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Chapter Text

Marinette climbed up the base of a lamppost. With her phone in one hand, she scanned over the sea of people looking for Alya and Nino. Even with the added height, it still took a minute for her to see Alya waving.

“Okay, I see you guys now,” Marinette spoke into her phone. “I’ll be right there. Don’t move.” She jumped down from the lamppost and started weaving in and out of the crowd toward the direction of her friends. 

It was Heroes’ Day in Paris. But unlike previous years, the holiday was now a week-long celebration. Currently, the Trocadéro was in full festival mode. There were multiple stages for musical performances, dozens of street vendors, and food carts all over the place.

“Sometimes, I hate being short,” Marinette whined as she grabbed onto Alya’s arm. “I couldn’t see you guys at all. So, where are we going first?”

“We’re waiting for one more.” Alya winked.

“Oh! Who?”

“Adrien’s on his way.” Nino grinned.

“Really?” That surprised Marinette. Lately, Adrien’s father had been forbidding any activities outside school. And for once, he wasn’t just overprotective. The Gabriel brand had recently closed its factories overseas. A surprise tour by Nathalie had revealed child labor violations, as well as wage thief from the supervisors. Gabriel had immediately dissolved their contract. The factory owner had retaliated with threats of violence toward anyone associated with Gabriel Agreste.

And so, poor Adrien was barely able to leave his house.

Marinette looked at the crowd in front of her. Many children chose to dress up for Heroes’ day. Tiny Ladybugs and Chat Noirs were running all over the place. To Marinette’s delight, there was even an occasional Carapace or Rena Rouge. Many of the children had also created their own hero costumes. Marinette loved seeing the creativity of a child’s imagination.

One child, however, made Marinette do a double-take. The little girl’s skin was blue, bluer than any bodypaint. Also, the little girl was floating instead of walking. Marinette frowned; she hated it when Hawkmoth Akumatized children.

“Sorry, Alya. I suddenly remembered something I needed to do.” Marinette glanced down at her nonexistent watch. “I’ll meet back with you later.”

“Seriously, girl?” Alya raised an eyebrow. “You’re not avoiding Adrien, are you?”

“It’s not that,” Marinette looked away, trying to see where the girl went. Crap, the girl disappeared. At least this Akuma wasn’t causing panic, but she was definitely up to something. “I really need to go; I’ll explain later.”

Marinette quickly headed in the direction of the Akumatized child. Hmm, finding a place to transform was going to be a problem. There were people everywhere. Marinette spotted a t-shirt vendor with an opaque tablecloth. She waited until no one was looking and ducked under the table.

A few seconds later, Ladybug emerged. Using her yo-yo, she launched herself to the top of a lamppost and looked down at the crowd. Within seconds, she spotted the floating, blue-skinned girl.

The child had a scowl on her face as she pointed to the adults all around her. Every time she pointed, the phones that were in the adult’s hand sparked and smoked. The little girl was destroying phones? Ladybug shrugged; seemed like an odd power. Perhaps she could destroy anything and, for some reason, was only using it on phones.

Though, as Ladybug scanned the crowd, she noticed quite a few parents staring at the tiny screens in their hands. Maybe this girl was frustrated at being ignored? Ladybug studied the girl further. Other than her clothes, she didn’t seem to have any objects on her. Perhaps the Akuma was in her headband?

Ladybug called for her Lucky Charm; a game of checkers fell into her hand. With a smile, she jumped down in front of the girl. The girl snarled when she saw Ladybug, but soon her expression turned curious as Ladybug held out the game.

“Do you want to play with me?” Ladybug sweetly asked.

The girl suddenly grabbed her temples, shaking her head back and forth. Ladybug knew Hawkmoth was trying to push his will on the little girl, but her desire to play was fighting it. It was all the opening Ladybug needed. She gently removed the girl’s headband and snapped it in half. A tiny black butterfly fluttered into the air.

Ladybug quickly removed her yo-yo, captured the Akuma, and released the tiny white butterfly. She looked down at the little girl holding the game of checkers to her chest. “Let’s go find your grown-ups.”

The girl looked at her with big, puppy dog eyes. “Can’t we play a game?”

Ladybug knelt beside the girl. “I’m sure your parents are very worried about you. We should find them first.”

The girl shook her head. “All they care about is their stupid phones.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Ladybug lifted the girl onto her shoulders. “Tell me when you see them.”

Within a few minutes, they found the girls frantic, teary-eyed parents. The girl, Marie, tightly clung to the checkers game to her chest as her mom and Dad showered her with relieved hugs and kisses. 

It was the first time Ladybug was tempted not to use her Miraculous Cure. Without their phones to distract them, maybe Marie’s parents would play with her. Would her Lucky Charm last after she de-transformed?

Ladybug scanned the crowd for Alya and Nino. With this many people, it might be easier to find them as Ladybug before she transformed back. Using her yo-yo, she sprung to the top of another lamppost. But it wasn’t Alya that caught her attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a gaunt, bald man with a photo of Adrien in his hand.

-Not that having a photo of Adrien was weird. She had many herself. But the man did seem like he was the fanboy type. That, and he appeared to be scanning the crowd as if he were looking for someone. Ladybug gulped.  It was as if he was looking for Adrien. Something about him made Ladybug’s skin crawl. She needed to investigate further.

The man walked slowly through the crowd. Ladybug noticed that he had a guitar case in his other hand. As part of the heroes day celebration, there were musicians all over the park. A guitar case wouldn’t be out of place. But this man didn’t strike her as a performer.

Ladybug’s earrings gave their final beep. With a groan, she ducked behind a booth to de-transform. She quickly handed Tikki a cookie. “Eat up fast, Tikki. I think we might need Ladybug again.”

Tikki nodded and flew into her purse. Marinette ran back into the crowd and frantically tried to find the man again. But there were just too many people! Marinette sprinted up and down the rows of booths attempting to see him again. Once again, she cursed her shortness.

“Tikki!” Marinette whined. ”Are you ready yet?”

“Almost. Just another minute.”

Marinette jumped up and down, trying to see above the crowd. In front of a distant art booth, she saw Nino and Alya and….Adrien’s bodyguard? Marinette looked for the nearest lamppost and climbed the base for a better look. Adrien was with them too. Or at least, she was pretty sure it was Adrien. He had a black cap hiding his hair and large sunglasses over his eyes.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the bald man again. He was peeking out from behind a booth. He no longer had Adrien’s photo in his hand; he had a gun with a long muzzle. And he was looking straight at Adrien!

Adrenaline washed over Marinette. She needed to act. Now! 

She ducked behind a booth. “Tikki, Spots on!”

“I need more time!” Tikki whined.

“But, Tikki,” Marinette choked. “It’s Adrien!”

Marinette ran back out into the crowd. By now, the man had lifted the barrel of the gun and was peering through the scope. She could never make it to the man in time, but maybe she could make it to Adrien. Marinette jumped down off her perch and sprinted through the crowd. Just a little ways more!

“Tikki! Spots on!” Marinette cried, not caring who saw her. But the familiar feel of the transformation never came. 

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she weaved in and out of the throng of people. Until, at last, she saw Adrien again. He was focused on some posters and had his back toward her. She called his name, but her voice was lost in the crowd’s noise.

Then, with all her weight behind her, Marinette jumped, reaching her arms out for Adrien. Her hands gripped his shoulders with all her might as she tackled him toward the ground.

A loud mechanical pop echoed in her ears.

Chapter Text

-Fifteen minutes earlier-

“I really need to go,” Marinette called back. “I’ll explain later.”

Alya sighed as she crossed her arms and watched Marinette disappear into the crowd. What is with that girl? 

“Is she flaking out again?” Nino asked.

“Who knows,” Alya shugged. “Maybe I should have warned her about Adrien showing up.”

Nino shrugged and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. With a smile, Alya snuggled into his touch. It wasn’t a terrible way to wait.

Soon, over the crowd, Alya spotted a man who was a head taller than everyone else. She nudged Nino and pointed. At first glance, Ayla thought Adrien’s bodyguard had arrived all by himself. Then she spotted the young man walking in front of him. Alya laughed at Adrien’s appearance. She wondered if her friend had looked up ‘disguise’ on the internet and decided to copy the first look he saw. Adrien’s blond hair was hidden under a black cap, and large, mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes. Adrien smiled as he walked over to his friends.

“Dude, cap and glasses?” Nino smirked. “Are you trying to copy my look?”

“Hey! It's a good look. Just trying something new. Father might not know I’m here.” Adrien lowered his glasses to wink at his friends. “It would be better if no pictures of me ended up on the internet.”

Alya giggled at her friend. Good for him; a little rebellion should do him some good. She grabbed Nino’s hand. “Come on, let’s go check out the vendors. I’m hoping there’s more Carapace merchandise this year.”

“I’m hoping to find a Rena Rouge pillow,” Nino squeezed her hand. “Should we wait for Marinette?” Nino asked.

Alya looked off in the direction her friend ran. “She has her phone; she can call if she wants to find us again.”

The four headed down the first row of booths. Much to Alya’s delight, there was a lot more Rena Rouge and Carapace merchandise than last year. She might have to save her money and only buy her favorites. But how could she decide? Some of these bookmarks and keychains were just so cute!  She let Nino and Adrien wander ahead. Decisions like these can’t be rushed.

“Hey, babe! You need to come see this!” Nino yelled from an artist booth. With a smile, Alya walked over to where Nino was looking at a folder of posters. Her face heated up when she saw the illustrations. The artist had chosen to redesign the outfits of Paris’ favorite heroes- she gulped- in very revealing ways.

“Do you think Trixx could try this?” Nino leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Alya shot him a dirty look. She flipped the pages of the folder until she found a similar take on Carapace. “I dunno… do you think Wayzz would go for that? It doesn’t seem like it would protect very much.”

Nino blushed as he looked at the print.

“Hey!” the booth attendant shouted at them. “That folder is adults only.”

Alya giggled as she scurried over to the next booth. Though, as she looked back, she saw Adrien inspecting the same folder. After a minute, she noticed the tips of his ears seemed a bit pink. Alya giggled. She knew he had a soft spot for Ladybug. Quite a few of those pictures should tickle his fancy.

Suddenly, Alya heard a loud bang as she saw Adrien tumble to the ground. Instantly, Adrien’s bodyguard shot off in the direction of the noise. Alya and Nino scrambled over to their fallen friend. But when she looked to the ground, she noticed Adrien appeared to have an extra set of legs. Quickly, Adrien pushed himself up to his knees, his sunglasses knocked from his face. Underneath where he fell, Marinette was lying on the grass. She was panting and looking up to the sky.

“Oh my god!” Alya dropped to her knees; a sudden realization washed over her. “Was that a gunshot just now?” She looked over to Adrien. His face was white with shock.

“I… I don’t know,” he stammered. “It didn’t sound like the movies.”

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked so softly that Alya barely heard her.

“Yeah,” Alya smiled down at her friend. “Wow! You were quite the hero, just now.”

Marinette continued to lay on the ground; she seemed to be staring at something. Alya cranked her head to see, but she only saw clouds in the sky. “You doing okay, girl?” Alya asked.

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette repeated.

Alya scooted closer to inspect her friend. She squirmed as she felt her knee touch something wet. “He’s fine. See? He’s right over there. Let’s get you up; I think you fell in a puddle.”

She reached for her friend’s hand to help her up, but Marinette didn’t grip it back. Alya's stomach twisted as a sinking fear washed over her. With shaking fingers, she touched the damp grass. All the air left her body as she looked at the glistening red on her hand. 

Alya stared at Adrien, trying to form out words. He only stared back at her, pale and wide-eyed.

“Nino!” Alya finally choked out, looking up to her boyfriend. “Call an ambulance!” She then looked to Adrien. “Your shirt. I need your shirt!”

Adrien shrugged off his white overshirt and quickly handed it to her. Alya crumbled it into a ball and rolled Marinette on to her side.

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked again, her pale face staring straight ahead.

“He’s fine!” Alya shouted, pressing the balled-up shirt to Marinette’s back, trying to find the source of the bleeding. “He’s fine, you stupid, stupid girl!”

Tears were dripping from the end of Alya’s nose; her throat was so tight it hurt to breathe. When she pressed the shirt to Marinette’s mid-back, Alya instantly felt it saturate with warm blood. She heard a wail escape her body that she didn’t remember making. Marinette’s tiny body was losing blood too fast. Oh god! Alya realized with horror. Marinette isn’t going to survive this.

Still keeping pressure on the wound, Alya raised Marinette into her arms. She held her friend with all her might, letting tears drop into her hair.

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked, quieter this time.

Alya couldn’t control her sobs as she held her best friend. She bit her lip, hard, trying to focus on what she needed to do. With her eye’s blurred with tears, she looked over to Adrien. Tears were running down his cheeks as he stared at Alya in disbelief.

“I need you to take her.” Alya choked out.

“What? Me?” he stammered.

“I need you to hold her,” Alya spoke firmer this time. “And tell her you love her.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “What… why?”

Alya took a deep breath and swallowed. She was about to tell the biggest lie of her life.

“Please, Adrien. Tell her you love her. It might get her to hang on.”

Adrien nodded and gently lifted Marinette into his arms. Marinette didn’t react to the touch but continued to stare straight ahead.

Numbly, Alya rose to her feet and staggered toward Nino. He was busy talking to emergency services on his phone. Alya looked at the vast crowd of people in front of her. An ambulance would need a path, and there wasn’t one. Alya winced and clenched her fists. She needed to do something! She needed to do something other than watch her friend die.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please, make a path.” Alya knew no one heard her. Her heart pounded in her ribcage as she stared into the multitude of people in front of her. A few people had noticed Marinette on the ground, but most were still walking by unaware. 

Alya stood with her back to Adrien. It was the final seconds of her friend’s life, and she couldn’t do anything! They lived in a time of magic and superheroes, and her friend was going to die from a stupid gun. Alya never felt so helpless in her entire life.

“Alya!!” she heard Adrien’s panicked shout. “She stopped breathing! Alya! Help me!”

Alya felt like her chest was about to explode. She squeezed her eyes shut. Alya knew she should help, but she couldn’t turn around to face Adrien. She hated how much of a coward she was, but she just couldn’t bear to see Marinette dead.

“Please!” Alya tried to scream, but her voice had no power. “Please, everyone, move out of the way!” 

Suddenly, bangs and pops erupted from all over. In an instant, people were screaming and running away as lights, speakers, and digital displays exploded from all around. The noises were coming from every direction, and no one knew where to run. People were falling and stomping all over each other in a frantic stampede. Alya felt Nino grab her by the shoulders and shove her under a table.

Alya clung to Nino for dear life, desperately hoping to wake up from this nightmare. That had to be it, right? She must have been dreaming. Something this terrible couldn’t possibly be real. Alya bit her lip until she tasted blood. She felt her body shake as her last hope vanished. Five minutes ago, Marinette was fine. How had the world changed so fast in just five stupid minutes?

They stayed under the table until the explosions stopped, but it was far from quiet. Children were crying, and people were calling to each other. After a few minutes, Nino took her by the hand and helped her out from under the table. With wide eyes, Alya stared at the scene in front of her.

The air was hazy and smelled strongly of smoke. Broken glass littered the ground. Many of the booths had been damaged and knocked over in the confusion. Alya took a deep, shaky breath and looked over to where she had last seen Adrien and Marinette. But there was no sign of her friends. All that remained was Adrien’s bloody shirt on the ground.

She looked over to Nino’s tear-stained face.

“Where did they go?”

Chapter Text

-Fifteen minutes earlier-

Adrien bounced with excitement as he and his bodyguard walked to the Trocadéro. Yes! He was finally free! Well, not technically free. Adrien glanced over to the imposing man at his side, but he was out of his house. And not a moment too soon, either. He felt like he was going crazy.

His bodyguard cleared his throat, and Adrien stopped his bouncing. Right. He didn’t want to attract attention to himself. His father didn’t know about his ‘little adventure’ and Adrien was doing his best to keep it that way. Luckily, his bodyguard had a weakness for action figures, and Adrien promised there would be many rare ones available for purchase.

Adrien stood on his toes and looked for his friends. They were supposed to meet somewhere around here, but it was impossible to see through the crowd. He really wished he could take off his sunglasses, but he couldn’t risk being discovered. Ironically, Adrien would have drawn less attention had he been transformed into Chat Noir. It seemed half the people here were in some form of cosplay. He saw everything from simple black cat ears, to full-on Ladybug onesies. It was like half of Paris was having a hero-themed costume party.

Finally, his bodyguard tapped Adrien on the shoulder and pointed him in the direction of a waving Nino. Adrien couldn’t help but smile as he drew closer to his friends. He saw Alya raise her eyebrow at his disguise. Thankfully, Nino was far more enthusiastic.

“Dude! Cap and glasses? Are you trying to copy my look?” Nino teased.

Adrien reached up to check his hair, making sure no stray strains escaped his baseball cap. “Hey! It's a good look. Just trying something new. Father might not know I’m here.” Adrien lowered his glasses to wink at his friends. “It would be better if no pictures of me ended up on the internet.”

Both of his friends nodded, knowingly.

“Come on, let’s go check out the vendors,” Alya said as she took Nino’s hand. “I’m hoping there’s more Carapace merchandise this year.” Adrien grinned, happy that Carapace had a fangirl. Good for him! He deserved it! Adrien thought as he followed the happy couple to the merchandise vendors. Though, he secretly envied Alya. If she wanted to, she could decorate her room with all the superhero items she could buy. But Adrien had to limit himself to a few hidden photos and action figures.

As he watched Alya bounce from booth to booth, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her excitement. Even if Adrien couldn’t own any Ladybug merchandise, he got to spend time with the real thing. I wonder what she thinks of all this? Adrien found himself musing. Was she humbled that Paris would go to such lengths to honor her, or would she be embarrassed that someone put her likeness on a pillow?

As Adrien continued walking, he found himself at a booth that had Chat Noir and Ladybug perfume. Curiosity got the better of him. What did people think their heroes smelled like? Adrien lifted a tester to his nose and inhaled the Ladybug smell. He winced immediately. It was overwhelmingly floral and powdery, nothing like the scent of his Lady. Though Adrien doubted many people knew that.

“Checking out the competition?” Adrien looked up to see Nino at his side. “So how does ‘Ladybug the Fragrance ’ compare to ‘Adrien the Fragrance ’?”

“Well, they are equally wrong,” Adrien responded with a grin. Then, he picked up the Chat Noir cologne and gave it a big whiff. Oh, man. Now that was just foul! But probably for the best. It would be weird if the perfumes actually smelled like them.

“So… not buying any as a gift for the girlfriend?” Nino teased.

“Girlfriend? You mean Kagami?” Adrien asked. “She’s not my girlfriend.” However, she was the only friend his father allowed Adrien to see during his heightened lockdown. But he doubted she would like any cheap perfume as a gift. Maybe he could find some Ryuuko merchandise.

“Then you’re missing out, dude.” Nino playfully nudged his arm. “Maybe someone just needs to lock you two in a panther cage.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. He knew his friend meant well, but honestly, he was tired of people asking about his love life. “Nah. I think I’ve had enough of being locked up for a lifetime.”

“Ouch!” Nino winced dramatically. “Well, you’re free today, my man. Enjoy it while it lasts. Whoa! Look at that masterpiece!” Nino’s attention was drawn elsewhere. With a sigh, Adrien watched his friend sprint over to a large Rena Rouge poster. He then turned his attention to the other merchandise in front of him. Hmm… Maybe a Ladybug-themed bar soap could go unnoticed in his shower. Adrien brought the bar up to his nose. Unlike the perfume, the soup had a light fruity scent. Well, it was closer, anyway. His Lady did always smell delicious. But more like vanilla and cinnamon than fruit.

Adrien looked over to see Alya and Nino giggling while looking through a folder at an artist’s booth. Whatever art was in there, it must have been good, judging by their reactions. After his friends moved on, Adrien slowly wandered over to the folder. His curiosity was piqued, after all.

He immediately blushed when he saw the artwork. Adrien turned around to make sure his bodyguard was at a comfortable distance before he thumbed through the pages. The artist had very, ahem ... provocative interpretations of the heroes’ outfits. Adrien blinked and tilted his head. While esthetically quite pleasing, he doubted these suits would hold up well in a battle.

Suddenly, Adrien was thrown down to the ground as a loud bang rang in his ears. Once he hit the grass, he found himself rolling with the force of whatever had grabbed him.

When the motion stopped, Adrien pushed himself up into a kneel. He rubbed his face, trying to reorient himself after the sudden movement. Instantly, Adrien’s eyes dropped to the source of his fall. Marinette lay on the ground, panting as she stared up at the sky. Huh? Why would Marinette tackle him? Adrien blinked as his thoughts struggled to process everything that happened in the last few seconds.

“Oh my god!” Alya dropped to her knees beside Marinette. “Was that a gunshot just now?”

Icy chills washed over Adrien. A gun?! “I… I don’t know,” he stammered. “It didn’t sound like the movies.”

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked so softly that Adrien barely heard her.

“Yeah,” Alya smiled down at her friend. “Wow! You were quite the hero, just now.”

Wha…. What?!? Was someone trying to shoot him with a gun? Did his friend just save his life? Marinette continued to lay on the ground as the weight of the situation washed over Adrien. He shouldn’t have come. The disguise wasn’t enough. Oh, no! He had put his friends in danger.

“You doing okay, girl?” Alya asked.

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette repeated.

Adrien paled as dread descended upon him. Marinette had already asked that question. And... she didn’t seem to be responding to them at all. Adrien gulped, there was something very wrong with his friend. Alya scooted closer to Marinette. “He’s fine. See? He’s right over there. Let’s get you up, I think you fell in a puddle.”

Numbly, Adrien watched Alya grab Marinette’s hand, but she didn’t grip it back. Alya's face fell as she touched the ground. When she bought her hand back up, Adrien saw her fingertips were bright with blood. A deep visceral fear started rising within him as his heart pounded loudly in his ears. Oh, no! Marinette is hurt!

“Nino!” Alya yelled, looking up to her boyfriend. “Call an ambulance!” She then looked to Adrien. “Your shirt. I need your shirt!”

Adrien shrugged off his white overshirt and quickly handed it to her. Alya crumbled it into a ball and rolled Marinette onto her side. She’ll be alright. She’ll be alright. Adrien kept telling himself. Maybe she just cut herself in the fall.

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked again. She was staring in his direction, but her eyes weren’t focusing.

“He’s fine!” Alya shouted, pressing the balled-up shirt to Marinette’s back. Adrien saw tears dripping from her face. “He’s fine, you stupid, stupid girl!”

Adrien watched in horror as Alya’s face suddenly twisted. She let out a guttural wail as she gathered Marinette into her arms. Gently, Alya rocked her friend as she sobbed. Everything was happening too fast. What was he supposed to do?!

“Is Adrien okay?” Marinette asked, quieter this time.

With her face streaked with tears, Alya looked up and met Adrien’s eyes. He had never seen his friend look so terrified before. “I need you to take her.” Alya choked out.

“What? Me?” he stammered. Adrien didn’t have any first aid knowledge. He wanted to help, but Alya seemed to know a lot more than he did.

“I need you to hold her,” Alya spoke firmer this time. “And tell her that you love her.”

Huh? “What… why?”

“Please, Adrien.” There was unmistakable desperation in her voice. “Tell her that you love her. It might get her to hang on.”

Adrien nodded. Okay, he could do that. Gingerly, he reached for Marinette and lifted her out of Alya’s arms. He noticed the back of her blazer was wet as he settled her on his lap. Tears freely fell from his face as he cradled her against his body. If she knew he was there, she didn’t show it. She didn’t react at all.

“Uh… Marinette?” Adrien spoke her name gently.

“Adrien?” She whispered softly, her half-lidded eyes still stared into nothing.

“I, umm…” he swallowed. He wasn’t sure why Alya thought this would help, but he would try anything. “I… love you?

Suddenly, Marinette’s eyes shot wide open and locked onto his. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise as she blinked at him. Relief washed over Adrien. Marinette had reacted! Maybe she would be alright after all.

“You… you love me?” she asked hesitantly.

Adrien nodded, still amazed that his words had pulled her out of her daze. “Yeah,” he smiled through his tears. “I… I love you,” he told her firmer this time. It was working!

The muscles in Marinette’s face relaxed as she softly smiled back. A calm expression settled over her face.

“I love you, too.”

Adrien felt the tension leave his friends body as she continued to stare at him. Her small smile never left her face as she lay motionless. She wasn’t even blinking anymore. Adrien gently shook her, trying to get a reaction, but she didn’t move. Panic started building within him as Adrien brought a hand to her chest. He closed his eyes, trying to feel her shallow breaths. Trying to feel her heartbeat.

But there wasn’t any.

“Alya!!” Adrien screamed, “She stopped breathing! Alya! Help me!” He started to shake her more roughly, but she didn’t respond. No! No! No! No!

Suddenly, Plagg was beside his ear. “I’ll create a distraction. Pick her up and carry her behind the t-shirt vendor.”

“Wha…” Adrien’s breaths were shallow and rapid. He tried tapping Marinette’s cheek, but she just wouldn’t move!

“We can help her!” Plagg spoke firmly. “But you have to focus. Do you think you can carry her?”

Adrien nodded, still trying to rouse Marinette.

Plagg darted into the ground leaving Adrien holding Marinette. He looked down at his unmoving friend. Her unblinking eyes didn’t move as he gently caressed her hair away from her sweaty forehead. Her normally pink lips were now turning a sickly grey. Adrien closed his eyes and shook his head. This can’t be happening! Please! This can’t be happening!

Adrien lifted her higher until he could place a kiss on Marinette’s brow. “Please, hang on, Marinette,” he begged.

Then all at once, loud bangs and pops happened all around him. He curled his body around Marinette’s, trying to shield her from the debris. People were screaming and running everywhere as Adrien tried to focus. T-shirt vendor! He had to get Marinette behind the T-shirt vendor.

Every instinct in Adrien’s body wanted to take cover, but he remembered he had a job to do. Smoke was filling the air as he quickly lifted Marinette into his arms and ran behind the booth. He ducked out of sight, waiting for Plagg to reappear. The explosions and screams were still going on when Plagg found him.

“We can help her!” Plagg repeated, shouting over the noise. “But you need to transform and take Marinette to the safe house.” Adrien noticed he had a large black bag in his arms.

“I can’t!” Adrien yelled back. “She needs a hospital!”

“They can’t help her! She’s too far gone for them.” Plagg held up the bag. “Wrap her in this and carry her as fast as you can. If you run fast enough, the bag will blend in with your suit. People won’t be able to see her. ”

“I can’t… I can’t put her in that.” Adrien looked at the shiny garbage bag as he hugged Marinette to his chest defensively. “She won’t be able to breathe.”

“She’s not breathing now, and that’s not going to change unless we hurry. Just go!”

With shaking hands, Adrien grabbed the bag from Plagg. He had to focus; Marinette needed him. He could do this!

“Claws out.”

Chapter Text

Chat Noir had never run so fast in his life. In under two minutes, he arrived at a small rooftop balcony. The ‘safe house’ was an abandoned apartment Chat Noir had discovered during a patrol. It appeared to be in the early stages of a remodel when all work had stopped. When Ladybug enquired about it, she was told that the owners were going through a messy divorce, and it was likely to be empty a while longer. But for now, it served as an emergency meet up point. 

As he shifted the garbage bag in his arms, Chat Noir opened the casement window. His transformation dropped as soon as he jumped inside the small apartment.

The bag instantly felt heavier as he lowered Marinette down on the bare wood floor. He swiftly slid his friend out of the thick plastic. A panicked sob ripped out of his chest as Adrien saw his friend again. Marinette looked even worse than before.

Her skin was beyond pale. It was a sickening grey with her half-lidded eyes blankly staring forward. They didn’t even look blue anymore. Her pupils were dilated to the point that her eyes looked black. No, this wasn’t Marinette. It was just some grey-skinned Marinette doll. 

Panic started to rise within Adrien. He shouldn’t have brought her here; she needed a hospital! Oh, god! what had he done? Adrien began to tremble as his breaths came out shaky and panicked. Tears started falling from his eyes. Why had he listened to Plagg?!? He shouldn’t have brought her here.

“Adrien! Adrien!” Plagg was yelling in his ear. Adrien jolted to alertness, suddenly realizing that his Kwamii had been shouting for some time. “Please, Adrien. Focus. Tikki should be here soon.”

“Is.. is Ladybug coming?” Adrien asked, turning away from Marinette.

“No, we just need the Kwamis.” 

“Are we going to combine the Miraculous?” Dread washed over him. “No, they can’t be used for-”

“The Kwamis can act on their own. Listen, Adrien. Once Tikki arrives, things will need to happen really fast. I need you to focus and do exactly as she says.”

“Wha..?” Adrien struggled to understand the words coming out of Plaggs mouth. “Are you leaving?”

“I can’t heal her, but I can help stop the decay. Please, Adrien. You need to trust us!” Adrien watched in shock as his Kwamii turned away and disappeared into Marinette’s body.

Adrien’s heart pounded in his ears as he stared at his unmoving friend. This is my fault! It’s all my fault, his mind repeated. The bullet was meant for him. Oh, god! If he hadn’t snuck out today, Marinette would still be breathing.

Focus. Focus. Focus!

“Her shirt is wet,” Adrien spoke aloud to the empty room. Numbly, he stood up and walked to a partially demolished wall. There was a duffle bag Adrien had hidden there months ago. With shaking hands, he pulled out a blanket and a hoodie before he returned to Marinette.

He knelt beside her, trying to swallow the nausea growing with him. He didn’t want to touch her. Adrien hated the way this Marinette-doll looked, with her black eyes and greyish skin. Everything about her was wrong. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat as he reached for her eyelids, gently lowering them over her unnaturally black eyes.

Adrien slapped his cheeks hard. He had to focus. According to Plagg, Tikki would be here any moment. Until then… damn it! He needed to do something! The only thing he could do right now was to make his friend more comfortable.

With a wince, Adrien gently lifted Marinette’s shoulders off the floor, pulling off her blazer at the same time. Next, he peeled off Marinette’s white top, trying not to look at the blood saturated fabric. Once it was free of her arms, Adrien balled it up and threw it into the corner. Then, he slowly placed the hoodie over her head and pulled Marinette’s arms through. With great care, Adrien set her back down on the floor and spread the blanket out beside her. He gently gathered her into his arms and gently placed her on the blanket, wrapping it around her body.

She looked better now, almost as if she was sleeping. Adrien softy smoothed her hair back into place.

Suddenly, Tikki flew through the open window with a gathered handkerchief in her arms. As she dropped it on the floor, all sorts of jewelry spilled out.

“Put these on,” Tikki commanded.

Adrien nodded as he reached for the snake Miraculous. As he slid it on his wrist, Sass suddenly appeared. Next, Adrien grabbed for the Fox pendant, then the Dragon collar. With each piece of jewel, Adrien felt heavier and heavier, but he didn’t stop. He grabbed the comb, circlet, and hairclips. As each Kwami materialized in front of him, they turned and raced over to Marinette. 

Adrien’s head pounded as he put the last Miraculous on his body. It was hard to concentrate; it was even hard to breathe. He even struggled to keep his body upright. Adrien blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus on the group of Kwamis in front of him.

All of a sudden, Wayzz appeared in front of his face. “We can heal her body, but we must take something from you,” he warned. “Everything must be kept in balance.”

“Take whatever you need. I don’t care!” Adrien choked out. “It should have been me.” He looked down at Marinette. “Please, it should have been me.”

Wayzz nodded and joined the other Kwamis. They were soon flying around in a circle around Marinette, chanting in a language Adrien didn’t recognize. Their dancing was mesmerizing; Adrien found he couldn’t look away. 

“Adrien, you must call her soul back,” he heard Tikki call out. “Close your eyes and picture Marinette.”

 Adrien closed his eyes, picturing his sweet classmate. Her easy smile, her cute laugh, the times they played video games together. The way she felt when they danced together. Then, without warning, Adrien felt like he was falling; he could no longer feel his body on the floor. Adrien closed his eyes harder, fighting off the distraction. He had to think of Marinette, to call back her soul or whatever Tikki said. Dear sweet Marinette. Who was always so kind, gentle, caring. She deserved so much better than this.

A warmth started filling his chest. As much as he tried to keep his eyes closed, the feeling was so intense Adrien couldn’t help open them. He gasped at the sight in front of him. Adrien was no longer in the demolished apartment. He didn’t even think he was on earth anymore! Tiny dots of light sparkled everywhere in a blue-black darkness. Adrien looked down at his hands; he was almost surprised to see he was still in his body.

“Marinette!” he shouted into the void. How was he supposed to call her back? Tikki hadn’t told him. And… there was nothing here! Adrien turned around, frantically looking in every direction.

There was a bright shape floating in the distance. Adrien squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the intensity of the light. He began to make out its human form. It was a very familiar silhouette. Adrien recognized it right away.

But why was she here? Was it really her?

“My Lady! I need your help!” He called out to the featureless shape. “Please! I have to find Marinette!” The glowing form floated in front of him; she was too bright to see clearly. As she drew closer, Adrien squinted in the light.  His eyes hurt as he gazed at her, but he wouldn’t close them. As she floated in front of him, Adrien couldn’t make out any features other than her bluebell eyes.

“Please,” Adrien begged. “I need to find her.”

A glowing hand stretched toward him. Adrien hesitated a moment before he reached back. As his fingertips touched hers, the light started to withdraw from her skin, revealing opaque pink fingers in its wake. Adrien watched in amazement as more and more light transformed into flesh. Soon an entire hand was revealed, then an arm, then a torso. Until finally, the blinding light faded from her face, revealing… revealing...

...Marinette?

Adrien blinked back at the smiling face in front of him. But...but this was Ladybug? He tried to swallow, but his mouth felt too dry. All at once, overlapping images of Marinette and Ladybug bombarded his mind. Ladybug and Marinette. Whatever magic was shielding her identity didn’t exist in this place. Adrien could see her! Oh, god! It was his Lady floating before him. His lady who had jumped in front of a gun to save his life! His Lady, who was… Marinette.

Suddenly, Adrien felt like he was being thrown backward and falling all at the same time. He closed his eyes and focused on holding on to Marinette’s hand. 

Then, there was darkness.

Chapter Text

Marinette was floating.

It was like a dream; a pleasant dream. Marinette felt totally at peace. Was this what happened to people after they die? Marinette had never thought much about it before. Why would she? She was young and healthy. Even the battles with Hawkmoth had never made her consider her mortality.

With her eyes closed, she squinted in the light. Part of her face felt warm, almost as if she were lying in the sun. It was peaceful here. The gentle sounds of traffic reminded her of home. Inhaling deeply, Marinette's face twisted at the smell of sawdust. She slowly raised her eyelids. Somehow, the simple act seemed to take far more effort than it should.

Marinette’s eyes were slow to focus on the sight in front of her. A blond-haired angel lay at her side, with the tips of his golden hair glowing in the sunlight. Oh, how soft it looked. Marinette wanted to touch those silken locks, but her arms felt too weak to move. How fitting. Her angel looked just like Adrien, the sweet boy she had given her heart to years ago. The boy she gave her life to protect. Marinette smiled at her angel, closely watching the rise and fall of his chest.

After a minute, the angel moved in his sleep, turning his face toward hers. Marinette blinked in confusion. Why did her angel have a nose ring? And... hair clips? The more she looked at her angel, the more he didn’t make any sense.

Suddenly, Tikki flew in front of her face. “Marinette!” she shouted. “You’re awake.”

She cringed at the sharp voice of her Kwami. Was Tikki always this loud? And why was she here? Marinette attempted to speak, but her tongue sat uselessly in her mouth. She tried to swallow, but her body was slow to react. Gradually, Marinette willed her numb body to respond. 

By now, a dozen Kwamis hovered around her, all looking at her with faces of joy and relief. Huh? Why would the Kwamis be here? Marinette closed her eyes again, suddenly feeling quite queasy. A moment later, she felt something wet against her lips.

“Here, drink this, Marinette,” it was Tikki’s voice again. “It’ll help.” 

She took a few tiny swallows and started coughing.

“Marinette?” a familiar male voice called out.

Huh? Her angel even sounded like Adrien.

Slowly, Marinette opened her eyes again. The Adrien-angel was staring back at her with a look of astonishment. But even bathed in the golden light of evening, his skin looked too yellow.

With a wince, Adrien propped himself up on his elbows. He immediately hissed. “Owww! My head.”

A moment later, Tikki was offering him a bottle of water.

Marinette blinked at the scene in front of her, confused at the sight. This… this wasn’t an angel at all. But why were Adrien and Tikki together? No. None of this made sense. 

“Adrien?” she whispered; her raspy voice sounded foreign to her ears.

“Marinette?” A gleeful smiled spread over Adrien’s face. “You’re… you’re pink, again.”

“You’re... not.” Marinette continued to stare at him. He really didn’t look good. Even the sclera of his eyes had a sickly green color. “What happened to you?”

Adrien pushed himself into a sitting position and winced again, grabbing his forehead.

“Easy, easy,” Wayzz spoke soothingly. “Perhaps it’s best not to sit up so fast.”

Marinette’s mind struggled to understand what was going on in front of her. The Kwamis were talking to Adrien. But… Why were the Kwamis out? Her eyes fell to the mismatched jewelry adorning Adrien’s body. Huh? What?! Adrien was wearing the Miraculouses. Like, all of them! Did Tikki bring them to him? But that still wouldn’t explain the color of his skin.

“What’s wrong with Adrien?” Marinette asked as she slowly sat up. She had so many questions, but she needed to make sure her friend was okay first.

“You were shot, Marinette,” Wayzz explained. “We needed to heal you, but things always have to balance. We took a lot of Adrien’s blood.”

“...and a part of his liver!” Barkk added.

“You took too much of it!” Xuppu snapped. “He looks like a banana.”

“My… my liver?” Adrien’s hands immediately flew to his side, inspecting his skin. 

“We didn’t leave a mark, if that’s what you're worried about,” Kaalki crossed her arms defensively. “We’re professionals.”

Adrien gazed down at his hands, blinking at the yellow pallor of his skin.

“Don’t worry, young man, whom I have never met before,” Plagg flew in front of his face. “It’ll grow back.”

Marinette squirmed in her skin. The Kwamis put part of Adrien’s liver inside her?! She brought her hand to her back and gingerly touched the skin. It was tender to the touch, but there was no sign of any injury. Her eyes soon fell to the black Kwami in Adrien’s hand.

“Plagg, why are you here?!” Marinette suddenly saw the ring on Adrien’s finger. It was Chat’s Miraculous, black and uncamouflaged. 

“We needed everyone, Marinette,” Tikki answered apologetically.

“You took away Chat’s Miraculous?!” Marinette felt horrified, instantly worried about her partner and the confusion he must be going through.

“We did what we had to do. Don’t ask us any more,” Wayzz told her. “Now, more than ever, we have to protect Chat Noir’s identity.”

Adrien looked like he wanted to say something. He opened his mouth but stopped himself.

Marinette felt sick to her stomach. When Master Fu took Tikki away in the middle of the night; it was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. Now, thanks to her, the Kwamis had stolen Chat’s Miraculous away. Marinette closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to quell the panic inside her.

“Please, you have to take his ring back, right away,” Marinette pleaded, opening her eyes. Plagg began to speak, but nothing but bubbles came out. She looked over to the turtle Kwami. “Wayzz, you know where Chat lives. You have to take the ring back.”

Wayzz nodded.

Marinette sighed in relief, looking up to the ceiling. Then, her eyes started darting around to the room around her.

“This… this is the safe house. How'd I get here?”

“Let’s just say a certain Kwami told Adrien to bring you here,” Tikki sweetly explained.

“Oh, Tikki,” Marinette brought her hands together for Tikki to land on. Once she did, Marinette lifted the Kwami to her face and gave her a little kiss. 

“So… umm,” Marinette shyly looked over to Adrien. Marinette was shocked to see his eyes full of affection and tenderness. “I guess my secret is out?”

“Yeah… I’m surprised I didn’t see it before,” Adrien chuckled softly. “My everyday Ladybug was the real one, after all.” 

The way he looked at her made it hard to breathe. Marinette felt her cheeks heat up at the intensity of his stare. Marinette suddenly felt very shy. Her eyes fell to her lap, her lap with her very naked thighs. Oh, god! She immediately shrieked and tried to pull down her shirt but stopped when she didn’t recognize the oversized hoodie she was wearing.  “What happened to my clothes?!” 

“We washed them for you,” Trixx told her. “And got all the stains out. They should be dry by the afternoon.”

Okay. She could freak out about a dozen tiny gods striping her naked later. Huh? Afternoon? Marinette looked at the long shadows on the floor. But isn’t it evening?

“Afternoon?!” Marinette could feel herself start to panic. “What time is it?”

“Just after sunrise. You two have been sleeping almost 16 hours,” Barkk told her.

Oh, god! Her parents must be so worried. Marinette looked around for her bag, but she didn’t see it anywhere. “Adrien, can I borrow your phone? I need to call home.”

“You can’t, Marinette; you were fatally injured,” Tikki sadly stated. “If you go back now, you’ll expose that you're Ladybug. You’ll put all your friends and family in danger.”

“What…? What do you mean?” Marinette stammered as dread washed over her. “I can’t go back?”

“Don’t worry,” Adrien reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’ll stay with you.”

“Adrien, you can’t stay,” Plagg touched his shoulder. “You have one of the most recognizable faces in Paris. Marinette needs to hide right now”

“But… How can I go back without Marinette? The last time people saw me, I had her body in my hands.”

Did Adrien carry her here? How did no one see? Marinette winced. Her groggy mind struggled to understand. She had too many questions, and every answer led to even more questions.

“There was a lot of confusion going on when you left the celebration,” Tikki explained. “A lot of people got hurt. We can use that to explain Adrien’s disappearance.”

“Wait? People get hurt?” Marinette’s brows furrowed in confusion.

“Umm,... there might have been a bit of Kwami-caused chaos.” Tikki looked guilty. “There needed to be a distraction to get you and Adrien out of there. But don’t worry, people are blaming the earlier Akuma.”

“You mean… the little girl?” A realization dawned on her. “I didn’t use the cure.”

“We need to send Adrien back, but… for this to work, he needs to be injured,” Wayzz flew in front of her. “We have to explain the blood loss, and also the lost time.”

“Don’t worry, Marinette,” Adrien winked. ”I can keep your secret.”

Marinette gulped. “You want to hurt Adrien more? Even after you took his blood and part of his liver? No! Absolutely not!”

“I’ll do it!” Adrien declared, ignoring her objection. “You need to get strong, so you can defeat Hawkmoth and come back to us.” Adrien staggered to a stand and held up his arms wide. “Do your best.”

“No! Wait!” Marinette reached out.

Ziggy, Xuppo, and Fluff started flying around Adrien in a tight circle. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and Adrien collapsed to the floor.

“Adrien!” Marinette screamed. She attempted to stand, but her legs were too weak. Cursing her useless muscles, she crawled over to Adrien’s prone body. She rolled him onto his back and patted his cheek. He didn’t respond to the touch, but Marinette could see that he was still breathing. Her heart sank as she saw a large gash in his hairline. His right ear was also full of dried blood. Marinette started to sob as she turned to the Kwamis. “What did you do!?”

“We mimicked an injury,” Ziggy grinned,

“No, we gave him an injury,” Xuppo corrected.

“But, we made it look like it’s from an explosion,” Ziggy added.

“I made it look like it happened 18 hours ago,” Fluff boasted proudly.

“Marinette,” Tikki patted her shoulder. “Focus. Ladybug needs to take him to the hospital.”

Marinette smoothed Adrien’s blood-crusted hair away from his forehead. “But… I don’t think I can stand.”

“Transform first. You’ll be stronger then.”

Marinette nodded. “Okay. Spots on.” 

The familiar sensation flowed over her, and instantly Ladybug’s body felt light again. There was no longer any trace of weakness and fatigue. Slowly, she began to remove the Miraculouses from Adrien’s body. One by one, the Kwamis vanished. After she had removed the Snake bracelet, she noticed Plagg curled up in Adrien’s palm.

“I could go with him,” Plagg offered softly with large, wet eyes. Ladybug gently patted his head.

“No, Plagg. We need to get you back to Chat. But here,” Ladybug slipped the ring onto her finger.  “You can come with me to the hospital.”

Gently, she lifted Adrien in her arms, cradling him against her body. “I’ll never forget what you did for me,” Ladybug whispered as she kissed his temple. As she stood up, Plagg opened the window. Within moments, Ladybug was on her way to the hospital.

Adrien was still unconscious as Ladybug landed in the ambulance bay at the nearest hospital. She sprinted through the sliding glass doors and yelled at the man behind a desk. “Please help me. I found him in the street!” 

Within moments, a handful of people rushed to her side. Ladybug carefully laid Adrien onto a nearby gurney as a team started to evaluate him. Soon, he was being wheeled through swinging doors into a nearby trauma bay.

“He was looking for his friend,” Ladybug called out to them. “I… I couldn’t find her.”

He’ll be okay. He’ll be okay. She repeated to herself as she sprinted out of the hospital. Using her yo-yo, Ladybug launched herself high onto the rooftops. Her first instinct was to head home and crash into her bed. But that wasn’t possible anymore, was it? Ladybug’s stomach twisted with the realization. Not without putting her family in danger. Adrien was already in the hospital because of her. She couldn’t bear to see anyone else get hurt.

Swallowing a sob, she headed in the direction of the safe house. Once inside, she exchanged sad looks with Plagg as she walked over to the blanket on the floor. I guess this is my home now.

“Spots off,” Ladybug sighed. 

Marinette immediately collapsed to the floor.

Chapter Text

Adrien's head was pounding. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was the smell of disinfectant. It was so strong it made his nose hurt. Licking his dry, cracked lips, Adrien turned his face over into his pillow, trying to get away from the annoying scent. He heard all sorts of noises around him. People were talking far away, and there was some kind of machine that hummed. It was probably a hospital, he guessed. Marinette must have brought him here.

Or, rather, Ladybug did.

Adrien's thoughts drifted to Marinette. His everyday Ladybug. The real Ladybug. She had been in front of him the whole time. A warmth filled his chest; he had finally discovered his Lady. And she was just as amazing on the other side of the mask, and every bit a hero.

Of course, it was Marinette that had saved his life. But... no. She shouldn't have done that. Adrien was supposed to be the one to take the hits. He was the one that was dispensable, not her. It was his job to protect her.

Adrien turned his head to face the other direction. Oh, man! That hurt even more. And there was something fuzzy in his ear. Adrien winced and turned his head back.

He had always hated the secret identities. It had never mattered to him who Ladybug was; Adrien knew he loved her all the same. Knowing Marinette was Ladybug wouldn't change how he fought next to her.

But now, Adrien felt like he might understand. The secret identity rule wasn't for him at all; it was for Marinette. Would she really be able to send him into danger knowing he was Adrien? She had taken a bullet for him, sacrificing herself for her friend. Of course, she would. She was loyal and protective like that. It was those qualities that make her Ladybug.

Adrien sighed. If she knew that he was Chat Noir, would she be able to fight next to him? Could she use her partner the way Chat Noir needed to be used? Or would she jump in front of another attack?

No. Chat Noir needed to be nameless, faceless; just a tool in her arsenal against Hawkmoth.

Adrien squeezed his fingers together, noticing that his ring was gone. On instinct, he felt himself beginning to sweat. It's okay, he told himself. It's all part of the plan. Wayzz will bring it back when he can.

But for now, it was Adrien's job to protect Marinette's identity. He couldn't let anyone know that Marinette was alive. It was up to him to protect her friends and family. The Kwamis had knocked him out somehow. All he needed to do was pretend it happened at the Heroes Day festival.

Adrien could do this, after all. His Lady was counting on him.

With a wince, Adrien opened his dry eyes. His gaze fell to his father's form sitting near his bed. Gabriel was slumped to the side of a chair; his normally pristine clothes were wrinkled and unkempt. His father's eyes were closed, and his jaw relaxed in sleep. In his hands, Gabriel loosely held a small book. Adrien recognized the cream and purple cover right away. It was "The Little Prince". His mother used to read it to him as a bedtime story. Adrien felt his chin quiver. Was his father reading to him?

"Father?" Adrien choked out.

Instantly, Gabriel jerked awake. He grabbed Adrien's hand and squeezed it tightly. Huh? Were those tears in his eyes? "Son! You're awake! Oh, thank goodness!"

Adrien stared back; he had never seen his father look so terrible. It had obviously been several days since he had shaved. Instead of his hair being immaculately styled, Gabriel's greasy hair hung in disheveled locks.

"I'm so sorry, Adrien," his father's bloodshot eyes met his. "So very sorry."

For a moment, Adrien forgot his mission completely. Not even after his mother's disappearance did his father seem so distressed. Adrien's heart sank with guilt. He hadn't considered what his father must have been going through. Still, he couldn't let that distract him from what he needed to do. Adrien drew a shaky breath.

"Marinette?" he asked. Gabriel's face instantly dropped at her name. "Did... did you find her? Where is she?"

"Shhh... Rest now," his father patted his hand. "We can talk about Marinette in a minute. I'll call the doctor."

The tenderness in his voice shocked Adrien.

Soon, a nurse came in to check his vitals. To his dismay, Adrien discovered he had multiple tubes attached to his body. Thankfully, the nurse was willing to remove the most intrusive tube without much fuss. She wouldn't, however, remove the bandage from his head no matter how nicely he asked. And the pressure in his ear was really starting to bother Adrien.

Finally, the doctor appeared and introduced herself. She shined a light in his eyes, checked his reflexes, as well as a dozen other things. Keeping his face as neutral as possible, Adrien listened as she expressed concern over his bloodwork and how his liver appeared underdeveloped for someone his age.

"Can you remove this?" Adrien touched the gauzy padding on his head. "I think there's something in my ear."

The doctor finished typing on a nearby console before she spoke. "Adrien, it appears you were very close to one of the explosions caused by an Akuma three days ago."

"Three days? What?" Oh, man! The Kwamis were a little too ambitious with their injury.

"There is still a lot of swelling, so we cannot be sure at this time," she continued. "But in this type of injury, it is not uncommon to see some degree of hearing loss."

Adrien blinked in confusion. "So, there's nothing in my ear?"

"There's a lot of swelling right now. That is probably the pressure you feel."

Adrien snapped his fingers outside his damaged ear. He still could hear the sound, but it seemed more distant than it should. He covered his good ear and lifted his arm to try again.

"Son, please," his father took his hand. "Don't worry about that, right now."

Adrien turned back to Gabriel; he had a sinking feeling his father was keeping something from him. With his pounding head, it was hard to concentrate. But the more Adrien looked around the room, the more it dawned on him that he didn't hear the world in stereo. With his free hand, he grabbed at the bandage but winced as it sent shivers of pain down his face and neck.

"Shhh..." Gabriel said soothingly, grabbing both of his hands now. "Please, Adrien, you have to let yourself heal."

Adrien studied his father's face. A realization dawned on him.

"Three days... have you been there this whole time?"

Gabriel nodded.

"But... your work?"

"Nathalie has been taking care of things in my absence."

Adrien suddenly noticed another missing presence. "My bodyguard?!"

Gabriel sighed sadly. "He resigned."

Adrien felt like he had been kicked in the gut, instantly feeling ill. His bodyguard had been a constant throughout most of his life. To think that he was suddenly gone! Because of something that wasn't even his fault. "No, father, please. It was my fault we were there. I talked him into it."

"Don't worry about that now."

"Please, you have to let him come back," Adrien begged.

"I'm not sure that's what he wants. He has taken the whole situation pretty hard," Gabriel smoothed Adrien's hair away from his eyes. "But I'll let him know I will consider it a leave of absence, instead."

"Thank you," Adrien whispered.

"Adrien?" The doctor spoke again. "There is an officer who wishes to talk with you. Do you feel up for it?"

"Only if he feels ready," Gabriel interjected.

Huh? It was odd hearing his father be so defensive of him.

Adrien nodded. A few minutes after the doctor left, a uniformed man appeared in the doorway. Then, the man turned to hold the door open. Adrien froze as Tom and Sabine entered the room behind him. Icy panic started rising inside him. He knew what he had to say, but Adrien had never thought he would have to lie to them. Adrien stared down at his hands as he felt himself begin to tremble. Oh, man! He wasn't sure he could do this.

His father seemed to notice his reaction to Marinette's parents.

"We've been waiting together, ever since you and Marinette went missing," Gabriel explained gently. "Once you were brought to the hospital, they asked if they could stay and wait for you to wake up."

Of course, they would! Adrien winced. He had been the last person to see Marinette alive. He should have prepared himself for this. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he began to shake harder. Come on, keep it together!

"I..." he felt a sob forming in his throat. This was just too hard! "Did you find Marinette?"

"Adrien," the officer began. "Can you tell us what you remember?"

You can do this. You can do this! Adrien repeated himself. It's for Marinette. To keep them safe. Just don't look at them!

Adrien took a deep breath and licked his cracked lips. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "I, umm, convinced my bodyguard to take me to the Heroes' Day Festival. We met up with Alya and Nino. Marinette had been there, too, but she disappeared for a bit."

Adrien's heart was racing, but he hoped no one noticed. It made the pounding in his head so much worse.

"I was looking at some posters at an art booth. Then, there was a popping sound as Marinette threw me to the ground."

Adrien looked up at the officer. "When I heard the sound, I didn't think it was a gun."

"The assailant had a suppressor," the officer flatly explained.

"Um... but then," Adrien could feel his breathing become shallow and rapid. "Marinette wasn't getting up. Then, Alya yelled at Nino to call for an ambulance."

Adrien paused for a moment, trying to swallow away the tightness in his throat. No one spoke as they waited for Adrien.

"Marinette, she..." Adrien stared at his hands. Hot tears were dripping from his eyes, but he did not attempt to wipe them away. "She kept on asking if I was alright."

Is Adrien okay? Marinette's words haunted his memory.

"Alya asked me to hold her and to try to talk to her. But, but..."

Adrien closed his eyes; he could still remember how she felt in his arms, how pale she looked. Her eyes as they locked with his at the end.

"..she stopped breathing."

His heart felt ready to explode in his chest. Everything that he had said had been true, so far. This was the moment that would make or break Marinette's secret. He had to lie to the four adults watching him closely. Adrien took a deep breath and swallowed.

"We were still so far from the street, and I thought if I could get her there faster, she might have a chance. But there were all these explosions. I think... I dropped her," he winced as he clenched his fists. "I'm so sorry! I dropped her, and then I couldn't find her again."

Everyone in the room was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"I don't remember anything after that."

"Adrien. Listen to me. This is important." The officer spoke softly. "There was nothing you could have done. We have already spoken to Miss Césaire. By our estimate, the bullet pierced her hepatic artery, and, given the type of ammunition used, it would have caused a massive amount of internal damage. Unless that injury took place in a hospital, it is unlikely she would have survived."

Hepatic Artery? Adrien thought grimly. That's part of the liver, isn't it?

"Did anyone offer to help you carry Marinette?" the officer asked.

Adrien shook his head.

"Did you notice anyone watching you?

"No," he answered quietly.

"We have the man who targeted you in custody, with plenty of evidence. He will be held accountable for what he did, as well as his conspirators. Unfortunately, this event happened in conjunction with an Akuma attack."

Adrien noticed his father clench his jaw.

"Witness reports describe an Akuma with the ability of destruction," the officer continued. "In the widespread panic, we think someone may have found your friend, and mistakenly believed she was trampled by the crowd and hid her out of misplaced guilt. Recovery effects have yet to be successful. Unlike previous events, there has been no Miraculous Cure."

The officer asked a few follow-up questions. Then, he asked if Adrien had any questions for him, but Adrien shook his head. The less time he spent with the man, the better. If anyone would be able to see through his lies, it would probably be him. Soon, both the officer and the doctor departed, leaving Adrien and his father alone with Tom and Sabine.

The silence was unbearable.

Adrien gulped and looked up from his hands. His heart broke as he saw Tom and Sabine. With all his willpower, he forced himself to meet Tom's red eyes, knowing he was the cause of their pain.

"I'm so sorry," he barely choked out. Tears were running down his cheeks again. "It should have been me."

"No," Tom stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It shouldn't have been anyone."

Adrien's throat was so tight that it was hard to swallow. Tom looked like a shell of his former self. His eyes were so swollen, and his shoulders were slumped. Hesitantly, Sabine stepped forward. Adrien barely recognized her. She looked like she had aged 20 years since Adrien saw her last.

"What were..." her voice was so soft Adrien could barely hear. He turned his good ear toward her. "What were her last moments like? Was she scared?"

"No," Adrien inhaled a shaky breath. "She was calm; she wasn't in any pain. Alya told me to tell her I loved her."

"Did you?" Tom asked with misty eyes.

Adrien nodded. "Yes. She said she loved me, too. She smiled at me then... then she... she..." All the breath vanished from Adrien's chest as he remembered her body going limp in his arms, her unblinking eyes turning from their brilliant blue to unnatural black.

"Thank you, Adrien," Sabine reached down to squeeze his hand.

Adrien recoiled. "NO!" he yelled back at her. "Don't thank me. You should hate me! All of you! If I hadn't gone out that day, she wouldn't have... she wouldn't have..." Adrien's body was violently shaking as sobs tore at his throat. He brought his arms up to shield his face as he cried. Adrien's head pounded as he struggled to breathe as his whole body trembled. He couldn't do this! He couldn't listen to Marinette's parents be kind to him. It was just too cruel.

"It's the least I can do, but I would like to cover all the funeral arrangements," his father was talking again. "And any lost revenue from the bakery being closed."

"What? No! You can't give up!" Adrien shouted, throwing his arms down. "She could still be out there! We live in a time of magic. There could still be a miracle!"

"But, Son," his father reached toward him and tried to wipe away tears from his face. "This wasn't a magical attack."

"Please!" Adrien turned toward Tom and Sabine's heartbroken faces. He noticed Sabine had fresh tears. "You can't just give up on her!"

"Calm down, Adrien," his father spoke gently. "We've had days to process Marinette's death. I know it's still very new to you. You must not excite yourself."

Adrien swatted his father's arm away and covered his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a nurse enter the room. A moment later, Adrien noticed a syringe in her hand. He lashed out when he saw she was injecting something into his IV line.

"What are you doing!?" he shouted at her.

"It's just a sedative, Adrien," she answered bluntly. "You need your rest."

"I don't want a sedative!" Adrien growled. Within moments, his body felt lighter, like he was starting to float. Adrien glared at the IV in his arm, overcome with the desire to rip it out. As his eyelids grew heavy, he watched his father escort Tom and Sabine out of the room.

Soon, Adrien was back asleep.

__

Adrien cracked the corner of his eye open and looked to his father's chair. Unlike the previous times he had awoken, it was empty. Adrien opened his eyes the rest of the way and looked around the dark, empty room. Finally, a bit of privacy.

"Plagg?" he called out. It was a long shot, but he hoped his Kwami might be lurking in the shadows with his ring. But sadly, there was nothing but silence. Well, not actual silence. There were all sorts of noises in the hospital, noises Adrien could only hear with one side of his head.

Adrien took a deep breath and touched the bandage over his hurt ear. Would he be less effective as Chat Noir if he couldn't hear in stereo? Maybe while transformed his hearing would be fully restored. It enhanced all his other abilities, so why not? He wished Plagg were around to ask.

He hated this... this feeling of helplessness. Adrien needed to do something!

Adrien looked over to the bathroom door. There should be a mirror in there, right? He needed to see how severe his wounds were. After he healed, Wayzz would return his Miraculous, and he could contact Marinette. Then, they could devise a strategy to bring down Hawkmoth. It was time they took the fight to him.

Adrien looked down and inspected his body. He still had his IV and a cuff thing on his finger but was otherwise unattached to anything. The IV bag hung from a pole with its own set of wheels, and the cuff seemed easy to remove. He should be able to get out of bed without too much trouble.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Adrien pushed himself up into a seated position. Instantly, the room started spinning around him, and Adrien found himself taking deep breaths to counteract the nausea. Once the worst of it had passed, Adrien placed his bare feet on the cold floor and rose to a stand.

The whole world tilted sharply, and Adrien felt himself landing hard on the floor. White-hot pain shot through his abdomen, leaving Adrien gasping for air. After a minute, the worst of the pain passed, and Adrien could breathe normally again.

What the hell? Adrien thought. Perhaps he had tried to stand up too fast?

Taking deep, deliberate breaths, Adrien attempted to stand again, only to find the floor sliding out from under him. He landed hard on his shoulder.

No, No, No, No! Adrien could feel himself start to panic. The bathroom was only a few meters away, but it might as well have been a million. Adrien couldn't seem to stand. And if he couldn't stand, he couldn't fight! And if he couldn't fight, how could they defeat Hawkmoth so Marinette could come home?!?

Adrien bit his lip and tried to get up again, only to crash into the floor. Curling himself into a ball, Adrien cried angry, frustrated tears. What had the Kwamis done?! Did they damage his brain? Adrien punched at the floor and angrily kicked at the IV pole. Instantly, the metal rail came tumbling down, making a loud crashing noise.

Within moments, his father was at his side, lifting him by his shoulders.

"Adrien, are you alright?"

"I can't walk, father," Adrien sobbed. "Why can't I walk?"

"The explosion damaged your inner ear," Gabriel explained. "We didn't want to upset you, but balance is often affected in these sorts of injuries."

Adrien struggled to understand the words his father said. "My balance? I'm not going to be able to stand or walk?"

"Give it time, my son. You are still healing. There are therapies we can try. It is possible to regain some balance."

"So, I will get better?"

Adrien could tell his father was struggling to speak. "I don't know," he finally whispered. "With this type of injury, you might likely need a cane to walk, but we will get through this."

"A cane? But I can't... I can't..." Adrien stammered. Suddenly, he felt his father's arms wrap around him and pull him close. Adrien squeezed back with all his strength. He soon noticed that Gabriel was sitting beside him on the hospital floor. Huh? Adrien couldn't remember the last time his father got down on the ground.

"You're alive; that's the important thing," Gabriel told him softly, kissing his hair. "But don't worry, even if you need a cane, us Agreste men will bring walking sticks back into fashion."

Chapter Text

The next few days were endlessly frustrating for Adrien. The dizzy spells came whenever he tried to stand, and no amount of concentration could stop them. Adrien had never felt so helpless in his life. And right when Marinette needed him the most!

His injury wasn’t the only frustration. Adrien missed Plagg. Their parting was so abrupt that Adrien didn’t have time to prepare for it. He wished his Kwami would visit, even if it was just for a minute. Adrien needed Plagg to answer his questions about being Chat Noir. The suit would make up for any balance issues, right? The Kwamis wouldn’t have injured him so severely he couldn’t fight anymore, right? Not when the stakes were so high. As hard as it seemed, Adrien knew he needed to trust the Kwamis.

Even with Plagg gone, Adrien didn’t have the chance to be lonely. His father was constantly by his side. When Gabriel needed to leave, a rotating staff of smiling nurses kept him company. As much as Adrien was thankful for their efforts, he worried that they might be keeping Plagg away.

Thankfully, as time went on, the headaches were less intense. But Adrien still needed help getting in and out of bed. And if he wanted to walk anywhere, someone would have to walk with him. It was just so stupid; his legs were fine! The second day after he woke up, his nurse brought him a walker to use. As much as Adrien hated the look of the thing, at least it allowed him to get to the bathroom independently. But only if he moved slowly.

Adrien knew he needed to keep up his strength, so he spent his waking hours pushing his walker up and down the hospital hallway. He could tell he was a favorite among the nurses. Whenever his father was away, they always seemed eager to walk with him.

Six days after he had arrived at the hospital, Adrien was finally allowed to have friends visit. Wasting no time, he invited Nino right away. Adrien desperately wanted to wash his greasy hair before his friend came, but the doctor wanted him to wait until his stitches were removed. Still, Adrien felt the need to shave for the occasion.

Even if he couldn’t wash his hair, he looked more like himself freshly shaved. Adrien stared into the small bathroom mirror, trying to psych himself up for the visit. He was excited to see Nino, but he also knew he would have to lie again. And this time, it would be to his friends that had actually been there that day.

When he exited the bathroom, Nino and Alya were already waiting in his room. Adrien couldn’t help smiling at the sight of his friends. With slow, steady steps, he shifted his walker toward the center of the room. A moment later, Nino was at his side, pulling him into a hug.

“Good to see you, man,” Nino squeezed tightly.

“It’s good to be seen,” Adrien patted his friend’s back and then looked over at Alya. She waved politely and leaned against the wall.

“Dude, a walker?” Nino asked as he pulled away.

“Sucks, I know,” Adrien moved to sit down on the bed. “I start PT soon. Then, maybe I can switch it up to a cane.”

“Is your ear not any better?”

“Well, I still can’t hear at all with my right ear. The doctor doesn’t think that is likely to change. But at least the vertigo is better, as long as I don’t move too fast.” Adrien noticed looks of pity in both his friends' eyes. He fidgeted nervously; he didn’t want them to feel bad. “But hey, at least I’m here.”

“Yeah,” Nino nodded.

Several moments of awkward silence passed. It bothered Adrien; conversations used to flow so easily with these two. And Alya had yet to say anything. Adrien nervously scratched the back of his neck, racking his brain for something to say.

“So, um… I haven’t been able to reach the Ladyblog. Are you having hosting issues?”

Nino winced at the question. “Alya took it offline.”

“What?!” Adrien turned to Alya. She scowled back with her arms crossed across her chest. “But why?”

“Ladybug was at the festival that day! She could have stopped it. It shouldn't have been Marinette.”

Nino groaned. “Don’t bother Adrien with this.”

“No, Alya, don’t blame Ladybug,” Adrien pleaded.

“My best friend is dead,” Ayla stated coldly. “No one gets to tell me how to feel.”

Adrien gulped; it had never occurred to him that people might blame Ladybug. After the damage that happened while they were in New York, Paris easily forgave their favorite heroine. After all, Ladybug and Chat Noir were stopping World War Three. But this time? Adrien’s shoulders slumped. What excuse could they possibly offer?

“Um… Have you seen Marinette’s parents?” Adrien asked softly, trying to change the subject. He hadn’t seen them since he awoke in the hospital. Gabriel had dodged the question whenever Adrien asked.

“When this all happened, we all looked for you and Marinette together,” Nino spoke softly. “But we haven’t seen them since you were found. Rose and I are trying to put a schedule for, um… all of Marinette’s friends to visit and spend time with them. It’s gotta be super hard, you know, losing your only child, especially like this.”

Adrien looked down at his hands, not sure of what to say.

“So, like, Kim and Max are going over to play video games. Myléne and Ivan are going to take baking lessons. Rose and Juleka are going to help make scrapbooks.”

“Are you two planning to visit?”

“In time,” Nino shrugged. “I don’t think Alya is quite ready yet.”

“Oh,” Adrien responded, looking over to Alya.

“We’ll see them at the funeral, I guess,” Nino added.

Adrien took a deep breath; of course, there would be a funeral. His father hadn’t mentioned it, but that didn’t surprise Adrien. His father was trying to shield him from anything that he might find upsetting.

“When is it?” Adrien asked.

Nino and Alya exchange glances. “Whenever you get out, dude. It didn’t feel right having it without you.”

Adrien played with the hem of his bathrobe. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Alya kick at the floor with her toe. Poor girl, she probably didn’t want to be here. Why would she want to be around the boy Marinette died protecting? Adrien slumped in his bed. It was obvious she was hurting. He wished he could say something to make her feel better.

“I…um, I did what you said, Alya,” Adrien looked over to his friend. “At the festival, I told Marinette I loved her.”

He noticed Alya’s lip quiver.

“She… she smiled.”

“Marinette was an idiot!” Alya exploded. “And you!” she marched forward and pointed at his chest. “How dare you be kind to her when you weren’t interested! Couldn’t you have just rejected her properly? Let her cry in the arms of Luka.”

Adrien’s jaw dropped; he could only stare back dumbly.

Alya’s eyes narrowed. “If she hadn’t been in love with you, she would still be here,” she spat.

In love? Huh? What?!

“No, Alya, you’re wrong,” Nino softly touched her arm. “Marinette always put herself before others. If that gun were aimed at you or me, she would have done the same thing.”

“I know!” she shouted back. “But please, let me be mad!”

“You can’t be mad at the whole world!”

“Yes, I can!”

“She… she was in love with me?” Adrien softly repeated, his mind not quite grasping the words.

“Yeah, dude,” Nino sadly chucked. “Hardcore.”

Adrien felt his face flush as his heart started to race. “Marinette was... in love with me.”

“She died in your arms,” Alya threw her hands out. “How is this news to you? Why else would I ask you to say that you loved her!”

“I thought… It was just to get her to hold on,” Adrien stammered. “As… as her friend.”

“Come on! No one is that dense!”

“Alya, back off,” Nino warned.

Adrien felt a giggle start to rise in his chest. Immediately, he clamped both hands over his mouth. Marinette is in love with me?! For real? My Lady loves me back?! His whole body started to tingle with elation; happy tears began forming in his eyes. Reaching behind him, Adrien grabbed a pillow and buried his face in it. He couldn’t let his friends see his smile, not now. But he also couldn’t hide the giddy chuckles escaping his body. Peeking over the top of his pillow, Adrien saw Alya staring back at him.

“No, no, no,” Alya squinted at him. “Don’t you dare, Agreste. Don’t you dare fall in love with her now.”

Adrien’s heart was beating wildly as he turned toward the window. He had to calm down; his reaction would make absolutely no sense to his grieving friends. C’mon, man! Deep breaths. Inhale, exhale, Inhale. He was so focused on his breathing that he barely heard Nino start to speak again.

“So, um.. before the funeral, we are trying to arrange an informal gathering of friends. Do you think your dad would let you come?

“I think so,” Adrien responded absently, his mind still racing with thoughts of Marinette. “He’s been different. I think I have seen more of him the past few days than I have the past three years.”

“I’m glad Marinette’s death has been a bonding experience for you two,” Alya muttered under her breath.

Adrien paled at the bitterness in her voice.

“Alya!” Nino turned toward her.

“I’m so sorry,” Alya covered her mouth with her hands. “I don’t know why I said that. I’ll… um, go wait outside.”

Adrien and Nino watched her leave.

“She... she really hates me,” Adrien stated bluntly, forcing thoughts of Marinette to the back of his mind.

“Yeah,” Nino admitted. “But don’t take it personally. She hates me, too. And Ladybug, and your dad. She hates everyone right now, but mostly…” Nino exhaled, “she hates herself. She’s angry that she was too scared to be with Marinette. You know, at the end.”

Adrien stared down at his hands. But… would Plagg have been able to act if Alya had stayed? He shivered. Alya’s guilt was tormenting her, but her actions might have very well saved Marinette’s life.

“Then, when you two went missing,” Nino continued. “Alya was frantic. She had turned her back to you because she didn’t want to see Marinette die. But then, you two vanished.”

Nino sat on the end of the bed and closed his eyes.

“The police talked to her over and over again. She had to describe Marinette’s wound and try to estimate how fast she was bleeding. They made her relive it, trying to get any additional details.”

Nino slumped, hanging his head low. “Everyone thought you were dead, too. That there was a second assassin. We spent the whole night looking for you through the wreckage of the Akuma attack. Alya begged for help through the Ladyblog, but none of the superheroes ever answered.”

For several minutes, they sat in silence. Adrien’s stomach twisted as guilt gnawed at his insides. His father had never told him what happened that night.

“How are you doing?” Adrien asked softly, looking up at Nino. “You knew Marinette longer than any of us.”

“Honestly? It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Nino shrugged. “Or maybe my brain just isn’t that smart. But, I hear a song I think she would like, and I pull out my phone, trying to text her. I want to talk to her about Alya, but then… I remember I can’t.”

Nino took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. “I’m just trying to take care of Alya, right now. She’s in so much pain. And the worst part is, she thinks she deserves it. You know, for wanting to go to the festival in the first place.”

Adrien bit his lip. He hated this! Everyone around him was in so much pain, and they didn’t need to be. It was just so unfair!

Time passed in silence as the boys looked out the window. Soon, Alya came back into the room with an apologetic look on her face.

“I’m so sorry, Adrien,” Alya stared at the floor as she spoke. “Please, don’t pay any attention to anything I say right now. I just hate living in this world without her.”

Adrien held out his hand. Hesitantly, Alya walked forward and took it.

“I hate this world,” she whispered. “This is the world without Marinette, and I. don’t. want. to be here.” Alya’s red, wet eyes met his. “I’m just not ready to be here.”

Tears were peaking past Adrien’s eyes as he pulled Alya into a hug. Alya squeezed him back tightly, burning her face into his robe.

“You have to get better, okay?” Alya sniffled. “That’s what she would want more than anything else. And remember her from time to time. I think... I think she would like that. But she wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

Adrien rocked her gently, rubbing her back.

“Plum blossoms were her favorite,” Alya pulled away and wiped her nose with her sleeve. “Maybe every year, when you see the first blossoms of spring, you could remember her.”

“No…” Adrien shook his head. “I’ll remember her every day, Alya. I promise.”

__

Marinette pulled the blanket over her cold nose. Her body was nice and toasty under the blankets, but the unheated apartment always left her face cold. Snuggling into her covers, Marinette opened her eyes and looked around for Tikki. She finally saw her sitting on the window sill next to Plagg.

On any other occasion, Marinette would have found the sight heartwarming. The normally prickly, black kwami was curled up at Tikki’s side, and Tikki was softly stroking his head. But now, it served as a reminder that Chat Noir was still without his Miraculous. Paris was unprotected.

Marinette hated feeling weak, feeling helpless. Tikki assured her that the suit would make up for any weakness in the event of an Akuma attack. But afterward, she would be even more drained than before. So, for now, Marinette needed to recover. And that meant she needed to rest.

Gently, Marinette pushed on her skin where she had been shot, noticing she couldn’t feel the tenderness anymore. It wouldn’t be long until she could patrol again, and Marinette really needed to get out. She was desperate for any sort of distraction that might occupy her thoughts.

Her eyes drifted down to the small pile of packaged food Plagg and Tikki had procured for her. None of it looked very appetizing. Marinette felt tears start to form in the corner of her eyes. She didn’t want to eat any of that; she wanted her mom’s soup. The one Sabine always made her when she was sick. She would feel better faster if she could have her mom’s soup.

Marinette’s hands flew to cover her face; the sobs were starting again. She couldn’t help it. As much as she tried to push the thoughts of her parents into the back of her mind, they always came rushing back full force. Marinette tried not to imagine what they must be going through, what she was doing to them.

“Oh, Marinette,” she could feel Tikki touch her arm. “It’ll be okay. Shh… don’t upset yourself.”

Curling up into a ball, Marinette buried her face into the blankets. She hated this! All she did was sleep and cry. Marinette needed to develop a strategy, some sort of plan to draw Hawkmoth out of hiding. That was the only way to get back to her parents. But how could she do it without Chat?! Marinette had never felt so helpless in her life.

“You should really try to eat something, Marinette,” Tikki urged as she stroked her hair.

“I want my mom’s soup,” Marinette whimpered. She knew she sounded pathetic, but she didn’t care.

“We could send Plagg to the bakery tonight,” Tikki offered. “He could see if it’s reopened yet. It’s not soup, but maybe he could grab a croissant or two.”

“Can we just send him back to Chat Noir?” Marinette responded dryly.

Tikki sighed sadly. “It’s not time yet.”

“What does that mean?!” Marinette retorted angrily. She sat up and looked over to Plagg in the window. “What are you waiting for?!”

Plagg didn’t say anything; he just turned and looked back at her with misty, heartbroken eyes.

Marinette winced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Plagg turned to look out the window again. Marinette slowly rose out of her cocoon of blankets and walked over to the window. She gently patted Plagg on the head before she leaned her arms on the sill.

“Thank you for bringing back the food; I’m sorry if I sounded ungrateful,” Marinette told him softly. “You and Tikki have been doing a wonderful job taking care of me.”

Plagg simply sighed.

“But I’m feeling better now. You can go back to him,” Marinette urged gently. “I know he must miss you so much.”

Plagg didn’t respond for a minute. He just slumped where he sat. “I’ll go check the bakery for croissants,” he replied curtly. Without saying another word, he phased out of the room.

Marinette winced as she leaned her forehead against the window. Tikki flew to her side a moment later.

“He will be okay,” Tikki assured. “Plagg might look like a lost kitten, but he’s tougher than he looks. He just gets grumpy sometimes.”

Marinette stared out of the window. Tiny drops of rain started to run down the glass.

“I hate this, Tikki,” Marinette admitted.

“I know, but this isn’t forever,” Tikki answered as she settled herself on Marinette’s shoulder. “Please don’t give up hope. You’ll be able to go home one day. I know it!”

Chapter Text

It was after midnight when Ladybug gently landed on her old rooftop balcony. The apartment below had been dark for a while, and it would be several more hours until her parents woke up. As she looked around, Ladybug quickly scanned her old rooftop. She expected it to look different, somehow. But everything was the same; even her plants appeared healthy and watered. As she started to walk over to the skylight hatch, her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. It will just be a few minutes. You can do it, girl! Crouching down, she tried to lift the latch.

But it didn’t budge.

“Hey, Plagg? Can you help?”

Instantly, the tiny black kwami appeared and phased through the glass. After she heard it click, Ladybug slowly pulled it open and gently lowered herself down onto the bed.

Once inside, the smells of her old room overwhelmed her. Even though it was only her room, she could smell her mother’s cooking in the air. Oh! And the bread. Ladybug closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It would still be hours before her parents opened the bakery, but the smell of yeast and butter always saturated the air. She had always loved that smell. It was the smell of home.

After a few more deep breaths, Ladybug opened her eyes to find Plagg staring at her. Oh, right! She had a job to do.

“I found them,” Plagg stated. “Exactly where Tikki said they’d be. They’re under the floorboard. Come.”

Careful not to make any noise, Ladybug slowly climbed down the ladder. Her old parquet flooring could squeak loudly when she walked; Ladybug needed to be extra cautious now.

Plagg disappeared into the floor. Then, seconds later, a few of the wood boards popped up. Ladybug pulled them up the rest of the way, revealing her diary and the Miracle Box.

Without making a noise, Ladybug lifted the items into her arms. She then carefully replaced the floorboards and stood up to leave. Ladybug had every intention of leaving; she really did. But... she couldn’t take her eyes away from her old room, from all the artifacts of her old life.

“We need to leave, now,” Plagg reminded her. “You can’t be seen.”

Ladybug hugged the diary and Miracle Box to her chest. With a wince, she looked up to Plagg. “Can you keep an eye on my parents? Let me know if they start to wake up.”

Plagg crossed his arms. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“I know,” Ladybug looked at him with sad eyes. “Please, Plagg?”

Plagg stared back at her for a moment. Then with a heavy sigh, he disappeared into the floor.

Even in the middle of the night, ambient light shone through the window, allowing Ladybug to look around her old room. Unlike her balcony, she could see many changes here. Someone had emptied her chest and stacked its contents into neat piles with sticky notes on top. It was all the presents she had made for her friends. The sight made Marinette smile; her gifts would be delivered after all.

Ladybug walked over and sat down at her desk. She gently placed her fingertips on her keyboard, remembering countless hours spent at her computer. Ladybug didn’t dare turn it on, but she still wanted to remember what it felt like to be herself again. Soon, her eyes fell on her sketchbook, then on a picture of her parents.

A familiar lump started forming in her throat. They were so close, sleeping peacefully just meters away. This was just so cruel! Why couldn’t they know she was alive?! They wouldn’t tell anyone, Ladybug was positive. It wasn’t fair that they had to be in so much pain!

Ladybug hid her face in her palms. She couldn’t risk breaking out into sobs. Not now. What if they heard? Dropping her hands, Ladybug stared up at the ceiling and took deep breaths.

Inhale, exhale, inhale. Calm down, girl.

But… it wasn’t working. Ladybug soon felt hot tears run down her cheeks. Dammit! She wanted her mom! She wanted her dad to lift her off the ground in a crushing hug. She wanted to say she was sorry and that they were the best parents in the world. This wasn’t fair! She never got the chance to say goodbye.

A sudden idea popped into her mind.

She couldn’t say goodbye in person, but maybe she could let them know how much they meant to her. Ladybug closely eyed a folder of miscellaneous papers. Unlike the other areas in her room, it didn’t look like anyone had gone through there yet. Hmm… There should be an anniversary card hidden away.

Ladybug grinned when she found it. It was still months until her parents' anniversary, but a card like this was too good to pass up. When Marinette had seen it, she instantly purchased it and stashed it away. On the cover was a family of smiling cupcakes. It was just so sickeningly sweet; she couldn’t refuse.

Reaching for a pen, Ladybug hurriedly scribbled down a few sentences. Nothing too heavy, but just a gentle reminder that she knew how much they loved her. And that she loved them more than words could ever say. Then, biting her lip, Ladybug signed ‘Marinette’ and quickly hid the card in Rose's gift. Rose would make sure it got back to her parents.

Then, Ladybug quickly grabbed a spare toothbrush, deodorant, and a few pairs of underwear. Surely, no one would notice these missing items, right? Hmmm… maybe she could grab a photo or two as well. She silently climbed up the ladder to the loft bed and looked at the collage on the wall. Hmm… maybe she should grab a few from the back? Carefully, Ladybug unpinned a class photo, then another of her and Alya, and one of Kitty Section.

After she placed the photos into her compact, Ladybug looked up to the skylight. It was time to go; she knew that. But… she couldn’t bring herself to open the hatch. Not just yet. Grabbing her large, oversized kitty pillow, Ladybug laid down on her old mattress. She closed her eyes and squeezed Mister Kitty as hard as she could. Burying her face in his soft body, she inhaled deeply, trying to immerse herself in the smells of her old life.

But... it just wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel his soft fabric, too. The gloves of her suit muted his fuzzy texture. Taking a deep breath, Ladybug set her jaw. Tikki wouldn’t be happy, but it would just for a minute!

“Spots off!”

Pink light engulfed her body as Marinette squeezed Mister Kitty.

“Marinette!” Tikki immediately scolded. “You can’t be here.”

“Just a few minutes, Tikki.” Marinette kept her eyes tightly closed, not wanting to face her Kwami right now. “Plagg is keeping watch.”

“Marinette, you shouldn’t do this to yourself.”

“I just need a few minutes, Tikki,” Marinette whined. “Please?” She heard Tikki sigh, but her little red friend didn’t speak again.

It wasn’t until Plagg warned that Tom and Sabine were stirring that Marinette finally transformed and quickly left.

__

Adrien stood alone in his hospital room, staring out the window. Maybe Ladybug would patrol again? The past few evenings, he had seen her red and black figure jumping across the rooftops. And Adrien had never seen such a beautiful sight. It was proof that Marinette was alive! It filled him with indescribable joy to see the love of his life bounding across Paris.

However, Ladybug didn't exactly look the same, but it made perfect sense to Adrien. After all, the suit is a reflection of its holder. With all that Marinette had gone through, he wasn't surprised to see part of the bright red costume replaced with black. Her signature pigtails had vanished too. Adrien couldn't be sure if her hair was shorter, or just tied back. Regardless, the overall effect made Ladybug seem older and more mature. In fact, much of Paris believed that it was a new Ladybug entirely.

Ladybug's movements were different, too. She seemed more guarded and less enthusiastic than her old self. This added to the speculation that the original Ladybug had been replaced, but Adrien knew better. Marinette was still healing. And as much as Adrien loved seeing her swinging from the rooftops, he knew she should be resting instead.

As soon as Marinette fully recovered, they would be one step closer to defeating Hawkmoth. One step closer to Marinette being able to come home. Then, she could be with her family and friends again. All the sorrow and heartbreak would end!

Then, maybe…

Adrien could feel his face start to heat up. Then, he could finally tell her that her love wasn’t unrequited. They could be together.

That is… if she still feels the same.

Leaning against the glass, Adrien closed his eyes and sighed deeply. But would she still feel the same? Could she still love him? Even after everything that had happened? All of Marinette’s friends and family were in such pain right now, and it was all because of him. Adrien frowned, gripping the handle of his walker tightly. Everything was his fault! All because he had to go to the stupid festival!

Guilt still gnawed at him. Other than Alya’s outburst, everyone had been overly kind. Frustratingly understanding. Oh, how Adrien dreamed Tom might punch him in the face with that massive fist of his. Or maybe his father would yell and ground him for life. It would only be a drop in the bucket compared to what Adrien knew he deserved. But at least it would be something!

Adrien’s carelessness had ripped his Lady out of her life.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Self-pity wasn’t going to help Marinette. Adrien straightened his posture and smoothed his hair back into place. It was the first day he had styled it; it was the first day he had worn regular clothes, too. In just minutes, Adrien would join a group of friends in the cafeteria. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but everyone wanted to meet up before the funeral. And since Adrien was still days away from being discharged, they had arranged to have it here.

A knock on the door startled Adrien out of his thoughts.

“Come in!” he called out.

The door opened, and his father and Nathalie stepped inside. Adrien smiled at the sight of his father’s assistant. Her visits had been infrequent due to the added responsibility of running his father’s company. It was good to see her again.

“Are you ready to go?” Gabriel asked gently, crossing the room and handing Adrien his cane. After Adrien took it, Gabriel extended his arm. It had taken a few days of practice, but now Adrien could walk with a cane. Well, as long as someone lent him their arm for support.

Gripping his father’s arm, Adrien slowly made his way down the hospital corridor. Without the walker and hospital gown, he almost felt like himself again.

As they rode the elevator down, Adrien’s curiosity grew. What did his friends have in store? Both Alya and Nino were very tight-lipped when Adrien asked questions. Still, even with all the secrecy, Adrien was eager to see his friends again.

As Nathalie pushed open the cafeteria doors, Adrien gasped at the sea of faces in front of him.

“Happy Birthday!” everyone shouted.

“And a Merry Christmas!” shouted Ivan in a Santa Claus outfit.

Adrien stood in stunned silence. His eyes didn’t know where to look first. The entire hospital cafeteria was crammed full of familiar faces. Not only that, but festive ornaments hung everywhere, a curious mix of both Christmas and generic party decorations.

“Adrikins!?” Suddenly, a misty-eyed Chloé ran to him. She briefly glanced down at his cane and frowned. “You look utterly ridiculous with that thing.”

Adrien laughed at his oldest friend’s bluntness. Chloé hesitantly reached her hands out to him.

“Is it okay… I mean, can I?” her eyes pleaded with his. “I don’t wanna hurt you.”

Adrien let go of this father’s arm and pulled her into a hug. As she buried her face into his shoulder, Chloé gripped him back with a strength Adrien never knew she had. He gently patted her as he squeezed her back.

“Shhh… it’s okay. I’m fine. Really.”

Chloé sniffled into his shirt.

“So… um,” Adrien asked, his eyes scanning the room. “What’s going on?”

“Dude! It’s a birthday party!” Nino announced excitedly, wearing a party hat instead usual cap.

“Uh… whose birthday?” Adrien asked, still unsure about the crazy sights in front of him.

“Yours, mine, everyone’s!” Nino gestured to the room. “Everyone here gets presents.”

“I don’t understand,” Adrien stared around the room in confusion.

“The presents are from Marinette.” Adrien looked over Chloé’s shoulder to see Mylène wearing a Santa Hat. “She had almost a hundred of them prepared and hidden away in her room. Most are for birthdays, but some are for Christmas. We thought Marinette would have liked it if everyone opened them together.”

Chloé finally pulled away from him and wiped her eyes.

“They’re all handmade, so don’t expect too much,” Chloé scoffed, but her tone lacked the usual bite. Adrien suspected she was trying to keep up appearances, regardless of her true feelings.

Soon, Adrien was exchanging hugs and greetings with all his classmates. Man! He had missed them all so much! But it wasn’t only his classmates in attendance; Adrien spotted many of their parents and siblings as well. Even Nadja Chamack and Manon were there.

Adrien’s eyes soon fell to a table stacked high with wrapped presents. Next to that, a banquet table full of cakes and pastries. Tom and Sabine were standing quietly to the side, politely chatting with Marc and Nathaniel.

“Hey, Nino,” Adrien called out, reaching for his friend. “Can you take me over to Marinette’s parents?”

“Take you?” Nino cocked an eyebrow in confusion. His eyes briefly glanced down at Adrien’s cane. “Uh, yeah... sure, dude,” Nino replied, awkwardly holding up his arm. Adrien grabbed Nino’s forearm in one hand and his cane in the other and slowly walked across the room over to the buffet table.

Tom and Sabine looked better than the last time Adrien had seen them. They even had small, polite smiles on their faces as they looked at Nathaniel’s sketchbook. But it was still obvious that their grief had taken a toll. Tom looked smaller; he didn’t hold his shoulders as high. And Sabine had new timidness to her posture. Glancing over to the banquet table, Adrien realized that all the treats here tonight were from the bakery. It was strange to think Marinette’s parents were restarting their lives.

“It’s the birthday boy!” Tom announced with a smile when he saw Adrien. “You are in for a real treat tonight.”

“Hello, Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng,” Adrien greeted formally. “I thought it was a birthday party for everyone.”

“Please, just call me Tom,” Adrien noticed Tom’s eyes briefly drop to his cane before looking back up. “Yes, there are presents here for everyone, but my daughter was especially enthusiastic about making them for you. There are dozens.”

Adrien raised his brows. “Dozens?”

“She couldn’t confess her big-time crush, so she channeled her feelings into design,” Nino explained. “And dude, that girl had sooo many feelings.”

Adrien squirmed. Somehow it seemed so wrong to be discussing Marinette’s private thoughts so openly.

“Oh, yes. She did,” Sabine added with a fond smile. “Sometimes, Marinette would be exhausted in the morning because she spent the whole night sewing.”

Or, you know, fighting Akumas, Adrien mused, silently.

He glanced over to the table full of treats. “All the food here looks amazing. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

“No trouble at all,” Tom proudly answered. But his face soon fell as he reached out to grab Sabine’s hand. “This is Marinette’s last party. There’s no way we’d let anyone else cater it. Besides, no one knew her favorites better than me.”

Soon, Ivan and Mylène announced it was time for presents. Everyone helped push the chairs and tables into a large circle. Then Ivan started handing out gifts.

One by one, Marinette’s friends took turns opening their gifts. Well, not really turns. Every other present was for Adrien. But once a gift was opened, it was passed around and admired by everyone there.

As Adrien opened gift after gift, he struggled to keep his emotions in check. Dozens, if not hundreds of hours, went into making these custom, well-thought-out gifts. Every item was a piece of Marinette’s love for her friends. And… her love for him. As Adrien ran his finger over the seam of a jacket, he thought his heart might explode with joy. All this time, he had been so loved… and he had never known.

After the gift exchange, Adrien sat beside a pile of Marinette’s original creations. He proudly slipped on a jacket and tried his best to strike a proper model pose. But, with his limited balance, the best he could do was casually lean against a table. Still, Alya snapped a few photos to share with the school blog.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rose timidly approach Marinette’s parents. Something about her posture seemed very out-of-character for her. Adrien turned his good ear toward them, hoping to hear their conversation. Rose held out an envelope to Tom and Sabine.

“This was in my custom scrapbook holder,” she said shyly. “But I don’t think it was meant for me.”

Politely, Tom and Sabine took the card. But their expressions soon changed as they read it. Then Sabine quickly turned and buried her face in Tom’s chest. Whatever composure they had summoned for this party had broken instantly. With red eyes, Tom quietly escorted Sabine out of the room.

Adrien watched them leave. For all the smiles and small talk, they were only pretending to be okay. It was strange, really. This entire room was full of grieving people trying to act normal. He shivered, knowing that feeling all too well. It was also like that when Mom left.

“Hey.” A soft voice interrupted Adrien’s thoughts. He looked over to see Luka standing next to him.

“Hey,” Adrien responded back.

“Nino says your ear is all messed up, that you lost your hearing on one side. I’m sorry, man. That’s gotta be rough for any musician.”

“I haven’t tried playing the piano yet,” Adrien shrugged. “But it’s weird not being able to tell where sounds are coming from. I mean, I still can tell a little bit, but it’s harder than before.”

Luke fidgeted slightly; Adrien understood his unease. Other than Chloé, people didn't seem to address Adrien’s injuries. He knew it made people uncomfortable to acknowledge he was damaged. But somehow, it just seemed weirder to avoid talking about it.

“I want to say thank you,” Luka lowered his voice. “For what you did for Marinette.”

Adrien paled. Did he somehow know she was alive? Luka was incredibly intuitive. Did he know Adrien had saved her? Oh, no! Did he know she was Ladybug? Adrien quickly looked around to make sure no one was listening to their conversion.

“Wha… what do you mean?” Adrien could feel himself start to sweat.

“You comforted her... and tried to save her.” Luka glanced down at Adrien’s cane. “You almost died trying.”

“Oh, yeah…” Relief washed over Adrien. Marinette’s secret was still safe. “I’m sure you would have done the same.”

“Yes,” Luka answered immediately. “I would have.”

Adrien bit his lip, suddenly at a loss of what to say. He knew Luka cared for Marinette. Maybe they would have had a chance if Adrien hadn’t been there. If he and Marinette had never met.

“I always thought you were the boy Marinette liked,” Adrien shyly admitted. “That’s why… that’s why I never thought it could be me.”

“I loved her,” Luka stated softly.

Adrien gulped, feeling a sharp ping of jealousy. Then, he immediately felt ashamed. Luka had seen Marinette. Truly seen her and had loved her. Luka had loved his Lady without her mask. Without knowing how incredible she could truly be.

“Did she know?” Adrien asked after a moment.

Luka nodded. “I think so.”

Several seconds of heavy silence passed.

“Thank you for caring for her,” Adrien finally whispered. “I’m glad she knew she was loved.”

“I thought she would have been good for you, you know. She had so much love to give,” Luka gently rested his hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “You needed that.”

Adrien’s guilt was overwhelming; he could no longer meet Luka’s eyes. All he could do was stare down at the floor. Had the situation been reversed, he doubted he could be so selfless.

“I’m sorry,” Adrien continued staring at his feet. “I wish… I mean, if I had…” Damn! His throat was tightening up; it was becoming hard to speak. “There’s… just so many things I didn’t know.”

Adrien forced himself to look into Luka’s eyes. There was no anger or resentment there, only concern for his friend.

“I want you to know,” Adrien tried to swallow the tightness in his throat. “I never would have let her take the hit for me.”

Luka nodded thoughtfully. “I know.”

Adrien studied the boy next to him. He always found Luka hard to read. His calm, easy-going nature always made him appear composed. Still, Marinette’s death must have been devastating for him.

“So,... um, how are you holding up?” Adrien asked.

“Not great,” Luka paused for a moment. “But I have my music to help me. To give me purpose. Marinette’s melody ended too soon, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. I need to write it down, to capture its radiance before it vanishes from my memory.”

Luka closed his eyes as his fingers plucked imaginary guitar strings.

“Even though she is no longer with us, I want people to be able to hear Marinette’s song. And know her, the way I did, even if it's only through music.”

Adrien smiled as he remembered the piano piece he composed for Ladybug. Did Marinette know she inspired such music? “You’re writing a song for her?”

Luka nodded. “I plan to play it at the funeral to honor her.”

“I’m sure it will be beautiful,” Adrien told him. “And a wonderful way to remember Marinette.”

Luka smiled sadly. For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

“For the longest time,” Adrien began sadly. “I was worried she didn’t like me. She was always so… weird around me.”

Luka chuckled. “Yeah. She’d turn into a totally different person when you entered the room.”

“That must have been hard to see.”

“Well, that was all part of what made her Marinette.” Luka offered Adrien his arm. “I shouldn’t take too much of your time. I know other people want to visit with you too. Where shall we go next?”

Adrien took Luka’s arm and gripped his cane. “Can we go to the dessert table again? I want a few more macarons before they're all gone.”

“Have you tried the passionfruit ones?”

“Nope! Not yet.”

Chapter Text

Adrien groaned as he pulled off his tie for the third time. Why was it so hard to get it right, sitting down? He could probably ask one of the nurses to help or wait until his father arrived. But no, Adrien was determined to do this himself. Besides, he didn’t want to give his father a chance to object to the color. Pink was hardly a fitting color for such a somber event.

But pink is Marinette’s favorite color, Adrien thought with a smile. He looked down at his black suit. Such a gloomy color, but it was the color people wore to funerals. It was nothing like Marinette. She deserved more vibrant colors to be worn in her memory.

With a defeated sigh, Adrien threw his tie on the bed. It landed next to the folder Nathalie had given him. Inside its thick, black binding was Adrien’s eulogy to Marinette. Frowning, Adrien picked it up and opened the cover. The speech was beautifully written, perfectly paced, and grammatically precise. The only problem was... Adrien didn’t write it.

His father had been vehemently opposed to him speaking at Marinette’s funeral. After Adrien insisted, Nathalie provided this speech as a compromise. It was very well-written but also bland and impersonal. Adrien scanned its lines over and over again, committing it to memory.

“Adrien?” A voice called from the doorway.

He looked up to see Kagami dressed in a simple black dress.

“You made it,” Adrien smiled as he used his walker to stand.

A moment later, Kagami was at his side, drawing him into a warm hug. Adrien squeezed her back, happy to see his friend again. He loosened his hold on her, but she still held on tight.

Several more moments passed before Kagami let him go.

“I’m so sorry,” she told him softly. “I wanted to come back right away, but mother insisted we stay.”

Adrien nodded, understanding all too well. In many ways, Tomoe was even more strict than his father. Well... more strict than his father used to be.

“I’ve been researching everything I could about head injuries and trauma.” Kagami reached down and awkwardly patted Adrien’s hand. “I need you to know I don’t think of you as any less for your disability.”

Adrien blinked at her for a moment. “Huh? My… what?”

“My mother never let her disability hold her back,” Kagami continued. “Even if you cannot fence, there are still other sports we can try. Rowing, for example, or biking with a three-wheeled recumbent cycle.”

“Um… I guess so,” Adrien shrugged. “I haven’t thought that far yet. I’ve had other things on my mind.”

“Of course…” Kagami replied. Her eyes fell to the pink tie crumbled on the bed. She picked it up and looped it around his neck. Then, with practiced motions, she began to tie it.

Adrien watched her closely as she stared at his neck. It had been weeks since they were together, but Adrien didn’t mind her closeness. When his father had started receiving death threats, Kagami was the only friend he was allowed to see outside school. Adrien had really missed her when she went back to Japan, but a question kept nagging him in the back of his mind.

“Did you know how Marinette felt?” Adrien asked softly.

“She was obvious,” Kagami responded, never looking up from her task.

“So everyone keeps saying,” Adrien sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me?

“It wasn’t my place.” Kagami made one final adjustment on his tie and then stood back. “There. A perfect knot.”

“Everyone knew but me! I feel like such a fool.”

“Marinette wasn’t ready for you to know.” Kagami crossed her arms defensively. “I wasn’t going to betray her trust like that.”

Adrien frowned back at her.

“Hey, Marinette was my friend too. You’re not the only one who cared for her.”  Kagami then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she dropped her arms, and her face changed to a soft expression.

“I know it’s hard now, but adversity can make relationships stronger. We will get through this. Together.” To reinforce her point, she reached for Adrien’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Even though I haven't been here, I’ve been reading everything I could find about how to support you. I’m here for you, Adrien. I’m going to help you any way I can.”

Adrien’s eyes fell to their joined hands. 

"It can be a new start for us," Kagami added softly.

“I’m sorry,” Adrien whispered. “I know what you want from us, but... I can’t.”

“Because of Marinette?”

Adrien nodded.

“Adrien. She’s gone.”

“Not for me.” There was a hardness in his voice that surprised him. Kagami seemed startled too. Adrien quickly dropped Kagami’s hand.

“Adrien?” Kagami asked with a confused expression on her face. “Are… are you okay?”

He quickly looked away.

“Marinette is dead,” Kagami spoke slowly. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know,” Adrien mumbled, a bit faster than he meant to. Shit! Adrien could feel his heartbeat quicken. Why did Kagami have to be so direct?! Most of the time, people avoided talking about Marinette in front of him. It made the lies easier.

“Hey, look me in the eyes,” Kagami told him firmly. “Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

Adrien stared at the floor; his heart was now pounding in his ears. He felt like an animal caught in a trap. Shit! Shit! Shit! He needed time to think, -to somehow explain his actions. Adrien suddenly felt Kagami’s palm on his cheek, coaxing him to face her.

“Kagami, I…” Adrien looked into her piercing brown eyes. The words refused to form in his mouth as he nervously licked his lips. Kagami’s gaze was unrelenting, and Adrien could feel his resolve crumble. With a sigh, he slumped his shoulders. Would it be so terrible if Kagami knew too?  She could be trusted. Marinette even trusted her with a Miraculous, after all. 

“I… I can’t lie to you. Marinette’s not dead,” Adrien whispered. He closed his eyes and exhaled; he felt a lightness fill his body. It was a relief not to shoulder this burden alone anymore.

“I saved her,” he admitted. ”I gave her part of my body, and magic was able to heal her.”

Kagami’s eyes grew wide, but she remained motionless.

Adrien swallowed nervously. “It’s true. I’ve seen her out my window. But, please, no one can know. It’s too dangerous for her family.”

Kagami turned to look out of Adrien’s fourth-floor window. The rain had stopped an hour ago, and the bright sun reflected off the glistening rooftops.

“Look. I know it’s incredible, but I’m telling you the truth. I wouldn’t lie about this.”

For a minute, neither spoke. A heavy silence filled the air. Kagami chewed on her lip, obviously contemplating what Adrien had just said.

“I know…” Kagami paused, calculating her next words. “I know you believe what you’re saying. But, Adrien, you’ve been through a terrible trauma. With a debilitating head injury. Please consider… what your imaging, right now, might not be real.”

Adrien furrowed his brows in confusion. “Might... not be real?”

“What you’re experiencing is not uncommon in these types of situations. It’s called psychosis. Adrien, I think you need help. Have you told your doctors that you’ve been seeing Marinette?”

“What? No! Of course not. No one can know! Please, promise me you won’t tell. I can’t put her family in danger!”

Kagami stared back at him. If Adrien didn’t know better, he would swear there was fear in her eyes.

“Please,” Adrien begged. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone about Marinette. I can’t do that to her. Not after everything she did for me.”

“I won’t… I won’t say anything about Marinette. Okay? But, Adrien, please think about what I said? Do you have any proof Marinette is alive? Other than these visions?”

Adrien frowned. This wasn’t going the way he had hoped. Of course, he didn’t have proof; that was the point. “She has my ring,” Adrien finally stated, showing Kagami his naked finger.

Kagami sadly looked down at Adrien’s hand. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Adrien looked up to see his father in the doorway. He couldn’t help feeling shocked at the sight of Gabriel in a dark suit. It was such a contrast to the light and vibrant colors his father usually wore.

As Gabriel walked toward him, Adrien noticed his father’s eyes drop to his pink tie. His face fell to a disapproving expression.

“Are you sure that is an appropriate color choice?” Gabriel asked as he held out his arm.

With a scowl, Adrien reached for his cane and grabbed his father’s arm. “It’s Marinette’s favorite color,” he stated firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

No one spoke as they made their way down to the lobby of the hospital. Kagami was visibly tense, and she didn’t try to talk to him again. The Tsurugi self-driving car met them at the curb as soon as they exited the hospital.

As Adrien climbed in the back of the sedan, guilt twisted in his stomach. His bodyguard had resigned shortly after the shooting. Even though Adrien had tried to contact him, his messages went unanswered. It was strange, being driven down the streets of Paris without him. His bodyguard had been such a comforting presence in his world for so long. His absence made the drive even more unsettling. 

Kagami sat silently beside him, staring out the window. Adrien noticed she was nervously twisting the ring on her finger, something she only did when agitated. Kagami didn’t believe him about Marinette. That much was obvious. But, hopefully, she could be trusted not to say anything.

Adrien stared out the window the entire way to the funeral. It was his first time leaving the hospital since he was admitted, and he wasn’t going back. During the funeral, his walker and other personal items were being delivered to his home. Adrien would continue his physical therapy as an outpatient.

Even with Paris’ heavy traffic, it wasn’t long before they arrived at the cathedral.

“You can still change your mind,” Gabriel offered as he helped Adrien out of the car. “You don’t have to speak. Everyone would understand.”

“I know, Father,” Adrien answered politely. But somehow, not speaking didn’t seem right. The funeral had been scheduled for the day he was discharged from the hospital, just so that he could attend. 

With Kagami following behind them, they slowly climbed up the stairs of the cathedral. Even though they had arrived early, a large crowd had already gathered in the lobby. Sabine and Tom stood in a corner, exchanging hugs with people Adrien didn’t recognize. Gina and Roland were nearby, talking with a group Adrien assumed was Marinette’s family from China.

As he neared, people seemed to drop their conversations as their eyes followed him. Adrien wasn’t sure if their looks were pity that the attack had left him crippled or disdain that his actions caused Marinette’s death. Either way, hushed whispers followed him as he walked by. It made his skin crawl. Adrien hurried through the lobby as fast as possible.

On his father’s arm, Adrien entered the chapel. Large colorful arrangements of flowers adorned the altar. But Adrien’s eyes instantly focused on the sight of a white coffin. 

Without warning, Adrien’s knees buckled beneath him as he collapsed to the floor. His eyes blurred as Adrien clutched his chest, unable to breathe. 

A coffin! There shouldn’t be a coffin! Adrien felt his body erupt in panic, his heart exploding in his chest. No! No! No! Marinette’s not dead! This is wrong!

Kagami’s words hit him like a punch in the gut. Could he have made it up? Was his mind trying to protect him by making up a fantastical delusion? Oh, god! Did Marinette really die that day?!

“Adrien? Son?” His father was lifting him off the ground. Adrien soon found himself sitting in the nearest pew. He tried to inhale, but the tightness in his throat made it impossible. Kagami was gently rubbing his back as Gabriel pulled him into an embrace. For several moments, no one spoke as his father gently rocked him.

“Did..?” Adrien finally choked out; his words were no more than a whisper. He felt like his entire reality was collapsing around him.  “Did they find Marinette’s body?”

“No,” Gabriel whispered. “The coffin is empty.”

Relief washed over Adrien as he felt the tension leave his body. He felt like he could breathe again; he wasn’t crazy. Pulling away from his father, Adrien stared up at the rafters and took several deep breaths. Beside him, Kagami squeezed his hand as she softly rubbed his arm.

Soon, Adrien could feel his heartbeat return to normal. His father and Kagami sat silently beside him as the chapel started to fill with people. When Nino stopped to say hello, Adrien almost didn’t recognize him. Gone were his cap and oversized headphones. Like Adrien, he also wore a dark suit. In fact, all of his classmates were wearing dark, formal clothes. Even Chloé. Who, after a warm hello, took a seat next to his father.

Before long, hundreds of people filed into the chapel. Most of whom Adrien didn’t recognize. Did Marinette know she was so loved? Part of him hoped she was here, somewhere hiding in the shadows. Maybe then she could see how much she meant to so many people.

The service started with a welcome from the priest. Then, Marinette’s grandmother, Gina, read a letter from Tom and Sabine. Next, Jagged Stone played a beautiful piano solo followed by a heartfelt eulogy by Alya. Shortly after, Luka played a beautiful melody he had composed for Marinette.

When it was Adrien’s turn, his father slowly escorted him up the short stairs to the podium. Setting down his cane, Adrien steadied himself on the thick wood pulpit.  Gabriel quickly placed the black folder in front of him before returning to his seat.

Adrien opened the folder and stared at the printed words. The eulogy could have been written about any teenage girl, and could have been delivered by anyone. Suddenly, Adrien felt a bitter resentment at the neatly typed speech. No. Marinette deserved better. 

Adrien clenched his jaw. His Lady deserved better!

He looked up and stared at the sea of faces in front of him. All the people who loved Marinette were watching him. And he was the reason Marinette was ripped from their lives, even if they were too polite to say it. No, he owed them more than a cold, bland eulogy. Not about the most incredible person he’d ever met.

Closing the folder, Adrien swallowed and drew a shaky breath.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng loved me,” Adrien's voice echoed through the cavernous room. “She loved me and...and I… I didn’t know.”

His father fidgeted in his seat as Nathalie raised her eyebrows in surprise. Adrien could feel his heart start to beat rapidly. This wasn’t the plan, but he doubted they were going to stop him now.

“So many people here today have talked about the ways they knew Marinette,” Adrien began. “How they were inspired by her kindness and creativity. Her sweetness and compassion. She was a friend, a muse, a promising designer, a loving daughter, and granddaughter.“

He looked over where Tom and Sabine were seated in the front row. Sabine’s head was resting on Tom’s shoulder, and their hands were squeezed tightly together. For the first time, it occurred to Adrien that these were Labybug’s parents as well, not just Marinette’s.

“Many of you knew more about her than I. But…” Adrien felt his chin quiver as he blinked away the tears that threatened his eyes. “There is one way I knew her better than anyone else.”

Adrien licked his lips as he felt himself start to tremble. Memories of his Lady flashed through his mind. The countless hours they spent on patrols. Her smile. Her laugh. Her ferocity in battle. Out of the hundreds of people in the room, Adrien was the only one that knew that part of her life. 

“So, I need you all to know that Marinette was…” Adrien felt his voice crack. He paused to swallow, needing his voice to be strong. “Marinette was a hero.”

As he looked out over the crowd, Adrien could feel his eyes fill with tears. He didn’t try to fight them anymore.

“She wasn’t a hero because she was fearless or because she always did the right thing. Her clumsiness was... legendary.” Adrien heard a few chuckles from the room. “And sometimes her schemes were overly convoluted and complicated.”

“Marinette was a hero because she never gave up. Even when she was frightened or disheartened, she never stopped trying. And when it mattered, she always came through.”

More than a few people nodded at his words.

“Her spirit inspired others,” Adrien continued softly. “And I’m a better person for knowing her.”

“And even now, I continue to know her. These past weeks, I’ve learned so much about her from all of you. And now, I truly see her, for all that she is.” Adrien suddenly paused, wincing at his choice of words. 

“For all that she was,” he corrected, closing his eyes. Adrien could feel his tears roll down his cheeks, but he didn’t care.

For several moments Adrien remained with his eyes shut, inhaling and exhaling shaky breaths. When he opened his eyes again, he looked up to the rafters. If his Lady was here, that’s where she would be watching.

“Marinette? Wherever you are, I want… I want you to know I love you too!” Adrien shouted at the ceiling. “I will carry your love with me everywhere I go. I will live my life in your honor. There will never be a day that goes by when you are not in my thoughts.”

Adrien’s head fell as his gaze drifted over to the white coffin.

“You’re a part of me. Forever.”

Chapter Text

It was evening by the time Adrien arrived home. The reception after the funeral had lasted hours, and Adrien felt drained. He was emotionally exhausted, but the last thing he wanted to do was rest. Oh, how he wished he could transform again and run across the rooftops.

On his father’s arm, Adrien slowly climbed the staircase to his room. Once inside, his trusty walker from the hospital was waiting for him. Tucking his cane under his arm, Adrien grabbed its clunky metal handle and made his way over to his bed. His eyes briefly caught sight of the giant pile of Marinette’s gifts on his desk. 

Within moments, he reached his bed. The ‘old’ him would have flopped onto it, but such a severe jolt would trigger his vertigo. So, instead, Adrien gently sat on the end of the bed, setting his cane down beside him. He closed his eyes and exhaled, trying to relax his tense muscles.

A soft knock on the window started him out of his thoughts. Adrien opened his eyes to the most beautiful sight in the world. Just on the other side of the glass, Ladybug was gazing at him with Plagg floating by her shoulder.

Adrien watched as Plagg phased through the lock. Immediately, the window popped open, and Ladybug jumped down to the floor. Plagg quickly flew over to Adrien and held his arm in front of his mouth, gesturing for silence. Right! Adrien would have to save his reunion with his Kwami for later. For all that Ladybug knew, he had only met Plagg once.

Ignoring Plagg for now, Adrien smiled over at his partner. She shyly waved, but stood silently in the darkness. 

“Marinette?” Adrien called to her.

Ladybug nodded. With that tiny confirmation, an uncontrollable giddiness washed over Adrien. He hadn’t imagined it! Ladybug was Marinette; Marinette was Ladybug! And she was alive! 

A huge grin spread over Adrien’s face as he continued to stare at his friend. “I was starting to fear I dreamt it all. I told the same lies over and over again; I was beginning to believe them myself.”

Ladybug looked down, shifting her feet awkwardly. Huh? Was something wrong? Why wasn’t she coming closer? Without thinking, Adrien rose to his feet and stepped toward her. Instantly, the room suddenly spun, and he crashed into the floor. Ladybug was by his side a second later, helping him into a seated position.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Adrien quickly assured her. Though, to be honest, his pride was a bit hurt. It had been over a week since he had fallen; he was better than that. With a groan, he reached over and grabbed his cane from his bed. Using it for support, he pushed himself to a stand.

“I just forgot my cane. Stylish, isn’t it?” Adrien chuckled sarcastically. “Don’t worry; my father is going to design me a better one. This one is very... hospital grade.”

“You’re… you’re still hurt?” Ladybug’s brows wrinkled with confusion.

“Well, I'm not in pain,” Adrien told her honestly. “But… um, the Kwamis were very thorough with their injury. But it worked! Everyone assumed I was hurt in the Akuma attack. No one doubted my story, not even for a moment.”

Ladybug continued to stare at his cane with a horrified look on her face. Adrien fidgeted under her gaze as he scratched his neck with his free hand.

“So… um, my ear is all messed up. It turns out you need it to balance,” he explained. “Other than that, I’m perfectly fine. But, um… try to talk to my left ear. I can’t hear out of my right side anymore.”

Ladybug didn’t say anything, but it was obvious she was growing more upset by the second. Suddenly, her head fell as she buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders started to shake as if she was struggling not to cry. Adrien reached out and gently touched her arm.

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me. It’s okay,” he assured her. “Really. Please don’t cry.”

His words only seem to make her shoulders shake harder.

“Marinette? Please, look at me?” Adrien coaxed her gently. Ladybug slowly lowered her hands from her tear-filled eyes. Adrien slowly raised his hand to wipe away a tear from her cheek. No, she shouldn’t be crying for him. 

 “Hey, it’s alright,” Adrien whispered, looking deep into her eyes. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t give up to keep you safe.”

Ladybug froze as her eyes grew wide. After a few seconds, she quickly looked away. Too strong, Agreste! You’re coming on too strong! Adrien gulped, dropping his hand. They stood there silently for a few moments, like two statues in the moonlight.

“I wish… I wish I could see you, Marinette,” Adrien finally spoke. 

Ladybug shook her head. “Not yet.” She took a deep breath and pulled out her yo-yo.

“Miraculous cure,” she whispered.

In an instant, a blinding, red light surrounded him. As Chat Noir, he had felt the cure’s effect dozens of times, but seldom as Adrien. The sensation only lasted a second, but his entire body tingled to its core. It was disorienting, and Adrien staggered for a moment. When it passed, suddenly, the whole world was alive, again. He gasped at the faint ambient sounds coming from all sides.

Shocked laughter erupted from his chest. Throwing his cane to the side, Adrien jumped as high as he could, touching his knees to his chest. When he landed, the floor stayed firmly in place. The world didn’t move anymore!

Adrien couldn’t stay still. With giggles bursting out of his chest, he sprinted across his room. When Adrien reached the wall, he jumped high and spun around in the air. Next, he zoomed back across the room and flipped onto his bed, using the momentum of his bounce to propel himself back into a run. 

The exertion felt amazing! It was incredible to feel his heart pump rapidly again and to feel his lungs fill with air. Adrien had no idea how much he missed it. 

He raced around the room several more times before he made it back to Ladybug. It took everything he had to restrain himself from embracing her. Oh, how he wanted to pull her into the biggest hug ever! If they were Chat Noir and Ladybug right now, no way he could have resisted. But this was Marinette, who could be skittish with him even under the best circumstances. 

‘Thank you,” Adrien panted, knowing he had a goofy smile on his face. “I didn’t think… I mean, I didn’t know… wow! Just, thank you.”

Ladybug smiled back at him. Adrien noticed the corners of her eyes had happy tears in them.

“Your injuries were caused by Kwami magic, same as an Akuma or an Amok,” Ladybug explained softly. “So, the cure can fix it. Well, not quite everything… I mean, I still have half your liver.” 

“I’m glad you do,” Adrien responded with a wink.

Ladybug’s eyebrows scrunched in an entirely unreadable expression. 

Adrien winced. “Wow. Sorry, that sounded… way weirder than I expected.”

Ladybug attached her yo-yo back to her hip and looked down to the floor. Adrien racked his brain for something to say. The last few weeks, he had rehearsed this moment in mind over and over again, but now that it was here… Adrien was drawing a complete blank.

“Well, um, I should get going, then,” Ladybug turned and stepped toward the window.

“Stay, Marinette,” Adrien reached for her wrist. The thought of her leaving so soon was unbearable. “Please.”

“I can’t,” she sighed. “No one can find me.”

“I’ll lock the door. No one will come in. We can have the Kwamis keep a lookout. Please!” Adrien knew his voice was high and frantic. Maybe a bit too desperate. “Please, don’t go.”

Ladybug sadly looked down at the floor.

Suddenly, Adrien had an idea. “You can take a shower?” he blurted out. “There isn’t any hot water at the safe house, is there? And you can take the bed. There’s more than enough room for me on the couch. Here, I can even give you some clean clothes to put on.”

Adrien ran over to his desk and began laying out the clothes that might fit her. “Take your pick. There is a lot to choose from.”

Marinette followed him over to the desk. “These are...my gifts.”

Adrien nodded. “We had a big birthday and Christmas party a few days ago. Everyone loved their presents. Even Chloé. Though she never actually admitted it. But everyone could tell. We ate your favorite cakes and desserts. Nino played your favorite songs. And everyone took turns sharing stories.”

Ladybug stared at the pile of clothes for a moment. “Were… were my parents there?” she asked quietly.

Adrien nodded; his earlier giddiness had vanished. “Yeah.”

“How… how are they?” she asked hesitantly. “Plagg tells me that the bakery is open again.”

Adrien bit his lip, debating how much he should say. Of course, she would be worried about them, but he didn’t want her to feel bad. Still, she deserved the truth. Adrien’s shoulders slumped.

“They’re broken…” Adrien admitted honestly. “How could they not be? They don’t hate me, even though they should. They don’t hate anyone. It’s amazing, really. I don’t think I could be that strong.”

Ladybug closed her eyes and hugged her chest; it looked like she was trying not to cry.

“Everyone is going out of their way to try to take care of them right now,” Adrien told her softly, unsure of what else to say. “Father offered to offset any loss of income for the bakery being closed, but they wanted to reopen. You know, to stay busy. I think it helps.”

Ladybug nodded and silently turned her attention to Adrien’s desk. She doesn’t want to talk about her parents anymore, thought Adrien. Ladybug slowly reached out to touch the gifts piled there.

“So… um, people told stories?” Ladybug asked nervously, her finger tracing an embroidered heart on a handkerchief. “What kind of stories? Nothing… too embarrassing, I hope.”

Adrien could feel his face grow red hot. Even in the dimly lit room, she could probably see his blush. He quickly looked away and scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh no,” Ladybug cringed and hid her face in her hands. “Someone told you.”

“Alya told me. No, more like screamed at me. After that, everyone else confirmed it. It’s okay, Marinette. Please, don’t feel embarrassed.”

Several awkward seconds passed.

“Did it make you uncomfortable?” Ladybug asked, peeking through her fingers. “When people talked about the feelings I had for you?”

‘Had?’ As in past tense?! The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Does that mean she doesn’t feel that way anymore? He had to steady himself for a moment. Adrien knew there was a chance her feelings had changed. How could they have not? Marinette had lost so much because of him. Adrien forced himself to swallow, trying not to appear upset.

“The most amazing person in the world loved me,” he told her softly, making sure to match her verb tense. “It’s an honor I don’t think I deserved.”

Ladybug’s lips slightly parted as she dumbly stared back at him. Adrien inwardly winced, hating that he might have made her uncomfortable again. Ladybug quickly turned her attention back to the pile of gifts.

“Oh, these weren’t for you,” she said, reaching for a pair of shiny, black pajamas.

“Oh,... they were about my size and unlabeled, so Myléne just figured they were meant for me.”

Ladybug brought the fabric up to her face and inhaled deeply. They probably smell like her home, Adrien mused.

“I made these for Chat Noir,” she admitted quietly, as her fingers caressed the fabric.

“Then, please, take them,” Adrien said with a gentle smile. “He’d want you to have them.”

Ladybug stared at the pajamas for another moment. There was a faraway look in her eyes. Was she thinking about Chat Noir? Or about the time she spent making the gift. Adrien desperately wished he could ask.

“Well...” Ladybug finally spoke, chewing on her lip. “A shower would feel really nice.”

Adrien wanted to jump for joy and sprint across the room again. But that would be a wholly inappropriate reaction to a girl agreeing to use his shower.

Ladybug gave Adrien one last glance before she took a deep breath, then whispered the words Adrien never imagined he’d hear.

“Spots off.”

As soon as the pink glow faded from Marinette’s body, Adrien found he lost all self-control. His arms acted on their own as he pulled her into a crushing embrace, burying his face in her greasy hair. For a few moments, Marinette stood motionless. But soon, Adrien felt her arms shyly wrap around his back.

She felt so warm in his arms. So alive! Adrien could feel her body expand and contract with her steady breaths. He feared he might be holding her too tightly, but Adrien couldn’t will his arms to let go. Tears stung his eyes as he struggled not to cry.

He could have stayed there for hours, just holding her in his arms, listening to her gentle breathing. 

“Got anything to eat around here?” Plagg suddenly called out. “A classy place like this must have some expensive cheeses.”

“Plagg!” Tikki scolded. 

Adrien shot his Kwami a dirty look as he released Marinette. 

“Oh, um, yes. We do,” Adrien answered Plagg as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He turned back to Marinette. “While you shower, I can find your Kwamis something to eat,” he offered sweetly.

Marinette shyly nodded as she turned to walk to the bathroom. As soon as the door shut, Plagg flew over and hugged Adrien’s cheek.

“I’ve missed you so much, buddy. You have no idea how much.” Adrien then turned toward Tikki. “How is she doing? Honestly.”

“Her body has completely recovered,” Tikki replied hesitantly. “But she cries a lot. She misses everyone so much. And she’s very worried about Chat Noir.”

“Can I get my ring back, then?” Adrien asked, perhaps a bit too eagerly.

Tikki nodded. “We’ll wait until she’s asleep. We can take the ring from her then.” 

Adrien’s face broke into a huge grin. Once Chat Noir was back, they could start a plan to take down Hawkmoth for good. Then Marinette could come back, and everything could go back to the way it was.

After finding the Kwamis some food, Adrien changed out of his suit and into his pajamas. He paced restlessly as he waited for Marinette to get out of the shower. Occasionally, Adrien would break into a run and lap around his room, delighting in his recovered balance.

After about twenty minutes, Marinette emerged from the bathroom. The black pajamas were way too big for her, but that only made her seem more adorable. Plus, it warmed his heart to know she was wearing Chat Noir’s pajamas.

Marinette yawned and gave him a sleepy smile. Adrien realized that he must have been staring. Right! She must be tired. Adrien gently took her hand and led her over to his bed.

“Here,” Adrien pulled back the covers for her. “The sheets are clean. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Marinette sat down on the bed and then reached for his arm. “I don’t mean to be so quiet, but it’s been so long since I have spoken to another human.”

“I don’t mind,” Adrien smiled at her. “I’m just… just so relieved to see you again. You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.”

“I do want to. It’s just...” Marinette’s voice fell to a whisper. “It’s just...I feel like a ghost.”

Adrien’s heart sunk. He sat down beside her and pulled her against him. “No, you’re not a ghost.”

Marinette wrapped her arms around him, leaning against his shoulder. “There are so many things I never did.”

“You’ll still get a chance to after you defeat Hawkmoth-”

“How?!” Marinette choked out. “He hasn’t been attacking! And… I don’t have Chat.”

The pain in her voice surprised him. “...Chat?” Adrien repeated.

“Tikki took his Miraculous, and I still have it. Wayzz says he can’t return it, but he can’t tell me why! All he says is that Chat isn’t ready.”

Adrien nervously licked his lips, unsure of what he should say. He looked over at the Kwamis for guidance. 

“I can’t do this without him,” Marinette whimpered. “And… and I’m scared he hates me,” Marinette trembled as she buried her face into Adrien’s neck.

Icy chills traveled down his spine. How could his Lady ever think that?

“He could never,” Adrien whispered, softly rubbing her back. “Everyone with half a brain can see how devoted he is to you. I’m sure he would be at your side now if he could.”

“No, you don’t understand. We were friends,” Marinette continued to sniffle. “I mean, Marinette and Chat were friends. What if he blames me? Blames Ladybug for what happened that day?”

Adrien held her closer, kissing the top of her hair.

“I’ve never felt so alone,” Marinette’s voice sounded so tiny. “It’s like I really died.”

“No, Marinette. You’re not alone,” Adrien rocked her gently. “So many people love you.”

Marinette bitterly scoffed. “Everyone who loves me thinks I’m dead.”

Adrien’s heart broke with her words. “No, not everyone,” he responded with the faintest whisper. If Marinette heard, she didn’t show it. She continued to softly cry in his arms.

“Do you remember what I told you after you were shot?” Adrien whispered against her temple. 

Marinette shook her head. “I don’t remember too much. I remember the sound of the gun, but nothing really after that. What did you say?”

Adrien stroked her hair away from her eyes. “It doesn’t matter,” he sighed. As much as it pained him, now was not the time for love declarations. She was going through enough right now. Adrien wouldn’t risk making things more complicated.

For several more minutes, Adrien continued to hold her. Then suddenly, Marinette yawned. She must be exhausted. Adrien thought, feeling guilty for keeping her awake.

“I should let you sleep,” he said sadly. 

“Will you stay? Marinette asked hesitantly. “I mean… until I fall asleep?” 

Adrien smiled at her words. “Of course.”

With one final squeeze, he slowly pulled away and motioned for Marinette to lie down. Adrien tucked the blanket around her like he remembered his mother doing for him. Then, Adrien walked around to the other side of the bed. Staying on top of the covers, he lay down beside her. Shyly, Marinette turned to face him. Even in the meager light, it seemed like her cheeks were slightly pink.

Her hand peeked out of the covers as she slowly reached for his. Adrien squeezed it gently, resisting the urge to bring it to his lips.

“Goodnight, Adrien.”

“Goodnight, Marinette.” 

Chapter Text

Marinette slept without dreaming.

Sleep had been difficult these past few weeks. Nightmares plagued her, even when she didn’t remember her dreams. Then, every morning when Marinette awoke, she kept her eyes tightly squeezed shut. Marinette would hope against hope that she might see the familiar sights of her room when she opened her eyes. Then, all this could have been a nightmare. But it was always the same old derelict apartment that greeted her.

But not today.

It was warm here. And soft. So wonderfully soft.

Marinette felt Adrien’s fingers move ever-so-slightly against her own. Did he really hold her hand all night? Marinette wiggled her entwined fingers as she slowly opened her eyes. She immediately saw Adrien’s sleepy face gazing back at her.

“Good morning,” he whispered.

“Good morning,” Marinette felt her face begin to flush. Adrien was so close, laying on the pillow next to hers. She quickly broke eye contact and looked around the room. Through the windows, the clouds were just starting to lighten into the soft greys of the morning. Beside her, Adrien lay in his pajamas, still on top of the covers.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked.

“A while,” Adrien answered back. With one final squeeze, he let go of her hand and rubbed his eyes. “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in a long time.” Marinette rolled over onto her back and stretched her arms high overhead. Her eyes immediately focused on her naked finger. “My ring!”

“Don’t worry, Marinette,” Tikki suddenly flew over. “Plagg took it back to Chat Noir.”

Closing her eyes, Marinette hugged her hands to her chest, caressing her newly bare finger. Everything will be better soon. Once she had Chat back, they could start to set things right. Somehow. They could take the fight to Hawkmoth. And once his reign of terror ended, Marinette wouldn’t have to hide her identity. She could go home.

Her eyes flew open. “I have to call him!”

“He’s probably still sleeping,” Tikki yawned to prove her point. “It’s six in the morning.”

“I don’t care.” Marinette scrambled out of bed. “Tikki, Spots on!”

The familiar light of her transformation quickly surrounded her. Once it faded, Ladybug promptly pulled out her compact. She knew there was little chance Chat would be up this early, but she had to try. Almost instantly, she saw his away screen pop up, then the prompt to leave a message. Ladybug stared at the blinking screen for a moment, suddenly at a loss for words.

“Chat… I…. I’m so sorry,” Ladybug’s throat felt so tight; all she could manage was a whisper. ‘I’m so sorry I had to take your Miraculous. And… I wasn’t even there to explain why.”

Hot tears started to burn her eyes.

“I can’t imagine what these weeks for you must have been like. But, please, believe me, I wouldn’t have… I didn’t mean-”

A sob caught in her throat, making it impossible for Ladybug to speak. As much as she wanted to see her partner again, a nagging fear terrified her. Would Chat Noir be angry? Ladybug wasn't sure she could bear it, not with everything else. She needed Chat Noir to be his happy, silly self. She took a deep, shaky breath and continued.

“Please, as soon as possible, can… can we meet? I need to see you again.”

Ladybug wiped her eyes with the back of her wrists, but her eyes kept filling with tears.

“I’ve missed you so much. Kitty. You have no idea.” With a final sob, Ladybug closed her compact. Then hugged it tightly. After a few deep breaths, She looked back over to where Adrien was sitting on the bed.

Adrien stared back at her with his handsome face full of emotion. Were those tears in his eyes? Ladybug suddenly felt very self-conscious. In her rush to call Chat, Ladybug had forgotten entirely about Adrien. She bit her lip and looked down to the floor, suddenly embarrassed by her outburst.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched Adrien slide out of bed and walk over to her.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” he told her softly. “Chat Noir would… he’d be touched to know how much he was missed.”

Ladybug chuckled weakly. If he ever found out, she’d probably never hear the end of it.

“You care for him very much, don’t you?” Adrien added.

Ladybug nodded. “I need him,” she sniffled. “Especially now.”

Adrien slowly stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. Ladybug squeezed him back as tightly as she dared, careful not to crush him with the added strength of the suit. They stayed like that for several minutes, with Adrien gently stroking her back. Ladybug snuggled against his shoulder, quite aware of the irony of the whole situation. Here she was, in her crush’s arms, being consoled over Chat Noir.

“I should go,” Ladybug finally announced, though there was no conviction in her voice.

“Will you come back tonight?” Adrien asked softly, his lips right outside her ear.

A shiver cascaded down Ladybug’s spine as her body reacted to his words. Now is not the time for this! Calm down, girl! She silently scolded herself.

Ladybug inhaled deeply, delighting in the soothing smell of Adrien’s skin. Should she come back tonight? Ladybug chewed on her lip. She knew she shouldn’t take the risk. She knew the correct answer. And yet, she found herself nodding to Adrien’s invitation.

“How about you? Will you be okay?” she asked when she finally pulled away. “Starting today, you’ll need to pretend that you’re still injured.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll ease into my ‘miraculous’ recovery,” Adrien gave her an exaggerated wink.

Ladybug giggled at his play on words. It suddenly occurred to her that it was the first time she had laughed in weeks. And… the joke wasn’t even very funny. Hmm… Was Adrien starting to remind her of her Kitty? Ladybug would never have thought she would see the day.

“Thank you, Adrien. For everything.”

With that, Ladybug stepped forward and rose up on her toes. She slowly kissed Adien’s cheek, letting her lips linger against his barely noticeable stubble. As she pulled away, she noticed Adrien’s eyes were closed. There was a calm, contented expression on his face as he slowly reopened his eyes.

“Well,” Ladybug smiled brightly, backing toward the window. “Bug out!”

Jumping up to the window, she launched her yo-yo to the nearest building and pulled herself up to the rooftops. In no time, she made it back to the abandoned flat. Okay, now all she had to do was wait. Ugh. She hated waiting. Ladybug walked over to the slash of food her kwamis had “acquired” for her. Popping a stale piece of bread in her mouth, she began pacing back and forth. What time do teenage boys usually wake up? She had always gotten the impression that Chat was an early riser. But even still, she probably had a long wait ahead of her.

She opened her compact to check the time. Suddenly, it buzzed in her hand, causing her to drop it on the floor. As fast as she could, Ladybug picked it up and opened it. As much as she wanted to see Chat’s face, it was only an audio call that came through.

“Good morning, Milady,” Chat’s cheerful voice greeted.

“Chat!” Ladybug felt her knees give out at the sound of his voice. She crumpled to the floor, hugging the compact to her ear. “Chat, I’m so sorry. Can you forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Bug,” Chat told her gently. “I trust you. I know you had a good reason for taking my ring.”

Relief washed over her. Never before had she been so grateful for her partner’s blind trust. “Yeah… I did.”

For a minute, neither spoke. With every breath, Ladybug could feel the tension flow out of the muscles. Even if she couldn’t see him, right now, Chat was with her again. She could do anything.

“Are you okay?” Chat finally asked, breaking the silence.

“I… um,” Ladybug felt her voice crack. “I’m better now, but I really want to see you.”

“I want to see you, too,” Chat sighed. “But things are... complicated. It’s hard for me to get away at the moment.”

Ladybug felt her chin quiver in disappointment. It was expected that Chat couldn’t get away at this exact moment… but it was still hard to hear.

“It’s okay, Kitty. Just hearing your voice… helps.”

“I love you, too. Bugaboo,” Chat playfully teased.

Ladybug smiled and rolled her eyes. She was happy to have her silly kitty back.

“And… for what it’s worth,” Chat continued, his voice more serious now. “I missed you, too. We’re lucky no Akumas appeared when I was without my Miraculous. I would have hated to see you fight alone, Milady.”

“Yeah...” Ladybug sighed. “Hawkmoth has been laying low. Probably because of the girl who died in the Akuma attack.”

“Marinette.” Chat corrected. There was an undeniable sadness in his voice. “Her death had nothing to do with the Akuma, just an unfortunate coincidence.”

“I know. But some people blame me,” Ladybug blinked back tears. “Because I was at that festival that day. And… um, if I had used the cure, then maybe things would have been different.”

“It’s not your fault; people are just upset.” Chat paused for a moment. “The girl that was lost, Marinette, she was loved by so many people. Her death was a shock, and people are just lashing out.”

Ladybug gulped nervously. It was probably best to avoid talking about Marinette.

“Did you know her well?” Chat asked. “I remember she helped us out with Kwami Buster.”

“I only knew her a little,” Ladybug lied. “She seemed sweet.”

“She was… one of the most incredible people I’d ever met. I wish I had a chance to tell her. I’m not sure she knew how amazing she was.”

Ladybug stared at her compact, unsure of how to react. At times, she had often wondered if Chat had a soft spot for her civilian self. There was no denying it now. A faint smile spread over her face. It warmed her heart to know her sweet Kitty liked her even without the spots.

“I should let you go,” Ladybug said softly.

“I’m here for you, Milady. Anytime you need, I’m just a phone call away.”

“Thank you, Kitty.”

Ladybug hung up her compact and let her transformation fall. After finding Tikki some breakfast, she could spend the entire day on patrol. Maybe Chat Noir could find some time to join her? That should pass the time until tonight, –until she could return to Adrien.

__

Adrien de-transformed and gazed sadly at Plagg. Keeping his identity secret seemed so cruel, especially now. But Adrien knew it was the right thing to do. In The upcoming battles, they needed a focused Ladybug more than ever.

Grabbing his phone, Adrien looked at the time. Breakfast should be served soon. His eyes fell to his walker. With a groan, Adrien headed over to the clunky piece of metal.

Hello, old friend, he thought sarcastically.

Gripping the handles, he experimented with a few clunky steps. Oh, man! This was going to be more challenging than he thought. He had never paid attention to how he used it before. Adrien could instantly tell that he was doing a poor imitation.

Pushing his walker to the side, Adrien reached for his cane. Then, he forced a slow, unsteady walk. He wasn’t sure it was any more convincing. But it’s not like people would guess Ladybug had miraculously healed him last night. Injuries like his were often unpredictable, especially for young people.

After Adrien hobbled to the door, he spun his cane as an imaginary baton. He then gripped its handle and sliced through the air at make-believe foes. Adrien never felt so ready to fight Akumas. His body yearned to be out on the rooftops again!

But for now, he needed to convince his father he was ready for a bit of independence.

The hallway was empty as Adrien slowly made his way to the top of the stairs. Just to be safe, he leaned on his cane with every step. Gripping the handrail, Adrien made his way down the large staircase. Once at the bottom, he spotted his father sitting at the head of the dining room table.

“Good morning, Father!” Adrien happily greeted.

“Adrien!” Instantly, Gabriel stood up and ran to his son’s side. He firmly grabbed Adrien's free arm as he led him away from the staircase and to a dining room chair. “You shouldn’t be up by yourself. The staircase is dangerous!”

“It’s amazing, father. I feel so much better this morning,” Adrien beamed. “I think it was sleeping back in my own bed, but I can feel some of my balance coming back.”

Gabriel knelt until he was at eye level. There wasn’t any anger on his father's face, only concern. ’“Please, son. Don’t push yourself.”

“I think I’m okay with just a cane now. Besides, it will be much easier than trying to take the walker to school.”

“You… you wish to return to school? So soon?”

“Of course.”

His father’s face softened. “Then, perhaps we could ask your friend, Nino, to assist you on the stairs. Just to be safe.”

“Yes. I’m sure he would,” Adrien replied happily. “Would it be alright if he came over today? I know how you feel about me having friends over, but it would be easier than going out.”

“You may have friends over, Adrien,” Gabriel smiled softly. “Anytime you like.”

Adrien cocked his head. Was his father feeling okay?

“And later, may I also invite over Marinette’s uncle? He’s going back to China soon, but he offered to show me how to cook some of Marinette’s favorite dishes.”

“I’ll let the chef know you would like to use the kitchen. Be sure to let her know what ingredients you might need.”

Adrien eyed his father suspiciously. He knew he shouldn’t ask, but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

“Father? Why… why are you allowing all this? I know you don’t like people in your home.”

“It’s not easy for me,” Gabriel admitted. “But I want things to be different. For us.”

Adrien grinned. “I’d like that.”

Within a minute, the chef brought out Adrien’s breakfast. Gabriel grabbed his plate from the head of the table and moved next to Adrien. It was strange, having his father so close while he ate. Gabriel would ask polite questions, and Adrien would answer, sometimes with questions of his own. It was awkward for his father; there was no denying it. But Gabriel stayed at his side until they finished their meal.

After breakfast, Adrien wasted no time calling Nino. Needless to say, his friend was shocked at the invitation to his house. But as much as Adrien wanted to see his friend again, Alya was his real target. He hoped Nino would bring her too.

Adrien needed the Lady-Blogger back. Alya had always been an invaluable resource for the Ladybug and Chat Noir throughout the years. And now, they needed to take the fight to Hawkmoth. Alya’s help was needed more than ever. But first, Adrien had to convince Alya to forgive Ladybug for Marinette’s death.

Several hours later, Nino arrived with a groggy Alya in tow. Apparently, after the funeral, Nora had taken her sister out last night. And then introduced her to tequila. Alya wasn’t overly receptive when Adrien tried to talk with her about Ladybug, and he knew better than to press the issue. People don’t change their minds overnight, and Alya’s lack of hostility toward Ladybug was a good first step.

The friends spent the rest of the afternoon playing video games. Alya didn’t mention Ladybug again.

Chapter Text

Ladybug paced in aimless circles as she waited patiently on the rooftop across from Adrien’s house. The sun had just set and she was way too early. Ladybug knew that. But she’d much rather be waiting here than in the abandoned apartment. In truth, it felt better just to be near Adrien.

Her stomach started to feel all fluttery again. Ladybug took a deep breath and swallowed. Calm down, girl. Calm down!

It wasn’t only because he was Adrien. Well, obviously, there was that. But also, he was the only person that knew she was alive, her only link to her old life. With him, she felt like herself, like Marinette. 

Ladybug stretched her arms high overhead, wincing at her stiff muscles. She had spent the entire day on patrol, hoping Chat Noir would find a way to join her. But he never did. Ladybug knew it was silly to get her hopes up. Still, jumping from rooftop to rooftop was a million times better sitting in a cold apartment. It helped to pass the time faster until she could to return to Adrien.

Did Adrien know that he was the only thing she had to look forward to in her new life?

Ladybug chewed on her lip. What was her relationship with Adrien now? He knew that she loved him. Adrien knew and… he held her hand. He comforted her while she cried. He slept all night at her side. Ladybug could feel her face start to heat up. In such a short amount of time, they had grown so close, and yet, it felt so natural.

She didn’t stutter around him anymore. He even made her smile, made her laugh. With Chat Noir away, she needed that more than ever.

Adrien had invited her to come back tonight. Ladybug blushed as she remembered his words whispered in her ear. Did he have any idea of the effect he had on her? How could he not?

Ladybug started pacing again. It was obvious that they were closer. But was it a ‘very good friends’ way? Or something else? She had saved his life. So...was he just being kind? And just ignoring her crush in hopes of saving her the embarrassment?

Wincing, she suddenly remembered all the embroidered hearts on the gifts she had made, dozens of gifts that Adrien now had in his possession. Oh, man! What stories had been told in her absence?

Shortly after 9, she saw Adrien’s window pop open. That was all the invitation she needed. With a big smile on her face, Ladybug launched her yo-yo toward Adrien’s room.

Adrien was waiting for her right inside the window. “Welcome back!” he excitedly greeted as he kissed the air at her cheeks. Then, he took her hand and led her over to the coffee table. A large plate of food was waiting there, along with a generous slice of cake.

“I thought you might be hungry. I convinced the chef to let me take another plate of dinner to my room. I told her I thought I would get hungry again later. Oh, and the cake is for Tikki.” Adrien beamed, quite proud of himself.

“Thank you, Adrien,” Ladybug grinned. “It’s all very sweet.”

After Marinette dropped her transformation, Tikki excitedly rushed over to the cake. Then, Marinette politely sat on the sofa and began to eat. The food wasn’t hot anymore, but it was still warm. And Marinette devoured it, relishing in the taste of a home-cooked meal. 

Adrien sat by her side, watching her, excitedly waiting for her to finish. 

“Would you like to play some video games? Or watch a movie?” he asked, practically bouncing on the sofa.

 “You seem full of energy,” Marinette observed, raising her eyebrow. “Are you sure you want to sit?” 

“Honestly, no,” Adrien admitted. “I want to run, jump, do handstands and backflips!” To prove his point, he jumped high in the air, kicking his legs out like a ninja. Marinette couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm.

“It’s a special kind of torture having my balance back and not being able to use it. There’s a basketball hoop in my room, and I can’t even shoot hoops. My father would hear right away.”

“Hmm…” Marinette mused, a delicious idea forming in her head. “What would you say to a run on the rooftops?”

Adrien instantly paled; he looked absolutely terrified.

Marinette giggled at his response. “Don’t worry. You’ll be perfectly safe, and no one will recognize you, either.

Adrien continued to stare at her wide-eyed. 

“I know it didn’t work out with the Snake Miraculous,” she continued delicately. “But I have many others you can try. That is, if you’re willing to give it another shot?”

“Oh!” There was a sudden expression of relief on his face. “That’s what you meant! Hmm… Well, I’ve always thought the Dragon Miraculous had a pretty cool looking sword.”

“Longg would love a chance to transform,” Tikki replied with a mouthful of cake.

“I’m sure he would like to see you again,” Marinette said between bites of food. “All the kwamis talk about you a lot; you’ve made quite the impression. Especially with Plagg. And he barely likes anyone.”

Adrien sheepishly looked away at her words. Huh? Was it that strange to be liked by tiny, magical gods?

Once Marinette ate her fill of food, it was time to transform back into Ladybug. After spending all day on patrol, she could tell Tikki was less-than-enthusiastic about going out again. Thankfully, her kwami didn’t say anything.

Adrien was a natural with the Dragon Miraculous. Perhaps it was his instinctive athleticism or years of fencing? However, his naming skills left much to be desired. Seriously? Ladybug wasn’t about to call him Smaug, Toothless, or Mushu. Nope. Adrien could be DragonBoy if he couldn’t think of anything more clever.

Though, ‘DragonBoy’ seemed to suit him just fine. Especially the ‘boy’ part. Ladybug couldn’t help but smile at his giddy enthusiasm as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. It was heartwarming watching Adrien act so free and goofy. But at the same time, Ladybug couldn’t deny it made her miss Chat even more. Even as DragonBoy chased her around Paris, Ladybug kept hoping that she would spot her Kitty somewhere in the shadows.

But she never did.

It was after midnight when they finally returned to Adrien’s room. Marinette felt exhausted, but she hoped Adrien wouldn’t notice. She didn’t want him to feel guilty about their sprint around Paris. Not when he needed the outlet so badly.

After a quick shower, Marinette changed into the silky, black pajamas she had worn the night before. The pajamas that were meant for Chat Noir. Marinette bit her lip and tried to push away the thoughts of her partner. 

When she emerged from the bathroom, Marinette noticed Adrien had also changed into his pajamas and had spread a blanket over the sofa. Oh, right… he was being a gentleman and letting her have the bed. Marinette’s face fell; she really didn’t want him to be so far away.

“Are you really sleeping on the sofa?” she asked without thinking.

“I, umm, want you to be comfortable.” Adrien scratched the back of his neck.

“I was comfortable last night, sleeping beside you,” Marinette admitted, trying to act cool. “I really don’t want to kick you out of your bed.”

“Um… sure,” Adrien responded awkwardly as he turned and walked toward her.

Marinette quickly looked away, hoping she didn’t embarrass him. Turning her attention to the bed, Marinette pulled back the covers and climbed in. An uncontrolled, happy sigh escaped her lips as she felt the soft sheets against her skin. Adrien’s bed was just so comfortable!

A moment later, Adrien joined her on the bed. However, like the night before, he respectfully stayed on top of the covers. Marinette frowned, suddenly realizing Adrien was denying himself the full awesomeness of his bed.

“Oh, you don’t have to sleep up there,” Marinette offered, hoping the blush on her face wasn’t too noticeable. “We can share the sheets.”

Adrien seemed to hesitate for a moment. 

“Don’t worry. I’m trustworthy.” Marinette winked, trying to keep the mood light. “And I even promise not to steal any more vital organs while you sleep.”

“You can’t steal what I’d freely give,” Adrien stood up and bowed dramatically, then he pulled the sheets back and crawled in beside her. Soon, he lay curled up beside her with a relaxed expression on his face. 

Marinette sighed as she snuggled into her pillow. She was exhausted and yet giddy at the same time. Even from the other side of the bed, she could feel Adrien’s body heat. It would be hard to go back to her cold sleeping bag after this.

Oh, how Marinette wanted to reach out and touch him, to lace her cold fingers into his warm ones. Would that be too forward? To hope that he would hold her hand again. Last time, Marinette was the one that reached for him. But the mood had been different. She had just been crying… and Adrien had just been comforting her.

Shyly, Marinette brought her hand out from under the covers and rested it on the sheet in front of her. After a moment, Adrien did the same. 

Marinette could feel her heart begin to beat faster as she slowly slid her arm forward until the backs of their fingers were touching. 

Adrien met her eyes for the briefest of moments before slipping his fingers into hers. Marinette closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his warm skin. After weeks of being isolated from human contact, Marinette treasured this simple touch more than she could say. 

Her heart swelled with gratitude for Adrien, this kind boy laying in front of her. She really liked seeing this side of him. In her old life, Marinette knew so many facts about him. And yet, she didn’t really know him. Not like this. 

Marinette wasn’t sure she’d ever met someone so generous, so giving. Adrien went through so much to save her. Not only caring for her after she was injured, but also enduring weeks of pain and uncertainty as he recovered in the hospital. And yet, he was still his sweet, sunshine self.

“You’re smiling,” Adrien whispered. “Thinking of something nice?”

“Just that… you saved my life,” Marinette replied, opening her eyes.

“You saved mine, too.” 

“I’m a hero; It’s kinda my job.” Marinette winked. “But you? What you did was incredible. You acted fast, under an impossible amount of pressure. You even gave up a part of yourself. You’re amazing. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Repay me?” Adrien repeated with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Hmmm... Well, I might want to visit my liver from time to time. You know, just to make sure it’s doing okay. Maybe take it to the movies. Or out to dinner.”

Marinette giggled. “That might be kinda hard. I’ve grown pretty attached to it.”

Adrien playfully shrugged. “Then, I guess you will have to come along.”

Marinette stared at their joined hands for a moment. Letting go, she grabbed his wrist and guided his hand to her side. Adrien’s palm felt warm through the silky texture of her pajama top. 

“You can visit anytime, ”she told him softly.

She felt Adrien splay his fingers against her ribs. “I’d like that.” 

Marinette closed her eyes and placed her hand on top of his, a dreamy smile on her face. No matter what happened in the future, this sweet, kind boy would always be a part of her.

“It’s weird,” Marinette mused. “Now that it’s healed. I don’t feel any different. It’s so strange to think there’s a part of you inside me, and I can’t even feel it.”

Adrien’s eyes went wide for a moment. Then, he made a choking sound and began coughing. Pulling his hand away, he abruptly sat up, trying to muffle his cough into his elbow.

It took Marinette a moment to grasp the alternative meaning of her words. 

“Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think…” Marinette quickly grabbed her pillow and slammed it into her face.

“It’s okay,” Adrien’s cough was soon replaced by chuckles. “It’s just... not the best thing to say to a guy.”

“Please, don’t listen to anything I say, okay? I’m a total dorkasaurus,” Marinette whined into her pillow.

“Hey, I happen to like dorkasaurus,” Adrien responded smoothly. She felt his fingers stroke the hair away from her face, trying to coax her head out of her pillow. “And you are the most lovable ‘Dorkasaur’ I’ve ever met.”

“‘Loveable’?” Marinette repeated, peaking her eyes out of her pillow.

“Yeah. And I should know. Underneath the suave model exterior, I’m a total dorkasaurus, too.”

Marinette removed her face from hiding and rested it back on her pillow. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

“Oh, I think you’ll find out soon enough.”

A comfortable silence fell as Marinette continued to gaze at Adrien’s sleepy face. Before long, Adrien reached for her hand again. Marinette could feel her insides turn to goo as he gently caressed her skin with his thumb. It was such a tiny movement, but she found it captivating. 

“When this is over, I want to take you somewhere special,” Adrien whispered. “Somewhere where we don’t have to hide.” 

“Oh, like where?” Marinette asked playfully.

“Hmm… Maybe the top of the Eiffel Tower.”

Marinette laughed. “Don’t forget I’m Ladybug. I go there all the time. I get to skip the lines, so it takes me less than a minute to get to the top.”

“Well, then, you can take me. We’ll go up late, after midnight. So it can just be us.”

Marinette clicked her tongue. “That’s against the rules.”

“I think they make an expectation for the hero of Paris.” Adrien winked. “We’ll pack a picnic full of pastries from your parent’s bakery.”

“Hmm…” Marinette wrinkled her face. “They won’t be as fresh in the middle of the night.”

“Okay, so maybe we’ll just bring a pizza.”

“Mmmm,” Marinette snuggled further into her covers. “Sounds delightful.”

“And then, on the highest platform, I will ask you to dance,” Adrien continued.

“You’re a good dancer. I’d like that,” Marinette responded dreamily, already imagining a moonlight waltz. Adrien inhaled like he was going to say something, then he abruptly stopped. Something in his expression changed. He suddenly looked a bit nervous.

“Then, after we have danced for hours and hours. And the sun starts to come up. I…” Adrien’s voice dropped to a soft whisper. “I will then…ask if I can kiss you.”

Marinette’s breath caught in her throat. What? She must have heard that wrong. Her ears were playing tricks on her. “You… you want to kiss me?”

Adrien shyly nodded. “Marinette. You’re the most amazing person I have ever known. You’re kind. Sweet. Funny. And so very, very brave.” He slowly raised his hand to her face, brushing her hair away from her eyes. Marinette forced herself to swallow as she stared back at him.

“You said… you want to kiss me?” Marinette repeated, her voice having jumped up an octave.

Adrien nodded. “More than anything.”

Marinette’s heart was beating wildly in her chest. Adrien wanted to kiss her! He even said so. Twice. Marinette gulped as she looked deeply into his eyes. He was staring at her with such tenderness. Such affection.  

Suddenly, she found herself focused on his mouth. On Adrien’s lips that wanted to touch hers. He was so close. Just a breath away. The anticipation was overwhelming… 

…but he didn’t move. 

Soon, her brows furrowed in confusion. Adrien wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t going to act. For some reason, he was holding back.

“If you want to kiss me,” Marinette asked shyly, “why wait?”

Adrien gave a heavy sigh, pulling away ever so slightly. “It’s… not the right time.“

Marinette felt a crushing disappointment in her chest. Angry, frustrated tears started filling her eyes as she balled her fists.

“It… it will never be the right time!” Marinette blasted. “Take it from someone who spent years of her life for the right moment. The perfect moment. It doesn’t exist! If you want to kiss me, please ki-”

Marinette jumped as Adrien’s lips crashed into hers. Tingles flooded her body as time seemed to stop. Barely remembering to close her eyes, Marinette pushed herself into the kiss, shyly moving her lips in time with his. How was his mouth so warm and soft? Her body was alive with sensation, but her mind only had one thought. 

Adrien is kissing me! Adrien is kissing me! Adrien is kissing me!

Her heart was about to explode in her chest. Was she even still breathing? For the life of her, Marinette couldn’t tell.

Too soon, Adrien pulled away. Marinette slowly opened her eyes and gazed back at him. Even in the dim light, she could tell that his face was flushed. Marinette could see the tiniest bit of confusion in his eyes. Almost as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“Was… was that okay?” he asked nervously.

Marinette tried to form words, but an unintelligible mix of sounds came out of her mouth. Luckily, she still seemed to have control of her muscles as she quickly nodded. Adrien was staring at her mouth again, his eyelids heavy. 

Tilting her chin up, Marinette leaned toward Adrien. He slowly closed the distance between them, kissing her more timidly this time. Marinette sighed into his lips, savoring each and every tiny movement. 

She arched her back, pushing her chest against his. Marinette desperately wanted to feel more of him. She placed her hands on the outside of his arms. His skin is so warm! Adrien chuckled lightly, shifting his body until he was resting against her. Marinette slid her arms to the top of his shoulders, trying to guide him closer. Her efforts were soon rewarded when she felt the weight of his body on top of her own.

A tension started pooling deep inside her. Marinette felt more alive than she had ever felt in her life. Adrien was nibbling at her bottom lip now. The logical part of her mind knew that everything was happening so very fast. But Marinette couldn’t bear to stop. She needed this with every fiber of her being.

Marinette opened her mouth to his and gasped as a shy tongue touched hers. Fresh tingles exploded all over her body. She felt Adrien’s hand wrap around her back, and she pressed herself against him even harder, hooking her leg over his. Over and over again, she kissed Adrien deeply. And each time, his eagerness matched her own.

Too soon, Adrien pulled away from her lips and rested his forehead against hers. For several moments, they lay panting in the darkness. Marinette found herself afraid to speak. As if the slightest movement might break whatever magic was happening right now.

 And she just wasn’t ready for this to end. 

Thankfully, Adrien made no attempt to move either. Most of his body rested on top of her, but he didn’t seem heavy. It was strangely… soothing. Comforting. And so very, very warm. 

Marinette slid her fingers along Adrien’s neck and into the silky strands of his hair. With the lightest touch, she guided Adrien’s head down to her pillow. Adrien closed his eyes as a contented grin spread over his face. Giggling shyly, Marinette slowly kissed Adrien’s cheek as she gently caressed his back.

She wasn’t sure what had just happened. Well, she knew exactly what happened, but what did it mean? Thousands of thoughts were racing through her mind, and Marinette wanted to ignore them all. She just wanted to enjoy the feeling of Adrien in her arms.

“Can we stay like this a little longer?” Marinette asked timidly. In truth, she wasn’t sure her arms would release him, even if she wanted.

“I’ll stay as long as you like,” Adrien’s lips brushed her neck as he spoke.

Marinette chuckled. “Careful saying that, you might never get to leave.”

“I’m fine with that.”

Chapter Text

Marinette was beautiful when she slept. She was beautiful when she was awake, too; that much was obvious. There was something about her calm, relaxed face that captivated Adrien. He could watch her sleep for hours.

But they were out of time.

Adrien pressed his lips to Marinette’s forehead, and she began to stir in his arms. He hated to wake her, but he didn’t have any other choice.

“Time to wake up, Marinette,” he told her reluctantly.

“Noooo…” she whined. Without opening her eyes, Marinette scrunched up her face in protest. Then, she rolled closer toward Adrien and buried her face in his neck. Adrien chuckled as he continued to hold the sleepy girl, gently rubbing her back.

After another minute of snuggling, Adrien began to feel tiny, soft kisses on his neck. Well, at least she is starting to wake up, he thought with a smile. Soon, her kisses began to wander up to his jawline, then to his cheek.

He felt Marinette shift her body until she was practically on top of him, her messy hair spiling in his face, tickling his skin. Adrien watched her curiously as she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. Then, she slumped down on his chest, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I’m going to miss you today,” he whispered.

“Then skip school.” Marinette’s voice was bright with amusement. “Come play with me, instead. We can introduce Paris to DragonBoy.”

“If I’m not at school, Father or Nathalie will check on me constantly,” Adrien sighed. “Night is the only time I get any privacy.”

Marinette’s face dropped into an adorable little pout.

“Besides, I can bring you all the homework we’ve missed. We can start catching up together. I’d hate for you to fall behind.”

Marinette’s pout faded, and she suddenly looked very distant. She slowly climbed off Adrien, then sat on the bed and hugged her knees to her chest.

“What’s wrong?”

“What is going to happen if Hawkmoth really has disappeared?” Marinette rested her head on her knees. “This is the longest he has ever been dormant. How am I supposed to defeat him if I can’t find him?”

Adrien pushed himself up to sit beside her. “We’ll think of a way. And we can bring in help, too. Alya is starting to warm up to Ladybug again. She has more information on Akumas than anyone. Maybe we can track down where they were coming from.”

“And if that fails?” Marinette’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Will I just be Ladybug for the rest of my life? Watching from the rooftops as my family and friends live their lives. Unable to have a life of my own.”

Adrien gazed back at her sadly. He wished he had an answer for her.

“What if he never comes back?” she continued. “Is there a point I can come home? Ten years? Twenty? Would my family even want to see me again? How would they react to finding out I’ve been alive the whole time?”

“You can’t let yourself think like that.”

“I can’t help it.” Marinette’s brows furrowed, and for a moment, she looked like she was going to cry again. Then she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist.

“No. I can’t go back, not until Hawkmoth is defeated,” Marinette said decisively. “Not if there’s any chance they could be in danger. I won’t do that to them. Not after everything else.”

Adrien reached out and gently took Marinette’s hand. This was so unfair! This sweet girl had never done anything to deserve such hardship.

“You will have a life, I promise,” Adrien whispered. “Even if we have to leave Paris or even Europe. We can find a corner of the earth where no one will ever find us.”

“We?” Marinette’s misty eyes met his.

Adrien nodded.

“You… would do that for me?”

“I would do anything for you.”

“Why?”

Adrien bought her hand to his lips. Closing his eyes, he placed a long, slow kiss on her knuckles. He had kissed her hand thousands of times, but this was the first time Adrien’s lips had felt her skin without her gloves. “For the same reason you would do anything for me.”

Marinette softly gasped at his words. Despite having shared dozens of kisses last night, there was so much unspoken. And that was the way it had to be. How could Adrien explain that he had spent years in love with her without revealing his identity?

“We could even find a deserted island,” Adrien mused, a half-smile forming on his face. “Live on nothing but fruit.”

Marinette grinned softly, then suddenly, her face fell. “I can’t.”

Adrien frowned. “Why not?”

“Chat Noir,” Marinette admitted softly. “I can’t just leave.”

Adrien bit his lip. Man, it was getting hard to stay silent! “But if Hawkmoth is gone-”

Marinette shook her head. “It’s not only that. What is between Chat Noir and me… it’s hard to explain. He’s more than a friend-” She suddenly lifted her palms defensively. “But nothing romantic, I promise. But I couldn’t have become Ladybug without him. We’ve shared so much. I can’t just leave. He needs to be part of my life.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And I need to be part of his.”

Adrien nodded, desperately trying to keep his emotions in check. For so many years, he had always questioned how much Ladybug cared for Chat Noir. Now, Adrien blinked back tears as he struggled to remain composed.

“Hey, It’s okay. I understand.” Adrien flashed her his cockiest grin, trying to lighten the mood. “Does he like fruit? We’ll just invite him, too. ”

Giggles bubbled out of Marinette. “I’m not sure about that; he gets jealous sometimes.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Adrien reached out and pulled her into his lap. “I have more than enough kisses for the both of you.”

___

Over the next few weeks, Adrien's life fell into a routine. Every morning, he would wake up beside Marinette. She was too worried about ‘morning breath’ for any proper kisses. So Adrien settled for peppering her earlobes and neck with tiny chaste pecks.

Adrien would always try to wake up extra early to enjoy a few more minutes of groggy cuddles. It was the perfect way to greet each day. When he was holding Marinette in his arms, it was easy to forget about the outside world. They could just be a boy and a girl who loved each other. It was simple. Easy.

But inevitably, as the sun rose higher in the sky, Marinette would have to leave for the day. Then Adrien’s life of lies would begin. Every moment outside of Adrien’s room felt like a farce. Oh, the irony. His room used to feel like a prison; now, it was a sanctuary.

It was the only time he was allowed to act happy, without playing the part of the grieving friend or the wounded survivor. Adrien’s heart was so full of joy that it was hard not to smile. He wanted to dance and laugh at every moment. But outside of his room, he could do neither.

School resumed as usual. Well, almost. Adrien still had to pretend to use a cane. And whenever he neared a stairwell, a well-meaning classmate grabbed his arm. And for some reason, Adrien was never allowed to carry his own bookbag anymore. The offers for help were endless. Although it was heartwarming at first, soon, Adrien found it annoying. He had hoped that returning to school might allow him to slip away –a chance for Chat Noir to rejoin his Lady on patrol. But soon, Adrien learned that he would never be left alone. He even had an escort anytime he needed to use the bathroom.

People looked at him differently, too. Adrien could always see pity in their eyes, even if they quickly looked away. And often, conversations would halt when he entered a room. Being a famous model, Adrien was used to being the target of gossip. But it still hurt.

However, by far, the most challenging part of returning to school was Marinette’s absence. It just felt unnatural. Adrien constantly had to stop himself from talking to the seat behind him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t always successful. Two weeks after Adrien’s return to school, the class looked on in shocked horror as he told a joke to Marinette’s empty seat. Well, not an entire joke. It was just a short pun, but the damage was done.

His classmates seemed guarded after that, especially with conversations about Marinette. That endlessly frustrated Adrien; she was easily his favorite topic. Besides, how else could Adrien get research for his date night?

‘Operation Date Night’ was a secret from Marinette, but Adrien had been planning it for over a week. Although he loved their time together snuggling in bed or chasing her as DragonBoy, Adrien craved the more mundane, normal stuff normal teenagers did. Like sharing a meal together. And so, he wanted to create a romantic dinner for himself and Marinette.

With the information from his friends, he had been compiling a collection of Marinette’s favorite songs and was gathering a list of her favorite foods. One night, after everyone was asleep, Adrien snuck out of his room to gather supplies. A few candles and some plates of china would never be missed. He even arranged for the Chef to order and hide an arrangement of flowers.

When Sunday arrived, Adrien spent most of the day in the kitchen. With a countertop always within grabbing distance, he didn’t even pretend to use his cane. Adrien’s anticipation grew with every dish that he made, as well as his appetite. Plus, after being treated like an invalid, it felt so satisfying to be useful.

For most of the day, Adrien was left alone in the kitchen. Occasionally his father or Nathalie would check on him; no doubt they were slightly confused by his sudden cooking interest. As for Adrien, he was genuinely enjoying his new hobby. In the future, he hoped he would get more chances to cook for Marinette.

By the time dinner rolled around, Adrien was quite satisfied with his creations. Thanks to open windows, Plagg was able to deliver a portion of every dish to his bedroom. Next, it was time for the second phase of Operation Date Night: excusing himself from dinner with his father.

That part was easier than expected. Gabriel completely understood when Adrien explained that he needed a rest after standing on his feet all day. However, Adrien couldn’t help but feel a touch of guilt. Ever since he had come home from the hospital, his father never missed a meal. Now it was Adrien coming up with excuses.

Pushing his guilt aside, Adrien returned to his room. After a quick shower and shave, he put on his nicest suit. With plenty of time to spare, Adrien arranged his coffee table as nicely as possible. A beautiful arrangement of red roses sat proudly in the center. Flanked on either side were tall, white tapered candles. Bright silver cloches covered the dishes of food, and two matching place settings completed the look.

Adrien might not have Marinette’s designer eye, yet he was still quite proud of himself.

Suddenly, Adrien heard a loud knock on the door. He eye’s frantically looked around for his cane. Jumping over the sofa, he barely had time to run to his bed and grab it before he heard the handle start to turn.

“Um… just a minute!” Adrien called out, desperately trying to buy time. It didn’t seem like his father heard him. A moment later, Gabriel stepped into his room.

“Oh, hello!” Adrien greeted, casually sitting on his bed. He hoped his father wouldn’t look over to the coffee table.

“After you missed dinner, I was concerned. Is everything-” Gabriel abruptly stopped when he saw Adrien’s suit. Sure, it was an odd choice of clothing to be wearing so late, but that wasn’t Adrien’s main worry. He winced as he followed his father’s gaze over to the candles.

“Adrien. What… is this?” he asked delicately. “Are you expecting someone?”

“No,” Adrien lied. With dread, he watched his father walk over to the coffee table. Gabriel stood there silently, staring at the spread of food, candles, and plates set for two. Adrien’s heart pounded in his chest as he waited for his father to speak again.

“What is all of this for?”

Adrien gulped and wiped his sweaty hands on his thighs. “Um… these are Marinette’s favorite foods. I was trying to see what it would feel like, you know? If Marinette and I had the chance to date.”

His father’s eyes were wide with a mix of pity and confusion as he continued to stare at the table.

“This is… for you and Marinette?”

Adrien nodded and scratched the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. It must seem pretty weird.”

“It’s okay, son. Everyone grieves differently,” his father responded politely, though Adrien doubted he meant it. Making sure to use his cane, Adrien rose to his feet and walked over to his father.

“I’m sorry I took the candles and plates without asking. I’ll make sure everything is put back and cleaned up by morning,”

“Would… would you like me to join you?” Gabriel asked after a moment.

Adrien shifted awkwardly, “I um… I would rather be alone, I think.”

“Oh, of course,” Gabriel nodded, gently patting his son’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about cleaning up. Just… get some rest.”

As soon as his father left, Adrien let out a huge sigh of relief. He looked to the windows, wondering if Ladybug was watching. That was close, too close.

A few minutes later, Ladybug arrived. Her face lit up like an excited toddler when she saw the candles and the flowers. Those weren’t her only presents, though. In Adrien’s late-night scavenging, he had also uncovered a trove of unused sketchbooks and pencils. After he had gifted them to her, Marinette hugged them to her chest and jumped up and down repeatedly.

For the next few hours, they dinned, danced, and laughed. For a while, Adrien forgot about his father completely. To his delight, it almost felt like an actual date, complete with a giggling, blushing girlfriend. Oh, how Adrien wanted to snap a few pictures with his phone, to remember this evening forever.

‘Date night’ lasted well-passed midnight. When it was finally time for bed, Marinette promptly fell asleep in his arms. Perhaps the dancing had worn her out, Adrien mused.

All night long, Adrien tossed and turned, unable to relax. Thankfully, Marinette was a heavy sleeper and didn’t seem to mind. But Adrien couldn’t shake the feeling that he had really messed up. He had been reckless. And now his father had a reason to be suspicious.

What would happen if his father ever discovered Marinette? The thought chilled Adrien to his core. How would they explain themselves? Was there any rational reason for Marinette’s survival without admitting that she was Ladybug?

Adrien leaned over and softly kissed Marinette’s temple. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake up. Guilt gnawed at him. Throughout their date night, Adrien never mentioned the conversation with his father. He didn’t want to spoil their date. At least, that is what he kept repeating to himself, but in reality, Adrien was scared.

If he told Marinette, she might not come back anymore. And Adrien wasn’t sure he could bear it. It was well after 3 AM before exhaustion started to take hold. Maybe Adrien was worrying for nothing. Perhaps his father wouldn’t make a big deal about what happened last night.

__

When Adrien arrived at breakfast the following day, his father was already waiting for him. Gabriel immediately set down his coffee and tablet as Adrien approached. Adrien took his seat and leaned his cane against the table to act as casual as possible.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Gabriel asked with a bit more care than usual.

“Very well,” Adrien brightly smiled. Don’t bring up last night! Don’t bring up last night! “And you?”

His father took a deep breath. “Honestly, I am a bit concerned.”

Adrien felt all the muscles in his body begin to tense. Oh, no. Here it comes...

“Oh?” Adrien answered innocently.

Gabriel cleared his throat. “After what I saw last night, I think it might be beneficial for you to see a psychiatrist.”

Adrien gulped; he should have expected this. Setting up romantic evenings for your dead girlfriend would seem crazy to sane people. Still, it might be best to play dumb. “Um.. why?

“Miss Tsurugi had voiced her concern to me earlier. Your teachers have also reported that you sometimes still talk to Marinette in class.”

Adrien groaned silently. Come on! It was just one time!

“I didn’t see it myself until now. I’m worried… your behavior isn’t healthy. You’ve been through a terrible, life-changing trauma. There’s no shame in getting help.”

Adrien licked his lips nervously. He didn’t want to see a doctor. What if they were able to tell that he was lying? Adrien might end up medicated, in a psychiatric hospital, or worse, exposing that Marinette is Ladybug.

“But, Father,” Adrien shrugged. “I’m not depressed.”

“An experienced grief therapist could help you. They could show you the tools you need to fully accept Marinette’s death. To move on.”

“Did it help you? With Mom?” Adrien knew it was a low blow, but he really needed his father to stop.

Gabriel stared back at him blankly. Several moments of heavy silence passed.

“I thought if anyone would understand me, it would be you,” Adrien added, trying to put his father on the defensive. “You’ve never moved on from Mom. Not really.”

“...It’s different.”

“No. I don’t think it is.” Adrien sat back in his chair and smiled softly. “The most wonderful person in the world loved me. I am the luckiest guy in the universe. I know what it feels like to have that love. Anything else, I would just be going through the motions.”

There was an unmistakable sadness on his father’s face. “But, son, you’re falling in love with a memory.”

“Perhaps,” Adrien mused. “But that doesn’t make it any less real. I don’t need to move on. Her love will last me the rest of my life.”

“But don’t you want companionship? Maybe not now, but one day?” Gabriel asked softly. “Perhaps children?”

Adrien shook his head. “Not everyone needs those things.”

His father didn’t respond. After a moment, Gabriel quietly dropped his eyes and stared blankly at his food.

“It doesn’t matter if she’s with me or not,” Adrien continued dreamily. “Marinette is the love of my life. That isn’t going to change. And I don’t want it to.”

The rest of the breakfast passed in uncomfortable silence. Adrien couldn’t shake the feeling that even though his father stopped talking, this conversation was far from over. His anxiety only grew when he noticed his father wasn’t even eating anymore, but rather, seemed frozen in place.

For the first time in weeks, Adrien couldn’t leave the house fast enough.

__

When Adrien arrived home from school, his father was nowhere to be found. On the one hand, Adrien felt relieved about avoiding another uncomfortable conversation. But at the same time, Gabriel’s absence filled him with unrest.

Could his father be meeting with a team of doctors? Oh, man! Would Adrien suddenly find himself whisked away to a psychiatric ward? How could he be there for Marinette if he was locked up? Each hour his father was absent, the sinking feeling in Adrien’s gut grew.

His fears intensified when Adrien arrived at the dining table to find dinner set for only one. In the weeks since Adrien had returned from the hospital, Gabriel had never missed a meal. No, something was very wrong. Even though he had no appetite, Adrien choked down his dinner. He wouldn’t give his father any more reasons to be concerned.

As Adrien finished his meal, Gabriel finally entered the dining room.

“Are you not eating tonight?” Adrien could feel his heart begin to race at the sight of his father.

Gabriel shook his head. Adrien noticed that his eyes were puffy and bloodshot, as though he had been crying. Huh? That was odd; Adrien wasn’t sure he’d ever seen his father cry.

“Are you feeling okay?” Adrien asked.

His father inhaled a slow, shaky breath. “I think it’s time. Please, come with me.”

Adrien bit his lip as he rose to his feet. Grabbing his cane, he followed his father into the office. Once inside, Adrien half expected to find a team of doctors ready to take him away. But instead, he found the room empty. He continued following his father until they stood in front of the large portrait of his mother.

“I often look at this painting. Just seeing Emilie’s face… It calms me. When I start to lose focus or doubt myself, she is always there for me.”

Adrien stared up at the painting. Honestly, he had never really cared for it. This wasn’t the mother he remembered. It was just a cold, unfeeling painting. The artist created it from a photograph, without ever meeting his mother. It was still a beautiful painting. But in Adrien’s eyes, it just wasn’t her.

“Emilie was everything to me,” Gabriel continued. “My greatest wish is to have her back again. For you to have her back in your life. For you to have a mother again.”

Adrien nodded thoughtfully. It had been over three years since his mother disappeared, and there wasn’t a day that went by that Adrien didn’t think of her.

“It’s not fair,” Gabriel whispered. “I had so much time with your mother, and you had so little with Marinette.”

“It’s okay, father.” Adrien smiled gently. “It isn’t the amount of time that’s important. I’ll be okay, really.”

Gabriel continued to stare at the portrait. Adrien started to fidget. Did his father bring him in here just to talk about a painting? Yes, it was better than talking about Adrien’s mental health, though it still seemed odd.

“I think…” his father’s voice was so soft, Adrien could barely hear him. “I may know a way to get Marinette back.”

Adrien blinked, unsure if he heard his father correctly. “W… what?”

Gabriel extended his fingers toward the painting. “Come with me.”

Chapter Text

Marinette groaned as she ran her fingers through her hair. It was probably a good thing that there wasn’t a mirror in this apartment. At least, she could pretend her hair wasn’t a total disaster. Oh, how she wished she could style her hair again; then, her bangs wouldn’t fall into her eyes so much. At this point, she might as well grow them out. Besides, it wasn’t like she would see a hairdresser anytime soon.

Hmm… She could always wear the Monkey Miraculous. A headband would keep her hair out of her eyes. Or perhaps the hair clips? Marinette glanced over at the sewing box and frowned. If she let one out, the others would complain. And she already felt bad about keeping them hidden away. Not that she had much choice in the matter. 15 Kwami were hardly silent, and she couldn't risk having the neighbors hear.

Perhaps she could see if Adrien could find some hair clips or a bandana. Some makeup would be nice, too. Marinette smiled to herself. Maybe, somehow, she could find a way to dress up for Adrien.

Closing her eyes, Marinette bit her lip as she remembered Adrien in his suit last night. Man, that boy looked hot! Marinette wished she could look nice for him, too. He had made their “Date Night” so special, and yet she only had her frumpy, tired clothes to wear.

It has been three weeks since Adrien first kissed her. Three weeks of sleeping by his side. Three weeks of waking up in his arms. When she was with Adrien, Marinette was filled with such blissful happiness that she could almost forget the outside world. Almost forget about everything that she had lost.

Even during the days she spent away from Adrien, Marinette found she cried less. It wasn’t that the pain had softened. No, it wasn’t that. Her heart had just become used to it. It was an emptiness that was always there. The grief and loss were a part of her now.

It was strange. Marinette still had all the memories of her old life, but lately, it was as if they belonged to someone else. The details seemed more like scenes from a beloved movie rather than from a life that once belonged to her.

Marinette rubbed her palms together, trying to warm up her hands. It was still a few hours until it was time to go to Adrien’s; she should try to fill some time. Maybe she could design some evening wear in her new sketchbooks. Marinette slumped as she looked out the window. The sun had already set, and, without functioning lights, the apartment would get dark soon. Marinette had some candles for emergencies, but she should probably save those. Wanting to draw was hardly an emergency.

Maybe Marinette should leave a message for Chat? He might be up for a phone call. Although he still hadn’t joined her on patrols, Chat was always up to keep her company, and he usually had free time after dinner.

Suddenly, Marinette jumped to her feet at the sound of someone kicking open the window. Her arms flew up instinctively as the intruder burst into the apartment. Quickly eyeing her surroundings, Marinette grabbed a scrap piece of lumber, ready to defend herself. But she instantly dropped the makeshift weapon when she saw Chat Noir holding a woman in his arms.

“Please, Marinette! Help her!” he shouted.

Marinette paled; she could feel herself start to panic. What? How… how did Chat know she was here?! Or alive for that matter! No. Chat couldn’t know Marinette was alive. No one could!

“Ch...Chat Noir? How did you find me?” she stammered. “What’s going on?”

Chat didn’t answer; he wasn’t even looking at her. His eyes were closed as he held the woman tightly to his chest. As Marinette slowly walked closer, she could tell from the shaking of his shoulders that he was sobbing. What? Chat’s crying? Who is this woman?

When she finally saw the woman’s face, an icy chill washed over her body. “This… this is Emilie Agreste!”

Still cradling the woman's shoulders, Chat knelt down and gently placed her legs on the floor. He quickly unzipped his pocket and threw two tiny objects across the room.

“There! It’s over!” he cried. “You can go home now. But, please, you have to help her!”

Marinette’s eyes grew wide as she focused on the pieces of jewelry. She blinked several times, not fully believing her eyes. There, resting on the bare wood floor of the apartment, lay the Peacock and Butterfly Miraculous.

“I don’t care what you have to take from me,” Chat’s rapid, ragged breaths made him hard to understand. “You can have my blood, my heart, my life, anything. Please, bring her back!”

Why did this woman mean so much to Chat? How could he know the Kwamis could heal through equivalent exchange? Even as a Guardian, Marinette had no idea until they saved her. A horrible realization washed over her as Marinette tried to swallow. With wide eyes, she looked back over at her grief-stricken partner. “A… Adrien?”

“It was my father; he was Hawkmoth,” he quietly told her as tears dripped from his mask. “Everything he did, he did for her. Father wanted to join the Miraculous to bring her back.”

Marinette’s legs buckled beneath her, and she landed hard on the floor.

“He wanted me to join him. So together, we could recreate the world where you existed.” Chat’s voice trembled as he spoke. “I didn’t know what to say… so I agreed.” Chat violently shook his head. “I agreed, but I didn’t mean it. I never meant it, Milady. I could never...”

Marinette stared blankly ahead, unable to move, barely able to breathe.

“Then, I asked to see the Miraculous to study them, to try to understand. And… Father just handed them to me. All these years of fighting, and Hawkmoth just handed them to me!” Chat Noir hugged his mother to his chest. His whole body shook as his tears fell on his mother’s blonde hair.

“I… I didn’t know what to do,” he sobbed, quieter this time. “As soon as he left, I took her and ran.”

Frozen with shock, Marinette stared back at her partner. Thousands of questions were flooding her mind all at once. It was too much! She couldn’t focus; she could barely breathe. Marinette’s vision grew blurry before she realized she was crying. No! Something this horrible couldn’t be true.

Marinette blinked away her tears as she clenched her fists, forcing her frozen muscles to move. She had to act; Adrien needed her. There would be time to process everything later. Slowly, she crawled over to Chat Noir and placed a hand on his arm. He didn’t react but continued softly weeping as he held his mother.

“Adrien. I…” the lump in Marinette’s throat made it hard to speak. She desperately wished she could tell him it would be okay. It broke her heart to tell him the truth. “I don’t know how to help her.”

Chat Noir’s shoulders slumped as his sobs grew louder. Marinette had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Frantically, her eyes searched the room for Tikki. Soon, she saw her Kwami in the corner next to the discarded Miraculous.

“You should let the Kwamis out,” Tikki told her.

Marinette numbly nodded. Maybe they would know what to do. She walked over and picked up the brooches. It was so surreal, having them in her hands. She had dedicated countless hours and years of her life to finding the missing Miraculous. And now... they unceremoniously sat in her palm.

After placing the brooches in the Miracle Box, she pushed the button to release the Kwamis. Suddenly, the room exploded in a swirl of commotion as the group excitedly circled Nooroo and Duusu. So many Kwamis started talking all at once; it was impossible to understand what they were saying. But one thing was clear; they were all so very happy. Why wouldn’t they be? They were friends who hadn't seen each other for 180 years.

Marinette shut her eyes and turned away. She couldn’t bear to watch this happy reunion, not when her heart was breaking for Adrien. With heavy steps, Marinette walked back over to Chat. He didn’t react as she knelt beside him.

“Is she… alive?” Marinette asked; if she wasn’t so overwhelmed, perhaps she could have phrased it more delicately.

Chat nodded, still struggling to choke out words. “Yes, somehow. But she’s cold; her heart barely beats. She’s been like this for years. No one knows how to help. Somehow, it’s a side effect of using a broken Miraculous.”

Marinette stared at the blonde woman in Chat’s arms. Emilie Agreste was a Miraculous holder?

“You should go,” Chat’s voice was so soft as he cradled his mother. “Return to your family.”

“No,” Marinette stated firmly. “I’m not going anywhere. Adrien, I can’t leave you like this.” She glanced across the room to the happy group of Kwamis. “You should let Plagg out.”

Chat nodded. “Claws in.”

Marinette watched as a green light engulfed her partner, leaving Adrien in his place. It was hard to take her eyes off him. But Marinette forced her attention to the unconscious woman, trying to think of something she could do.

“Let’s try to make your mom more comfortable,” Marinette said as she numbly climbed to her feet. “I’ll go get my bed.”

By now, the sky was completely dark. Only Paris’s ambient light illuminated the tiny apartment. Marinette walked over to her stash of supplies and quickly found the candles. Once they were lit, she grabbed her sleeping bag and laid it out on the floor. Adrien gently lifted his mother and placed her on the cover, folding her hands across her stomach.

Marinette sat down by his side. Neither spoke as they watched Emilie lay motionless in the dim candlelight.

“I was scared to tell you I was Chat Noir,” Adrien admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I was so afraid you might try to protect me in battle. That you would let yourself get hurt again.”

He brought his hands to his face, covering his eyes with his wrists. Sobs tore out of his throat as his face contorted in pain. “Milady! I watched you d… I couldn’t… I couldn’t….”

“Shhh… It’s okay, Kitty,” Marinette turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his wet, tear-stained cheeks. With everything else going on, Adrien being Chat Noir was the least of her shocks. She felt Adrien’s strong arms pull her against him; Marinette gripped him back as hard as she could. With all her might, she wished she could somehow save him from this nightmare.

For several minutes, Marinette held Adrien while he sobbed, rocking him gently as she smoothed his hair away from his eyes.

Suddenly, Marinette heard a piercing wail. A split second later, Duusu dashed over to Emilie’s body and hugged her cheek with his tiny body. The rest of the Kwamis soon followed, their happy, excited faces replaced with solemn ones.

“Can anything be done?” Marinette quietly asked Wayzz. “Can you heal her the way Adrien healed me?”

“The Kwamis cannot heal on their own,” Wayzz answered. “We are only conduits of balance.”

“If we were to transfer the damage, Adrien would be left in a similar state,” Sass added.

“But Mom would wake up, right?”

Marinette stared at Adrien in disbelief. He can’t seriously be considering what I think he is? Fresh tears started forming in Marinette’s eyes at the thought of losing Adrien. No. She couldn’t let that happen.

“What if you used both of us?” Marinette suggested quickly. “Then, the damage transferred wouldn’t be so severe, right?”

Adrien met her eyes. “No, I can’t let you do that.”

“Yes, you can.” Marinette grabbed his hand and squeezed. “You’re not alone in this.”

“It still would not be enough,” Wayzz shook his head sadly.

“What do you mean?” asked Adrien.

Dusuu looked at Adrien with his face full of heartbreak. “It’s her spirit, her soul. The corrupted Miraculous split it from her body. She’s been gone so long. Even with her body healed, I don’t know if her soul can be returned.”

“You don’t know? But if there is a chance, I can try.” Adrien didn’t bother hiding the desperation in his voice. “I was able to get Marinette back. And… and Mom is still alive! Marinette wasn’t.”

Marinette froze at his words. I had… died? Like, actually dead? Before, when she had asked for more details about her injury, Tikki had always seemed intentionally vague. Could it be true? Marinette tried to shake the thought from her head. There were more important things to think about now.

“Yes, but Marinette’s soul had only been away for minutes,” Sass explained. “Your mother has been gone for years.”

“The spirit realm is a dangerous place,” Wayzz warned. “Time passes differently there. If you don’t find her right away, you won’t know how much time has passed. A lifetime could pass on the living side, and you would never know. Your body would age and die”

“I don’t care,” Adrien’s voice cracked. “I have to try!”

An icy wave of fear washed over Marinette; she knew her partner’s determination. He would easily sacrifice himself without a second thought. “No, Adrien,” Marinette pleaded. “Please, no.”

“Her soul exists in its celestial form,” Wayzz added. “Only the person closest to her would be able to recognize it.”

Nooroo floated over and rested his arm on Adrien’s shoulder. “The best person to bring her back… won’t be you. It needs to be someone else. It needs to be… him .”

It took Adrien a moment to understand what Nooroo was implying.

“My father?” Adrien sneered. “To bring my mother back, we’d have to use my father? He’s Hawkmoth. He’s a terrorist!”

“Yet he gave his Miraculous away,” Sass countered.

“I’ve been with him a long time,” Nooroo added. “He can be cruel, selfish, arrogant-”

“But he loves his wife!” Duusu interrupted. “I don’t trust Gabriel, either, but I do trust him on this!”

“Marinette?” Adrien’s voice was full of pain as he looked at her with red, swollen eyes. “I don’t know what to do?”

Marinette swallowed, unable to believe what the Kwamis were thinking. They wanted to use Adrien’s father, use Hawkmoth?! Her enemy of the last three years! She didn’t want him anywhere near a Miraculous ever again. Every part of her brain was screaming that this was a bad idea. Yet, as she looked over to Adrien, over to her partner who was suffering so much, she knew she needed to do something.

Marinette gulped. “If… if we use Gabriel, what’s the chance it will work?”

“A small chance,” Sass explained. “And if he fails, he likely won’t come back.”

Adrien was silent for a moment. “The world would be better off without him,” he finally said through gritted teeth. “But even still, I can’t ask him to do that.”

A heavy silence hung in the air. Marinette couldn’t begin to imagine the emotions Adrien must be feeling. No matter how evil Gabriel was, he was still Adrien’s father. And if the ritual didn’t work, Adrien would have to live with the guilt of sending his father to his death.

Marinette reached over and touched Adrien’s arm. “Then don’t ask. Tell him what you know, and let him decide.”

Adrien seemed to consider this for a while. Then, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone.

For several moments, Adrien stared harshly at the screen. Marinette noticed the tension in his jaw as he swallowed. Then, he tapped the phone a few times with his fingers and brought it up to his ear. Through the speaker, Marinette could hear the faint ringing. It wasn’t long before Gabriel picked up.

“Father. I brought Mom to the Guardian,” Adrien spoke in a low, emotionless voice. “There’s a slim chance we can still save her. But we need you. I’ll text you the address.”

Without giving his father a chance to respond, Adrien ended the call. He quickly typed in a text message before dropping his phone in disgust. The air was heavy and tense as Marinette waited for Adrien to speak again.

But he never did.

Time passed. Soon, Marinette could no longer ignore a growing dread deep inside her. Before long, Gabriel would be here, and she would be face to face with the man behind Hawkmoth’s mask. Over the past three years, he had inflicted countless traumas on millions of people. Hawkmoth was a man that terrorized Paris without guilt or remorse. And now they were going to try to work with him? Every instinct Marinette had was telling her this was wrong!

They sat in silence until Marinette heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps from the outside stairwell. As Adrien slowly rose to his feet, the Kwamis flew to the opposite side of the room. Marinette’s heart beat rapidly in her chest as she tried to quell the fear rising inside her. Biting her lip until it stung, she resisted the overwhelming desire to transform. As Marinette, she felt way too vulnerable to be face to face with Hawkmoth.

Marinette jumped at the sound of the knock. Adrien was already standing at the door, looking back at her with uncertain eyes. Marinette drew in a shaky breath and nodded.

The door opened, and there on the other side stood her enemy. Gabriel Agreste.

Chapter Text

From across the room, Marinette could clearly see Gabriel and Nathalie standing in the hallway. A wave of panic washed over Marinette as her heart pounded in her ears. The man who had been Hawkmoth stood right before her!

“Nathalie, Father,” Adrien greeted formally, though there was an undeniable hardness in his voice.

“What is this place? Gabriel asked as he walked through the doorway. He immediately froze when he saw Marinette. For a moment, Gabriel stood blinking silently in the dim candlelight. “M… Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

It took everything she had not to transform at that very second.

“Yes,” Adrien answered. “And also the Guardian of the Miraculous,“

“But that’s… Ladybug?”

Marinette nodded.

“But you… Marinette,” Gabriel’s eyes were wide with confusion. “You died, saving my son.”

“Yes, I did,” Marinette responded coldly; her mind couldn’t ignore that she was talking to Hawkmoth.“Though, with the Kwamis’ help, Adrien was able to revive me.”

With wide eyes, Gabriel looked back and forth between Adrien and Marinette. Then his gaze fell to where Emile lay on the floor. “And… you think they can help… my wife.”

Marinette nodded.

“But why? Why would you help me? After everything I put you through.”

“I’m not doing it for you,” she responded harshly.

Gabriel stared back at Marinette; it was almost as if he didn’t know how to respond. Soon, his attention was once again drawn to his wife on the floor.

“Emilie’s body is still very damaged,” Wayzz told him from across the room. The Kwamis were deliberately keeping their distance. “And her soul has been lost to the spirit realm.”

“What can be done?” Nathalie asked.

“When there are enough Kwamis together, we can perform a ritual. A ritual that can use someone’s body to heal another,” Tikki replied.

Marinette noticed Gabriel’s eyes shift to Nooroo. The tiny purple Kwami flinched, then hid behind Longg.

“I see. Whose body will you use?”

Adrien reached for Marinette’s hand. “With two people, the damage will be easier to bear,” he told his father softly.

Gabriel’s jaw dropped ever so slightly as he looked at his son. Then, his eyes drifted toward Marinette. All manner of emotions seemed to be washing over his face. It was a rotating mix of heartbreak, sadness, and confusion over why his enemy would help.

“Three,” Natalie added, stepping forward. “Use mine, too.”

Gabriel’s breath seemed to hitch in his chest as he turned to look at his assistant. He then nodded. “Mine as well,” Gabriel whispered,

“During the ritual, a door will then need to be opened,” Sass added. “To bring back Emilie’s soul.”

“Only the one closest to her can bring her back,” Wayzz further explained.

“You have to find her,” Adrien told him while looking over at Marinette. “Call out to her. And hold on to her with all that you have.”

“I understand,” Gabriel nodded.

“No, I don’t think you do,” Sass interjected. “There is only a small chance it will work. And if it fails, you could be left in the same state as your wife.”

Gabriel looked down at Emilie’s motionless form.

“Father, they are saying that you may die,” Adrien spoke bluntly.

Gabriel was thoughtful for a moment. “It’s the only chance Emilie has. Isn’t it?”

Sass nodded in response.

“It was my own ambitions that got us here,” he admitted, his voice dripping with determination. “Ambitions that deprived my son of his mother. If there is a chance I can make things right, I will do it. No matter the risk.”

Cautiously, the remaining Kwamii floated forward until they hovered above Emilie’s body. Marinette could tell by their body language that they were still very much afraid of Nooroo’s former holder.

Gabriel took off his suit jacket and knelt on the floor next to his wife. Nathalie joined him a moment later. Still holding Adrien’s hand, Marinette led him to the other side of his mother’s body.

Marinette could tell Gabriel was looking at her, but she deliberately avoided meeting his eyes. Soon the Kwamis had arranged themselves in a circle above Emilie.

“Wait,” Gabriel abruptly called out, Marinette couldn’t help flinching at his voice. “There is something that I need to say,” he continued, directly staring at Marinette.

“Marinette, there are no words to describe how sorry I am for... for everything. For what you’ve lost. You saved Adrien's life,” Gabriel's voice cracked as he said his son’s name. “For that alone, I owe you a debt I can never repay.”

Gabriel closed his eyes and brought his hand to his chest. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.”

Marinette squirmed, knowing she should say something. But she had no idea how to respond. This wasn’t like her; as Ladybug, she was never at a loss for words when dealing with Hawkmoth. Somehow, it was easier to think of him as an irredeemable villain, not as a misguided father grieving his wife. She bit her lip and quickly looked away.

“Nathalie,” Gabriel turned to his assassant. “If I fail, I need you to take care of my son.”

Nathalie’s normally stoic face was full of emotion as she quickly nodded. “I will, sir.”

Next, Gabriel turned toward his son. Adrien stiffed as he met his father’s eyes. “I should have been better to you,” he admitted softly. “I see that now. You deserved better.”

Without waiting for Adrien to respond, Gabriel turned his attention toward Emilie. Taking her hand into his own, he raised it to his lips, planting a kiss on her knuckles. “I’ll see you soon, my love. One way or another. We will be together again.”

With his face full of determination, Gabriel took a deep breath and nodded toward Wayzz. Soon, all the Kwamis flew in a tight circle above Emilie, chanting and singing in an ancient language Marinette didn’t understand. Its song was beautiful and mesmerizing, yet something about it terrified her. There was so much power here, power Marinette didn’t comprehend.

Soon, the space between the Kwamis started to glow.

Marinette gasped as a strange warmth started to fill her body. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it left her feeling queasy and weak. Adrien’s grip on her hand became tighter, and Marinette squeezed it back with all she had. The odd sensation became more intense; Marinette closed her eyes and focused on the feel of Adrien’s hand in hers.

Minutes passed, as the Kwami’s continued their ritual. Before long, Marinette opened her eyes again and looked down at Emilie. She was lying just as still as before, but a glowing mist enveloped her body.

Then, without warning, Gabriel’s body went limp, and he slumped to the ground.

“Gabriel!” Nathalie called out as she picked him up by his shoulders. Trying to get a reaction, she gently tapped his cheek, but Gabriel just lay motionless. Nathalie looked over to Marinette with panic in her eyes.

Marinette was at a loss. Was… was this supposed to happen? She looked over to Adrien, hoping that he might say something. After all, he was the only one that had been through the ritual before. However, Adrien remained focused on his mother. Soon, Nathalie repositioned herself on the floor, gently laying Gabriel’s head in her lap. Her fingers softly caressed his hair.

Soon, the Kwamis ended their song. Their glowing light faded, and, once again only candlelight lit the apartment. Marinette looked over to Adrien, wishing she knew what he was thinking. She couldn’t imagine what he must be feeling right now. What if it was her parents lying lifeless on the floor? Marinette shivered as she held his hand.

The seconds turned into minutes. No one spoke, not even the Kwamis. Occasionally, a candle would pop or fizz, or a siren wailed in the distance. But other than that, they all sat in thick, heavy silence.

Plagg flew over to Adrien and touched his shoulder reassuringly, but Marinette doubted Adrien knew he was there. He just sat staring wide-eyed at his parents' unmoving bodies.

With every minute that passed, a heavy dread started building in Marinette. She had never felt so useless. What if Gabriel failed? Could Adrien live with the guilt that he had stood by and watched his father needlessly die?

Suddenly, Emilie arched her back as she gasped for air. At the same time, Marinette heard Gabriel begin to cough. Then, his eyes shot open, and he twisted out of Nathalie’s lap. He sat up an instant later, cupping his wife's face.

“My love?”

Emilie’s eyes flickered open as she inhaled a weak raspy breath. “Gabriel?”

Marinette heard Adrien gasp.

“Yes, I’m here,” Gabriel nodded, choking back a sob. He then gently lifted his wife, pulling her into his lap. Squeezing his eyes shut, Gabriel buried his face in her hair, letting his cries grow louder by the second. Weakly, Emilie raised an arm and rested her hand on his wrist.

Marinette looked over to Adrien. He had a look of pure astonishment on his face.

“Where am I?” Emilie asked as she blinked in the dim candlelight, trying to take in her surroundings. “Nathalie? Is that you?”

“Yes, it's me,” Nathalie responded with tears streaming down her face. “Glad to have you with us again.”

Emilie looked around the room until her eyes settled on Marinette and Adrien.

“Oh, hello,” Emilie greeted shyly. She then squinted as she looked at Adrien, her head cocked ever so slightly. “You… you remind me of my son.”

Adrien's face fell at her words. Marinette’s heart broke as Emilie continued to gaze at him, her eyes showing no sign of recognition.

Letting go of Marinette’s hand, Adrien gestured toward his chest. His chin trembled as he spoke. “It’s… it’s me, Mom. It’s Adrien.”

Emilie’s smile quickly faded as confusion washed over her face. She continued to stare at Adrien, blinking as if her mind couldn’t understand what her eyes were telling her. Before long, her face contorted in a look of pure terror.

“How long?” Emilie demanded as she turned back toward Gabriel. “How long has it been?!”

Gabriel’s face fell to an expression of pure heartbreak. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“Over three years,” Nathalie told her bluntly.

Emilie’s brows furrowed in shock as she turned toward her Adrien. Her eyes darted around rapidly, trying to take in the teenager in front of her.

“No, he’s too old,” Emilie slowly shook her head. “Adrien is… he’s only thirteen.”

“I’m… sixteen, Mom.”

Emilie’s chest started to rise and fall rapidly. She turned back toward Gabriel with desperation in her eyes. “You can fix this, right? You can… use whatever you have to, and you can fix this!”

Gabriel shook his head. “Not this time, my love.”

Emilie turned back toward Adrien, reaching toward him with hesitant fingers. Adrien leaned forward, allowing her to cup his face in her hands. Emilie’s face was ghostly pale as she stared into her son’s eyes.

“I… I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I never meant for this to happen. I didn’t think-” Emilie's voice stopped as she began to cry, her body shaking with every breath.

“It will be okay, Mom. You’re back with us now.” Adrien wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her into a hug. “It will be okay.”

As Marinette watched mother and son hold each other, it was hard to keep her emotions in check. Yet, she had no idea what she was feeling. This sweet, gentle boy deserved so much love and happiness. But, at the same time, she could help but realize that this had been Hawkmoth’s goal the entire time. Her enemy got precisely what he wanted. Marinette tried to shake the thought from her head. For now, wasn’t it enough that she was happy for Adrien?

“Marinette?” she flinched as Gabriel said her name. She reluctantly looked up to meet Gabriel’s eyes. “My family is whole again,” he continued softly. “I’ll do anything you ask. Even if it means going to the police and turning myself in.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped.

“Gabriel?” Nathalie looked at him in confusion.

“Wait? What do you mean?” Emilie asked, pulling away from Adrien.

Suddenly, everyone in the room was looking toward Marinette.

“I… I don’t know,” Marinette stammered. It was what she always wanted, right? Hawkmoth behind bars. His Akumas had terrorized Paris for years, leaving countless traumatized. And yet… Now that it was a real possibility, Marinette didn’t know what to do.

Desperate for guidance, she looked over to Adrien.

“Father, there will be time for that later.” Adrien gently said while wiping his eyes with the backs of his fists. “Right now, you should get Mom to a hospital. I’ll be there soon. But first, there’s something I need to do.”

“I need to take Marinette home.”

Chapter Text

From the rooftop window, Adrien watched as the ambulance with his mother drove away. It was strange. He knew he should be happy, ecstatic even. But Adrien couldn’t shake the sickening feeling in his gut. That mother, who he had always loved and idolized, somehow had a part in his father’s plan. Hawkmoth’s plan.

She wasn’t innocent in this.

Adrien swallowed the nausea growing inside him. This didn’t feel right. Of all the ways he had imagined defeating Hawkmoth, it was never like this. Adrien had always imagined a great, decisive battle. Where he and Ladybug, along with the other heroes, would fight with everything they had. And then, once their hard-earned victory was achieved, their hearts would overflow with joy and elation.

This victory felt hollow. It wasn’t the fight between good and evil that it should have been. Instead of black and white, it was an unsettling gray.

Was he happy? Adrien’s mother had come back to him. It should feel like a dream come true, but it just… didn’t. Adrien still had so many questions, and yet at the same time, he didn’t want to know the answers. The more he learned, the more the image of his mother might change. The sweet, kind angel of his memory might be replaced with something more… complicated. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

Did he really know her at all?

“It took a bit of convincing,” Tikki’s bright voice startled him out of his thoughts. “But the rest of the Kwamis are back inside the Miracle Box. We’re ready to go.”

Adrien nodded, turning away from the window. Then, he quickly found the duffle bag and gently placed the Miracle box inside. Next, he blew out the candles before turning his attention toward Marinette.

With her hands folded neatly in her lap, she sat slouched against the wall. Marinette stared ahead vacantly; she hadn’t said much since Emilie woke up. No doubt, she was troubled by the same thoughts he was. Still, Adrien was perplexed by her lack of enthusiasm. For weeks now, they would daydream together of the moment when Marinette could resume her old life. Now that it was here, why was she just sitting like this?

Adrien walked over to her and offered his hand. “It’s time.”

Marinette’s eyes drifted up to meet his. Inhaling a shaky breath, she reached for his hand and slowly rose to her feet. Adrien pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against his body. Marinette hugged him back with a strength he didn’t know she had. For several minutes, they stayed motionless, clinging to each other in the dark apartment.

An ache started forming in Adrien’s chest. Marinette would sleep in her own house tonight, in her own bed. More than anything, Adrien wanted Marinette to be able to rejoin her life, and yet, part of him couldn’t help feeling a sense of loss. As if these past few weeks, Marinette had belonged to him, and only him, and now it was time to give her back. Adrien hung his head, ashamed of his own thoughts.

“We should go,” he whispered against her hair.

Marinette gave a tiny nod. As they pulled away from each other, Plagg and Tikki flew over expectantly. Adrien held Marinette’s hand as they spoke in unison.

“Spots on.”

“Claws out.”

Once the transformations faded, Chat grabbed the duffle bag and secured it over his shoulder. Then, he opened the window and jumped to the ledge. Checking to make sure Ladybug was right beside him, he leaped to the rooftop.

It was only a short distance to the Dupain-Chengs’ bakery, but it took them twice as long as it normally should. More than once, Chat had to stop and wait for Ladybug to catch up. Even at their slower pace, it wasn’t long before they landed outside the Dupain-Cheng’s apartment window.

Peering through the glass window, Chat spotted Marinette’s parents right away. Alya and Nino stood right beside them, seemingly in the middle of a light-hearted conversation. Ever since the funeral, all of Marinette’s friends made regular visits to the Dupain-Chengs. Some for cooking lessons, others for scrapbooking and videogames. Judging by the pile of board games on the counter, Alya and Nino were over for some tabletop gaming.

Chat Noir tapped on the glass with his baton. Instantly, four sets of eyes looked over at him. Alya ran to the window first.

“Ladybug? Chat Noir?” Alya quickly opened the window. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh, everything is fine.“ Chat Noir jumped inside. He waited for Ladybug to follow, but she stayed outside. It wasn’t until he extended his hand to her that she took it hesitantly and slowly stepped into the room.

“Would you like to join us for a game night?” Tom asked with a smile on his face. He grabbed the box on the top of the pile and proudly displayed the lid. “We are always looking for new players.”

“Well, that’s a very kind offer, but… um” Chat looked over to Ladybug. She seemed to be frozen in place staring at her feet; she wouldn’t even look at her father.

“It’s alright, dudes,” Nino grinned. “We have extra food. And if you don’t know the game, no problem. We’ll help you. It’s pretty casual here.”

“We’ve never had superheroes join us before,” Sabine smiled sweetly. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Ladybug continued staring at the floor, unmoving. Huh? What’s wrong? Why isn’t she detransforming?

“Actually, we wanted you guys to be the first to know we have Hawkmoth’s Miraculous,” Chat announced, still watching Ladybug. “He won’t be bothering Paris anymore.”

Cheers and claps erupted from everyone.

“And now, we can safely reveal our identities to the world,” Chat continued, trying to coax Ladybug into dropping her transformation. “Without worrying about villains targeting our loved ones.”

But Ladybug didn’t move. Chat could tell from the rapid rise and fall of her chest that she was nearly panicking.

Sabine slowly walked over to Ladybug, gently placing a hand on her arm. “What’s wrong, dear? You’re trembling.”

Ladybug avoided her mother’s eyes as she looked over to Chat. She looked absolutely terrified. “I’ve… I’ve hurt them so much.”

“It’s okay,” Chat told her softly. “They’ll understand.”

“I don’t…” Ladybug’s voice was so small Chat could barely hear her. “I don’t think I can do this.”

By now, everyone was looking at her. Chat could tell by their faces that they knew something was wrong. Ladybug hugged her arms to her chest defensively as she refused to look at anyone, her red eyes blinking back tears.

Finally, Alya walked forward. “Ladybug? Hey, I’m sorry for taking down the Ladyblog. I had just lost my best friend, and… I wasn’t dealing with it very well.”

Ladybug’s eyes grew wide as Alya pulled her into a hug. Ladybug’s arms dropped to her side as Alya squeezed her warmly.

“You should know, no one blames you for what happened to Marinette,” Sabine told Ladybug once Alya released her. “And you’re always welcome here.”

Now, tears were flowing freely from Ladybug’s eyes.

“Both of you,” Tom added. Chat felt Tom’s large arm grip him by the shoulders. “Our daughter might be gone, but my wife and I are not ready to stop being parents. We want you kids to always feel welcome in our home. Anytime.”

Chat watched as Ladybug buried her face in her hands and began to weep, her shoulders shaking with every breath. Sabine gently wrapped her arms around the superhero and pulled her against her small frame.

“Shh…” Sabine soothed, gently rubbing her back. “It will be okay.”

Ladybug whimpered against her mother's shoulder. Then, with shaking hands, Ladybug timidly wrapped her arms around Sabine’s back.

“Tikki?” Chat called out, hoping that Ladybug’s Kwami might be listening. “A little help, please?”

Ladybug’s form was soon engulfed with pink light, leaving a trembling Marinette in its wake.

“Mom! I’m so sorry!” Marinette cried out.

Instantly, Sabine pulled away, grasping Marinette’s face in her hands. Her mother’s eyes went wide with shock as she stared at her daughter. An uncontrolled wail escaped her tiny body as Sabine fell to her knees, taking Marinette to the floor with her.

Tom staggered to their side a moment later, kneeling on the floor beside them. With shaking hands, he gently touched Marinette’s hair as she cried into her mother’s shoulder. “M… Marinette?” Tom’s voice cracked with disbelief. “My baby girl?”

“Dad!” Marinette opened her red eyes for a brief moment and reached one arm out to her father. Soon, Tom had both his daughter and wife in a crushing embrace.

“How…?” Chat heard Alya mutter. “How is this possible?”

Chat looked over to where Alya and Nino; his friends stood frozen with shock.

“Is this even real?” Nino asked in a daze. “Could she be a sentimonster or something?”

“Trust me, Dude.” Chat patted his shoulder. “It’s real.”

Alya and Nino cautiously walked forward and joined the three on the floor, resting their hand against Marinette’s back. Chat understood. They needed to touch her, to feel she was real. He knew that Alya wanted to pull Marinette into the biggest hug ever, but Sabine was not letting go of her daughter.

With a small, soft smile, Chat leaned against the table as he watched the group hold each other and cry. With every one of their tears, he hoped Marinette knew how much she was loved. And how much she deserved to be happy.

Chat couldn’t say how long the group sat crying on the floor. Though, he started to fear Marinette might get bruises with how tightly Sabine was holding her. After a while, the intensive sobbing started to be replaced with an occasional sniffle and hiccups. The downpour of tears had ceased too, but everyone still had wet blotchy faces.

He glanced down to where Tikki was resting on his shoulder. Meeting her eyes, Chat lifted his fist over to her. Tikki enthusiastically bumped it with her own as she flashed him a big joyous smile.

Chat inhaled deeply and tried to force the tension out of his shoulders. Two families had been made whole tonight. Regardless of what tomorrow may bring, this was a moment to be enjoyed.

Chapter Text

Several hours later, Chat Noir landed in his bedroom. Normally, this would be the moment he would transform back into Adrien, but Chat Noir just stood silently. Closing his eyes, Chat inhaled deeply, filling his lungs full of air. He held his breath for a moment, then he exhaled. Usually, this calmed him, but tonight it did nothing.

Chat knew he should detransform, for no other reason than to let Plagg rest. But once he did, his Kwami would surely try to talk to him –ask him how he was feeling. The last thing Chat wanted to do was talk about his emotions. How was he supposed to feel, anyway? Hawkmoth was a cruel, evil man who deserved whatever punishment the world demanded, and yet… Chat felt his throat begin to close as tears formed in his eyes. Yet, the past six weeks, his father had been a completely different person. 

And then… there was his mother.

Chat shook his head. He wouldn’t think about her, not now. There was still so much Chat didn’t know, and yet he wasn’t sure he could bear to ask the questions.

His eyes fell to his bed. Chat was tired, exhausted even. But he knew sleep wouldn’t come easy. It would be the first time he slept alone in weeks. 

Chat closed his eyes and pictured Marinette. When he had left, she had been resting on the sofa, snuggled between her parents. The conversation had ceased a while ago, and they all sat in contented silence. Tom’s and Sabine’s red, blotchy faces looked peaceful at last. With their eyes softly closed, they rested with their arms securely around their daughter. Chat wasn’t even sure if they were awake when he silently made his exit.

With dry, tired eyes, Chat glanced over to his sofa. Maybe he would sleep there tonight. That way, he wouldn’t have to see the empty sheets where Marinette had slept. Dragging his feet, Chat made his way over to the sofa and flopped down. He leaned his head back and dropped his transformation.

“Are you alright, Adrien?” Plagg asked as soon as his suit disappeared.

Adrien scoffed but still managed to give his friend an apologetic smile. “I don’t think so.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

Plagg looked up to him with sad eyes but didn’t say anything. He then floated down to Adrien’s leg and curled up into a ball. Adrien knew Plagg was probably hungry, but he was choosing to stay close out of worry. Adrien sighed and closed his eyes.

Minutes passed as Adrien sat in the darkness.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the window. Soon followed by a muffled female voice calling out. “Hey!”

Adrien opened his eyes to see Ladybug on the other side of the glass. He slowly stood up, then walked over and opened the window.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

“Why did you leave?” Ladybug demanded. Adrien could see her face was full of hurt.

Adrien quickly looked away; he didn’t want her to see him. If she did, then she’d worry. And that’s the last thing he wanted. “Go back home, Marinette. Go be with your family.”

Ladybug dropped her transformation. “I stopped by several hospitals before I came here,” Marinette told him softly. “Why are you not with your mother?”

Adrien was silent for a moment. “I don’t know,” he finally whispered. He then turned away from Marinette, and walked over to his bed, slumping down on the edge of his mattress.

“You shouldn’t be alone right now,” Marinette said as she followed him.

“I have Plagg,” Adrien shrugged.

“Come home with me.”

“No, I shouldn’t be there,” Adrien shook his head. “I’ve had you to myself these past few weeks. It’s time for you to return to your family.”

“You… you are my family, too.”

Adrien felt his chin quiver before he quickly looked away.

“No, I’m not,” he felt tears sting the corners of his eyes. “And it’s time to give you back.”

Marinette's brows furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Adrien didn’t answer. Taking his hand, Marinette sat down next to him on the bed. For several minutes, they both sat in the darkness, staring out through Adrien’s large window.

“I’m scared,” Marinette finally whispered. “I’m scared to return to my life. I’m scared to return to school. I’m scared to see all the people who thought I died.”

Marinette wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist.

“I’m not the same person I was before,” her words struggled to come out. “What’s going to happen when they all realize that?”

Adrien caressed her hand with his thumb.

“But, do you know what scares me most of all?” Marinette leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m scared you are going to blame yourself for your father’s actions.”

Adrien choked down the sob rising in his throat. “I should have seen it! I should have-”

“No!” Marinette stopped him. “None of this is on you. It isn’t your fault.”

Adrien hung his head.

“This isn’t the happily ever after I always imagined, but life isn’t always a fairy tale.”

Marinette let go of his hand and cupped his face. She stared at him until he met her eyes.

“I need you right now,” Marinette told him. “And you need me. The future is going to be unpredictable, messy, and complicated. And we are going to get through it. Together, like we always do.”

Marinette rested her forehead against his. “It’s you and me against the world, remember?”

Adrien closed his eyes, enjoying this feeling of closeness. A moment later, he felt Marinette’s lips on his own. It was a slow, chaste kiss. Yet it brimmed with emotion.

“Remember?” Marinette repeated once she broke the kiss.

Adrien gave a half-smile. “Yeah, I remember.”

“So come on, get up,” Marinette grabbed Adrien’s wrists and pulled him to a stand. “Let's pack you a bag and get out of here.”

“‘Pack a bag?’” Adrien asked in confusion.

“Yes,” Marinette crossed her arms and nodded. “You are staying with me for a while.”

“I am?”

“Yes. No arguments,” Marinette’s face was set with determination. “Your father said he’d do what I ask, and I need him to let you go. You need space to get through this. And time. You are staying with me until I know you are going to be okay.”

“What… what if I never am?” 

Marinette gave him a soft smile. “Then I guess you will be stuck with me for a very, very long time.”

__

Epilog

Two days later, Ladybug and Chat Noir held a nationally televised press conference. From the podium surrounded by microphones, Ladybug announced to the world that Hawkmoth had surrendered the missing Miraculouses, and his reign of terror had ended.

Ladybug explained that a civilian had been instrumental in her plan to defeat Hawkmoth. And that civilian was none other than Marinette Dupian-Cheng. Ladybug further told the press that when Marinette was critically injured on Heroes day, Ladybug had used powerful Miraculous magic to heal her wounds. But to keep her alliance with Ladybug a secret, Marinette was forced into hiding.

Then, to a crowd of stunned faces, Marinette Dupain-Cheng joined Ladybug and Chat Noir on the stage. Everyone was so astonished at the appearance of the presumed-dead teenager that no one ever noticed Sabine standing in the shadows, transformed into a brand new fox heroine.

Initially, Alya suggested using Rena Rouge’s Mirage to bring Marinette back to life. That way, Marinette could be revealed as an ally rather than the superheroine herself. Marinette was skeptical at first; after all, Rena’s Mirage only lasted five minutes. But then Chat suggested that an adult holder would be able to sustain a much longer illusion.

Tom and Sabine both volunteered without a second thought.

During the press conference, Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Marinette answered questions as best they could. When asked about Hawkmoth’s identity, Ladybug admitted that a third party had delivered the Miraculous to her. And unfortunately, she had no evidence of his identity that she could give the authorities.

It wasn’t a lie, not really.

Shortly after the announcement, Gabriel Agreste sold his mansion and left Paris. Rumors circulated that the fashion icon had contracted a deadly disease. Why else would someone so rich and powerful liquidate their assets and donate their fortune to charity?  

From time to time, Adrien would visit his parents in their secluded cottage in the countryside. Conversations were usually about the weather or schoolwork—shallow topics. Safe topics. Adrien sincerely believed that his father would answer any question he’d ask, but he just wasn’t ready yet.

To the surprise of his doctors, Adrien made a complete recovery from his injuries. Many people called it a miracle, but Adrien credited the loving atmosphere of his new home. That, and all the delicious pastries.

Tom and Sabine were initially surprised when Marinette brought Adrien home to stay. But after learning what the young man had done for their daughter, they welcomed him with open arms. Marinette was intentionally vague on why Adrien couldn’t live with his father anymore, but the details didn’t seem to matter to her parents. In their eyes, not only had they gotten their daughter back, but they also gained a son.