Chapter 11

"This is a terrible idea," Tortuga concluded the upteenth time. It took the four friends three days of planning of what to say and how exactly and when exactly in order to be sure that Gabriel actually stops being 'evil' (they even decided to make two or three dofferent plans in case things went wrong), four days of procrastinating till they managed to be confident enough to face Gabriel. During those days, they fought 5 to 7 akuma per day, each of them more and more darker and deadlier; their fights lasted at least 4 hours so they decided that they had to put a stop to this as soon as possible. That is how they found themselves right now in front of the Agreste mansion, as their superhero alteregos.

"Come on, it's not that bad," Volpina said trying to be positive.

"Aah, no, not at all," the turtle hero muttered sarcastically.

"Let's just stick to the plan, guys. Okay?" Chat Noir said. "If anything goes wrong, let me improvise and if the situation really requires fighting only then shall we fight. Okay?" He recieved a collective mumble of 'okay's. Ladybug pressed the button of the bell and waited for Natalie's reply, that came instantly.

"Who is it?" Natalie's voice came from the intercom.

"The four superheroes of Paris! Chat Noir, Ladybug, Volpina and Tortuga!" Chat cheerfully exclaimed. "We need to speak of an important issue with Gabriel Agreste."

"What kind of issue?"

"Something private only he can know about!" Chat chimed, hoping Natalie would just let them in.

"Please wait a minute." In a bit - to Chat's great relief - Natalie let them in. The four teens warily stepped in, anxious as to how things will work out. Gabriel Agreste stood in all his rigid glory at the top of the stairs looking down at the teen heroes curiously and expectantly.

"Please come into my study. We shall discuss whatever needs to be discussed," he said. The kids followed him into the spacious and modern room with the humongous painting of Adrien's mother. Once everyone was seated, Chat spoke.

"I have no idea how to put this exactly, without being rude or pushy."

"In that case just put it bluntly. I'll take it as if you were speaking politely," Gabriel suggested with a quirked brow. This was getting more and more intersting.

"Well then, please give up on taking our miraculouses, Hawk Moth," Ladybug said strongly. Gabriel's eyebrows shot up so high Chat feared they'd fly off.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard her," Chat sighed. "This is serious, sir." Gabriel leaned back and looked at the teenagers, brows furrowed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"Du- sir, we know you're Hawk Moth," Tortuga sighed meaningfully.

"Therefore we ask you to please give up on taking Chat's and Ladybug's miraculouses," Volpina finished pleadingly.

"What makes you think I'll give up on my dream? I need your miraculouses, period." Gabriel stated hardly.

"Sir, you don't understand-"

"No, young Ladybug. You don't understand," Gabriel said coldly, slapping his palms on the table, standing up. "Do you even know why I need your miraculouses?!"

"I know you want to bring back your wife-"

"Oh, do you?! Do you know how it is to lose someone you love?! The only one who understands you?!" Gabriel yelled. This made Chat snap. They were already straying from the plan, so he started improvising with sincerity. He too slapped his palms on the table and looked deeply in his father's eyes.

"I do," he said with similar coldness. "I do know the feeling of loosing someone. I know you want to bring her back, but trust me, it won't go well. Because if you do bring your wife millions of people will perish in WWIII and you're definitely going to lose the only other person whom you're supposed to care for. And that person is me, father." Anger seeped from Chat, stunning everyone in the room.

"Come again?" Gabriel asked gaping. Bkinking, the adult sat down.

"I'm saying this father because I don't want to lose you too." Chat detransformed and held Plagg in his palm. Gabriel's jaw fell as he took a trembling breath. "I miss mother too. I really miss her, father," Adrien's downcast face, his sad and broken eyes that were starting to tear up, broke Gabriel's heart. "But bringing her back won't solve the problems. It will only cause a third world war and you won't be happy. Please, let her go, father. She needs tp see us being able to move on from her death and be able to think back happily to our memories with her." By now Adrien's voice was quavering and a tear trickled down gis cheeks. Gabriel instinctively reached out and brushed the tear away; Adrien rubbing his face in his father's big palm. In the moment's privacy, the three heroes sneaked out and let them sort this through in a father-son moment. Though they waited in front of the door in case something went wrong. Gabriel continued to stroke his son's cheek, biting back a few tears himself.

"A-Adrien, do you know why I wanted to bring your mother back at all costs?" He finally asked, motioning for Adrien to sit in hus lap. Adrien's breath hitched as he curled in his father's exceptionally warm embrace. Oh how he missed these moments from when he was small: he used to curl up like this whenever he couldn't sleep, and his mother would bring him some herbal tea to calm his nerves, and he'd fall asleep to his father's and mother's heartbeat sorrounding him. Gabriel tightened his hug around Adrien and let a wary Plagg rest between them.

"Why did you want to bring her back... dad?" Adrien quietly asked as he burried his face in to crook of Gabriel's neck. None of them noticed a Volpina snapping a few (a lot) pics through a slightly opened door.

"Dad, huh?" Gabriel huffed out a laugh. "Anyway, the reason was because I wanted you to be happy. I never wanted you to grow up in a family that missed members. I only wanted you to have her back, so you wouldn't need to suffer as a kid due to the loss of your mother." Adrien was at loss of words. His father... his dad wanted to bring his mother back for him.

"I appreciate it," Adrien sincerely said. "But dad, mom is gone. All I need now is that you properly take care of me. Promise you'll spend more time with me like this?"

"I promise, my son, I promise," Gabriel murmured squeezing his son.

"And dad... I... I love you."

"I love you too, Adrien, and I promise to tell it to you more." Adrien looked up at him with one of his most radient and honest smiles and kissed his father's cheek, supressing a giddy squeak when his father kissed his cheek back. Three certain people weren't able to supress their happiness, and they tumbled in the room, squealing and blushing at tge fathee-son fluff they saw. The three heroes grinned up at the two Agrestes, happy to see them finally make up.

"Oh, my God guys," Adrien covered his face. To say he was mortified at his friends' behaviour was an understatement. He was still sitting in his father's lap, arms around his neck, feet dangling as he didn't quite reach the floor due to his father having long limbs.

"May I at least know who the heroes are?" Gabriel inquired with a quirked brow, a small, thankful smile.

"Well, why not?" Ladybug grinned stanting up and detransforming. Soon, Nino and Alya stood in Tortuga's and Volpina's place too.

"I should've figured you were all under my nose and close friends," Gabriel laughed shaking his head; the teens sheepishly grinned scratching their heads. That evening Gabriel invited the teens for a dinner and a sleepover along with the parents. Needless to say it turned out awkward in the beginning, but soon everyone warmed up to each other and played lots of games, ate lots of snacks and fell asleep all snuggled up cosily.