A/N: Hey guys, I am back! I apologize for the long wait. I like to take little breaks in between chapters and I ended up taking a pretty long one. It was mostly due to the new movie, Miraculous World: New York that came out last month! It captured all of my hype, haha. Anyway, I also was reminded that the month of October is actually Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Today, October 15th, is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, so I figured it was the perfect time for a new update! Hope y'all enjoy this one.

The air in their room was crisp and smelled of roses. Towels laid on the floor beside their bed as the steam from the bathroom began to settle. Tangled in their sheets, a cloud of frigid air came over Marinette as she pulled the covers up farther. Even in deep sleep, she could detect her source of warmth. Her legs moved around rapidly as she tried to find it. Her arms scoured the pillows next to her, only to find them completely empty.

Her eyes opened and she tried to find her light in the darkness. The spot next to her was usually warm and smelt of delectable cologne. Now her hands could only find the faintest feeling of heat from the pillows.

She tried to calm the pounding in her heart. It wasn't unusual for Adrien to skedaddle in the middle of the night. Sometimes she'd find him out in the living room watching television because he didn't want to disturb her. Perhaps he was getting his midnight snack. She knew better than to worry.

A groan escaped her lips as a rush of blood flowed from between her legs. She threw the covers off of herself and sat up to turn on the lamp beside her bed. Tikki was still fast asleep inside of the drawer. Marinette took notice that a usual black fur-ball was also missing, but didn't think too much of it. Plagg also liked to accompany Adrien on his nightly visits to the fridge sometimes.

Getting out of bed, she stepped over the damp towels and made her way into the bathroom. Her hair was slick and still slightly damp from their bath a few hours prior. The light burned her eyes as she flipped the switch to illuminate the whole room. Her eyes darted over to their clothes still laying near the tub.

She went to the counter near the sink and grabbed another pair of disposable underwear before walking over to the toilet. It crinkled slightly as she walked and she could feel herself cringing on the inside. She pulled down her underwear and sat on the toilet, disposing of her soiled one in the trash next to her.

Once she had finished relieving herself, she wiped and flushed before slipping on a new pair of disposable underwear. She washed her hands and turned out the lights before walking back into their bedroom.

She turned towards the door, noticing it had been left cracked open. Part of her wondered what Adrien was doing up during this hour of night, but she figured maybe he was having trouble sleeping.

Instead of slipping back into bed, she let her curiosity run wild. She opened the door more to see that the house was exactly as they had left it. The television in the living room was off and the only light was coming from the kitchen.

Marinette slipped out of her bedroom and walked towards the kitchen. She hoped to see Adrien there, but a gasp escaped her lips when she noticed that the room was also empty. All that had been touched was the stove light they had left on earlier.

Her hands and eyes searched for a note. There was nothing. As she turned around and headed back to her room, her feet pounded the floor in anger.

"Tikki!", she yelled as she turned on the lights, watching as the red kwami awoke in surprise.

"Y-Yes, Marinette?", Tikki looked up at her charge with a gleam of worry in her eyes.

"Where is Adrien?", she asked, her voice raising a little.

"I don't know," said the kwami as she flew up to meet Marinette's eyes. "That is the honest truth."

Marinette looked back to the drawer from where the kwami came from. "Plagg," she pointed to it. "He's also gone."

Tikki tapped her chin. "Which means Adrien must be…"

A light went off in her charge's head. "I think I know where he is, but you'll have to help me find him."

"Oh, I don't know, Marinette," Tikki looked at her with big eyes. "You're still not fully recovered."

"It'll be alright, I mean it's not like I'm going to be fighting supervillains, right?", Marinette said before putting her earrings back in.

The kwami sighed. "Fine, but just so you can find Adrien," she resounded.

Marinette smiled before calling out, "Tikki, spots on!"

Despite being the middle of the night, Paris was still abuzz as usual. The lights from the Eiffel Tower and various businesses still kept it well illuminated.

The sound of leather boots smacking against the rooftops echoed throughout the night. Luckily for Chat Noir, his suit matched the darkness and he was easily indistinguishable from the shadows.

He made his way to his favorite rooftop. It was one that faced the Eiffel Tower. Somehow, listening to the sounds of cars and people chatting below was calming to him. In the middle of the night; however, he needed a bit of clarity.

The brisk summer air filled his nostrils as he finally sat down. He ran a hand through his damp hair, feeling his nerves going back down again as he took deep breaths.

He wasn't sure if the pounding in his chest was from the running or if he was actually having a panic attack. All he knew was that he needed to get far away from everything at that moment.

Alongside the pounding was an ache in his heart. He tried his best to hold back the tears currently welling up behind his mask. He could feel his mind begin to spiral and he tried so hard to push back the thoughts that were currently haunting him.

He nearly jumped in surprise when he heard two feet land behind him. His head swiveled around to see none other than Ladybug standing behind him with her hands on her hips. "Uh, hey there, Milady," he said in a nervous voice.

Even in the darkness, he could tell that her eyes were squinting at him. She heard him gulp and quickly let a smile spread across her lips. "Hey Kitty," she said in a soft voice. She heard air escape his chest and she sat down beside him.

He pulled at the zipper on his suit. "L-Look Marinette, I can explain," his cat ears turned downwards as he sunk into himself. "I'm really sorry for leaving you all alone in the middle of the night, but I…"

Before he could finish, she had already pulled him into a hug. She squeezed him tighter when she noticed his body begin to shake. "You needed some fresh air and didn't want to wake me, I get it."

He nodded. "Y-Yeah," he let out another deep breath. "So you're not mad?"

Ladybug shook her head. "No, I'm not," she pulled back to hold his chin in her hand. "I was a bit surprised, but definitely not mad."

"O-Oh okay, good," he gave her a little smile before turning back to face the front.

Her face softened and she placed a hand on his back. "Adrien, are you okay?"

Chat bit his lower lip and shook his head as he felt the tears returning to his eyes. "If I'm being honest? No, not really," he tried to mask the shakiness in his voice.

Ladybug felt something warm up inside of her, as if her worries for him had begun to resurface. "Do you wanna talk about it?", she leaned forward a bit to look at him.

"M-Maybe later," he used a gloved hand to wipe his eyes before looking down at his lap and fiddling with his fingers. "I just feel really bad for leaving you like I did. The last thing you need right now is to worry about me."

She began rubbing circles on his back. "Chaton, it's okay," she smiled at him in the darkness. "Please don't beat yourself up too hard."

"I'll try but…it's hard," he sniffled. "I thought everything was fine. We had that quiet moment in the bath where we talked about things. That was really nice." He put on a watery smile. "Next thing I know, I'm waking up in a cold sweat and my heart pounding in my ears."

"Sounds like you had another panic attack, mon cher," Ladybug said as she scooted in closer to him.

"I-I think so too, but all I know is that I couldn't think straight," he raised his voice a little. "I just knew I needed to get out of the house, so I transformed and ran off to the city as fast as I could."

She moved her hand upwards to play with his locks of blond hair. "Do you have any idea what caused it?"

That was when she knew she had asked the wrong question. He grabbed his knees and hid his face behind them, curling up into a little ball. The cries he had tried so hard to keep inside were now coming out in little sporadic sobs.

"I-It's y-you," his voice squeaked as he spoke. "I keep having these thoughts, these dreams, of you being taken from me. When you were in the hospital, I didn't know what to do with myself." He gasped for air, causing her to wrap her arms around him tightly. "We had already lost our child and-and I didn't want to lose you too."

"Adrien…", she whispered to him. "You don't have to worry about me." She pulled back and looked at him. "Look, I'm right here."

He turned to look at her with watery green eyes, with only the lights from the street illuminating the scene. "I know, and that's why I'm sorry for feeling this way," he wiped his eyes with a finger. "After I woke up, I looked next to me to see you still fast asleep. I was relieved, yet I still felt anxious somehow."

Ladybug grabbed his hand in hers and pressed his palm against her cheek. "I know anxiety is something you've struggled with before. It's okay," she reassured him. "I'm really happy you decided to talk about it. You should never apologize for how you feel."

"Well, of course," he gave her a half-smile. "You're not only my superhero partner, but also my wife and one of my best friends." He finally leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you, Ladybug."

Ladybug felt some relief flow through her. Finally, she was beginning to see him open up just as she had hoped he would. It was a start, for sure. "I love you, too, Chat Noir."

He wrapped an arm around her back before laying his head on her shoulder. "I'm actually really happy you came out here to find me. I didn't want to enjoy this beautiful scene all on my own."

She chuckled. "Silly kitty, this bug always goes after her cat."

Ladybug and Chat Noir made sure to get back home before the sun came up.

Marinette slid back into bed, letting herself relax against the cold pillows. She closed her eyes and listened to Adrien's footsteps as he walked into their bedroom. Her ear picked up the small sounds of Tikki and Plagg settling back into their drawer next to her.

Adrien's weight could be felt as he sat down next to her. His reluctance to lay down made her open her eyes, though it was hard to see him in the dark.

"Adrien, what are you doing?", her voice had a hint of sleep in it.

"I don't know if I can sleep," his voice sounded hoarse. "I just…have too much on my mind."

Marinette reached out and searched for his hand, grabbing it hastily and giving to a squeeze. "I would feel so much better if you'd lay here next to me," she whispered in her sweet voice that she knew made him melt. "I think you would too."

She was correct because he instantly felt his heart flutter as she spoke. "I can try," he whispered back. He laid down on his side so that he was facing her. Through the darkness, he felt her palms cup his cheeks as she pulled his face close to her own.

"You're shaking again, minou," she rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs. A whimper escaped his throat before he she placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "You're safe now."

Adrien turned and pulled the covers up over himself before turning back to face her. "I know," he said plainly.

Marinette propped herself up on one arm and used her free hand to rub circles on his bare chest. "Would it help if I cuddled you? That way you know I'm right here."

His eyes closed as he felt her fingers gently rubbing his chest. "Mhm," he mumbled as he felt her scooting closer to him.

She threw her arm limply across his chest before laying her head in the crook of his neck. Her skin warmed up as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed light kisses to her hair. It felt so nice to be in his arms once again.

"Feel any better, my prince?", she looked up at him in the darkness. Suddenly, her mind drifted back to last time. The last time they were huddled together like this in bed was…

She swallowed hard and hoped he wouldn't notice. Her own breath began to pick up before quickly trying to settle down by rubbing grabbing a few locks of Adrien's hair.

"Yeah…I'm okay," he whispered dazedly. His grip around her weakened as sleep overcame him.

Marinette sighed happily knowing he was finally finding some peace. She could tell it was getting harder for him to hide his feelings from her, which could end up being good or bad. She didn't know for sure.

Looking over to his bedside table, her eyes went to the alarm clock. It was nearly four in the morning. She sighed as she looked back up at her sleeping husband.

"You've got class in the morning, silly kitty," she whispered quietly as to not wake him up. In light of all the craziness their lives had brought them over the past few days, it was no surprise that they had forgotten about their work.

All she could hope for was that he wasn't too tired for his students.

Adrien awoke abruptly as the sound of his alarm blared in his ears. Luckily, Marinette had moved back over to her own spot and was not met with the misfortune of being slung off of him as he sat up abruptly. His hand flung to the alarm clock and slammed down on it. He sighed as his ears thanked him for shutting off the source of the racket.

His head turned to the window next to him. The sun was beginning to rise, which was his cue to get up for-

School

A hand smacked his own forehead as he groaned. It completely slipped his mind that he was returning to work that day. Trying to ignore the ringing in his ears, he threw the covers off of himself and stood up. He remembered how happy he used to be in the mornings. Memories of his cheerful teenage self happily jumping out of bed flooded his mind.

He began to wipe the sleep from his eyes as he headed to the bathroom. Oh, if only he was still like his teenage self. He went over to the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. His disheveled blond hair and black circles under his red eyes said so much about how he currently felt.

He wondered if it was too late to call out again.

Though, there was a part of him that knew he needed this. He desperately needed a sense of normalcy and he knew it. He turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water in his face, which caused him to yelp out in surprise.

He used the toilet before heading back into the bedroom. With slight hesitation, he turned on the light. Marinette unconsciously reacted to it by turning over onto her stomach and covering her face.

Adrien went over to the closet and stared blankly at the clothing before him. His eyes darted between an orange or green short sleeved button up shirts. His instincts told him to choose green. He matched the shirt with a pair of khaki pants and gently tucked his shirt into them.

"Well, don't you look handsome."

He jumped when he heard Marinette speak. "Dang it, you got me again," he found it in himself to laugh.

With a yawn, she sat up in bed. "Maybe you're just a scaredy-cat," she laughed along with him. "But you really do look nice."

"Thanks," he turned back to the mirror in front of him, making sure his shirt was properly tucked. "Though I don't really feel all that great."

She tried to give him a comforting look. "I know, but maybe being back in the classroom with all of your students will help lift your spirits," Marinette got out of bed and slowly walked up to him. "Those kids need you, mon cher."

He felt himself relax as she came up behind him and threw her arms around his neck. "I know…I just…", He placed a hand on top of hers.

"Our lives have been crazier than usual and we both know it," Marinette came around and grabbed a tie off of the mirror. "I think this one would look good with your shirt."

He eyed the orange tie that she held in her hands. "I think so, too," he watched as she began to put it around his neck. "I just hope my students don't give me too much trouble today."

She smiled at him as she fixed his tie. "Your students love you," she tried to give him encouragement. "I know they do because how could they not love someone as sweet and patient as you, Mr. Dupain-Agreste?"

Adrien felt a familiar heat on his cheeks. "Way to jump to conclusions, Mrs. Dupain-Agreste," he smirked when he saw her faux angry expression.

"I mean it," she stepped back to look at her handy work. "You're so good with kids…really just people in general." She hesitated when she realized that she may have accidentally hit a sore spot.

He noticed her hesitation, but still gave her a swift kiss on the cheek. "I believe you, my lady," he said. "Now I need to finish getting ready."

Marinette stretched her arms above her head as she yawned. "Go and get ready, Mr. Handsome Man," she laughed as she walked back over to their bed. "I think I can sleep a bit more."

"Please do," he yelled from the bathroom. Walking over to the mirror, he looked at his messy hair. He honestly could not remember the last time he had brushed it in the last few days.

Marinette laid back down in bed, pulling the fluffy comforter over her cold body. She watched him from across the room as he brushed and slicked his hair back with a little gel. "Make it stick up a little," she raised her voice so that he could hear her. "It looks cute like that."

Adrien laughed and she smiled to herself in satisfaction. "What's with all this flirting this morning, my lady?" He combed through his hair once more before walking back into the bedroom.

She threw her head back on the pillows. "Nothing, I'm just telling the truth, that's all," she closed her eyes and yawned.

With a small smile on his face, he walked over and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Well, I appreciate it, my sweet," he caressed her face with a hand. "I'll be leaving soon, but please don't hesitate to call me if you need me to come home."

"I think I'll be okay," her voice was groggy. "I will take my medicine and the bleeding has almost stopped." She pulled her arms out from under the covers to grab his hand. "Go have a good day, Kitty."

Despite the faint pain in his heart that was still present, he knew Marinette was right. He couldn't spend his days huddled up in bed and crying his eyes out, even if that seemed favorable given the current situation.

"I'll try my best," he gave her a small smile before standing back up straight. Before leaving the room, he grabbed his glasses and turned off the light. "Sweet dreams."

Marinette waved a weak hand to him before relaxing back into her pillow. Adrien quietly shut the door behind him.

Ding dong

His attention turned towards the front door as the doorbell rang. Who would be showing up here at seven A.M.? He thought to himself before walking to the door.

He stood back with hesitation as his hand hovered over the doorknob. He waited to see if it rang again.

It didn't.

Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob and swung the door open. To his surprise, no one was there. Instead, there laid a large gift basket on the doorstep.

He inspected the basket, only to find that it had the familiar T&S symbol on the side. Adrien now had the biggest smile on his tired face as he picked it up and brought it inside.

After sitting it on the coffee table, he picked up the note that was attached.

To our favorite children,

The bakery has been busy, so we're sorry that we couldn't give this basket to you ourselves. We figured the two of you could use some tasty treats during these tough times. We will do our best to come visit soon.

Love,

Tom & Sabine Dupain-Cheng

He tried to stop his eyes from watering as he looked at the basket filled to the brim with pastries. There were many of Tom and Sabine's famous croissants and eclairs, as well as his favorite: chouquettes.

A black blur flew past his vision as Plagg zoomed into the room. "I smell something delicious~", he looked at the basket as his eyes met a familiar, yellow-colored tin.

"Oh, there's camembert in here?", Adrien picked up the container, which was quickly snatched up by the kwami. "They really are the best."

Plagg was already munching on the stinky wheel of cheese. "Good thing you told them it was you who liked it," he said with his mouth full.

Adrien shook his head. "Yes, of course," he looked down at his phone to see the time. "Well, sad that I can't stay and watch you devour that atrocious abomination." He laughed as he watched Plagg give him a dirty look. "But I've got to go if I want to make it to school on time. You and Tikki watch Marinette for me, okay?"

The kwami shook his head. "I'm sure she'll be fine," he threw his paws in the air. "She can take care of yourself. Try not to worry so much."

Adrien gave him a half-smile. "Too bad that's easier said than done, buddy," he grabbed his suitcase and the car keys from the table before heading out the door and locking it behind him.

Plagg shook his head as he stuffed more cheese in his mouth. "I really do worry about that kid sometimes."

The sound of her phone ringing echoed through Marinette's ears. She brushed away the crust in her eyes as she opened them and reached out for her phone.

She answered the call and put the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi sweetheart, did you just wake up?"

She blinked and sat up when she heard her mother's voice. "Oh, hi mom," she yawned. "Yeah, I was sleeping, but it's okay."

"Oh, sorry," Sabine said. "Did you at least sleep well?"

Marinette tried to take her focus away from the pain currently pounding in her abdomen. "As well as you'd think," she chuckled. "It's nice to be back in my own bed."

"Those hospital beds are awful, aren't they?", her mother's voice still sounded somewhat cheerful. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm still bleeding and everything still hurts," she winced at her unintentional double entendre. "But I'm trying to hang in there."

"That's my girl," she could tell her mom was smiling. "How's Adrien?"

"He went back to work today," Marinette said. "He didn't want to go, but I told him he needed to."

"I think it's good that he did. Maybe it'll help take his mind off of things. Speaking of which, have you two talked about things at all?"

She thought back to their previous conversation as their superhero selves. "Kind of," her voice had a bit of hesitation. "I can tell that he's still worrying about me too much, but he has started to open up a bit more."

"Oh, good. Maybe you two can get things sorted out. Also, have you seen the surprise your father and I sent you today?"

Marinette's eyes widened and she threw the covers off of herself. "No, I have not," she got out of bed and went out into the living room. A smile crossed her face as she saw the large basket sitting on the coffee table. Next to it laid a kwami who was now in a food coma. She tried to keep herself from laughing. "Oh my gosh, Mama. You and Papa didn't have to do this."

"We know, but you and Adrien deserve everything right now. We love you both so much and we thought it could help the healing process. Not just physically, but mentally too."

She swore she shed a tear as she looked at the basket of treats and read the note attached. Her heart swelled and her hands began to shake as she put the phone back up to her ear. "Thank you so much, Mama," she tried to keep her voice from shaking. "Tell Papa I said 'thank you' too and that I love him."

"We love you, too, sweetie," Sabine said. "The bakery is getting busy again, so I'll text you later. Goodbye, Marinette."

"Okay, bye-bye, Mama," she clicked the red button on her screen and sat her phone down on the table. She wiped her blurry eyes to better examine what was in front of her. All the treats her parents knew she and Adrien loved had been put together so beautifully.

Plagg yawned and stretched inside of the empty camembert box. "I see you've found the holy grail," he said.

Marinette laughed as she noticed his belly sticking out. "I see you have, too," she smirked at him. "My parents are the best."

"They sure are," said the kwami, flying up to sit on top of a box of macarons. "It smells amazing."

She sniffed the air as the scent of her parents' bakery filled her nostrils. It reminded her of her childhood, when she'd wake up everyday and have the aroma of fresh bread and cake filling her room. It was a comforting feeling.

Her stomach growled, making her realize that she hadn't ate anything aside from hospital food for breakfast the day before. With all that had been going on, it had been easy to ignore her stomach.

As if on cue, Tikki flew out of the basket and handed her a macaron. "You look like you need some sweet treats, Marinette!", she said in her usual squeaky voice.

Marinette smiled at her kwami and took the macaron from her. "Thanks, Tikki," she looked at the treat in her hands. It was pink with white filling and smelled of strawberries. She took a bite and let out a sigh as the sweet flavor met her tongue.

Her phone vibrated on the table, lighting up with a message on screen. She picked it up and read over it.

Hey everyone, Alya here to remind you guys that my baby shower is coming up really soon! Next Saturday, in fact! Nino and I can't wait to see everyone come out and help us celebrate the impending arrival of our sweet babies.

Marinette sat her phone down on the table along with the macaron. The feeling of hunger that once resided in her stomach was now replaced with a feeling of dread. Her mind had completely blanked on her best friend's upcoming baby shower.

She sat back on the couch, throwing her head back against the cushions. This was something she had been looking forward to ever since Alya had announced her pregnancy.

All the happiness she had for her friend was being threatened to be conquered by anger. Jealousy. Maybe even a bit of sadness.

The pounding in her head returned and she reached over to grab one of her pills. After swallowing it promptly with some water, she went back to laying down on the couch.

The kwamis in front of her must've noticed her meek expression because they know floated next to her with worried looks on their faces.

"What?", Marinette hated how her voice came out a lot snarkier than she had intended.

"Marinette…it's okay," Tikki tried to comfort her. "We know that you want to be happy for Alya, but it's hard, isn't it?"

The tears that had been forming in her eyes finally managed to break out and roll down her flushed cheeks. "Gosh Tikki, you don't even know," she managed to say. "I hate everything right now. I want to be happy for Alya and Nino, too." Her voice squeaked with every word she spoke. "But I can't deal with these constant reminders of…of…"

She brought her knees up to her chest and collapsed into herself. Tikki and Plagg placed gentle paws on both sides of her back.

"It's only been a few days," Plagg said. "Your wounds are still fresh."

"Plagg is right," Tikki smiled at him for once. "You just experienced a loss. It's normal to be sad and angry."

Marinette lifted her head up, wiping her nose with a nearby tissue. "Maybe Adrien is right to worry about me," her voice became faint. "Look at me, I can't even be happy for our best friends without crying over something so…so stupid."

Tikki and Plagg looked at each other, silently wishing Adrien was there to take over on consoling her. They had become accustomed to dealing with human emotions over the many years they had worked with them, but this was the first time either of them were dealing with a situation like this.

Plagg tried to think of what Adrien would say to her. "Your feelings aren't stupid," he sat on her bare knee. "Maybe…maybe you should go do something else. Take your mind off of things."

"And I think you should talk to Adrien when he gets home too," Tikki said. "You need an actual human to talk to, not us."

Marinette wiped her eyes as she looked at the kwamis in front of her. "You're right," she said. "I…I think Adrien and I have some things we need to discuss anyway. Thanks for being here for me."

They gave her tiny hugs. "Anything for our lady," Plagg said, bowing.

Her eyes glanced to her sketchbook which still remained on the table. Remembering what happened last night, her hesitance to open it grew stronger. She took a deep breath and got up off of the couch.

Her legs led her to the hallway and into the room on the right. She stuck her head in and the scent of fabric paint quickly filled her nostrils. At the current moment, the spare bedroom was being used as her design studio. It was much like the old one she had as a teenager, but she's designed a lot of things since then.

Turning on the light, she stepped inside for what felt like the first time in forever. Her sewing machine sat on a desk near the window and rolls of fabric lined the back wall.

Pushing all of her emotions back for a moment, she took it all in. Not long after then moved in together, she and Adrien decided that it would be nice for the two of them to have their own spaces. Using the two extra bedrooms in the house, she turned into a design studio, which later also became the headquarters for her online boutique.

Adrien turned the other room into his study once he became a teacher full time. They both just needed quiet places where they could indulge themselves deep into their work. Eventually they had planned to use one of the bedrooms for their child and she knew it would be a fight, seeing as how both of them would easily give up their own space.

For now though, she hoped to relinquish some of her current sorrow and anger by throwing herself back into one of the many things in her life that brings her joy.

On her desk laid two items that caught her eye. She walked closer to examine them. Next to the sewing machine laid what would eventually become two little baby blankets. One was orange and on the fabric, she had made a spot where she would put a patch of a fox into the fabric. The other one was green and had the same spot, except this one would be for a turtle.

The blankets were already soft, but she planned to add some fleece to make them extra cozy for the upcoming winter. Thinking about how much her friends would love them did make her heart swell. She knew they'd also love the homage to their own alter egos. Alya and Nino had decided to learn the genders of the babies once they were born, so she wanted to keep things neutral.

Then her mind moved on to imagining her friends with their own babies. In just a few short weeks, there would be tiny little humans wrapped up in those blankets. Their tiny fingers and toes would be warm as they were laid down to sleep.

She loved how their faces lit up every time they mentioned their babies. The feeling of loving someone you haven't even met yet is a feeling she knew all too well.

Marinette had to stop herself. The tears welling up in her eyes burned with a mix of emotions. Thinking back to what the kwamis had said, she sat down in her sewing chair and took deep breaths.

"It's okay, Marinette," she said to herself. "This is your happy place." She picked up the orange blanket and examined it. The feeling of the fluffy material under her fingertips gave her a calming feeling.

She took another deep breath and placed it under the sewing machine, along with the next piece of fabric.

With every inch of fabric came another painful thought that racked her brain. The reminder that she was making something for a baby.

It didn't take long for her to notice the tears slowly falling down her cheeks. She let her hands move away from her sewing machine as she quickly turned it off.

Her back slammed against the back of her chair as she sat back, covering her eyes with her fists. "I…I can't do this," her voice was low and shaky.

It was then that she heard a familiar voice calling out to her.

"Marinette? Where are you?"

She cleared her throat and spoke up. "I'm in here!", she yelled out.

The sound of footsteps got closer and closer until she saw Adrien walk into the room. His expression changed from one of happiness to one of worry as he noticed her current state. "Hey, what's the matter?"

He came and knelt down next to her, placing a gentle hand on her thigh. "Adrien, I…I feel so stupid," she wiped her eyes before looking at him. "I thought that coming in here and working on some of my designs would help me, b-but then…"

Adrien looked at the blanket pieces laying on her desk. "Oh, are those the gifts for Alya and Nino?", his voice was genuine. "I think it's great that you're trying to work on them."

Marinette had to restrain herself from gritting her teeth. "No, Adrien, it is not great," she didn't like the hint of snippiness in her voice, but it slipped out. "I can't even think about anything with babies without having a mental breakdown."

He rubbed her thigh with his hand. "Hey, look, it'll be okay," he tried his best to calm her down. "Maybe you can work on them later."

She took his hand off of her thigh and looked at him. "No, it won't be okay," she said. "And frankly, I'm getting a bit tired of everyone saying that." She got up out of her chair. "Especially you."

Adrien took a step back as he tried to focus on what she was saying. "Me? But Marinette, I-I'm just doing what I've always done," he could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "I'm trying to help you because you're my wife and I love you."

Marinette stepped in front of him. "So, do you think that makes it okay to lie to me?", she cocked an eyebrow at him. "All this time, I've been hurting and you've just been acting like everything is fine." The tears returned to her eyes. "Look Adrien, I heard you. The night we found out I was having a miscarriage."

He tried to think of what she was referring to. Everything since then had been a blur. Just thinking back to those recent events made his hurt heart. Then, something clicked in his brain.

Oh, and it made his heart sink.

"Oh…oh my gosh," he ran his fingers through his hair, a sudden realization taking place. "Marinette, I…", he sniffled as tears formed in his own eyes. "I never meant to hurt you. I'd never do anything to hurt you on purpose."

She knew he was right. Though that didn't stop the rage and pain from bubbling up to the surface. "I know you wouldn't, and that's what hurts the most," their tear-filled eyes met. "I've been avoiding this whole conversation because I care about you so, so much." She placed a hand on his cheek.

"Then what made you say it now?", he asked. "I'm sure I deserve whatever rage you're going to throw at me."

"Part of being a couple is that we need to learn how to resolve conflicts," she said. "Things are really hard right now and that's why I couldn't hold it in any longer." She took her hand off of his face. "I know you care about me, Adrien, but it hurts me that you neglect your own feelings. I know you're hurting too and if there's ever anything I did to make you feel unsafe with me, please just say it."

Whatever dam was holding his tears back, it finally broke loose. "N-No, you're right," he tried to smile through his tears. "Nothing you've ever said or done has made me feel unsafe to express myself around you." He looked down at his shoes, causing his glasses to fall off of his face. "I-I guess it's still the effects of my childhood. It's not your fault, Marinette, and please never think that it is." He let out a soft sob. "I'm really sorry."

Her anger slowly turned into sympathy as she watched his face grow longer. Kneeling down, she picked up his glasses and stood back up. "Hey, I understand. I could never find it in myself to hate you," he finally looked up at her and she took it as an opportunity to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "Try to remind yourself that I am not your father. I won't shut myself away and leave you all alone to grieve." She gently slid his glasses back onto his face and gave him a small peck on the nose.

"I guess we both have things we need to work on, huh?", he grabbed a tissue to wipe his nose. "We're a mess, aren't we?" He thought back to all the chaos they had both endured in the last few days. "I guess it was only a matter of time before we were forced to face it."

"Things are…not the best right now," Marinette said. "That's why it upset me so much to see you trying to hide your feelings from me." She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. "I love you and I want to take care of you, too. You're so caring and kind and I don't know what I'd do without you."

Adrien hugged her back, squeezing her gently. "All my life I've been taught to take care of others," he nuzzled into her neck. "I'm so sorry if I made you feel like I don't care. I loved our little baby so much and there hasn't been a day where I haven't thought about it."

"I know you care and that's why I tried to ignore these feelings for so long," she brought a hand up and used her fingers to play in his hair. "If anything, I should be angry with myself."

"No, Marinette, it's okay," he began rubbing circles on her back.

She pulled back to look at him. "No, it's not okay," her bottom lip quivered. "I should be happy for Alya. She's my best friend and she's getting to experience one of the most amazing parts of life with a man she loves." She laid her head on Adrien's chest. "I want to be happy, but instead all I feel is anger and sadness. Maybe a little jealous, too."

He pulled her closer to him, stroking her hair. "I guess there's not much either of us can do," he laid his head on top of hers. "Our baby was taken away from us and it's only natural for us to be in pain." He felt himself tearing up again just thinking about it.

"Why us? Why don't we get to have our happy ending?", Marinette asked. "What have we ever done to deserve this type of cruel punishment?"

That was the point when neither of them knew what to say. They stood there together in silence as they listened to each other's quiet sobs. All of their pain cleansed itself through their tears.

Adrien took a deep breath before he spoke. "Look Marinette, I'm really sorry," he pulled her closer to him. "I wish I could take all of your pain away."

"No, if anyone should apologize here, it's me," she looked up at him. "I knew about all the stuff with your father and so I shouldn't have been upset with you." She placed a hand on his cheek and caressed with her thumb. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "No, I can't use my past as an excuse for my actions," he placed his hand on top of hers. "I think the message here is that we need to work on our communication. That's very important, Bugaboo."

She giggled to hear him use his nickname for Ladybug out of costume. "Yes, you are correct, kitty cat," she booped his nose. "I guess maybe we just have to deal with not being okay for a little while."

Adrien brushed a piece of hair back behind her ear and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "And we can work on it together," he gave her a small smile. "I love you."

Marinette leaned forward to close the gap between them, enveloping his lips in her own. She put her hands on his cheeks to pull him closer, heating up their kiss. Once they pulled back, they look at each other and their tear stained cheeks. "I love you, too."

"Is it clear?"

Their heads simultaneously turned towards the door to see Tikki and Plagg floating in the doorway.

Marinette's and Adrien's cheeks flushed red as they stared at their kwamis. "Uh, how much did you hear?", Marinette asked.

"Enough to know that you two can never seem to stay mad at each other for very long," Tikki said.

Adrien grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. "It's true," he turned to her with a smirk on his face. "She's way too beautiful."

Marinette blushed. Even after knowing him for nearly eleven years, she still found herself becoming flustered anytime he complimented her. "It's hard to stay mad at someone who is so sweet and charming," she smiled in satisfaction as a similar blush popped up on his own cheeks.

"So, are you two okay now?", Plagg asked.

"I…don't think we're completely okay," Adrien said. "At least not right now." He felt Marinette squeeze his hand.

"Healing takes time," she turned her head back to her desk. "In fact, I think I might try to start now." She let go of Adrien and sat back down in her sewing chair.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her hair. "Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?", he said. "Only work on it if you feel like it."

She turned on her sewing machine and watched as the pieces of fabric finally came together.

"I think I'll be fine."

A/N: I still feel so bad for Marinette and Adrien everytime I write this story, but I can't help but love it too. They are on a slow path of healing and conflicts are bound to arise. I hope their "argument" was okay because honestly, that was the scene I was worried about with this one. It's just so hard to come up with good dialogue sometimes, haha. Anyway, I think y'all will love the next one because I am so excited to write it.