The Chase

The day started just like a normal day.

Marinette woke up late and had to run so that she could make it to her appointments on time.

She had a meeting with the team she was working with at Louis Vuitton about the final touches for the new spring collection.

She had accepted Nicolas Ghesquière proposal to work for him and she was assigned a team to create her designs. She was living the dream. She had been creating two new pieces with her team to join the upcoming fashion show and later to be sold in the stores. She knew she had been given such an important job because Nicolas wanted to see if she had what it takes to be under pressure and still manage to do a good work. In other words, she was on trial. If the pieces she and her team created weren't good enough they wouldn't be on the runway nor in the stores for sale. And it was okay... Marinette knew how the fashion industry worked and she was working diligently. She could not let Nicolas down. He had given her an opportunity that many would kill for and she was giving her best not to disappoint anyone. And pass all classes at school at the same time.

She had been less busy now, since it was Christmas holidays at school, but she still had to study for the upcoming exams and work for the launch of her first real collection. The past couple of months had been crazy. She was working at Louis Vuitton by day and attending school in a post-labor timetable. Needless to say that Ladybug wasn't normally seen in Paris skies these days. She usually did a quick patrol with Rena Rouge once a week, and she still visited Adrien as Ladybug when she didn't find the time during the day.

As exhausting as it was, Marinette blessed the fact that once she got to bed she immediately fell into a heavy dreamless sleep. It was an improvement over the nights she couldn't sleep because of nightmares related to Chat Noir and Adrien. At least like this, she actually slept- barely.

After the meeting she had with her team, she headed to the hospital to check up on Adrien's state and to meet up with Chloe for lunch, like they always did on Thursdays. On the way to the hospital, she stopped by her parent's bakery so she could bring a loaf of bread that had just come out of the oven, a gift for Monsieur Bourgeois.

It was extremely cold outside, so the bread quickly went from steaming hot to freezing.

It hadn't snowed yet, but Marinette was looking forward to that. Paris looked more magical when white.

She got to the hospital by noon. And, not wanting to deprive Chloe's father from the bread he loved so much, she passed by his room first.

Marinette knocked on Monsieur Bourgeois' door, that was already opened and said, "Good morning!"

Chloe's father lifted his eyes from the newspaper he was reading.

"Hello, sweetheart!" he smiled and inhaled the bread's sent, "Hummmm! What've you got for me today?"

Chloe wasn't there yet. Marinette entered the room and giggled. "It's Brioche! Out of the oven, even though it's no longer warm."

"Smells divine!"

"I hope it will taste even better!" Laughed Marinette, placing her bag and coat on the hanger, noticing that Chloe's coat was already there.

"I bet it does!" He said as she handed him the paper bag with the bread. Then she sat on the armchair, that all rooms had.

"Where is Chlo?" asked Marinette pointing at the hanger.

"Oh, she went to the bathroom." Said Monsieur Bourgeois while pulling a chunk of bread of the paper bag, "She should be back any minute now!" he placed the paper bag on the bedside table and gave the piece of bread in his hand a big bite, "This is delicious" he said with his mouth full, making Marinette laugh.

"How are you doing?" Marinette asked, "Any news?"

Chloe's father shook his head slowly, "No. I wish I had some news... My daughter is living half her life in this hospital because of me. I already told her that she shouldn't... She has so much squandered potential and she is just stuck here with me..."

"Don't say that, Monsieur Bourgeois!" Scolded Marinette, looking very serious. "Chloe loves you. She would never be okay with you saying stuff like that and neither am I. Plus, she is happier now than I've ever seen her."

Monsieur Bourgeois shrugged. "I guess you're right..."

"Of course I'm right!"

Monsieur Bourgeois smiled timidly. "She brought her new boyfriend here the other day. He looks like a good kid. I'm happy for them."

"She and Ben are really getting along." Marinette agreed, smiling. "I'm happy for them too."

Chloe entered the room panting, looking extremely worried and like she had been running. Marinette got up from the armchair, her Ladybug senses sharply activated. Did something happen?

"What's wrong, Chloe?" her father asked, frowning.

"Mari! Thank goodness you are here!" She said, ignoring her father's question, still catching her breath.

"Calm down, Chloe! What happened?" Marinette asked, holding Chloe's hands.

"It's Adrien!"

Marinette's heart rose up to her throat.

Please, let him be okay...

"He is not in his room! And I can't make the nurses tell me anything about what happened to him!" Marinette stormed out the door, Chloe following her.

Please, let him be okay...

They arrived at Adrien's former room and Marinette held her breath. Like Chloe had said, Adrien wasn't there. There were three nurses cleaning the room in a hurry. Marinette looked around to try to find Adrien's doctor or at least a nurse that was familiar to her. But she didn't... She tried to calm herself down, thinking that this could be good... That Adrien might have wakened up...

Yeah, right! And left the hospital already?

She had been there last night. He had been asleep. There was no way that the doctors had let him leave the hospital already... Trying her best not to think the worst, Marinette stopped a nurse that was passing by and asked, "Hello, can you tell me where I can find Doctor Poudrier?- Please?" She forced herself to add. She knew Adrien's doctor from the time she spent in the hospital visiting. He would let her know what had happened.

"I don't know, dear." She said, but, noticing Marinette's distress, she added, "Try and ask that nurse, over there," She pointed to a woman that was reading from a clipboard, "She is the Chief-nurse and will easily know more than any of us."

"Thank you! So much!" Marinette said, racing towards the nurse in question. "Hello, can you tell me where I can find Doctor Poudrier, please?" she asked once she got the nurse's attention.

The nurse pointed her index finger to Marinette and narrowing her eyes, she said "You're the girl from the news that was making my nurses crazy with your little romance with the Agreste kid!" Marinette blinked, and the nurse sighed, shaking her head with her eyes on the clipboard again. "Doctor Poudrier is on his lunch break. He really needed one if you ask me, with the morning he had..."

Marinette whined with frustration, "When is his lunch break over?"

"It won't be less than an hour, maybe more."

Marinette let herself fall to the wall with her back. She just wanted to know that Adrien was okay... Chloe rubbed her shoulder, letting her know she was there for her.

"But I can try to help you in the meantime." Said the nurse, "I was in charge of the Agreste boy you are looking for."

"You were?" Asked Marinette, and both her and Chloe looked intensely at the nurse, "How come I never saw you- you know what? It doesn't matter! Can you please tell me why Adrien Agreste isn't in his bed?"

"He woke up." Marinette held her breath and shared a hesitant smile with Chloe, feeling hopeful, "And his father decided he should convalesce at home." the nurse sighed disapprovingly, "I know for a fact that Doctor Poudrier didn't want him to go, but the kid's father got what he wanted. Adrien got discharged from the hospital little more than three hours ago, even though everyone here thought he shouldn't. Well, you know how it works... Those with money do whatever they want."

"So you're telling me that Adrien went home?" she asked, starting to feel relieved and excited. Adrien had woken up! She could see him again! Everything was going to be alright!

The nurse nodded, "At least that is what his father was saying to the doctor this morning. I only told you what I heard to relieve your conscience. Now you should wait for the doctor to give you more information or call your friend."

"Thank you so much!" She squealed and hugged the nurse. Then, leaving the nurse feeling pretty awkward about the hug she had received, Marinette went back to Monsieur Bourgeois room to get her purse and coat, always followed by Chloe.

"He is awake, Chlo!" She was saying while walking. "Oh my goodness! I can't wait to see him awake!"

Chloe giggled and asked, "What are you going to do now? Wait for the Doctor!?"

"What!? No! I can't wait that long!" laughed Marinette arriving at Chloe's father's room. "I will go to his place now! Will you come with me!?"

"Wait a second, Mari! You don't know where he is! He either could be at the Mansion or at his apartment... And don't you think we should call Nino and Alya?"

Chloe's father had put down his newspaper and was watching the girls dialog with curiosity.

"You are right..." Marinette said, thinking of what to do next. "Okay, we can call his father and ask where they are! I can't believe he didn't call us letting us know that Adrien is awake!" She added frowning.

"Mari, it's only been three hours since they left the hospital... Maybe he didn't have time yet!" Reasoned Chloe.

Marinette sighed and agreed with a nod of her head... Chloe was right, obviously. But she needed to see Adrien awake.

"You call Alya and Nino and I will call Adrien's father!" Said Marinette picking up her phone from her purse, receiving a wink from Tikki.

Chloe nodded, searched for Alya's phone number and pressed 'Call'.

Marinette did the same with Gabriel Agreste's number, but it went straight to voicemail. With her heart pounding, she called Adrien's phone, that was also turned off.

Noticing Marinette's agitation, Chloe's father asked "Everything alright, Marinette?"

Marinette looked at him, and then at Chloe that was still talking on the phone with Alya.

"Everything should be more than alright... Adrien is awake, but he is missing from his room and I can't reach his phone or his father's." She said falling on the armchair with a defeated rustle.

Chloe hung up the call "Alya and Nino are coming right over to meet us! They were so happy with the news!" Then noticing Marinette's disappointment, she added, "No luck reaching Gabriel, huh?

Marinette shook her head and, regaining her strength, she said, "We will have to split up. Two of us head the apartment and another two the mansion." She got up, "Let's go together to the apartment and call Alya and Nino on the way. The Mansion is on the way here, they can go there." Adrien was awake and she needed to be with him. A little voice in her head whispered that maybe he didn't want to be with her. Why else hadn't he demanded his father to call her the moment he woke up? But she shut down that voice. She didn't need more insecurities right now. Adrien loved her. All of her. She was certain that there was a very good explanation for all of this.

They had returned to the hospital to meet Alya and Nino and talk to the Doctor. No one on the Mansion had opened the doors. Alya and Nino said that the place looked empty. There was no one at the apartment either and Marinette was starting to freak out. She kept calling Gabriel Agreste's and Adrien's phone with no answer.

The Chief-nurse told them that the doctor was seeing a patient at the moment, but would be right back with them. Marinette tried not to question why the nurse was looking at her with such pity in her eyes. Maybe it was the panic talking.

Marinette tried Adrien's phone once again and, this time, it rang. With her stomach contorting with the nerves, she waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?" She heard him on the other end of the line.

Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding, she answered "Adrien! Thank goodness you picked up!" She tried to breathe slowly to calm down her anxiety that was coming out in soft giggles and fighting back joyful tears from falling off her eyes, "We have been looking all over for you! Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Who is this?" He asked after a moment, sounding disoriented.

Never in a million years would Marinette have thought it would hurt this bad. It was his voice! Why was he asking her that? Hawkmoth couldn't have akumatized him! He no longer had his Miraculous.

"Is this a joke?" She asked with her nerves coming back. "Because it's not funny, Adrien." Her friends were looking at her, barely hanging onto the edge of their seats, desperate to know what was happening.

"Who is this?" He repeated in a more determined tone.

Marinette gulped in silence, not knowing what to say or what was happening. Alya held her hand, noticing the face of terror the girl was making.

The Chief-nurse, accompanied by Doctor Poudrier, tapped on Chloe's arm to get her attention. Chloe looked at Marinette and seeing that the girl was still on the phone started asking questions to the doctor, with Nino by her side.

"Hello?" Adrien asked, bringing a horrified Marinette back to earth.

"It's Marinette." She managed to say, but she didn't think he heard, because soon she was talking with Gabriel Agreste.

"Who is this?" He repeated his son's words.

With a wave of anger empowering her, she answered: "It's Marinette!" There was a moment of silence and then she exploded "What did you do to him!? Why isn't he here? Where did you take him?" Everyone in the corridor was now looking at her disapprovingly. She was at a hospital yelling!

"I don't know who this is." He answered making her gasp, "You got the wrong number, miss. Please, don't call this number again." and he hung up.

"WHAT!" She yelled. "I'm going to kill him!"

"Marinette, calm down," Pleaded Alya. Marinette was already calling Adrien again. But the phone was turned off.

A nurse came to them and said, "Miss, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. This is a hospital, people can't just yell in the corridors..."

Marinette's eyes filled with tears. Gabriel had done something to Adrien... This wasn't fair. None of it! How could he!? How dared he!? Turning on her heel, Marinette ran for the exit. She needed some air.

Alya followed her, while Nino and Chloe kept talking with the Doctor.

Once she was outside, Marinette kept running. She wanted to go as far away as possible. Forget everything that had happened. How could Adrien not recognize her voice? How could he trust his father after everything?

"Marinette!" Alya called, out of breath, "Wait! Marinette!"

Marinette turned to an alley and, without thinking twice, she said "Tikki, spots on!" She could hear Alya's frustrated sigh when she climbed to the roof of a building. Marinette sat down on the edge, waiting for Rena Rouge to join her.

"Finally you stopped! I was wondering if I was going to have to chase you across all of Paris." Said Rena Rouge sitting down with Ladybug, "What happened in there?"

Ladybug let out a sob and shook her head.

"I don't know..."

Rena Rouge hugged Ladybug, and let her friend cry on her shoulder for as long as she needed.

After a while, Ladybug broke the embrace to look at her friend. "Adrien picked up. But he didn't recognize my voice." Another wave of sobs threatened to take over Ladybug's body again. Rena Rouge was rubbing her back, but couldn't help but showing her horrified face. Ladybug nodded, knowing all too well what was happening inside Alya's head. "Gabriel Agreste took the phone from Adrien and when he heard it was me he said that he didn't know who I was either and that I dialed the wrong number!"

Rena Rouge looked away for a moment, thinking.

"Okay," She said carefully, "Here is what we know: Adrien woke up and got removed from the hospital he was in." Ladybug rubbed her face with her gloved hands to remove the remaining tears and nodded, "You called him and neither he nor his father recognized your voice." Ladybug nodded once again, "None of them told you where they were?" Ladybug shook her head, her eyes filling up with tears again. Rena Rouge sighed, frustrated, "We don't have enough information. Let go back and see if Nino and Chloe got something out of the Doctor."

"There you are!" Said Nino, when Marinette and Alya met with them in the hospital's cafeteria. "What happened?" He asked, looking like he was holding in information that was going to make him explode any minute now.

They sat down and Alya quickly told them what Marinette had told her. To the girls' surprise, Nino and Chloe nodded knowingly.

"That makes sense." Chloe said with a rough voice.

"What do you mean!? It doesn't make sense at all! He didn't recognize my voice? How could he not know who I am? He wouldn't pretend!" Raged Marinette, beginning to cry again. "Would he?"

"No, Mari, he didn't pretend not to know you. Gabriel did." Said Chloe carefully, then she looked at Nino with a question on her eyes.

"Adrien's lost his memory." Nino breathed, letting out a sigh moments after.

Null. Was Marinette's first and horrifying thought.

Null took it.

"Doctor Poudrier said that he might get it back, but he can't know for sure." Nino continued "They did all sorts of tests and still don't know what is wrong with him."

Marinette let out a chuckle completely devoid of humor and shook her head while a tear ran down her face, "He is not getting his memories back."

Her friends looked at her, shocked by her lack of hope.

"Mari, don't say that..." Protested Chloe, "We have to believe that everything will turn out okay..."

Nino was silent. Marinette was certain that Adrien wasn't going to get his memories back. Not hopeless, but certain... How? And was she right? He couldn't live in a world where his best friend didn't remember him.. it was too much for him to handle... Marinette stood up, interrupting his thoughts.

"We need to go, Alya." She said, looking at Alya with her eyes full of meaning. Somehow, Alya understood what Marinette was saying and stood up too.

"What? Now? Where are you going?" Asked Chloe.

Nino was too confused to talk. They knew something! And they weren't telling them!

"To see a friend." Answered Marinette, vaguely. "Did Doctor Poudrier tell you where is Adrien?"

Chloe nodded and said, "They went back to Milan."

Marinette let out an outraged exclamation. "When I find that son of a..." She mumbled furiously, "I swear, I could kill him right now!" And she took off. Alya followed her, but not without giving them an apologetic glance first.

"Was Marinette talking about killing Adrien just now?" Asked Chloe, confused.

Nino shook his head slowly. "No. I think she was talking about killing Gabriel."

"Because he took Adrien to Milan with him?" She asked frowning.

Nino nodded and stood up. Chloe raised her eyebrows. Was he leaving too?

"I think they know something they are not telling us." He said, looking determined, "Are you coming?"

Chloe's eyebrows rose even higher, "Where?"

"I am going to follow them. I wanna see who this friend they are seeing is."

"Okaaaaay..." Said Chloe getting up hesitantly, "Are you sure we should do this? We can just ask them.."

But Nino was already following the two girls.

"Come on, Chloe. We are going to lose them!"

The chase didn't last long. Marinette and Alya entered a one-way dark alley. A pink and orange light appeared and the next thing they saw was Ladybug and Rena Rouge leaving the same alley and there was no sign of Alya or Marinette in it.

...

...

"Oh. My. God." Muttered Chloe after a while.

Nino's eyes were about to pop out of his head. He slowly nodded.

My freaking girlfriend is freaking Rena Rouge. And Marinette... Sweet Marinette is Ladybug.

"Well, I don't know how you're planning to follow them now." Said Chloe, making Nino chuckle nervously.

"Master Fuu, we need your help," Ladybug said, the moment Master Fuu opened the door. "Adrien needs your help." She corrected.

Master Fuu let them in. They released the transformation. The kwamis' knowledge and advice might help.

"Now, tell me everything." Invited Master Fuu, gesturing for them to sit down.

And that was what they did. They sat down around Master Fuu's tea table and told him that Adrien had woken up and that he'd lost his memory and that his idiotic father had taken him away.

"It was Null's magic that took his memories, wasn't it?" Asked Marinette, urgently.

"I think you might be right." Said Master Fuu, getting up and fetching a teapot and two cups "We can't be certain, but it is very likely."

"Is there anything you can do? Give me an antidote or something... miraculous?" Insisted the bluenette.

"I'm afraid not..." Master Fuu poured some tea in cups for the girls, "Here, drink up. I had just made this when you arrived. It will calm you a bit." Marinette and Alya took a sip from their respective cups. "As you predicted, Marinette, if it was Null that took his memories, they are lost forever. The trade for Emilie Agreste's life must have started before she broke the spell... The only way to get them back would be putting together the creation and destruction miraculous and ask for a Null's miracle. But we won't do that, obviously. We already saw the costs of playing with Null's power."

"But Emilie isn't here... Shouldn't Null have given back Adrien's memories when Emilie broke the spell?" Asked Alya.

"Marinette said that Emilie Agreste walked this earth for at least a few minutes... Null took something equally valuable for her time here." Answered Master Fuu.

"All of Adrien's memories? How is that fair and equally valuable?" Asked Marinette, annoyed.

"I'm just glad he didn't take anything else." Like his life. Master Fuu thought but didn't say it. Null's power was the most unpredictable and dangerous force in the world.

Marinette and Alya sighed, disappointed. There was nothing to be done, then.

Adrien wouldn't remember them... but they could never forget him...

That might be true, but Marinette would not give up on him. Not ever. He had fallen for her twice, hadn't him? Well, third time's the charm!

"There might be a way..." Said Tikki, shyly. All eyes focused on her. "We, Kwamis, share memories with our chosens when we merge together... For example," She said pointing at Marinette, "Marinette, I don't share your memories right now, even though we are living the same moment and hearing the same words, because now I'm talking and you are listening and we are on different bodies." Trixx and Wayzz nodded and smiling, understanding where Tikki was going with this and instantly agreeing that it could definitely work. "But when You are Ladybug, We are one. You never stand alone... When you talk, we are both talking. We share the same memories when you transform, because we merge together. We are Ladybug."

"That could work.." Said Master Fuu, pensive.

"What are you saying? If Adrien transforms into Chat Noir he will get his memories back?" Asked Alya, hopeful.

Marinette drank the rest of her tea. She did feel calmer, her thoughts were clearer. She didn't dare to start forming conclusions before it was all clearly explained to her. She couldn't survive another hit to her heart like she had this morning... Adrien was awake... But he wasn't Adrien anymore...

"No, Alya... Adrien's memories are lost forever, but Chat Noir's aren't. They live with Plagg!" Concluded Tikki, cheerfully.

"I know it's not perfect, but it's better than nothing..." Agreed Marter Fuu.

"So, let me know if I understand," Started Marinette, doubtful, "If Adrien transforms, he will get his Chat Noir memories?"

"Hopefully." Answered Tikki, "As I told you before, nothing like this ever happened. Everything we try might work and might not work as well."

"It's worth a shot..." Said Alya uncertain, looking at Marinette.

Marinette nodded and, looking at Master Fuu, she said: "Thank you, Master Fuu." She got up and Alya mimicked her, "I will make sure that Adrien gets his miraculous back. As Alya said, It's worth a try."

"You are welcome. Keep me informed, will you?" He said accompanying them to the door.

Once they were outside, Marinette started to write furiously on her phone.

"Now what?" Asked Alya, worried for her friend.

Without moving her eyes from the screen, Marinette answered:

"I'm going to Milan."

Tahn-tahn-tahn! Marinette is the best! She won't give up even when everything seems lost!

The reveal to Nino and Chloe just HAPPENED TO HAPPEN! I did not plan it! And I loved how it worked out!

Look forward to reading your thoughts! (*ΦωΦ*)

Stay awesome,

AuriMoon*