Chapter 5: Give or Take

A black limousine had parked outside the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. Currently, the four had entered the establishment to see what the old-married couple was like. A bell rung after the blogger had shoved the door wide open, having Nino and Adrien follow. Marinette soon followed shyly.

"Smells really good here." The blonde dreamily sighed. Everyone else could only nod in agreement. It really smelled nice and sweet in here.

"Ah welcome customers~!" A friendly-masculine voice echoed from the pantry. As soon as he came to the cash register, he was beaming in the most welcoming face. The three looked at each other, before moving away to reveal the baker's biological daughter. His smile was stretched, and fear marred his face. His eyes were popping wide open.

"O-oh hi Marinette my dear!" He voiced his greeting loud enough for his loving wife, Sabine, to rush right over. She also gave her best welcoming smile.

"Yes welcome~!" Marinette could only give a shy wave back, before weakly giving her own greeting.

"Y-yes hi… You must be the people I am going to be living with… right?" Tom looked to Sabine, a 'what do I say look'. Sabine immediately took charge.

"Hey, you all must have had a day, why don't you take a seat, and please… help yourselves to whatever you may like." The bluentte dumbly nodded before taking a table near the window. Her friends followed suite as well, all taking amongst themselves. While they were debating on what to get, Sabine immediately went to the door, and turned the sign that had the 'OPEN' sign facing out for everyone to see. She then flipped it to its other side that read 'CLOSED' so that no other passerby may interrupt. The petite woman looked at the four kids, noticing that they were engrossed into the conversation. Marinette had soon noticed and waved at her. Sabine responded in kind. She turned to where her husband was, pulling his rather bulgy figure into the pantry.

"Ok dear what's the plan?"

"We are going to be natural and show her as much love as she deserves." His wife said coolly.

"Alright, but uhh… HOW DO WE DO THAT!?" Her husband asked, shaking with nerves. Sabine placed both her hands on her loving husband's face, her silver eyes gazing back into her husband's green eyes.

"She's our daughter Tom dear~ we must be as welcoming and as open with her. She's already gone through enough, so let us make an effort to soothe that girl's heart." Tom responded with a nod. Determination soon took over his feature. He hugged his petite wife in a loving embrace, before storming off to where their daughter by blood was.

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"So what do you guys think?" Nino asked.

"They seem a little awkward." Alya answered. Adrien nodded. Marinette was lost in her own imagination. She was staring out from the window, watching people jogging, walking, talking, etc all on this busy street of Paris.

"I wonder what it would have been like if I was raised here instead?" She asked herself that question. She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't even acknowledge the presence of the three friends she was sitting with. Adrien turned a sickly white, Nino and Alya both looking at her as if she grew a second head.

"Uh… gurl?" Alya asked, concerned for her friend's well-being.

"…. Oh yeah Alya?" She weakly responded. A tired smile was plastered on her face.

"Did you not get enough sleep dudette?" Nino guessed. Marinette just shook her head, before looking back at the window, her thoughts elsewhere. A hand lazily holding her head in place.

"Mari what's wrong?" still setting her hazy blue eyes out to the busy street, she finally responded.

"This all feels like a dream…. I still can't believe this had all happened this entire weekend. You know…" She weakly gave. Adrien and the rest only nodded. It all way to fast for any of them to like it.

"But… in all honestly… somehow I get the feeling that it will all get better… I mean these people don't seem to be bad people. And maybe it's time I give them a shot. What's the worse that could happen? I at least have you guys, right?" She set her expectant blue eyes on all her friends. These people were her true family.

"Yes of course princess."

"You betch ya dudette!"

"HELL YA WE GOT YOUR BACK GURL! MESS WITH ONE, YOU MESS WITH ALL OF US!" Her blogger friend proclaimed. Everyone was laughing at the girl's obnoxiousness. Soon the giant man had returned from the pantry, along with the petite woman as they both made their way over to the table.

"Marinette my dear, allow me to reintroduce myself." The man outstretched his muscular arm towards the girl. She looked into his eyes, before looking at the hand offered by the giant. With a bit of courage, she shook it right back.

"Alright then, sir." Sabine walked right up, also extending a hand to the girl. Marinette shook the hand as well.

"Now whose hungry? Please don't be shy!" Sabine encouraged. Adrien's stomach was asking for it. Marinette looked to Adrien, a smirk on her face, as she tried covering it with her hand.

"Aww mon minou's hungry? The bluenette cooed. The blonde just nodded, his blush a bright red. Everyone was laughing, Nino literally sprawling on the floor, Alya clutching her aching sides, desperately attempting to suppress the laughter, only to fail miserably. Marinette just giggled, all the despair shift to that of light-hearted joy.

"Well, go pick whatever you want, it's all on the house!" Tom told, as he went back to the cashier, preparing for what the kids were going to get. Sabine could only smile as her eyes were focused on the bluenette before her. Somehow, with her around this bakery, everything just seemed better overall. It was quite strange, and yet, so pleasant. She grinned at her, as Marinette gave her own smile back.

In the back of Sabine's mind, she felt as though everything would work out. One way or another, she knew things would turn around. Finally, her husband came back with the orders the kids had asked for. The blonde boy's order being rather large, despite looking far too skinny for his age. Wait… skinny?! He's suppose to be a growing boy! Honestly what is his family feeding him? Poor boy…

"I hope he's eating properly at home…" Sabine muttered. Somehow only the girl with bluebell eyes heard, as everyone else was distracted from the pastries offered by Tom.

"I do too…" She muttered back as well, worry in her tone as she looked up at the boy. A pained expression on her features. Sabine gave a knowing smirk. The kind of look you only give to those who you love and cherish for.

"Well go on my dear~ help yourself!" the petite woman said. Marinette looked up at the woman.

"Well mademoiselle… I'm not feeling too hungry at the moment… If possible, I'd like to have my room arranged and place my stuff in." She asked, nervously fidgeting. Sabine gave a reassuring smile to her.

"Alright dear, but please…" She placed a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

"At least eat something, I bet you haven't eaten anything all day." She guessed. Marinette could only blush. 'So, this is what a mother's love is like…' she thought. Somehow, tears were already running down her face, again. The lady before her just wiped them away. She gave a mother-like smile.

"I'll show you to your room sweetie." She made a grab for the luggage, only for Marinette to jump up and grab it. She then gave a sheepish smile.

"Madamoselle, don't worry about the luggage, please, just show me where the room is, and I can get it all set up." She chirped, a smile across her face. Sabine just shook her head, with a sigh and walked to where the girl would be staying at. She went up a stair case, Marinette soon following the woman's footsteps. She then climbed up a later and opened an attic door. She then went inside, the bluenette following suite. The room was empty, no doubt Chloe's previous room. The walls looked so bleak and empty.

"This used to be Chloe's room… before she…. Well you know the rest." The older lady dejectedly sighed. Clearly, the absence of the girl whom the baker family cherished affected them more than she had thought. Marinette empathized with these folks. These were good people, too good for an ungrateful little brat such as Chloe.

"Well, there's the bathroom, this will be your bed… and uh…. I get the feeling that there was something else I should mention…" Sabine places a delicate finger to her chin, her brain trying to search for whatever crucial information she needed to give the bluenete.

"Well while your doing that, I'm gonna start setting up here." And so Marinette got her clothes and bedsheets all set. She didn't really have much in her luggage. The walls were bleak white, and the bluenette didn't like that.

"Mmmmm maybe if I put some wallpaper or something…"She muttered to herself. However the older woman had heard, and was noting in the back of her mind to get some wallpaper, pink. It was a good guess… right? Suddenly an epiphany ran through her mind.

"Oh dear I forgot to mention that there's a balcony!" The younger girl perked up at this.

"A balcony!?" She shrieked. Marinette had loved having her balcony back at the hotel. The night sky was absolutely breathe-taking, and the city lights were ethereal. It really made the bluenette feel calm and at peace when watching the very city she loves oh so dearly to light up the night.

"Yep! Here I'll show you!" Sabine then went up another flock of stairs, having to open yet another trap door. Marinette followed the woman up as well.

"Woah!" she breathed out, clearly impressed with the view presented to her. Sure it wasn't as big, or vast, but, it made the bluenette feel all the more better. She didn't care if it was smaller in size than her other balcony, so long as she got to see the magical night sky, she'd be fine.

"I-I don't know how to thank you, madamoselle." She breathed out a thanks.
"Well I'm just glad that you enjoy your room." The silvered-eyed lady beamed. Just as she was about to turn away to give the girl some privacy, Marinette pulled her in a surprise hug. Sabine was clearly shocked, however soon brought it upon herself to hug the girl back.

"I don't even know how to pay you back." She whispered, tears running down her face. The older lady decided to go a little bold.

"You could start by calling my momma." She whispered back. At first she didn't hear anything.

'Mon dieu, I hope I didn't go too far…' She bitterly thought.

"P-Please give me som-some t-t-time to a-a-adjust… Everything is just s-s-so new… and.." Sabine hushed her up by squeezing ever soo lightly.

"It's alright sweetie, take all the time you need." The bluenette just released a very long breath. She was glad things were working out. The older woman left the pig-tailed girl to her own devices. She sat on a sun-bleached chair, and gazed her curious eyes out towards the city she so very much loved.

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"Hey where is Marinette?" Alya started, pretty soon, the two other boys started to look around for their friend as well.

"Oh, she's in her new room, I think she actually likes it!" Sabine told the group.

"Wow, she works fast huh…" Nino said, Adrien and Alya both gave very grim expressions.

"That's what concerns me the most in all honesty. Don't you think she may be going about this a bit too…fast. I mean if I were in her shoes, I'd honestly wouldn't leave my room for like a week or maybe even a month…" Alya explained, hugging herself in an attempt to comfort herself, only to be pulled into a hug by her favorite clueless boy, Nino.

"Well Marinette has always been a tough gal." Nino explained, rubbing his girl's shoulder.

"Sh-should we go and uh… check on her…" Adrien started. Alya and Nino exchanged knowing looks, before pushing Adrien.

"Wha!? Hey what was that!- Just go to her lover-boy." Alya chastised. Adrien just blushed a furious shade of red, before muttering something about Alya and her smugness. Tom's eyes bulged from their sockets.

"Wait you have a thing for Marinette?!" Tom shrieked. Adrien literally cringed, and backed away slowly from the oversized man, while in the process backing right into his petite wife, Sabine.

"Oh dear~ It looks as though the girl has an admirer Tom~" She cooed wickedly with a knowing smirk. While everyone was feeling giddy over Adrien's embarrassment, Tom felt nostalgic. He was the same when he had introduced Sabine to his family. His mother smothering the love of his life with hugs and kisses. Boy does he feel old. With a wide-toothy grin, the Baker gave a strong pat on the boy's back, that made him almost fall over face-first.

"You better make a move Mr. otherwise, she may end up with someone else." He warned. He knew exactly how that felt when Sabine went on a date with… Marco. Oh he was a mess for that entire date, until Sabine dumped the idiot. THANK GOD! After that date, Tom had to make his move before it was too late. The advice he gave to the blonde, made said boy still. There was panic in his eyes. Sweat was dripping down his face like a facet running with water.

"Hey chill dude, Marinette's got to be the most densest person there is to know." Nino chirped. Alya shook her head.

"I think she's in denial, or she probably doesn't know what love is or what a crush is." She added.

"Guys, I think I should definitely wait for a while. She's been through enough as is. I don't want to add any more unto that plate. And besides, it's not like it's a race. Her being here with me, with all of us, is enough for me." For now at least… He blushed at his response. Everyone just beamed at the sunshine child before them, before being tacked into a hug by his best bro.

"Bro!" Nino cheered.

AND SCENE SORRY IT TOOK A WHILE GUYS… UH PROCRASTINATION, AND slight depression ARE GETTING TO ME, BUT I'LL BE FINE! YOUR COMMENTS ARE THE SUNSHINES TO MY DAY! I KNOW THIS CHAPTER ISN'T THE BEST BUT HEY I GOT TO GET THIS DOWN BEFORE I LOSE INTEREST!