A/N: Hey guys! Sorry the chapters have been so incessantly dark lately. This one should be lighter, meaning, no deaths. So, not really lighter, as mentioned by remasa. xD I apologize. I struggle to write anything truly light.

Chapter 9: Complication

Gabriel happens across Adrien when he unmasks.

"It's not that simple," Adrien pleaded. He tried to keep his voice calm as he took another step backward, but panic was growing in him with every moment that passed.

"It is," Gabriel responded evenly, closing the gap between them when Adrien backed into the wall. "Have you heard nothing I've been telling you?"

Of course he had. Adrien had heard everything, but that didn't mean he agreed. He wished with all his being he could phase through the wall's surface just like Plagg could, but he remained under interrogation, back smashed flat against the wall as he tried desperately to distance himself from his father. If only he had been more cautious upon entering his room and releasing his transformation, none of this would have happened and they wouldn't be having this progressively unsettling conversation. His father's insistence on Adrien relinquishing his miraculous in return for the resurrection of his mother. . . The notion was ludicrous, but Gabriel seemed convinced it was possible. Adrien supposed it had something to do with that book he had found in his father's possession. But forget convinced, the man seemed absolutely obsessed with the idea, and the crazed glint in his eyes was frightening.

"Adrien, I demand you give me the ring."

"No." Adrien was surprised at himself when the word immediately left him without debate. Gabriel stared at him, incredulously. "Father, can't you see, I've been entrusted with this. I can't just-"

Gabriel's mouth fell into a deeper frown.

"You're a mere child, Adrien. What could you hope to understand?"

Adrien's expression soured. He hated when his father said things like that.

"Father," Adrien exclaimed, "I refuse to fight you on this. Don-"

"My sentiments exactly," Gabriel interjected. "I will not fight you."

Adrien gaped at his response, but his expression only lasted a moment before his eyes blew wide with anxiety for Gabriel stepped away from him and suddenly raised his arms from his side, issuing a call:

"Nooroo, transform me."

A violet light flashed as Adrien watched his father transform into a purple, masked figure, terror filling his eyes as he realized the man who stood before him was none other than Hawkmoth.

"I will put an end to this before it begins," Gabriel clarified as the windows of the room burst open, hundreds upon thousands of butterflies entering, surrounding them.

"Plagg-" Adrien called, only to be cut short when Gabriel rushed him, thrusting the blunt handle of his cane into the boy's gut.

Adrien released a grunt as he crumpled, staggering before the purple clad man swept his feet out from under him, sending him to the ground. Plagg rushed out from his jacket pocket spewing curses, only to be quickly overpowered by the sheer numbers of the insects until Adrien could no longer see him. Butterflies then washed over him as well and become increasingly heavy as they amassed, effectively holding Adrien down despite his efforts to throw them off. When he called for Plagg's transformation a second time the butterflies flew into his mouth instead, effectively muffling his voice. Adrien spit them out but more insects quickly replaced the others, stifling his attempt to summon Chat's power.

Gabriel thrust the cane against Adrien's wrist, pinning it against the floor as the winged insects continued to gather on top of the teen. Hawkmoth then bent down and tightly gripped Adrien's right hand, working his thumb between his fist-balled fingers, prying them apart as he separated the boy's ring finger from it's surrounding protection. The blonde emitted a muffled cry of protest but Gabriel ignored it, focusing instead on the prize that was nearly in his grasp, when out of the corner of his eye he saw something glimmer in the light. Adrien's wet face stared back at him with an expression of pure horror as he watched his father betray his trust. Gabriel hesitated for a brief moment before grabbing the ring on the boy's finger, preparing to remove it along with any hope of his son ever trusting him again. It didn't matter now. Once his mother had been returned, he would eventually be forgiven.

But the ring didn't budge.

Father and son alike watched in awe as Gabriel tugged at it, only to have it remain perfectly in place. Nooroo's voice came into Gabriel's subconscious.

'If a miraculous wielder's bond with the miraculous itself is not broken, it is nigh impossible to take the miraculous by force. The wielder must relinquish it by will.'

"N- NO!"

Gabriel shouted in despair, stumbling away from the prostrate boy before him as he realized his error. Adrien watched his father, anxiously awaiting his next move as the butterflies had yet to disperse. Plagg still hadn't resurfaced and Adrien had run out of things to try.

"Must relinquish it by will. . ." Gabriel repeated as a mutter, tapping his fingers against his chin as he played the thought over in his head. "By will. . ." Adrien heard faintly against the beating of thousands of tiny wings.

"Adrien," his father's voice came again, this time sending a chill down the blonde's spine. "Tell me," he said, crouching to face him. "Won't you reconsider? Think of what we could do, together."

Adrien watched Hawkmoth as he loomed over him. He was trying to bargain. Apparently the miraculous weren't something that could just be taken, but had to be given. Or, at least in the case where the wielder was still alive. The alternative made Adrien shudder, or perhaps it was the butterflies working their way under his clothing. . . Regardless, his father was Hawkmoth. The man who was behind all of the akuma attacks that had threatened Paris. Perhaps he'd convinced himself that it was all for the good of his family, but Adrien knew the man's actions were still greatly unjustified. He couldn't help him by giving the man what he sought, even if it was to bring back his own mother. More tears escaped him when he looked his father in the eye before shaking his head, shouting a garbled noise akin to 'hell, no' accompanied by a few choice words from his insect infested mouth.

Gabriel frowned, displaying his clear displeasure at his son's audacious response, wishing all the while it had been someone else. But it was his own son. Adrien was indeed Chat Noir, and Hawkmoth needed Chat's miraculous to bring his plan to fruition. He was his son, but that couldn't be a deciding factor now. For the unprecedented event such as reviving his late wife, it wasn't a surprise that sacrifices were required. As much as it pained him, Gabriel now knew that losing his son's love and trust were among of those sacrifices needed to be made. Adrien would give up his miraculous with time. All he needed was a little more persuasion.

The butterflies piled deeper and Adrien could barely see beyond the white blanket now. He shouted at his father again, but the man turned away as the insects buried him completely. Moments later the butterflies departed, leaving as quickly as they had arrived, revealing an unconscious boy and his black kwami in their wake. Gabriel de-transformed and bent down to scoop the boy into his arms, Adrien's form drooping limply against his chest. He would need to be relocated until he gave up his miraculous, and Gabriel had a few ideas that were worth trying before more drastic measures. A frown of remorse crept over Gabriel's features as he retreated with the teen in tow, but he quickly shoved all doubts aside and his steely resolve returned.

"I'm sorry."

A/N: Hey, pst, hey Hawky. 'I'm sorry' means you actually feel bad enough and won't do it again/ continue your current path of action.

Next update will happen sometime.