Author's note: Thanks once more for the reviews!

/

"I've got to see them."

Adrien's voice is raspy. It sounds horrible. Something of a gasp and a choke. It is however, possible to make out just what he's saying. Nathalie considers him in silence. He's sitting in his wheelchair, in the moonlight. He really should be in bed at this hour but he's no longer at the stage where the nurses feel the need to check on him quite so frequently and is free from the various machines which he's spent so long plugged into.

She considers the young man for a few moments, half-asleep. He's still weak but regaining his strength. There's a lot to be done yet. If nothing else, he can't even stand, his hip won't allow it. There is though, tonight, a fire behind his green eyes. He's asking her because he doesn't have the power to make it happen himself. He's utterly dependent on her. She could easily deny him. It is something that she considers, aware of his current frailty. Even ignoring his physical state, there's the emotional implications about such a trip. She's tempted to say that another few days are required. It's never easy to be patient but sometimes it's what's best. Given his injuries, she's not too sure that she wants adding shock into the mix. In her mind, there's a terrible image of him suffering some manner of heart attack. On the other hand, she can tell that he's back with her. For the first time in a while, there are no drugs being pumped through his system numbing his body and clouding his judgment.

He must sense her unease with the situation, her hesitation as he looks up to face her with wet eyes. She contemplates looking away, aware that if she meets those big green orbs of his that she won't be able to think clearly and decide if he's ready or not. She'll put up with him being stroppy for a while if it means that it's better for him in the long run. He's had nothing better to do trapped in that bed of his than run over what's happened again and again. It's impossible, even for Nathalie, to know exactly what's going on inside of his head. Yet another reason to worry. She's known him to lose control, lash out. In this current state, he could easily end up damaging himself more than anyone else.

"Please… Man." He pleas frantically but his voice unable to creep past a whisper.

"Okay."

She yields, aware that she could easily end up regretting this.

A text is sent. She gets a reply a few seconds later, confirmation that everything will be ready in a quarter of an hour or so. That means that they have to wait a little bit. Adrien seems calmer but still somewhat resigned as he sits there. She's unsure whether or not its safe to reach out to him. Sitting in the chair near to his bed, she finds herself wishing that she could work out just what was going on inside of that head of his. If for no other reason that to brace herself for what's to come. Ultimately, she chose to adopt a simpler option:

"What's on your mind?"

"I wish I could stand." He makes an odd noise which she knows equates to something of a laugh, this one is dry and humorless however. "Look my father in the eye… Instead of sitting here like some cripple."

"Then put it off-"

"No… I've got to do this." He turns round to look at her. "Besides, I think they need to see, for once."

She nods understanding. His father hadn't seen what had happened to him. The silent suffering inside that he had endured for years. This is… Rather more visual.

He looks weak and its clear that he's been suffering. Perhaps this is the slap in the face that they need. Although, the former assistant reminds herself, Emilie was there just after the accident. She saw the young man at his rawest state. Perhaps he'd even been conscious for a while… She would have, presumably, assumed that he was going to die, just as Nathalie had. Knowing that she'd proceeded to abandon her child, even if her intentions had been to somehow bring him back, didn't exactly inspire the woman with confidence that there was anything in the couple to be salvaged. The only thing that she could say is that they had surrendered the Cat Miraculous, not that they'd been presented a lot of choice.

She gets a text eventually which gives her the signal. It's with a nervous glance around that Nathalie transforms. The horse miraculous is practical allowing to travel impossible distances in the mere blink of the eye. For all that, she realizes that it's not something that she can afford to be careless with. If someone were to see a kwami here accompanied by a hero… Well, she doesn't even want to think of the potential repercussions. Thankfully, the cost is all clear. They wouldn't be gone long she reasons and she can always claim that Adrien wanted to go outside.

"You ready?"

She only gets a nod as a response. Maybe he's saving his strength for what's to come or it could have been spent already. She can't tell. There's no time to question it. She opens a portal and pushes the wheelchair on through.

They emerge in the lounge of the Agreste mansion and they aren't alone. There's the always kind but still concerned face of Marinette or in this case, Ladybug. More than that though, sitting on the couch are a – somewhat sleepy looking – couple. Thankfully, the sight of their only son. Unable to stand and clearly quite literally just out of hospital is enough to wake them up. Their eyes run over him. Curiously, they won't see too much damage. Most of it is hidden under the gown that he wears. The scar at the base of his neck is however plainly visible for the world to see. He's made no attempt to cover it up. Nathalie makes quick work of transforming back and feeding Kaalki. They won't be able to transform and therefore teleport until she's full rested. Right now, the woman is keen to ensure that that remains an option for them.

She takes the opportunity to look towards Adrien. The young man's eyes are uncharacteristically cold. He doesn't need to speak. The hatred and resentment is being channeled towards his parents in an unmistakable fashion. It's both of them who are targeted. Without opening his mouth, he's able to get across a feeling of rage but also pain and betrayal. They are, after all, the people who should have been caring for him.

The silence lasts for a short while. Adrien is breathing oddly, leaning back into his chair. Nathalie considers him gravely for a few moments, wondering if they've pushed things too far too soon.

"Are you okay?" Emilie peeps up after a short while.

"No, of course not! I'm in pain..." He manages through gritted teeth before regaining some form of self-control and glaring towards the couple. "I'm in pain because of you."

The accusation seems to catch them off-guard. A quick look confirms that they haven't misheard and that he's deadly serious. He takes a few deep breaths, shifting round so as to see them more easily. He's not lying about the pain. Nathalie can see it now and bitterly regrets not waiting just a few days more. She knows that he suffers from ups and downs depending on when he was last administered some painkillers. The last batch were a few hours ago at this point and must gradually be beginning to wear off. Rather than letting it consume him however, the young man uses it. It seems to give him some sense of focus, perhaps even purpose. In the space of a few seconds, it becomes clear that the gloves are off.

He leaves a pause. Is it so that he can recover enough to be able to speak once more or is he offering his parents the opportunity to defend themselves against his accusations. Regardless of his actual intentions, they could have taken advantage of the silence to speak up. They don't. Instead, all they do is stare at him as if he's become a stranger. That only seems to make things worse. His eyes narrow, becoming little more than slits as he growls:

"You left me to die..."

"I left to save you!" This time Emilie reacts vocally. "The Miraculous are the only things which can-"

"I was happy!" He snaps back as best as he could. "-but you couldn't let me be, could you? What were you planning to do? Rewrite history? I-"

He stops suddenly. For a moment, Nathalie assumes that the pain must have got the better of him. Instead, she sees him let out a little sigh. He slumps back into his chair. In the space of a few seconds, the anger has vanished once more. Evidently concerned, Plagg approaches him nervously, settling next to his partner.

Has Adrien planned all of this out? – he's certainly had the time to do so. Lying there, it seems as if he's said everything that he has to. For a few seconds, it looks as if he might even be about to drift off. The fire's vanished, replaced instead with acceptance. He refuses to look at his parents. Instead, he turns towards the ever-patient Ladybug. He doesn't smile but does drift a little closer to him, seemingly reading his mind. He needs them by his side, the ones who care and who can be here. There are others, those who will never know about what he's suffered and will continue to endure. Those he loves are still here for him though.

When he looks back to his parents, he seems tired, defeated. This has been going on for far too long now and he has very little more to give. Be it his strength or his patience, this has taken everything that the young man has from him. At the end of his rope, he mutters:

"You won't come near me again." His voice is firm, leaving no room for debate. "I've given you enough chances, both of you. I don't think I can face any more disappointment. I'm going to live the rest of my life away from you guys. I don't want anything more to do with you..."

Nathalie is expecting some protestations. It's freedom that Adrien plainly desperately needs but one which will undoubtedly lead to some changes in lifestyle. He's almost certainly, she reasons, about to be cut off. Whilst he has been poor before as Dylan, it will come as something of a shock for him to suddenly discover that everything isn't handed to him on a silver platter any longer. Then there will be the inevitable media storm when it gets out in the open that the Agrestes aren't talking any more. In the long run however, she has no doubt that it will be beneficial.

She's run out of hope as far as Gabriel and Emilie are concerned.

The silence that follows is as long as it is surprising. She'd been prepared for an argument. For his parents to remind him of just who they are to him. She can't quite believe that they've lost interest. Despite everything that's happened, she knows that they care at least somewhat for the boy that they raised until the age of thirteen. That in some perverse way, all of this – at least up until the car accident – has been for his benefit in their eyes. True, things may have gotten out of hand but they wanted what they thought what was best for him. A pity that everyone else, including Adrien himself disagrees.

Finally, it's Gabriel that stirs. He looks towards his wife. She nods only once as he discretely moves to take her hand. It's apparent that they have discussed something, although just what Nathalie can't say. She finds herself holding her breath, instinctively fearing the worse.

"Let us help you." The man requests softly. "If you've refused the deal, then-"

"What deal?" He cuts her short.

"I offered - when you were well enough to make the decision- I offered too make a wish using the miraculous. To take your place..." He raises his eyebrows, she can't tell if it's shock or if he just doesn't know what she's referring to. "To transfer the damage, your injuries to me."

Adrien gawks at her with those big green eyes of his. He seems to be genuinely stunned, as if he can't quite process what he's been told. It goes without saying that the offer still stands. She doesn't expect him to accept. In truth, it's a relatively safe bet. She knows the teen well enough to know that he most definitely won't accept.

He says nothing but shifts a little closer to her. Before she knows what's going on, he's got his arms around her waist pulling her in for a hug. She's grown semi-accustomed to his over the years, even although after all of this time it does still catch her off-guard on occasion. This is however, the first time that she can recall such a display of affection taking place in front of others. To Marinette, perhaps it isn't so unexpected or surprising. To his parents, well, she wonders if this might be just another slap in the face… In the moment though, she forgets about all of that. He's been too weak to do much more than hold her hand loosely… She takes come comfort from the gesture, placing her hands on both of his shoulders. After a few moments however, the woman realizes that he isn't quite breathing right, that his body in tenser than it should be.

"You're hurting yourself..." She tells him softly, not that he needs to be informed.

"Don't you ever make that sacrifice." He orders, his voice quiet but none-the-less firm. "Not for me, not for anyone!"

"Okay..." She whispers as a response.

With a little coaxing, she manages to convince him to let her go so that he can breathe a little more easily. She relaxes just a little bit, although is increasingly aware that he needs to get back to the hospital. Another five minutes and she'll teleport him there. He needs his rest.

He turns back to face his parents, his strength leaving him but not entirely his purpose. He grits his teeth, feeling as much courage as he does anger. He doesn't let the latter take hold however. Instead, he summons his strength to turn back towards Gabriel. Things need to be finished here, right now. It's clear to all that he intends to see this through, whatever it means for him or anyone else. Turning towards his child, the father seems to be rather unsettled about everything which is going on before him. Eventually though, he continues with his original statement:

"The doctors said it would take you a long time to heal, that your body would need help." There was a few moments of silence, as they don't bother to deny it. "Let us pay for that. So that you can recover at home..."

"I'm not going back to the mansion." Adrien's voice is firm, angered by the mere suggestion.

"Your father wasn't talking about the mansion."

Emile's attention turns towards Nathalie. She says nothing, neither acknowledging nor denying what they've said. It's something that she's already thought about. Adrien will need a lot of help recovering, mostly because of that hip of his. Whether it's the Cabanon or her flat back in Paris, there's nothing set up to allow him to move around freely. She will almost certainly have to make some special provisions for the young man: handrails, perhaps changing some of the furniture for a little while… All of that costs money. It's something that she feels that she will happily foot herself, besides there will be some coming from the insurance. A little bit of help from the Agrestes however - it would be pocket money for them – could easily see him living a more comfortable life.

It's his decision of course. She knows why he might want to cut ties with them entirely, leave them with the full weight of the consequences of their actions and no way to make amends. On the other hand, it might be easier for all parties involved if they are allowed to make just one single, simple gesture. He seems uncertain, undecided:

"I'm tired." The teen declares leaning back in his chair for a moment. "Let me think about it."

Again, Nathalie is expecting resistance but none comes. They nod. Seemingly understanding. She hopes and prays that all of this has made her jaded and cynical but finds herself feeling rather suspicious. After everything that's happened, she finds herself struggling to accept that any of his parents' intentions could be entirely benign. So she remains cautious, reluctant to drop her guard. She'd done it when they'd moved down south and it had cost them dearly. It's a mistake that she'll only ever make the once.

The silence returns. It's slightly more comfortable this time. Some of what needs to be said has come out. No doubt there will be more but as far as Adrien's concerned, it would seem that he has little else more to give. He lets out a weak groan, leaning backwards as he shifts in an attempt to take some of the pressure off of his left flank. That's enough for one night…

"Come on." She speaks to him gently. "We need to get you back before someone notices we've vanished."

He doesn't actually protest which she recognizes as a sign that it is quite bad. It was too soon to come here but it might still have been the only way out for him. She hopes that he'll find some peace now and be able to rest, to concentrate on recovering other than worrying about just where his parents are or what they're planning. At least they know his position on matters. If the Agrestes show up unannounced, there will be no need to tiptoe round issues as at this point, everyone knows where everyone else stands. In some strange way, that's rather comforting. It makes everything just that little bit clearer and simpler for them all.

She transforms and opens a portal once more. It leads back to the hospital room. No words are exchanged. Marinette stays next to them. She takes the opportunity to give her boyfriend a brief peck on the cheek, a little encouragement to get better. Adrien smiles but otherwise doesn't respond, too spent to do otherwise. Nathalie turns to young woman, gives her a grateful nod before pushing the wheelchair back through.

A second later, they're back in the hospital. The smell of antiseptic and cleaning products hits them brutally, stinging at their nose and eyes. It's something which both have become accustom to over the course of the past few days to the extent where it no longer bothers them. To suddenly find themselves reemerged in the atmosphere is as startling as it is unpleasant. Nathalie wheels him over so that he's next to his bed. The teen is panting a little, prompting her to kneel down next to him. Plagg hovers next to his face, casting a concerned look towards his partner. The woman kneels down in front of him. He nods a few times, trying to let her know that it's okay.

"I wish you would listen and take your time..." She scolds him quietly.

"It had to be done..." He wheezes, dropping his guard now entirely. "Do you think they'll listen?"

"I hope so..." She mutters, a little too preoccupied with his current state to worry about such things. "Look, I'm going to get a nurse, okay? You stop exerting yourself!"

"I will..." He promises leaning his head back. "It's over now… I can concentrate on getting better, without worrying about them walking through the door."

She nods a few times. It's one of those odd cases where she doesn't particularly care what Adrien thinks or makes of it as she finds herself rather more keen to ensure that he isn't suffering from some sort of relapse or secondary complication the doctors had cautioned her about. In truth, the woman is fairly confident that he's just pushed himself too far and too soon. All the same, she'll go and find someone, better safe than sorry.

As she makes to leave for the exit however something takes her by the wrist. She turns round to see Adrien. He's not strong enough to actually stop her from leaving but he can get her attention. She turns around to see him, initially fearing the worst. Instead, she finds herself greeted with a gentle little smile. Nathalie frowns, not too sure what he wants and momentarily fearing the worst. It takes her a few moments to realize just what he wants. In practice, it's very little. He just wants to say something, to say it without words: thank you. She returns the gesture, squeezing his hand before leaving. He'll be alright. They both will.