"Adrien I'm fine, you don't need to follow me," newly pregnant Marinette sighed, pushing the bathroom door shut. She loved the man but he was too much sometimes. She sat on the closed toilet, taking a few breaths to herself, twisting the band on her finger. She heard ruffling outside and watched as a note came from underneath the door. 'I miss you' it stated, sad face included. Marinette laughed, rolling her eyes before exiting.
Adrien pulled her into a hug from behind. "We need to go get Nino's brother from school," she pulled him along with her to the car.
Adrien insisted on driving as they made their way to the old high school. It was crazy to imagine just a few years ago they had attended here. Marinette looked at herself in the side mirror. She had changed a lot over the years, hair cut short after an akuma used her long hair to their advantage, sending her flying by the pigtails. She thought her scalp would never recover.
The school was almost exactly as they had left it. Chris was just finishing freshman year but he was just like his brother, a people person so he made new friends quickly. Apparently, he'd made some enemies too.
They began to get out of the car as Timetagger came rushing out of the school doors. He was focused on a group of boys. Marinette and Adrien made their move to a secluded area where no one would see them.
Marinette began to say the words before Adrien cut her off. "Can't you please rethink this, I want you and our baby," he placed a hand on her stomach before continuing, "To be safe." He looked to her with worried eyes. He was a whole foot taller than her which would've been intimidating if he wasn't such a big baby. Kagami had offered many times, but Marinette loved the superhero life, this was her duty and burden to take on.
Marinette slapped his hand away, "Kagami isn't a better option, what about her son? He'll want to know where his mother is." She transformed. Adrien sighed and followed suit.
Ladybug's suit had changed a few times over the years as she had grown and changed. It had settled on black-gloved hands which traveled up to her elbows before gradually shifting to the usual dots. The same fabric traveled up her legs, transitioning above the knees.
Chat Noir was basically the same, his hair growing longer and wilder as he transformed. It came into a ponytail on it's own a year or so ago when it became too wild like a lion's mane.
"If I can't play with you I'll just go to a time where I can," Timetagger stated. The boys had already been sent to the past. Timetagger was about to step into the portal. Adrien ran out, cataclysm at the ready to dispel the portal. Unfortunately, Bunnyx crash-landed right into his power as she tried to stop Timetagger, her miraculous taking the full blow. Timetagger stepped through the portal, grinning. Bunnyx landed on the ground, her transformation fading away. Her broken miraculous spiraled out of control, opening a portal.
Ladybug shot out her yo-yo to keep her from being sucked away. Bunnyx looked behind her into the portal, recognition coming to her face. Ladybug struggled to pull against the force of the portal, her feet slipping on the ground/.
"Don't worry, I'll fix this, just wait." She released Ladybug's yo-yo and vanished into the portal. Chat Noir, caught Ladybug as she flew backward from the release of force. The portal closed. What would they do now?
Ladybug sighed. How could they have failed?
"Hey, don't beat yourself up," Chat held her hand, "there's nothing we can do for now soooo how about we get some ice cream?" She wanted to be mad at her husband for suggesting something like that when she was this stressed, but the baby in her belly had other ideas. She relented. The walk from the school to Andres was short, so they didn't take the car. They wanted to take a walk down memory lane.
When they arrived Kagami and Luka were already there. A small boy with dark hair clung to his mother's leg.
Andre handed Ladybug what she had been getting for years now: pistachio and vanilla. Chat got blackberry and strawberry.
"It's Ladybug and Chat Noir!" Luka and Kagami both smiled at them.
"How are you little Thomas?" Ladybug, bent down to smile at him. He hid further behind his mother's leg and licked his icecream. He was excited but shy.
Ladybug chuckled. He sure was a momma's boy. They stepped away from Andre's shop to talk. They gave them the rundown of what happened this morning.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take over? Not even for just a day?" Kagami asked worriedly. Luka toted Thomas on his hip as he stood by quietly.
"No," Ladybug let out bluntly. She was tired of them asking. She knew they had her best interest in mind but she knew what was best for herself. Chat sighed, leaning over the railing, noticing a portal open up down below them.
"Look!" He pointed as Bunnyx hopped out of the portal.
They ran down to see what happened. "I'm sorry Ladybug, I didn't deliver," Bunnyx looked defeated.
"Not true Bunnyx, every problem has a solution," Ladybug rested a hand on her shoulder. Bunnyx handed Ladybug a crumpled up piece of paper. When she opened it her eyes widened. Was her old self always this smart?
"Bunnyx, open a portal to Timetagger," Bunnyx did as she was told. They watched a Timetagger stepped onto the graffiti, right into position.
Ladybug used her yo-yo to pulled Timetagger away from past Ladybug, Chat Noir used his baton to knock the weapon free from Timetagger belt.
Past Chat Noir cataclysmed the weapon and past Ladybug cleansed the akuma. The portal closed their past selves disappearing. Ladybug and Chat Noir walked Chris home to his worried older brother.
Marinette laid on the couch. They'd ordered take out after the long day and she was going into a food coma. Her eyes drifted closed. Adrien gently picked her up, laying her in the bed. He carefully removed the earrings. Tikki gave him a look but was quiet.
Kagami was waiting outside the door. Adrien handed her the earrings.
"You know she's going to be mad at you for this," Kagami warned him. He was prepared for her wrath but he just wanted to protect her. He slipped into bed and fell asleep.
Marinette woke up in the night, sitting up in the bed. Adrien was laid next to her, sound asleep. She ran a hand through her hair. Her fingers brushing over her ears. "Tikki?!" She let out worriedly, to no response.
"Adrien, where are my earrings?!" Her angry tone woke him from a light sleep. He quelled her anger with a hug. She tried to fight against his grasp to knock some sense into him.
"You will always be my bugaboo, but for your own safety and our child's safety you should take a break," Adrien said, half-asleep, kissing her forehead. She calmed down, melting into his embrace. She wasn't done talking about the subject but she knew he had a point.