Gabriel watched in envy as Adrien pulled Marinette close to him. The two of them radiated an aura of pure joy which caused a strange anger within him. If Adrien disappeared into the sunset with his love Gabriel would be alone in his despair- he truly would be alone. He turned his Back on them and returned to the car; unable to face the pain he felt any longer.

Upon returning to his home he silently entered his room and locked the door- ignoring Natalie's concern as he once again locked himself away. He sat at his desk and rested his head in his hands as he considered his options. He needed a new plan, Akumatising people simply wasn't getting him anywhere. He had hoped that holding Marinette prisoner would undoubtedly work but he got greedy and concocted a plan that might help him find out both Lady Bug and Cat Noir's identity, he should have simply found out Cat Noir's identity and the rest would have followed.

He raised his head with a slight grin as he realised what he needed to do. Marinette was still the only lead he had and she was staying under his roof. He still believed that she could be Lady Bug but whether she was or wasn't didn't matter right now- he would return to his original plan and one way or another he would succeed this time! He wouldn't make the same mistake again! After an hour of being locked in his office he surfaced to find Natalie. She looked warily at his newly found good mood as he spoke to her "where are Marinette and Adrien?"

Natalie opened her messages "Adrien informed me that he was staying out with some friends and that he would be back later" Gabriel nodded in response "very well inform me as soon as they return". He was restless and eager to put his plan into motion but until Marinette came back he could not do anything…could he? Why not send another Akuma out and try his luck once more until they return. He remembered the crushed young woman who he had so abruptly dismissed and sure enough through the eyes of his butterfly he found her wallowing in loathing and sadness at her failure.

He did not expect to win but he did hope to learn something from this and strangely enough it was not Lady Bug and Cat Noir who turned up- it was a new hero? No this was Cat Noir's powers but it was another using it. She didn't stop to attack the Akuma victim and soon disappeared- what was going on? Soon after Cat Noir reappeared with Lady Bug- had Lady Bug borrowed Cat Noir's powers? Hawk moth laughed to himself "never mind, it is of no consequence Cat Noir's miraculous will be mine soon enough anyway!"

It didn't take long for the duo to defeat his Akuma but he expected nothing less. However an unwelcome sense of guilt clawed it's way into his heart as he thought of what his son would think to him kidnapping his girlfriend and holding her hostage he needn't know… but I want him to be happy…an internal debate took place inside as he agonised over the painful decision he was making that would involve betraying his son.

He had rationalised that he had no intention of harming her- she was just to be detained until he managed to get Cat Noir and Lady Bug again. At the end of it all Adrien would want the same thing he did- the return of his mother.

Natalie knocked on his door and a muffled voice followed "Mr Agreste... they are back, I went to summon them for you but it seems they are in the bathroom taking a shower" Gabriel laughed despite himself fine- let them have some fun before I put my plan into action. He erased any guilt that was remaining; it didn't matter because all would be well in the end and Adrien would forgive him.

He paced around for a few hours until the early hours of the morning- he did not want a commotion and he did not want to involve Adrien. He had a plan and with any luck he could get Marinette past Adrien without him waking up. It was 3.47 am and he knew so much could go wrong he needed to trust that his son was a heavy sleeper like he was.

He lightly knocked on Adrien's door- he waited for a reply but none came. He tried the handle but the door was locked. Impatiently he knocked again and sighed in relief as light footsteps approached him; they were too light to belong to Adrien. Marinette peered around the door with confused and sleepy eyes which soon widened as they came to rest on Gabriel's face "wha…is everything ok? Do you need Adrien?"

Gabriel shook his head and tried to offer a kind smile "I apologise for disturbing you this late but I wondered if you could help me with something? You don't need to wake Adrien…I would rather he not know; I don't wish to worry him". He knew that she was a kind girl and any plea for help would not fall past her. Just as he predicted she nodded and shut the door behind her gently.

She followed him through the silent house and into his room waiting with extreme curiosity as he shut the door behind him and locked it.

Adrien jumped out of his bed with mounting dread as he looked around his room for Marinette. She wasn't in the bathroom was she? He knocked and waited with held breath listening for any sign of movement, however there was no reply. He threw the door open and looked around in a panic- the bathroom was cold and empty with the tiled floor glistening with water that remained from their shower.

He tried to breathe calmly as he entered his room again; there was no need to get so worked up, this was a big house and she could have gone for a drink and gotten lost. He pulled on his robe and left his room to search else where.

He peered into every room he came across and with each empty room he found his fear took a tighter grip over his whole body and soul. He had ran the length of the house five times over and even returned to his room to check if she had come back but there was still no sign of her. He looked at the large clock mounted on the wall and noted it was 6am- what could she be doing at 6am?

The house was empty and still and he knew that there was no choice but to search for her and so he transformed and left the house so that he could check all of Paris if he must to find her.

He jumped from street to roof- from roof to ally. She was no where outside and she was not at home or at the college and no matter where he looked she was not to be found!

He searched for as long as his transformation would allow him before he landed hastily into his room once again as Cat Noir faded and Plagg emerged from the ring "I can't find her Plagg! Where could she be?!"

"Adrien!?" All colour faded from his face and shock threatened to paralyse him as he turned to see his father stood in his doorway…there was no way he wouldn't have seen!