Updated C12

The night was calm and still and the peacefulness that surrounded them, almost made it too easy to forget the danger that lay inevitably ahead. Marinette was sleeping soundly in the protective cocoon of Adrien's loving embrace- too soundly, which only made him wonder if her mind had truly recovered from its despair.

Despite hoping this, he knew that couldn't be true, the only reason for her to be sleeping so deeply must have been exhaustion- she had been through a lot! The protective cocoon tightened around her, as Adrien's heart painfully ached from her grief and suffering.

Though he knew more was to come, but how could he stop his father without needing her help? Once again gazing into her peacefully sleeping face, he lowered her head to the pillow and sneaked away from their embrace.

He failed to see just how he could end it all by himself- but he had to try! Tiptoeing across the room to his coat, Adrien pulled his phone out and slipped through the door before heading to somewhere private.

As he pressed 'call' and waited for an answer, he noted how his heart still hammered nervously against his chest while he disobeyed his father's orders- it was now ingrained into his very being to be intimidated by his father, so it seemed.

"Adrien? I take it you have finally seen sense and decided to return to me?" Adrien's hand gripped onto the phone tightly as he restrained his frustration.

"I saw your butterfly! You tried to kill Ladybug!" A harsh chuckle sounded in response, "you aren't a child anymore Adrien; she isn't a superhero, and she certainly can't save you- only I can! Why don't you tell me her real name son…I can protect both of you!"

With gritted teeth, Adrien growled through his anger, "I will never allow that! She won't endure a life of imprisonment as I did!" He didn't need his father to protect her, Adrien would fight for her until his dying breath!

"A life of imprisonment? Hardly, as I recall you disobeyed me frequently- for five years! You roamed free through the night like a common ally cat to meet your girlfriend…your name 'Cat Noir' suits you perfectly!" Why was it always like this? Why couldn't he and his father see eye to eye just once!

"Please…Father, it doesn't have to be this way! I just want to be free to make my own decisions- I want to be free to pick Marinette!" As soon as he had said it his face paled. His father didn't know who she was…but if he were to find out that she was the same Marinette who was contracted with his firm there was no telling what he would do to her to find Adrien!

"Father wait! I…." The phone had cut off dead. Adrien desperately dialled his father's number again but it would no longer connect. Dread was now filling him up quickly, he already knew what desperate measures his father would take to bring him back!

Marinette was still asleep as he entered the room. Adrien sat beside her so he could see her peaceful face, if only it could remain that way- as with every pleasant dream, it would have to end when they woke up.

Allowing her sweet dreams, a short while longer Adrien laid beside her and held her close, wondering how much longer he would need to wait before they could finally be allowed to be together in peace.

Her arms sleepily found him and pulled him closer. He wanted to allow her embrace to hold him forever- to be frozen in time so he would never have to lose her. With a heavy sigh, he kissed her forehead gently and stroked her hair to gently wake her.

Relentless anxiety was overpowering Adrien now the fear that everything that he had finally gained after, ten long years, was going to vanish! This fear was drawing him into an inescapable void. His hands moved down to caress his love's soft cheeks- lips inching closer to hers as he desperately held on to hope that she wasn't going to fade away under his touch.

Marinette could sense the urgency behind his kiss, his grip on her had become frantic and firm but now she felt unsettled. Taking his face in her hands, she pulled her lips from his and placed her forehead against his, "Adrien- what is it? What's wrong?!"

He remained silent however he shook his head slowly and pulled her closer seeking more contact. Marinette threw her arms around his neck as her eyes stung "you're worrying me- seriously, what is the matter?"

Gasping as his lips claimed hers once again, her hands grabbed his shoulders defensively, "please Adrien! Speak to me, you're scaring me!"

His lips crushed against hers once more, speaking hastily in between desperate kisses, "Do you know how much I love you…how scared I am that I will lose you again…how I never want you to leave my sight or my side…how I never want you to be hurt again? It scares the shit out of me that something bad may happen to you!"

His lips lowered to her neck. Adrien felt the warmth of her skin beneath his lips as she gasped breathlessly, "I'm not going anywhere! Nothing can happen to me as long as I have my partner by my side!"

Adrien pulled her close. Nothing mattered right now; not his father, freedom or his fears- because right now he had her in his arms. This was what he would fight for; he would fight for her, he would fight for him and he would fight for their future together!

Offering her a devilish grin, he briskly threw Marinette over his shoulder and ran into his wardrobe as she giggled madly, "hey…what's up-we going somewhere?" Adrien quickly set her on her feet, and with a quick tap to her naked behind he winked with a wide grin. "Get dressed. We're going out!"