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Chapter Summary: In which Ladybug meets an old friend
"This is where it is?" Adrien asked uneasily as he turned onto another dirt road paved for the National Forest Office Patrol.
Though she had reassured him that the NFO wouldn't be around during these hours, he still turned on his lowlights and was leaned against the steering wheel like an elderly driver who'd lost their glasses. The tall trees lined the dark pathway, some leaning so far over that they scrapped the top of his car. His bad feeling skyrocketed as his left wheel hit a pothole and she let out small squeal of surprise.
"Sorry about that! I forgot to warn you about the holes in the road."
Adrien sighed. Curse her blue eyes, he thought bitterly, who knew I was such a sucker?
"The Orphanage is further back. You'll know when you see it." She started unbuckling her seatbelt and Adrien frowned.
"I'll go in," he said swiftly. "Just in case the assassin is there. I want you to stay in the car where it's safe. If I don't come out in three minutes, you'll need to drive away as fast as you can. And if you do, make sure to find a deserted place and try to pick up another vehicle. Maybe I should have told you how to hotwire a car-"
She exhaled loudly and shot him an annoyed glance. "Look, Monsieur Agreste-"
"Adrien," he immediately corrected.
"Adrien," she emphasized, "I appreciate you saving my life and risking yours to come find me, but you can't stop me from going in there. These people are my friends . I refuse to be treated like some damsel in distress."
You are no damsel in distress. He thought giving her a sideways glance. She was wearing his jacket now, still looking tiny and yet large at the same time. You cried for about twenty minutes for people who just died right in front of you. Somehow you've forced me of all people to drive you right into danger once more. Probably right into the assassin's hands. You're crazy, but you are no damsel in distress.
"There it is!" She shouted, startling Adrien slightly. He looked out his windshield and noticed a short, one-story building emerging from the tall trees like a haunted cottage. The building was completely dark inside.
The blond man glanced at the clock on his dashboard: 23:10 .
Either it was already bedtime or he had just made a dreadful mistake.
"Is it usually this dark here?" he asked, pulling the car around to the front. The building reeked with ominous foreboding. To his surprise, she nodded.
"We have to. Bright lights can cause panic in newly freed akuma. It's a safety precaution. They can get violent and hard to control when they're like that. Hurting themselves or others."
Adrien put the car into park and she opened the door. He reached out and caught the arm of the jacket as she was trying to leave. She looked at him questioningly.
"Trust me when I say that this is a bad idea, mademoiselle. I have good instincts and they are all telling me to run away from this place right now. I want you to stay behind me at all times. If the assassin shows up, promise me you will do exactly what I say when I say it. Don't question. Just do. Got it?"
Their eyes locked together. He saw the swirls of emotions flashing through her mind. Her blue eyes tightened, but she nodded. Adrien let her go and climbed out of the driver's side. Leading the way to the front door, he felt a small hand grab his fingers and he jumped in surprise.
"Not through the front. There's a side entrance. That's the door I usually take. It's this way." She pulled him to the left, her bare feet crunching the blades of grass. He followed obediently wondering why he was unable to say a word back.
She led him to a dark wooden door just around the corner. Adrien gently pulled her behind him, let go of her hand, and reached into the back of his jeans for Alya's pistol. Her eyes widened.
"Don't bring that out!" she hissed. "The poor akuma will go crazy!"
"If they are even alive…" he hissed, giving her a frown. He watched her purse her lips, but look away.
As Adrien reached to knock on the door, it opened wildly and hit him square in the face. He almost fell to the ground. Catching himself on the brick wall, he held his throbbing nose as a tall, red-haired man ran like a blur out the door and swept up Marinette into his arms.
"Mari! You made it! You got here so fast!" The man was spinning her around, her feet dangling off the ground.
"Nathaniel! You scared me! Put me down!"
Adrien straightened up and tried to blink the tears out of his eyes as the redhead let go of her and her feet landed safely on the ground. Nathaniel put his hands on her shoulders, beaming at her happily. "We've been waiting for you. Wayzz did it."
"What did Wayzz do?" she asked curiously.
"He freed Luka."
It felt as if an inaudible gunshot had gone off. Adrien could see the moment every thought was stripped from her. Her blue eyes widened, her mouth fell open, and her hands lifted to press against the sides of her face. Her gaze slipped past Nathaniel and to the open door.
"Luka- " she whispered - and brushed past Nathaniel to run into the dark building.
"Wait!" Adrien called and moved to follow her, but was suddenly blocked by a scowling face.
"You're the new guy, huh? Why didn't you tell her about Luka like you promised?" The man - Nathaniel - was sporting shoulder length shaggy red hair and stared suspiciously at him through brilliant green eyes. Eyes almost greenier than his own.
The blond blinked in surprise. "Wh-what? Tell her about-"
"Yeah, you said over the phone you'd tell her about Luka. Why didn't you?"
"On… the phone…?" Adrien's brain was trying to keep up. He'd lost Marinette, he was facing down an increasingly irate man blocking his way to her, and he was somehow involved in some phone call? Casually slipping his gun back into his jeans, Adrien held his hands up in surrender.
"I never answered a phone. I saved her life and brought her here."
Nathaniel's scowl clipped with confusion. Using the moment, Adrien easily slipped past him and hurried into the doorway. His heart sagged with relief as he spotted Marinette speaking softly to a short woman with a blonde pixie cut. Whatever happened to stay behind me at all times? He thought darkly as he surveyed the room. It was a living area with small threadbare couches and a tiny TV. Just like the rest of the house, the room was dark. Small lights in each corner of the room provided just enough to see and avoid furniture. Adrien checked each doorway suspiciously before stepping closer to the pair of women. Suddenly, Marinette threw her arms around the pixie woman just as she burst into tears.
"Fu… Gina… this can't be happening. Just when we were gaining momentum… They're dead? Oh, Marinette! How horrible! What are we going to do?"
"What's going on in here? Rose?" A deeper feminine voice came from the doorway and Adrien's hand automatically flew to touch his gun as another woman entered the room. She had a willowy figure with long dark hair with purple highlights at the tips. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the blonde's tears.
"Juleka," Marinette's voice was soft, "is Luka really…?" She seemed unable to finish the rest of the sentence.
Juleka came forward and took Rose from her. With a soft nod, she said, "He's with Wayzz. He's been asking for you."
"Who is Luka?" Adrien asked and immediately felt like the intruder he was. Every eye landed on him and Juleka frowned tightly.
"Marinette, who is this?"
The raven-haired girl blinked as if she'd forgotten he was there. "That's Adrien Agreste. He saved me from the bakery. He can be trusted."
"Wait, saved you ? What happened at the bakery?" Juleka demanded.
Marinette nodded to teary-eyed Rose to explain and hurried out the room. Adrien followed, his long legs catching up to her quickly. The house was bigger than he originally thought and shaped like a long rectangle. She passed three large bedrooms occupied by several rows of cots and sleeping figures. The freed akuma , Adrien realized, before she stopped short at a closed door. With a hesitant breath, Adrien watched as she opened it and peered inside.
"Marinette!" A squeaky voice called out with relief and the door opened wide to have yet another woman crash into Marinette's arms. Her dark hair in a bob, her blue eyes wide, she could have been Marinette's sister. "You made it! Luka-"
"Tikki, I need you to do something for me." She let go of the short girl to stare her straight in the eye. "You have to evacuate the akuma. Use the escape tunnel. We've been found out. The man hunting us is in the police. Have someone watch the north path. He could be coming here. I need to speak with Luka, so if you could-"
"Don't say another word," Tikki cut in with a brave shine in her sky blue eyes. "We are always prepared in case this happened. I'll start the evac process and let Caline know and," her gaze drifted to Marinette's pajama shorts and Adrien's thick jacket, "I'll get you some different clothes. I'm pretty sure I have some of your racing gear in my drawers. If that's okay?"
"Thank you," Marinette smiled briefly, but it was twisted off her lips as soon as Tikki left through the doorway. Tikki shot a curious look at Adrien, her blue eyes narrowing at his face before heading off down the dark hall.
Marinette took a deep breath, as one would do before entering a morgue, and step inside the room.
Wayzz was the first thing she saw. His messy jet-black hair and goofy green shirt stood out in the dimly lit room. Pushing his round glasses up his nose, he never looked her way as he continued to rummage through a box of electrical equipment in the middle of the room. Lining the bare walls on either side of the room were seven cots, each holding an akuma with their eyes closed. Her stomach twisted with apprehension as she flicked from one unfamiliar face to the next. And then suddenly-
"Marinette…"
His voice was like falling into the past. A sunlit room on a boat, a soft smile, a song from her heart, a Jagged Stone guitar pick. His eyes, icy blue in color, but warm like a hearth. A laugh just for her.
Her head immediately turned to the far left corner.
And there he was.
It was Luka - but then it wasn't. Three years. Three long years of servitude and neglect. He was blade thin, his cheekbones jutting out. His hair was long, almost as long as Juleka's. But those eyes - those ice eyes. She would know them anywhere. Her gaze drifted from the familiar and unfamiliar, picking apart each bit of him.
He was lying on the bed, several of Wayzz's machines whirling beside him. He'd been stripped of his shirt, his concave stomach and ribs making Marinette's knees go weak. Deep lines around his mouth, shallow pale skin that showed blue veins, boney arms and collar bones jutting out. Several lines of fluid were connected to him intravenously. The whirling machine gave a small beep and she watched as a line of blood ran down to enter the crook of his arm.
A blood transfusion.
"Luka," his name escaped her lips like a fervent prayer. With a tight gasp that caught in her chest, she hurried to his side. His lips curled with a weak smile. Kneeling beside his bed, she reached to grasp his trembling fingers in her own. Pressing his precious hand against her cheek, she almost shuddered at how cold his skin felt against her face.
"Ma-Ma-Marinette," he said softly, the joking nickname tightening her throat. "Juleka told me. You are Ladybug. I knew it was you."
"You knew about Ladybug?" She asked with awe. His eyes were more hollow close up. She also noticed - with a sick twist in her stomach - that there was a puckering scar where his left ear should be.
"Of course, I did. You flew so beautifully on your bike in the races. I knew it could only be brave Marinette."
A burn hit behind her eyes. "If I had known… God, if I had known you were there… Luka, I would have tried harder. I didn't know." A tear slipped down her cheek and hit his hand. "I-I… Please, forgive me. Please…"
His thumb brushed under her eye. "I wasn't in the races until last year. I am… was the third akuma for Andre Bourgeois. The newest one with the newest shiny collar. Thankfully, the prototype didn't work as well as they thought. I was obedient, but I could still hear them. I could feel. I could still remember… I remembered you."
Despite the situation, her cheeks blushed.
"Before the collar - before Andre - I don't remember much. It was as if I was asleep in a hazy dream. I think they kept us drugged until we are taken to be strapped in the collars. All I know is suddenly I was awake in a large dark room and..." He stopped, his pale skin growing ghostly.
Suddenly, one of the machines started a loud beep and Wayzz was there in an instant, his fingers flicking through an attached screen. Marinette watched in fear as Luka's face twisted as if in pain.
"What's the matter?" Adrien's voice called from behind her.
Wayzz frowned. "His blood pressure. Too high."
"Calm down, Luka. You're okay. Everything's okay," Marinette called, her other hand rising to touch his forehead. Pushing back the long hair from around his face, her fingers moved to ghost over his missing ear. Just the sight of it sickened her stomach - and deepened her guilt.
She saw something move on the side of her eye and she glanced up to watch Adrien walk closer and kneel on Luka's other side. Gently, he reached for Luka's hand and pressed his thumb on the skin of his wrist. He rotated slowly in circles, moving from the wrist to the crease of his palm. The reaction was almost instantaneous. Luka's body began to relax. His breathing smoothed out and the loud machine stopped beeping.
Catching Adrien's green eyes in wonder, he gave her a small one-shouldered shrug and nodded towards Luka. Marinette made a mental note to ask him what that was the next time she had a chance. For now, Luka groaned and let out a long sigh. Wayzz, now content with his patient's health, moved back to the electrical box in the middle of the room again.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Marinette. I'm sorry," Luka whispered softly. He turned his head to look at Adrien. "I haven't met you yet. Thank you."
"Adrien Agreste, and it's my pleasure." The blond smiled as he continued to massage his thumb into Luka's hand.
Luka's face grew into a frown of thought. "Agreste… you're the mayor's son?"
The short exhale that escaped Adrien's lips signaled a story, but Marinette knew they needed to stay on track. There wasn't enough time.
"I need you to tell me as much as you can, Luka. This is going to be tough, but what you know may save the rest of the akuma still trapped under Hawkmoth's control."
His eyebrows crashed as anger flashed across his face. " Hawkmoth … yes, I know a few things about him. I know Andre knows who he really is. Andre was Hawkmoth's bookkeeper, guarding and covering up all of his crimes. He is the reason Hawkmoth grew so powerful. Andre was the mayor during the kidnapping. He always was in league with him - probably from the very beginning. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire akuma concept had been his idea."
"Andre Bourgeois knows who Hawkmoth is?" Marinette repeated, leaning closer with growing excitement. Her hand on his face trailed to his bony shoulder. "He never said anything around you? Not a name or something?"
"He was very careful. Always vigilant. That's what made him such a good bookkeeper. He wouldn't speak of Hawkmoth even with me near. He didn't know I was listening, but… maybe he did. Maybe he sensed I was there. Powerless. Many akuma serve as bodyguards as well as race in the games. I was little more than a plaything for him, a plaything that he could…" He stopped and Marinette's eyes landed on his missing ear once more. "I never learned what happened to the other two akuma before me. I can imagine…"
"I am so sorry, Luka… I should have-"
His hand, still pressed against her face, slid to the side of her neck in such a tender gesture of affection, the rest of her confession caught in her throat.
"There is no apology necessary. Especially from you. You are my hero, Marinette."
A raw strength surged through her at those words. "I promise - I promise I will do everything in my power to save everyone. I will take Hawkmoth out."
A smile of pride lifted on his lips. "If anyone can do it, it's you. I dreamed of the day I'd get to see you again. I thought it would never happen. I thought my future was another body bag taken from Le Grand Paris Hotel. But, here you are. Saving the world. Saving me. Just as strong and beautiful as I remember."
"Le Grand Paris Hotel?" Adrien suddenly spoke up - breaking the moment. As Marinette and Luka glanced at him, he blushed brightly. "That's where Andre lives?"
Luka nodded. "He owns the hotel. He's in the VIP suite on the top floor."
Marinette caught Adrien's eye and he read her thoughts. "He could be a lead. If we can get him to talk."
"I can think of a few ways," Marinette said coldly.
Luka's face crossed with concern. "You're leaving?"
Placing a hand on his fingers at her neck, she nodded. "I have to keep my promise, Luka. You will be with Juleka and Rose. You'll be safe and Wayzz will take good care of you-"
"Marinette!" Tikki's voice rang down the hallway. "Marinette! There's a cop car coming down the north pathway!"
Her heart flew. Her hand dropped from Luka's and she was on her feet in an instant. She ran to the doorway - Adrien at her heels.
"Marinette!" She heard Luka call, but she couldn't go back. Not when so much was at stake.
"I promise!" She shouted over her shoulder.
Tikki emerged from a room on the right, clothes in her arms and her blue eyes wild. Without another word, she shoved the clothes into Marinette's arms and hurried into the recovery room.
"Wayzz! Time to pack up! We gotta go now!"
"But I just found the-"
"No! We are in danger! We are evacuating!"
Marinette turned to Adrien in the hallway. "I have to help them escape. You don't have to stay with me anymore."
The way his green eyes flashed made her heart jump unexpectedly in her chest. A crash of something she couldn't identify rushed through her and she felt it warm her cheeks. He grabbed her shoulders firmly and shook his head, golden hair swinging over his forehead.
"No. I'm not leaving you. If you stay then I'll stay, too."
"You've done enough, Adrien! I can't be the cause of anyone else's death - especially someone who wasn't part of it to begin with! You should take the car and go!"
"Not without you." She stood blinking at his declaration. His green eyes shining brightly down at her, she saw the strong resolve from every inch of him. "I'm in this now. I can't turn my back now that I know what's been going on these past three years. Look…" a thought crossed his handsome face and he announced, "we could be a distraction!"
Before she could gather her words to ask, Wayzz appeared rolling a cot with an akuma on it to the doorway.
"Get out of the way, Marinette!"
Stepping together into another room to let Wayzz pass, Adrien turned to her with a calculated look.
"The assassin wants you, right? How about we lead him away from the Orphanage?"
"Lead him…? In your car? But what if he doesn't follow?"
"I'll drive slow enough for him to chase us. We can at least buy them time to evacuate everyone. We also need to get to Andre Bourgeois. You have a promise to keep, right? You can't keep it holed up with the akuma."
It irritated her that he had a good point.
Caline, her short reddish locks disheveled, appeared panting at the doorway. Her usual cheerful smile was replaced with a look of cold fear.
"Ah, Marinette! Is there anyone left in here?"
"It's clear. Wayzz needs help with the collared akuma," Marinette informed. "Tikki just told me there's a cop coming. He might be the one who killed Fu and Grandma. You can't let him get the akuma."
"Oh, Fu, Gina... I'm not sure if Tikki or Wayzz know yet. But what about you?" Caline stepped forward a little more, her face concerned.
Marinette felt Adrien's eyes burrowing holes on the side of her face.
And she made a decision. She had to keep her promise.
"We have a lead we need to follow. Andre Bourgeois knows who Hawkmoth really is. We need to go to Le Grand Paris Hotel. We'll try to lead the assassin away from you. Get him to follow us. Anything to give you enough time to escape. How long do you think you guys need?"
"We've got most of the mobile akuma getting ready for the tunnels. Looks like it's just Wayzz's group that's left then. Considering we are handling the cots, I would say as much time as you can give us," her bright eyes flashed, "but Marinette! That is so dangerous! You shouldn't-"
"It's the only way, Caline. I wish I could help you, but I can't stay."
Caline hurried forward and kissed both her cheeks with tears welling in her eyes. "My brave, selfless little Ladybug. Be safe."
"Hurry! Go!"
As the red-headed lady left the room, Marinette turned to Adrien with a short breath, a burn behind her eyes, and her fear piling.
But this was what they had to do. And they were going to do it.
"Let's be a good distraction."
Next up: When Ladybug and Black Cat get an unexpected plus one
I am one of those that actually thinks Luka is good for the progress of Marinette and Adrien's relationship. Also, he's a pretty good character in the show - might get some heat for saying that, but it's true. He stirs up the love square in a good way.
HOWEVER, though Luka got a lot of screen time in this chapter, don't fret. I've only just started getting this ball rolling. So trust me when I say this: I will always be a love square fanatic
*cough* Marichat *cough* *cough*
Lots of love has gone into this story and I'm updating pretty fast. Please let me know thoughts and feelings. I love them all!
R-N