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There is…pain. Pain everywhere. In my legs… my abdomen…
I just want to go to sleep.
Why is everyone shouting?
Please, let me sleep.
Who’s shaking me? Why won’t they stop yelling?
I can’t feel the pain anymore.
I can’t feel anything.
Did they turn off the lights? Why is it so dark?
Oh, they’ve stopped speaking. It’s so quiet.
Maybe now I can sleep.
Marinette shot up, panting and sweating. There wasn’t enough air, she was going to pass out, she was-
“Marinette! Shit Mari, what’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong!”
She was trapped, she couldn’t move.
Adrien.
Where was her husband?
Emma.
Her daughter? Oh no, the hospital, the pain, the blood. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
“Marinette, please. My love, calm down! It’s okay, you’re okay.”
Strong arms wrapped around her, bringing with them a sense of calm. She leaned back into the comforting embrace.
“It was just a dream. It’s okay.”
“Adrien!” She gasped, turning around and searching the darkness for his gaze.
“I’m here, I’m okay, you’re okay.”
Her heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was about to explode out of her chest. It was a dream.
It wasn’t real.
It was a dream.
Just a memory, it was over now.
Just a dream.
Her daughter was safe, she was safe, her husband was safe. Her family was safe.
“What was it this time?”
Adrien’s soft voice permeated the still room, successfully bringing Marinette from her thoughts.
“I-it was-“ Her voice was weak, pathetic. She needed to be strong; he couldn’t see her like this. “It was Emma.”
Good. This was good. Keep control.
“It was Emma’s birth.”
She felt Adrien’s body stiffen around her.
“O-oh.” He took a deep, steadying breath.
Marinette curled into him. “It was like… it was like I was back in that room. I could see, hear, feel everything. It was so real.”
“I know, I know, my love. But it’s okay. You’re fine now, and Emma’s fine.”
Marinette pulled away and put her head in her hands. “It’s been four years, Adrien. Why am I still remembering it?”
“Because it’s still fresh, Marinette. It’s probably going to be years before you can get that out of your head. Hell, there’s some nights where I can’t get the image of that night out of my head. Seeing you there, so pale, lying on that blood-soaked mattress… I never want to see that again. But it was that same thing that gave me one of my greatest joys. It gave me a little girl, my little girl.”
She felt Adrien slide off the bed and wrap his arms around her waist, lifting her off the bed. He carried her through their house; still that little apartment they bought four years ago, to the small bedroom at the end of the hall, its wall painted a bright, warm pink. On the far wall, there was a bed. A tiny, little bed holding a small, young girl.
Marinette slipped out of Adrien’s arms and tip-toed to the girl. What little moonlight that slipped in through the crack in the curtains of her window illuminated the girl’s face.
Her daughter. Her Emma.
She felt, rather than heard Adrien walk up behind her. Years of fighting as Chat Noir had given him a lightness of foot that he could never compete with.
“So that’s where those pesky Kwami went.” He murmured.
Marinette looked closer. Sure enough, both Tikki and Plagg were curled up under Emma’s chin, snoring softly.
She smiled. Her heart had settled, and her breathing was slowing again.
Everything truly was okay.
She let Adrien carry her back to their bedroom, falling asleep in his arms before her head even hit the pillow.
“Mama! Papa! It’s time to wake up!”
Marinette groaned as the tiny ball of energy landed on top of her for the second time. It was too early.
She heard Adrien chuckle beside her, before the weight was lifted off her with an excited squeal.
“Papa, Papa! Help me wake Mama up!”
Marinette whimpered. “No, please don’t.”
“Mamaaa. Come onnn. It’s breakfast time!”
Marinette opened her eyes and was met with wide blue ones. She squeezed her eyes shut once more, before sitting up slowly and wrapping her arms around her daughter. “You’ve woken Mama up too early Miss Emma Agreste. Now, you will be trapped… forever!”
Emma shrieked and squirmed while Marinette stood up from the bed and walked to the kitchen, Adrien trailing not far behind, watching the girls with an amused smirk.
“Hmmm, Mama is hungry. I wonder what’s on the menu for today?”
Emma piped up. “Can we have pancakes? Pleaseee?”
Marinette put a hand on her hip, while still holding the furiously struggling Emma. “Well, I was actually thinking of going to grandmama and grandpapa’s bakery for breakfast.” She sighed dramatically. “But if all you want is pancakes…”
Emmah finally escaped from Marinette’s arms and started jumping around.
“Bakery! Bakery! Pleaseee can we go to the bakery, Mama?”
“But I thought you wanted pancakes?” Marinette said, raising an eyebrow.
“And now I want to go to the bakery!”
Marinette sighed. “Well then, I suppose we can go to the bakery. But only if you can get dressed yourself this morning, with no help!”
“Okay Mama!”
The four-year-old ran off back to her room to find some clothes. Marinette sighed. “I feel like I should go with her and make sure she chooses proper clothes.”
Adrien came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. “Nah, let her go. She’ll do fine, after all, she’s got a famous fashion designer for a mother.” He teased, winking.
Marinette rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, and a super hot model for a father.”
He shrugged. “You said it, not me.”
Marinette smiled, sighing. This morning was so much better than last night when she woke up from the nightmare. Her world had brightened again. She was with the two people she loved most in the world. Those memories of pain and suffering were over. She had all she ever needed and wanted, all because of her cat. The cat who gave her one of his nine lives to save her.