"So what…what was that, the red eye thing?" Chloé asked nervously, eyeing Adrien out of the corner of her eye.
"A new power. Isn't it awesome?" Plagg answered from where he lay all stretched out in a sunbeam in the middle of the the conference table.
"Kinda scary, actually." Myléne admitted. "Not that I think you would hurt any of us. Just..you know.."
"To be honest I was pretty scared too." Adrien chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "My thoughts were forming so fast..I couldn't really make decisions before I was acting..it was just-"
"Instinct." Plagg supplied. "Duh."
"So Chat's got a new power. That's great. But shouldn't we be talking about the bigger problem here?" Alya asked, looking to her best friend. "Marinette, you're in danger."
"I'm not sure I would say I'm in danger." Marinette sighed, not meeting her friend's gaze. "I just..probably shouldn't go back home."
"You're free to stay with us." Nino offered, placing a hand comfortingly on Marinette's shoulder.
"That's really nice, Nino. But you and Alya just got married. It's practically your honeymoon! I can't get in the way more than Lila already has. I'll get a hotel room or something."
"I'm sure daddy would be more than happy to provide you a room for free in our hotel. It's the least he can do in return for all you've done for the city." Chloé looked down at her nails and frowned. "While you're there we might as well get our nails done. My stylist did a poor job at my last appointment."
"Thanks Chloé," Marinette cracked a smile at Chloé's masked affection. "That would be great."
"I'll go call him." Chloé stood and left the room, leaving the others in an uncomfortable silence.
"Are you…are you going to give up your miraculous?" Myléne asked with a nervous catch in her voice.
"No! No. Of course not. I'm…I'm here to stay. We've long since done away with the rule of secret identities. Chloé's out to the public and…she's fine." Marinette stuttered over her words as she blindly reached across the table for Adrien, who gladly took her hand.
"It's going to be okay, M'lady."
"Now Lila knows my identity."
"She probably knew already, Mari. If she's working with Gabriel.." Nino hated to bring it up, and regretted it instantly when Marinette's face turned a ghostly shade of pale.
"I didn't even consider..what if they go after my parents?"
"For all they know, your parents are learning who you are right now with the rest of Paris. They have no reason to believe your parents know anything remotely helpful to their cause." Adrien squeezed her hand gently. "Maybe we should come up with a plan..just in case..?"
"Nino and I can keep an eye on Tom and Sabine." Alya offered. "We're not that far."
"My work schedule is flexible. I'll rotate with both of you so that Tom and Sabine have around the clock protection." Max added. "We'll keep them safe."
"And I should probably stay with you at the hotel." Adrien looked down at his partner who nodded fervently. "Between me and Chloé, we can keep you safe."
"Hey!" Chloé called, opening up the door and stepping inside. "I heard my name. Better have been saying something nice."
"You and Me. Marinette. Hotel. Protection detail. Alya, Nino, Max. Tom and Sabine. Bakery. Also protection detail." Adrien laughed.
"Got it. Daddy booked the best suite in the whole hotel for you. Now that that's settled, look what I found roaming around in the lobby." Chloé swung the door open the rest of the way and Felix stepped into the room behind her with a small frown. Adrien felt Marinette tense beside him and gently ran a finger over the back of her hand, hoping it would help ease her worries.
"Dude, what are you doing here?" Nino asked, leaning back in his chair to examine his best friend's cousin.
"I'm the holder of the peacock miraculous. I want to join your team. In addition, I've recently been made aware of a new holder in the area. She is…eager..to join us in the fight against the new butterfly."
"And how do we know we can trust you? Or her?" Alya questioned. "Maybe you had good reasons, but you still betrayed us."
"I want Gabriel to go down just as much as you do. And as for her..I don't know much about her if I'm being honest. But I feel like we can trust her. She's a holder. And she saved my life when I got caught in a confrontation with Gabriel. She would make a good teammate. I'm sure of it. Mostly."
"She's a holder?" Adrien asked. "From a different box?"
"I'm not sure which one. She's not from here. She speaks another language, but it's one I'm unfamiliar with."
"So you truly know nothing about her." Alya spat. "Not a thing?"
"Her name is Bridgette." Felix shrugged. "Her kwami's name is..Kaarhu?"
"That old bear?" Plagg laughed. "Copy cat over here is telling the truth. Kaarhu is a friend."
"That doesn't mean his holder is." Marinette argued, hand firmly grasping her partner's. "She could have been sent by Lila."
"She saved me from-"
"And who's to say that wasn't planned?"
"Marinette." Adrien whispered, reaching up to place his hand on her shoulder. "I know you're afraid. But we can trust Felix."
"How can you be sure?"
"You trusted him with keeping the peacock, didn't you?"
"I didn't have much of a choice." Marinette pouted like a toddler, crossing her arms as she glared across the table at Felix.
"But he's done well nonetheless, right? And he's helped us lately. Both of us. So maybe it's time we combine forces, eh?"
"Kitty.." Marinette sighed, turning to Felix. "Fine. We'll meet her. But if anything goes wrong-"
"Yeah yeah, it's my fault, you'll strip me of my miraculous- whatever, I don't care. I just want Gabriel taken down. Bridgette and I can meet you at the Eiffel Tower, two am. We good?"
"We're good." Marinette agreed, just as Max looked up from his phone and cheered.
"Baby is here!"
"What? Already?" Myléne squealed, running over to peek over Max's shoulder. "Did they send any photos?"
"Not yet." Max chuckled, shutting off his phone. "But they said they're open to visitors. They want us all to come meet her. I'm going to head over now." He turned to Marinette with a knowing smile. "You guys coming? Kim asked specifically for you."
Adrien turned to Marinette who paled and shook her head.
"I don't know if it's a smart idea for me to go. I should stay back at the hotel. My identity-"
"It's a hospital, Mari. They've got all kinds of security measures. We'll go in suit and we won't stay long, okay? Alix and Kim really want you there." Max stressed his last sentence knowing Marinette would cave. When she did with a groan, Max looped his arm with hers and tugged her towards the balcony. "Trust me Mari, you're going to want to be there."
———
"I introduce to you," Alix proclaimed from her hospital bed, holding a tiny pink bundle in her arms. "Our daughter…" She drew out the suspense and Kim laughed, taking the baby from his wife and holding her up for everyone to see.
"Mari Belle Lé Chiên." Kim turned to Marinette with a smile. "After you."
"After…me?" Marinette stuttered in shock, eyes locked on the tiny baby in front of her. "But why..?"
"Because Mari..without you, none of us would be as close as we are. Alix and I never would have gotten over our rivalries and confessed our feelings for each other like we did. Without you, we wouldn't even have little Mari. So..we wanted to honor you with her name. Is that..is that okay?"
"Are you kidding?" Marinette cried, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "Of course it's okay! Can I hold her? Please?" Marinette held out her arms and Kim grinned.
"Thought you'd never ask." Kim handed his daughter over and Marinette took a seat in a nearby chair, cuddling the baby close.
"Oh my Kwami, guys." Marinette wiped her eyes with her sleeve with a giggle. "You couldn't have warned me? Now I'm a mess in front of everybody."
"We wanted it to be a surprise." Alix shrugged, watching her daughter sleep in her friend's arms. "Not much of a surprise if we warn you beforehand."
"Wouldn't you want one of these babe?" Nino asked, peering over Marinette's shoulder at the newborn. "They're like, the cutest."
"Not for years, Nin. Career first. Money and time-sucking heathens later."
"I'd like one now." Adrien mused. "I've always wanted a big family."
"Marinette could probably help you with that." Kim teased as Adrien let out a dreamy sigh.
"Yeah."
Silence.
"I mean-"
A knock sounded on the room door and a doctor stepped in, taking in the room and the large group gathered around the baby.
"I see you brought the whole family." He smiled, eyes locking on Marinette for a split second before recognition shone in his eyes. "Or the whole team perhaps." He laughed, turning to Alix. "I'm just here to check your blood pressure again. Sorry to interrupt." The doctor checked Alix's blood pressure then went over a list of symptoms to look out for, before turning to leave the room. At the last second, he stopped in front of Marinette and smiled down at her and the newborn.
"Stay here as long as you need. I'm sure it's a real zoo out there." He turned towards the door but paused and turned back. "And thank you, Ladybug, for your service to all of Paris."
