Adrien rode in the car in silence next to Nathalie. His usual driver sat in the driver's seat and steered them to the one place he didn't want to go back to.

The silver filigree gates opened upon their arrival and they pulled through the gates. Adrien peered up at the huge familiar mansion. He hadn't missed it one bit. Had it always seemed so cold?

Adrien swallowed hard, as the car came to a stop and they both got out. Adrien took a deep breath and followed Nathalie up the long staircase to the huge double doors at the front of the home. If you could even call it home. To him… it felt like a cage. One that held him inside by giants chains and never sought to release him.

"Ready?" Nathalie looked over at him.

Adrien shrugged and let the doors swallow him whole. He peered up the grand staircase to see his father at the top. Gabriel had his hands clutched behind his back and a grimace sat upon his lips.

"What do you think you're doing?" His voice boomed and echoed through the grand foyer.

"What is right." Adrien glared at his father. "I don't want my name in lights any more than it already is!"

"And you think you can do that by trying to ruin my reputation and put me in jail?" His voice grew darker and louder.

"I was hoping it would pull you down from that pedestal your so set on staying on!" Adrien shouted and grinded his teeth together.

"The only one I see on a pedestal, Adrien Agreste! Is you!" His father barked with a snarl.

Adrien cringed at his whole name being called, but bit it back. "All I wanted was to be free, Father. Yet it seems that I can't even have one thing, ONE THING, to myself." His lip quivered and he tried to hold back the pain, the tears. "I want something I WANT to do for once. Not something YOU want me to do." He pointed to his chest desperately clinging to something.

"I agreed for you to be with Plagg if you put the Agreste name on the poster! You've disobeyed me and fallen low, Adrien! You've gone too far this time!" Gabriel glared at his son and talked with jerking movements.

Adrien looked down at his feet. "I've already fixed it, father. It will be resolved in a week."

"I sure hope you're telling me the truth! If I lose this brand? You lose everything too. You hear me?" Gabriel panted in anger.

"Yes, Father." Adrien gave in.

"Now! Go back to Plagg! Tell him you want the Agreste name in bold big print, front and center! Or I will take everything away. That means your freedom." Gabriel spoke softer.

"I'm an adult. You can't do that!" Adrien yelled suddenly and his face began to heat up with anger, his hands became fists.

"Leave before I make you know otherwise!" Gabriel snapped at his son.

Adrien growled and turned on his heel. "Take me back to Plagg!" He spoke angrily to Nathalie.

She jumped and followed him out of the house and back to the silver car.

The whole ride back he had his knee drawn up with his elbow on it. His chin rested on his hand and he peered out the window.

"He really isn't as bad as he seems, Adrien." Nathalie tried to soothe his temper.

"Just-" Adrien ran a hand down his face and talked with his hand. "Don't say anything- please!"

Nathalie kept quiet the whole ride to Plagg's place. They parked out front and Adrien jumped out.

"You're father will be checking up on you." Nathalie shouted out to him from the car.

Adrien scoffed and walked inside with tense shoulders and an anger that would make even the most evil person on Earth jealous.

"Adrien?" Ladybug peered at him from hanging upside down from her silks in the ring.

He sat on the side of the ring and held his hand in his hands. He punched the wall, he sat on and gripped the front of his hair.

"What happened?" Ladybug flipped down the fabric and walked up to him.

She kneeled between his knees and took his clenched hand. Blood seeped beneath his fingernails and she quickly took his hand from him. "You're bleeding." She yanked the thin fabric from her outfit and pressed it to the cuts from his own doing. "You need to stop doing this."

Adrien sighed and let the tears cascade down his cheeks, while he looked at her with pained emerald eyes. She pouted her lower lip with saddened eyes and she grabbed his face in her hands and brought her lips to his. "Don't let him get to you. You're better than him. Better than this." She rested her forehead on his and gestured to the ring around them.

"If I don't put the Agreste name in bold giant print…" He sighed and tried to keep his voice from shaking. "I lose everything. My freedom. This place. And… you."

"Then we'll do what he says. We'll put your name in lights. Whatever it takes to gain you the freedom you want." Ladybug smiled at him and kissed his cheeks and lips in small quick pecks.

"I have to tell Plagg." Adrien got up from where he was sitting and stumbled towards Plagg's office.

"Wait!" Ladybug grabbed his wrist and he didn't fight her. His shoulders slumped and he peered back at her with sad eyes. "I'll tell him. You go lay down. I'll bring you a glass of water and we'll hang out for a bit." She smiled and he shrugged.

"Bold giant print. Agreste. Ok?" Adrien grabbed her hands and looked at her with big forest eyes.

Ladybug nodded and kissed the back of his hand. "Bold big print that says Agreste." Marinette repeated for good measure.

Adrien nodded and made his way to his room. Ladybug adjusted her outfit and walked to Plagg's office with a purpose. She slammed his door open and he nearly dropped the cigar from his lips. His feet fell off of his desk.

"I don't like this one bit, but we have no choice. Gabriel seems to have come through with detailed demands. He wants Agreste in bold big print. Front and Center on the poster." Ladybug growled and fell into the office chair across his desk.

Plagg's eyes got big. "The old man finally cracked."

"He's threatened Adrien if we don't do it." Ladybug sighed unamused.

"That bastard. He's always been so cold. Especially towards his own blood." Plagg set the cigar back between his lips. "Alright, we give him what he wants."

He made note somewhere to change the poster according to Gabriel's desires.

"Now, I'm gonna go try and fix the thing he broke." She growled and stormed out of Plagg's office.

"Good luck! You'll need it! Some things aren't fixable." Plagg sighed and looked at the note he had made with sad eyes. "That kid doesn't deserve this bullshit."

Ladybug opened Adrien's bedroom door to find him in a black mask with black ears. He wore a black deep v-neck tee, that had a hood, and neon green joggers.

"You okay?" Ladybug bit her lower lip.

He peered up at her with a blank stare that scared her.

"I'll take that as a no…" Ladybug sighed and sat beside him with her knees to her chest. "So… you're Chat Noir now?"

He nodded with something dark behind his eyes.

"You know… I'm all for being an alter ego, but somehow, I don't think this is healthy." Ladybug looked over at him and smiled. She grabbed his hands and yanked him up from the bed.

She hit the radio on in the room and pulled him close to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and peered up at him. She began to rock them around in a circle in the most simplistic slow dance.

Ladybug began to sing sweetly to the song and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Adrien's eyes calmed and he began to move them in more intricate movements. He spun her out and back into him and rocked them back and forth with her back to his chest.

He spun her around to face him and pulled her close to his chest. Her hand in his and his other hand on the thinnest part of her waist.

"There's the Chat, I know." Ladybug gave him a fond smile and peered at him through her lashes.

"It seems only my Lady can pull me from my deepest Hell." Adrien touched her chin and brought his lips down to hers.

Song: River by Bishop Briggs