It was very early Christmas eve when they got back. All the elves that had been kidnapped were in the infirmary getting checked over. When Marinette and Adrien landed, Sabine was already waiting for them, a sheepish Fu and Gina behind her. She stood with her arms crossed.

"I'm sure you can imagine what an ordeal you have put myself and you father through tonight?" she asked and Marinette bit her lip. "To get back from patrol and find you both missing. No note, nothing. What if the Krampus had got you?"

Marinette and Adrien both hung their heads. Fu cleared his throat.

"I understand that you were worried, my dear but these were desperate times. The clock was running out. It is difficult to see our own children in this way. Marinette is a grown woman, capable of making decisions. She had to go."

Sabine whirled to face him.

"She could have said! To leave without telling us..."

"You're right," Adrien said, walking up to her and placing a hand on her arm. "We should never have left without telling you we were going. I'm sorry that your daughter was in danger. It's my fault."

"No, Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed.

Sabine took his arm, pulling him towards her and wrapping him in a hug.

"I was worried for you, too, Adrien. I was so scared you would be hurt, that we wouldn't be able to find you, that we would be too late."

"But we did it, Maman."

Sabine looked up at Marinette, her eyes showing her pain although her mouth was smiling. She reached out her arm, not letting Adrien go and pulled Marinette into their hug.

"You did. You did amazingly, my love. Both of you. And now you are home."

They stood like that for a few moments. Sabine heaved a sigh, squeezing them tight and then letting them go.

"You both need to go to the infirmary to get checked over."

Marinette was about to protest but then Adrien's face caught her eye, the cut still an angry red. He was favouring a leg as well.

"We'll go there straight away," she agreed, putting an arm around Adrien's waist and encouraging him to lean on her. He pinkened but accepted her help.

As they walked slowly away Fu came to stand next to Sabine.

"She has grown up to be a wonderful woman," he said, watching the two of them walk away. Sabine looked at him, her brow puckered. Then her features smoothed and she smiled, looking back at the pair.

"You're right, Uncle. She has."

After everyone had been checked over – Adrien having sustained the worst of the injuries and being confined to bed rest – it was all hands on deck again to make sure the toys would be ready. They redoubled their efforts. The elves who had been missing had spent the majority of the time in the baskets, induced to sleep. They were well rested and raring to go.

Marinette got stuck in, darting from department to department, ensuring that everything was running smoothly. She should be exhausted. She had been on the go now for the better part of twenty-four hours. But with a steady supply of coffee and the excitement of Christmas on the horizon she found her second wind. When it was all over she would surely crash but for now, she ploughed ahead, ensuring operations were at maximum efficiency.

The hours raced by, elves only stopping for a bite to eat and toilet breaks, the huge digital clock on the wall ticking down until there was only minutes left. Hands moved faster than she had seen them and in the end, every elf that could was in wrapping, ensuring that every ribbon was tied perfectly.

There was less than a minute left when the final bow was tied with a flourish. All eyes turned to the clock, the final seconds ticking by and the last of the presents was loaded on to the sleigh.

It started with a small group but soon every elf was counting down to zero when Santa would need to set off to ensure every present was delivered in time. The collective voice was loud and Marinette could feel it reverberating inside her chest. She joined it.

Five... four... three... TWO... ONE!

As one, the reindeer stomped their hooves and started forward, pulling the sleigh and then taking to the air. A cheer went up, elves jumping and waving, clapping and stomping their feet. This continued well past the time that Santa was out of sight.

The celebrations continued, small groups breaking off to enjoy their own celebrations, or to just go home to bed. Marinette rolled her shoulders, the last day, no, the last month, finally catching up with her.

She waved to Alya who was wrapped around Nino, both of them dancing. The whole area had turned into one large party. Alya waved back, her smile filling her whole face. Marinette took a moment to take everything in. All the people who had worked so hard to make Christmas happen, who had gone short staffed, who had gone with less sleep, who had worked their fingers to the bone to get everything done in time and she felt proud to be there, to be one of them. Smiling to herself she walked away.

In the infirmary, Adrien was just waking up. After they had bandaged his leg and checked him for concussion he was left to rest and had quickly fallen asleep. When Marinette got there a nurse was just checking his head, a clipboard in his hands. While he questioned Adrien about nausea and headaches, she stood patiently to one side. Satisfied, the nurse moved away and Marinette perched herself on the side of his bed.

"We did it," she said. "We saved Christmas and Santa is delivering presents as we speak."

Adrien gave her a weak smile and the corner of her mouth lifted sympathetically.

"So, what's the verdict?" she asked, putting a hand on his knee. He flinched and she jumped away, flailing. "I'm so so sorry! Was that your bad leg? Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"Marinette it's fine, don't worry. I'm fine," he assured her, patting the bed again so she would sit back down. She sat gingerly, eyeing his legs under the blanket. "The doctor said I might have a concussion so they want me to stay in for tonight for observation. A couple of cuts and bruises, nothing to worry about."

She sighed, placing a hand over her heart. "Thank goodness. I've been wanting to check on you all day but we've been so busy."

Adrien nodded.

"How was it? I wanted to help..."

"I know. It was good. We really went down to the wire but Santa's out there now."

He nodded again, closing his eyes, a sigh heaving his chest.

"It's been a long day. You need sleep. And so do I. I wanted to make sure you were okay before I went. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Adrien."

And she left him, went back to her house and was out cold for the next twenty hours.