(A/N) So it been a good 2 months... sorry.

Might be able to get one more chapter in if I have the time but if not I won't be updating until at least mid Jan. Sorry for the inconvenience, holidays are just a pain!

In the meantime I written two one shots in between my break of this story so if you would like to read them they are on my profile.

Enjoy and feel free to tell me what you think...


The sun peaked through the window waking Marinette up from the best sleep she's had since forever. She wasn't sure when the last time she had slept this well or when the comfort of the bed was just this perfect.

But it sure as hell felt like heaven to her.

Especially after the night she had with Adrien, tangled between the sheets while he relieved her stress and anger. Everything that happen the night before with Luka was now a blur.

All she knew that she wasn't angry at him anymore.

Her eyes fluttered opened to the coolness of the morning. The sun just hitting the ends of the sheets and her head melting into the softness of the pillow.

Heaven was surely an understatement at this rate.

"Hey." Adrien's soft voice made her focus now on him. He had been watching her sleep peacefully, for how long? Marinette didn't know but it was a good way to wake up.

It wasn't like the first time when she woke up with the blonde in her bed. This had been a way different experience and there was no one there to ruin their moment or guilt eating her alive for the things they had gotten up to.

Well for the moment anyways.

"Hey." Marinette greeted back blissfully.

Shutting her eyes briefly, she tried to see if this was reality or all a dream. When she opened them again to see a smile on Adrien's face she knew in that moment he was real.

"You're still here." She hummed softly. "You're real."

He chuckled. "I hope so."

Marinette was tempted to push him playfully but her comfort was in too good of a position to move. Instead she just closed her eyes again and chuckled lightly.

"I love you." Adrien whispered to her once their laughter had settled down.

Marinette's eyes snapped open and blinked a couple of times. The look on her face was blank, unsure on how to react or respond to those three words.

She had waited so long to hear him say that to her, so long for him to look at her and only her and mean it. It almost made her cry with happiness just hearing them leave his lips.

But she never said it back and she didn't know why.

He didn't notice, the smile on his face never wavered when silence was all he got in return and that made Marinette feel less guilty.

"I think I've always have." He said it sincerely, almost a whisper making Marinette's heart soar with so much love for him.

But still no words were forming.

His face lit up even brighter when a thought came to mind. "Oh! I got you something."

Adrien jumped off the bed and went through his bag, drawing Marinette to sit up, curiously watching what he was doing. Grabbing a black box out she had almost let out a loud gasp. It didn't look like the shape of a ring box but it could easily pass as a necklace.

He looked towards her before moving her way again and sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm not sure if you still have it but I thought of this as an upgraded, a grown up version if you want to call it that?"

She didn't trust her words at the moment so soft smile was all he got as he handed her the gift. Marinette eagerly took the box from his awaiting hands but lingered on opening it.

"Its okay, it won't bite." Adrien joked with her, helping her to let lose a bit.

Opening the box, Marinette let out another gasp, pulling the item out so she could see it better in the morning light.

It was a rose gold bracelet with small pink green and blue beads hanging off the chain. There were two big charms, one a four leaf clover, just like the one she gave Adrien and a golden goose for the other, exactly like her charm Adrien gave her.

To combine the two charms together was just genious. He was giving her a part of him as a part of her in one bracelet. They were just missing the red string, although Marinette already suspected that's why he picked rose gold in the first place.

Adrien placed it on her wrist with a beaming smile. "I still got the one you gave to me all those years ago and to be honest, I took it to every photo shoot and event I attended." He admitted, a bit embarrassed he said that so freely. "I hardly ever parted without it."

"I-I..." Marinette tried to speak but was lost for words.

She had definitely kept the one he gave her, although it had a bit of wear and tear; especially when she threw it in anger all those years ago, but she still kept it in a box hidden under her bed.

He grabbed her hand, his fingertips running over her bracelet. The bluenette glanced down at their conjoint hands and her lips parted slightly, a blush began to tint her cheeks.

"Th-this is... I mean... T-Thanks I..."

"Don't go stuttering on me now. Although they were pretty funny times when you did." He laughed but this time Marinette grabbed her pillow and whacked him a few times with it.

That was her undoing.

Adrien blocked the oncoming attacks and grabbed the pillow out of her hands, throwing it across the hotel room. He leant forward, pinning her down on the bed and whispered in her ear. "Play nice."

Warmth wrapped around her lobe and Marinette shivered from the touch. She let out a sinful moan when he lightly bit down, avoiding her earring while doing so.

"I-ahh... I thought you s-said to play... ahh, nice." She panted while his bites ran down her neck.

Capturing her lips with his in a small but loving kiss, Adrien pulled back and smirked. "I didn't say I have to."


They walked down the street, Marinette's stomach the culprit of dragging them out of the hotel room in the first place, claiming it needed food.

Adrien was happy to get up and supply, first offering her to get room service while they basked in the comfort of the hotel bed. But when an idea formed, he asked her if he could take her out instead, hoping to make a real date of what they had instead of hiding away.

Marinette squeaked when she felt Adrien weave his hand into her own, a bold move from his end. "What are you doing?" She stopped and asked, glancing around at all the people that could've seen that small gesture.

The press would have a field day if they captured that.

"What?" He asked back, feeling guttered when she pulled her hand away from him. "Aren't I allowed to hold your hand?"

She stood back away from him, trying to keep some distance but Adrien just followed her movements and took a step forward.

"You are... I just... You know with everything we can't! Right?" She expressed worryingly, even questioning herself what was right or wrong.

Bethany didn't even cross his mind until now, but she was right, they couldn't. Well at least not until he told her where they now stood.

She wanted nothing more than to connect their hands together and to show the world Adrien was hers. The way his expression changed from happy to sad within moments of breaking it to him, she immediately saw he knew that too.

"Well..." He began softly, walking beside her once again. "Just imagine I'm holding your hand right now."

His finger hooked onto hers for a couple of seconds and then let go making her bracelet jingle with the movement. Wanting to make sure she felt his touch so she could imagine it on the rest of their walk.

"Now picture us never letting go." He watched her as she turned to him with a little gasp. Her cheeks flaring pink again with just those words alone.

She didn't want to let him go.


They had stopped halfway through their walk when Adrien's phone rang and a concerned Nathalie begged him to met her at the hospital.

He didn't hesitate to bring Marinette along with him, too concerned on what his father or Nathalie would think if he had her in their presence.

Marinette didn't mind being dragged along, food being the last thing on her mind as she watched Adrien rush as fast as he could so he could see his father.

Gabriel hadn't shown him any sign of affection the whole time he was in Paris and she was sure it didn't change while he lived in Milan.

It was nice to see that even after having that kind of relationship with the man, he still care deeply for him. The expression of worry and sadness on Adrien's face proving all of that.

Rushing a couple of blocks down, Adrien's driver picked them up where Nathalie arranged and headed straight to the hospital.

Marinette turned to Adrien his body facing towards the door as he watched the buildings moving past him. She noticed a small tear drop down his cheek in the reflection of the window, feeling helpless in the matter.

The only thing she could offer him was comfort and support by placing her hand on top of his and giving it a small squeeze. That grabbed his attention and turned to her with a weak smile.

"Its going to be okay." She wasn't sure what was said between him and Nathalie but she hoped those words would sooth him.

"I hope so." He replied and interwind their fingers together, giving her hand a small kiss.


"Where is he?" Adrien rushed in, spotting Nathalie pacing down the hall. "Is he okay?"

She turned his way, sadness and pain on her face, clearly showing that the man was not in any state okay. "He's okay, doctors are with him at the moment."

"I should've been there, I knew he hadn't been well recently and I ignored it." Adrien cried.

Nathalie placed a reasurring hand on his arm, calming his outburst before she took him any further. "Its okay, I was there when he collapse and the ambulance arrived pretty fast."

"Its not okay, you're not well Nathalie, you should be resting." The blonde stressed, his voice only getting louder.

"I'm doing fine." She tried to reasurre him but the blonde was having none of it.

"Adrien, take a breath." Marinette turned him around to face her and rubbed small circles into his arm. "Its not doing anyone any good raising your voice and pointing out the what ifs."

He nodded, tears starting the build up in his eyes. Marinette knew it wouldn't look good with how much physical touch he was recieving from her but she didn't care! He needed to feel supported and loved, pulling him in for a tight hug while he cried on her shoulder.

It took a moment for him to calm down, for the crying to subside. When it did Nathalie lead them to the room Gabriel had been staying in, monitors and all types of machines hooked up on and around him.

Marinette offered to go get them coffee with Nathalie while the two men spoke alone for awhile, knowing it wasn't her place to go in with him as they weren't official.

Yet.

The doctor was taking his father's blood pressure when he had entered. The man turning towards his son with blank expression.

Adrien could never read his father's emotions.

"Can you leave us? I would like to talk to my son." He gestured to the doctor once he had finished pulling the strap from his arm.

"Of course." The doctor could see it was important, walking past the duo on his way out with a nod.

Once the door shut behind them, Adrien opened his mouth to speak but stopped when his father spoke. "Nathalie called you?"

It wasn't a question, more like an unwanted answer.

The blonde nodded, the tension building up again. "She was concerned." He explained, trying so hard to take Marinette's advice from before and letting out a shaky breath.

"Well as you can see I'm fine. Nathalie shouldn't of told you anything!" He grumbled, shifting in his bed to get comfortable.

"She only told me you were in here, didn't explain what for!" He firmly expressed, feeling angry he was being left out of the loop.

"I collapsed! Over working myself and haven't been getting much sleep as of late." He explained, lying through his teeth.

Adrien saw right through it and walked over to grab his chart, reading over the the paperwork. His eyebrows furrowed as he read through before they went up in surprise, his face popping up over the board to look angrily at his father.

"A heart attack? Seriously?" The blonde yelped. "That's way beyond fine father!"

Before Gabriel could respond, the girls came into the room with the beverages. Nathalie handing Gabriel a water while Marinette handed Adrien an extra strong coffee.

He was going to need it with what Nathalie told her his father was in for. But looking at Adrien's face when he took the cup out of her hands, she clued on he already knew what had happened.

"Thank you." He replied sweetly, his voice immediately dropping from what she heard moments ago.

"Its okay." She smiled back at him.

Awkward silence hung in the air while they took sips of their drinks, looking at everything else beside each other. Gabriel though was staring a little too long at Marinette, kind of creeping her out.

"You must be Miss Dupain-Cheng?" He spoke, making Marinette jump slightly.

"That... that's me." She squeaked. "Although you can call me Marinette sir." The rambling began to happen after that. "I'm making your daughter in-laws wedding dress."

The cringe in that word showed on her face and she turned towards Adrien who also showed the same expression, both feeling uncomfortable with the arrangement still hanging over their heads.

It didn't get past Gabriel though.

He nodded and placed down his water on the side table. "So, you are my competition at the moment." He lowly chuckled.

"I wouldn't... I mean... I love your designs sir." Her stuttering had returned, feeling very imitated by the man.

He placed a hand up to hush her, making her freeze on the spot. "I understand you had to take the offer." He expressed. "It will really give you a name with your future designs."

"Thank you sir." Marinette smiled, letting out a breath she had been holding in for quite some time.

"Gabriel is just fine Marinette."

This was good, everything was sailing smoothly. Gabriel seemed pleased, even though she did take a job offer that was purely up to him or Bethany's mother to design. Even being around his son didn't seem to phase the man the slightest.

He approved of her.

From what she thought.

It was then Marinette's phone rang, the room went silent; the device seeming to ring louder then it had ever done before. Grabbing out her phone, Marinette quickly placed it on silent, Adrien peaking over her shoulder seeing Alya's name on the screen.

She hesitate on what to do next, wanting to answer; mainly because of Alya's condition, but she didn't want to be rude in front of everyone and take the call.

"You don't mind? It's kind of important." Marinette explained fearfully.

"By all means..." Gabriel nodded, gesturing towards the door.

"Thank you." She nodded back, her phone going up to her ear as she left the room.

The man caught sight of the rose gold chain dangling on her wrist, noticing the two main charms jingle as she moved. He might not have been always there for his son but he had seen the golden goose once before.

A time where Adrien was leaning more towards her back in Lycee, so he made arrangements to get kagami to step in to make sure nothing happened between them.

Now, seeing that charm again made all his suspicions click into place.

Once the door closed behind her, Gabriel turned towards his son, his expression changing from pleased to unhappy within seconds. "Whatever is going on with you and that girl I suggest you stop it, now!"

Adrien didn't have a chance to speak, all words he had planned out in his head to say to his father about Marinette went out the window.

"Haven't you ever thought maybe what was best for you was right in front of you?" The blonde replied, making Nathalie pop her head up from behind her tablet, a bit of hopefulness in her eyes.

"What's best!" Gabriel chuckled, taking a quick glance at Nathalie who quickly looked back down. "It's not about what's best for you it's about what is right!"

He pondered on that answer, the words not a surprise coming out of his father's mouth. But surely after everything he just been through, Adrien had a small hope he would have a change in heart with his decision.

"So you've never thought about what life would be like without mum?"

The question struck a cord in Gabriel, his anger raging for even asking such a thing. "How dare you even ask me that!" He scold. "Your mother would never be replace, not now, not ever!"

Nathalie's face dropped from behind the tablet, sadness and pain showing where only Adrien could see it, but he only took a quick glimpse at her before focusing back on his father.

"We are not these type of people Adrien!" The man continued furiously. "You are Marrying Bethany and we are not discussing this any further!"

"But, but... I don't love her! Marinette makes me feel different, like I belong." Adrien argued back, feeling defeated.

"Its not about love, it's about what's right!"

"What's right?" Adrien spat. "You wouldn't even know what right for you until it hit you over the head." Adrien went to storm out but stopped short of the door, his hand lingering on the handle. "Even that doesn't work for you!" Adrien said darkly, giving Nathalie a sad smile as he left.

Gabriel had been stricked all his life, going about what is right, but he wouldn't take the only thing that was right for him and she'd been right next to him all this time.

Adrien stormed down the hallway, running into Marinette on the way down. His face soften when he saw her glance his way, the feeling of anger and sadness fading away from the sight.

She hung up the phone and made her way to him, it was only then when it all finally hit him hard. He would no longer be able to do this with her, he would no longer see that smile. All those feelings he felt when he was around her wouldn't last, all because he had to do what was right.

He had no other choice.

"Are you okay?" Her sweet voice chimed in, not allowing him a second to answer as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Yeah." He mumbled into her hair, tears building up in his eyes again.

He wasn't ready to let her go.

"That's good to hear." Marinette pulled back, her hands rubbing down his arms in comfort. The touch sending shivers down his spine. "Ready to go?" She asked, moving to walk out of the hospital and back into the outside world.

Back into reality.

A reality where they were going to live happily ever after.

"I can't." He straight up said, making Marinette turn back in his direction. The look of confusion and a slight hint of sadness on her face. "They are doing more tests on him so I think I'm going to stay for a bit." Adrien explained, before rambling even further. "I was going to take over from Nathalie, maybe get her to get some rest, if she will let me."

Marinette nodded, feeling a tad disappointed their date didn't last long, but she knew family always came first. "Do what you need to do. Just call or text me if you need anything." She suggested.

"Thank you." Adrien almost whispered, bringing his lips to hers one last time.

The kiss was sweet but heartbreaking, never had so much emotion went into one kiss. Not even their first official kiss was this intense. The pain he felt when he had to pull away was even worse, the bubble they had set around themselves only bursting right before his eyes.

Once Marinette walked through those doors and out of sight, it was then when a tear dropped down his cheek. Feeling his world crumble at his feet.

"I will always love you." He whispered to himself.


(A/N) 3500 words

Coming up next...

• "He will call you when things settle! He's going through a lot Marinette."

• "Please for the love of Cheese! Pick a girl and get on with your life!"

• "One more photo shoot with Rossi and I'm calling it!"

• "I have a surprise for you."

• "Oh gee, I don't know. Maybe you had to fuel your cheese addiction."

Shaz Out...