Chapter 21
In the evening Lila stood in the kitchen together with her daughter, which stood in front of the oven looking into the closed door.
"You know….having someone around during cooking is more entertaining, than being alone" Mentioned Lila making Nathalie nod. "Have we done this before I was gone for the show in Italy?" Questioned the mother.
"It started, when you and daddy had no idea, what to make. You offered me then to help them pick a recipe. I don't know what he picked, but we had much fun together,"
"If I take a look at myself, I feel like cooking isn't my thing and I dislike it. Perhaps I might be misjudging myself. I have been only cooking a few times and that with Nathaniel around or somebody else. Also, he takes care of the cooking as well, when he's earlier home from work,"
"I think daddy and you don't like it. You both do it many times together because it was better for both of you. Sometimes you both had much fun together and it wasn't something you liked doing," Said Nathalie making Lila chuckle.
By the entrance to the kitchen, appeared Nathaniel carrying a letter in his hand and encountered Lila along with Nathalie inside the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, I got stuck in traffic," Apologized Nathaniel watching the two brunettes in front of the oven. "You two have made something together?" Questioned the redhead curious making the child nod.
"Mommy and I did it together like in old times," Stated Nathalie proud making Nathaniel smile, while walking into the kitchen.
"Did it go well?" Questioned Nathaniel making his wife nod. "Sorry, I didn't warn you about traffic,"
"It's alright. Nathalie just told me a while before we used to cook together, despite not being fond of it," Commented Lila making Nathaniel nod.
"Yeah. It sort of strengthened our bond, despite both of us being away from each other," Mentioned Nathaniel. "Even with Nathalie, everything turned out more entertaining," Commented the father looking at the daughter, which smiled.
The daughter pointed at the cookbook, which Nathaniel took a look at to see, what recipe they had picked.
"What did you replace the meat from the Cannelloni with?" Questioned Nathaniel, then Lila pointed down at a small box with the vegetarian version, which excluded the meat and had aubergine along with carrots and bell peppers. "Okay, right,"
"I have set the clock like last time and there are about five more minutes we gotta wait for it to be finished," Said Lila making Nathaniel nod.
"Cool, I will set the table while the gratin is in the oven," Said Nathaniel making Lila shake her head.
"The type is lasagna," Corrected Lila making Nathaniel chuckle.
"I'm sorry," Apologized Nathaniel putting down the envelope. "Oh, by the way, there's this envelope for you. I think it's from the filming studio you work on," Spoke Nathaniel watching Lila come towards him, then he handed it out to Lila and took out from the counter three plates.
"Uh didn't you say I recorded it in Italy?" Questioned Lila making Nathaniel nod as he placed the first plate.
"Yes, it was. But the rights and the location of the studio are here in Paris. If you want, we can pass by on Friday. There I get home earlier," Suggested Nathaniel watching behind him Nathalie come along with the serviettes making Nathaniel smile and hand up a thumb.
"Aww it's a letter from the other actors," Said Lila opening the letter to see a small text for her and on the other side the signatures of her work pals. "The entire staff and cast of Isabella – The rebirth wishes you a great recovery and hope to be reunited with you together again for season 2. We miss the humor and charm our "Bella" gave us through you,"
"Staff and Cast…..That sounds like a lot of signatures," Commented Nathaniel observing Lila look at the other page with the signatures.
"They look like 20 or 30 signatures," Spoke Lila. "If I look at all of them, I don't seem to remember anyone at the moment,"
"You would need to be working with them daily again as before. I'm sure you would remember everything again," Stated Nathaniel getting back to the raven-haired woman.
"I think you're right," Assumed Lila closing the letter with a neutral look. Nathaniel noticed her mood, then placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't let your head down. You've done well so far. You remembered your daughter, a few friends of yours. That's going well," Cheered the husband making Lila nod.
"Talking about that….I've got this one question…..I have been looking at the photo album before and there was this one, which had pictures of….Super Nathan and a few other heroes. Super Nathan wore there a strange bow tie and…...in one of the images was I holding hands with him and one taken before was a fox-like superheroine, which resembled my face a lot. I searched myself up on the internet and figured out I was a superheroine years ago, but my identity got figured out,"
"Oh well I really don't know how I should explain this," Commented Nathaniel scratching the back of his head. "It's not only a long story, but it's also quite complicated or well because you…...have this trouble with remembering. I fear I might just make it worse or it's not what you think it is,"
"Okay, I'll let it slide for now. If I could remember my daughter and a few of my friends. That's cool for now," Said Lila neutral making Nathaniel feel the same as well.
"You know you mean a lot to me, Lila. I just want things to come back for you just as they were before. I'm glad, nothing worse happened, but this,"
"This sounds all strange. I gotta be honest, but I can't judge you or anyone else. I'm pretty sure it's not easy to deal with someone like me, who doesn't remember things you all do. It's pretty awkward. Mostly if I look at your way. You've been so honest to me about everything, but at the same time I have no idea about it,"
"When the time is right, I'm sure you'll figure it out," Commented Nathaniel, followed by the time clock ring to announce their finished cannelloni.
"You're one of the greatest friends I've ever had. I'm glad you're here with me through all this time," Lila announced reaching her arms to hug the man, making Nathaniel smile a little at her comment. "I'm sure I will remember more about you, that you've shown," Lila commented making Nathaniel snort quietly.
"You're okay?" Rang a male voice through Lila's head, making her hum questioningly. "You saved me," Lila's voice rang inside her head and she got off Nathaniel's arms. "I'm sorry, I think I just had a memory of something. It sounded like your voice, but I don't know, what this was about?"
"What exactly did I say?"
"You asked me if I was okay," Commented Lila making Nathaniel look a little frustrated.
"Wow, this is actually a good start, but I have a lot of options of myself asking you that," Mentioned Nathaniel making Lila nod.
"Well come, let's go eat. Perhaps we'll get to that point soon or later," Commented Lila walking at the oven, then Nathaniel took out his smartphone from his pants to put it down on the counter and saw a message from Marinette. Nathaniel slide it up to open the message and saw a screenshot, that was sent by the fried showing a Facestargram post of Super Nathan published by the journalist River Langerak with a caption on it.
"Despite Monarch and Hawk Moth's defeat years ago, the heroes of Paris still have shown their faces from time to time, when danger was around. I'm grateful that today, Super Nathan was around and risked his life to save my daughter from being run over. Thank you for your assistance," Nathaniel read inside his head and replied to Marinette with a smile emoji. Nathaniel dropped down his phone, afterward, he received another message from Marinette and looked at it again, before going to the table.
"I need to talk with you about the safety of the marble balls," Nathaniel read furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, then sent Marinette a question mark back. Seconds later Marinette responded back with a message ending with an exclamation mark. "Just pass by!" Nathaniel frowned at Marinette's messages, then sent her the word tomorrow and joined the table of his family, then watched Lila cut down in half the dinner.
Luka and Marinette went together with Rouven to visit Anarka at her houseboat, where they have had dinner together. On the outside of the ship's deck, Anarka stood along with her grandson Rouven watching the black Labrador puppy dig inside a small bag, that was filled with old plushes.
"Inside this bag are the toys of your father and your aunt Juleka, when they were around your age….or younger," Anarka explained watching the puppy take out a penguin plush, then began to growl and shake it around. "Have you got a name in mind for our little fella here?" Questioned the gray-haired woman making Rouven shake his head.
"No,"
"You've thought on something wild or out-of-the-common?" Questioned Anarka making Rouven nod.
"Something very cool. He's gonna get into our family and we're a cool family," Said Rouven making his grandmother chuckle.
"I'm starting to begin you're more like your grandmother," Stated the woman making the boy chuckle.
Inside the boat, Marinette and Luka were sitting around the safe reading its manual to be able to make it function.
"Okay, here we have to pick a code between 4 and 6 digits. After deciding the code you'd like to have, press the red enter button. Notice, by adding a shorter code, the following steps remain the same," Marinette read, then shove a small piece of paper towards Luka to show a number, that he should type on the door keyboard.
"This is not a random number, right?" Questioned Luka making Marinette nod.
"That's Chantal's birthday and Alya's birth year," Answered Marinette. "I made sure to pick somebody, who's related to us or any other superhero. What do you think? A bad idea?"
"No I was actually expecting like our wedding anniversary, but that date is even better," Luka said convinced about his wife's suggestion, then tapped down the numbers one after the other and pressed the red button to hear it make a peeping noise. "I think it's programmed,"
"Good, put something in there," Said Marinette, then Luka took out his smartphone and placed it inside the safe and looked at Marinette, which smiled. "Now let's close it and…..when closing it, we spin the wheel counterclockwise until we hear the lock," Said Marinette observing the husband close the door and spin the wheel back, listening to the click of the lock.
"Done," Said Luka, then watched Marinette look at the code she had written on a piece of paper, then inserted the code on the keyboard and pressed enter hearing it do a small beeping noise, thereafter the moved the wheel to open the safe up successfully.
"Good, it works just as I wanted it," Said Marinette looking at Luka, which smiled at the woman, then placed his arm around her back and pecked her on the side of the forehead.
"Super. Has Nathaniel answered you yet?" Questioned Luka, then Marinette picked up the smartphone, she had left beside the safe to see Nathaniel had only answered with one word.
"I guess he was busy at the moment. He only said tomorrow,"
"Perhaps he's gotta be more present around Lila or well it's 8:35. Perhaps a little too late at the moment,"
"Most of us are usually awake at this time, why shouldn't he be able to come here?" Examined Marinette making Luka chuckle. "Luka…."
"Relax a little, Marinette. We're very cautious about this with the miraculous. You mostly. You're very, very careful with it. We're both safe," Said Luka making Marinette nod. Seconds afterward both began to chuckle at the pun Luka made by accident.
"Alright, you're right, just…..I would feel a lot better if we could talk with Nathaniel right now," Said Marinette, then Luka picked up his smartphone to look for his friend's phone number. "What are you doing?"
"Wonder if Nathaniel attends, if I call him," Replied Luka. "I'll give it a try,"
The puppy barked earning Marinette's attention, who observed it coming in running with a medium-sized dice made off textile, followed by Rouven that pursued the dog around the dining room.
"Come on, that's not how you're supposed to play!" Warned Rouven watching the puppy get under the chair, then bark at the boy warning him to step away from the toy. "You have to give it back to me and then I throw it for you to catch. That's how fetch goes," Rouven tried to explain making Marinette smile delighted by the two.
"Hey buddy, have you already found a name for him?" Questioned Luka, while holding his phone by his ear.
"Not yet," Responded Rouven looking at his father.
"Hey Nate, I'm sorry to be bothering you, but it would be nice if you could pass by our home today. It's important for…..our handsome guy with purple skin complexion," Luka spoke hearing Nathaniel sigh loud through the smartphone.
"Alright, I'm coming. Hold up the window for me," Alerted Nathaniel making Luka nod.
"Tell Nathaniel to be wary of the surroundings," Warned Marinette followed by an intermittent beep sound making the woman frown.
"Don't worry, Marinette. He's careful. He perhaps had a bad day or doesn't feel quite well as we expect,"
"Perhaps I should have taken it easier. We don't know what he's going through right now," Remarked Marinette making Luka nod. Both heard a noise, then watched Rouven crawl out from under a chair, scratching his head as he had have hit his head on the wood and frowned looking at the puppy wagging his tail.
"He's totally fixed on the toy. He doesn't let me take it," Spoke Rouven watching the puppy look up at him, holding the dice between its paws. Rouven smiled a little and looked up at his parents. "Dad, what do you think about calling the dog Dice?" Questioned the boy making Luka smile.
"That's a pretty cool name for the dog," Admitted Luka. "If he gets older, we could get him a white collar with dots on it or something made of metal. I'm sure that would be pretty cool on him," Explained Luka making Rouven nod.
"I could as well sew one unique collar for him. It's not that hard to make one, just need the right measurements," Explained the woman making her husband nod.
A few hours later, Luka stood leaned on the window leading to the balcony holding his smartphone in his hand to check the feed of the social network. Behind his back on the balcony from above the roof appeared Super Nathan dropping into the spot and looked around himself to look for anyone, who could have seen him. Super Nathan knocked on the window earning Luka's attention, who looked back and pulled the door aside, so the redhead could enter the room and Luka closed the door and pulled the curtains afterward.
"I'm here," Reported Super Nathan. "Is something up?"
"Follow me," Asked Luka directing Super Nathan out of the living room into the bedroom of the couple, where Marinette stood by a closet and showed the oval-shaped miraculous box inside the safe the couple had stuck inside the closet.
"When did the miraculous box change its…..," Began Super Nathan, then Marinette held up her hand to announce the hero to let her talk first. "Ok,"
"I had actually a good hideout for the box, but since Rouven's little curiosity from the other day I thought about looking for a safer spot for the miraculouses and Luka went to buy this safe here for us to store them in here for a bigger safety," Marinette explained. "At the moment only Luka and I know the code to the safe and its location. In case of an emergency and we're both somewhat gone in any of the number of possibilities, you've got the code for the safe in case of a true need or to hide them. Whatever it is, at least a third person out of our family needs to know about it and you're currently our best option," Marinette said making Super Nathan drop his chin and look at Luka.
"Wasn't Luka your plan B?" Canvassed Super Nathan making Marinette nod.
"Yeah he is, but you know, we've been living together for a long while. If one of us is taken down in any way. Luka would be the next and in the case this might happen in the future, it would be good to have a third person attached to our plan," Marinette said and Super Nathan rolled his eyes aside to ponder about her words.
"You know this is just a way to secure us all. We have all been very careful over the past years. This sure won't happen in the near future. Everything in the world has more than plan A and B. You've seen the public transports years ago when the pandemic broke out during our twenties," Reminded Luka and Super Nathan nodded.
"Okay I'm in," Replied Super Nathan making Marinette smile and hug the same tall superhero.
"Great, I knew I could count on you," Expressed Marinette glad. Super Nathan moved Marinette's arms of him gently and held his index finger up to speak.
"Is there something more?" Questioned Super Nathan, then Marinette handed the redhead out a small piece of paper with the code of the safe. "Okay, look before I go….Lila has found pictures of us superheroes….well most of us at least," Explained Super Nathan making Marinette furrow her eyebrows questioningly.
"What kind of photos?" Questioned Marinette.
"You know….after Bunnyx had taken us to the future after a little mistake my and Lila's wedding had been canceled of our superhero forms. I kind of wanted to remake at least a few pictures and keep them safe,"
"And you did that without my permission?" Asked Marinette shocked.
"I asked Cat Noir and he was fine with it," Answered the redhead. "Nothing has ever happened to us. Also, it's very good hidden in our house. Not even Nathalie would find it…..well she knows it exists, but she's never touched it before…..,"
"Ugh….never mind. What's the issue you wanted to talk about?"
"Shall I give Lila back her miraculous?" Questioned Super Nathan. "She figured out, she used to be a superheroine before, but can't remember anything. She knows Super Nathan, but she doesn't know, that I'm Super Nathan,"
"For the moment leave things as it is. See if she remembers it by herself. If things seem better, we can consider it in giving it a try," Suggested Marinette making Super Nathan nod.
"Alright, I'll see about that," Answered Super Nathan, then Marinette led him to the balcony and opened the door for him.
"Be careful. No one needs to see you," Spoke Marinette walking out at the balcony to see, if anyone was around, then she gave Super Nathan a thumb up, which used his tablet to draw a hoverboard to get on it and he flew out of it, trying to keep his equilibrium straight making Marinette flinch her teeth at seeing him fly. "Be careful," Whispered Marinette watching him disappear behind another house, followed by a strange noise and a grown coming from his direction. "I think he's fine," Said Marinette closing the window to return to their daily life.
Lila got out of the bathroom, then crossed the corridor passing by the room of the daughter. Lila stopped by the entrance to look at the girl, which lied sleeping on the bed. Lila smiled, afterward stepped into the bedroom to approach the girl to see her sleeping peacefully with her face facing the window. Lila observed, that she wasn't fully covered correctly and moved the cover up to tuck her in gently and pressed her lips on the girl's forehead. She caressed the daughter on the shoulder, watching her pull her fox plush tightly into her arms, making the woman smile enamored. Lila looked at the window to notice it was slightly open, then she grabbed the window by the handhold, then observed above the house in front of theirs Super Nathan glide over a hoverboard towards her direction. Lila got surprised about seeing him, then had an idea and stepped aside to wait to see, if he was coming in her direction. Lila heard Super Nathan bark and crash against the wall, making Lila widen her eyes in surprise and glimpse at the window to see Super Nathan have his hands over the sill of the window. Lila slowly moved the window up to see Super Nathan use his legs to climb up at the sill, making Lila smirk at seeing the hero about to try to enter her daughter's room.
"Need a hand?" Asked Lila watching Super Nathan get above the ledge with his head, then leaned his arms above it and looked up to see Lila stand there.
"Whoa!" Super Nathan slipped with his arms, then Lila grabbed him by his hands trying to get him up and the hero made an impulse to enter the house by falling with his head onto a house made of lego causing it to break into pieces.
"You look lost," Spoke Lila crossing her arms with a smirk, while watching the hero get up on his own and pass his hands above his body making sure he hadn't gotten any lego piece stuck on him.
"Oh no, not at all. I'm just here, because…...I was curious to know, how you were doing. You know us superheroes at one point in our career began to pass by the victims a few days later after having helped them out of an issue. You know…...to make sure, everything is fine," Super Nathan made up, while Lila had kept the same facial expression on her face. Super Nathan knew he wasn't quite good at lying. This time it felt even stranger. She still was able to look through his lies.
"Oh really?" Lila asked. "How did you all know the previous people's home, when you saved them?" Lila asked raising her left eyebrow up observing, what steps Super Nathan was willing to take with her.
"Well, I couldn't visit every one of them. Just a few of them….You're an example….uhm how are you doing?" Asked Super Nathan hoping to guide the conversation into another direction.
"I'm fine," Responded Lila, then looked at their sleeping daughter and returned her eyes to Super Nathan, which observed Nathalie as well with a little enamored face. "You….seem to have a soft spot for her. Have you two already interacted before?" Questioned Lila making Super Nathan nod.
"Oh you know, I've been several times at the school and…..we have to tell them about the dangers of the world and all. I've spoken to many children there. I to be honest have a soft spot for almost everyone there," Super Nathan said making Lila nod.
"She has joined the first grade about a few months ago. Have you been really so many times present?" Questioned Lila making Super Nathan nod.
"You're….finally remembering things!" Super Nathan shouted making Lila shake her head at his comment.
"No, that was common knowledge. I don't remember most of the people and memories related to them….I made it to remember a few friends and my daughter, but the rest remains blurry,"
"Oh...and you remember anything about any of the superheroes?" Questioned Super Nathan making Lila nod.
"Not directly, but I've seen a piece of old news about how I used to be a fox-themed superheroine before and I somehow fell off the Eiffel Tower, destransforming back into myself. Nathaniel, the one you saw locked out of the house on that night you came to rescue, couldn't really tell me anything. I think he's not very informed about that day as you are. The news site mentioned your name along with another superhero's,"
"Your superpowers and everything including you received thanks to a necklace you used to wear before. It had a fox tail on the front here," Super Nathan explained placing his hand in front of his own chest," Super Nathan explained making the raven-haired woman nod.
"How did I do as a hero? Was I good?" Questioned Lila, then Super Nathan leaned his arms at the ledgeto look out at the few houses around them.
"I was there with you when our era started. I saw you grow from a girl, frustrated with the people, who judged you due to resembling a former villain from the era of Ladybug and Cat Noir. You have grown to improve yourself, show the entire city, that they could trust us. You've become skilled, smarter and for many children, you were an idol as well. Orphans and sick children mostly. We both had taken our time to see how they were doing, something not many superheroes could do in the past,"
"Oh wow, those must have been great times," Admitted Lila leaning her arms on the sill making Super Nathan nod.
"You adored being out at the roof. Sometimes it was like, you were enjoying your time in freedom, just like a fox or well…..a vixen in your case,"
"Right…..right, I remember I had named myself Miss Vixen. Some pedestrian had said something similar and I adapted it from there on," Lila mentioned making Super Nathan nod.
"We had some moments up there, we even played tag on there," Commented Super Nathan. "On our first months,"
"Really?" Asked Lila surprised making Super Nathan nod. "Man I wish I could experience those days once again. This sure would help me remember more about my life….and you all," Lila said making Super Nathan nod, afterward, he pondered about Lila's words and had an idea.
"Well I don't have your miraculous or anything, but I might be able to arrange you a way out at the roofs," Super Nathan suggested opening up the window, then sat out of the window and jumped down on the ground.
"Where are you going?" Asked Lila watching Super Nathan use his pen to draw something on his tablet and observed behind his back a pencil-shaped jet pack. "I definitely don't remember that," Lila mentioned, then Super Nathan levitated up with his jetpack, then held himself on the arc of the window and held his hand out at Lila.
"Come, I'm going to take you out at the roofs," Offered Super Nathan watching Lila step back.
"What?….No, you're not serious, aren't you?" Asked the Italian woman making Super Nathan shake his head.
"I'm serious. Don't worry, if you want to go back, I will bring you without more questions," The redhead promised watching Lila look at her daughter, then back at the superhero. "Don't worry, she's in good hands,"
Lila looked back at Super Nathan looking up at his ice-blue-colored iris' of him, then she held up her hand and the art-themed superhero helped her out of the window, then she looked down to see how high they were at the second floor. She looked back at Super Nathan, which gave her a reassuring smile, then she hoped at the arms of the superhero, which tried to take her in a bridal-style like manner and she placed her arms around his neck, holding her head beside his nose.
"Your hair tickles my nose," Commented Super Nathan, then Lila moved her head away to have eye contact with the man. Super Nathan chuckled, followed by Lila, which looked at the houses, then back at the superhero.
"What are we waiting for?" Questioned Lila, making Super Nathan realize he was supposed to go with her out.
"Right, let me think about a place I could show you first," Super Nathan said looking around the place, then he figured out a place and glimpsed back at his wife. "Hold on tight, I found us a place," Warned the redhead feeling Lila tighten her arms around him and he departed flying above the houses of their quarter.