Author's note: Sorry for the delay. I got caught up with things! No more long delays, I promise. Well... I'll try to avoid them at any rate. Thanks for the reviews.
/
It was easy to slip Marinette out of the mansion. Too easy… Nathalie has spent the rest of the night keeping a weary yet careful watch to ensure that they've not been followed. To her surprise but considerable relief, everything outside is still.
She's exhausted. It's too hot, as is often the case in Paris in the summer months and they don't have any fans or air conditioning up here in the rafters of the abandoned church. She wants nothing more than to lie down and try and get some sleep. Right now, it feels as if if she were to close her eyelids, sleep would find her instantly. The woman forces herself to remain awake however. It's not an easy task when she finds herself both without a supply of caffeine and if she's honest with herself, still suffering from the effects of her last use of the peacock miraculous. Even now, all these weeks later, she found herself to be weaker than she was accustomed to. It was as unpleasant as it was a hindrance.
Instead, she finds herself tending to Marinette. It's been five hours now and the girl remains unconscious. Her heartbeat is just about back to normal now however and she's showing some signs of being able respond to external stimuli. The progress is slow and gradual but promising, as she has to constantly both remind and inform her companion. It shouldn't be long before the teen has recovered completely and is back with them. She's obviously feeling the cold, so they've tucker her in with a sheet.
Thankfully, forced stasis asides, she seems to be alright. There's no traces of cuts or bruises on her body. Granted, those would almost certainly have healed whilst she was sleeping but it looks as if she was simply locked in there. Of course, they're going to have to wait for the teen to wake up so that she can tell them herself.
Unfortunately, Marinette is not the only one that Nathalie finds herself worrying about. Now Adrien is a concern for her.
The teen hasn't said much other than to enquire about how his friend is doing. He's quiet. Absorbed by his own thoughts into another world, one which he struggles to make any sense of. He's hurt. Not physically, although that was the case only a few weeks ago but emotionally. Whatever Adrien had thought of his father and believed him to be capable of, imprisoning Marinette in such a way wasn't one of them. He's in shock. Slowly but surely, it's turning into a silent rage which she can see burning away inside of him.
He's yet to transform back into his civilian self. Instead, he sits perched somewhat precariously on the edge of an overhanging oak beam. His gaze rests on the horizon. It's lost out there somewhere in the city. Is it the devastation or his former home that he finds himself focusing on?
She can't say. The woman is acutely aware that it isn't healthy to focus to such an extent on such things. It causes rage to build up and that can only be toxic for such an emotional boy. She's been letting him be for the past little while in the hopes that he might be able to pull himself together. Now however, she's come to the conclusion that he's not up to the task, not alone at any rate.
Nathalie hasn't forgotten his words: I'm going to kill him…
A terrible thing for anyone to say, especially a son who had once wanted nothing more than the love of a man whom he cared deeply for.
"Adrien..." She speaks softly. The teen glances over his shoulder to look at her. "Are you alright?"
"Fine." It's a monosyllabic response.
"Lying is one skill you've thankfully still to perfect." The woman tells him gently. "I'm not a fool-"
"I never said that you were." He cuts her short, seemingly insulted by the mere implication.
"I know that you're angry, hurt, that you feel betrayed..." She continues on regardless of his interruption. "It's your right but you can't let those feelings take you over. They can be hard to shake off."
He turns away from the city so that his back is literally facing it. She now has all of his undivided attention. Even behind the mask, Nathalie can see the pain lingering behind the boy's eyes. She's worried about just what damage it could do to him if he keeps it all bottled up. Then, there's what he might do if that rage takes over him, especially in a situation where he could soon find himself confronted with the man responsible for it all. Angry people can be stupid. They can be easily tricked or worse, end up doing something that they then deeply regret. She doesn't want that for Adrien Agreste…
There's a silence for a few moments. It's clear that he's got a lot of his chest which he is eager to try and get off but doesn't quite know how. Finally, after a bit of stuttering and a few false starts, he manages to get out:
"Gabriel… How could he-?" It seems that he's struggling to express himself. "Marinette, she didn't deserve that."
"Of course she didn't..." Nathalie assures the teen. "You're father is desperate. I suspect he probably took Marinette without thinking of the implications. He probably thought that you would arrive in a matter of minutes to rescue her. When you didn't, he found himself with a captive he didn't know what to do with."
"Yeah." The teen speaks bitterly. "I would have if I wasn't busy bleeding out whilst being crushed to death..."
It's hard to know just what to respond to that. She decides against telling him the simple fact that Gabriel would never have done such a thing to his own son. Somehow, she doubts that it would make the situation any better. In fact, she's pretty sure that it would only exacerbate things. Adrien had suffered at his father's hands, there was no denying that much, the knowledge that whilst the man didn't mind inflicting such a fate on a stranger but would hold back from harming his own flesh and blood did little to redeem him. What he lost in sadism, he made up for in selfishness.
Nathalie lets out a sigh. The truth of the matter is that in her mind the man's become near insane with grief. He wants his wife back. Understandable. Unlike the majority of the population though, he sees that there's a way of reviving her. As she slips further and further away, he's grown increasingly desperate and as a result reckless.
"If it weren't for your mother-" She speaks quietly, almost under her breath. "He would never do any of this."
"I miss her too!" The boy snaps, emotional. "-but I'm not destroying the city and sending people to la la land because of it!"
"I know and that's because deep down, you're a better man than your father but-" But what? "Love can do strange things to people's heads."
Adrien frowns. He's not a stupid boy. She knows that much. His emotions sometimes get the better of him. It can make reasoning with him complicated. Recent events have pushed him close to breaking point. He's a fragile soul…
They avoid an argument. Instead, Cat Noir's eyes fall upon the still unconscious figure of his friend. She matters far more than the few strands of lingering loyalty to his father. She's both a source of guilt for him, a constant reminder of his failure but paradoxically also represents hope. If Marinette recovers, then in some small way, he might have redeemed himself. If nothing else, they'll likely need her assistance if they want to defeat Hawk Moth. She might have some precious information they can use, relating to the current whereabouts of the Ladybug miraculous or alternatively could still prove useful if they manage to find her a replacement.
"She's still coming to." The former assistant informs her charge. "It could easily be another hour yet."
"I know..." Adrien mutters, unable to look away.
"Maybe, now that she's no longer in any danger, it would be wise to follow through with our plan. There's no sense in Hawk Moth getting his hands on another miraculous."
They had both agreed on that much. That was before they had discovered Marinette in such a state of course and now, she doubted that the teen would be willing to part from her for even the briefest of periods. She would have liked him to leave. Even if it was just for the briefest of moments so as to clear his head a little. Being away from all of this would do him some good. She wasn't expecting him to forget about it but at least he wouldn't be faced with a constant reminder of just what his father had done. It would be at least a little more peaceful and give him the opportunity to reflect on matters a little more thoroughly and objectively, if it were still possible.
She was expecting an argument, resistance. Instead, Cat Noir slowly got to his feet. Perhaps sensing that he needed to get away from all of this, even if it was only for a little while. He said nothing as he turned back towards the city. His gaze lost somewhere in the horizon; it takes a few seconds before he turned to look over his shoulder:
"Call me if she wakes up?"
"Of course..."
She gets a nod as a response. He's gone a few seconds later, much to the relief of the woman. Hopefully, it would be enough to ease some of the turmoil within him. With any luck, by the time that he returned, Marinette would have woken up. That would no doubt calm him somewhat.
The city is quiet. It was still too early for most people to be about. Cat Noir moves quickly but silently. He darts, never slowing. It was Plagg who had given him the directions, technically breaking a promise but as the kwami had pointed out, these were desperate times and required measures which were suited for them. Nobody would challenge him, not right now. He keeps himself focused. This is something of a nuisance to the teen, he would much rather have stayed by Marientte's side, waiting until she was back with them so as to be able to greet her and apologize.
As such, when he reaches the small apartment, he doesn't bother looking around. He sneaks in through the window, no doubt left open to try and ensure that there's some fresh air coming in to relieve the occupant from the stifling heat of the Parisien summer. Adrien was quiet. He tiptoed in. He followed his kwami's directions towards where the Miracle box should in theory be stored. They are basing all of their assumptions on the fact that the man would still be here and wouldn't have been scared away by the constant akuma attacks and the realization that neither Ladybug nor Cat Noir were around to protect him and the city.
To his surprise and relief, Adrien finds the man to be asleep in his bed, snoring loudly. A least there's still someone here to who knows about the miraculouses. Hopefully, he will be able to help them in the future. Cat Noir spots the gramophone and makes his way towards it, treading as silently as possible. Thankfully, it would appear that Master Fu is a deep sleeper as he doesn't react to the intruder. Hopefully Hawk Moth never sneaks in… The teen can't help but find himself thinking. He'll be as quick as possible: in and out in less than a minute. That's his plan. It's not the one that he initially came up with with Nathalie but things have changed since then.
"Cat Noir?!"
In a flash, Adrien realizes what allows the man to take the risk of sleeping so soundly. He's not alone. There's a kwami here. The turtle by the looks of things, Wayzz… He's staring at the intruder with wide eyes, evidently startled. Panic grips the teen. Instead of doing what would perhaps be considered the logical thing and explaining himself, he turns tail and runs. He makes his way over to the window. Ready to escape. The time it takes the little creature to wake the old man, he will have been able to slip away, at least that's what he assumes. Sure enough, he reaches the point that he entered through.
"Adrien!"
It's been so long since anyone other than Nathalie called him by his real name, that for some reason, he finds himself compelled to stop. Trembling slightly, he pulls himself away from the window and faces the man whose house he just broke into.
Master Fu has lost weight. Whilst part of his condition might be due to his age and the rest of it attributable to the fact t hat he was just woken up by an intruder in the middle of the night, there can be little doubt that stress is mostly to blame. More shame. Adrien had made no attempt to contact him or otherwise alert him to what had happened. He must have been imagining the worst. After all, Marinette was 'dead' and Ladybug's partner nowhere to be seen. It was a wonder that he hadn't fled as Cat Noir and Mayura had. Whilst perhaps that day, it had been inconceivable for him to do anything given the state they'd both been in. Later though? He could have given some sort of sign that he was still alive and that there was still some hope. Instead, he'd abandoned all those he'd left behind, leaving them to fear the worst.
The fact that he lingers, gives the guardian all the time he needs to get to his feet. It's dark but Cat Noir can make him out clearly. He needs to turn on the light to do the same. The sudden influx is blinding, causing the teen to avert his gaze for a few moments.
"What are you doing back here Cat Noir?"
"I've rescued Marinette." He announces simply.
"Marinette?! She's still alive?!" There's a clear note of surprise but also relief in his voice.
"Yes… Listen, if I can just get her a miraculous-"
He notices the man stiffen at the mere prospect. It's very clear that he's uneasy, weary. Somehow, that hurts. This little stunt has made him into someone untrustworthy or at least whose motivations are dubious. It's hard not to regret not having fled. It would be easier than standing here, having to account for actions which he couldn't quite explain himself.
A sudden buzz in his pocket distract him. He pulls out his phone and reads a single message: She's waking up.
It's the news that he needs to snap just a little bit more sense back into him and it only takes a few moments for Cat Noir to realize that he's not the one in charge here. He needs to explain himself. No doubt Master Fu has a thousand questions to ask him and it's his duty to answer them. So he stands there, ready to be scolded if necessary, to be interrogated. Marinette is safe… He tells himself, he has the time. Putting away his baton, he moves away from the window. It's enough to earn a confused frown from the man. Apparently, his presence here is as confusing as it is unnerving.
"I can't give you a miraculous Cat Noir… Where have you been?"
"I was hurt." The teen explains looking down at his feet. "I needed to heal."
"You have been gone for a while..." The old man still doesn't seem convinced. "Adrien Agreste left Paris over a year ago. Cat Noir however, didn't. What have you been hiding from me and Ladybug?"
The teen is a little surprised that it was the period prior to these past few weeks which seems to have the man suspicious as opposed to his marked disappearance since then. He finds himself unable to respond, having not expected to have to answer such enquiries. Whilst the answers would be simple to give. It would be hard not to potentially land Nathalie in trouble in doing so. He doubted that the guardian of the miraculous would take kindly to learning that one of those who he had put his trust in had run away and thrown his lot in with Mayura. Still, it's with a trembling had that he remembers what he first came here for.
He goes into his pocket and pulls out a broach, offering it to the old man. It's a gesture of goodwill which serves another purpose: if the old man had the miraculous of the peacock, then there's no way that Hawk Moth will be able to get his hands on it again if something were to happen to Adrien and Nathalie. At least that's what they've told themselves in order to provide themselves with some comfort.
"This is-" The man began, unable to finish.
"The peacock miraculous." Adrien fills in for him.
"How did you-" Master Fu stops instantly upon noticing the few cracks. "This is damaged! Have you used it?!"
"No. Not me." The teen shakes his head slowly, gravely. "A friend… She paid the price but she's better now."
"She was very very lucky! Using a miraculous like this, it can- Well, you already know."
Adrien agreed solemnly. He didn't particularly want to think back to how Nathalie had struggled to breathe as her strength was leached away relentlessly. He'd thought he was going to lose her at times… It was a terrible thing and one which no one else would hopefully ever have to suffer again. He doesn't even bother asking if the damage could be repaired, happy to be rid of it. If he never laid eyes on the jewel again, it would be too soon. It has already cost him and those who he loved far too much. Even touching it felt wrong.
Getting rid of it already feels as if he'd lifted a great weight from his chest.
He watches as the old man placed it back in the miracle box. It's what should have been done from the moment that it had been damaged. Just what had possessed his mother to use it to the extent that she had is beyond him. Nathalie claimed not to know and he believes her. At least where his guardian was concerned, he understood what had driven her to use it. No sense wondering about it now, he supposes. The broken miraculous is back where it belongs.
"Now…" Master Fu turns around to face him once more, his expression somewhat softer. "Cat Noir, would you care to tell me where Adrien's been?"
"I can tell you some of it." The teen relents at last. "-but not everything. There are people who have been kind to me. They're staying out of this."
"Have you told them about the miraculous?" Strangely, Master Fu didn't sound concerned so much as curious.
"They found out themselves." It's all that he's willing to offer.
Cat Noir takes a seat or at least makes himself comfortable. It allows him to relax, not much but just a little. Enough to feel some of the tension slowly vanish. He's never told anyone about what happened since he fled that night with Nathalie. The one exception would be the woman's grandmother. He's not too sure how much she knows but it's probably more than most. Naturally, they're mostly left out of Adrien's tale, as is Hawk Moth's true identity. All he says is that the villain had discovered who he was and that it was Mayura, suffering from some kind of change of heart which seemed to defy all expectation and explanation, who had rescued him and taken him in. As a result, he'd had no choice but to drop off of the radar for a moment.
Master Fu doesn't ask any questions. He just sits there and listens to him. It's clear that he's taking it all in. If he's dubious about any parts of the story, he doesn't let it show. It gives him the courage to finish the tale, bringing him back up to date with how they had found and rescued Marinette.
He's interrupted towards the beginning by another message from Nathalie: his friend was awake. It was a relief. She'd warned him that the girl likely wouldn't be in a state to do much, if any talking and even once she was awake would likely be feeling the effects of her sedation for quite some time. Realistically speaking, it could be a couple of days before she recovers. Still, he finds himself breathing a little more easily.
There's a silence after he's done recounting his adventures and hardships. It's as if the guardian has to go over everything he's just been told in his head, replaying everything to be sure that he hasn't missed anything. Finally, he turns back towards the young miraculous holder, his expression stern, like a parent disciplining a disobedient child:
"You should have come straight here! You could have avoided most of what's befallen you and your friends..."
Adrien averts his gaze in shame, it's something that he's already acutely aware of. Had he been honest and straight forwards from the get-go and let his friends and allies know just what was going on, then none of this would have happened. It's his most bitter regret and something which he fears and feels will haunt him for the rest of his days. He remains like that for some time, not asking forgiveness or making any attempt to justify his actions. He'll take the blame and anything else that comes with it. Well, almost… He can't hand over his miraculous. Not yet… He's still got one thing left to do.
After a few more seconds, the old man lets out a heavy sigh:
"I suppose there's no point in going over the past. It can't be changed." Adrien's gaze flicks up to meet the man. "The future should be our priority. Marinette is safe?"
"Yes."
"Her miraculous?"
"Hawk Moth still has it but I'm going to stop him." His voice hardens in its resolve, becomes colder.
"Do you have a plan?" Wayzz's interest and hope peaks at the same time.
"I'm going to find him and take him down. Simple as that..."
His response doesn't seem to sit well with both the man and his kwami. The two of them exchange uncertain glances. There's an unease there which doesn't escape the teen. Something passes between the two partners. He can't understand it. It's lost on him. The two have been together for over a century. They're familiar enough with one another to no longer require the constant use of words.
Somehow, that only serves to irritate him. He feels an anger begin to eat away at him. The teen becomes restless as he struggles against it. Truth be told, it's been there since he saw Marinette, encased behind the glass and forced into a deep slumber against her will by his father. It's a rage he's unaccustomed to dealing with. Why is it that Master Fu has been hiding so long? The teen asks himself. He could have done something, anything. Handed out more miraculouses to the others, he must know their identities. Surely, there was someone else in Paris who would have been suited to taking on Hawk Moth and rescuing his previous chosen. There's a sudden feeling of injustice which begins to take over, adding itself to the fury already pent up inside of him.
"Adrien..." Master Fu begins, seemingly sensing what lies just beneath.
"No!" He snaps, teeth bared. "It's about time that someone puts and end to this. If you won't, then I will!"
"You're not powerful enough without Ladybug. Please, you must-"
Both are interrupted by a sudden buzzing. It's his phone. Adrien is a little bit more leisurely when it comes to answering this time. Assuming that it will be another status report from Nathalie. There's but a single name that he finds. Yet it turns his blood to ice in a matter of seconds:
Hawk Moth.
