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Eight Years Earlier…
Gabriel had never been more upset about a stray vacation. All he had wanted was a few moments of peace, a little while away from the chaos that had been his life lately. A new city, a new company, a new home, new neighbors, a son. It almost felt like too much sometimes.
So when his beautiful, amazing, wonderful wife, decided to pick up an ancient artifact that summoned a small creature who claimed to have great power and requested their help to find their owner, he just about snapped.
“I really don’t think this is a good idea.” Gabriel protested after Duusu explained her plan. He really didn’t feel compelled to trust these things, who knew what the side effects of helping them would be.
“Gabriel,” Emilie said, “we have to try to help them.”
He sat back, not because he agreed with the idea, but because he knew that she was not going to be persuaded otherwise.
He could almost feel the anxiety radiating off of Nooroo, the other creature that Emilie had found. It was making him nervous just being near the little creature.
“Duusu! Ruffle my feathers!”
Gabriel squinted against the flash of light that followed, raising his hand up to shield his eyes.
When he lowered his hand, he was shocked to see his wife who had moments before been dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, now in a dress covered in feathers. He wasn’t sure why he was surprised anymore.
This day could not get any more weird.
Emilie picked out a feather from her fan, just as Duusu had instructed.
“Something… that wants to find Fu.” She said before releasing the feather.
He watched as it fell, but his eyes snapped towards Emilie when she started to sway.
He quickly stood, reaching her in a few strides.
“Are you okay?” He asked as he reached out to steady her.
She nodded, then said something under her breath that he couldn’t catch, but made the dress disappear.
“Did it work?” Duusu asked excitedly, before turning around to look at Emilie. “Oh no.” she whispered. “Is she okay?”
Gabriel didn’t answer, instead leading Emilie down the mountain, towards their car. She obviously needed some rest.
***
“It didn’t work.” Emilie said with a sigh, looking over to where Nooroo and Duusu were talking.
Gabriel looked up from his screen to focus on her words.
“Well it certainly didn’t do what they said it would.” He responded.
“Maybe…” she trailed off, then took a deep breath and started again. “Maybe we should try it again.”
“Emilie.” Gabriel protested, very sure that this was not a good idea. “Last time we tried that, it did not end well. It could end up worse this time.”
“But they need me.” Emilie said, arms crossed in a defensive position.
“Mommy!” Adrien shouted from somewhere in the house. Emilie looked up towards the sound, then pushed off the wall and started towards Adrien.
“Mommy!” He shouted again, more insistent this time.
“I’m coming.” Gabriel heard Emilie respond with a laugh.
He really hoped she would get off of this idea of helping these creatures. Gabriel and Emilie had enough on their plate, they didn’t need one more thing in their life.
***
Emilie walked past Gabriel’s study, eyes catching on the Miraculous that sat perched on his desk.
“Hello.” Emilie jumped when Dusuus voice sounded in her ear. “Have you made any progress on finding him?”
Her hopeful voice and expression made Emilie sigh. She had done as much research as she could on these creatures, and their guardian, but there was no information on them.
That left only one option. Back to plan A.
Emilie slipped into Gabriels study, glad to see he wasn’t there.
She quickly made her way over to the Miraculous, picking it up and pinning it to her shirt.
“Duusu! Ruffle my feathers!”
The flash of light that accompanied the transformation shone through her closed eyes.
She was going to grab a feather when she realized how weak she felt.
Last time she had done this, she had felt stronger, more energized. That was… until the end.
But now her legs would barely support her. She slumped down to the ground, trying to remember the words that would make this go away.
Her brain… was so fuzzy. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t remember.
Her vision was beginning to go black, her ears were ringing.
The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was her son’s voice from the doorway.
“Mommy?”
***
Gabriel sat beside Emilie’s bed, dragging from lack of sleep. The doctors had recorded no improvement, though they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. Her health had been draining slowly, although the doctors told him that she should be perfectly healthy.
The door to the room opened, and he looked up to see Natalie bringing Adrien in. Was it Thursday already?
Adrien approached the bed slowly, eyes barely staying on his Mother laying in it.
Emilie’s eyes flickered open, confusion evident as she took in the room.
“Mommy?” he heard Adrien’s hesitant whisper.
She opened her mouth to say something, but it was interrupted by a fit of coughs.
Adrien came around the side of the bed to where Gabriel was sitting. He positioned himself so that he could rest his head on his Dad’s chest.
“Is she going to be alright?” He whispered, almost too quiet to be heard.
Gabriel couldn’t assure him of that. He wasn’t sure any of them were going to be alright.
***
Once Natalie had taken Adrien back home, Nooroo and Dusuu came out from wherever it was they hid when people were around.
“I found it!” Nooroo said in triumph. “The feather fell into the Miraculous. That’s why nothing was created. The rules work a little differently for the Miraculouses.”
“How does this help us?” Gabriel asked, fed up with all this.
“It could help us save her. We might be able to figure out how to fix what’s wrong with her.”
“And what is wrong with her?” Gabriel demanded, looking at the two Miraculouses in front of him.
“I’m broken.” Duusu whispered, almost too quiet to be heard.
“You’re broken? And you didn’t mention that before we tried to help you?” Gabriel said.
“I’m sorry.” Duusu said miserably, “I didn’t mean-”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s too late.” Gabriel cut her off. “Her pulse is already gone.” There was no way to get her back…
The doctors rushed in, forcing him into the waiting room while they tried to bring her back. He knew it was useless though.
Adrien was going to grow up without a Mother.
Everything in him protested at that thought. There had to be a way…
Gabriel looked at the Miraculous in his hand, then up at Nooroo. If these things had power to do this, they had power to undo it.
“Fix it.” He demanded.
“We can't bring people back to life.” Nooroo protested.
“Only the Ladybug and the Cat can do that, and Fu has them.” Duusu added, earning a warning look from Nooroo.
He remembered Emilie’s words before she released the feather, “ Something that wants to find Fu.” Then he looked down at the Miraculous he held.
“Please help us find Fu.” Duusu pleaded again. “He can fix me.”
He wanted to find this Fu alright. But then he was going to get his wife back.