Unsurprisingly, the Milan trip was a massive success. Despite Emma's presence, Marinette managed to fulfil the only request Gabriel asked of her – to keep the show running smoothly – with grace and precision. Last minute fixes, a few glitches, a couple of loose seams, and a lost model suffering from a hangover in a nearby washroom weren't a match for a professional like Marinette. It was nothing new or unusual. Nothing she hadn't handled before in Paris.
The first meeting with Gabriel after learning just how much he had known for years, though a little awkward, didn't surprise Marinette either. Due to their own incompetence, Adrien and Marinette showed up at the airport with just a few minutes to spare. Natalie raised her eyebrow, Gabriel cleared his throat, and most likely it was Gorilla who whistled. No wonder, though, considering how the two of them looked - Adrien rocked a masterfully styled bedhead and was sporting a highly mismatched outfit; Emma snoozed in his arms in her pink pyjamas, tightly hugging a black cat stuffy to her chest; and Marinette- let's just say, Marinette was lucky that most of her clothes could be easily coordinated between each other, while her hair was silky enough to look decent even if not brushed. Only Mme. Bella looked picture perfect.
"Interesting choices," Gabriel remarked, scrutinizing them from head to toes. "Not what I'd expect from either of you, but young people these days have their own peculiar sense of style. I do, however, hope that you packed more suitable outfits for the trip, Mlle Dupain-Cheng."
"I did, M Agreste," Marinette tried to assure him before Adrien interrupted with an explanation about their alarms that for some reason did not go off.
"We're lucky Mme Bella woke us up just in time to get here before the departure."
"Next time, go to bed earlier and try the thing called 'turning the alarms on'," Gabriel retorted as professionally and almost as indifferently as always. Though, even he couldn't hold back a chuckle when the deep crimson spread on both of the young people's faces. "Since you are rather late," he added. "I don't think we have much time for goodbyes. I hope you'll have a safe trip back to the States, Adrien, but it's time for us to go."
"Right," Adrien murmured and carefully transferred Emma into Gorilla's care. He shook his father's hand and wrapped Marinette in a hug. Kissing her goodbye, he whispered into her ear, "Love you, Princess."
Marinette left soon after that, but, turning back just before entering the security check, noticed that Adrien continued to stand in his place, watching her with a sad smile on his lips and clenched fists by his side. Her heart tightened. She wasn't surprised, though. She was on the verge of tears herself.
Marinette might have been a little surprised that they had managed to keep Emma's lineage under wraps during the whole trip, especially since the girl made it her mission to appear at every possible event and meet as many people as she could. She explored the hotel with her nanny and often visited the backstage alongside her Mama. She dined in the room packed with celebrities and shared the swimming pool with their children. She even managed to sneak out once and walk the red carpet. Her excursion, though, was too brief for any of the press to notice before Mme. Bella pulled her away, but she got there nevertheless. Thankfully and quite surprisingly, no breaking news made the tabloids.
A little of Marinette's fascination was reserved for the fact that Gabriel hadn't once brought up the subject himself. His behaviour and attitude toward her continued to be extremely professional and polite. She did, however, caught him a few times conversing with Emma when no one was looking; never before she had seen Gabriel looking so peaceful and delighted. Did she dare even to say proud? Marinette didn't want to spoil the trip with her awkward explanations, and if the man himself didn't think it was necessary to talk about everything now, it could certainly wait until they were back in Paris.
However, amongst everything else, there was one thing that really surprised even her. "Astonished" would probably be a better word choice because the degree of just how much she was missing Adrien was something Marinette could've never predicted. She was used to not seeing him for years; they reconnected only a little over a week ago and spent just a few days together, so why-why was her longing to be with him so intense it physically hurt?
Adrien's frequent calls weren't helping at all. Identical yearning in his voice clawed straight into her heart; however, it was his gorgeous but tired face on the screen, his sincere yet slightly dejected smile, and that matching sadness in his eyes that made Marinette wish she could just drop everything and flee to him, rush into his arms and never leave again. She even debated once if it'd be easier if Adrien would stop calling. That thought, however, was most terrifying of all.
Funny. When Marinette had walked away from him in that airport, she was confident that a return to her previous Adrien-less life she would be easy. She'd lived like this for years; a couple of days with him shouldn't have changed her that much. Yet, here she was, staring at her cell phone again, counting how late it was in New York City and wondering if Adrien would ever forgive her for waking him up at four in the morning just because she wanted to hear him say, "Don't worry, Princess. I have it on good authority that your parents absolutely adore you. They wouldn't murder you for telling them about me, but so you know – my offer to ditch everything, jump on the next plane and accompany you tonight still stands."
A few moments later Marinette put her phone away. Working himself to the bone just so he could come home a little sooner, Adrien looked more and more exhausted every single day as it was. She shouldn't take away what little rest he managed to squeeze in just because she was terrified of finally speaking to her parents about the recent developments. Instead, she should make the best of the remaining hours and bake them something. After all, it would be kind of rude to show up at their house empty-handed after they'd been away for a month.
"Emma, want to help me bake some cookies for Grandpapi?" Marinette shouted to get her daughter's attention. "I'll let you lick the spoon if you do!" A minute later the sound of little feet running down the stairs echoed through the kitchen.
"Do I also get the first cookie?"
"As always, kitten," Marinette smiled and started to pull out the ingredients.
"You can do it, Marinette," Alya reassured her for the umptieth time. "Just remember to breathe, and everything will be alright. Believe me, girl. Your parents are cool. They'll understand."
"Yes. Yes, I know," Marinette murmured into the phone crossing the street in front of her childhood home while trying to balance a plate of cookies, hold an umbrella over her head and talk with Alya on her cell phone at the same time. "That doesn't mean I can't still be nervous about it. It's not like I'm opening a decade-long secret to them every day, you know."
"You'll compensate the ugly with a hunk of a boyfriend as Emma's father, though."
"Please, stop reminding me, Alya," Marinette groaned. "I'm more nervous about the Adrien part than the Ladybug bits, and you aren't helping."
"Oh, come on! What is there to be nervous about? Just say 'Maman, Papa, I've started dating a handsome, rich guy who is still crazy about me after I ditched him for him years ago because both of us were too dumb to recognize the other under the mask. As a bonus, he also happens to be my daughter's father. There. Easy. Simple and understandable. It doesn't sound that strange at all. Regular, everyday stuff."
"Exactly," Marinette nervously chuckled into her phone. "Okay, I'm here. Wish me luck!"
"Please, girl! You of all people don't need it, but - Good luck!"
"Thanks, Alya. See you soon." Marinette hung up. She paused for a couple of seconds in front of the door, deeply inhaled and pushed it open a moment later.
"Maman? Papa?"
"There you are, sweetheart." Sabine rushed out from the kitchen. "Ah, I missed you so much, dear." She stopped in her tracks a little short of a hug. "You're alone? Where is my little pumpkin?"
"Sorry, Maman." Marinette smiled, struggling to close up her dripping with rain umbrella and not to drop the treats on a floor. "Emma's at Alya's. She'll bring her in an hour or so, but forget that- look at you! I love this new cheongsam. It brings out your eyes quite nicely. And this fit- it looks especially flattering on your figure. Let me see it at the back."
Sabine laughed and turned around. "Why am I not surprised that the first time you see your mother in a month, you notice the outfit before you give her a kiss?"
"Sorry, but to be fair, you asked for Emma before greeting me as well." Marinette chuckled and quickly planted a kiss on her cheek. "Missed you very much, Maman," she added wrapping her arm around Sabine's shoulders.
"I missed you too, dear," Sabine hugged back. She pulled away a moment later. "Give me those and come into the kitchen. Your father's finally gotten back to his stove and has been cooking up the storm in there."
"How did he survive without cooking for a whole month?"
"I have no idea," Sabine chuckled, heading inside the apartment.
"You look great, by the way, Maman," Marinette added, following her into the kitchen. "That vacation did you good."
"Told you, Sabine!" Tom laughed, standing at the stove in his apron. "Being back in China took at least ten years off you. I should, probably, take you back there more often."
"You aren't looking bad yourself, Papa." Marinette gave her father a welcoming kiss and looked over his shoulders. "Mmmm! Soupe à l'oignon. My favourite. You're going all out today."
"Everything for my favourite girls," Tom smiled back at her. "Though, I see you came without Emma and brought me a culinary bribe. Do I sense a serious talk?"
"I'm not that subtle, am I?" Marinette nervously laughed.
"Not in the slightest," Sabine said, already putting a teapot on a stove. "I'll make us some tea to go with the conversation."
"Thank you, Maman. I was wondering if we could talk before Emma gets here, and leave dinner until we're all together?"
"Of course, dear." Sabine gently patted her shoulder.
"Sounds good to me, sweetheart," Tom replied. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this up."
The rain continued to pound the roof when three cups of steaming tea along with the plate of cookies Marinette had brought were settled on the table. A delicate aroma of Tom's cooking floated through the air as banter and smiles of her parents warmed Marinette's soul – a perfect set-up for one of their customary evenings. No matter was what going on in their lives, despite the situations or the mood, get-togethers like this one were frequent and always filled with love, support, and respect for each other. Marinette was lucky. Her family was always close, ready to understand and accept her, despite how badly she could've failed. They might be disappointed; they might not approve of her actions, but they would never judge too harshly and if possible, would always help her fix the mess. Her parents were indeed a perfect mix of love, support, and discipline. Alya was right - Marinette shouldn't be nervous at all. Yet, as all eyes focused on her, she was still having troubles of letting her anxiety go.
On the other side of the table, both Tom and Sabine were no less nervous because Marinette had rarely come to them so visibly distressed as now. Neither of them knew what to expect, but both were unwillingly reminded of the evening when their twenty-year-old daughter announced that she was pregnant and was planning to raise the baby on her own because the father was "unavailable." She later admitted she didn't know who he was in the first place but refused to give any more details.
"I hope you are not sick, dear," Sabine broke the silence when it became apparent that Marinette was still gathering the courage to begin.
"Don't say such nonsense, Sabine," Tom protested. "Look at her. Our daughter is an epitome of health and beauty."
"Is Emma alright?" Sabine asked again.
"Emma is fine, Maman, and no, I'm not sick."
"Did you lose your job, dear-"
"My job is also fine," Marinette tried to smile. "I'm sorry- Sorry- It's just- a little bit of a sensitive topic-" She paused just for a moment before her eyes filled with determination, then deeply inhaled and for the first time opened her Ladybug secret to anyone other than Alya or Nino.
Marinette spoke about the day she first helped Master Fu to dodge a car, about the terror she felt when Ivan was akumatized and about the little box she found on her table. She tried to explain what a kwami was and how miraculous worked. She admitted to frequent sneaking away and extensively lying in order to keep the secret and continue saving Paris. Marinette remarked on how being a Ladybug helped to bring her innate bravery and creativity out and helped to form her into a person she was now. She hadn't touched the subject of Chat Noir yet.
To her amazement and relief, neither Tom nor Sabine were particularly surprised. At first, Tom was taken aback a little, but then loudly laughed as Sabine facepalmed and counted how many things this particular information could explain. Then followed a ton of questions and even a request to draw "Tikki." Unsurprisingly, both Tom and Sabine admitted to seeing this little creature more than once, but they had always assumed that it was one of Marinette's handmade dolls.
"I was always so annoyed when would you leave it behind in the kitchen, especially at night, dear," Sabine confessed.
"Pfft," Tom chuckled. "I often wondered how you were able to eat so many sweets and remain perfectly slim. Should've suspected that the bottomless pit with a sweet tooth wasn't my Marinette at all."
"I'm so happy you aren't angry with me," Marinette smiled. "I'm sorry. Really, really sorry I had to sneak away and lie to you for years, but Tikki said no one must know for safety reasons, so I kept it a secret."
"Don't worry, Marinette," Tom gently patted her shoulder. "I must admit, I am a little disappointed in all the lying and that you haven't told us before, but I also understand your reasons. Quite frankly, I'm pretty certain I wouldn't tell you as well if it were me saving Paris in a skin-tight, polka-dot suit."
"That would've been quite a view, dear." Sabine wiggled her eyebrows, and they all erupted into another round of laughs.
"I'll have you to know, I would've been a great superhero," Tom pouted.
"I'm sure of it, Papa. You'd do an amazing job."
"Exactly," he chuckled and put his strong hand on his daughter's shoulder. "But seriously, despite all the less than pleasant moments, I'm just glad you are safe and healthy and were able to help so many people in your time, Marinette."
"Thank you, Papa," Marinette smiled at him. "That means a lot."
"You know we always have your back, Marinette," Sabine added before finally asking the important question. "I'm curious, though - why did you decide to tell us your secret now?"
All the noise but her own heartbeat had vanished from the room as the time stood still. Marinette was pretty sure it was just the anxiety, but breathing had suddenly become a chore she dreaded to do. The thickness of the air had made it even harder, but she continued nevertheless. Her parents reacted so well to her Ladybug secret. They were bound to take the Adrien news just as well. At least she hoped so.
"Do you remember I told you that I didn't know who Emma's father was?"
Instantly Tom visibly tensed and Sabine stilled. Both nodded but remained silent. Marinette internally prayed because when she said it was a sensitive topic for them, she wasn't exaggerating. Her parents had accepted her pregnancy and did everything possible to help her, but not knowing the whole story, neither of them ever forgave the nameless man who knocked their daughter up and left her alone. In any case, that was what Marinette had gathered from a few conversations she unintentionally overheard early on when she was still living with them. That was precisely the reason why she had finally agreed to let them in on her Ladybug secret. Alya was right - no excuses could justify Adrien in their eyes so well as the truth could. And to justify him was what Marinette wanted more than anything.
"The reason I didn't know his name was because Chat Noir and I had never found out each other identities."
"Wait," Tom's frown deepened as confusion hit his face. "Emma's father is Chat Noir? Not that Agreste kid?"
Marinette froze dumbfounded. The breath hitched in her chest as every single nerve ending tingled throughout her body. She couldn't even blink as she stared at her father in astonishment.
"But-" she uttered after a while when the gift of speech returned. "Why? I mean how- why- Why did you think it was Adrien?"
"Dear, you've been crushing on that boy your whole life," Sabine explained. "So when Emma started to resemble him rather incredibly we couldn't help but wonder."
"We weren't certain, of course," Tom added. "I must admit, I hated the mystery guy at first, but when Sabine first proposed the idea of Adrien, I became a little bit apprehensive. I mean, the boy we knew always seemed to be quite nice, and I couldn't imagine why he would abandon you, or anyone else for that matter, pregnant and alone. Since then it's been a rather confusing topic for me."
"We just couldn't believe that Adrien would do something like that despite being the most likely candidate," Sabine added. "And since you refused to tell us who Emma's father was, we left it at that."
"Whatever happened between you and that guy, Adrien or Chat Noir, not having him in Emma's life seemed to be your choice, sweetheart, and we've respected it. Though, it looks like we were a little bit off with our conclusions," Tom finished.
"No," Marinette murmured, continuing to watch them in shock. "You weren't wrong at all. Adrien is Emma's father, but neither of us knew that until about a week ago."
"But- Haven't you just said that Chat Noir- Wait a second." Tom frowned. "Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir?"
"Was," Marinette corrected. "He gave up his miraculous a short time before me, but yes he was Chat Noir."
"And you didn't know?"
"Neither of us knew, Papa," Marinette defended. "We found out just a little over a week ago. Adrien came back to Paris for the first time in years to attend the wedding and Nino couldn't help but mention about me being Ladybug once upon a time. Then he saw Emma and figured out the rest for himself. But before that, neither of us knew. We had to keep secrets even from each other, and we did too good of a job."
"But- I- I mean how?" Tom could conceive the idea. "You were with Adrien in the same class for years. You should've known him pretty well, and from what I know Chat Noir and Ladybug were close as well? I mean you had to notice similarities?"
"Hush, you," Sabine interrupted. "She is our daughter, Tom, and we saw Ladybug up close in our own house multiple times. Did either of us suspect a thing? No. What do you want from them?"
"I don't know how to explain it, Papa," Marinette said. "But I think it's a part of the whole magic – inability to recognize a person behind the mask even if there are not a lot of changes."
"Fine. I might not understand it, but I can accept the whole 'magic' concept," Tom agreed. "But what about the time you two made Emma?"
"Tom!"
"What? We are all adults here, and it's a rational question. They had to take the costumes off to make a baby, and we had all seen Lady Wi-Fi proving that those things were pretty much glued on."
"I-" Marinette bit her lip, looking at her parents with uncertainty.
"Ignore your father, Marinette," Sabine scooped closer and hugged her daughter. "You don't have to tell us anything you don't want to."
"I think I should," Marinette quietly replied. She seemed to be thinking about something for just a few seconds but soon continued. "We met when I was thirteen, both as Adrien and Marinette and as Chat Noir and Ladybug. As you are well aware, I'd been crushing on Adrien ever since then, but he had never considered me as anything more than a friend because as Chat Noir he was in love with Ladybug from the very start."
"In return, I didn't pay much attention to Chat Noir," she continued. "At least not before Adrien and I parted ways and hadn't seen each other in years. By then I was nearly twenty and feeling lonely, and Chat was there, so I decided to give him a chance."
"Understandable," Tom couldn't help but remark. "I remember that very well - you were such a lovely young lady and all alone. Your mother and I couldn't wait for you to bring home a handsome boy, but you seemed to be dead set on-" Tom stopped under a stern gaze of his wife. "I'm sorry, Marinette. Please, continue."
"Thanks," Marinette smiled at her father. "By that time, I liked Chat quite a lot so agreeing to a date with him wasn't just because I was lonely. He was always respectful and supportive of me. A dork, but a trustworthy dork. I knew I could always rely on him even if he were angry with me. I even liked his lame puns, and—" Marinette paused for a second, her gaze dropping on the table. "—he loved me so much. It was quite evident. I thought we had a genuine chance to be happy together."
"Our first date coincided with my birthday," Marinette continued, not being able to stop a smile from lighting up her face as she remembered that evening. "That was the best date any girl could've wished for. Chat went all out despite me stubbornly refusing to remove the masks until I was certain about us. He managed so well, though. It was romantic and exciting, and super private, and he never pushed for anything I wouldn't want. The intimacy- I initiated it. I-"
Tom cleared his throat. "I think we don't need the details, sweetheart. We got it."
"Sorry." Marinette became crimson. "I just wanted to explain that it wasn't even his idea."
"We completely understand, Marinette," Sabine assured her. "We all were young once. Though, I wish you'd been more careful."
"We were, Maman. Honestly, we used protection. I'm not sure why it didn't work, but-"
"As I said before—" Tom cleared his throat again. "—what's done is done. Lesson learned. Let's not elaborate."
"Yes. Sorry. Anyway," Marinette continued. "I- after- I mean the next morning- I don't have the right words to explain it fully, but the next morning- despite every single thing being absolutely perfect, I- I regretted it. I-" Marinette bit her lip hard, her breathing visibly getting more laboured than before. "I was still in love with Adrien and sleeping with Chat felt like cheating. When I opened my eyes and remembered everything, I felt so sick to my stomach that I ran away as fast as I could, and I never looked back at his face. He hadn't seen mine either because he was still asleep. The next few days were agonizing."
Marinette paused. Sabine reassuringly took her hand in hers and squeezed it. "If that's too much to-"
"No," Marinette protested. "You need to know. I have to tell you. I want you to understand. I felt broken. I felt miserable. I felt like I'd betrayed the love of my love and I hated myself for that. And at the same time, I knew this feeling was illogical and baseless, and I just couldn't make sense of anything anymore. It was just so, so messed up, so when I saw Chat again- the next time we've met I yelled at him and told him I wished we'd never met." The words seized for a few moments as tears started to gather in her eyes. "I told him I was still in love with another man, and that by loving me he ruined my life. I don't remember what else I said, only me screaming and yelling my hurting heart out, and his absolutely shocked face. In the end, I hurt him so badly that he couldn't even fight back."
Marinette stopped talking, letting tears freely flow down her face. Without any words either, Sabine scooted closer and took her daughter into a tight embrace.
"I told him to go away, and he complied. I told him I wished we've never met, and he made sure I wouldn't see him anymore. He left his family and friends and moved across the ocean only because the stupid girl he loved so much implied that it would make her happy."
"After he left," Marinette added quietly, "I found an engagement ring that fell from his pocket. That shook me even more. The next few days I spent searching the deepest corners of my heart and realized that while the affection for Adrien was still there, I couldn't imagine my life without Chat Noir anymore. I just had to give it some time because it was naïve of me to think that years of affection would go away after just one date with another man. So, I decided to beg Chat for forgiveness, but no matter how hard I've searched, I couldn't find him anymore."
"Then," Marinette sighed dejectedly. "A new Chat Noir appeared, and I found out that I'd have to give up my miraculous because my Chat Noir had left the city, and the new one had to have his own Ladybug, one more suitable to his age. I was heartbroken and—" she clenched her fists, "—had no one to blame, but myself. I had ruined my own life, and I still haven't forgiven myself for this. Not for this, and especially not for what I did to Chat. That's why I kept Emma. She was like a little angel sent to me from the heavens, a parting gift from the man I loved so much but was stupid enough to neither realize it sooner nor let go of an old crush for our sake."
As a new wave of tears bursts from Marinette's eyes, Tom finally stood up and, walking to his wife, and crying daughter wrapped his arms around them.
"I'm sorry, Papa," Marinette whispered. "I'm so, so sorry, Maman. I messed up so badly and-"
"Shhh," Sabine tried to calm her down. "Don't be so hard on yourself, sweetheart. We all made mistakes, and we know you. Our Marinette might be clumsy sometimes with her actions, but she isn't cruel. I'm sure you didn't want to hurt that boy on purpose. It sounds like you were hurting and lost and confused and didn't express yourself in the best way."
"I didn't. I didn't want to hurt him, Maman. I loved him. I was just-"
"I know, dear," Sabine squeezing Marinette tighter. "I know."
They spent the new few moments comforting each other tangled in the embrace. Under her parents' affection, Marinette's tears slowly ceased just as rays of the setting sun broke through the clouds and seethed through the windows. The room filled with warmth flowing through the air, touching everyone present just as Marinette finally felt a burden fall off her chest. Adrien had already shattered it previously, but it was her parents who had thrown the remains out of the window with whispered words of love, support and acceptance, allowing her to finally make the first steps towards forgiveness and healing.
"So, what's the plan now?" Tom asked, pulling away first. "I understand that Adrien is back and now you both know everything, right?"
"Yes," Marinette smiled truly liberated for the first time in a long time. "Now Adrien is moving back to Paris and moving in with us."
"He's moving in with you straight away?" Sabine echoed. "Are you sure you want to go this road so soon?"
"I do." Marinette nodded, wiping away the remainder of her tears. "We both do. Adrien wants to be there for Emma as much as he can and, if possible, compensate for his earlier absence. Plus, despite the years of separation, we still love each other, so we just thought to take it slow and see if we could make it work this time."
"Moving in together right away isn't exactly slow, Marinette," Tom remarked. "Have you considered that Adrien was away for six years? He had a life there; his character, his habits, everything about him might have changed. For all we know, he might be in a relationship with someone, and you just don't know it. You need to consider it thoughtfully, Marinette, because to think that Adrien you see now is the same Adrien you knew six years ago would be quite naïve."
"I know it's naive," Marinette replied. "But we talked about it, and he told me everything I wanted to know, and I believe him. He wouldn't lie to me, Papa. You'll see it for yourself when you meet him. And I wish I could say that I thought hard about it—" Marinette failed to keep a smile at bay. "—but the truth is - I haven't. When he asked if he could move in as a roommate, it- it just felt right, you know? Like pieces of a puzzle were finally starting to get put back together in the place that they belong in."
"If you say so," Tom sighed. "I just don't want you to get hurt again, sweetheart, so if you're going to try it again with Adrien, make sure you really want it this time because it will take a lot of work to fix the mess you've created."
"I love him, Papa," Marinette responded. "And if he is willing to give me another chance after everything I've put him through, I'd be a fool not to take it."
"Then we will cheer you on every step of the way." Tom smiled and ruffled Marinette's hair. "All we want is for you to be happy."
"Thank you." Marinette smiled at him as tears threatened to spill from her eyes again. She then turned to Sabine, who was still holding her in her arms, tightened her hold on the woman and leaning over, planted a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, Maman," she whispered before pulling away only to lean over to her father and kiss him on his cheek as well. "Thank you, Papa."
"I love you so much," Marinette added, hugging her parents at the same time.
"We love you too, sweetheart," Sabine replied barely audible, fighting her own tears. "Your happiness is all we want so whoever you choose, we'll always support you."
"Thank you."
"Anyone's home?" Alya's voice suddenly split the quiet of the room, followed by the sound of a shutting door and excited chatter of a little girl.
"Grandpapi! Grandmama! I have a Daddy!" Emma announced barely entering the room. "Look! Here he is!" She held up her brand-new iPhone, showcasing an array of pictures. "Isn't he cool, Grandpapi? Look he has hair just like mine, and his eyes are also green! Mama's blue, but Daddy's and mine are green. And he bought me this phone so I can call him any time I want. I can even call him now! Do you want to call my Daddy, Grandmama?"
"Please, act surprised," Marinette practically begged. "She wanted to tell you herself."
"On it," Tom winked and turned to greet the little girl. "Here is my little monkey!" He caught running to him Emma, threw her high in the air and caught her back in his arms. "A Daddy you say? Can this Daddy of yours make you fly like Grandpapa Tom?" he teased.
"Yes, he can!" Emma squealed right before being thrown up again.
"Good evening, Aunt Sabine," Alya greeted the woman with a cheek kiss. "You look absolutely amazing after your vacation."
"You look quite radiant yourself, dear," Sabine smiled back at Alya. "How is married life treating you?"
"Married life is waiting at home with a bowl of popcorn and Netflix on pause," Alya replied with a chuckle. "I should go back to it, but let me hug you first."
"Hello, Alya," Tom came closer, Emma safely perched on his broad shoulders. "How is it going?"
"So far so good, Uncle Tom."
"Nino's behaving, I hope?"
"Nothing to complain about so far," Alya giggled. "How are you? I suspect Marinette told you quite a story, huh?"
"You don't say," Tom chuckled. "Not only did she dump the poor boy in the worst way possible, but she also did it because she was in love with him. I mean, the other him, but it's still him, so still counts. Unbelievable," he scoffed playfully. "She needs to bring him over soon, so we can show him a proper Dupain-Cheng treatment, not whatever it is he's been getting so far from Marinette. Right, Emma?" he shook the girl's legs lightly, just enough to get her to laugh and grab what hair he had left on the top of his head. "Will you bring your Daddy over to play some games with Grandpapa Tom?"
"I will!" Emma shouted through her laugh. "We'll play together, and I'll win!"
"Of course, you will, little monkey!" Tom chuckled and ran away to give his granddaughter another ride around the room.
"I'm glad everything seems to be working out, and I'd love to chat about it, but I really have to go now," Alya apologized. "Do you mind, though, if I steal this mess of yours for a few minutes, Aunt Sabine?"
"Go ahead, dear." Sabine laughed. "Say hello to Nino for us."
"Will do. Thank you." Alya pulled a handkerchief as soon as Sabine left and started to wipe away the running mascara under her friend's eyes. "I see everything went well?"
"Everything went fine," Marinette confirmed. "Thank you for taking care of Emma for me."
"No problem, girl. Told you that you had nothing to worry about? Now go powder your nose and enjoy your evening. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch, and I expect all the deets. Sounds good?"
"Sure," Marinette giggled. "See you tomorrow."
She hugged Alya and let her out of the apartment, but before going back into the room, Marinette checked her cellphone. A glance at the screen quickly confirmed that muting the device before coming over was the right choice to make if she wanted to avoid any possible distractions. Natalie called her thrice, and both she and Adrien had sent her text messages.
[Adrien: It'll go splendidly so don't you worry. Call me any time if you need to talk]
[Adrien: Actually, call me even if you don't need to talk. I can do all the talking. Love you. 3]
[Adrien: Look what I got for Emma. Do you think she'll like it?]
[Adrien: I got us a matching pair as well]
Marinette chuckled, looking at the picture of a ladybug charm. It wasn't the first Ladybug-themed purchase Adrien had made for Emma, and while Marinette tried to resist at the start, secretly she was flattered that he tried to sway their daughter's affection from Chat Noir's to Ladybug's side. Not that Emma didn't like Ladybug. She did, but her preference for Chat Noir was overwhelming. As soon as Adrien had realized that, he deemed it to be unfair and vowed to make Emma a fellow Ladybug fan in less than a few months. So far, he'd had little luck.
Opening the next message, Marinette groaned.
[Natalie: Mlle Dupain-Cheng, M Agreste is requesting your presence at his home office tomorrow at nine o'clock. RSVP would be appreciated.]
Marinette mentally whined - tomorrow was Sunday. But if the boss wants to see her on Sunday, she'd better go on Sunday, not to mention that he might be calling her for in the talk both of them had avoided for at least a week. She only hoped it won't take a lot of time, so she could still make it to lunch with Alya.
Quickly replying back to Natalie and sending a short message to Adrien, Marinette peeked into the living room. Neither her parents nor Emma seemed to be missing her much so, following Alya's advice, Marinette headed to the bathroom to make herself presentable. She wanted to enjoy the rest of their evening looking her best because for being amazing parents, Tom and Sabine deserved a daughter who was capable of putting it back together, starting from her make-up and hopefully, ending with her relationship.
Despite all of the emotions of the previous day, Marinette had the most sound and relaxing sleep in years, and now, standing in front of Gabriel's office, she looked her absolute best, refreshed and peaceful, a far cry of what was going on inside her. Because deep down under the smile, Marinette was panicking. Gabriel had never called for her on the weekends without a really good reason before, and as far as she could guess, there was only one right now - her relationship with his son. That or she was in trouble at work. Maybe, she had performed less than acceptable in Milan? Or was it possible that Emma had managed to create a problem and she hadn't noticed in time and therefore didn't fix? Or maybe- Marinette closed her eyes and inhaled.
"Calm down. Everything's going to be alright," she whispered under her breath and knocked, entering the room at precisely nine o'clock. She knew Adrien's father liked meticulousness in everything, starting from his schedules to his designs and especially when it came to the work ethic of his employees. That was one of the reasons why Marinette had to fight her own nature and learn to always be on time when she was first hired. Of course, there were still minor mishaps, but those were rare and usually not her fault.
"Good morning, M Agreste," she greeted with a smile.
"Mlle Dupain-Cheng. Come in, please." The older man stood up to address her, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat. We have a few things to discuss."
When she settled, Gabriel passed Marinette a dark blue folder and continued. "I think we'll start with these. Our lawyers began to deal with Adrien's parentage claims, and your signature is needed on a couple of documents. Please, review them and if everything is to your satisfaction, sign in the places indicated."
Marinette breathed out with relief as she opened the folder. There were a few forms she quickly scanned and signed in the appropriate places. The last application, however, took her by surprise.
"Adrien has informed me that you hadn't decided yet on either you want his daughter to have his last name, Mlle Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel answered before Marinette could ask, placing the stress in all the right places to get his point across. "I took the liberty of preparing the necessary documentation in case you've made up your mind already." Pausing, Gabriel observing Marinette for a few seconds before continuing. "If that is not the case, however, and you are still deliberating, then I would suggest taking those forms with you and return them later."
Marinette felt lost for words. Even though Adrien had warned her about his father eagerness for Emma to become an Agreste, such bold actions still surprised her, and especially, after Adrien had assured her multiple times that the final decision would be hers and that Gabriel agreed to comply even if it wasn't to his liking. However, Adrien wasn't here now. She was alone. Arguing with Gabriel about the issue was the last thing Marinette wanted, but being forced to do something she hadn't quite decided on yet, was not an option either.
"In this case, I'll be taking them with me," she answered and returned the rest of the signed applications in the folder.
"I see," Gabriel echoed and leaned back in his chair. "I'll be honest, Mlle Dupain-Cheng - from what I've gathered from you over the years, I understand it that you like to walk to your own accord, aren't you?"
"I think that's what all people should do," she replied calmly. Complying with Gabriel's demands at the workplace was something she had done for years. Her family, however, was a different matter. "If I'm the one living my life, I don't see why I should give up control over it to anyone other than myself. I prefer to shape my own future."
"What if that someone else knows better?" Gabriel picked up a pen, slowly rotating it with his fingers while looking Marinette straight in the eyes. "Let's say they are more experienced? Wiser? Or simply have the resources to build a pretty nice life for you and your family if you would just listen to them?"
"So far I've supported myself just fine," Marinette responded. "And I'm sure I would still be able to support myself if I were, to say, lose my current job. There are other companies out there, other industries, even my parents' bakery if it comes to it. I have everything I need, so I'll pass on the resources. Experience, however, I will respect and will certainly listen to the advice, but if I take it, it would still be my choice."
"With wise advice, you could avoid a lot of mistakes, Mlle Dupain-Cheng." Gabriel started to beat a monotonic rhythm with his pencil against the table. "And by avoiding them, you could be a lot farther in your life in a shorter period."
"I'm not in a hurry," Marinette shrugged her shoulders, "And I'm not afraid of making mistakes. I've already made quite a lot. I still do all the time, and I'm sure I'll continue this way, but at least those are my mistakes, and I learn from them. I never wanted to be a bird in a gilded cage, M Agreste. Freedom is something I highly value and making mistakes is a part of that freedom. In every aspect of the word."
"I see." Gabriel raised an eyebrow and fell quiet for a couple of minutes as his eyes shifted to a window. The beat of the pencil slowed down until it vanished completely and he turned back to the young lady in front of him. "Alright. I might not agree on all of the points in your argument, Mlle Dupain-Cheng, but I can respect an opinion of such a strong-minded lady as yourself."
"Thank you, M Agreste."
"I do hope, though, that you can at least agree that there are a lot of benefits that come with the Agreste's last name."
"Only if you can admit that it isn't issue-free as well, M Agreste."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow at her, but a barely-there smile that didn't escape Marinette's attention briefly surfaced on his face. "I'm leaving it to your consideration then, Mlle Dupain-Cheng, and I hope you'll make a wise decision."
"I will certainly give it serious thought, M Agreste."
"Good," he nodded and leaning back in his chair continued. "The other issue I wanted to discuss with you is your week-long business trip to New York City."
"My week long-"
"If you allow me to explain," Gabriel interrupted, pointing to the same folder Marinette was holding a few minutes earlier. "I need you to deliver these documents to my son and oversee that he signs them properly."
"Additionally," he continued, completely ignoring Marinette's surprised face, "I want you, as the representative from the main office, to supervise that he properly transfers his responsibilities to a new manager and fulfills all of his modelling contacts before coming back to Paris. A week should be long enough for that, and as usual, the company would take care of all your expenses."
"But Adrien is coming back in a week," Marinette blurted out absentmindedly. He'd been away for three long, lonely ones and had promised her just this morning that he would finish everything by the end of the coming week and be home by Sunday evening.
"I am aware of that," Gabriel responded. "Natalie had already booked you on the same flight back. Oh, I would request one thing of you, though," he added, picking up the sheets he was working on before Marinette came in, looking at them while continuing to speak. "I know we have special arrangements concerning Emma in your contract, but I think in this particular case, it would be beneficial for all parties involved if she would remain in Paris. You two could use some alone time."
Gabriel barely whispered the last sentence, but Marinette still heard it. Astonished, she stared at her usually cold and indifferent employer and wondered what was going on.
"I thought you had other people to handle such matters," she uttered without thinking, regretting it the moment the first word slipped her lips.
"My other people are busy," Gabriel responded with a renewed air of disinterest she'd always known. Nevertheless, he looked away from his papers, pulled out an envelope and placed it in front of Marinette. "Here is an airplane ticket for tonight and a couple of instructions for you to do once in New York City. Take it or leave it, Mlle Dupain-Cheng. I can always find someone else who would love the chance to spend a week in my son's close proximity."
Marinette hesitated only for a moment, and only because her mind was busy thinking who would be willing to host Emma for a week. Her parents were asking to have their annual sleepover before the school started up again in a few weeks. They wouldn't mind to extend it a few days longer, would they?
"I'll take it. Thank you, M Agreste," Marinette answered and took the envelope.
"I hope you realize it isn't a vacation," Gabriel replied. "You will be required to work at the American branch on specific tasks I noted in the instructions."
"I'll do my best, M Agreste."
She might have imagined it, but that tiny smile appeared again. "I don't doubt it," Gabriel added, forwarding her the folder. "Natalie will provide you with everything else you'll need. That will be all."
"Thank you again, M Agreste," Marinette said, standing up. She made her way out of the room but stopped shy of exiting.
"M Agreste?" Gabriel raised his head to look at her. "I just wanted you to know that I do love Adrien. I'm not in this for his connections, fame or money. Emma was not a calculated act of a gold-digger. She was born out of love, and despite years apart and all of the mistakes we've made, I still love him. I want to make him happy. I want us to be happy. At least, I'll try my best for that to happen. Just wanted you to know this, M Agreste."
"You shouldn't worry, Mlle Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel replied, reclining back in his chair. "I had my time to observe and evaluate you over the last few years even before I found out whose daughter Emma was. You aren't the gold-digger type - otherwise, you wouldn't be here. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do."
"Of course." Marinette smiled. "Have a nice day, M Agreste."
Breathing and hardly believing her luck, Marinette left the room. Tonight, she would board a plane and would fly to the States to visit Adrien. Not merely visit either - she'd stay with him for a week, and if she understood correctly, they would return to Paris together. Marinette couldn't contain a grin, as she clutched the blue folder and a white envelope to her chest.
As she exited the house, there might have been a barely audible squeak of excitement, slipping from Marinette's lips. There definitely was a quiet sigh and a three-word conclusion coming from Gabriel's, as he observed her from a window.
"Just like Emilie."