Chapter Text
In the far future…
“Whelp, that’ll do it,” Alix said as she marched into the bakery from the back room. She was in white overalls and wearing a painter’s hat. She clapped some dust off her hands as Sabine and Gina, who were working the counter, watched.
“So, it’s gone now?” Sabine asked. “I can store things up there again?”
“You could always store things up there,” Alix said, slightly offended. “I do quality work.”
“Tell that to my Christmas gnome,” Sabine said, frowning. “He disappeared two weeks ago, Ms. Quality Work.”
“It was a gnome,” Alix countered. “They’re mysterious like that.”
“He was plastic,” Sabine said.
“That’s just what he wanted you to think,” Alix said with a wink.
“So,” Gina asked. “Does this mean the portal is gone forever?”
“Well, that one is,” Alix said. “It’s not smart to leave something like that up long-term, and at this point in the timeline, Chloé has taken over and has things well in hand.”
“But,” Gina said. “I never got to properly say goodbye to any of them! And I didn’t get to see the baby! Or their new apartment! Or…”
“Dear?” Sabine said. She put a hand on Gina’s shoulder. “You grew up with that baby, and you did it in that very apartment for the first seven years of your life.”
Gina adjusted her wire-rimmed glasses. “I know, but…”
“But what, dear?” Sabine asked.
“I just felt special there,” Gina said, her eyes downcast. “I felt like I was important, and, I dunno. It was kinda nice.”
Sabine gently pulled her granddaughter close and held her. “You were always special, dear. You never needed to go back in time to prove that to any of us.”
“She’s right, kiddo,” Alix said. “Don’t tell the others, but you’ve always been my favorite.”
“Please,” Gina said as she pulled away. “You probably say that to all of us.”
“You’re the only one I’ve let come with me to help fix time issues,” Alix said. Her voice shifted slightly, and Gina suddenly knew that this was serious Aunt Alix, and not whimsical Aunt Alix. “Outside of your mother, you’re the only person I’ve ever trusted with things like this, and you’re the only one I ever will. Gina, I’ll say this here and now, and I’ll say it as clearly as I can. Who you are is perfect. You’re going to have a good life, and you’re going to find meaning and purpose in it. Your helping me has secured this timeline, and as far as what’s coming next…”
Alix went quiet. She adjusted her hat and nodded to Sabine.
“What’s coming next?” Gina asked.
Alix turned and opened the front door to leave.
Gina came around the counter, her voice slightly louder. “Aunt Alix? What’s coming next?”
Alix looked back at her and smiled.
Gina froze when she saw the look on her aunt’s face. It wasn’t one of joy or pride.
Alix was smiling like someone who was trying to force a smile.
She looked like someone who was ready to cry.
“Like I said,” Alix’s voice caught a bit. “A good life, Gina. I love you, you little shit, and I’m proud of you. And when you get older and you need me? I’ll be there for you, sweetheart. I promise. I’ll follow you into Hell and back.”
And with that, Alix walked out the door, whistling an aimless tune as she went about her morning.
Gina stared after her for an uncomfortably long time. It got to the point that Sabine came around the counter and had to touch her on the shoulder to bring her back to Earth.
“Gina?” Sabine asked. “Are you okay?”
Gina looked to her grandmother and shivered a bit. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m…” She looked back at the door, her aunt’s words echoing in her head.
‘I’ll follow you into Hell and back.’
“What is it?” Sabine asked, concerned.
“I’d.”
Sabine frowned. “Pardon?”
“Most people would have said I’d follow you.” She glanced back at the door. “She said, I’ll.”
“Oh, she was just being silly,” Sabine said, patting her on the back. “She didn’t mean anything by it, dear.”
Gina swallowed and did her best to shake out the concern flowing through her.
Aunt Alix was insane and came off as flighty, but Gina also knew her aunt was brilliant.
Aunt Alix didn’t say or do anything she didn’t deliberately mean to.
The rest of the morning passed uneventfully, save for one thing.
A customer.
No, not that customer. Sorry, avid readers.
Gina was minding the counters during the early afternoon lull just before closing time when a little girl walked in with her mother. The little girl had sandy blonde hair in a pixie cut and was wearing the prettiest blue dress, and her face was almost instantly against the glass.
“Welcome to the Dupain-Cheng bakery,” Gina said with a grin. “You seem to know what you want, don’t you?”
“Do you see one you like?” Her mother asked.
“The chocolate ones!” The little girl said. “They look awesome!”
The mother came to the counter to place her order. “I’d like six of your… Oh! Oh wow.”
Gina looked at the mother, who seemed shocked and surprised to see her.
Gina blinked, confused. “Is everything okay, Ma’am?”
The woman looked to be in her late 30’s. She was wrapped in a black coat and had auburn hair that fell freely to her shoulders. She looked familiar, but Gina wasn’t sure why.
“Oh, my apologies. Um, it’s just for a moment, I thought I saw a ghost.”
Gina raised an eyebrow. “I’m not that scary looking, am I?”
The older woman let out a small laugh. “No, no, it’s just, I think I knew your mother.”
“You know mom?” Gina asked. She scooped six chocolate macaroons into a bag and sealed it with a Chat Noir sticker.
“I wanted a Ladybug sticker,” the little girl pouted.
Gina looked at the little girl and handed her the bag. “Well, chocolate macaroons get a Chat Noir sticker, but heroes get a Ladybug sticker.” She peeled a Ladybug sticker off a roller behind the counter and handed it to the now ecstatic child. “Here you go.”
The woman stared at Gina as she paid. “It’s just uncanny. You look exactly like her.”
Gina blushed. “Thank you, but honestly, a lot of people say I got a lot from my dad.”
“Well, they’re crazy. If I squinted, I’d say you were her clone.”
Gina handed the woman her change.
“Thank you!” The little girl said. “Come on! I wanna walk daddy home!”
“Daddy can walk home just fine,” The woman said to her daughter.
“He likes it when I help,” the little girl pouted.
The woman looked back to Gina and smiled. “I’m sorry if I came off as rude. I was just stunned. Um, could you…” The woman paused as if debating something.
“Could you please tell Gina that Angie said hello? She may not remember me, but tell her, um, I hope she’s doing well.”
Gina felt her stomach drop to her shoes. Her mouth suddenly went dry.
“Yeah,” she in a quiet voice. She watched as the woman led her little girl out the door. “I’ll tell her.”
Gina took a deep breath. She took two.
“Hey, Gramma?” Gina asked. “Can I take off? Is that okay?”
Sabine nodded and grabbed a tray to take to the back. “I think you’ve earned some time off. Get out of here, kiddo. And thanks for the help.”
Gina drifted out the door and slipped her jean jacket on. She also popped a macaroon into her breast pocket for Ziggy to devour.
“Ya okay there, partner?” Ziggy asked. “Ya look like ya just dropped yer slice o’ pizza on the floor.” He frowned and looked away. “That’s the worst thing that can happen to a person, I'll tell you what.”
Ginna shook her head. “No, it’s just…” She looked down the street. The woman and her daughter were already gone.
“Gina?” Ziggy asked. “Are you okay?”
Gina blinked and looked down at her kwami. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m…”
‘You’re going to have a good life.’
“Hey Ziggs, what’s that thing you’re always saying about making a decision quickly?”
“Seven breaths, pilgrim. In the words of the ancients, one should make her decisions within the space of seven breaths.”
“Her decisions?” Gina asked. She raised an eyebrow.
“I paraphrased,” Ziggy said. He crossed his arms. “What decision are ya makin’?”
Gina took out her phone. She stared at it for a minute, her finger hovering over a contact.
Ziggy floated to her shoulder and looked at what she was doing.
“Ya gotta hit the name fer that talky glass ta work,” he offered. “If ya scroll down three names, you’ll find the pizza parlor. I put it in fer ya. Just sayin’.” He gently nudged her arm.
Gina shook her head. “Maybe later, Ziggs.” She tapped the contact on her phone she'd been hovering over and put it to her ear.
“Hey,” Gina said as she started off in the direction of Le Grand Paris hotel. “You free? Wanna borrow Pollen and go on patrol with me?”
She smiled at the response.
“Cool.”
She listened for a bit, and then took a deep breath.
“…What if I said it was?”
She waited for a second.
“You still there?”
She smiled.
“Yeah. I mean it,” She said with a laugh. “Like, if you’re free.”
Her smile grew.
“That’s cool. Maybe we can hang your place afterwards? Catch a movie?”
She laughed.
“Cool. See you in a bit.”
She hung up. Ziggy floated around and looked at her. “Yer face is red.”
“Shut up, Ziggs.”
Ziggy smirked at Gina before he settled back into her pocket. “I like him, too.”
Gina smiled. “Thanks, partner.”
***
Back in the present…
School.
Monday.
Adrien and Marinette stood outside the door to the classroom and held each other’s hand.
“You sure you’re ready for this?” Adrien asked for the twelfth time.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Marinette said. “I should tell them, Alya especially. I owe her.” She looked at Adrien and smiled. “You and me against the world?”
“Always, my lady.” Adrien squeezed her hand. “And forever.”
They entered the classroom.
The morning bell hadn’t rung yet, but everyone was there, goofing off and milling about. Caline was checking over her notes and sipping from her My Ranch, My Rules mug when Marinette leaned over the front desk and said, “Caline? Would it be alright if Adrien and I made an announcement?”
Caline glanced to her and smiled. “Heh. You don’t do anything small, do you? Alright. Sure, why not? The floor is yours, kids.” She sat back and sipped her cocoa as Marinette and Adrien went to the front of the class.
“Everyone?” Marinette called out. The class instantly quieted down, all eyes now on her. It wasn’t often that the class rep addressed them like this, so they all knew it must be something important.
“So,” Marinette began, her voice shaking slightly. “Um, Adrien and I, we, um, I have something I wanted to share with you. Something I probably should have said a while ago, but I wasn’t sure how to.”
Every member of the class leaned in.
She looked to Adrien, who smiled at her and nodded. He squeezed her hand. “I was kind of scared to do this, honestly. I wasn’t sure how you’d all react, but I think I’m ready now.”
“Marinette,” Alya said. “You look like you’re going to throw up.”
Marinette let out a nervous giggle. “Well, I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this, and I didn’t want you all to think I didn’t want to share with you, because you’re all wonderful! I love each and every one of you! But, well, telling you this was a big decision, and I didn’t come to it lightly, but, I’m ready now.”
Alya smiled. “Hey, it’s okay, girl.” She looked to the class and then back to her. “We know.”
Marinette blinked. “You know?”
Alya nodded. Her smile turned into a grin. “We all know.”
Marinette looked at the rest of the class.
Everyone was grinning at her.
“You KNOW?” Marinette said again, her hand on her stomach.
“We’ve known for a while,” Nino said.
“Seriously,” Juleka said. “Like, how could we not notice?”
“Honestly Marinette, we were just going along with playing dumb because we thought you needed us to,” Nathaniel joined in.
“But this doesn’t change how we feel about you one bit,” Myléne said. Ivan nodded next to her.
“You think we’d judge you?” Marc offered. “You’re Marinette. Seriously, we all love you.”
“This is so brave of you!” Rose chimed in.
“How did you figure it out?” Marinette asked, confused. She’d been wearing sweaters, covering herself, being careful not to show…
“I just figured it out,” Alya said. “I’m a reporter, after all.”
“Okay,” Marinette said.
“I just knew,” Nino said, smiling. He took Alya’s hand. “Like, early on. It’s hard not to see it once you realize.”
Marinette adjusted her sweater. “Huh. I guess that makes sense?”
“I saw you change,” Myléne said. “I didn’t mean to. I could tell you didn’t want anyone to see, but I was coming around the corner and, well, I knew you didn’t want me to know, so I hid. I’m sorry.”
Marinette bit her lip. “Myléne, that’s really sweet, but you didn’t need to do that!”
“I knew since Star Train!” Rose piped up. “One minute you were there, and the next, poof!”
Marinette blinked. “Wait, what?”
Caline spit out her drink back into her cup. “Oh no,” she said. “Oh shit.”
“Pay up, Kim!” Alix said. She jumped up and pointed at him, a huge grin was on her face. “I told you she’d tell the class!”
“Fine, fine, geez.” He forked over a 20 to Alix, who gleefully stuffed it in her pocket.
“I’ve known since that time at the museum with Cheshire,” Juleka said.
Several classmates nodded.
“What?” Marinette asked again. Panic was starting to seep into her voice.
“Markov figured it out almost instantly,” Max said. “Something about quantum masking not affecting robots.”
“It’s true,” the tiny robot said as it floated beside Max. “I knew with 100% certainty.”
They fist-bumped.
“We’re so proud of you for saying something, Marinette!” Myléne said. “This is so great! None of us have to pretend anymore!”
“…Pretend about what?” Marinette asked. “What are you all even talking about?”
The class stared at her.
“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” Chloé yelled from the back of the room. “She’s not talking about the fact that she’s Ladybug, you morons! she’s talking about the fact that she’s freaking pregnant!”
“CHLOÉ!” Marinette shrieked.
“What?” Chloé asked, indignant. She crossed her arms and looked away. “Please. I just did you the world’s biggest favor.”
Caline’s head hit her desk. “Thanks, dear,” she muttered.
The class stared.
Marinette, beet red, stared back. After a few seconds, she sighed and took her sweater off. Underneath she was wearing her favorite white flower print shirt, which hugged her figure nicely. She turned to the side.
There was a collective scream from Rose, Juleka, Nathaniel, Alya, and Myléne.
“When are you due?” Rose asked.
“Are you feeling okay?” Myléne asked.
“Is it a boy or a girl?” Ivan asked.
“Is Chat Noir the father?” Alix called out, smirking.
“ALIX!” Caline snapped.
Marinette rubbed her forehead. “So… You knew? You all knew? About the hero thing?”
Kim shrugged. “I mean, you both have blue hair in pigtails. How many girls in Paris can say that?”
Marc nodded. “At least half of us have accidentally seen you while you were transforming.”
“You freaking dropped your transformation right in front of me. In your own bedroom!” Alix reminded her. “Dork.”
“And you didn’t say anything?” Marinette asked, her voice reaching a new octave.
The class smiled at her.
“You’re our friend,” Alya said. “And you’ve saved us more times than we can count.”
“We owe you our lives,” Rose said, tearing up. “You think we’d pay you back by betraying you like that?”
“Hey, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing something, you shouldn’t have to. Not till you’re ready,” Juleka said. She squeezed Rose’s hand. “We just thought you were ready, now. Sorry if we read you wrong.”
“And don’t worry! We’re not saying anything to anyone,” Kim joined in. “Fuck Hawkmoth!”
Caline went to speak, but then gave up.
Marinette started crying. She smiled at the class, at her friends, as they smiled back. “Thank you. Thank you all so, so much. I don’t…” She covered her face and let out a sob as Adrien held her. She only took a second, nodding against him as she gently pushed away. “I… I truly can’t tell you how blessed I am to have you all in my life. And Rose? I’m at about 19 weeks.”
Rose clapped and grinned.
“Myléne? I’m off and on queasy, but alright for now.”
Myléne smiled and took Ivan’s hand.
“It’s a girl, Ivan. Her name is Emilie.”
Ivan teared up and squeezed Myléne’s hand.
Marinette looked to Adrien, who looked back at her. There was something unspoken between them as he nodded and smiled. “Go ahead,” he said.
Marinette looked to Alix. “Chat Noir is the father.”
There was dead silence in the classroom.
A laugh started from the back. It was Chloé. It started as a giggle, but after a few seconds she was laughing so hard that she actually slid out of her seat and held onto Sabrina’s leg while she was slumped on the floor. She laughed so hard she was snorting.
“Called it!” Alya cried out. There was a murmuring as several students turned to one another and exchanged money.
“Wait, what?” Marinette said.
Chloé was still laughing.
“We weren’t 100% sure about who Chat Noir was,” Nino said. “I mean, we all figured it was Adrien, but you run with a pretty broad group.” He got up and went to Adrien to give him a hug. “Congratulations, dude.”
As Adrien hugged him back, the class got up and went to both of them. Marinette was overwhelmed as her classmates took turns asking to feel her belly, look at her ring, or just give her a hug. The guys crowded Adrien, hugging him and patting him on the shoulder as they congratulated him. Adrien felt himself tearing up as they reassured him that they had his back.
“Thanks everyone,” Adrien said.
“Of course,” Nino said. He held Adrien’s shoulder. “We owe you our lives. You’re our brother. Heck, you're our hero. We love you, dude. You need us? We're here for you. Always.”
Adrein smiled at his friend. “I love you, too.” He looked to the others as a sob crept out through his grin. “I love all of you.”
Kim, Nino, Marc, and Nathaniel hugged him, and then all gave out a yelp as they were wrapped up by Ivan, who momentarily lifted all of them in a gigantic embrace.
In the back, Chloé had crumpled into a coughing fit. Sabrina was busy patting her on the back.
“Thank you, everyone! This is… You’re the best friends anyone could ever ask for!” Marinette said as she hugged her friends and laughed.
Off to the side, Ashley sat and stared, gob smacked.
“Are you serious?!” She haltingly made her way to Marinette. “This whole time? It was you? You saved me that night on the roof?”
Marinette looked to Ashley and shook her head. “Actually? That was, that, um, wow. I just got outed in front of you.” She glared at the class, who shrank back a bit. “Thanks, guys.”
“Sorry,” they murmured.
“I won’t tell,” Ashley said. “I, um, I owe you my life. I would never tell.”
She looked back to Ashley. “That wasn’t actually me.”
“Then who…”
Chloé had finally gotten off the floor and made her way down to join the others. She was wiping at her eyes and still fighting back a case of the giggles. “Adrien? For not telling me, you’re buying dinner on patrol for the next month.”
Marinette blinked. “You didn’t know?”
Chloé blew some hair out of her eyes. “I never gave it much thought, honestly. So, Dupain-Cheng. I’ll need your earrings for patrol tonight.” She held out her hand expectantly.
The class watched as Marinette took them out and handed them to Chloé. “Here you go, Ladybug.”
“Told you,” Alix said to Kim. He handed her a ten.
“Told you,” Juleka said to Rose. She handed her a ten.
“Are you kidding me?” Alya asked. She sighed and handed Nino a ten.
Chloé put the earrings in and smirked at the class. “She’ll get them back when the baby’s born.” She then turned to Ashley, who was standing nearby and staring at her, wide-eyed. The moment Chloé saw her, the confidence she had been emanating slipped off her face like a paper mask. “So, um, yeah. Sorry if I misled you a bit, but…”
Ashley hugged her.
“You were already my hero,” Ashley said. “This just confirmed it. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Chloé hugged her back.
“You’re welcome,” Chloé whispered.
“Class?” Caline said. “While all these revelations are well and good, by law I still have to teach you something, so everyone? Please have a seat?”
The class was still gathered around the heroes and talking. Caline realized she had not been heard.
“SIT DOWN NOW!”
The class sat down.
Caline smiled. “About time you all heard me. Now, if we can all get back on track, please open your History books to page 238.”
Kim raised his hand.
“Yes, Kim?”
Kim glanced at Chloé. “Um, so, if she’s got the earrings, does that mean you’re not gonna be Mamabug anymore?”
Caline stared.
“Dude,” Alix said. “Not cool.”
Caline tossed her notes to the side. She held her head with one hand and her hip with the other.
“Okay,” she said, looking back up at the class. “Screw it. Everyone! We’re doing a poetry reading by the Seine. I’ll meet you all there. And Kim, shut the Hell up about people’s secret identities.”
Sabrina raised her hand. "It's 7°C outside."
"Then grab your jacket, dear. We're done today."
The class cheered as they packed their bags and headed for the door. A chant of “Mamabug! Mamabug!” started as they marched out of the room.
Marinette gave her a sympathetic look as she walked out the door. “Sorry for all this.”
Caline smirked at her. She grabbed a notebook off her desk and chased a laughing Marinette to the door with it. “Get out of here! I’ll deal with you later, kiddo.”
While there were days ahead where monsters attacked and battles were to be fought, and while challenges still loomed and the future, as always, was yet to be written completely…
For one afternoon, the city was calm.
As Caline sat with her class along the banks of the Seine, she looked at the kids around her and smiled.
She looked at Marinette, who for a moment looked up from the group of girls talking with her. She made eye contact with Caline and smiled back.
She looked to Adrien, who was sitting with the boys. Plagg was perched on his knee and happily regaling them all with stories.
She looked to Chloé, who was a bit back from the others. She was laying in the grass, her head in Sabrina’s lap and looking content.
Caline didn’t know when it had happened, or exactly how, but somewhere along the line, her class had slowly changed. They had gone from classmates, to friends, to something resembling a family. And some of them? They had become her family, and for that, she was forever greatful.
She loved every damn one of them, and they loved each other. And for what it was worth? She knew, even without any magic powers of her own, that her kids were going to turn out alright.
So…
What do you do when your students are superheroes?
Caline smiled and sipped her cocoa. Across from her, she watched as Marinette caved and told the group, “Fine! All of you, just come by the apartment tonight. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to have a few more heroes on patrol.”
You love them, and support them, and let them know that no matter what, they’re not alone.
You let them know that you’ve got their back, and that there’s at least one adult in their lives they can count on.
You let them know that no matter what, you will never, ever give up on them.
That’s what a teacher does, after all.
Because in the blink of an eye, those kids are going to grow up. And when they do? They will remember. They will remember when someone was there for them. They will remember the moment someone cared.
And when it’s their turn to take the lead, they’ll look back, nervous and scared and unsure of the future, and they will remember the example that was set for them.
They will remember, and they will move forward, just like we all do.
They will remember because they were loved. Even if it was just for a single moment in time. Even if it was just by one person.
They will remember they were loved.
We all do.
And really, that’s all we need to be heroes.