Author's note: Thanks for the reviews!
/
A week later, Emilie has been moved back upstairs.
She can at least see out the window and feel the gradually growing warmth of the sun on her skin. It's better than being trapped downstairs in that room. It also makes things more practical for Adrien and Nathalie in terms of carrying food and their day to day lives. She's certainly not complaining.
The woman's condition continues to improve. She can stand now and even walk a little although whenever she decides to, they take the precaution of having someone walk by her side just in case she should slip. She's getting stronger though and soon takes up a seat by the window. She likes to watch the world outside, she claims, even if it does seem somewhat unreal. Adrien has to go to school (that comes as a shock) and whilst Nathalie does what she can to ensure that the woman isn't left idle for too long, they begin to worry that she'll get bored.
It's pretty clear that she doesn't want to be a bother, always assuring them that everything's alright and that they shouldn't go to any trouble. Ultimately, Nathalie chooses to provide her with a tablet of her own, providing her with a way to update herself with some of the changes to the outside world and also distract herself.
At the weekend however, Adrien chooses to take a chance. His mother's been curious about this "girlfriend" that her son seems to have. Marinette Dupain-Cheng means nothing to her. Why would she? She's never met the girl. Although she has heard of the bakery and knows about the macaroons. Slowly but surely, she's putting pieces of her life and past back together. Sometimes, that requires a little something to jog her memory however. Be it the mention of a place or a name. Since most of her time has been spent trying to make sense of the presence, she's requested to be able to discover a little bit more about the present.
So, Marinette came round. She had no complaints and was secretly rather eager to meet the enigmatic Emilie Agreste. Her boyfriend greeted her warmly but with something of an uncertainty which she had initially a little bit of trouble placing.
"What's wrong?" She asks him after a couple of minutes spent somewhat awkwardly.
"It's mom..." His voice trails off for a moment. "I don't like lying to her."
"This again!" Plagg's frustration with his partner lets Marinette know that the issue has been present for a while. "It's not lying. You're just not telling her everything."
Adrien sighs, evidently not entirely convinced. Marinette decides against saying anything. Although Emilie, for the moment at least, has proven herself to be nothing but patient and kind. Master Fu is reluctant to take any chances. That means that the current owners of the jewels must remain anonymous. That includes her own son and his girlfriend. He's not happy with the restrictions and neither is Plagg (who for the first time in three years finds himself compelled to spend parts of the day hiding in what he considers to be his own house). He won't challenge their decision however. She knows that.
All she can offer in guise of an apology is to take his hand silently, letting him know that she's here for him.
He smiles. It's that usual grin that he gives when something is troubling him but he's determined not to let it get in the way of anything and to carry on with his life as if it were nothing. He's a soldier in that respect, always has been as far as the girl can tell. It's just a shame that it's a skill he ever felt that he had to perfect. He leads the way towards the room where Emilie is currently waiting for them.
Naturally, they've notified the woman as to the guest's arrival and what to expect. Adrien trusts Marinette. Whilst she can get flustered – and even that is becoming less frequent as she matures – her heart's in the right place. She'll be polite, respectful and caring, just as she is with him, Nathalie and most of those whom she meets. They pause outside of the door which remains slightly ajar. Emilie's son just wants to ensure that she's still okay and ready to receive a visitor from the outside world for the first time, especially one so close to his heart.
He just pokes his head in. Marinette hangs back. It's only for a second before her boyfriend turns back to look at her and gives her a little nod: it's alright. She can come in. She enters slowly and tentatively, adopting the part of the shy girl. Perhaps she's also a bit nervous, unsure what she's going to discover.
Emilie is sitting in a chair next to the window. Her entire demeanor actually reminds Marinette of the first time that she'd ever lay eyes on "Delphine". Although objectively, this woman does seem to be in better health. She's a little pale and perhaps slightly skinnier than she should be but her green eyes, the ones that her son inherited are bright and aware. There's a gentle smile on her face as she sees the young woman that she's heard so much. Both have been told many a tale of the other by the same source, although this is the first time they've ever even been in the same room together when both were conscious.
"Hello there..." Emilie speaks fist, her voice quiet but gentle. "You must be Marinette."
"Yes ma'm, that's me."
She gets a smile. It's plain to see where Adrien gets his charms from. Whereas Gabriel had always managed to send shivers down the spines of half the people in his presence through his cold and detached demeanor, his wife is the opposite. She seems warm, gentle and sincere. Within a few seconds, through a simple and silent gesture, she managed to somehow magically banish any concerns that she might have otherwise had.
The girl dares to venture in a little further, accompanied by Adrien. He stays near her, as if to enforce the point that the two of them are together or maybe for comfort. Marinette doesn't particularly care. She's curious, eager to get to know this woman who for so many years has appeared to be almost mystical.
"Adrien's told me a lot about you."
"I dread to think." She gives her partner a knowing and somewhat teasing glance.
"Nice things." Emilie assures the girl. "He says that you're a very gifted designer."
"Oh well, uh." Marinette blushes, averting her gaze as she inevitably becomes flustered. "I doodle a bit."
Adrien rolls his eyes and shakes his head. His girlfriend is modest. It's both a virtue and something of a fault as she sells herself short. At not yet eighteen, in theory, she has a lot to boast about. Her designs have already graced catwalks and now feature in the Gabriel advertisements alongside those of the brand's creator and namesake. When she graduates, there's little doubt in anyone's mind that she'll be great. In anyone's mind but her own. Usually, her boyfriend might tease her a little about her timidity but in the current circumstances, he opts to remain silent.
The two settle down, sitting next to one another on the edge of the woman's bed. She watches them carefully, gaze drifting between the two teens.
"I see..." Her response takes a few moments in coming. "Gabriel, Adrien's father, used to say the same when he was young. We used to have to wrestle the designs out of his hands. Have you met him?"
It's been only a handful of sentences but they've already drifted into the uncomfortable territory. Emilie's not to blame. She doesn't know the dealings that her son and his girlfriend have had with the boy's father. The question seems completely legitimate.
Marinette keeps her composure. Thankfully, she'd spent the evening before practicing for eventualities such as this one with Tikki. It's a script. One which she's aware makes Adrien uncomfortable. She hates lying about as much as he does but as a Guardian in training, she accepts that it's necessary perhaps a little more readily. So she gives the woman a little smile and nods, it's not as if she's never met the man before…
"Only briefly, he's a busy man."
"He is that..."
There's sorrow behind Emilie's voice. She'd loved her husband. Her absence is both painful and confusing. It's a piece of their family life that's missing and for reasons which she can't quite comprehend. Why would the man who had promised to do everything within his power to bring her back be so markedly absent now that she had returned? It's difficult to watch but for the time being, the miraculous holders don't want to find themselves faced with their old enemy back on his home turf.
Sooner or later, Adrien knows he'll return. He's far from convinced that he's ready for that.
Emilie perks up a moment later, she's curious, keen to get to know this young woman. It only takes a couple of minutes for the girl to relax. Adrien slips an arm around her shoulders as they sit there and chat. The rest of the discussion is far more light-hearted. She's eager to discover how the two met, how long they've been dating… All harmless. There's something tender and loving about the woman's smile. She manages to get her son to laugh, not necessarily the easiest task in the world these days. The concerns that the girl might have had are one by one dismissed.
It's not too long until she gets a little tired. It's clear that she's still recovering. Adrien is quick to tend to her. She just needs some shut-eye apparently and the woman is relatively quick to dismiss them. She can look after herself.
All the same, Adrien is unwilling to leave his parent for too long. So they step out into the corridor and say "goodbye" there.
Marinette knows her way out. She moves slowly through the mansion. Adrien despises the pictures of his father which still adorn the walls. He'd have them torn down and burned if it weren't for the fact that it would raise questions in the minds of the few visitors they get here. His mother however is an equally inescapable presence. With her image comes both a reminder of how much she means to her son and just what her husband had been willing to do for her. That knowledge troubles the teenage girl as she steps outside, lingering for a moment just outside the main door.
Her peripheral vision glances to her left, confirming that she isn't alone:
"Emilie certainly seems fine… She only mentioned Gabriel the once and even that was in passing."
"Yes. We're going to have to break that to her sooner or later." Comes the woman's reply.
"She doesn't seem dangerous at any rate." Marinette mutters as a reply. "What do you think?"
Nathalie lets out a sigh. This is an uncomfortable position for her to be in and Marinette knows it. She's not too happy with things either. This all feels like they're sneaking around behind his back. Ultimately, both can justify their actions with the simple knowledge that it's for the boy's own good. He loves his mother and has made it very clear that in his mind, she can do no wrong. Keeping an eye on the woman for his sake is the only way to avoid a Hawk Moth 2.0. It still leaves a bitter taste in the back of their mouths.
"Well, if she was part of anything dodgy, she's hiding it very well." Nathalie replies, her attention focused only on the cloudy skies. "I've been tracking her internet history. She's not even tried looking up "Miraculous"… So either she's being very cautious or whatever Emilie was doing it was either harmless or in the past."
It's comforting to think that there's no danger, that Emilie is harmless. Her condition was a result of carelessly messing around with forces that she couldn't even begin to comprehend. Does Nathalie actually believe it? Marinette can't say but for the time being, for Adrien's sake, she will whilst simultaneously avoiding dropping her guard entirely.
The girl nods solemnly a few times, taking a couple of steps away from the door. She pauses briefly, looking over her shoulder towards the woman:
"I'll let Master Fu know that for the time being, there's no danger."
"Thank you Marinette..."
The girl gives a final tip of the head before leaving.
If this is all an act, then Emilie may very well be about to drag them all along for the ride.