**Takes place concurrently with Marinette's following their engagement.**


Adrien climbed in through his bedroom window and dropped his transformation. Plagg flew out and landed on his pillow with a thud. His head was foggy and he was pleased with himself.

"What are you so happy about?" Adrien smirked.

Plagg waved him away, "Genius at work. I'll take a coffee with a side of camembert, hold the coffee."

Adrien rolled his eyes, "You wish, and you can wait. I need a shower-right now."

Plagg glared at his human as he walked into the bathroom. When the door closed he heard Adrien let out an excited squeal. Plagg could easily imagine the happy dance that accompanied the exclamation. It was the tiny cat's turn to roll his eyes.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Adrien distractedly stripped off his clothes. He hadn't even noticed he was still in his socks when he climbed into the shower. As soon as the water hit the material he mindlessly peeled them off and threw them over the glass shower stall. He leaned against the wall of the shower and proceeded to roll himself against it, back and forth, front to back, the whole length and back again. The feel of the cool water droplets on his skin, in contrast with the hot shower, felt amazing. His mind was still reeling. He was engaged. He was getting married. The whole idea of it seemed unreal. He kept repeating his grounding exercises from years of therapy to let him know that it was, indeed, real.

"I can't believe it," he finally said, hopping up to hang on the towel bar in his shower, "I'm going to be married...to Ladybug!"

His reverie was broken by a BAM! At this point, a Plagg with his eyes squeezed shut, came flying into the side of the glass door.

"PLAGG!" Adrien shrieked. "What do you need?"

"Well, now that we're going to be getting married, don't you need to tell your dad."

Adrien's eyes widened and he dropped to the shower seat. "Ugh." He was not looking forward to that. "Plagg, was that all you needed? To interrupt my shower to tell me something I'd get to eventually? Was it necessary to interrupt? Am I only allowed one minute of happiness?"

"You forgot my cheese," the tiny cat added. Then with a sigh he left the direction he came.

As he was heading out Adrien yelled after him, "AND WE'RE NOT GETTING MARRIED! I AM!"


Natalie was sitting at her desk filing some papers for Mr. Agreste. Her glasses were perched on the bridge of her nose and her hair was a little out of place. Just yesterday she'd lied to the young Mr. Agreste, through omission, and though she was often cold she wasn't heartless. She'd always seen Adrien as a nephew or a younger cousin; he was practically family. Not that she'd know what that was like.

Adrien's mother had discovered Natalie as a teenager when Mrs. Agreste's husband was still trying to break into the design scene. Natalie was one of his first, and successful, models, but she outgrew that stage of her life. In fact, if she hadn't made that promise to Mrs. Agreste, a little over a year ago, she'd have left this stage of her life. She never realized just how hard being without her mentor was going to be.

Yesterday, she'd lied to Adrien. Looks like she and her mentor had that in common, but it didn't make her feel any better about it. In fact, Natalie felt betrayed when Mrs. Agreste disappeared, and now she felt like she was betraying the only person in the world who still loved her, even if he never said it. She could tell he was heartbroken yesterday when she didn't tell him what he was walking into. She sent him into the lion's den, unarmed, and she felt like dirt afterwards. The thing is, Natalie was a loyal person and she was doing her job. Gabriel had asked her not to tell Adrien anything, but to send him in to his office.

Gabriel. He wasn't the same as he used to be. Once up on a time he'd been a great employer, a loving father, and a wonderful friend. He's changed in the last year or so in Mrs. Agreste's absence. He was distant, cold, and closed off. Occasionally, she could see hope flicker in his eyes, but then it would be replaced with a cold, black, unfeeling stare. She didn't want to give up on him, but there was very little she could do with his situation. It was up to Natalie to stay and look out for Adrien. Without Adrien she was sure she'd have given up a long time ago, and part of her feared Gabriel would have, too.

Her head was swimming with self-reproach when Adrien entered.

"Good afternoon, Adrien."

"Natalie," he nodded curtly, "Is my father in his office?"

She glanced at the door nervously. She'd been instructed not to disturb him. He had not, however, clarified Adrien couldn't. Plus, she couldn't lie outright. She'd done enough lying to him in the last couple days. "He is..." she drawled to imply there was instruction there.

Inferring that his father did not want to he disturbed, he nodded again in understanding, and barreled through the door, regardless. "Father, I am getting married. Cancel with Ms. Chantclaire , as I have found my future Mrs. Agreste."

His father stiffened at his use of his mother's title. This new woman would have big shoes to fill. "Oh? And when do I get to meet this new woman?"

"In due time."

"You do understand I will need verification, yes? Forgive me, as I am a businessman."

"I will be sure to get the documentation to Natalie." But how was he going to do that without revealing his wife's identity to himself and his father. Natalie.

"Be sure to do so. Is that all?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good day, then."

"Good day." Adrien walked away satisfied. This meeting could have gone so much worse. He let out a sigh of relief as soon as the door had closed.


Gabriel turned to face the portrait of Adrien's mother, "I suppose he will do this your way, petite pois." With that, he sat at his desk and dropped his head into his hands and cried. Gabriel Agreste was not a man for emotion, but this was the tipping point. His son despised him. He'd have despised him, too. Hell, he despised himself now. There was little he could do. He'd betrothed Adrien to Elise before he could walk. His wife was completely against the idea, but Gabriel was a man of his word and it was already done. Mrs. Agreste, for Adrien, arranged a contingency to give him even just a smidgen of hope that he could have some say in this matter. She and Mr. Chantclaire came to an understanding that if Elise and/or Adrien were otherwise engaged or married, they would not be obligated to marry one another. This would have to happen before Elise's 24th birthday, which was in August of this year.

Gabriel was sitting in his chair feeling a rush of relief in the turn of events. Not only because of the amount of guilt, but because his wife was still affecting Adrien's life and it made her feel more real. He wanted it to feel like she was still there.