The world is a confusing place for Emilie Agreste.
She's been asleep for a while. She knows that much, she can feel it in her bones. Her strength is nowhere to be found. All she can do is lie in her bed and try her best to gather her senses and work out just where she is and how she came to be here. Her mind is strangely blank and if she makes the mistake of trying to cast it back too far, her reward it a headache she won't soon forget.
So she just lies there. It's not like she's got the strength to do much else. Emilie feels like she's a patient in a hospital. Except from this is very clearly not a hospital. She's not entirely sure just where she is but she's sure that hospitals aren't this leafy or full of butterflies. They do have some medical equipment though. Perhaps an alternative treatment style clinic? As time passes, she finds that increasingly unlikely. Dazed and confused as she might be, she hasn't completely lost her wits. No, something else is going on here.
It's not the most comforting of sensations; being here in a strange place, without a clue of how she came to be here, how long it's been and what's happened since then. Worse yet, she's barely even able to remember her own name. At times, she wonders if she's even awake.
The truth is that she drifts in and out of consciousness. At times, she's barely even aware of the fact. Time does pass however and with each tick of the clock, gradually, what was taken from her begins to return. Her mind clears. The pain and weakness in her bones and muscles fades little by little. Everything makes a little bit more sense and she doesn't feel like quite so much of a prisoner anymore. She's not well but neither is she entirely helpless. It's enough for her to begin to try and actively make a little more sense of what's going on and where she is.
One of the first things that she needs to sort out is who she's with, because she's not alone.
Of her two companions, it's the young man who succeeds in capturing most of her attention. He was there when she first woke up. She doesn't know him and at the same time- there's something about those green eyes were are oh so familiar.
"Who are you?" It's the first thing that she asks as soon as she has the strength.
"It's me mom… It's Adrien."
"Adrien?.."
That name is one which she knows should be her world but for a moment it fails to click.
She stares at his features and knows that she knows him. The woman frowns, squinting as if to try and make out some telltale clue as to just who this is. He seems to be hurt or at the least disappointed that she doesn't recognize him. It's clear that she should. There's a form that stirs inside of her, at the very pit of her stomach. She knows that he's special. That he means something to her but what?..
Adrien. Adrien. Adrien. She replays the name in her mind countless times. It's driving her mad. Adrien. Adrien. Adrien...
Adrien…
In a flash, it all makes sense. She knows him. Although for all that, she can't quite react. The features of the young man before her fade away and instead, she's faced with a boy with golden hair, green eyes and the most wonderful smile. Her little boy… She can't quite process just how much he's changed. He's grown so much. Despite her lingering weakness, she's compelled to reach out, to touch him just to make sure that he is there and that this isn't some sort of dream or hallucination.
He allows her to reach out and stroke his face, confirming that he is flesh and blood. The skin on his cheeks isn't as smooth as she remembers, made rough by some stubble which he hasn't had the chance to shave off yet.
"Adrien..." It's all that she has the strength to mutter.
He smiles softly, confirming her guess.
His presence is enough. It gives her courage and a reason to get better, even though for the life of her, she's still not entirely sure what's wrong or what's been wrong. She's getting better with every passing moment. He doesn't leave her side. Staying there loyally no matter what the cost.
There's someone else there, a woman. It's Nathalie. Nathalie? Yes, his father's former assistant. She's here. Emilie can remember her now. The woman seems a little older, more mature than she recalls. How long as it been? A long time for her little Adrien to have grown up so.
She's so tired. She needs some sleep. That much becomes clear. She begs her son, with what little strength she has to think about himself and get some rest himself. He must have been there for quite some time and hasn't left her side since. It's Nathalie who finally manages to convince him to move on and get sleep. Even then, it's only in a sleeping bag by the side of the bed but it's better than nothing.
Emilie falls asleep easily that night. Not knowing where she's been but aware that she's home.