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The sterile room was completely silent except for the slow beep of the heart monitor machine. In the early hours of the morning in the darkened room, the long shadows broke through the crack in the curtains illuminating the golden hair of the young man laying in the bed.
Beside the bed, Gabriel sat with bloodshot eyes. He hadn’t slept all night as he hoped and prayed his son would wake up. Guilt… that was his strongest emotion right at this very moment, a sinking, gut wrenching guilt that was slowly consuming him.
“What have I done?” He muttered to himself.
He held Adrien’s hand in his, his thumb brushing over the ring that his son had always worn on his finger. How did he not realise? All these years he had been fighting against two young people he had conveniently boxed as his enemies in his mind until he found that his own son was one of the faces behind a mask. Now here he was, fighting for the life of his only child and it was all his fault.
A nurse entered into the silence, the sound of her cushioned shoes squelched as she walked over to the monitors and made some notes on the charts. Gabriel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, his other hand keeping its grip on Adrien’s hand. He was beyond exhausted and yet sleep eluded him.
“Will he wake up soon?” He asked anxiously, shattering the deathly silence of the room.
“It can take time.” The nurse replied matter of fact, but not without compassion. “It could be a few hours, it could be a few days. He is stable, but for now it is a case of wait and see.”
This wasn’t what Gabriel had wanted. Not at all. He had been blind. Blinded by fear, blinded by obsession, blinded by his own irrational mind that refused one simple truth. Gabriel’s wife might have died… but their son was alive. He was alive. A part of Emilie that deserved to have had his father present and not focused on a grave. Her hair, her eyes, her dental and compassionate personality - they all shined through Adrien. He was perfect in every way, just as they hoped he would be, now he was laying here battered and broken and it was Gabriel’s own fault.
As the nurse exited the room she left the door ajar and Gabriel could hear the news report on the tv outside in the waiting room.
“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news. I’m Nadja Chamack and this morning we continue our breaking story of the akuma attack overnight that decimated part of the Agreste mansion leaving teen heartthrob Adrien Agreste, the son of fashion mogul Gabriel, in critical condition. The question on everybody’s lips is, where was Ladybug and Chat Noir?…”
The door closed, cutting off the report and Gabriel looked up to see Nathalie. Her face was drawn and her hair was undone, something she rarely did. “I made a statement to the media.” She said wearily. “No one will find out the truth. Your secret is safe, and so is Adrien’s.”
Gabriel looked away from her, ashamed of what the truth was. An akuma out of control, a rooftop struggle with Chat Noir and Adrien who had taken it upon himself to confront Hawk Moth alone, become overwhelmed by the situation. It was full hardy and reckless to have taken on Hawk Moth alone and Gabriel, in his moment of triumph took the ring off Chat Noir’s finger, only to see the boy behind the mask was his own son moments before an explosion by the akuma caused part of the roof to crumble and fall apart, taking Adrien with it. With no Ladybug on the scene, there was no miraculous cure and now Gabriel sits with his only child, praying for a miracle.
“You should get some sleep.” Nathalie said, the weight of the night still clinging heavily around her. She looked down to where Gabriel was still holding Adrien’s hand. “I see you put the Miraculous back on his finger”
“I thought his Kwami was going to bite me if I didn’t.” Gabriel replies, a low growl being heard under the bed sheet. “Besides, I have no appetite for Miraculous… not anymore.”
Gabriel focused his attention back to Adrien’s face. He looked so peaceful, almost angelic. “Did you call his girlfriend? Marinette right?”
“Yes I rang her. She was in London with her family, but will be on the first train back. I thought you didn’t approve of her seeing Adrien.”
Gabriel sat in silence for a moment, still holding Adrien’s hand. “I was a fool. If Adrien even pulls through this, I’ll give him whatever he wants. If he wants that girl, if she makes him happy, then I won’t interfere. If only he can pull through this.” He let out a heavy sigh. “It’s all my fault.”
Nathalie placed her hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t know it was Adrien.”
“It shouldn’t have mattered.” Gabriel retorted in a rare moment of clarity. “Chat Noir had to be someone’s son. Ladybug had to be someone’s daughter. I was willing to… to do anything and I blinded myself to my own humanity to achieve my own ends.”
Gabriel reached out and took Nathalie’s hand in his, holding the back of it to his cheek. “You have stood by my side through all of this, trying to make me see reason, and I never listened. I never heeded the warnings. I’m so sorry Nathalie. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for being so blind to what was right in front of me.”
Nathalie’s breath caught in her chest at the tender gesture.
“What was it all for… what would Emilie’s sacrifice be for if I lose Adrien.” Gabriel lamented. “I’m so sorry for everything Nathalie. I swear I will find a way to make it up to you.”
Nathalie was taken aback by the conviction in his voice. “It’s not me you need to make it up to. You need to make it up to him.” She said, pointing to Adrien in the bed, a hint of anger in her voice. “He didn’t just lose one parent when Emilie died. He lost you both. From the moment you put on that damn Butterfly Miraculous, you haven’t been there for him, for the company or for anyone else for that matter. You might as well have been dead too considering how little you even bothered with Adrien except to reprimand him occasionally for not being good enough.”
Gabriel flinched under Nathalie’s harsh words, but he couldn’t deny the truth in them. It’s ironic how when you are on the edge of losing everything that matters to you, that you can see exactly what is most important.
“You’re right. You’ve been right so many times and I… I’ve been so very wrong.”
“It isn’t too late Gabriel.” Nathalie said, gently caressing his cheek. “We can start again, together.”
Gabriel wrapped his hand around hers, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her palm. “I would be lost without you Nathalie. I hope you know that.”
There were a few moments of silence between them, broken only by the rhythmic sounds of the heart monitor. Soon though the hospital door opened and Marinette rushed in with wide eyes and a barely concealed gasp at the sight of Adrien in the hospital bed.
Gabriel turned to look at her, her appearance disheveled in her rush to get there. Marinette swallowed under his gaze, unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.
“Mr Agreste.” She said politely, but the nervousness in her voice was undeniable. “I…um… Can I see Adrien, please? Nathalie called me… and I…”
Gabriel’s expression softened in a way Marinette had never seen before. She was used to the harsh man who had disapproved of her relationship with Adrien. “You may see him.” The older man said, still holding some of his stoic facade.
“Thank you Mr Agreste.” Marinette said before moving over to Adrien. Nathalie patted Gabriel on the shoulder and he got up, letting Marinette sit down. Moving to the other side of the room with Nathalie, the two adults watched as Marientte sat down and took Adrien’s hand in both of hers.
“I’m so sorry.” She murmured, holding his hand up to her cheek. “I should have been here. I should have been here…”
Nathalie was about to speak and comfort Marinette that there wasn't anything she could have done when Gabriel stopped her. Nathalie looked at Gabriel’s pointed stare at Marinette and Adrien and the realisation dawned between them. Of course… It was so obvious now.
“Let them be.” Gabriel whispered to Nathalie as Marinette continued to talk to Adrien, hoping he would hear her.
Gabriel watched as Marinette spoke to Adrien, her voice soft, but her feeling for him clearly on display. It made him feel things he had long thought were no longer possible.
“I’m going to change.” He said to Nathalie with conviction. “Things are going to change. Our new future is here with them… and with us.” He looked over at Nathalie, a long forgotten warmth in his eyes.
“Mr Agreste!” Marinette suddenly called excitedly. Gabriel and Nathalie ran over to the bedside and saw Adrien begin to stir. Somewhere in his unconscious mind, Marinette’s voice had broken through and Adrien was back in the world again.
Adrien blinked before his emerald eyes searched out Marinette’s bluebell ones. He smiled, seeing her there and he tentatively reached up to touch her face, as though he was making sure she was really there. He opened his mouth to try and speak, but Marinette gently cupped his cheek. “It’s okay, you don’t have to talk. I’m here.”
Adrien’s eyes were searching her’s. “What happened?” He asked hoarsely.
“There news reports said there was an akuma attack. Part of the roof of your house collapsed over your bedroom. You must have been asleep.”
Adrien looked at her confused, trying to recall anything from the recess of his memory. “I… I don’t remember.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re here now and that’s all that matters.” She leaned in, and whispered in his ear. “I love you Kitty.”
Gabriel felt some of the tension in his shoulders start to relax at seeing Adrien awake and alert. He hoped Adrien wouldn’t remember the events of last night. It wasn’t that he thought Adrien had figured him out since under the circumstances it seemed unlikely, but he wanted this fresh start and the slightest hint of Adrien figuring anything out would be devastating to him. From this day on, Emilie would be left to rest in peace and Hawk Moth would be no more. Gabriel’s sole focus would be Adrien and his happiness.
“Father…” Adrien said quietly, reaching out to his father. Gabriel gave his son a genuine smile as he took his hand.
“Just rest now Adrien.” Gabriel soothed. “Everything will be alright.” He had come so close to losing his only son. It shouldn’t have come to being so close to losing everything for Gabriel to have to realise what was most important in life.
Gabriel made a solemn vow, to himself, to Nathalie and to Adrien that he would be a better man and father, in Emilie’s memory. It’s what she would have wanted and it was a vow he intended to keep. Come what may, he would make sure his son was always happy.