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Marinette always had plenty of time for her hobbies since her parents had a bakery to run. She was trusted to get her homework done and be in bed by nine-two whole hours after her parents. had lost all her ‘friends’ except for Kagami. The stress of being Ladybug was getting to her. She struggled to make time for self-care between commissions, Ladybug, and school. In the summer before Lycee, she assigned anonymous pen-pals in Gotham City, New Jersey, for her summer assignment. She got a genius of a kid that was only 12 yet going into ninth grade. He was really into photography and gymnastics. Marinette and the kid continued writing back and forth even after they didn't have to. Eventually, she told him about Ladybug because he didn't know her name, and it was all getting too much. She learned that Tim had made a friend from his English class. Then suddenly, around the end of September, all correspondence between them stops. Life got in the way, and they never resume regular communication.
In mid-October, Kagami’s mother sends her off to boarding school in Japan, and her last string is cut forever. Marinette falls into a deep depression. HawkMoth is finally defeated and revealed to be Gabriele Agreste and Chat hands over his miraculous, too traumatized by the memories. Ladybug disappears when she takes off the earrings. MDC goes on hiatus, and school becomes a minefield.
On December second, she sees the news.
Tim Drake had never really made any friends. He had skipped the fourth and fifth grade when his teachers realized how gifted he was, much to the pleasure of his parents. They had taken him out to a fancy dinner. For one night, they got to be a normal, happy family. Soon after, he was deemed very responsible and mature and was left home alone for longer and longer periods of time. In school, he was always the freak, the nerd, or just baby. It wasn't his fault that he looked so much younger than he was. Tim’s 9th-grade social studies teacher told them they were going to have pen-pals from Paris, France. His pen-pal goes by the Pseudonym Bug. She loves fashion and the freedom that comes with being left alone. They may not know each other's names, but they continue writing to each other. He learned how she had driven herself empty too many times to fulfill the needs of others. He learned that being a hero was really hard. He learns that as a hero, you rarely have time to balance everything and maintain friendships. He decides to befriend Jason Todd after this. For an English assignment, they have to define what family is. Tim says that family is the group of people who love you unconditionally no matter what, and have been and will always be by your side. Jason hears this and realizes that Bruce and Dick, and Alfred are his family. He never goes searching for his mother in Ethiopia.
In the middle of September, Tim's parents return from Chile with the intent to stay for a few months. At first, he is overjoyed they were staying for so long; now, he counts down the days until they leave for Belize. He is no longer allowed to see friends since his grades are slipping, and 92s are not acceptable. He forgets to respond to Bug’s latest letter, not even opening it.
Tim no longer has the energy to do anything. He can’t go out at night, and now he has extra math class in place of gymnastics because it was too much of a distraction. The world turns grey; it keeps spinning while he drifts away unnoticed. On November twenty-eighth, he hears suitcases in the middle of the night.
The next evening brings another story.
In another universe, Marinette’s last letter accidentally goes to Waynes.
In another universe, when Dick gets off his shift, takes Jason to deliver it. As they approach Drake Manor, they hear shattering glass followed by yelling, and as they draw closer, crying. They knock on the door apprehensive, wary of the situation. It opens to a red-faced man who narrows his eyes in suspicion. And stutters out an inquiry of their visit.
In another universe, Dick realizes that Tim is being severely neglected and abused and immediately gets him out of the house. He gets help and eventually gets adopted by Bruce. He responds to Bug's letter and becomes her lantern. When Hawkmoth is defeated, and she is bound to nowhere, he talks to Bruce.
In another universe, two siblings hug each other in an airport, ecstatic to see meet in-person. Marinette stays with the Waynes as Tim’s sister until she eventually is adopted as well. At last, they are given the family they deserve.
But that is not this universe.
In this universe, on the second of December, Tim Drake was found by Ms. Mac when the school called and asked why he’ ed been absent for three days. Everyone wondered what could have made someone so young do something like that.
In this universe, on the Seventh of December, Marinette’s body was found five days too late. She had died alone with no one that cares, abandoned by everyone. Everyone questioned where they went wrong and what they should have done better.
In this universe, there were two children that died alone, just because there was no one to give them the time of day.