It was the middle of the morning by the time Adrien finished packing his suitcase with whatever was dry. Which wasn't much. The plumbing accident soaked everything and everyone to the core. Meaning there was little left that was truly dry. As though luck (or Ladybug) decided to smile on him, Plagg helped find the articles of clothing that were still dry. Flying over with a dry shirt, Adrien took the article of clothing from his Kwami and put it in his suitcase. He looked over what he had packed so far.

Spare shirts and pants for outings, dry shoes, finer clothes for fashion shows and formal parties (bleh), fresh undergarments that Nathalie managed to get dried, and jackets to complete the ensemble. His toiletries were tucked neatly into a smaller bag. Again, courtesy of Nathalie, bless her. Sometimes. At least they managed to get the dryer working. He'll have to put them through a second round of washing when he reached his temporary housing.

"Looks like I have everything," he said. Plagg looked over, noticing a couple of stray socks hanging out of the dresser.

"Careful. Forgot your socks," Plagg said, flying over to the dresser. He came back with them in paw to where Adrien stood with the suitcase. Adrien took them, grateful.

"Thanks, Plagg."

"Welcome."

Folding them neatly, so they fit, Adrien closed the suitcase with Plagg's help. The little Kwami zipped up the suitcase while Adrien held it down. After making appointments with the plumbers and cleaners, Nathalie spoke with several acquaintances to find a good place for Adrien to stay. Ultimately, they settled on his aunt Amelie, who ran the Graham de Vanily estate. How Nathalie managed to convince his aunt to take him in, Adrien would never know. All he heard was Amelie was all too eager to be the hostess for his visit. A little too eager, but who was he to judge.

Well, it would be nice to see his aunt, uncle, and cousin again. Adrien couldn't remember the last time he had seen them face-to-face. Which was ridiculous since they lived close by. Granted, they still needed the Gorilla around to drive them, but it was within a reasonable distance. Maybe he could catch up to what his extended family was up to while he was there.

Knock knock knock

"Come in."

Plagg flew to his hiding spot the second the door handle jiggled. In stepped Nathalie, as formal as ever.

"The car is ready whenever you've finished packing," she informed. Adrien skimmed over the contents of his suitcase. Then he looked back at Nathalie.

"I just got done in fact."

"Excellent," Nathalie said. Sliding the suitcase onto the floor, Adrien took hold of the handle and followed Nathalie out. The mansion, which once stood proud and grand, was now a sodden pile of soggy luxury. The employees were cleared out until further notice, with Nathalie taking the helm at managing the repair projects. It would be a while, he knew, before the mansion was repaired and habitable again. Though a secret part of him was glad to be out of the cage he called home.

"Does anyone know how long until the plumbing is fixed?" Adrien asked.

Nathalie shook her head. "We don't know," she admitted. "Although we are predicting two to three weeks." Adrien nodded in acknowledgment.

Through the slippery hallways, they went. Past the dining room. Past the atelier. Down the stairs in the foyer. And finally, they reached the courtyard where the car was waiting. The courtyard was, thankfully, left untouched by the water damage. Whatever had caused the pipes in the mansion to explode, nobody could figure out. Plagg, on the other hand, seemed to know the cause behind it. Adrien would've believed him had the mention of the bird yesterday not come up.

Were Kwamis just as superstitious as people? Fairies didn't exist. That much Adrien knew.

"Until we have everything fixed, there will be no photoshoots," Nathalie informed. The Gorilla picked up Adrien's suitcase and packed it in the trunk of the car. Then he held the door open for his ward.

"So no photoshoots," Adrien uttered. Then he perked up. "Does that mean no piano lessons either?"

Nathalie simply gave him a flat look. "Your lessons will continue at your temporary housing," she said coolly. "The Graham de Vanily family has a tutor of their own." Adrien fought with every ounce of his being to not show his disappointment. Nathalie crossed something off on a clipboard she was carrying. "This way, you won't fall behind in your studies."

Thought as much… Adrien thought dejectedly.

"We will keep in contact during your stay," Nathalie added. Adrien knew immediately what that entailed. His father would be calling his extended family to check on his progress. And make sure he stayed in line. What was he going to tell Master Fu? That a fairy-bird caused the plumbing in his house to explode? As if Master Fu would believe that.

Wordlessly, he climbed into the car, Plagg hidden safely in his jacket. Then the Gorilla circled the car to the driver's side, where he climbed in and started the vehicle. With one last look at the golden cage, Adrien bid a silent farewell to Nathalie and his home.

The cityscape of Paris blurred together in a myriad of colors. From the signs of the street-side shops to the greenery of different trees and plants to the exteriors of the buildings. Adrien leaned on the door, staring at the outside from his seat. Families of various sizes passed by on the sidewalk. Fathers and mothers with children. Children with both parents. Children with fathers. Children with mothers. Children with brothers and sisters.

He felt a pang of envy stab his heart. Ever so slightly, but it was there. How was it they had a whole family, but he didn't? How was it fair that he didn't have a mother, but plenty of others did? How was it fair that his father was more distant than the sun and the moon?

How was any of this fair?

Sensing his Holder's emotions, Plagg poked his head out of his hiding space. Keeping a careful eye on his surroundings, so he wasn't seen by the bodyguard, he patted Adrien's hand with a paw. It was a risk, he knew. But his kitten needed someone, anyone. Even if it was a tiny being like him.

"It'll be okay," Plagg whispered. Adrien looked down, the light in his eyes reduced to a dull glimmer. Plagg sensed the guilt in his Holder returning tenfold, not helped by his father's tighter hold on him after the fiasco.

Ever since the investigation revealed how much corruption there truly was at DuPont, Gabriel's already controlling nature towards his son got worse. Adrien wasn't allowed to see or talk to anyone from his class. Not even Marinette, the one who was hurt the most by all this. He couldn't tell his classmates he knew about Lila's lies. He couldn't apologize to Marinette for his idiotic mistake. He couldn't even check up on them to see how they were. Making matters worse, his father's assistant was even willing to confiscate his phone just for trying to call his classmates.

Plagg had never wanted to Cataclysm someone so much. Ironically enough, the fairy yesterday delivered some much-needed karma to the old man by making all the pipes explode. As soon as he knew the fairy wasn't hostile, he would thank them for helping free his kitten.

Adrien's thoughts, in the meantime, wandered to his time as Chat Noir. While his home life was now more restrictive than ever, he at least still had some modicum of freedom every time an akuma attacked. Ladybug was smart. Smarter than anyone he had ever met. But even Ladybug wasn't immune to an irate victim, as the aftermath of the Madame Destiny attack proved.

He was still haunted by the incident after Madame Destiny was de-akumatized. How she yelled obscenities at Mrs. Rossi for things that Lila had done. How she wanted her arrested and ruined for things Lila had done. How she even had the gall to hit Ladybug. And then finding out she saw her only daughter as a trophy?

It was a wonder Adrien wasn't akumatized right after.

The car cruised along the streets of Paris. A grand building with a luxurious gold trim came into view. As did another car in the parking lot. The Gorilla turned left, then right into the parking lot where the other car was waiting.

Adrien looked out the window. Was this where he would be staying? It was big, about as big as the mansion. And ornate. The car doors unlocked. The Gorilla stepped out of the car and faced the other vehicle. Observing, Adrien saw another man step out. His hair stood out in a manner that reminded him of a lion's mane. The Lion, the name which Adrien would call him for now, faced the Gorilla. Eyes narrowed and tense. Body language reading defense.

Uh oh. Was this an intimidation match? Neither looked like they were moving. Or wanting to move.

"Should I remember this guy?" Adrien whispered.

"Might be a good idea," Plagg said.

They both ducked, tense. Waiting. Then, to their absolute astonishment, both the Gorilla and the Lion smiled. Then they hugged one another in a brotherly embrace. Adrien was confused. Did they know each other? By the looks of it, they did. The two exchanged hand signals. The Gorilla laughed. Silent and unheard, but Adrien could tell he was laughing. Plagg hid when he saw the Gorilla approaching. The car door opened, and the Gorilla gestured with his head for Adrien to step out.

After a moment's hesitation, and a little nudge from the Gorilla, Adrien did. Approaching the Lion, he was greeted with a warm smile from the other man. This was more than enough reassurance there was nothing to worry about. After all, the Gorilla is friendly with him. So what is there to be concerned about?

The Lion held the door for Adrien while he climbed in, the Gorilla retrieving his suitcase from the car. The back trunk was popped open long enough to transfer the suitcase to the other vehicle. Then, after a final exchange of farewells, the Gorilla drove off. The Lion pulled out of the parking lot and started down the street, away from the grandiose building.

That wasn't where he would be staying? Weird. What was even weirder? The buildings were slowly being replaced by trees the further they drove away, Adrien realized. It wasn't long until the trees were joined by grassy fields. The buildings were long out of sight by then.

"I didn't know we were going to the countryside," Adrien said out loud. The Lion said nothing but smiled.

Well, this was an interesting turn of events. His cousin's home was this far out in the country? That would make helping Ladybug as Chat Noir a little more difficult.

Adrien found himself being poked awake by a helpful Plagg roughly half an hour later. Blinking and yawning, the blurry view of the Graham de Vanily estate filled his vision.

His first thought was the mansion looked old. And yet, there was a certain charm to it. To say it was grand would be the understatement of the century, although the overall shape and silhouette were much simpler than the Agreste home. The exterior was an off white, texture added through the bricks used for the front facade. The roofing was a deep blue, accenting the old-style elegance of the home. There was so much greenery surrounding the estate, Adrien was certain there was a garden somewhere. And a garden there was. Various shrub roses lined the path, a fountain in the middle of the circular driveway. Along the front, upon closer inspection, different decorative vines were climbing the walls.

It was much livelier than his home in Paris, Adrien thought. A stark contrast to the emptiness of his cage. He could even see people going about their business in the mansion. The Lion pulled up to the front, where his aunt Amelie and his cousin Félix were waiting. Strange… where was his uncle?

The Lion opened the car door for Adrien, allowing him to come and greet his relatives.

"Adrien, welcome," Amelie greeted. She was the twin sister of his mother, Emilie, he remembered. Amelie preferred dark clothes to his mother's white. And yet, they were close when his mother was around. He hadn't heard stories from when his parents met or got married, but he'd overheard a few times. Too few to remember any details, to his chagrin. Amelie, according to Nathalie, still kept in touch even after Amelie's wedding to her husband, Adrien's uncle. But after Emilie disappeared, communication with them became strained. Wonder what happened?

"Hey, Aunt Amelie," Adrien said, greeted his aunt with a hug. "Hey, Félix."

"Greetings," Félix said, bowing. The Lion popped open the trunk of the car. Retrieving their guest's suitcase, he placed it at the bottom where Adrien could reach.

"Please come in," Amelie gestured. Once Adrien had a hold on his luggage, the Lion climbed back into the car to take it to the garage. Amelie and Félix, meanwhile, led their guest into their home. Stepping inside, Adrien was thoroughly amazed at how different it looked from his home.

The first thought that came to mind was how much color there was on the walls. They were covered in wallpapers painted red and gold, with an intricately designed flower bouquet setting off the polished dark wood. Various paintings, restored and well-cared for, lined the hallway. Rococo-style designs decorated the corners of the walls, the gold complimenting the wallpaper. Ornate carpets and rugs from the Far East were carefully spread and laid out. Vases filled with colorful flowers stood at each end of the staircase in the foyer. The antique furniture on the side set off the dark wood and red wallpaper with vivid jewel tones and painted gold accents. The light fixtures were a beautiful blend of old and new. While the colors were much darker, it felt… warm. Inviting. What sort of history has this house seen?

Nice place, Plagg thought. Adrien gaped like a goldfish.

"It feels so warm and inviting," Adrien blurted out. Immediately, he closed his mouth. Amelie simply giggled.

"Thank you," she said to her nephew. Félix only smiled, though a sharp eye could tell it was strained. Adrien nodded nervously, then looked off to the side.

"Looks a lot nicer than my place," he added. Félix looked at his cousin.

"Well, to be fair, this place has seen some history," he added.

"What kind of history?"

Félix grinned. "Centuries. Dating as far back as the mid-1800s."

"Neat."

Traversing up the stairs to the second floor, Amelie and Félix led Adrien to his room. It was a spare guest room they had on hand in the event someone would be staying at their home. For clothes, there was an armoire made of hand-carved cherry wood. The scent was sweet, like summer berries baked into a fine patisserie. The bed, in contrast to the bed he usually slept in, looked so soft and comfortable. Enough he was certain he would sink in and never escape the cozy prison. Not that he would've minded. While it was half the size of Adrien's room in the Agreste mansion, it didn't feel suffocating. Rather, it felt inviting.

"This is where you'll be staying," Amelie said to Adrien. "There are fresh linens in the closet whenever you need them. And your belongings can be unpacked whenever you feel like it."

Oh yeah. He was going to enjoy his stay here.

"I think I'll get my stuff unpacked now so it is done," Adrien said.

"Alright," Amelie replied. Looking at both boys, she added, "I'm doing some cooking at the moment." She turned to her son. "Félix, will you assist him if he requests it?"

Félix beamed. "I can help right now if he doesn't mind." Adrien lit up.

"I don't mind. It would be nice to have someone to talk to as well."

Amelie smiled, happy to see the boys getting along. "I'll leave you two to it then." She headed out the door. "Food will be ready as soon as I call."

"Thank you, mother," Félix said.

"Thank you, Aunt Amelie," Adrien added.

With that, Amelie left the boys to their devices. Félix fought the urge to crack a sarcastic joke. His clueless cousin was here, and that meant something happened to Gabriel's precious house. Pushing these thoughts aside, Félix began helping Adrien unpack.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Félix. How has everything been?"

Félix paused, wondering how to word it politely. "It has been… challenging," he finally admitted. With what had been happening in the family lately, it had brought down everyone's spirits. His mother put on a smiling and cheerful front, but those closest to her knew she was trying to remain strong. Times had become challenging, as of late.

"I guess my mom's disappearance is hard on you too," Adrien replied. Félix grit his teeth, tightly clutching the jacket in his hands.

"… it has been, yes."

Adrien sighed. "I still haven't gotten over it really." He put away his undergarments in the appropriate drawer. "I just want her back." Félix suddenly found his grip tightening to the point his knuckles were turning white.

"… as do we, cousin," Félix replied. Adrien looked at his cousin, a smile of appreciation on his face.

"Thanks," he said. "The concern is appreciated." Félix's smile was growing even more strained by the second. Was… was his cousin truly this oblivious? He had heard he was slow on the uptake, but this was ridiculous.

He took a deep breath. There was no need to get wound up over something he could easily take control of. No need to let his emotions get the best of him. They were fortunate they lived out in the country, away from the danger zone they called Paris. Gabriel wanted to keep his son safe? As if. With how dangerous Paris had become, wouldn't it have made more sense to send Adrien away? Of course, Gabriel only wanted control. He controlled everything and everyone around him. Even his son.

… he was letting his anger get the best of him again. That was unfortunate. Breathing evenly through his nostrils, he asked. "… so, Adrien. Care to tell me about your friends?"

Good good. Friends are a good conversation topic.

"Which ones would you like to hear about?" Adrien asked.

"Any of them, please."

Adrien paused. Then his smile brightened. "Well, there is my best friend Nino to start with."

According to Adrien, Nino was his first friend outside of Chloé. He had been his best bro through thick and thin. Even during akuma attacks. Then there was Alya Césaire, the tabloid blogger. He wasn't out of the loop. He had read the Ladyblog when it first started. Then the lies she posted turned a promising journalistic endeavor into a laughingstock. He remembered how his friends who were studying to be private detectives would point and laugh at the idiocy the girl posted. Then the libel came, and what followed was a scandal of fantastic proportion. He may have been exaggerating, but the fallout was bad enough Gabriel pulled Adrien out of the school.

The other classmates, from what Adrien told him, sounded more like sheep than people with functioning brains. Rose and Juleka were part of a band with Ivan and Luka. Mylène was scared of her own shadow, Sabrina was Chloé's most loyal lackey, Max preferred the company of robots, and Kim and Alix were jocks with mentalities to match. And Nathaniel was an artist who blended in the background so much hardly anyone noticed him, if at all.

What infuriated him the most was when Adrien mentioned a classmate named Lila Rossi. Someone who, by Adrien's word, tried to deceive him into thinking she was the descendant of a superhero. She then proceeded to wrap the entire harebrained class around her finger with empty promises and pretty stories. Except for one who saw straight through her lies. It infuriated him that his feather-brained cousin didn't think purposefully spreading lies and slander hurt anyone. Let alone the girl named Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette… that name certainly rang a bell. Félix remembered hearing about how she won the derby hat contest, even disproving Chloé as a designer when she revealed Chloé had stolen her design. In a manner so professional, Félix thought she was a seasoned designer rather than a budding talent.

And when Adrien told him all about the times Marinette showed how great a friend she was… enough was enough.

"It's funny," Félix said, nearly slamming down a handkerchief on the sill.

"What's funny?" Adrien asked. Félix surveyed the naive confusion his cousin exhibited.

"All those displays, and it went sailing straight over your head," he muttered. His fist clenched tightly. "But then again, you never were very sharp, were you?"

Adrien was visibly confused now. "Félix, what are you talking about?"

Félix looked at him. He was growing irritated now. "Do I have to spell it out for you? Or would you prefer being spoon-fed?" he asked, the question dripping with venom.

Adrien, to his credit, was quiet. Until he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Félix's eye twitched in annoyance and agitation. Was Adrien truly this oblivious? He supposed so, living in the lap of luxury doing jack squat.

"Oh, that's right," Félix spat. "I forgot. You live in your own personal little bubble. Not even caring that your uncle is dying."

"What, what?"

Adrien whirled. Félix suddenly found himself short on words. His anger, which had strengthened to the magnitude of a forest fire, had now died down. Little more than a dimming ember. His cousin looked at him, shock visible on his face. Did… did he truly not know?

"My father is dying," Félix whispered, his voice barely audible. "Did you not know?"

Adrien shook his head, the weight of the news finally hitting him. "No, I didn't." Whatever fight there was in Félix, it left the minute Adrien said those words. "How long has this been happening?"

Félix said nothing. No words, no promises, no venom. He said nothing, but he continued helping Adrien unpack. Once they unpacked the last of his belongings, Félix excused himself and left the room.

Adrien stood there for what felt like an eternity. Plagg flew out of his hiding place once he was sure Félix was out of earshot. His uncle was dying? And it had been happening while he was holed up in his room?

"Did you know about that, Plagg?" he asked his Kwami. Plagg shook his head.

"Nope." Plagg glanced at the door through which Félix left. "Seems like there's things your old man isn't telling you."

"Some serious things," Adrien grunted. He plopped down on the bed, head facing the floor and gripping his hair. "My uncle doesn't have much time and I have been blind to it." Tears threatened to leak. Not only had he lost his mother… not only was he distant from his father… he was losing his uncle, too.

When would people stop leaving him?

Plagg patted his head. But he had another question. "What else has your old man not been telling you?"

Adrien released the grip on his hair, letting his arms fall limp on his knees. "I don't know," he admitted. "I think I want to find out now." Glancing around the room, he remembered Félix's words. "But first," he began. "There is one thing I want to try. Now that Félix had brought up mention of my friends."

"Got your back," Plagg said. He dove into Adrien's suitcase and popped back out with his Holder's phone in hand. "Tada."

Adrien had to smile, even if it was slight. Plagg flew over with his phone, which Adrien grasped. Searching through the contacts, Plagg perched on his Holder's shoulder.

"After this, see if you can talk to Félix," Plagg suggested. "He's hurting badly from all this."

"Who isn't hurting right now?" Adrien added.

"Better question," Plagg conceded.

Finding Nino's contact, Adrien pressed the call button. Holding the phone to his ear, he waited for Nino to pick up.

Riiing… riiing… riiing…

It finally picked up.

"Hello?" Nino asked.

The song he was listening to, Adrien had heard enough times to tell, was Break Away by the Subdigitals. How fitting.

"Hey, Nino. It's me," Adrien answered. "It's Adrien."

Nino almost dropped his phone in sheer surprise. The song stopped almost immediately. Because Adrien was actually on the phone with him right now?

"Really?"

"Who else uses my phone?"

"Dude!" Nino exclaimed happily. He scrambled into a sitting position on his bed. "How have you been? We've been worried about you."

"It's been tough not having anyone to talk to really."

"With the way your old man is, I can imagine."

Both boys shared a good laugh. Oh, how good it was to talk to his best friend again. Without Nathalie confiscating his phone or his father ordering him to stay away from everyone at the school. It felt good.

"How has everyone been?" Adrien asked. Nino thought back on what had happened since Adrien's confinement.

"Hanging in there," he replied. "School got some new teachers, and Marinette got a new neighbor."

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

Ding!

"Whoop, hold on," Nino said. He paused the call to check his text messages. Soon enough, Adrien heard grumbling. Why? He couldn't tell. Nino was back on call seconds later, sounding less pleased than he had earlier. "… can you come to the park real quick?"

"I'm at my cousin's place in the countryside," Adrien said. "What's going on?"

Nino hesitated a moment. Before giving Adrien an answer.

"Alya's cooking up a scheme to get Marinette back."