Chapter 14
After what happened, Ladybug and Chat Noir met at the top of the Eiffel tower. They didn't want anyone to hear about this.
"Let's recap. While we were fighting with the akuma, it catches you and Mayura appears to save you even without caring what she might happen to her" remembers Ladybug.
Chat Noir was very thoughtful.
"Yes, it's very strange. Specially, since she hadn't appeared in weeks" Chat Noir twirled his baton a moment before placing it on his shoulders "You know Ladybug, when I saw her face, she looked very concerned."
Ladybug didn't know what to think about this anymore.
"Did something happen between Mayura and Hawkmoth? Did something happen to make her change her mind?" Ladybug asked. "If something happened, we must be cautious. We don't know if this could be real or a trap."
Neither of them really understood what was going on. Especially with this new series of events.
But for now, they had to think about what they were going to do with this new information.
Nathalie was back at the mansion. Gabriel was already waiting for her and he was not happy. He didn't realize Nathalie had escaped from the mansion until she was on the news. Knowing this, he ran to look up for her. Upon exiting the lair and reaching the main door of the mansion, it opened. Mayura was in front of him. He examined her from top to bottom, checking to see if she was hurt.
"Where were you?" Asked Gabriel.
She, who was holding on to the door frame, couldn't respond as her eyes rolled and she started to fall, being caught by him. He took her in her arms to lead her to her room. He felt her breath on her neck, weak but calm. He held her for a moment, as if he wanted not to let her go. He laid her carefully on her bed, tucking her in. Gabriel ran the back of his hand down her cheek, after removing the Miraculous. He didn't know why she left without his permission or how she managed to get the Miraculous without him noticing.
But one thing Gabriel was sure is that he had to find a way for her to stop hurting herself for him. He would have to figure out how to hide the Miraculous without her knowing where it was. This was not good for him or for her. He admired her for a moment with her eyes closed.
Many years ago, he would not have admitted it, but Nathalie was quite beautiful.
He couldn't resist kissing her on the forehead.
He returned to his office, mentally tired, and thoughtful. For a long time, Gabriel was sure that Nathalie's feelings for him were just a passing thing. But with the pass of time these did not fade, but became stronger. And especially the fact that she never left him despite everything he did and that she was always there for him. He realized how he cared and loved his son as her own.
His feelings for Nathalie changed over time. He wanted to protect her, he wanted to hold her in her sleep, to tell her that he loved her and she would answer him the same. He wanted her to see him with those beautiful blue eyes, her sweet gaze, and beautiful smile.
And Gabriel had just realized something which was eating him up inside for a long time.
"I love Nathalie Sancoeur."
He wasn't planning on saying it out loud. And he also hadn't planned to his son to have listened to him.
Adrien watched him from the door that was now open, wide-eyed. His jaw dropped with that revelation.
"Adrien…" Gabriel was going to have a little chat with his son, but he stopped him.
"Is it true what you said? That you love Nathalie?"
Gabriel was silent. But he wanted his son to know the truth.
"Yes ... I don't want you to take it the wrong way"
"I don't. Actually, I like the idea you love her" A smile crossed Adrien's face "You don't seem so sad and serious when you're with her."
It was serious when your innocent and little aware son realized it. He already knew who he got it from.
"What will you do now?" Adrien asked, curious of what his father would say.
"I don't know. Your mother is irreplaceable. I don't want someone else to replace her."
It was the first time Adrien had heard his father say that he did not know the decision he would make. He really had to be madly in love with Nathalie for him to be like this.
"Father, take it as my opinion, but I don't think Nathalie is going to replace her. She is not like my mother. She is Nathalie, the one who has watched over us for years and the one that had always been good to me. And I've seen how she treats you and how you treat her. It is in those moments that I feel like I have my mother again."
Those words left Gabriel thoughtful. He was still undecided of what to do. But the opinion of his son gave him some light on his path.
"Uh, I have to go, I have to do my homework. But I want you to know whatever decision you make, father, if it makes you happy, it won't matter to me" Adrien said going to the door "I'll see you later."
Adrien went straight to his room and couldn't help but get excited. That meant his father was starting to get over his mother and he wanted to be in a new relationship, with Nathalie.
"Can you believe it, Plagg? My father loves Nathalie!" Adrien threw himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with a smile.
Plagg floated beside him.
"I don't know why your father doubts his own feelings for that woman so much, he's just like you or maybe worse" Plagg said, remembering how Adrien didn't realize how obvious Marinette's feelings were for him.
"Maybe he'll stop being so sad" Adrien said with a hint of hope, completely ignoring what his Kwami said.
Plagg was shaking his head.
"I thought your father was a soulless and heartless monster."
Adrien looked at him hugging his legs on the bed.
"It wasn't always like this, Plagg."
He remembered when he was a child and his father spent time with him. And it was when his mother was still with them. But on second thought, if it hadn't been for Nathalie, he wouldn't have been able to go to school or even leave his house like the other boys his age. She had always been there with him when he needed her. For that alone, Adrien loved Nathalie as much as he loved his mother. It was not bad that she could finally be part of the family, officially.
That same night, Gabriel went to sleep a little uneasy. He had a hard time falling asleep, again. His mind was clouded by memories of the time when Emilie was healthy and they were a close family.
Gabriel got out of bed when he saw that it was useless to go to sleep right now. Putting on his robe, he went down to the atelier and pressed the buttons on the picture to go down to visit Emilie. He thought maybe it would calm his nerves as to what he was going to do in the next few days.
There was only one thing he was clear about: He wanted to have some grace time so they could say goodbye to her. He was already planning what he would say to Adrien and how he would tell him. He wanted him to have the chance to see his mother one last time, otherwise, guilt would continue to eat him inside.
At the same time, he did not want his son to be involved with the Miraculous affair. He didn't have to know. It was the only way he could free Nathalie and himself. Finally, Gabriel reached his destination. He made his way slowly down the hall to the capsule which contained his wife. He rested his hand on the glass of that capsule, contemplating the beautiful features of his wife. He turned around for just a moment, only to see something or rather someone who left him completely frozen.
"Hello Gabriel."
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. That sweet, feminine voice belonged to his wife. He saw Emilie who had a slight glow all over her body, the same as the one in his dreams. She was wearing a long white dress. Her green eyes looked at him sweetly.
Reaching out his arm, he tried to take her hand, but his went through it. She smiled sadly.
"Gabriel. Nice to see you again."
"Is it you, Emilie?" Gabriel looked a little scared this time. He was beginning to believe that he hadn't gotten enough sleep the last few days.
"Yes, it's me. Although not in flesh and blood" she said, looking down at her hands, which were quite transparent.
"Oh Emilie, I've missed you so much."
"Me too, dear."
Emile went to her own capsule seeing herself. It seemed like a slightly traumatic sight. She put her hand on top of it. Nooroo instinctively floated towards her and the woman reached out her hands, the Kwami landed on her hands.
"But how? Are you a ghost?"
"Yes, if it could be said. I am still attached to my body" Emilie placed her free hand on the capsule that contained it. "This is not right Gabriel, is not natural. I should have been gone a long time ago. And you should have got on with your life."
"I did everything for you" he said approaching her.
"Gabriel, I don't have much time. I know what you've been doing, I can hear you when you talk to me, including all those silly monologues" she answered, annoyed. "I know you have neglected my son, our son, Gabriel, my greatest treasure. I witnessed how unhappy he was. Isn't he the most important thing?"
"Emilie, I'm trying" Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose "Why are you here?"
"I want to tell you something very important" She looked at him firmly. "You must let me go"
He denied unconvinced.
"I still love you."
"Stop lying to yourself, Gabriel. You know that now there is someone else who occupies your heart" Emilie pointed to his chest, right where his heart is "It's normal that you want to fill the void I left you, I don't blame you."
"I just feel like I'm betraying you, Emilie."
"Stop thinking that. Remember that on our wedding day we swore to be together until death parted us" She pointed to the ring Gabriel was wearing in his hand.
"But there has to be some way to bring you back…" Gabriel clenched his fist.
"Even if you look for a solution, there will be very serious consequences. Besides this is very painful for you. And not only that, but you're also hurting our son and… Nathalie too" Emilie said with pain in her voice. "I don't like to see my son like this. Luckily, Nathalie has been watching you, at my request. I just want you to carry on."
Gabriel had a pained expression. He couldn't take it anymore.
He knelt, losing his strength. She knelt next to him.
"I no longer belong here, let me go ... Let me rest. You're not replacing me, Gabriel, if that's what you're thinking. You have the right to move on with your life, even if it means that I will no longer be with you, by your side. No matter what happens I will always love you and Adrien and… I know that Nathalie loves you both as much as I do."
Gabriel knew that his wife was right. It was time to let her go. Though deep down it hurt, he knew it was the right decision.
"And I will, I will do it for you, for Adrien and for Nathalie" At that moment, he took out the ring he used to wed Emilie off his right hand and put it in one of his pockets.
She placed her hand on his cheek, stood on her toes and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, which felt like a little breeze.
"I'm glad you finally understand. I hope you make the right decision, Gabriel."
Before leaving the lair, Gabriel wanted to say goodbye to her, but when he turned, his wife's ghost was no longer there. He decided to do the right thing. The next day, he got up early so he could talk to Nathalie alone. Upon entering her bedroom, he saw that the woman was already awake, working from her laptop.
"Nathalie, could we talk alone?"
She, surprised, nodded. He locked the door, in case Adrien happened to go inside. Although he was also going to talk to Adrien at some point, he wanted to talk to Nathalie first.
"And what did you want to talk about?" Nathalie looked away from her computer and laid it on the side of the bed.
Gabriel wasn't sure where to start.
"I… I've been thinking we have to put this Miraculous thing aside."
She looked at him like it was a joke.
"How can you say that, when we've come so far with all this" she said, "I'll bring your wife back and everything will return as it was before, it will be as if nothing happened."
"Nath" he said, trying to get her attention.
"We just have to get the Miraculous and then make the wish..."
"I don't want you to use the Miraculous anymore" Gabriel interrupted her.
She was instantly silent.
"I want to stop terrorizing Paris."
Nathalie looked at him in disbelief of what she was saying.
"You've already given up, right? Gabriel, there's still chance..."
"The opportunity passed a long time ago. I'm tired of trying to bring up a past when I have to worry about the present I have now."
She shocked her head and started to get out of bed, only to be stopped by the Gabriel, who grabbed her wrists.
"Nath, I want you to look at me" She struggled to free herself from his grip. "Look at me!"
Nathalie stopped when she heard his voice rise. She looked into his eyes, trying to discern his emotions.
"I don't need Catalyst or Mayura, I need you, Nathalie Sancoeur."
The woman's heart began to beat a thousand with that confession. But she refused to believe it. She thought Gabriel had finally gone mad. Or that she was in a very strange dream. The last time he said that, he ended up using the Miraculous again. This must be a cruel joke.
"You're crazy, you're crazy ..." Nathalie whispered. "Emilie has to come back. You don't love me, you love her."
Gabriel was concerned when he noticed the tears welling up in Nathalie's eyes. That was not expected.
"I don't deserve to be loved. That only brings more pain and suffering. We both know how all this will end" She looked aside, unable to look at him.
"No, Nath, don't say that." He moved closer to her on the bed and held her in her arms.
"I'm not important for anyone. It's easier for you to forget about me. After all, I'm just a simple secretary. Your wife is much more important" Tears spill down her cheeks. He cleaned them in a loving and careful way and took her chin for her to see him.
"No, you are worth too much, Nath, and you are no less than anyone. I don't want to know that you used that Miraculous again. I will give them up for once and for all and we will never them again. I don't want to go through with this anymore."
Gabriel would surrender his Miraculous once and for all. He no longer wanted to continue attacking Paris, his son and even less Nathalie, his Nathalie ...
What he didn't know was that Nathalie had a different idea regarding on what she was going to do with the Miraculous.