Authors Note:

You voted for it, so here it is...part 4.

Ahead we have, as promised, Adrien and Marinette learn who Hawk Moth is, Nooroo and Duusu are rescued from Hawk Moth, Adrien is over 9000% done and shows that 'Chat Blanc' definitely came from somewhere, Gabriel might start to regret his life choices, and...Gorilla officially becomes the Alfred to Adrien's Batman.

Loose ends will be tied up-for the most part-but there is definitely room if I ever do more with this.

Also, Alya's mom and Nino's mother make an appearance...and they are not happy. Like...at all.

Gorilla shows his nerdy side, but he's a good dad.

Also...words of warning: this? This is gonna have some comedy, but is mostly high on drama due to who's involved (which I hope doesn't turn people off too much), and this one's gonna be a long one so grab a beverage of your choice, grab a snack, and get comfy cause ready? Steady? Here we go!

"So, we are really going to tell your father that we're together and that I'm going to be a partner with the company?" Marinette asked as she entered the mansion, holding Adrien's hand in her own. Adrien turned a grin on her. "Yeah...may as well, right? He should be sobering up...it's literally been a month since I staged my "polite hostile takeover" as he keeps calling it."

Marinette shook her head in amusement as she walked alongside of the blond towards the older Agreste's home office. It was hard to believe that, just one month ago, she had been single and felt like her entire life was falling apart at the seams...but now? Now, it felt better than she ever could have dreamt. She had Adrien, her nemesis had been punished and deported (and punished further only to be topped off by Secretary Rossi putting the sausage-haired 'witch' in the most secure and strict reformatory school for girls in all of Italy) and, though she had yet to find it in her to even want to forgive Alya and Nino, among several others, she had built a friendship with Chloe, Sabrina, and Kagami.

Rose and Juleka had apologized for their parts, the blonde-haired girl practically in tears before Marinette had assure her that she was one of the few who hadn't done anything wrong, but had learned a lesson in not blindly trusting people she didn't know, and while they weren't close, Marinette did consider the two girls as people whom she could be friends with in time.

Luka, of course, was there as well, and had managed to become friends with Adrien thanks to some extra effort on Kagami's part since, at first, Adrien had been concerned over the rumors that Luka was interested in Marinette. The blond hadn't been jealous, of course...but, he had been concerned because he didn't want Marinette to be hurt if all Luka was after was trying to date her. Marinette, on being informed, had merely kissed her Chaton and assured him that he was the only one for her.

"How did it go with the Board of Governors?" Marinette asked, genuinely curious as to what had occurred that had kept Adrien with his Law Squad busy for the better part of three days.

"Oh...the Board is furious. Let's just say that they uncovered some things going on at school that should never have been going on and that Mr. Damocles as well as Miss Bustier and a few other teachers and administrators are out of their jobs."

"Oh? What happened?"

"I'm not exactly sure myself, bugaboo. All that the Law Squad told me was that we won our cases, but the Board of Governors found cause for several more cases on their own behalf, so...we're mostly out of the loop since it isn't related to our cases." Adrien said with a small shrug of his shoulders as he guided the bluenette down the hallway, a part of him curious about if Marinette would like to live in the mansion when they got older and decided to marry...or would she prefer something smaller and less...show-offy?

Well...they had a while before marriage, so he could ask her when the time came. "Anything from Alya and nino?"

"Their parents, with them in tow, came by the bakery a few days after you sicced the lawyers on the school." Marinette said with a small frown at the memory. Adrien looked over in concern. "It went badly?"

"Not per say...more..."

[epic flashback]

Alya's mother had a firm grip on the back of her daughter's collar as she all-but frog-marched the girl into the bakery, to the surprise and confusion of Tom and Sabine...though there was some anger on Sabine's face at the sight of the girl who had turned so willingly on her daughter. Nino was walked in by his own mother in a slightly less 'move or I make you move' type of way. Alya's mother looked outright furious in all honesty, from what Marinette could see when she had peeked around the doorframe from the kitchen to see what was going on. Nino's mother? Disappointed in the 'I raised you better than this' variety was the best description that came to the bluenette's mind.

Tikki was lower down on the frame (near Marinette's stomach) so that she could peek out and see, but was mostly out of sight and could hide easily if needed...or be passed off as an alien bug plushie...thing.

They were working on it, okay?

Alya's mother did not release her iron grip on her daughter but she did look at Tom and Sabine with a less furious expression. "My sincerest apologies Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng...but I think Alya has something that she needs to say. Don't you?"

Alya made a noise that could be an affirmative...or could have been a whimper of fear at the fact she had brought her mother to a rage breaking point.

"Nino has things he would like say as well." Nino's mother said, looked pointedly at her son who nodded and muttered "Yes ma'am."

After a moment to compose herself, Nino's mother looked up. "Could...Marinette please come out? We promise to not take very long."

Sabine looked ready to throw both teens out of her bakery and home for the honor of her daughter (and Tom wasn't far behind her on that, to be completely honest) but the pair eventually relented and Tom wandered in back. "Do you want to hear what they have to say, sweetheart? You don't have to."

"No...I suppose I can at least be the better person and hear them one time." Marinette said after a minute, holding the red kwami as if she was a well-loved plush toy-before she squared her shoulders and stepped out into the storefront to stand next to her mom and dad. She took a deep breath and adopted the 'business stance' that she had picked up from watching Adrien over the last few weeks. "Alya. Nino. I was told that you had something to say."

In truth, she wasn't fully listening to the pair's apology, it was mostly the same as everyone else's had been so far: sorry for believing Lila, sorry for turning on you, sorry for bullying you, and...after a minute she couldn't help but start to tune things out because it was pretty much the same save for just wording and such. At the end was a plea for forgiveness and a hope to be friends again one day...though, this time, Alya's mother chimed in "Marinette, I will not blame you in the slightest if you do not accept the apologies that you've been given. You're under no obligations."

In all honesty, she was glad that Alya's mother had said that because... "I've heard their apologies, and I acknowledge them...but I cannot accept them. As of now...I cannot forgive...and I cannot forget. Everything, just hurts too much."

"I understand, Marinette." Was all Alya's mother said, earning agreements from Nino's mother who was looking at her son in disappointment much like Alya's mother was looking at her daughter. After a moment more, Nino's mother, after offering her own apologies for her son's behavior, walked him back out, and Alya's mother eventually followed suit. Marinette could only hug Tikki, the kwami gently patting at her chosen's arm as discreetly as possible before Tom had reassured his daughter that she could go upstairs if she needed to. Sabine had pulled the bluenette girl into a tight hug before Marinette had headed upstairs.

[end epic flashback]

"...After that, I just went upstairs and watched YouTube with Tikki." Marinette said softly as Adrien stopped them in the hallway and pulled his girlfriend into a firm hug. The bluenette wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, her fingers gripping tightly to the back of the blond's shirt. "You want to know something funny?"

"What, bugaboo?"

"My YouTube recommendations are psychic. The first song that popped up was Daughtry's song Traitor. Listening to it...it kind of made me feel better." Marinette drew back some from the hug. "Me and Tikki ended up putting it on repeat for a couple of times before singing along with it the last time and kind of dancing around my room like we were in a music video or something. It was kind of cathartic actually."

Marinette smiled as Adrien gently wiped the stray tears away from her eyes with the pad of his thumb. "For me and Tikki. I think Tikki has some anger issues herself."

Said kwami poked her head out of her chosen's bag. "I don't like that they hurt you like that, Marinette. That is something Plagg and I can agree on."

And then Tikki disappeared back into the bag like a little red gopher into a hole.

The pair of teens shook their heads at that before Adrien gently kissed the bluenette girl. "We can turn back if you want to."

"No. Let's go tell your father about the full regime change as Plagg's been calling it for the last week and a half."

Adrien chuckled before they reached the door to the office. He reached up and knocked firmly. "Father? Are you awake? I'm coming in...please be wearing pants this time."

Marinette blinked; what in the actual...no. No. She didn't want to know. There were just some things related to Gabriel Agreste that she decided, then and there, that she didn't need to know about nor wish to ever see. "How about you just call me in after you make sure he's dressed?"

"As my lady wishes." Adrien said with a small smile before he opened the door and stepped into the dim office. He frowned in thought, trying to...oh, there was a rumpled lump of either passed out-drunk or passed out-hungover sprawled out on one of the sofas, thankfully not surrounded by bottles thanks to the sheer efficiency of the maid staff. "Father...please be wearing clothes. I've had more than enough trauma in my life."

As far as the teen was concerned, the day that he'd entered to check on his father...and had unfortunately been witness to the man drunkenly waltzing around the office with a mop (that he had gotten from who knows where) and in just his underwear, while singing some kind of song as off-key as possible, had never happened and saying otherwise might tempt Adrien to go "claws out" on someone.

The currently useless lump that was Gabriel Agreste didn't respond as the blond teen wandered closer. As Adrien reached out to wake his father, the older Agreste threw a hand up. "Nooroo! My bottle's empty...empty...empty like my life. Oh...my life...my life is pain."

Adrien blinked, quietly mouthing 'Nooroo?'...before he locked eyes on the lavender kwami peering nervously from behind a vase. Adrien's eyes widened before he cautiously whispered. "Plagg...get out here."

Plagg popped out of Adrien's shirt, wondering what was going on...before locking eyes on the butterfly-themed kwami...and breaking a personal speed record for how fast he got over to the other. "Nooroo? What are you doing here?"

"...For what it's worth...I really, really don't want to be here."

Adrien paused, processing this...before whispering. "Plagg...what does your friend's miraculous look like?"

"Uh...I think it's a brooch or something? Not too sure on-uh...Adrien?" Was as far as Plagg got before the teen was standing over his passed out father. Adrien breathed out, momentarily steeling his nerves...and trying to contain the flash of hurt and anger, then leaned over. "Hey dad...it's just me. Nothing wrong just your ascot's wine-stained. Let me take care of sending that to get cleaned?"

Gabriel made some kind of noise that could be an affirmative...or could have meant 'I am three seconds away from vomiting'. Adrien undid the ascot and moved it aside just enough to see the miraculous on his father's shirt. Adrien gritted his teeth...only to breathe out a frustrated sigh when he felt a gentle hand on his arm. Marinette looked down at the fashion mogul's inert form...then... "I'll take you-know-who and you-know-what to Master Fu."

Adrien nodded and carefully wrapped the miraculous in the dirty ascot to cover up it's removal. He passed the cloth to Marinette who kept the jewelry slightly uncovered so that she could speak to Nooroo, who was flanked on either side by Tikki, who had pretty much sprinted out of Marinette's bag as soon as the bluenette had gotten to Adrien's side, and Plagg. "It will all be okay now, I promise."

Nooroo nodded then whispered. "You...you need to get Duusu too."

"Duusu is here?" Tikki whispered back only for Plagg to almost overlap her words with his own. "Do you know where?"

Nooroo nodded again and, after cautiously glancing at the unconscious man on the sofa to make certain that Gabriel was still out like a light, gestured to the safe. "He...keeps Duusu in there when Duusu isn't activated by the woman."

Adrien gritted his teeth and walked over to the safe, managing to get it open fairly quickly since he'd had to get the combination and all from Nathalie two weeks ago due to the legal team needing some company documents from the safe. Marinette frowned when Adrien placed the damaged miraculous in her hand. "I...I've never seen one that's damaged before. Is...is the kwami okay?"

"I...don't know." Nooroo whispered as Tikki wrapped her tiny arms around the lavender kwami and Plagg looked ready to go over and wake Gabriel up the hard way...if not for Tikki holding onto Plagg's tail with one arm. "I just know that the two women who have used Duusu's power have gotten sick from it. I don't know what happened to the first woman though. She's in some kind of container."

Marinette nodded and carefully pocketed the peacock miraculous before whispering. "You can rest now. When you wake up, we'll be at Master Fu's and you'll both be safe. We'll figure out how to fix the damage on Duusu too."

"My lady...you go. I'll deal with my father."

"Are you sure, Chaton?" Marinette whispered once more as Gabriel made a noise not unlike a zombie with a hernia. Adrien just nodded. "Yeah...I think I can take a wild guess who Mayura is too. Can you tell Gorilla to meet me outside the door?"

Marinette nodded and placed a gentle kiss to the blond's lips. "If you need back-up, call me."

"Always, my queen." Adrien whispered before leaning in to brush his lips near his girlfriend's ear. "Come back as soon as you can...but come transformed and make certain that Nathalie does not leave this room."

Marinette nodded in understanding, she would make certain the woman didn't budge even if she had to tie her up in her yo-yo to do so, before she head to the door. As Marinette slipped from the office with the two miraculous tucked into her bag alongside of Tikki, who was shaking in barely suppressed anger as the red kwami held the two miraculous close to keep them from getting damaged further, Adrien shut the safe and turned back to level his glare on his father. Plagg floated up next to Adrien's head. "You okay there, kid?"

"Are you?"

"Nope. I wanna tear his eyes out myself to be honest. Nooroo's always been timid, but what we just saw? That was not normal." Plagg grumbled as he seemingly planted himself on one of the blond's shoulders and glared at the human on the sofa. "So...what's next?"

Adrien didn't answer, he only turned and walked out of the office, shutting the door just as his bodyguard came into view. "Can you make certain that Nathalie goes off somewhere for an hour or so, but bring her here to the office when she returns? And keep all of the staff away from this wing of the mansion until I say otherwise?"

Gorilla nodded, but raised a brow in confusion at the request. Adrien gritted his teeth, flexing his fingers at his sides before clenching his hands into tight fists. "Father and I are going to 'chat'...about why he's Hawk Moth."

"Hawk...Moth? Mr. Agreste-?" Gorilla started only for Adrien to hold up his hand so that his ring was visible. "Yes...and Chat Noir has some questions for him."

Gorilla paused for a moment to consider things from that perspective...before giving a small, fond shake of his head. "I suppose I really am the Alfred to your Batman now?"

Adrien looked up at his bodyguard, giving the man a weak, almost apologetic smile...only for Gorilla to rest a heavy hand on the teen's shoulders. "If you need me, do not hesitate, Adrien."

"I won't. Thanks." Adrien said...before huffing in frustration. He reached up to rake his fingers back through his hair. "...I don't believe this though. It's like...when did my life go Star Wars?"

"Well...you are Luke, Mr. Agreste is Vader if he took out Palpatine, I suppose that makes your mother Padme...at least you aren't related to your Leia so there is that." Gorilla said thoughtfully; oh...how many times had he watched ALL of the original trilogy and the prequel movies with Adrien over the years? The man had lost count, but he was pretty sure that he could quote the original trilogy word for word. Adrien made a small noise. "I want a lightsaber. I may technically have Force powers...but I want a lightsaber."

"I'll add it to the list of things to get you for your birthday or for Christmas." And with that, the bodyguard left to do as he had been requested regarding the staff situation. If worst came to worst...well, he now had his own suspicions as to who Ladybug was, and he was certain that he would be able to contact her quickly should her partner need her aid.

[insert commercial break or just a timecard saying 'one hour later' here]

[really...whichever one floats your boat. I don't judge]

Adrien scowled from his seat on the tea table when his father groaned and started to shift around. "Hello father. Sobering up a little?"

"Uh...Adrien?" Gabriel groaned, thankful at least that his son had left the lights off in the office. Slowly the man pushed himself up onto his side, before trying to right himself into a sitting position. "What...what time is it?"

The door opened as Nathalie walked in, the woman blinking in confusion when she swore she heard the door lock behind her, but she chose to ignore it in favor of bring a bottle of aspirin and a bottle of water over to the fashion mogul who was close to falling off of the couch in his hungover fumbling.

"Almost supper. Hello Nathalie." Adrien said firmly, watching his father, eyes narrowed in a glare. "We need to talk."

"Later." Was all Gabriel grumbled as he accepted the pills and water from Nathalie, tossing both items back with practiced ease.

"No. We're talking now, father...or would you prefer that I call you Hawk Moth?"

Nathalie snapped her head over to look at Adrien, dropping the closed bottle of aspirin onto the floor. Gabriel, however, went deathly still-had he heard correctly? No...it...it had to be the wine. He was either drunk or hungover or something to that nature and was simply hallucinating because there was no way that-

"You're a terrorist. You are BOTH terrorists."

Gabriel dropped himself onto the couch and stared at his son, not sure exactly how to respond to being pinned by that glare once more. "I-"

Nathalie cleared her throat, about to speak as well...

"Do NOT. Interrupt. Me." Adrien all-but growled as his hands fisted on his knees. Silence reigned until Adrien, certain that his father and his father's assistant were too stunned to speak, began to push out his own words. "You're both terrorists. You're Hawk Moth...and you're Mayura. You've been laying a siege on Paris for...ugh. You've been driving people insane, killed or almost killed who knows how many people in the akuma attacks, and for what? What in the entire world could possibly make what you've done right?"

Nathalie kept her mouth firmly shut, not really certain how to explain how everything that she had already done was for Gabriel and for Adrien. Gabriel, however, stared, not certain if he should speak...but eventually deciding to when his son's glare turned flinty. "You don't understand-"

"Then make me understand, Hawk Moth, Mayura, keep quiet, because all I understand right now is that you're some kind of psychopath that's only after power."

"It is power! The wish-granting power of the ladybug and cat miraculous. If I have those I can-"

"Is it worth it?" Adrien growled out, having the strongest urge to put his fist to his father's face in all honesty, but he knew that he needed to hold back. There were answers he needed right now...and only one person, well two technically but he was focused on the one, could provide them. "Whatever you're after can't possibly be worth all of the harm that you've both done to this city and everyone in it. Whatever you want can't possibly be worth-"

"I'm trying to protect you, secure your future! And-" Gabriel froze then shook his head as if to clear the thundering pain from his hangover. Adrien, however, scoffed in disgust. "I would say that I've secured my own future quite well actually, wouldn't you? I have a successful career with plenty of money of my own saved up for when that career falls through because someone younger comes along. I've taken over the entire company and have that...while you've been in here becoming best friends forever with a bottle, I've had to take over the bills and the house and everything else to the point that the legal teams are considering having everything put in my name. I have the love of my life and neither of us are going anywhere. So really..."

Adrien leaned forward as Gabriel leaned back, the older man's eyes wide as his hangover-addled brain tried to process what his son was saying. Adrien glared at his father. "...what can your evil possibly secure for me other than a nuclear fallout when I turn you in for everything that you've done?"

"You wouldn't betray your own father."

"The day you turned villain, father...You. Betrayed. Me."

Nathalie glanced towards the safe, surely if she could just sneak over there...maybe she could use the peacock miraculous just one more time, not to hurt Adrien, but just to buy Gabriel time. Gabriel, however, couldn't think about trying to buy time when all he was able to do was stumble over his words. "Your mother and I swore we would do everything-"

"-To protect me? Really? Did you ever consider that maybe I needed to be protected from you? After all, how do I know you won't akumatize me just to get your way? You've done plenty so far: attacked buildings that I was in, akumatizing my friends...you let me fall out of a building!" Adrien snarled out; so many things made so much more sense now. "You called Lila to the photoshoot. You knew what Lila had done to my lady, you both knew. You both knew that Lila was lying about the dress because you set it all up. Did you just set it up to akumatize my girlfriend? Did you really want to hurt me so badly?"

"I-" Gabriel stopped himself only to grit his teeth when Adrien's hands closed over the man's wrists in a show of strength that he honestly hadn't known that his son possessed. Nathalie let out a wordless gasp behind her hand before she stepped backwards towards the safe as Adrien pinned his father's wrists down, the blond teen barely resisting the urge to bare his teeth and hiss not unlike a feline. "Answer me!"

"Yes. The plan was to have Miss Rossi drive Miss Dupain-Cheng to despair so that I could akumatize her...but I didn't know that the girl was so close to you and-"

"You are seriously messed up in the head." The teen muttered as he released his father's wrists and stood up, stalking less than a foot away to regain some control of himself. Gabriel rubbed at his wrists. "...I never tried to akumatize you, Adrien. I've made certain of that. I've tried to keep you out of-"

"Plagg." Adrien said calmly, his fists clenched tight as he glared over his shoulder at his father...whose eyes were widening in dawning horror that matched Nathalie's own. "Claws. Out."

In the miniscule span of time that it took the teen to turn, Chat Noir stood where Adrien Agretse once had. Nathalie fell back against the safe, trying to open it only for a quiet but firm voice to come from next to the woman. "Do. NOT. You won't find the peacock miraculous in that safe, because I've taken it far from both of you."

Nathalie could only stare in shock at the sight of a thoroughly displeased Ladybug staring down at her. "When-how-where-?"

"Front door." Was all that Ladybug said...as if it was the simplest answer in the world. Gabriel went for his own miraculous with a hand...only to pale when his hand touched only his shirt. "...My...Nooroo!"

"Gone. I sent him away too. The way that he was acting...what did you do to him? Were you abusing him? You have no problem forgetting I exist until it's convenient for you...but the kwami? He can't even fight back!"

"I-" Gabriel slowly pushed off the couch, taking a step back as he tried to keep distance between himself and his transformed son. "Adrien..."

"Why. Tell me why. All of this...everything...WHY."

"Your mother."

Adrien paused, giving his father a stern look...and the man relented. "Emilie and I...she held the peacock miraculous before I let Nathalie use it. But-"

"She got sick. Nooroo told me." Ladybug chimed in far too calmly for safety. "And now, because you let your assistant here use a damaged miraculous, she's sick."

"What did you do to damage the miraculous?!" Chat Noir practically growled out, his hands fisted at his side...but he was faster and stronger transformed. His father could not take him like this if it came down to it.

"Nothing!" Gabriel said far too quickly for his own liking as he held up both hands in an attempt to placate his son's wrath. "It...it was damaged when Nathalie brought it to us."

Nathalie, blinked as if coming out of a stupor before forcing herself to speak. "I didn't damage it either, I swear. It was damaged when I found it. No one realized that it was damaged until after your mother began using it."

"Where is she."

"Wha-?"

"Where is my mother."

"She...she's asleep. Some kind of coma."

"I said...Where. Is. She." Chat Noir all-but hissed as he advanced on his father, barely able to keep from rushing forward when a more sedate, menacing pace was far more effective in the dimness of the room. They couldn't truly see him...but he could see them all too well.

"...I'll take you to her." Gabriel said before bringing his hands up and trying to smooth his hair into some semblance of order, only to find himself grabbed firmly by the coat as Chat Noir practically bared his teeth. Ladybug nodded and pulled Nathalie to her feet. "You are coming as well, Mayura."

Ladybug walked behind the woman as Chat Noir physically shoved his father forward. "Take me to my mother."

After what felt like hours, the quartet entered into the underground room where Emilie Agreste's glass coffin rested not unlike Snow White awaiting her prince. Chat Noir shoved his father over to the coffin. "You said..."

"She is. It's...some kind of coma, as I said."

"Then why is she here in a prison when she should be in a hospital?!"

Gabriel gritted his teeth, not certain what to say before settling on: "A hospital can't help her. They couldn't when she started to get sick...and now...the only thing that can wake her, save her, is the wish granting power of the ladybug and cat miraculous so...give me your miraculous and-"

Chat Noir, however, reigned in his rage long enough to give his father the most supremely unimpressed look that he had ever had on his face. "Are you serious right now? No. Did it ever occur to you to just ask Ladybug if she could help?"

In all honesty, Ladybug herself was wondering that same question. If whatever had happened to Emilie was due to a damaged miraculous then obviously trying to contact a Guardian or even trying to flag Ladybug herself down would have been the obvious answer. Nathalie kept silent as Gabriel looked as if he had no idea how to respond...only for the woman to finally speak up. "We did not know how to contact anyone and Mr. Agreste was uncertain of what the repercussions would be to admit that he and Emilie were using two miraculous without permission."

Ladybug processed that then muttered. "You have got to be kidding me. Two adults could not admit that they made a mistake, one with serious consequences, even though admitting to it and seeking help from those more knowledgeable could have saved everyone a huge amount of grief?"

Neither Gabriel nor Nathalie said a word...which only seemed to set Chat Noir off.

"All of this...you pretty much set yourself up in a way that can ruin your entire life and everything that you've built with one phone call from me...and for...you could have asked! If she was in a hospital, it wouldn't have looked as bad! You could have just gotten Ladybug's attention and asked, literally, one single question, two sentences: "Ladybug, my wife used a damaged miraculous and is in a coma. Will you help her?'...it isn't that hard! You could have asked for us to save her and instead you've just ruined so many peoples' lives?! There are people who weren't akumatized by you and are still traumatized by the absolute mayhem and destruction you've caused! What is actually wrong with you?!" Chat Noir all-but screamed in his fury because this? This right here? There were so many easier and less harmful to the general populace ways to fix this and his father just...the blond hero just wanted to let out some kind of primal scream of rage right now...or destroy something. "Is it really so impossible for you to put your ego down for five minutes and ask for help when you screw up?!"

"Do not scream at me! I am still your father!"

"Unfortunately, yes. You still are...and now I'm going to have to deal with the fallout from everything you've done and hope that it doesn't ruin my Marinette's dreams just because she's associated with me." Chat Noir deadpanned, one fist unfurling, only for him to begin flexing his fingers as if he had a set of retractable claws. Gabriel frowned at that, staring down at the mask hiding his son. "...Adrien...you would really betray-"

"As I said, father: the day you turned villain...You. Betrayed. Me."

[insert whatever sad, dramatic song would best fit for this scene cut]

Actual hours later, a concerned Gorilla, after searching the security cameras, peeked into the library to find Adrien all-but curled up on one of the couches, with Marinette sitting next to him. The bodyguard frowned, about to slip through the doorway, but paused as he took in the scene.

Tikki had perched herself on an empty part of shelf with Plagg who seemed, for the first time in a long time, as sullen as his own chosen. The red kwami reached over to pat the black one's head in an offering of comfort just as Marinette reached out for Adrien.

Adrien didn't so much as budge until Marinette's hand slid to brush the backs of her fingers against his cheek, silently asking him to look at her. "...My father was Hawk Moth. Nathalie was Mayura. My mom..."

"Is at the hospital, being watched over my doctors, and Master Fu is going to see what he can do to help her. If it's something that needs you and I, then we'll both work together and save her." Marinette said just before Adrien slumped over so that his head was on his arms on her lap. The bluenette girl reached down and began threading her fingers through her boyfriend's hair-gently petting the blond locks. "It'll be okay, Chaton. We have each other and I'm sure we'll figure things out."

At hearing those words, and not wishing to intrude further, Gorilla shut the door as quietly as possible behind him with a small smile on his face. He didn't have to worry.

"Yeah...but this though? My father going to prison? Nathalie going to prison?" Adrien closed his eyes-relaxing into the petting and both unaware of their previous visitor who had departed without a sound. "...bittersweet."

"I know." Marinette said with a small smile. She hoped that things would work out...but for now? For now it was her turn to protect and care for her kitty just as he had been doing for her.

Author's (end) Note:

First...sorry for the focus going more towards Adrien/Chat Noir and Gabriel/Hawk Moth but, tbh, Gabriel needs a bracing reality check, Nathalie not so much, and Adrien's been dishing those out like Halloween candy over the last three chapters.

In the case of Nathalie...I always felt that her reasons for everything were pretty simple in the end. Gabriel...I do kind of get that, at first, he's a grieving man but, dude...put on the big boy pants and own up that you screwed up so that things can be fixed, don't go Fargo full-tilt and make it worse.

Also...I needed that bit of role-reversal at the end cause, after that and everything else, I think our Sunshine Boy needs some TLC from his girlfriend.

Also...I have a special epilogue for this.