"Well, that went well," Plagg said once Adrien had shut the door to his room. Adrien groaned. He really didn't feel like dealing with his kwami right now. How was he expected to answer Plagg's questions if he couldn't even answer his own.

His wish was granted with a knock at the door, forcing the little black cat god of destruction to zip into hiding in Adrien's shirt. Adrien called out for the person to enter, knowing before the door even opened that it was Nathalie. No one ever came to his door anymore besides his father's assistant.

The woman opened his door at his bidding. Like usual, she clutched a tablet to her chest. She met Adrien's eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but instead of words, loud wracking coughs came from her mouth.

Maybe it was the superhero persona showing through, maybe it was the way her coughing in his doorway reminded him of his last moments with his mother, or maybe it was simply the way that she grasped the handle of the door as though she might fall. For whatever reason, Adrien jumped forward to steady the older woman, the concerned question, "are you okay," already falling from his lips. Nathalie merely straightened and nodded, clearing her throat.

"Your father wishes to speak with you."

Adrien waited until he was sure Nathalie was steady before letting go. It was then that he processed her words. He wanted to ask why, but decided it really didn't matter. Perhaps his father had heard he'd gone on a date with a baker's daughter and wished to tell him to end things between them before they really began. After all, Adrien had always figured his father had planned to only marry him off for some sort of advantage. He'd never discouraged his somewhat confusing relationship with either Kagami or Chloe for that very reason.

At first the idea that his father was calling to tell him he couldn't be with Marinette angered him. But, as he nodded to Nathalie and then followed her to his father's office, the idea of being told he couldn't be with Marinette began to sound more and more appealing. Obviously he couldn't be trusted to break things off on his own. He'd meant to let her down easy and had instead kissed her.

He knew he had some sort of attraction towards Marinette. This evening had proved it. He hadn't been able to resist her, with eyes that reminded him of his lady and a stunning ladybug inspired outfit. But he was still in love with Ladybug, and although he was beginning to understand that the two of them would never happen, it didn't seem right to lead Marinette on like he had already begun to do.

Still, he didn't know how to end things without breaking her heart. Perhaps this discussion with his father might present to him an opportunity though. If his father forbade it, he could use that as an excuse to put an end to anything but friendship with Marinette.

And then what? he thought to himself, Start pinning after Ladybug again just to continually have your heart broken? Better to suck it up and move on to the next best thing.Adrien frowned at his own thoughts and attempted to subtly shake them from his head. By the time he had made it into his father's office and his father had stopped his work to look at him, he was thoroughly confused with himself.

"Adrien," Gabriel Agreste greeted, turning away from his designs and adjusting his necktie before placing his hands behind his back. "I'd like to discuss something with you. I should have spoken to you about this directly long before now, but I took advantage of your lack of interest this far and now it has come to my attention that I have waited to long.

"Nathalie informed me this afternoon that you would be spending some time with a friend, and I chose to allow this. However, imagine my surprise when I was alerted that this was not simply 'hanging out,' but a date. And how must I find out? A scandalous photo on the internet." Gabriel nodded to Nathalie, who Adrien only just noticed was still standing in the back of the room. At his father's indication, Nathalie tapped quickly on her tablet before turning it so Adrien could see the screen.

The first thing that came to mind when Adrien saw the photo was once again admiring how attractive Marinette looked in that outfit. For a moment, even, with Adrien's face blocking part of Marinette's, he could imagine that perhaps the girl really was Ladybug. The second thing he noticed was that his father's use of the word "scandalous" wasn't too much of an exaggeration. From the angle the photo was taken, it looked as though Adrien was intending to completely ravish the young girl. His hand was pressed securely on her lower back, just a fraction of an inch from her butt, and it looked as though he had pressed her flush up against him for a passionate kiss. He really needed to give props to the photographer, who had somehow not only captured the uncontrollable passion Adrien had been feeling, but had also somehow made the scene look far more passionate than he remembered it being.

The media must have been having a field day with that photo. Adrien blushed.

Before the teenager could open his mouth to defend himself, his father continued. " Now I had always assumed you understood that any potential girlfriend, or boyfriend for that matter, must first be approved by me before such things were to happen. I have expectations, Adrien, for the kind of person you might be with. Not anyone will do."

Here it was. Adrien swore his heart slowed down. In anticipation or dread, he did not know. But he mentally prepared himself for having to call Marinette later that night to tell her things wouldn't work out. How could he word it so as to cause the girl as little pain as possible?

"-chose well," he heard his father say, and he suddenly realized he had not been listening.

"Wait, what did you say?"

Gabriel scowled disappointedly at his son. "I said that we are lucky you chose well. Otherwise it would be a mess to clean up this scandal. However, even though you did not go about this in the right way, I approve of the girl."

Adrien blinked. "You... you approve of... the girl?"

"Yes. She will do. In fact, I've already contacted her parents to set up your next date. This time I will oversee all of the details to ensure it meets my standards, as should have been done from the beginning. Your date is set for Friday."

Adrien was only half processing his father's words. In fact, he still felt stuck on the fact that his father approved of Marinette.

"Wait, so you approve of me dating Marinette? As in, Marinette Dupain Cheng? Daughter of a baker?"

"Why? Is there some reason I should not approve of this girl? I did extensive research, or as much as I could in such a short time, and all I found meets my standard. Her father runs a successful business, however humble. And as far as I can tell, you chose a girl well on her way to becoming highly regarded in the fashion industry. This is the girl who designed for the famous rock star, and who I recognized for her design of a hat only earlier this year, correct?"

"I - um, yes. That's her."

Gabriel nodded. "Well, in that case, unless you have anything more to discuss on the matter, you are dismissed. Nathalie will go over your schedule with you, and I will inform you of the details of your date later in the week."

Adrien was in shock all the way back to his room. He barely listened as Nathalie ran down the rest of the weeks schedule. In fact, he barely even noticed when Nathalie tried to hide a few weak coughs among her speech.

Once Nathalie left, shutting the door behind her, Plagg popped back out, somehow already snacking on a slice of cheese.

"Well, I'll say it again... that went well."

Adrien frowned at the kwami.

Gabriel Agreste stood stoically, hands clasped behind his back as he stared at a glass coffin tipped in front of him. Inside that coffin was the pale figure of a beautiful blonde haired woman, eyes clasped tightly shut. He wished for nothing more than for than for those eyes to open and look at him with the loving gaze he craved once more. The love and compassion in those eyes had once been his saving grace, the thing that made him want to be a good man. But now, with those eyes seemingly sealed shut, he couldn't see even a shadow of that good man his wife had once brought out in him.

And he found himself working on the most deprived scheme he had ever allowed himself to fall into. He wanted to feel ashamed. He really did. But with the lifeless face of his wife only inches from him, he could not bring forward any regret or shame.

"I will bring her back, Nooroo," the man whispered to the little god floating beside him. "I must."

The kwami came forward hesitantly. "Are you sure about this? Adrien is your son."

"Yes. This is something I have to do for him. He is the only thing I have that can ruin her. She is Ladybug. I'm sure of it."