.

"Ah, yes, Marinette Dupain-Cheng? I have your timetable and a school map here, and your guide should be just outside." He handed her the folder, which held a few pieces of paper. She took it with a polite smile.

"Thanks, sir." She called as she strode out of the office, turning to be faced with a boy with glasses chewing bubblegum. 

He leaned close to her face, inspecting her and blowing a bubble only to let it pop right in her face.

Seemingly satisfied when she barely blinked, he leaned back and held out a hand. "Sup. I'm Nino, your official guide." Hesitantly taking his hand, she let a smile overtake her face.

"Marinette, but my friends call me Mari. Official new girl." She quipped. "Okay, I am so using that for everyone I meet." He grinned and shook her hand firmly.

"You're the one who totally dissed Chloe, right?" At her nod, he grinned wider. "This is the start of a beautiful friendship, Mari."He slung an arm around her shoulders and lead her around.

Often, students would turn and stare at them for one of three reasons. One, new students at school were rare, and this one was even American! Two, gossip traveled like wildfire, and everyone heard about the girl who put Chloe in her place. Three, Nino and Marinette were laughing wildly at some witty comment that the latter made. This was the state they were in when they walked into first period class, to meet two other people who were staring strangely at the pair.

"Dudinette, please teach me your sassy ways." Nino managed to get out after his laughing subsided, the two of them leaning on each other at the front of the classroom. Marinette let out one last laugh.

"Shell, dude, I'd be glad to just so we can both attack the Bee." She leaned an elbow on his shoulder, turning to face the two in front of them. "Alright, official guide, who're they?"

"This here is my man Adrien, you know, the model I was telling you about?" Nino pointed at Adrien who gave a polite wave. She nodded.

"Alright, the first blond who wears stupid amounts of makeup I shouldn't insult, okay. Well, I will insult but not until we're friends." She had an exaggerated contemplative look on her face which made Nino chuckle.

He pointed to the auburn haired girl behind them who was staring at Marinette intensely. "And that's Alya."

"Girl who I should definitely not get on the bad side of. Got it." She fist-bumped Nino. "Thanks, Shell."

"No prob, Spots." He replied with a grin. They had discussed a bunch of stuff, including favourite animals. His was a turtle, hers a ladybug, so their respective nicknames came from that, as per her request. Her friends back in New York had nicknames based on their favourite animals.

Marinette slid into the seat beside Alya, who continued to study her. She raised an eyebrow at the bespectacled girl before shrugging and turning to introduce herself to Adrien.

"Hey." Her heavy accent made him turn to face her. She smiled and stuck out a hand. "I'm Marinette, official new girl. Adrien, right?" He nodded and took her hand to shake it.

"Yeah. You're American?" He watched as her smile turned into a huge grin.

"The accent didn't give it away?" She teased, leaning back in her seat as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, from the Big Apple. Paris sure is different from there, no yellow taxis, no tall skyscrapers to climb to the top of, no constant noise all night and... not even one stand sellin' cheap, greasy hot dogs." Her smile grew sad, her eyes trailing off to the side as homesickness overtook her.

"Homesick?" Adrien offered a kind smile as she nodded.

She dragged a hand through her hair as she leaned an arm on her desk. "This place is nothing like home. I still can't sleep well with this silence. Weird, huh?" She chuckled lightly. "Damn it, there I go, being depressingly serious again. Anyway, either of you know why she's staring at me like that?" Marinette pointed towards Alya with her thumb, where she was still staring, hand at her chin.

Nino and Adrien's attention was directed towards Alya, who finished staring and held out a hand. "I'm Alya. You're the one that caused all the drama earlier, right?"

Adrien looked confused. "Drama?"

At that moment, Chloe stormed into the classroom, the unfortunate red-head following timidly. Marinette let out a loud groan. "Ninoooo, you didn't tell me she was in this class!"

Nino scratched the back of his head. "She's in all... our... classes..." Marinette stared at him for a full five seconds before thumping her head on her desk and started ranting to herself.

"Come on, seriously? All classes with Miss 'I rule the world'? Even PE? I won't have the energy to even sass her properly! This is just great, where Reyna when you need her?" She rambled on under her breath, which Alya could clearly hear. Her moment was interrupted at the loud and whiny screech that was the voice of Chloe.

"Adrikins! You won't believe what this new girl said to me this morning!" She draped herself on Adrien, oblivious to how he started shying away uncomfortably. Marinette could barely hold in her laugh.

"Hey there doll."

Chloe's head shot up to stare at the grinning blunette above her, her gaze soon followed by the other three. "You again?!"

Marinette snickered, folding her arms behind her head. "Aw, are we not friends? We even have nicknames," she pointed at Chloe, "doll and," she twisted her hand and pointed at herself, "bitch, right?"

Adrien glanced at Chloe. "You called her a bitch?" Nino sat with an amused expression, and Alya was secretly filming for the school blog.

"I-uh- She threatened me!"

"After you called me a bitch."

"You blew me off!"

"Politely. There was no need to dig your metal nails into my skin and call me a bitch."

"You said my clothes were tacky!"

"One, I was stating the truth. Two, eavesdropping on people's conversations is rude! Especially while I'm on the phone."

"Ugh! Adrikins, can you believe her?"

"And you come up with the worst and most uncreative names ever. Just because I call you doll doesn't mean you have to actually act like you have a lump of plastic instead of a brain, honey."

Adrien stifled a laugh, making Chloe glare at him. Nino didn't even try to hide his laugh. "Okay, that was a good one." Marinette tipped her head towards him.

"Thank you." She said with a Cheshire-cat grin as Chloe huffed and finally moved away to her seat opposite Adrien. "I have a feeling she's gonna be a real bee in my bonnet." She switched her accent for a Southern belle kind of tune. Alya laughed now. "What? Don't laugh at me, hun, I ain't a comedian!" She mock scolded her new friend, who just laughed harder.

"Wow, girl. I have a feeling we're going to get along just fine."

"I should hope so. I didn't try my best to be funny for no reason!"

~*~

As the day went on, Alya, Nino and Adrien found a deeper persona to Marinette's normally joking personality. They saw her homesickness, her unrelenting kindness and protective streak, her deep understanding of every emotion and reason conceivable. They saw her anxiety and PTSD.

Now, here's where the story gets dark. Marinette didn't move to Paris, halfway across the world, for no reason. She moved to get away from all the accusing glares and distrusting stares.

She was accused of murdering her best friend.

Her best friend, Hannah, was what you would call a bad influence. Hannah was always desperate for attention, most of all from her best friend. She would purposely injure herself, make it seem like others hurt her, to turn Marinette's attention on her and away from anyone else. Hannah also whispered lies to Marinette to try and make herself look like a perfect angel compared to everyone else. But it was when Marinette made new friends that her jealous greed got out of hand.

Marinette met three people at a camp that Hannah hadn't gone to. Reyna, Drew, and Chase. They all were close, and she found out that they were truly good people. She started making plans to meet up with them, leaving Hannah behind.

Hannah grew so jealous, so angry that Marinette was abandoning her, that she planned everything. She planned her death in a way that it would look like murder. She planned to send her diary to Marinette to tell her the truth. Marinette would never forget her again. She would make sure of it, even if it was from the grave.

Marinette had found the body. Blood, so much blood, and a knife, and a diary in a plastic bag labelled 'To Marinette'. And the eyes that were still open, staring right at her with a sick grin on the dead face.

Forensic scientists proved that Marinette was innocent. The only prints on the knife used to kill Hannah were her own. But that didn't stop the rumors, the stares. It was too much for a girl with anxiety, and now PTSD too.

None of her new Parisian friends knew this story. They could only see the way she'd shake at the slightest sign of blood. The way she dropped the bread knife one time and froze, hands shaking violently, and the way her mother picked up the knife and brought her to the bathroom, before coming back and apologising, saying Marinette had thrown up. The way she whimpered in her sleep at their first sleepover. The way she curled up against Adrien, hiding her face in his chest during a movie she couldn't watch because there was murder.

They could only see that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was broken, but they didn't know why.

~*~

Three months after the American's arrival, a talent show was announced. Marinette was well aware of her talents, which included ballet, designing and singing, but didn't really feel up to entering. Until Chloe insulted her.

"I bet Marinette Dupain-Cheng wouldn't even be allowed to audition! She's so terrible at everything!" The blond cackled from down the hall, Sabrina next to her nervously tugging at her vest. Sabrina, in fact, quite liked Marinette, as everyone did since discovering her endearing clumsiness, her kindness extended to everyone, and her general friendly nature. However, Chloe always refused to believe the Chinese American was better than she said she was.

Marinette glanced up from inside her locker, a grin forming on her face. "Says the cackling witch!" She called down the corridor, earning snickers from various people. Chloe scowled and stalked away as Marinette gathered her books in her arms and kicked her locker closed before heading over to Alya, Nino and Adrien.

She watched as Adrien laughed while he heard Nino's failed attempt to flirt with Alya. His green eyes crinkled and sparkled more than usual, laughter ringing not too loudly but not softly either. A dimple appeared next to his mouth when he smiled, and his rosy cheeks glowed with life. Marinette really wasn't surprised that most of the girls liked him.

She wasn't surprised when she fell for him.

It was raining that day, two months ago now. Marinette had a determined grin on her face, preparing to dash into the rain and get home as fast as she could. A hand laid on her shoulder, connected to the blond boy with a warm smile, offering a black umbrella. She had waved it off, explaining that she loved the rain and she adored the adrenaline rush she got whenever she raced home. 

He grinned at her, mischief twinkling in his eyes as he threw away the umbrella, grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the rain, and the two of them sprinted straight towards her house, feet thumping against the concrete and laughing so much their lungs nearly gave out. They burst into the warm home, clutching their stomachs and leaning on each other. Her mother had chuckled and gave them both towels, and asked if Adrien would like to stay the night. After a quick call with Nathalie, he agreed.

Marinette and Adrien enjoyed her mother's home made cooking, laughed at her father's bad puns and even harder at Adrien's, watched a bunch of movies and fell asleep next to each other. When she woke up first... it was 3 am. She'd jolted awake after another nightmare, panting slightly, shaken by Hannah's insane grin and taunts. She'd looked around...

And her eyes fell on Adrien's peacefully sleeping face. And she was calm.

Every muscle was relaxed, except for a smile still resting on his lips. His emerald eyes closed, lashes laid against his cheeks, and soft breaths escaped his nose. A single line of moonlight illuminated his face from the open curtain, almost making him glow.

It took her breath away. He took her breath away.

Over the next few weeks, she noticed the little things about her newfound crush. The way his eyes sparkled when he smiled, and the way his forehead crinkled when he was concentrating hard, and the way he organised his locker, and how he would always hold open doors for her, and offer to pay for carnival games and ice-cream whenever they went out with Nino and Alya, and... It was only recently when she discovered how deep she was in when she caught herself staring, smiling for no reason other than the fact that he was smiling.

Shaking herself out of her trip down memory lane, Marinette approached her friends. Alya noticed her and grabbed her shoulders with a grin.

"You're entering the Talent Show, right?" The excited brunette shook the startled American, much to Nino's and Adrien's amusement. 

"I wasn't planning on it, but someone's gotta put the Queen Bee in her place, right?" She said, returning Alya's grin with a sparkling smile of her own. "If no-one else steps up, might as well be lil' old me. And anyway, this can be karma for the insult earlier."

Adrien frowned. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty because of Chloe's possessive behaviour, and more than a little concerned for his friend's mental and physical health. "What did she say this time?" 

Marinette waved a hand flippantly. "She said I'm talentless, but I'll show her. Just you wait, pretty boy." She smirked as she poked his nose, internally cheering as a light blush invaded his cheeks. 

Alya snorted. "Yeah, this one has many hidden talents. She sings, she dances, she can act like a pro, she designs and makes her own clothes, she cooks, she bakes, she is as flexible as a freaking snake, she's hella strong, like stronger than Kim strong, she is scarily skilled at martial arts, I could go on forever."

Marinette rolled her eyes and gently punched her friend affectionately. "Yeah, but I'm also clumsy as all heck, I'm a stuttering mess in front of my idols, I can't look at blood with shaking and or throwing up, I can't play any sport that involves a ball because my instincts tell me to move out of the way, not catch the damn thing, I can't write anything easily, essays, reports, stories, I'm incredibly naive and gullible and I..." 

By now, thoughts of Hannah had filled her mind and her eyes were stinging. Her hands were shaking violently and her heart was beating wildly against her chest, in her ears, filling up every sound. She chocked on a sob before finishing her sentence in front of worried friends. 

"I-I couldn't see that she was lying... I couldn't... I couldn't m-make friends... I couldn't escape the stares... I can't... I can't blame her after all she's done and I still can't forget her like I want to and I can't blame her I can only blame myself and it's all my fault, if only I saw what she was doing, why didn't I see what she was doing, why..."

Her eyes rolled back in their sockets and she hit the ground with a sickening crack.

~*~

Beep... beep... beep...

Marinette opened her cerulean blue eyes to meet with a white ceiling and soothing regular beeps. Lights were gentle and the room, wherever it was, was quiet and serene. Beeps that would always continue at a regular pace as long as she lived... wait what?

Slowly sitting up, she groaned as pain speared through the back of her head. Confused, she looked around to be faced with...

A hospital room.

Shit.

The door opened, revealing a nurse with a clipboard in her hands, pen in the other. The nurse blinked at her sitting up, before smiling. "How do you feel?"

"Like the back of my head has just been impaled." Marinette answered honestly. The nurse chuckled.

"You're not far from the truth." She said, writing on her clipboard. Marinette furrowed her brow in confusion. "According to a Ms. Alya Cesaire and a Mr. Adrien Agreste, you fainted after apparently having a panic attack, and fell onto a piece of broken glass which was lodged in your skull. You should be okay once it's healed up, you have a few stitches right now."

She opened her mouth only to close it again, her lips in a line. "When can I leave?"

The nurse looked up at her. "Now that you're up, in about three or four days, a week at most." She turned to exit the room. "I'll let your parents know you're awake."

Marinette barely had to wait five minutes before her parents came barreling in to her room. Well, they didn't, but Alya, Adrien and Nino did. Her parents walked in with kind, concerned smiles while their daughter was engulfed in hugs.

"Oh my god, Mari, don't do that to me! I was so worried!" Alya scolded gently, eyes red and puffy, clearly from crying earlier. Marinette giggled and wrapped her arms around her friend. 

"No promises." She whispered under her breath, so quietly almost she didn't hear it. Alya clearly didn't hear her soft words. But Adrien was incredibly good at reading lips. And while he was certain Marinette wouldn't speak of her past, he was certain to be there for her no matter what. Through thick and thin, through sickness and health, until the day one of them died. 

Nino slung an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his chest. "Spots, you really gave us all a scare there." He murmured softly to her. She smiled and hugged him back. Nino was like a brother to her, teasing yet supportive and very protective.

"Sorry, Shell." She closed her eyes, letting numbness take over her emotions and body, feeling incredibly tired. 

And there, on the wrong boy's chest, she fell asleep.

~*~

Marinette was back in school, but she was definitely not better than ever. After her little episode, everyone had heard about her panic attack and injury. Chloe was no help, proclaiming that she was in fact a desperate attention-seeker. All Marinette wanted to do now was disappear, because all this attention was getting to her and forcing unwanted memories upon her.

Memories of stares.

Of whispers.

Of blood.

After her little episode, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a raw nerve. And everyone knew it.

She was no longer firing insults and comebacks at Chloe, she was no longer loudly laughing down the halls, she was no longer passing notes in class, she was no longer who she had tried so hard to be. She jumped and jerked away at the slightest touch. She ran from crowds. She couldn't meet anyone's eyes. 

She couldn't bring herself to eat. She couldn't sleep for fear of the endless nightmares that plagued her. She couldn't smile.

She was a shell of who she used to be.

But she was strong enough to become a pearl once more.

~*~

The night of the talent show, Marinette stood in a white, off-the-shoulder princess cut dress, designed and sewn by herself, with lace flowers covering the bodice. It was stylish, beautiful and portrayed youthful innocence. Makeup highlighted her eyes and red lips contrasted against pale skin, her midnight blue hair pulled into a plait. Sparkling earrings adorned her ears and flowers were woven into her hair, paired with satin kitten heels.

The last performance was reserved for her. 

She didn't care if her outfit was over the top, it was what was needed for her confidence to do this. To face her demons. To face them.

She stepped onto the stage, heels clicking softly against the hard wooden floor, and waited for the curtain to be drawn back and the spotlight to shine and the music to start. This was her song. She tweaked the lyrics a little to fit with her story, but not much. Only to try to force her demons below.

The velvet curtains were pulled back and murmurs ceased in order to stare at the beautiful young woman standing centre-stage.

"She is a pyramid.
But with her she's just a grain of sand.
This greed's too strong, nothing like a friend
Squeezing out the life that should be let in." 

Her voice carried over a still and enraptured audience, blue eyes fierce and challenging. Challenging the girl she saw standing in front of her to deny it. Challenging the ghost, the demon of her past to screw with her more.

"She was a hurricane.
But now she's just a gust of wind
She used to set the sails of a thousand ships
Was a force to be reckoned with.

She could be, a Statue of Liberty,"

She really could.

"She could be Joan of Arc,"

She really could.

"But she's scared of the light that's inside of her
So she keeps her in the dark."

Hannah did. And Marinette was determined to leave the darkness, the hate, the sorrow, the accusations, the lies, everything behind her, where it belonged. In the past.

"Oh, she used to be a pearl. Oh,
Yeah, she used to rule the world. Oh.
Can't believe she's become
A shell of herself.
'Cause she used to be a pearl."

She was always a pearl in the eyes of Adrien. She was always a pearl in the eyes of everyone. The only one who didn't know it was herself.

"She was unstoppable
Moved fast just like an avalanche

But now she's stuck, deep in cement
Wishing that they never ever met."

Her life would've been so much easier without Hannah. But then again, if not for Hannah, she never would've met Adrien, Nino and Alya. She never would've become this strong. She would be an entirely different person.

"She could be a Statue of Liberty.
She could be Joan of Arc.
But she's scared of the light that's inside of her,
So she keeps her in the dark."

In a way, she was thankful to Hannah for meeting her and making her into who she was today, but also thankful that's such a terrible person was gone from this world. 

"Oh, she used to be a pearl. Oh,
Yeah, she used to rule the world. Oh.
Can't believe she's become
A shell of herself.
'Cause she used to be a-"

Here was the part that always brought tears to Marinette's eyes. Here was the part that she wish she didn't need, didn't relate to, heard sooner otherwise this whole mess wouldn't have happened.

"Do you know that there's a way out
There's a way out
There's a way out
There's a way out.

You don't have to be held down,
Be held down
Be held down
Be held down."

Her drop in voice brought tears to her audience's eyes.

"'Cause I used to be a shell.
Yeah I let her rule my world

My world, oh yeah!

But I woke up, and grew strong

And I can still go on
And no-one can take my pearl." 

Her strong voice swelled, filled with so much emotion, raw and unadulterated, that the entire audience felt a chill go down their spine.

"You don't have to be a shell, no.
You're the one that rules your world, oh
You are strong, and you will learn
That you can still go on.
And you'll always be a, a pearl.

She is unstoppable."

The image, the hallucination of Hannah in front of her disappeared.

That's when the applause started. 

Wild cheers rang from every corner of the auditorium as the entirety of the attending students and adults stood up, a standing ovation to the American girl they all adored. Huge grins and whoops from every single one of her classmates, roses were actually thrown on stage as she bowed. Roars of applause and cheers filled her ears, denying her heart from any power this evening.

Marinette had done it. She had conquered her demons. She had conquered Hannah. She had won.

~*~

Three weeks after the talent show, her life had calmed down. She still got the occasional nightmare, but now, Adrien would be one call away and he'd be by her side in a flash, enveloping her in a comforting hug and peppering her face with kisses. Her skin slowly regained colour, she put on lost weight util she was completely healthy, she forgot about Hannah.

Well, no she didn't. But she finally realised that...

There was no blood on her hands. There was no-one staring at her anymore. There were no more whispers. There was no more Hannah. 

Hannah could not reach her and manipulate her again from where she was.

Marinette sighed in contentment as she curled up next to Adrien on her couch, watching old movie favourites. Her blond boyfriend glanced down at her, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "What's up, Bug?"

She smiled and sat up, leaning over him, taking his face in her hands gently and kissing him slowly. When she pulled away, he had a dazed expression but still glanced up at her. 

"What was that for?" He asked, movie forgotten. Marinette still had that soft smile gracing her beautiful face, gazing at him and memorising every detail of his face.

"Thank you for not leaving me when things got tough. Thank you for sticking by me through thick and thin. Thank you for caring when I'm sick and when I'm healthy. Thank you for being you. Adrien, I love you so much."

A warm feeling overtook his heart. "I love you too, my princess."

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND