"I'm a…a what? No. There's no way. I don't feel-" Adrien looked at his cousin in horror. "I don't believe you."
"I can prove it." Felix pushed the briefcase across the table. "I found these letters in my mother's office shortly before Gabriel was arrested as Monarch. Look at the dates carefully."
Adrien opened the briefcase and pulled out the first letter, dated a month before their birthdays.
Dearest Sister,
I am glad to hear about your newest business endeavor, I hope that it is successful though I know the traveling can be tiring. Gabriel and I have just returned from our trip to Tibet. It is a beautiful place. I hope to visit again some day. I am sorry to hear of your infertility struggles. It seems Gabriel and I have met the same fate. I hope that one day motherhood will be something we can delight in together. I hope you will come visit us one day soon, I do miss seeing you.
With Love,
Emilie
"But that's…"
"A month before we were supposedly born, yes." Felix nodded, pulling out another letter. "And there's no mention of us. No mention of children besides fertility issues. But if you look at this letter..."
"No." Adrien murmured as he pulled the letter from Felix's grasp. It had been dated as two weeks after their birthdays.
Dearest Sister,
I am delighted to receive news that you've returned home safely with my little nephew, though I must ask that you bring him back soon for another visit. Adrien has been crying almost continuously since he left. They're going to be the best of friends one day, just like us. They're simply miraculous, aren't they? Gabriel is a worry wart these days. He's afraid I've over done it and injured myself, but I have never felt better than I do right now, holding little Adrien in my arms. I've lost control of Felix now that you've returned home, but I'm sure you can handle it. We were made to be mothers, made to
Adrien stopped reading and stared up at Felix.
"We're sentimonsters."
"Yes."
"So you took the peacock to what…control me?"
"No, Cousin. To set us both free. We were nothing but pawns to them. Never really their children. Didn't you ever have moments in life where you'd want something or do something that you believed in so fully and then all of a sudden..just out of nowhere..you changed your mind? That wasn't indecision, Adrien. That was their control."
Adrien thought back to all the arguments with his father. All the times he'd been so ready to stand up for himself and what he had wanted, only to stand down immediately when confronted by Gabriel.
"He was controlling me. Making me do what he wanted. Even if it hurt me..even if..Why are you just telling me now?"
"Marinette asked me not to."
———
"Come on, Marinette. Pick up the damn phone." Adrien growled, slamming his bedroom door shut. His meeting with Felix had ended with an agreement that the conversation was a bit overwhelming and that they should discuss more at a later time. And now, despite knowing that their next meeting was scheduled for tomorrow, all Adrien could do was think about what he'd been told and yearn for answers. Marinette had known and she'd kept it from him intentionally. Why?
A sudden thunderous knock at his front door ripped him from his thoughts and he crossed the living room quickly, pulling it open. Surprised to see the whole team gathered in the hallway outside his apartment door, Adrien took a step back.
"Uh..come in?"
"Is Marinette here?" Alya asked, storming past him and into the main room.
"No. I haven't seen her since after the meeting."
"What did you say to her, Agreste?" Alix accused, a finger poking his chest.
"Whoa, bunny. Calm down." Kim tried to soothe his partner, a hand placed on her shoulder.
"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything to her."
"She's missing, Adrien." Nino broke the news as gently as possible.
"What? No." Adrien started to pace, hands fisting in his hair as he processing the words. "She can't leave. She can't leave me. I can't lose her. I can't-"
"Breathe, Adrien. Breathe." Myléne was at his side in an instant, caging him in with Nino's help to stop the pacing.
"What if she hurts herself? What if she tries to jump again? I need to get out there. I have to find her!" Adrien made a break for the window and Nino grabbed tightly onto his shirt to stop him.
"Slow down, dude. I know you're worried. We're all worried. But Myléne has more to tell you first, okay?" Nino slowly released Adrien's shirt and Adrien turned to Myléne with an anxious expression.
"What is it? What happened?"
"After the meeting, I went back to my office to finish up some paperwork. Marinette was hiding out there. She was visibly distressed, sobbing and throwing up. She was completely panicked. She told me she was afraid to return home because someone might find her there. Then she told me…she confessed to Amelie's murder. And then she ran."
"She didn't go back home at all. Her parents haven't seen her." Max added with a small sigh. "I've checked security cameras in the area but no sign of her so far. We were hoping she had come to you…"
Adrien stood there, mind furiously fighting to make sense of everything he had learned today.
Marinette had killed his aunt. And if she'd killed Amelie, she had most likely killed Natalie too. Unless-
"Felix!" Adrien blurted, eyes going wide with his realization. "I got a call, when I was with Marinette after the meeting. It was from Felix. He must know that Marinette killed Amelie and now she thinks he's after her."
"She was his mother." Myléne agreed. "It would make sense."
"No. I don't think she's worried about Felix getting revenge for Amelie's death or turning her in..I think she's afraid of us knowing the truth. I think..I think Felix was in on it." Adrien began rummaging through his hall closet and found a backpack. "I'm going to take some blankets and food out and see if I can find her. If she's hiding out she's going to be freezing. I met with Felix today and I learned a lot about my mom and Amelie..Felix and I are..we're.."
"Dude, are you okay?" Nino asked, causing Adrien to almost immediately tear up.
"No. But I'll be better once I find Marinette and we work this all out. Look, long story made short, Felix and I are sentimonsters. My mother created both of us to take place of real children when she and Amelie struggled with infertility. When Felix helped out my father, he did so in order to get the peacock miraculous to protect us both. Marinette knew and asked him not to tell me..I don't know why…but I know she must have had a reason. And if they were working together then…then there's just got to be more to it. Marinette isn't a murderer. She's not." Adrien threw his living room window open and called on his transformation. "Call me if she shows up. Otherwise, we'll meet you all back at the Dupain-Cheng's.
———
Chat Noir tore through the streets of Paris, searching high and low for the love of his life. If he didn't find her soon…
The closer he came to the Eiffel Tower the harder his heart began to pound. What if she was going to try it again? What if this time he wasn't there to catch her?
A glimpse of pink on the highest platform caught his eye and he nearly cried out in relief and panic both when he spotted her. She was there, both hands clutching onto the guardrail like a lifeline.
"Marinette!" He called as he landed behind her, causing her to stiffen. "Come..come away from the edge." He stuttered, doing his best to keep his tone calm and comforting.
"Why? So you can arrest me? Take Tikki away from me.." Marinette began to sob, clearly trying to hold it in as Chat Noir took a small, cautious step closer.
"No. No, Nettie. I don't want to do that to you. All I want right now is for you to be as far away from the edge as possible, okay?"
"I'm not going to jump." She admonished, posture defensive. "I'm seeing Myléne now. I'm better now. I'm..I'm trying."
"I know you are, M'lady. I do. But seeing you up here..I can't take it. Just come away from the edge. Please. For me?"
"Oh kitty." And then she was in his arms. Safe, secure, warm. He held her as tightly as his arms could manage, burying his face in her air and breathing her in as she sobbed into his chest, apologies spewing from her mouth like shaken soda. "I'm so sorry." She cried, hands gripping the neckline of his shirt. "Felix contacted me after your father was arrested to apologize and asked to meet with me to explain but Natalie and Amelie found where we were meeting and learned my identity and then they attacked us and..and Felix..Felix had his arms around Natalie's neck and then-"
"Shhh. You don't have to tell me now. You can rest."
"No! I have to tell you now. I can't keep it a secret any longer. If he's coming for me-"
"He's not. Felix wanted to meet with me to tell me about our parents..to tell me that i'm a sentimonster, not to seek you out or to tell me what you'd done."
"I'm sorry about that too." Marinette winced.
"Why did you keep it from me?" Chat Noir asked, rubbing a tear from her cheek.
"You had just found out your father was a super terrorist and that your mother had been dead in your basement for years."
"Ah yeah..probably would have been a bit much all at once, huh?" Chat Noir frowned, kissing Marinette's temple. "But instead of it being too much for me, it became too much for you."
"When Felix attacked Natalie, Amelie turned on me. I tried not to fight her. I didn't transform. I kept blocking. But the more I defended myself the angrier she got and she kept blaming me for your mother's death and when she lunged for me..i.."
"It's over, Buginette. You were both attacked. You defended yourselves from terrorists. No one is going to hold that against you. I could never hold that against you. I'm upset..you know, that you hid me being a sentimonster and Felix's real involvement from me. But I understand why you did it. Just, from now on, no more secrets okay?" Chat Noir held out his pinky and Marinette hooked hers with his.
"Deal." Marinette shivered and Chat Noir hurriedly detransformed, pulling a blanket out of his bag and wrapping it around her shoulders. "I guess I should get home." Marinette sighed, eyes closed against the slight breeze.
"Your parents and the team are worried about you. But I have the feeling you're not ready to jump into the middle of a welcome home party." Adrien transformed back into Chat Noir and gathered Marinette in his arms.
"No." Marinette agreed, allowing him to pick her up. "I'm exhausted."
"My place it is then."
———
"Thanks for letting me stay here." Marinette said once more, mouth full of toothpaste, as Adrien entered the bathroom, grabbing his tooth brush and stealing the tube of toothpaste from her hand.
"No problem. I called your parents and sent out a message to the team. They're all happy you're safe and understand you want your space. Though you know Nino will only be able to hold them off until morning." They both finished brushing their teeth and Marinette began gathering a spare blanket and pillow from Adrien's room. "What are you doing?"
"Going to sleep? I'm tired. And I'd rather not have a pillow and blanket. Unless there's one you'd prefer me to take?"
"Where are you taking them?"
"To the couch. Where else?" Marinette questioned, confusion settling in.
"Oh." Adrien blushed. "Well I just thought-"
"Oh." Marinette blushed in return and Adrien quickly backpedaled.
"I mean, not if you don't want to. I can always take the couch."
"We're not doing the classic 'and there was only one bed scenario'" Marinette rolled her eyes, raising her hands in mock finger quotes. "Do you want me in your bed or not?"
Adrien gulped.
"I do."
