A.N: The final chapter, yay!

whoosh

Marinette's eyes shifted from each person in the area. She recognised a few, like Amelie and Félix and Chloé (and also the officers standing not too far away, keeping their eyes on Félix's and Chloé's backs).

With their entwined hands, she gently led Adrien away from them. This wasn't about Félix or Chloé, or even Gabriel Agreste. This was about Adrien doing something he should have been able to do long ago - say goodbye to his mother.

Marinette found a spot in front of the newest grave, one which had the words 'Emilie Agreste' carved into the stone beneath the statue of the smiling white angel. The angel smiled down at Adrien through the glumness of the day, and Marinette could feel him squeeze her hand. She squeezed it back, noticing his quick heartbeat in his hand.

Everyone who had gathered looked up as Nathalie stepped forward, a tablet in her hands. Marinette glanced behind her, seeing a police car and two calm officers watching her through the damp trees.

"Hello, Emilie," Gabriel said from the tablet.

Several people jumped at the sudden sound, but did their best to hide their surprise.

"I- I- I have done some very bad things, but I am not here to focus on that. Instead, I would like to apologise for what I had done to you. I was the one who allowed you to use that broken miraculous. I was the one who watched you become weaker and weaker, while I did nothing. I am sorry, and I think you know what I have done to bring you back. It was a promise we had made a long time ago. You probably remember it. It was around the time Adrien was born."

The fog in the cemetery grew slightly, making the wall between Gabriel and his son obvious.

"We promised that, if either of us would pass, we would bring them back, for our son, whether it was through science or rituals... or a wish. I chose the wish, as you probably know. I have to admit, that I didn't do it in the best way... or at all. I am sorry for failing you, Emilie. I will not ask for forgiveness, what I have done... it can't be forgiven just like that. My therapist, he told me the best was to get your forgiveness, is to get forgiveness from our son. I am sorry I haven't been treating him well in the past few years. You had always been the one to keep me on track, and... you haven't been here to do so."

"I am sorry for corrupting your mind, all those times when I told myself it would be the last time... it never was. I am sorry for what I've done to our son. I will do the best I can to be the father you think- know he deserves."

On the screen, Gabriel's face was tense, a clear sign he was feeling other emotions, as well as grief. Marinette watched him move his eyes to the top of the screen, his jaw clenched angrily. Suddenly, the screen cut to him calmly looking. Marinette frowned, and pushed the confusion away so she could focus on more important things - the boy who was on the brink of tears beside her.

He sniffed quietly as Amelie stepped forward.

"You were my sister, Emilie, and you always will be. I might not have said it very much, but I do love you. Every time I look at Adrien, I can see your eyes shining brightly through him, and it... it makes me feel that you are still here, even when you are not. I can still remember those days where we would play jokes on one another when we were younger, or when we would trick our parents into thinking we were the other." Amelie said, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I also remember when Félix and Adrien would do the same, and you always looked really proud, as if they were following in our footsteps, as you had told me. Of course, you will still be the same amazing person to the boys as you used to be."

"As Gabriel did, I would also like to apologise... I know that, when we were younger, I often took some jokes too far, and I am very sorry for everything I did that didn't make you smile. I hope- I hope you're smiling now. Whether you're a ghost or someone new... I hope you're still smiling." Amelie finished, stepping back to show that she was done. She lowered her head and brought her sleeve to her eyes, rubbing them. The sleeve came down with a dark patch where she had been rubbing her eyes.

Marinette looked to Adrien, who was about to speak. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before letting him step forward to speak.

"I miss you... I miss how you would hold me in your arms when I was sad and how you would tell me a joke to make me laugh when I was down. I miss how you would always smile to me whenever you got the chance to and how you would- how you would cross your eyes and stick your tongue out at me when guests weren't looking. I- I also miss how you would always give me a hug, even when I'd been bad, because you- you would say that hugging and teaching was better than punishing and telling." Adrien said softly, a small smile spreading on his face as he reminisced on all of his memories with her. "I r-remember when you started to get those dizzy spells, and you started to stay in bed more and more... I- I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye sooner... I guess I just thought that if I didn't, it would be like you were still here... with me..."

"Thinking about that... helped a lot... you helped me get through those times when I- when I was scared and I didn't know what was going to happen or if I was even going to make it through at all and everything was just hurting so, so much... you- you were- you were one of those few people who kept me going- I imagined you saying how everything would be okay, and... it is... thank you, so, so, so much... for everything. You have always been with me... and I hope you still will be. I- I know this was supposed to be a goodbye, but- I- I don't think I'm ready yet, even though it's been over a year now... but I will anyway, because- because you always told me to be strong... so..." Adrien sniffed, his hands shaking by his side, he looked up to the stone angel, almost seeing his mother in her delicate features.

"G-goodbye, I- I love you, and I always will..." Adrien said, his voice a croaky whisper.

He stepped back and felt Marinette take his hand gently, her thumb rubbing the back of his hand as their fingers entwined.

He wasn't nearly as alone as he thought he was.

He looked at the fallen leaves on the ground, seeing their colours become blurred together in a mixture or red and orange and yellow.