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Soon, news of Hawkmoth being unmasked as fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste crowned each paper. Documentaries played up and down on TV. The Internet was filled with analyses and theories of hobby detectives. The Ladyblog had to move to a bigger server.
During his trial, Gabriel claimed to be unaware of Mayura's identity, referring to the heroes' concept regarding their safety. Of course, they had a plan should the worst-case scenario come. He explained how he was trying to get his wife back.
Magical terrorism was unprecedented in France. Considering there were no permanent injuries or casualties made the case even more difficult. His son and assistant testified in his favor.
In the end, neither his money, status, nor world-class lawyers could save him from a sentence in prison. Although it was shorter than they had feared.
Nathalie and Adrien watched as the verdict was announced.
By bribing an officer, the three had a few moments before Gabriel was escorted to prison. Thankfully, they had averted maximum security because, without a Miraculous, he wouldn't be any threat. And a few hours away from Paris, otherwise, he'd be dead in two days.
Adrien knew Nathalie was Mayura. He had also revealed Chat Noir. Once finding out the reason behind it, he had forgiven them. Still, they knew those were scars too deep just to be forgotten.
Gabriel hugged his son, who clung to him tightly. With a hand rubbing his back, he tried to soothe the younger Agreste's sobs.
“I cannot express how sorry I am. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I realized how much...” his voice broke.
“It's okay, Father. I know.”
“I- I will call you as often as I can.”
Adrien nodded and buried his head further into his father's chest. They didn't know when they would see each other in person again.
Nathalie watched what was left of this broken family holding each other.
When they parted, Gabriel went over to her and cupped her face, making her look up at him. His brow furrowed in worry. “My dear Nathalie. I'm so sorry for everything you had to endure. I never meant for you to suffer like this.”
“I'll be fine. We'll be fine,” she smiled reassuringly. Behind it, she doubted how they could move on from this mess and ever turn out okay.
A tear escaped him when he hugged her. She, too, clung to him. “Take care of Adrien. And yourself.”
Then, he whispered into her ear, “You're too important to lose.”
She pressed him tighter to herself. Before they parted, Gabriel kissed her hair.
Nathalie laid an arm around Adrien's shoulders when he was put back into handcuffs and escorted into the police car.
-
Gabriel had made Nathalie Adrien's legal guardian. She was also in charge of his business, money, and properties until Adrien would turn 18.
The brand had suffered, but Nathalie could avoid severe damage by remodeling the whole business. PR skills, large donations, public appearances, being nice to Audrey, everything that needed to be done. Adrien fully supported her.
She had redesigned the office to put a desk for Adrien when he was doing homework. Occasionally, he'd asked her about formulas, dates, translations. When he was finished, he read his essays to her, only to grin when she complimented his wording.
They had been closer than ever. In the end, they just had each other. The Graham de Vanilys broke up all contact, publicly claiming the Agrestes would be a bad influence. Except Amelie and Felix were aware of the whole Hawkmoth business beforehand.
Nathalie always scheduled less public work for Adrien so he could meet his friends. They were also allowed to come over whenever they wanted and could stay as long as they wanted. His girlfriend Marinette, better known as Ladybug, dropped by every so often. As the Guardian, Nathalie handed her the Peacock Miraculous. After seeing what she had done for Adrien, she and Marinette were on good terms.
Much new staff was keeping the house occupied (and clean with all the guests), which gave Nathalie more free time. She had like three assistants these days because she knew how overstrained a single one was.
She and Adrien did every activity the boy had dreamed of when his father was there to deny fun. They visited Disneyland, had a beach vacation, went to a rock concert disguised. Hell, he had convinced her to try skydiving.
Basically everything to forget that the man they loved was in prison and was only able to call now and then.
Together, the duo would manage.
-
It was the nights that had been the hardest. The house was empty, even more, when none of Adrien's friends was staying over, or he spent the night on patrol and went to Marinette's afterward.
Ironic how a place whose walls were eating you up during the day left you broken and scattered, echoing during large halls at night. Reflecting each of your little sobs like a bat maneuvering through a dark cave.
No one had dared to enter Gabriel's bedroom and the top floor except for the cleaning staff, that had no idea what weight it held. The buttons of Emilie's painting had been untouched since the day Paris celebrated as The Last Akumatization.
It might be a parents' thing, but Nathalie couldn't sleep until she heard the thud of him landing on the floor or the sound of his window closing. Even on cold nights, she left her window to the garden open to hear when he came home. Why he never used the front door was a mystery to her.
It was stupid to be so worried, that kid had freaking superpowers, and still, her body refused to relax while he was out. As if there would be a greater threat than Hawkmoth trying to annihilate Ladybug and Chat Noir.
Maybe Nathalie was just lonely. Without Gabriel, it wasn't the same. Her truest companion was hours away, not returning until his son was all grown up. He'd miss so much of his son's life, more than he had already while being captured by grief and depression.
But the worst thing, perhaps it's the most egoistic, was that she had spent so many nights wondering how she should move on without him. It had been a possibility all along, of course it has, that's why they had conducted different plans, in case they got caught.
It had been a weird feeling to file all the legal paperwork with the family's lawyers. To Adrien and the lawyers, Gabriel had explained that as a single father, he would like to ensure that Adrien wouldn't land in state custody should anything happen to him. Neither blinked an eye when he put Nathalie in charge of everything, considering she had de facto been in charge of everything already.
Casually, Gabriel had asked about all the cases such a contract would assert. Death, legally missing, injury, mental or physical incapacity, almost every horrible thing.
“What about prison?” Gabriel had asked.
Adrien had looked at him with wide eyes, “Father, why would you go to prison?”
“Maybe I get framed by competitors. After your mother, I want to be sure you are taken care of, whatever will happen.”
And Adrien had an ease on his face despite talking about the worst things when Nathalie pressed the pen tip onto the guardianship file. Oh, she had hoped the day the court gave her Adrien's documents would never come.
She had no idea how to handle a child. Yes, she partly raised Adrien, but she was never alone in this. Gabriel, Emilie, they had always known what to do. She wasn't to be a mother.
Thankfully, Adrien was 16 by now, so Nathalie was there to sign paperwork and be emotional support. She was also glad that his friends' parents accepted him so well. Especially the Dupain-Chengs and the Lahiffes. Gorilla still functioned as his (and his friends') driver but only bodyguarded for special occasions. And since Nathalie had taught him self-defense – he really wanted to learn some after finding out that Nathalie was a martial art professional – he could fight even detransformed.
There was no reason to be worried.
But, oh, she was so grateful when she heard him landing in the other room, the moon already high risen. At the mechanic swirl of the closing window, she turned around, hopefully getting a few hours of sleep without being awakened by memories of Gabriel's capture.
She had been there as they got to him. Instead of helping, she had fled. Like a coward. Tail flowing behind her – it would've been more suitable between her legs like a stupid little puppy – she ran when a resounding, historic defeat was inevitable.
“You had no other choice,” Gabriel had affirmed. What a lie. “Adrien needs someone. All would've been in vain had you gotten captured, too.”
She could never forgive herself for not standing her ground and protecting her partner instead of feeding him to the wolves. Had she fought, maybe they would not be in this situation now.
They'd be okay.
Nathalie considered taking something to help her sleep, tranquilize the wicked thoughts when there was a knock on her door.
Knowing it could not be the one she wanted so desperately knocking against her door in the middle of the night, just like he used to, she mumbled something along the lines of “Come in.”
“Marinette's staying at Alya's today.”
Nathalie shifted and lifted the blanket so he could slide in. He'd have trouble sleeping alone if his favorite person wasn't there. Just like her. Unusual it was for a teenager to sleep in their mom's – parental figure's – bed, but everything about their situation was unusual.
Adrien lay down and snuggled close to Nathalie. In return, she embraced him and stroked his hair until she felt him getting heavier. She could swear he had gained weight or had another growth spurt. At this rate, time would pass quickly. Or so she hoped. Even if the possibility of getting Emilie back was erased, and Adrien was okay with that, they might still become a family. Far away from normal, but more than these trainwrecks of adults deserved.
And in the meantime, Nathalie and Adrien had each other. Together, they would manage.