To Rose Tiger: Pretty much!

To Lyger 0 and Butterfly: It's fair to think 10 years is a light sentence for domestic terrorism; it probably is, to be honest. France actually doesn't have a death penalty as of 2007. There are a few reasons why he might receive such a light sentence (to preface, I'm not a lawyer and have zero experience with French penal code; everything I have is coming from Wikipedia). The first is that there was no permanent physical damage (so sentencing based on actual property damage or physical injuries is out). The second is that he can make the argument that apart from a limited number of incidents (Heroes Day and the final battle), he was only an accomplice to someone else's actions: he supplied the abilities they used, but he can claim to have had little control over what they did with them – that Robostus turned on him would be an argument in his favor. This would make the Akuma victims themselves the "authors" of the criminal act, meaning they would receive the greater punishment (but the city granted blanket immunity to all Akuma victims because it would save the court the trouble of having to figure out how much legal culpability any of them could actually have for acts they didn't themselves possess the power to perform). We know that Hawk Moth was responsible for everything that happened, but the legal system may not have the means to prosecute him for it. That's why the final factor is Gabriel taking a plea deal – he plead out to avoid a trial (at least in part to spare Adrien). So he did receive a lighter sentence for saving the courts the trouble of having to figure out how to convict him. Though he only has the possibility of parole after 10. So if he is lucky he can be released after 10 years, but if not he'll be there longer than that.

To StarDaPanda225: I've seen a few stories where Emilie just shrugs everything off, all of them from Adrien or Marinette's perspective. I can see her holding back the kind of rage she displayed in the last chapter when the kids are around, but I can't see her not being upset! One of the goals of this anthology has been to give Emilie more agency and more of a character – which includes exploding all over Gabriel for everything he did. And considering that the miraculous were in her care, she would feel doubly guilty over that (something that came out with both Fu and Amelie)… and which most definitely fueled her tirade against Gabriel!

To armadas: I never actually clarified if she was woken up in the "RooT"-verse. But given how important the Sword was to waking her up and that they didn't encounter the Sword until Marinette's death (at which point other things took priority), it's fair to assume that they never did. It's fair to say you couldn't connect as well with Ana; I don't think I did as good a job developing her in that story as I wanted to, beyond the basics of establishing why Marinette chose her as the new Ladybug in the "RooT"-verse. I didn't want it to turn into Ana's show when the focus had to be on Adrien and Marinette's relationship. Next time Ana appears I plan to do a better job! Personally I still enjoy the show… but the whole point of the "Mind Games"-verse is to show that there's a way to do it better by actually progressing the story!

To KoalaWho: Thanks! Gabriel absolutely deserved everything she threw at him.

To yellow 14: Really? Because I thought she might have understated it! :D

Emilie stood perfectly still, her arms hanging down at her sides. After so many years of acting and modeling, she should have been used to the process of fitting a dress. But there was something different about it this time. Perhaps it was because the designer was also doing the alterations – the last time that had been the case it had been with Gabriel, and hadn't happened since Adrien was four. Perhaps it was because this dress was eventually for her to wear to her son's wedding. Perhaps it was because the designer was her future daughter-in-law.

Or perhaps it was the two giggling Kwamis who were pinning up the dress hem while Marinette held it straight.

"Tikki, can you put in another one right here?" instructed Marinette. "No, Duusu, a little lower, please."

Emilie smiled. "This process certainly goes faster with their help, though, doesn't it?"

"So much faster," Marinette agreed, giving the Kwamis an affectionate smile. Duusu beamed back up at her while Tikki selected another pin. "Maybe that's why I prefer designing things for my hero friends – Tikki can help me with the fittings that way!" She moved around to examine the back of the dress, humming thoughtfully. "Seeing it in person, I'm not too sure about putting the stitching so close to the hem. It could get lost."

Emilie turned her head to look. "At least we have plenty of time to get this just right, dear," she told her, "though all things considered I suppose the mothers' dresses are the least of your wedding day worries!"

"That's for sure," Marinette groaned, deftly shifting the hem down a centimeter in the back and pinning it in place before adjusting it to match all the way around. "Nino is insisting on at least three hours of music – and from what he's showed me most of it isn't really dancing or background music, either – and I don't know if we want the reception to go that long. And Kitty Section's already agreed to play a set too! Alya thinks we need a ton of balloons in the wedding colors, but I'm worried it will be a clean-up nightmare, even with the Kwamis to collect them from the ceiling for us. If Papa gets his way there will be more varieties of cakes than guests. And Julia and I still can't agree on the best way to deploy the American team they're bringing over! And every time I ask Adrien his opinion he just says 'I'll support whatever you want, Bugaboo,'" she mocked, making a face. "If he says that one more time, I might just let him support the Arc de Triomphe for a few hours!"

Emilie snorted.

Tikki giggled. "Plagg would find that hilarious," she observed.

Marinette flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Emilie. I swear I don't mean those kinds of threats. Most of the time, anyways," she added under her breath.

"Dear, if you can get through the wedding planning together, you can get through anything," advised Emilie. "And considering what else you've gone through together…"

"It's just so frustrating!" Marinette complained. Emilie winced when she accidentally poked her in the leg with a pin. "I appreciate him giving me so much freedom with the planning – I really do! But I wish he would give a little more input."

Emilie patted her on the head sympathetically. "You wouldn't think so, but Gabriel was the same way," she told her. "Oh, we checked out all the venues together, tasted all the cakes together, talked through all the colors and decorations and music… and whenever I asked which he wanted to use, he responded with, 'Which do you prefer, Em?' He was so worried about making a decision I didn't like that he thought the best option was to not tell me his opinion about anything." She smiled wistfully. "Eventually I sat him down, took his hands, and said, 'Gabe, I love you, but you need to man up and help me with this. It's our wedding, it's our marriage, and we're a team.'"

Marinette sighed, and Emilie felt a twinge of disappointment from her. "But I thought we already were a team," she whispered forlornly. "We work so well together on everything else, but on this one thing he just won't actually say what he wants."

"Tell him that if he doesn't give you input on any of these decisions, you'll make him wear a hot pink Speedo for the ceremony," Emilie suggested, smirking impishly.

Marinette's whole face turned beet red and a strangled noise came from her throat – Emilie felt her own cheeks redden when she sensed Marinette's emotions in that moment. Finally Marinette managed to choke out, "He'd probably go along with that!"

Had she not been keeping still for the fitting, Emilie probably would have doubled over with laughter at the mental image – not helped by the two giggling Kwamis. "His father would definitely have a fit if he saw that in a tabloid!" she snorted. She took a couple measured breaths. "Okay, so instead tell him there's a reason you're marrying him, and it's not for his indecisiveness," she told her once she had regained control of herself. "And if that doesn't work, tell him that for every time you ask him for feedback and he avoids answering, I'll tell you another one of his most embarrassing stories." Marinette giggled, and Emilie grinned mischievously. "Actually, I might just tell them to you anyways!" She sighed. "Whatever happens, the wedding will be lovely, and at the end of the day you'll be married and you'll have a wonderful story to tell."

Marinette smiled. "Mama said the same thing yesterday." Tikki coughed delicately. "And Tikki has said the same thing, too," Marinette added, looking down at the Kwami and giggling.

Tikki smirked. "Only every three minutes for the last five months!"

Emilie squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Great minds think alike!" Marinette pushed herself up and examined Emilie critically, hand on her chin, before motioning for her to twirl. Emilie obeyed, and Marinette nodded in satisfaction. While Emilie slipped the dress off, she added, "At least you have a few months still to make these decisions."

"I know," Marinette acknowledged, carefully hanging the dress on a hanger and placing it on a rack in the corner. "Still, it's one more thing. With this being our last year, the teachers all seem to think their subject is the most important, so we're probably getting four hours of homework every night. Between that and the wedding and the Heroes and Fashion Week coming up, I'm actually starting to fall behind on my schoolwork again. That hasn't happened since Hawk Moth!"

Emilie pursed her lips as Duusu helped her zip the back of her dress. She sat down on the settee and patted the seat next to her for Marinette to join her as the two Kwamis grabbed a few cookies and disappeared into the bedroom. "That sounds positively exhausting! What can I do to help?"

Marinette furrowed her brows in thought, and Emilie sat back with her tea to wait. At last Marinette replied, "The other day Mme Batteaux said she really missed the company Christmas party that you and Gabriel used to host. It sounded like she was hoping I would start hosting one this year, since she's already started calling me 'the new Mme Agreste,' and last year we weren't officially dating at Christmas – as least as far as the company was concerned."

Emilie smiled in remembrance. "I remember those parties. I had so much fun with them…"

"Would you plan it this year?" Marinette asked quickly, wide-eyed.

"It would be my pleasure," Emilie answered warmly. "I'm sure Jeanne and I can whip something up! You can help plan as much or as little as you have time for – or just show up and smile on the day of the party!"

Marinette sighed in relief and slumped back into the settee.

Emilie watched her for a moment, waiting for her to continue. When it became apparent that Marinette wasn't going to say anything more, Emilie observed, "You're still anxious about something."

Marinette giggled ruefully. "A year with Sabrina and you'd think I would have learned not to try hiding my emotions from you…" She sighed. "It's the Charity Fashion Show," she explained. "It was such a hit last year, even with the attempted robbery, so of course Adrien wants to do it again this year. And it was a lot of fun! But it's so much extra work, on top of everything else. Especially since this year Mme Legrand has me designing at least one piece for all the shows we've been invited to."

Emilie hummed contemplatively. "Do you want some help with the Charity Show?"

Marinette looked up at her, eyes shining. "Would you? If you can organize and plan the show, that will free me up to just worry about the designs! This year Mme Legrand also suggested we open it up for submissions from the other designers, plus some amateur selections. I don't mind having less to design for it, but that means a lot of other people's designs I have to go through instead."

Emilie smiled. "It's been a few years since I organized a fashion show – not too long after Adrien was born, in fact – but I'd be happy to help!" She pursed her lips nervously – she hoped this wouldn't be overstepping her bounds. "You know," she began slowly, "I don't wish to presume, but if you and Adrien are agreeable, I would love the opportunity to take more of an active role with your Charity. After everything Gabriel did, I do want to find a way to make up for my mistakes that allowed him to do it."

Marinette nodded. "Adrien said some of the same things when he started the charity," she confided. "With everything else that's happened in the last year, it has felt like we're leaving the charity to its own devices most of the time. It would be amazing if you could manage it!"

Emilie let out a quiet breath in relief as Marinette leaned into her side and closed her eyes. Emilie wrapped an arm around Marinette's shoulders and kissed her forehead. "You know, honey, if your schedule is getting too busy, we can put our weekly teatimes on hold until Christmas," she offered.

Marinette shook her head. "Definitely not," she replied. "Some weeks this is the only 'break' I get! Thank you so much for taking the time for me… Mom."

Emilie smiled warmly and gave her a gentle squeeze. "It's always a pleasure to visit with my favorite daughter!"

AN: The first Charity Fashion Show was in "Tit for Tat." The second one may wind up in this anthology. I have a couple future ideas for this anthology, but nothing written after Chapter 21.