Finding Myself Again

Chapter 11: How the Cookie Crumbles

A grin starts to stretch across Jason's face. "So basically, you're a badass immortal guardian who can't die, or tiny gods will run lose and destroy the world." Marinette huffs out a small laugh.

"Yeah, that basically sums it up." Suddenly Jason's grin disappears.

"Hold on; so when your partner found out my identity, he tried to kill you? Why on Earth would he do that?" Marinette's silent for a moment, trying to debate whether she should tell him or not.

One day, you'll see that we're destined for each other forever, Bugaboo. Even if I have to force you to.

"That... Is a story for another day. I don't think I'm ready to unload my emotional baggage onto a guy I've met not even two days ago." She arches a brow. "And I know for a fact that as soon as I tell you something, you'll go tell your brothers. Maybe even Bruce. I'm already trusting you not to tell everyone about me being a hero, so I think that's more than enough right now." Jason slumps slightly in his seat, disappointed she didn't tell what's been  haunting her, but when looks into his eyes she sees a gleam of understandment.

"Well, I guess I get why you won't tell me. But everyone in this house has been through some shit before we met Bruce. For some of us, it's still going on. I just hope that you'll trust us enough to tell us what happened while you were living in Paris. Just don't hold it in. That's just going to make it worse, and it's going to drag you to the ground until you get it off your shoulders. Trust me; I should know." He stands from the rolling chair to leave her bedroom- though not before snagging a final cookie. As soon as he opens the door and steps out, a blur or dark green and khaki runs by, filching Jason's cookie as they pass.

"What the fuck, man? That was my cookie!" He chases after the retreated figure, not bothering to close the door behind him.

Marinette blinks at the now empty doorway, completely confused on what just happened.

"I hope you know that he owes more cookies, Marinette." She wretches her eyes from the hall to her furious kwami. " And I want the best of the best, not some crappy stuff from Wal-Mart."

"I'll be sure to tell him. After he's done trying to get back his stolen cookie, though. And that's counting on if he actually does. I don't think the thief will part willingly with that cookie if they decided to steal it from Jason of all people."

Meanwhile in Paris...

Clarissa silently enters the townhouse her and her father moved into two weeks ago, hoping her fathers home.

As she enters the slightly messy kitchen, she hears both him and her uncle talking upstairs in the office. Clary eagerly drops her bag onto the counter, nearly upsetting a mug of cold coffee and immediately dashes upstairs.

At the end of the hall, the office door stands slightly ajar and she quickly crosses the distance between her and the door. She slides through the crack and stands behind her father, smiling pleasantly down at her uncle.

"I'm almost finished the mission over here in- Oh hey, Little Red! Leighanne told me to tell you to call her the next time I see you." Clarissa's father turns around and nearly falls from his chair when he sees her lurking behind him.

" Clary! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!" He places a hand over his heart. " One day, you're going to give me a heart attack. I know you don't want to speak, but at least make some kind of noise to let me know you're behind me."

Clarissa rolls her eyes and signs, 'yeah, I'll do that and you'll still get scared when you turn around and see me. I didn't know I was that ugly.' Her father sulks silently while her Uncle laughs from the computer.

"That, Red, was a good one! Also, Roy told me that Bruce has another one. Black hair, blue eyes, everything! Where in the world does he get these people from?!" All three of the laugh together at the ongoing joke about Bruce and adopting children. "Anyway. Back to your guys mission over in Paris. Hows that going?"

We've been here for almost two weeks  now, and nothing unusual happened until this afternoon." He turns to his daughter. "Is that the reason you're home early?" She nods and he turns back to the computer. "I was able o get Clary in the class that apparently is the most affected by this magical terrorist. Everyone has been... Akumatized except Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who used to be a the class president until she moved away. She, herself, personally knows a lot of celebrities and is famous around here. Back in January, she was kidnapped by an unknown culprit. And this directly leads to our next person-"

Will cuts him off. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng? I think that's the girl that Jason said moved in with them." Clary hides her excitment beneath a face of pure curiosity.

"Huh. Interesting. The other kid is Adrien Agreste, son of fashion mongul Gabriel Agreste. He's been homeschooled by his father until he was fourteen. He was also the one to find Marinette inside of an abandoned building that his father used for a collection about six years ago. And Adrien's been missing since August." Clary's father slumps back into his chair, his large body body sending off waves of exhaustion.

Her uncle frowns on the screen. "Be careful, Jim. I think your dealing with far more than a magical terrorist. And it seems like all your problems start with that school. Specifically the class Clary's in." He turns to his niece, his blue eyes weary. " Clary, I want you to be careful. Every little thing is  important; nothing is miniscule, especially with a class like that. You've got to blend in and be observant." He glances off screen and nods. " Anyways, I've gotta get going. Remember to call Leighanne, she misses you guys. Buy!" He hangs up and Clarissa moves to stand in front of her father. She snaps her fingers a few times and when he looks up at her, she starts signing.

'Father, I have to tell you something. You know the akumatization that happened today?' He nods. 'That was me. I've been doing exactly what Uncle Will said, but this class... This class is seriously messed up. It's seems like Lila Rossi is the cause of everything. It's as if she sets her sight on someone - specifically me at the moment; before it was Marinette- and the rest of the class bullies that person.'

His eyebrows knit together, thinking of a solution. "You should play along for now. Find out what her motive is and what the hell is happening inside of that school." He scratches at the slight stubble on his chin. "Damn. Will was right. This whole situation is way more complicated than it seems. Clary I want you to be cautious. That class is far more corrupt than it should be and I want you to find out why. That and why we weren't aware of this thing sooner. Things have been let go far to long and we're the only ones who can fix it."