Chapter 57

Adrien was picked up and taken up to the family room. Marinette sat on one end of the couch and had them lay Adrien down so his upper body was in her lap with his head on a pillow on the arm of the couch.

"What got him upset enough to call an akuma?" Alya asked, holding off on the questions she really wanted to ask.

"Because of my attack, my father decided that it was to dangerous for us to remain together. He thinks I was attacked because of my being Adrien's girlfriend, but he's wrong. They recognized me from the gala somehow."

Alya opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when Adrien moaned softly.

Marinette looked down and watched as Adrien's eyes fluttered open. They looked around then focused on her face.

"I could get used to waking up to that face." he said softly.

Marinette smiled lovingly at him as she absently entwined her fingers in his hair. "How do you feel?" she asked, and watched as he gave that some thought.

"Like I got hit by a truck, and a slight headache." he said, then gasped. "Please tell me I didn't hurt anyone, especially you."

"Easy, sweetheart." she soothed. "No you didn't hurt anyone, and you were able to resist him.

Adrien sat up and swung around so he was sitting beside her. "Mari, Hawk Moth, he. . .he wanted me to get revenge on your parents. Mari, they. . .your father wants to split us up." he said his breathing speeding up as his eyes filled with tears. He leaned into her as she put her arm around him. "I know I said that I can live without you, but I don't want to find out." he said, burying his head on her shoulder. He relaxed a bit when he felt her arms around him, as she hugged him.

"Guys, can you give us some time alone?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah, I'll see ya later." Alya said, then motioned for Jake, Jenna and Kira to precede her from the room.

"Adrien?" Marinette called once the door had closed, and she tried to pull back from the embrace. She was surprised when he clung tighter to her, and whimpered softly. "Come on, mon cher, talk to me." She heard his breathing hitch, as he pulled back, and she saw a look in his eyes that she had never seen before.

Adrien swallowed. "Mari, I'm so sorry. Now because of those pictures, you had to get away from me, and you got attacked. Now your parents won't let me see you anymore, which will make my father take me out of school and he probablyknowsI'mChatNoir." he said, his speech growing faster until his last words ran together.

"Adrien, stop." Marinette said sternly as she framed his face with her hands. "Breathe with me, kitty." she soothed, then relaxed as his breathing slowed back to normal and the wildness left his eyes. "You need to calm down, everything's going to be alright. You're not going anywhere, and neither am I."

"But, your father."

"Right now I don't care what he thinks or says, I'm not leaving you, and I know you aren't leaving me." Marinette said, lifting her right hand at the end.

Adrien gasped when he saw the ring. "How did you. . .?" he began, but stopped as the earlier events went through his mind. His walking away from Marinette, barely able to see where he was going through his tears, opening the box and looking at the ring, thinking how he'd never have the chance to give it to her, and his shock at seeing the akuma meld into the box.

"The akuma was in the box, and you dropped it when you lost consciousness." Marinette said softly. "Alya found it and opened it."

"That's not quite how I wanted to give it to you." he said. "I decided that after we talked, maybe over lunch, I'd give it to you." he said, then gave her a lopsided grin. "I'm hoping that since you're wearing it, that you accept it and me."

Marinette leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Yes, mon chevalier, I accept you and believe you that those pictures are fake." she said. "Besides I have proof of how protective of me you are." she added, and held up her phone.

Adrien watched in shock as the video of Kira approaching the scene played out, including Chat Noir's hissing at her.

"No wonder Kira and Jake were looking at me like that." he muttered. "I told her to delete that." he said softly. "If that got somewhere that Hawk Moth could see it. . ."

Marinette nodded. "I called her right after I saw it, and stressed how important it was that she got rid of it and forgot that ever happened." she said, then tapped at her phone for a moment. "There, now the last copy is gone." She looked at the ring on her finger for a moment. "You had to have this commissioned, didn't you?" she asked.

The ring was made up of several stones. The main two were a ruby and an onyx shaped into the Yin-Yang symbol. The red ruby having an onyx spot, and the onyx having a ruby one. Around them were alternating ruby, onyx and emeralds, all in a gold setting.

Adrien nodded. "It took me a bit to think up the design, then finding a jeweler I trusted to pull it off." he took her hand in his, and gave the ring a look, then kissed the back of her hand. "I hoped that you would like it. The Yin-Yang symbol representing how you balance me and complete me." he explained. "and the colors represent our kwami and our alter-egos."

Marinette hugged him tightly then kissed him. "I love it, and what you wrote to go with it."

Adrien blushed slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I wanted to tell you that in person." he said softly.

"Marinette, could you and Adrien come down here for a moment?" Sabine's voice called through the trapdoor.

"Be right there, Maman." Marinette replied, as she headed for the trapdoor. "Don't worry, mon chevalier." she said when she noticed that Adrien was hesitating. "Like I said before, I don't care what they think, I'm not leaving you." she assured him, as she took his hand and entwined their fingers.

Adrien swallowed nervously when he saw the scowl on Tom's face when he saw that they were holding hands. He also noticed that Tom's face showed his surprise and hurt when he realized that Marinette was all but ignoring his presence.

"Yes, Maman." Marinette said, keeping her eyes focused on her mother.

"Your father has something to say to you." Sabine said.

Marinette shot a glare at her father. "And if I don't want to hear anything he may say?" she asked coldly.

Adrien learned where Marinette got her angry glare from, and for the first time saw Sabine angry.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, he is your father and you will show him the proper respect." she snapped. "Or you may go to your room, and Adrien can go home."

"But he. . ." Marinette began, but stopped when she saw her mother intensify her glare and cross her arms over her chest. With a soft sigh she turned and faced Tom. "Yes, Father."

"First I want you to know that I'm not apologizing for my earlier decision." Tom said. "However I do regret that it led to Adrien almost being akumatized."

"So you're still. . ." Marinette began but trailed off when Tom held up his hand.

"Before, my decision was based on the belief that you were attacked because you were recognized as Adrien's girlfriend." he went on, then looked over at Sabine. "We've since learned that this wasn't the case."

"They recognized me from the gala." Marinette said.

Tom nodded. "And that leaves us with a small problem." He looked over at Adrien. "As much as this is a part of your lifestyle that I don't like, it's now part of Marinette's, and frankly I don't know what to do about it." He admitted. "For that I need your help. I know that you will do all in your power to keep my baby safe." He smiled fondly at the couple, hand in hand and their shoulders touching. "Also I look forward to having a son-in-law."

"Now that this has been straightened out, Tom and I need to get back to work." Sabine said. "So why don't you two head upstairs and relax until either lunch time or Nathalie gets here."

Marinette went over and gave her mother a hug. "Thanks, Maman." she said and led Adrien up.

Sabine saw the sad look on her husband's face. "Give her time, Tom." she said softly.

The big man nodded. "I know. I really hurt her." he said softly. "I never thought I'd have anything to thank Hawk Moth for, but his timing of trying to akumatize Adrien kept my daughter from telling me that she hated me."

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It was a couple hours later, and Sabine looked up when the bell rang on the door. "Good afternoon Miss. . .Sancoeur isn't it? How may I help you?"

"I'm here to see Marinette." Nathalie replied. "Adrien too, if he's here." she added.

Sabine smiled softly. "Yes, he's here." she said. "I know he's supposed to return home tonight, but he's not going to be happy about it."

"Well I guess I'll have some good news for him then." Nathalie said. "With the success of the gala, his schedule is clear until Monday."

"That's nice." Sabine said. "I guess I'll have to get our guest room ready. They're up in her room, playing video games, so go on up."

"Thank you." Nathalie said and turned to go, then turned back. "Sabine, thank you very much for watching out for Adrien. I appreciate it very much."

"It's my pleasure, really." Sabine said. "He's such a sweet, polite young man, and he's won my daughter's heart."

Nathalie gave her a soft smile and a nod then headed up the stairs.

"Super power up, and energy blast!" Marinette's voice called out carrying to the bottom of the steps to her room. "And that's a win!" she exulted.

"I had forgotten how good you are at this game." Adrien said with a chuckle. "Four times in a row is enough. I surrender to your awesome skills."

Nathalie poked her head up through the trapdoor, and saw the young couple in a warm embrace as they kissed. She smiled fondly at them, then knocked. She almost laughed as they sprang apart, and Marinette's head snapped in her direction.

"Good afternoon, I have the paperwork for you." she said ignoring the blush on Marinette's face.

"Please, come in." Marinette said as she and Adrien moved to her fainting couch, and let her have the computer chair.

"Thank you." she said as she sat. She fished some papers our of the small briefcase she had, and noticed how close Marinette and Adrien were, practically cuddling on the couch. "Now, this is a receipt for the monies that have been transferred to your account as your finders fee for the three dresses that Mr. Renard tried to steal from you. That came to fifteen thousand euros."

"But I got twenty thousand for my gown design." Marinette said.

"That's because your gown was formal wear which nets a higher price." Adrien said, drawing a nod from Nathalie. "Even so, if I'm not mistaken, that's still on the upper end of the scale." he added.

"That is correct, Adrien. I'm glad that you learned so well." Nathalie said, then took a sheaf of papers from her briefcase. "Now this paperwork is the addendum to your original royalty contract with Gabriel Fashion." Nathalie said sliding a sheaf of papers over to where Marinette sat. "Please look them over and sign them please."

Marinette nodded as she started looking the document's over. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Mr. Renard, one of Gabriel's design team, had stolen three of her designs and claimed them as his. As she signed the last of the forms, and handed them back to Nathalie.

"Thank you. I'll have a copy for you tomorrow." Nathalie said as she replaced the papers into her briefcase. "Now, Adrien I have some news for you." she said. "Your schedule clear until Monday morning, when school starts up again. Then there is this." she added. "I know that you are Chat Noir, Adrien, and Gabriel has convinced me that you, Marinette are Ladybug."

"How. . .how did you find out?" Adrien asked.

Nathalie looked fondly at Adrien. "I've known you since before your. . .before the incident with your mother, I was your tutor. I noticed changes in you other than your going to public school would cause. I sat down one night, recently, and outlined things on paper, and it just added up." she explained.

"So you were working with Hawk Moth." Marinette stated.

Nathalie gasped and looked panicked for a moment. "You know?"

"That Gabriel Agrest is Hawk Moth?" Marinette asked, and got a nod. "Yes we do."

"But how?"

"Hiring someone to kidnap Marinette with the goal of giving him a detailed description of her earrings, was a start, and using my money to finance it was another." Adrien said. "And the other things he's done recently, including calling off Sean and his team when his hired thugs attacked the bakery with the objective of obtaining Marinette's earrings."

"The only person with that much interest in my earrings would be Hawk Moth." Marinette said.

"Plus when he tried to akumatize me a few hours ago, I recognized his voice." Adrien added.

Nathalie nodded. "Gabriel was right, you are as smart as your are pretty. As to how he's figured you out, Marinette, he has a computer program that compares facial features." she related. "He's been running a comparison of a picture of Ladybug with one of your shots from the first press conference." she said, then looked past the couple. "Is that dress completed?" she asked.

Marinette turned, and saw that Nathalie was referring to the dress she had on her manikin. "Yes, I finished it the day before we had to leave my home." she answered.

They watched as Nathalie stood and walked over to the garment, then around it. "It is exquisite." she said. "I gather it's made to your measurements."

"They are the ones I know best." Marinette said.

"Wear it to the press conference this afternoon." Nathalie said. "Amongst other things it'll show that the designs at the show weren't a flash, and that you are still creating without having to have a older design to start with."

Nathalie watched as Adrien gave Marinette a gentle squeeze with his arms around her waist, and pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"It makes sense, Mari." he said.

Marinette nodded. "So what all will be happening at this conference?" she asked. "and can we trust you?"

Nathalie sighed softly. "Yes there is that isn't there." she muttered. "I give you both my word of honor that I will not betray you."

"Adrien, you know her better than I do, will she keep her word?"

"Yes, I believe she will." Adrien said. "She knows that with us knowing that my father is Hawk Moth, it won't be long before he's defeated by Chat Noir and Ladybug. When that happens she'll have to answer to me when I take over the company." he explained. "Plus, from what she said, there's her personal loyalty to me."

"Plus I'm giving you this." Nathalie added, holding out her open hand, palm up.

Marinette couldn't help the gasp that passed her lips. There in the palm of Nathalie's hand was the peacock miraculous.

"I used to believe that what Gabriel was doing was justified by his goal." Nathalie said softly.

"Bringing my mother back." Adrien said.

Nathalie look up in surprise. "Yes." she said. "However, recently he has gotten to where he no longer seems to care about how much he hurts you, or those you care about.

"The power he wants to use has a price." Marinette said. "For him to bring back his wife, someone he loves, he'd have to lose someone else that he loves." she explained, and saw the pained expression on Nathalie's face as she gasped.

"Adrien." she was silent for a moment, then set the peacock brooch beside Marinette's computer. "I'm even more convinced that what I'm doing is right. As much as Emilie was like a sister to me, I know that it's time to let her go and move on." she looked over at Adrien. "Don't be too hard on your father, Adrien. What he's done he's done out of a love so strong that it has blinded him to his acts."

"Acts that has the entire city afraid to express their emotions." Adrien said. "Mother would never approve of what he's done, and he must pay for it."

"Right." Marinette said, then looked at Nathalie. "When and where is the conference?"

"The press conference will take place outside the bakery at four this afternoon. As you know you will be the focus of it, Marinette." Nathalie said, thankful for the change of subject.

Marinette took a couple folded sheets of paper from her bag and handed them over to the older woman. "This is what I plan on saying."

Nathalie read over the text, admiring Marinette's neat writing style. "Yes, this will work very well." she said.

"What if someone asks about the designs that M Renard tried to pirate?" Marinette asked.

"Say that you have no knowledge of that, and refer them to me."

Marinette nodded, then Adrien spoke up.

"I'd like to have a few words with the press as well." he said. "That article in The Globe went to far, and was obviously fabricated."

Nathalie nodded. "I'll take responsibility for approving that." she said. "Despite your relationship with your father, I know you won't undercut the Gabriel brand. Just so you know, The Globe has printed a retraction of that article, and is running a spot on TV and billboards, denouncing it."

"Then I'll be gentle."

Nathalie locked eyes with him for a moment, then nodded, realizing that he was still upset over the pictures in question. "Alright then, I'll see you again about ten til four for the conference."