Since I have no self-control, the next chapter is nearly halfway done. It might still take a day or two since it's a relatively big one and a new conflict enters the story.

Chapter Thirty-Five

His Only Hint

Marinette was terrifying when she was angry. The people who knew that best were her children and Adrien. But this time she wasn't upset about a bad grade or someone smearing their grubby hands on one of her designs. Nope, somehow the man she'd idolized made her blood boil more than anyone else ever would. Marinette stomped through the front doors of the jail, following behind a police officer to the phone room. Only three other people were in there, sitting in metal chairs that were parallel to their imprisoned loved ones. Some had tears in their eyes and a woman was sobbing into a handkerchief as she spoke to who she guessed was her husband or boyfriend.

If things went the way Marinette wanted, Gabriel would be the one crying.

She sat down in the cold chair, glaring through the glass that would separate them. She eyed the grey phone with a winding black chord that fed through to the other side of the glass where an officer stood, arms crossed and leaned up against the wall. She continued to glare over at the other side, her eyes narrowing in on one figure. Hands cuffed behind his back, Gabriel was led to the chair by another guard. But instead of resiting his hold, Gabriel walked in a perfectly straight line, keeping his hands perfectly still. The guard cuffed his right hand to the pole beside him and stepped back.

Gabriel's face was perfectly calm as she shot daggers in his direction. His long pale fingers wrapped around the phone and he slowly brought it up to his ear. Marinette followed in suit, refusing to take her eyes off him as she grabbed the phone.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, I hope you're doing well,"

It made her want to scream how simply he called her by her maiden name and asked about her day. He spoke like he hadn't been the person who caused her family to be torn apart.

"It's Mrs. Agreste to you," she said bluntly, not hesitant to scream at him if it came to that.

There was the smallest bit of a glint in his stone-cold eyes and she could tell he held satisfaction for making her so upset."Please excuse me, the last time we spoke you were still going by that."

"No actually, the last time we saw each other Adrien and I had been married for about three months." she said, anger rising at the memory of that horrible day."Or did you forget how you tried to murder our son?"

It was shocking how Gabriel could listen to that without wincing. How he could sit there with no emotion, aware he'd nearly killed his wife, grandson, and had been the influence that caused his granddaughter's death. How had he not gone crazy with guilt? It was because he was a true monster, Marinette just hadn't realized how monstrous he truly was.

Gabriel appeared to take a moment to think but she assumed it was just for show."It seemed to have slipped my memory. Old age gets the best of all, doesn't it?"

Marinette leaned back into her chair, letting herself suck in one breath before she unleashed her mama bear rage out on the man she'd been dying to slap for years. She finally opened her eyes and was ready to break through the glass at the sight in front of her. Gabriel was smirking. His pale pink lips were curled up to create an expression only a true devil could craft. His beady grey eyes stared out at her letting her know that he regretted nothing. In the nearly 17 years he'd spent in jail, he'd experienced no guilt. He didn't feel sorry for the suffering her family had endured thanks to him and the struggles her grandchild would endure thanks to him. Deep down she'd always known he was evil, but now she knew she was looking at the devil.

She stiffened her posture, whispering harshly into the phone." I'm sure you can remember your plan. The one that put your wife into a coma." she hissed, letting him hear every ounce of anger. She'd waited 17 years to speak with him. 17 years of letting her anger build and build. She would say whatever it took to break him.

Gabriel's seemed to flinch ever so slightly at the sentence but his smirk remained."My plan?" He grinned at the woman." Of course I do, but Mrs. Agreste why would you care about knowing it?" he asked.

The smugness in his voice curdled her blood. Marinette leaned close to the phone, whispering quietly."You know I'm Ladybug and that Adrien is Chat Noir."

"That I do," Gabriel said, grin still in place.

"So why haven't you told anyone?" she asked, leaning closer to the glass with her glare growing more intense."You could've told someone. Gotten Adrien and I investigated then the world would know who we are. Mob bosses and other rich people could seek us out and try to steal the miraculous. Adrien and I would be on the run for the rest of our lives. Our whole lives would be ruined. That's what you wanted, so why didn't you? Tell me, Gabriel, it's the least you can do."

Gabriel eyed her and for just a moment she thought she had him. Then he chuckled and grinned at her. His slippery voice spoke softly into the phone."Who says my plan still isn't in the works?"

Marinette's breath got caught in her throat and she would've choked if she weren't caught in the moment."Wh...what do you mean...?"

Able to tell he'd got to her, Gabriel relaxed in his chair. He crossed his legs and leaned back."How about this Mrs. Agreste, we'll make a deal. No strings attached. I'll give you a hint about my plan if you bring me a pastry. Your parents are still running their bakery, or did they sell out? With all the corporate businesses now it wouldn't surprise me if they were to-"

"Deal!" she yelled, too loud she received a series of stares." Deal," she whispered into the phone, causing Gabriel to break into a grin.

"Good girl," he said, thinking for a moment."I'm feeling generous so I'll tell you your hint before I receive my reward, but know if you don't give it to me I'll find a way to hurt-"

"I know," she mumbled."I'll bring you it."

Gabriel nodded, diving into his thoughts once again."A flower," he stated simply."I know of a flower and that flower will be beneficial to me, and if you play your cards right it can be beneficial to you. Could possibly help you beat me."

A flower. That was her only hint. She would've tried to get more out of him but he soon reminded her visiting hours ended in an hour and she still had to get him his pastry. Not wanting him to do anything to harm her or her family, Marinette left sending one last look of rage towards the man. He merely smirked back at her, waving politely. Now Marinette could only sit in her car and think.

She'd learned two things during their meeting.

A flower was involved in his plan. His plan was still in action. And he didn't know Emilie was awake.

She wasn't sure what, but his reaction and him not asking her, lead her to believe he didn't suspect she was awake. That at least gave them some advantage. Stopping at a red light she sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"A flower," she mumbled to herself."What could that mean?" she asked herself.

How was a flower supposed to help Gabriel but also help her? It made no sense.

A blaring honk broke her from her daze as realization hit her.

Posie.

She'd helped Emilie's health improve and wake up, so did Gabriel have more planned? Did Gabriel plan for Adrien to sacrifice himself so Posie could be brought back? Did he plan on using her again? And how so? How did he plan on hurting her granddaughter?

Marinette kicked at the ground as she left the bakery not run by her parents. She despised how easily Gabriel put them down. She hated everything about Gabriel. How he could be so straightforward then only speak in riddles. It was truly infuriating.

And how could I use her? A baby can't fight so how-

Her thoughts caught off by a loud rustling from within the alley beside her. Peering in she assumed it was a cat scurrying around, but soon enough she saw a shadow. Hero senses tingling she stepped forward into the alley. Her bluebell eyes ran over the tall walls and past the large trashbin, overflowing with garbage. A shadow moving abruptly startled her and soon she was face to face with a short girl. She looked 12, or 13 with a round face and almond-shaped eyes that glowed a deep green. Hints of red struck the tips of her dark hair and she held onto the straps of her bag as she stared at Marinette. She was wearing what looked like a school uniform, her white button-down tucked into a skirt that hit just below her knees.

"Hi!" she chimed in a sweet voice, head tilting to the side. As a soft breeze traveled past Marinette noticed braces attached to her legs and crutches tucked under her right arm."I'm not exactly sure if we've met face to face yet but it's nice to see you again Grammy,"

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Blossom asked, watching as her sister fiddled with the parts that would eventually make up a crib.

Taking a long stare at the nonsense instructions, Lyric nodded with a reddened face. Her sleeves were rolled up and she harshly took the screwdriver and began an attempt at working the screw into the hole." I know what I'm doing," she hissed through quick breaths. She let out a long sigh as the screw popped out of place once again.

Blossom coughed into her sleeve before grabbing the instructions from her sister. She scanned over it, equally as confused. Blossom's lips bunched up into a frown."Ya, I have no clue,"

"See! Impossible!" Lyric said, frowning down at the empty parts. There was no reason for her to be freaking out. It would be at least a month(though most likely more) until they'd be able to bring her home so they had until at least then to get the crib and everything else set up.

Blossom laughed, rubbing her sister's shoulder."Don't worry, Dad said he'd be home early,"

"I know, I was just hoping I'd be able to get this done," she said, moving the pieces so they weren't scattered about. Blossom leaned forward to assist, her dark hair falling over her neck. A dark spot caught her attention and soon enough Lyric was staring."Oh my god!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger towards her sister."Who'd you kiss!?"

"What?" Blossom asked, raising an eyebrow at her sister before realizing the hickey on her neck. She fell pale as Lyric moved closer.

"I didn't know you were interested in anyone. So, who's the lucky guy?" she asked with a wide smile.

Blossom stared at her twin, able to see the excitement in her face. Blossom clasped her hands around her neck, shaking her head." I-It's a mosquito bite," she lied, falling pale when Lyric simply grinned.

"I know a hickey when I see one," she said, recounting when Luka had caught her with one and simply laughed. Kagami on the other hand had been ready to slap Hugo to the US. At the time she'd thought it was absurd, but thinking back she'd only been thirteen and a few months into dating her childhood friend so the shock was understandable."Sooooo... who is it? I won't tell."

With horror in her eyes, Blossom rose to her feet, repeatedly shaking her head." I told you, it's just a mosquito bite." she said, groaning as tears began to run down her face. She didn't like crying and didn't want to. She was lucky Lyric was the only other person there because she understood her. Maybe not all the time and maybe sometimes she'd pry but as twins, it was clear when something deeper was going on. That's why when she rushed to the bathroom, locking the door behind her, she soon heard her twin sit down outside the door.

"You don't need to stay there," she sighed, rummaging through their shared makeup bag. Not that either wore much makeup, mainly only to recitals.

"I'm staying here until I make sure you're okay." Lyric said, not moving an inch."I don't need to know what happened or who did it but tell me you're okay. Please, Bloss. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Tell her. Open that door and tell her. Get away from Morgan and just tell her. Free yourself. Just do it.

She slapped her face with water and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She patted a thin layer of foundation on until the dark spot disappeared. Cleaning it all up, she frowned able to still tell Lyric as sat outside the door. The moment she opened the door LYric sprung to her feet and turned to face her.

"I'm fine,"