Chapter 13 - Father.
Gabriel stands before Emilie's casket, which is currently closed. Lady Chaos is humming to herself, leaning against the railing and watching him through her goggle lenses.
"Y'know, old man, this isn't gonna go down how you want it to," she says smugly.
"What makes you say that?" Gabriel asks disinterestedly.
"Oh, you'll see," she chimes.
The two villains look over as Nathalie and Adrien approach them. Adrien looks around in horror as he walks.
"Adrien," Gabriel greets his son.
"Father, what's going on?" Adrien asks. "Where are we?"
"Yeah, Gabe, tell him," Lady Chaos jeers.
Adrien turns in horror to look at her. It's her. She's standing right in front of him. The color drains from his face and he steps back into his father.
"Adrien, it's alright, she won't hurt you," Gabriel says, gripping his son.
But Adrien just whimpers. He had tried so desperately to forget the contents of the video. To forget how she had snapped his neck with ease. His hands fly upwards to his neck as he finds himself checking it's unbroken. Lady Chaos cocks her head to one side as he continues to panic.
"You know me," she realizes.
"Father, you can't trust her," Adrien cries, turning to his father.
"Adrien, she's helping us," Gabriel replies. "What has gotten into you?"
"Yeah, Adrien, what's gotten into you?" Lady Chaos mimics, she's closer now.
"That's far enough, Lady Chaos," Gabriel growls. "He's clearly frightened of you."
"Of course he's frightened of me," Lady Chaos says gleefully. "He knows I could kill him with my bare hands. All it takes is the right grip and a wrench to the side."
Adrien flinches and Lady Chaos gasps delightedly.
"That's enough." Gabriel barks. "Leave us, I can't talk to him when he's hysterical like this."
Lady Chaos pouts but leaves them. Nathalie follows suits, leaving the Agreste's alone.
Eventually, Adrien calms down enough to speak without sobbing.
"You called her Lady Chaos," Adrien says fearfully, she seems much more real now that she has a name.
"That's what she calls herself," Gabriel replies. "But I didn't summon you to talk about her."
"Why is she here, father?" Adrien demands. "She's dangerous."
"My son, so am I," Gabriel sighs. "Nooroo, dark wings rise."
The Butterfly Kwami flies out from his hiding place in Gabriel's shirt and is sucked into the brooch he wears. Adrien watches in horror as his father transforms into Hawkmoth. It's not a surprise, but it is a punch in the gut.
Marinette's phone buzzes and she groans. She and Luka were lying in her bed, and she didn't want interruptions.
"Maybe I can ignore it," she says hopefully.
Luka leans over her and glances at the buzzing cell phone.
"It's Nino," he reports.
"He's got patrol tonight," she says as he passes her the phone. She accepts the call. "Hey, Nino."
"Uh, it's probably nothing since you guys had that fight earlier, but Cat Noir didn't show up for patrol."
"Shoot. I'll be right there, are you still at the rendezvous?" She asks.
"Yeah, still here."
"Let me go," Luka says already out of bed. "You've got three nights a week, I've only got one. It's a fairer workload."
He pulls on his underwear and looks down at her, expecting her to argue.
"Actually, I'd really appreciate that," Marinette agrees. "Scratch that, Nino, I'm sending Viperion over instead."
"Roger that, dudette."
She hangs up the phone and gets up to hug Luka.
"We'll both leave through the front door, I'll tell my parents I'm staying at yours tonight, and then I'm gonna go check on Adrien," she tells him. "He's probably sulking, but I need to be sure."
"Good call, let's go," he agrees.
Marinette's parents seem to have gone out for the evening since the bakery is closed when they get downstairs. She wonders why they didn't say goodbye until she realizes they probably didn't want to walk in on her and Luka. She and Luka hadn't had sex, but they had gotten close before Nino's call interrupted them.
They both transform in an alley and kiss each other goodbye before heading off in separate directions. As Marinette swings through the city toward Agreste Mansion she tries to formulate what she'll say to Adrien.
She reaches his bedroom. The lights are off but his TV is still on. She tries opening his window, which is thankfully unlocked and slips inside. His cellphone is on the couch, flashing at her. She inspects it and it displays that Nino had tried to call him several times before calling her. She tosses his phone back onto the sofa and heads for the door.
Gingerly, she peers outside, nobody is out in the hall. She heads out into the hall and starts to look around. She's halfway down the stairs when Adrien's bodyguard rounds a corner and spots her. He grunts in alarm. Ladybug doesn't have time to react when something blunt hits her in the back of the head. Her eyes roll shut and she falls forward.
When Ladybug awakes she is bound and gagged. They're back in Gabriel's atelier. Hawkmoth and Adrien are perching in the magenta seating around the glass table that Ladybug is lying on. Nathalie stands behind Hawkmoth, holding her tablet to her chest and keeping a wary gaze on Lady Chaos who leans against the wall by the door, her arms folded inside her cloak.
"Oh, good, you're awake," Hawkmoth says.
"Shame I didn't hit her harder," Lady Chaos remarks.
"No, I want her alive and conscious for when I unmask her," Hawkmoth growls.
"Father, do you have to?" Adrien asks, keeping his eyes on Lady Chaos.
Ladybug stares at him. What was he doing? He would never betray her, why was he sitting beside Hawkmoth? And how could he stand to be in the same room as the mystery woman?
"Shouldn't you wait for a certain stray?" Lady Chaos grins.
"Good idea," he agrees.
"You should send out a broadcast, telling Cat Noir that you have Ladybug captive," Adrien suggests hopefully. That would alert the entire team.
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you, kid?" Lady Chaos laughs.
Adrien says nothing, he just watches Ladybug fearfully.
"Don't be like that, kid, I thought we were friends," she sneers.
"Lady Chaos, if you could stop teasing my son," Hawkmoth snaps angrily. "It's time we sent a message."
