~ A Few Months After the Fire ~
"Alright, open your eyes..." Adrien says excitedly as he and Marinette stand on the sidewalk together.
Marinette uncovers her eyes and her mouth drops, reading the sign above the door, "DC&A, as in Dupain-Cheng and Agreste?" she comments, slightly amused.
He puts an arm around her, "I had to justify it to my financial team somehow. But don't worry, it's all yours and you can run your business however you want." He assures. "Wanna go inside?"
She nods, "Of course!"
He immediately scoops her up in his arms. Marinette's laugh chimes out as she wraps her arms around his shoulders. He carries her through the front door of her newly rebuilt bridal boutique, kisses her briefly, then sets her down.
"Adrien..." she says in awe, taking in all the new equipment, desks and chairs, and supplies. "This is amazing... it's better than I could've ever imagined," she blots the corner of her eye with the sleeve of her cardigan, "Thank you, Adrien."
He takes her by the hand, "You haven't seen the best part yet," he leads her towards the rear of the building, "Oh, and the bakery is still on the second floor like your old place, and I've contacted all your old employees and they all said they'd return."
"You really thought of everything," she remarks.
"I hope so. I had to do something when visiting hours ended." He leads her to an office door with a glass encased, slightly singed, pigeon hat.
"Oh my god..." Marinette touches the glass, "they found it?"
He beams, "Yeah, one of the few things to survive, actually." He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her close as she looks at the hat.
She smiles at an old memory, leaning her head against his chest.
After a moment, he whispers, "You wanna see your new office?"
Marinette dabs away another tear with her sleeve. "Yeah"
He pushes open the door and guides her in ahead of him. Wide eyed, she gazes upon the elegant detail and accents of color that catch her eye. Some of her designs are framed along the light, dusty-rose, colored walls. "Adrien..."
"Go sit at your new desk," he insists from behind her.
She walks cautiously over to her desk, as if the wrong move would end this dream-like state that she felt. She sits in her chair and looks up at Adrien across from her, surprised to find him on one knee, just inside the doorframe. "Adrien..." she breathes out, nearly inaudible, "are you..."
Adrien struggles to keep a big goofy grin off his face and to keep his heart from leaping out of his chest. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I love you. I loved you even before I knew I loved you. I can't change the past, but I was hoping to be a part of your future. Whether-"
"YES!" She cries, practically flinging herself over her desk, and falling onto her own knees in front of him.
He opens his arms as she falls into them, "Excuse you, I wasn't finished" he teases, feeling Marinette's body shake from emotion.
She bites her bottom lip, "Sorry, please continue," she giggles. She clears her throat, trying to gain composure but failing.
"Thank you." He pulls a red velvet ring box out of his jacket pocket, "Whether it's as your friend, husband, or partner in black leather," Marinette covers her mouth, stifling a laugh, "I don't ever want to leave your side." He opens the ring box and reveals a generous, but still modest, engagement ring. "Marinette, will you marry me?"
"YES!" She cries louder than before, throwing herself at him, causing them both to tumble to the floor. "Yes," she whispers more intimately as she lays on his chest.
They kiss as Adrien pushes them up into a seated position. He sighs dramatically, "Whew, for a second I thought you would turn me down."
Marinette shakes her head, a grin stretching from ear to ear, "Did you actually ever doubt me?"
"I would never, M'lady." He holds the ring between his index finger and thumb. "May I?"
She holds out her hand in response. He slowly slides the silver band up her finger, wanting to remember this moment. Adrien's mouth hangs open slightly, as he takes in the image of Marinette with his ring on her finger. He swallows hard and suddenly remembers to breathe.
"It's purrfect," She effuses, kissing him passionately, her arms draping around his shoulders.
He lets out a chuckle between kisses, "Now this definitely feels like a dream I had once," he chides, and immediately gives into her.
~ Present Day ~
"Alya, it's fine," Marinette chuckles in front of a full-length mirror in the back of the church.
Alya tucks individual stray hairs back into Marinette's up-do. "You can't just look 'fine'. You gotta look 'fiiiine'." She pulls out the bottom of the white satin dress, scanning for imperfections, "You only got one shot at this and the world is watching." She coaches.
"Don't remind me," she frets, trying hard not to think about the photographers and reporters waiting outside the church grounds, itching to get the first glimpse of Adrien Agreste and his new wife.
Despite Adrien's best efforts, Marinette did come across a few articles regarding their relationship. They seemed to realize quickly that they had both attended Francoise Dupont High as teens. Some articles portrayed this as a 'high school sweethearts' kind of story; while others tried to spin it so it seemed like Marinette had always been with Adrien, as a secret relationship since high school. Those articles made her throat tighten, unable to hide the mixture of contempt and vulnerability that came out of her in these situations.
She shakes the thought from her head, "But that doesn't matter. This is our day, and they can't take that away." She replies confidently.
Alya removes one final piece of dust from Marinette's gown, admiring the soft pink petals that flow from the bodice and down the train. Her own bridesmaid dress a matching soft pink. "I'm so happy you guys are finally getting married." She laughs to herself, "Remember all those crazy schemes we had in school to get Adrien to notice you."
"Oh my god, of course." She shakes her head in embarrassment, "What were we thinking,"
Alya comes up behind Marinette and leans over her shoulder, "We were thinking that you guys were meant to be together, and guess what, we were right all along." She holds Marinette's shoulders and shakes her excitedly.
She smiles and turns around to hug Alya, wrapping her arms around her tightly. "Thank you." She whispers.
"You're Adrien Agreste. What could go wrong?" Nino chides, sitting in a chair behind Adrien checking himself over in the mirror.
His hands brush off his pants for the 50th time, "I don't know. Probably nothing. I've never felt this way before." He spins around towards Nino, "I'm nervous, anxious? I'm not sure. There's nothing to worry about though."
Nino sighs, "I know the feeling, bro. I was the same when Alya and I tied the knot." He rises and crosses the room towards him.
"Really?" He asks, fidgeting with his hands.
"Totally, a total mess." He straightens Adrien's bow tie, "Right now, you're just Adrien. You've been 'just Adrien' your whole life; like how I used to be 'just Nino'." He guides to sit down in the chair. "Your soul can tell that change is coming. It's goin' all crazy trying to find out what's up.
"But," Nino continues, "when you see her," Nino looks off into the distance, his tone softening, "she's coming down the aisle, you feel your soul connect to hers. You feel whole. Your nerves are just a memory.
"When you walk out of here, you're not 'just Adrien'. You're the version of you that only exists when you share a soul with another person. You're complete." He pulls his attention back to Adrien who is sitting with his mouth slightly agape, seemingly enraptured by Nino's speech. "At least, that was my experience." He adds.
Adrien stands and pulls him in for a hug, "Thanks, man" he says genuinely.
Nino pats him on the back, "Any time, bro."
They separate and look over themselves in the mirror one last time. "I think I'm ready." Adrien breathes.
"Then let's have ourselves a wedding!" Nino cheers as they head out into the hallway.
A hush falls over the crowd as Adrien and Nino, with the other groomsmen, step out in front of the rows of pews. The officiant stands at the center, nodding towards Adrien, which he responds back with a silent nod as well.
Melodious music drifts in as the bridesmaids appear at the other end of the aisle. Alya leads the train of women, holding Manny in her arms as he shakes a small pillow which has the rings securely attached to it. The crowd has a collective 'aww' moment when they see the infant ring bearer.
Once they get situated at the front, there's a moment of silence.
The guests rise to their feet and gaze expectantly up the aisle.
Adrien feels his heart trying to leap out of his chest, growing anxious in this short breadth of time.
Then, the first note of a wedding march rings out. Everyone's eyes fixated as Marinette steps out onto the aisle with her father.
With all eyes on her, she glides in time to the music, her eyes only focused on Adrien.
When they lock eyes, Adrien feels everything, and everyone fall away, as if they're the only two people in the world. He feels a serenity wash over him. Nino tugs at Adrien's suit jacket when Adrien, a bit dazed, tries to step forward and meet Marinette halfway up the aisle. He blinks in realization of the situation, and sheepishly steps back in line. Nino shoots Alya a knowing look, and she smiles and rolls her eyes.
Marinette's father walks with her, arm in arm. He laughs silently, slightly squeezing her arm to remind her to breathe. Her eyes widen as she takes a breath, squeezing her dad's arm in thanks.
Tikki and Plagg watch from the rafters, out of sight of the guests.
"I never thought this day would come! It's finally happening!" Tikki squeaks excitedly, shaking Plagg.
Plagg scoffs, "Yeah, those hopeless idiots finally did it." He turns away from Tikki and quickly wipes a tear from his eye.
When Marinette reaches Adrien, he takes her hand and mouths "Wow", a slight smirk on his face. She turns her face to hide her blush as they position themselves before the officiant.
They motion for the guests to sit and the ceremony commences.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the love that has blossomed between Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng. A love that shows us that a partner can come from where we least expect it, and that time is one of the most important factors to finding true love."
They continue, "Love is a balancing act. A give and take, a push and pull, but always returning to center. Finding the one whose rhythm compliments yours, is like discovering a long-lost symphony that one the two of you can hear..."
Adrien and Marinette's hands stay linked between them throughout the ceremony. His thumb gently rubs the back of her hand. His eyes never leave her, wishing time would slow down so he could live in this moment forever.
"Do you, Adrien Agreste, take Marinette Dupain-Cheng, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, as your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do" he swears.
"Do you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, take Adrien Agreste, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, as your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do"
"May we have the rings?" The officiant asks and Alya steps forward, having had them removed from Manny's grip. They hand Adrien Marinette's ring first, "If you have vows prepared, now is the time." They prompt.
He releases one of Marinette's hands and holds the silver, engraved, band between his fingers. "Marinette," he breathes out, trying to focus, "you've always kept me grounded. Whenever I would feel myself slipping away, you caught me. You always catch me." He shares a secret smile with her, which she returns. "I promise to strive to be worthy of your love, to be the man you deserve. To catch you when you fall. To love you forever." He slides the ring onto her finger, breathless.
The officiant hands Marinette Adrien's ring. "If you have vows prepared, now is the time."
She breathes out a shaky breath, a slight sniffle. Adrien holds her steady, giving her an encouraging smile. She takes a deep breath, looking from the ring to his eyes. "Adrien, you'll never know how much you mean to me. How much of my heart has only been full for you." She quickly wipes away a tear from the corner of her eye. "You're the one who has saved me, in more ways than one. I promise to be worthy of your love and worthy to love you in return. To love you forever." The smooth ring slides onto his finger with ease.
He holds her hand and brings it to his lips, kissing where her ring meets her knuckle.
The officiant smiles, "Then, it is my honor to now pronounce you hus-"
With a crash, the wall behind the officiant bursts inwards, into the church. People scream as debris shoots into the crowd and dust fills the air. Adrien puts his arm around Marinette, putting himself between the destruction and her, both of them buckling down to their knees.
Through the clouds of dust, a figure appears, coming into focus, someone floating above the pulpit on a cloud of white butterflies.
"What kind of wedding doesn't include the 'Does anyone object?' part?" A shrill voice exclaims, "That's not even fair."
Marinette squints up at the figure over Adrien's shoulder, "Chloe?"
Chloe descends a bit, her eyes narrowing as she focuses in on Marinette. A silver mask covers her face, allowing her burning blue eyes to show. Her purple suit is stylish yet demanding. A wicked smile crosses her face, "That's Miz Butterfly, to you." She outstretches her arms and bellows, "Fly, my Akumas!"
A swarm of glowing butterflies bursts through the opening in the wall. A panic ensues among the guests, everyone trying to make a break for the exit, swatting at purple butterflies, neither to any success.
Adrien jumps up, still keeping his arms around Marinette, "Everyone!" He calls out, trying to break his voice over the crowd, "Everyone try to keep calm!" He yells, but it's no use.
The butterflies faze into the guests' items. Suddenly the room full of frantic people is still and silent, waiting for instruction, with eyes glowing purple.
Adrien slowly turns around to face Miz Butterfly, keeping Marinette behind him. "Where did you get that Miraculous?" He asks sternly.
"You mean this? Your daddy's old plaything?" She touches the Miraculous broach pinned to her lapel. "Seems that you can get anything from an evidence lock-up, for the right price." She laughs darkly.
"What do you want?" He demands, his jaw clenching.
She holds her finger under her chin thoughtfully, "I just want a happy ending, Adrikins. Why don't you want that for me?"
"I, I do wish you were happy." He admits, "But I can't make you happy, not in the way you want."
Miz Butterfly's eyes narrow, focusing back on Marinette, who's eyeing Miz Butterfly angrily. "It's you." She sneers, "You're the reason Adrikins has turned from me. We were going to be happy! This should be my wedding!"
The akumatized crowd lurches at them from behind, tearing Marinette from Adrien's side. Both of them held tightly in place by their brainwashed friends and family. They struggle to break free of the countless hands holding them back but only more guests join in.
She hovers down to Marinette, holding her face in her hand, "Ever since high school you've been in my way! Trying to steal Adrikins from me!" She pulls their faces together, just inches apart. "Now it's my turn to steal him from you." Miz Butterfly whispers menacingly.
"Get your hands off her!" Adrien shouts from behind her.
Miz Butterfly drops Marinette's face, and Mari continues to struggle against the akumatized army. "Please don't! Don't touch him!" Marinette barks at Miz B. "I'll do anything, don't take him away from me." Her voice bleeds into pleading, feeling herself start to get choked up, tears forming behind her eyes.
"Why? Because you're nothing without him?" Miz B mocks her.
She shakes her head, "Because I love him."
"And I love her!" Adrikins calls out, still fighting against the Akumas. "And I'll never love you."
Miz B rolls her eyes, "That may be true. But nothing I can't fix." She points to one of the akumatized, "You!"
The person steps forward, purple eyes still glazed over.
"I name you, Memory Worm!" Miz Butterfly shoots her arm out in the person's direction and they are immediately engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke.
When the smoke clears, Miz B picks up the akumatized person, now, a large purple worm, about the size of her arm. "You are nasty! But you'll get the job done," she sets it back on the ground and it starts to excrete a blue fog from its pores. It digs through the floor of the church, quickly disappearing beneath them.
Blue fog starts to seep up through the floor and the ground outside. "Get a good whiff, you two, and all your worries will fade."
"Mari!" Adrien calls out desperately, "Whatever happens, we'll find a way back to each other. I promise." The fog rising up to his hips.
"I promise too." Marinette says with shallow breaths, not wanting to breathe in the blue fog.
"Cute, but too bad you won't remember. No one will." Miz B floats above the rising cloud. "No one will remember anything about your relationship, not even a sickeningly sweet 'high school sweethearts' memory." She scowls, "So say your goodbyes. I promise there won't be any more 'hellos'."
The fog rises to their chins; other guests are already completely engulfed. Adrien and Marinette struggle to keep their chins up while still being restrained. "Talk to me, Mari, please."
Being shorter, Marinette starts to be consumed by the fog first, "I love you, Adrien. This isn't goodbye." She tilts her head back as far as she can to stay above the fog.
"I know. I love you too. Keep talking to me, don't let it take you." Adrien's voice strained from his effort to still break free.
Mari smiles, "This was the best day of my life. I'll never forget it. I'll never forget it. I'll never forget..." her voice fades away as her face dips below the fog.
"Marinette!" Adrien cries, struggling harder and harder, until the fog reaches his chin. He glowers up at Miz Butterfly floating above it all.
She smiles mischievously, "See you soon," she waves her fingers at him as he too is overtaken by the fog.
"Come in,"
Margie enters Marinette's office, "The last order of the day was sent out. I'm gonna send some of the drafters home, if that's alright with you."
Marinette barely looks up from her work, her face down on a pile of papers at her desk, "Yeah, no problem."
Margie hesitates by the door, "You wanna go out for drinks tonight? Some of the other girls and I were gonna meet up, since it's Friday. We could have a little fun?" She tries to encourage.
Marinette shrugs, "I still have final paperwork to do for the Agreste wedding, I should really get it done."
"Oh. But that reminds me," she ducks out of the office for a second and returns with a magazine, "your dress is on the front page of every magazine in Paris. Be proud."
Marinette takes the magazine in her hand. The cover is of Adrien Agreste and Chloe Bourgeois kissing in front of a chapel, petals floating down through the frame. She cracks a tiny smile, "I am, I am proud, but I'm just glad it's over, well, besides the paperwork." She shrugs, tossing the magazine to the corner of her desk.
"Well I'll let you get back to it then. See you Monday," she says as she closes the door to her office.
Marinette's smile fades as she gets back to her work.
A red blur zooms out from her desk, "Marinette! Marinette!" Tikki cries, flying all around her.
She sits up, dropping her pen, "Tikki? What's wrong?" She asks concernedly.
Tikki lands on her desk and tries to catch her breath. "A minute ago, we were at your wedding, but Chloe, Miz Butterfly, the Miraculous, Adrien-"
"Slow down," she cautions, "what is happening? Why did you say we were at my wedding?" Her eyes briefly glance over at the magazine cover.
Tikki flies onto Mari's open hand, "You were marrying Adrien when Chloe came in using the butterfly Miraculous and wiped all your memories, but Plagg and I were able to escape."
"Marrying Adrien? Agreste? I've barely talked to him." She remarks.
Tikki sighs, "Tell me what you know about him. What memories do you have of him?"
Mari's eyes narrow, thinking back. "We went to the same high school." She looks back at the wedding photo of him and Chloe. "He put gum on my seat on his first day, and I knew he was just another Chloe. I tried to avoid him as much as possible. He never even tried to explain himself," Her eyes turn slightly sad, "And then I did his wedding. He was too busy to come to the consultations, so it was just Chloe telling me what she wanted." She turns back to Tikki, "There's not much else to say."
Tikki is wide eyed, staring back at her, "We've got to fix this."
"Are you feeling alright? You don't have another Kwami sickness, do you?" Marinette inspects her small friend.
Tikki waves her off, "No, I'm fine!" she assures, "It's you and the rest of this city who need help." Her eyes suddenly light up, "What do you remember about Chat Noir?" she queries.
Mari leans back in her seat, her shoulders slightly tensing, "We fought akumas together for years. Haven't spoken to him since we got Hawkmoth, though. Why?"
Tikki relaxes a bit, "At least that seems the same" she mutters to herself. "You never found out his identity?"
"No, of course not." She swears. "What's with you, why are you asking me this stuff?"
Tikki flies up to her eye level, "I told you. Chloe used an Akuma to wipe Paris' memory of your and Adrien's relationship, so she could marry him." Tikki lifts the magazine so it's facing Mari.
The corner of her mouth turns down slightly, "Okay...I guess I believe you?" She admits tentatively. "Only because I trust you." She redefines. "But why did you ask about Chat?"
Before Tikki could answer, the door bursts open.
Adrien stalks through the halls of his Paris home; he unconsciously fidgets with his wedding ring.
Plagg zooms up beside him, resting on his shoulder, "What? No honeymoon?" He chides.
Adrien continues down the hall, "It had to be slightly postponed, Chloe is working on a new trip for us." He says neutrally, no emotion in his voice.
"You, uh, feeling alright, bud? Shouldn't you have a post-wedding glow, or whatever you humans say?" He says, tugging on a strand of Adrien's hair.
He shrugs, "Yeah, I'm good." He looks down at his wedding band, "I'm just a bit tired. More like a post-wedding slump." He says, putting on a smile.
Plagg rolls his eyes, "Mmmhmm, yeah, so, what do you know of Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"
Adrien stops suddenly, scooping Plagg off his shoulder into his hands. "What did you say?" he eyes his Kwami.
Plagg doesn't make eye contact with him, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. What do you know of her?" Adrien opens his mouth to protest but Plagg cuts him off, "Don't ask why. Just answer."
He's slightly taken aback, "Marinette? I think she was in a few of my classes in school? She was friends with Alya, who I knew through Nino." He looks away from Plagg, "I don't think she liked me because I was friends with Chloe."
Plagg sighs, "Yeah, that sounds about right," he shakes his head, "and by 'right' I mean, totally completely wrong!" He snaps.
Adrien drops him, "I don't have time for this." He stalks off towards his office.
Plagg catches up with him, "The reason you're a miserable poo head is because this isn't how things are supposed to be!"
Adrien closes his office door in Plaggs face.
Plagg groans, squeezing under the door as Adrien leans against the wall and looks out over the Parisian streets. Plagg sits on the frame of the window sill, "Okay... so, why did you marry Chloe?" He asks almost sincerely.
He doesn't respond to the question for a moment, but gives in, "She had been my only friend for a long time, and we're both in the industry; it just seemed inevitable, expected." He explains, never looking down at Plagg.
"I guess I understand, but what I'm sayin', and you gotta believe me, that there's like a parallel universe where you actually end up happy, and with the girl of your dreams!" Plagg encourages.
Adrien's eyes narrow, "Yeah, that's how the theory goes, infinite possibilities and all that,"
"But we used to be in that universe! This timeline is not what's supposed to happen to you! It was an Akuma-"
"Akuma?" Adrien cuts him off, "Hawkmoth, my father, is in prison, there hasn't been an Akuma in nearly 10 years."
"Yeah, until Chloe got a hold of the butterfly Miraculous and wiped the whole city's memories!" Plagg starts getting in Adrien's face.
Adrien recoils from his persistence, "Why, why would she do that?"
"She was jealous! Why else? You broke off your engagement when you reunited with your true love..."
"Marinette?" He asks, finishing the sentence. He focuses back on the city, looking into the distance. "That doesn't sound like me. I would never drop a commitment like that." He states, losing ground with Plagg.
"Mmhmm, what if it was for Ladybug, for example?" He casually flies over to Adrien's desk.
He immediately looks to Plagg, following him, "Ladybug? We haven't spoken in years,"
"So, you do remember something after all," Plagg teases, resting on the back of Adrien's office chair. "And you still love her."
Adrien straightens up, "I mean, that was just an old crush, a childhood crush, what makes you think..." Adrien tries to convince, but meets the unmoved gaze of Plagg, "...I still love her,"
Plagg smirks, "You've still got it bad for her, and you know it. Why don't we pay her a visit? Talk over this Akuma business," He shrugs nonchalantly.
His eyes widen, "You know where she is?"
Plagg nods slowly, "The fastest way to show you is if you transform, which I know you wanna do..."
"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien shouts, and in a flash of green, Chat Noir appears in his place.
He checks his locator and sees a waypoint on the other side of Paris has been added. He rolls his shoulders before leaping out his office window into the sunset.
The waypoint leads him to a wedding boutique, with a familiar name; the interior lights dimmed for the night. Chat checks his map again and tries the door, finding it unlocked.
He cautiously walks towards the back of the boutique, keeping an eye out for any bystanders.
His ears perk up at the sound of a voice, leading him to a closed office door. He leans against the wall and listens: "-Only because I trust you. But why did you ask about Chat?"
A shiver runs up his spine at the mention of his name. He bursts into the office expecting Ladybug, but instead is stared at, wide-eyed, by a young woman with short black hair.
"Chat." She states, as if she was half-expecting him.
He clears his throat, his eyes darting around the room, "Sorry, I didn't mean to..." when he finally meets her gaze, something clicks, "Marinette?" He asks incredulously, shifting his weight.
"You remember me?" She returns the question, becoming hyper aware of the space and the silence around them.
Chat flashes a smile, "I was actually just thinking about you earlier," he says lightly, "weird coincidence,"
Marinette's face pulls in, "Oh. Well, coincidence, too; I was also just talking about you..."
His eyebrows furrow, "Okay, a bit weirder..." he admits.
"So, why are you here?" She asks, moving so the desk is between them.
"I, uh, was actually looking for Ladybug; guess I took a wrong turn or something," he looks down at the locator on his staff, attempting to reinterpret the location marked by Plagg.
Mari feels her cheeks grow warm, her hands grip the back of her chair. "Oh, well, sorry to disappoint," she says quickly, but then feels a tug on her shirt from behind her. She looks back while Chat is distracted, seeing Tikki gesturing wildly. Mari squints at her, unable to decipher what she's trying to communicate.
"My Kwami led me here. Told me he knew where she was...among other things," he puts his baton away dejectedly.
"Other things?" She inquires, trying to steer the conversation away from the topic of 'Ladybug'.
Chat leans up against the wall, shoulders slumped forward, "Yeah, but I wouldn't want to make you worry. I'm still processing what he said, myself." His gaze settles on a clearing on the floor between them.
"Try me." She steps out from behind her desk and rests against its front face.
His eyes focus back on her, "I guess it does concern you, after all." He clears his throat, "Apparently, all of Paris has had their memory wiped by an Akuma. So, everyone would forget..." his eyes shift around the room, settling back on the floor, "would forget that you, and Adrien Agreste , were in a relationship." He shifts his weight awkwardly, "I'm sorry if this seems out of the blue. I was hoping to consult Ladybug about this first before-"
"I remember you..." Marinette says to herself, but effectively cutting Chat off.
"What did you say?" Chat pushes off the wall to stand freely, taking a step towards Mari.
"She was concerned if I still remembered you, after asking me about Adrien..." her words drift off in thought, almost forgetting about Chat standing right in front of her.
"Who asked you about Adrien?" Chats voice lowers, cautiously crossing the room towards her.
Her eyes stay unfocused, deep in thought, "...Chloe wouldn't know our identities so the Akuma wouldn't affect them..."
His eyes widen, "I didn't mention Chloe, how do you know it's Chloe?" He asks, a little more urgent than before.
Now inches apart, Mari's eyes lock onto Chat's, shocked and desperate. "You're Adrien Agreste..." she whispers under her breath.
He takes a step back, but she catches his wrist, holding him in place. "Am I right?" She pleads, grasping for some concrete information in this mess.
His mouth hangs open as he stares at her. His mind a wreck from the accusation. He simply nods 'yes' in response.
Mari doesn't loosen her grip on him, her body struggling to keep up with her mind.
Something clicks into place in the midst of chaos in Chat's brain. "You're Ladybug." He states, the words flowing off his tongue without his conscious permission.
She nods, not exactly surprised by his revelation.
A smile blows wide across his face, he pulls her into a hug, practically lifting her off her feet; her arms loose at her sides as Chat envelops her. "This is...amazing," he says incredulously, pulling away to look down at her face. His smile fades when he sees her face still in a concentrated state.
"So, you know everything?" she asks, not meeting his eyes, "Regarding the...akuma? Chloe?"
Chat swallows hard, "I-I guess. So what do we do?"
"We...can ignore it." She suggests, backing away from Chat.
"Ignore it? What do you mean?" He asks solemnly, giving her her space.
She presses her lips together and shrugs, "I can't imagine a life where I, where we, love each other, Adrien. We're completely different people." She puts on a sympathetic smile, "I think you feel the same way. Plus, you have Chloe, and you guys seem to belong together. It doesn't matter that she caused all this. Maybe this is how things are supposed to be." She rationalizes.
"You believe you're happier like this, than with me?" Chat asks, a little hurt. He detransforms, turning back into Adrien.
"Don't think of it like that... but yeah," She admits, realizing how it sounds. "I'm sure you're a great guy, but you can be a great guy with Chloe too. I just don't feel like I'd ever have room in my life for a relationship, especially one with you..."
"How can you say that when we were in the middle of our wedding before the Akuma?" Adrien pleads.
She takes a breath, "That wasn't me; it was a different me. We know nothing about each other. Aren't you at least content with this life? Why should we risk everything for a reality we can't remember?"
His mouth trembles slightly, trying to find words. "Marinette..."
Tikki zooms out of the desk, "Marinette, you're not being rational. I'm telling you that you loved Adrien more than life itself, you both said 'I do'!"
"Marinette," Adrien says gently, "please listen to me. I don't love Chloe. And I can imagine loving you." He takes a step towards her. "I know it's hard, choosing happiness, especially in the face of the unknown. I've failed that choice all my life, but now I'm choosing to believe in my happiness, our happiness."
"You can imagine yourself loving Ladybug. That's all." She shakes her head, collapsing in on herself.
He freezes in his tracks, about an arms-length away from her. "But you are Ladybug." He reaches out to her but retracts, not wanting to push the situation. "When will you realize that you're one and the same?"
She lifts her head up slightly, scanning him, trying to tell if he's genuine.
He takes a half step forward, "I spent years loving you and didn't know it. Please, give me a chance."
She leans her head back and closes her eyes, pressing her lips together, struggling to open herself to the whole situation, "Okay, fine." She opens her eyes and directs her gaze at him, "I guess I would be lying if I said I never imagined Chat as more than a friend," she feels her cheeks burn on the inside.
Adrien scoffs playfully, "I can't believe it took more than a decade for you to say that to me."
"Don't let it go to your head, kitty." She warns, her shoulders relaxing.
"Oh I will," he grins, holding out his hand to her.
She looks at his outstretched hand. "Tikki, how do we defeat Chloe?" She addresses, ignoring Adrien's attempt at connection.
His hand falls to his side. Tikki speaks up, "We have to get the butterfly Miraculous back from Chloe."
Plagg flies out and chimes in, "Yeah, then Tikki and I can purify it and undo the bad things it was used for. Including erasing you ding-dongs' memories."
Marinette turns back towards Adrien, "You think you can act like you love her long enough to find where she's keeping the Miraculous?"
He nods, "I'll do my best."
"I can standby as Ladybug," she suggests, "if Chloe saw 'Marinette' hanging around she'd probably get suspicious."
"Hopefully I won't need the back up, but I'm glad you still got my back, partner." He holds up his hand for a fist bump.
Marinette rolls her eyes but returns the first bump with more-or-less enthusiasm.
"Awesome! So, I'll head home, and you can follow behind when you're ready." He instructs, heading out the office door with Plagg.
Once out of sight, she finally fully relaxes, sitting back in her chair. "Why him? Why Chat?" She covers her face with her hands.
Tikki flies closer to her, "I thought you trusted me?" She queries, a bit concerned with Marinette's reaction.
She lowers her hands, "Chat and I had a complicated relationship at best. And the most I know about Adrien is from spending countless all-nighters trying to plan his and Chloe's wedding, which now all seems pointless because this isn't even the right reality, or whatever, and I'm expected to believe he's, like, my husband all of a sudden?!" She vents, putting her head down on her desk.
Tikki pats her head, "At least like a fiancée. You aren't actually married yet." She corrects, trying to break the tension.
Marinette shakes her head, still resting in her arms on the desk, "And I do trust you, Tikki, but it's a lot to take in right now."
"I promise you this will all be worth it, once we get that Miraculous back." Marinette gives a halfhearted smile. "Are you dating someone or something in this reality? What's wrong?" Tikki prods, slightly losing patience.
Mari sits up and shakes her head, "No, I've actually never dated anyone before."
"Any crushes?"
She shrugs, "I guess, but not like I was obsessed with any of them, really." She smirks slightly, "I had basically accepted that I don't need anybody, relationship-wise, to be content. But then Adrien Agreste, of all people, turns out to be Chat and my fiancé? I think it's broken me." She lays her head back on the desk.
"But 'content' doesn't really mean 'happy'. And Adrien will make you happy. You two have the strongest bond of any of the Chosen I've ever seen." Tikki confides, hovering near Marinette's head.
Marinette stands slowly, "Thanks," she holds Tikki and nuzzles her against her cheek. "Let's get that Miraculous. Spots on!"
It doesn't take long for Ladybug to catch up to Adrien, even with him being picked up by his driver. She stays low on the rooftops, jumping quickly between gaps.
The car pulls into the Agreste estate, Ladybug leaps over the fence, hiding out of sight of the windows.
Her communicator rings, she picks up and becomes connected to Adrien's phone so she can hear as he goes inside to confront Chloe.
Adrien enters the main atrium, he calls out "Chloe?" His voice echoing through the dim house.
She strides out, looking down on him from the top of the stairs. "Adrikins! Where have you been? I just finished booking our flight to L.A., we're leaving tomorrow!" She says in a chipper tone, gracefully making her way down to him.
"That's wonderful," He outstretches his hand and she takes it, pulling her into his arms.
"I'm already packed and everything. I was in the middle of packing your outfits for you to make sure we don't clash." She kisses him reassuringly, her arms wrapped around the back of his neck.
He pulls out of her embrace gently, keeping her at arms distance away. "I'll let you get back to it then. I'll bring your bags down for you while you do that." He smiles politely, not wanting to raise suspicion.
She pulls herself closer to him, against his boundaries. "So thoughtful... what did I ever do to deserve you, Adrikins?" She replies in a low voice, her arms sliding down and wrapping around his waist.
He tries to hide the tension building inside him, trying to hide any obvious recoil from her touch. "Your bags in your closet?" He asks, trying to slip away.
Chloe nods, "In my storage closet, yes" her grip around him unrelenting. "Adrikins?"
"Yes?"
"I was hoping that we could consummate our marriage before we take flight tomorrow," she traces his jawline with her manicured finger.
Adrien swallows hard, internalizing the thought. "O-of course, Chloe; I was just hoping the same thing,"
She bites her lip, "Lovely..." She drops her arms from him. "I'll go back to packing for now." She starts up the stairs but looks back, "Feel free to join me when you're ready," she winks before heading back up to their bedroom.
Adrien lets out a sigh of relief, whispering into his phone as he climbs the stairs, "Sorry you had to hear that,"
"She is still currently and legally your wife." Ladybug remarks back in a hushed voice, "And you can't have her raising any red flags."
Adrien heads the opposite direction as Chloe at the top of the stairs, entering a room that was converted to hold a bulk of Chloe's clothes, closing the door behind him. "I'm still sorry,"
Ladybug shrugs, "Just stay focused. You're looking for a butterfly broach."
"Well I've gotten myself in her closet. Seems like it'd be a good place to hide it." He kneels down and unzips one of Chloe's suitcases. Shuffling the inner contents, he searches for the Miraculous. When he comes up with nothing, he moves onto the next one, and the next one, and the next...
"Anything?" Ladybug questions, her voice higher in the growing tension.
"Nothing yet." He closes the last suitcase back up, getting to his feet. "I'm gonna start checking drawers,"
"Adrikins," Chloe's cold voice sends a shock up his spine as he whirls around to see her in the doorway, "looking for something?"
Adrien keeps his cool, "I think I've misplaced my watch. Thought it might have gotten mixed up in your things." He states simply.
She raises an eyebrow, "Oh. You sure you're not looking for this?" She reveals the butterfly Miraculous from her blazer pocket.
He keeps a straight face, "Why do you have that? It was my father's."
She strides into the room, "I don't know how you caught on so fast. I'm almost impressed." She circles him, like a lion taunting its prey. "Does Dupane-Chang know?"
"No." He stays stationary, trying to calculate her next move.
"So, you love her? Still?" She frowns in disgust.
He nods, "Always."
"You're stronger than her, I see that now. You deserve someone who can return that strength to you." Her hand rests on his shoulder as she continues to stalk. "But we can fix that again," she smirks sinisterly.
Suddenly, Ladybug smashes in a nearby window, throwing herself between Chloe and Adrien, forcing her back. She readies herself defensively.
Chloe easily regains her footing. Her eyebrows raise, "Ladybug? Can't say I was expecting you. I see the suit still fits." She chides.
"Return the city's memories." Ladybug practically growls, "I won't ask again."
"Then don't." She pins the Miraculous to her blazer and is consumed by a purple cloud, emerging as Miz Butterfly.
Ladybug pushes Adrien back behind her, "Uh, Mr. Agreste, get out of here!" She instructs, her eyes never leaving Miz B.
He makes a break for the door but is blocked by a swarm of butterflies, creating a dense wall all around them.
"How did you know about the Akuma, Ladybug?" She asks coolly, stroking her Miraculous, pacing around the room. "How did you escape my Memory Worm's fog?"
Ladybug keeps herself between Miz B and Adrien, "I was out of town." She lies, "When I returned, I easily put the pieces together." She stares her down.
Miz B scoffs, "'Lady Luck', indeed."
"Why are you doing this, Chloe?" She questions, "There's other guys out there besides Adrien Agreste."
"I don't need another guy, I had him!" She points accusingly towards Adrien. "But then Marinette Dupane-Cheng stole him from me! I was just simply taking back what was rightfully mine."
Ladybug nods cautiously, "I understand that you and Adrien had a life together before this... Marinette came into the picture. But, you also don't own Adrien. And perhaps you two...weren't meant to be..."
"How dare you!" She roars, lunging for Adrien behind Ladybug.
Ladybug keep her back, bracing herself as Miz B pushes against her.
"Chloe." Adrien addresses her while she struggles in Ladybugs grasp. "I will always love Marinette over you, I'm sorry. No matter how many times you make me forget her, I will always find my way back to her." He swears, maintaining eye contact with her.
Miz Butterfly breaks free from Ladybug, leaping backwards, her fists clenched. "She'll never love you back if she's dead." She sneers.
Ladybug's heart stops momentarily, but she easily sheds away the fear. "I can't let you do that." She shakes her head, swinging her yo-yo.
"Watch me!" She busts through the wall, her cloud of butterflies carrying her towards Marinette's boutique.
They both take the moment to regain their composure, clearing their minds. Adrien comes up behind Ladybug and rests a hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"
"Did you really mean what you said just then?" She looks over her shoulder at him.
"When?" He asks, fully aware of what she means, his face turns a shade redder.
"When you said you loved Marinette, that you'll always find your way back to her..." Ladybug trails off, lost in the thought.
He turns her towards him, tilting his head down to meet her gaze, "I wasn't lying just to anger her, if that's what you're thinking." He slowly takes her right hand in his, "I will always love you, I will always find my way back to you." He reiterates softly, his other hand gently caressing her cheek.
Ladybugs heart thuds in her chest, practically shaking her entire frame. "I didn't know anyone could feel that intensely, especially for me." She confesses. "I'm not used to this." Her fingers move along his palm.
"Me neither, not like this." He returns. He whispers, "May I kiss you?"
"Yes" She says softly, but assured.
He tilts her head up slightly, bending down to meet her lips. He's tentative at first, gently kissing her. He starts to back out when she pulls him back, her arms draping behind his neck.
Unaware of the warning beeps, Ladybug detransforms mid kiss, but it doesn't faze either of them.
Following her lead, he wraps his arms behind her and holds her close as their lips part.
Adrien smirks, "Must have been one strong Akuma to make me forget this."
"If your two are quite done," Plagg interrupts, hovering next to them, "We have a Miraculous to get back."
Marinette and Adrien step apart from each other awkwardly, slightly embarrassed by the Kwami.
"Plagg, they're falling in love again! Don't interrupt." Tikki chimes in, scolding him.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't sure how many times we were gonna let crazy Chloe burn down the boutique," he points out.
Everyone's gaze turns to the horizon where a definite cloud of smoke is forming.
"This has happened more than once?" Marinette queries concernedly.
Plagg nods, "At least you're not in the building this time."
Adrien's face turns into a mixture of hatred and disgust, "We have to stop her. Plagg, claws out!"
"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette transforms right after him.
A silence falls between them; they gaze over each other, as if seeing the other for the first time. Chat reaches out his hand, and she takes it in hers. "We should get going," she whispers as the sun begins to set over the city.
He smiles, "You're right. We're late for the wedding." He kisses her hand before vaulting himself out the window, with Ladybug close behind.
They land in the street, looking up at the burning boutique. "No one's inside, right?" Chat asks Ladybug.
"Right. We just need to focus on getting that Miraculous." She affirms. They look up to Miz Butterfly hovering over the boutique, giddy with power.
"I'll follow your lead, M'lady." He watches as the firetrucks begin to arrive, creating a barrier around the block.
She looks around as the fire fighters start to douse the flames. She throws her yo-yo into the air, "Lucky Charm!"
A wireless speaker lands in her hands. Chat straightens up and scrutinizes it. "What are we gonna do with that?"
Ladybug tucks it under her arm, "Distract her. I'll join you in a second." She instructs before slinging herself up onto a nearby rooftop.
Chat smirks before launching himself up to Miz B's elevation. "I know all's fire in love and war, but I think you've taken it a bit far." He jests, landing on a neighboring roof.
"Oh, Chat Noir. Were you out of town too when I erased Paris' memories?" Miz Butterfly sneers, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
He shakes his head, "Nope. But when there's a villain in need of justice, I'll be there." He gestures grandly, "So here I am."
She rolls her eyes, "You're too late, you stupid cat. Marinette Dupane-Chang has been reduced to ashes."
Ladybug swings in next to Chat, "Are you quite sure?"
A voice starts to echo behind the smoke, "Thank you, Ladybug! Thank you for saving me!" Marinette's voice calls out.
Miz B's eyes grow wide and furious. She zooms through the smoke cloud, followed closely behind by Ladybug and Chat.
Miz B darts from location to location, trying to find the source of Marinette's voice. "Where is she?!" She growls.
With her distracted, Ladybug and Chat wait for an opening.
"Thank you, Ladybug! Thank you for saving me!"
Miz B zeros in on the source, lunging off her butterfly cloud, behind a rooftop chimney. In her clenched hands, she finds the speaker playing Marinette's voice. After the split second of realization, Chat and Ladybug tackle her. Chat restrains her arms as Ladybug unpins the Miraculous from her suit.
"Nooooo!" She wails as she detransforms back into Chloe, Chat holding her hands behind her back.
Marinette tosses the butterfly Miraculous into the air, "Miraculous Ladybug!"
A flash of pink radiates out from them, encompassing the entire city.
Ladybug shields her eyes from the flash of light, unconsciously holding her breath until the ringing in her ears subsides.
She cautiously opens her eyes.
"Then, it is my honor to now pronounce you husband, and wife. You may now kiss the bride." The officiant proclaims, taking a step back.
Still taking in her surroundings, Marinette's mouth hangs slightly agape, but before she can get any words out, Adrien kisses her passionately, practically lifting her off her feet.
She gratefully kisses him back, as her mind races to keep up with what happened.
He whispers as they part, "Finally," he grins as they face their friends and family together.
The crowd erupts in cheers and claps and whistles as they make their way down the aisle together hand in hand.
Adrien helps gather up her dress as they get into an awaiting limo outside the venue. Gorilla closes the door behind them, quickly wiping away a few tears that had started to well in his eyes.
Once in the privacy of the back of the limo, Marinette spills, "Okay, do you remember everything? The Chloe, Miz Butterfly, thing?"
Adrien nods slowly, "Let's just be glad it's over. That everything seems to be back to normal." He squeezes her hand assuringly.
"But where is she now? Where's the Butterfly Miraculous?" She continues, "What if she tries to do something like that again?" Her voice breaks at the thought.
"Looking for this?" Plagg swoops in triumphantly, holding the Butterfly Miraculous besides Tikki.
"Everything is reset. Plagg and I purified the Miraculous." Tikki announces, "All wrong doings from Miz B are reversed."
Adrien holds out his hand, "I'll watch over it. It was my father's, after all. I feel partially responsible for it." He admits. Plagg places it in his hand and he tucks it away inside his suit jacket. The Kwami's exchange a nod and disappear back into their hiding spot.
"What about Chloe?" Marinette asks, "She's tried to kill me, at least twice now."
"I promise she'll never come near you again. I'll do everything I can to bring her to justice." He kisses her hand, "But no more worrying, please. After all that, I think we deserve to have a bit of fun at our reception."
She visibly eases, "You're right. No more worrying tonight." She leans her head against him, wrapping her arms around him.
He chuckles softly, "I love you, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng-Agreste."
She tilts her head up and kisses him, "I love you too, Mr. Dupain-Cheng-Agreste."
"Now that has a nice ring to it." He comments, kissing her again as they drive off towards the rest of their lives together.