Chapter 11
Once Adrien, Nino, Alya, and Chloe had left the Grand Paris, made their way across town as quietly as possible, and chosen the room the other three would stay in—they decided easily that Alya and Nino would share a room; no one wanted to sleep in Marinette's old room, and Adrien was insistent that they couldn't—Adrien leaned his back against his own apartment's front door, letting them settle into their rooms. He hadn't said a single word as they made the trip. He didn't know what to say to them. The others knew he was broken up over the entire situation, so they didn't press him.
He took a deep breath, turning around, hand on the door knob, then stopped and faced his friends again, who had gathered in the hallway.
"Are you finally going to tell us the real reason you wanted us here?" Nino asked, arms crossed over his chest.
Adrien grimaced; they weren't going to like the plan. They were going to kill him. "I didn't lie to the mayor. The reasons I gave are valid. However." He grit his teeth. "There are others. Ones no one else but the Kwamii and holders know. And, I need you to swear to me you won't give anything away. Lives depend on it."
Nino straightened warily, and they each swore in turn. Adrien knocked twice on the door, calling, "Master Fu, we're coming in."
"Enter," an ancient voice answered. The three behind him looked at each other questioningly before following Adrien, who made certain the door was locked and the chain latched as soon as they were through. He hesitated, taking in the sad, shocked glances his friends were giving the apartment. He couldn't blame them. The walls were covered in diagrams, detailed plans, photographs, jotted notes in Marinette's clean handwriting and his own looping cursive. "Come on." He jerked his head, and they filed into his bedroom, past the closed door to Marinette's room. Then, he confused them by leading them through the lavish wash room. A first aid kit sat on the counter. Alya was the first to understand, gasping and shoving past Adrien into the other bedroom, where Marinette lay, pale and swathed in bandages under a plush comforter.
"Hi, guys," Marinette said weakly.
"You're…you're not…." Chloe stuttered.
"I'm not dead." Marinette's voice was dry and pained. She winced with every deep breath in. "Sorry for…convincing you otherwise."
"But, the whole city, and we, and you—"
"It's for her safety, more than anything else." Adrien pushed his way to her side, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting the back of his hand to her forehead. To Master Fu, who stood on the other side of the bed, conversing with the Kwamii, he said, "How is she?"
"As well as can be expected. I dare say she has had better days."
Marinette chuckled, then flinched, hands fluttering to her chest. "I was stabbed twice in the chest, almost disemboweled by a slash to my stomach, and have a bruised trachea, among other bumps and scrapes." The others looked worried at the description of her wounds. "I've definitely had better days."
"Hush now; you shouldn't be talking right now," Adrien admonished, bringing a cup of water with a plastic bendy straw to her lips. She drank greedily, glaring half-heartedly at her over-protector. He turned back to them. "Look, we had no choice. We came up with this plan as an absolute last resort, only to be used if one of us was gravely wounded. I thought it would be me," he added, mostly to himself. Marinette's hand reached over and squeezed his, and he gave her a grateful sideways smile. "Marinette won't be in any shape to fight for several weeks, if not months. And without Ladybug to balance me out, I'm all but incapable of performing my duties as Chat Noir. I won't be able to use Cataclysm at all. Right?" He questioned their teacher as an afterthought, brow creased. Master Fu nodded, hands clasped behind his back, face serene despite the situation. "And, with the two of us now bonded to our Miraculous—" He paused, open-mouthed, "which I will explain later as best I can—I need to stay close to her. With the two energies together, it should aid the healing process. Throwing those energies out of balance, however…well, we aren't exactly sure how that would affect us physically, but it definitely can't be good."
"You let us grieve? And all along you knew she was okay?" Adrien could hear the wall of false calm hiding a seething mass of rage in Alya's voice, and he held up a hand, frowning.
"I wanted to tell you. I tried to find a way to tell you. But you stayed in public or surrounded by guards. We couldn't let anyone else find out Marinette's still alive. And I say 'alive' like that for a reason, because she is definitely not okay." He gestured to his partner, who frowned worriedly up at him. "She died on us. Twice. I was right there, and I couldn't do anything but watch." He took a steadying breath. "She could still…" He didn't finish his sentence, letting it hang on the air menacingly.
Alya's anger deflated, and her shoulders sagged. She moved to kneel by Marinette's bed, taking her other hand. "Are you real?" She asked in a tiny, young voice.
"I'm here." Marinette intoned, the strongest she'd sounded since she'd left the hospital.
Alya closed her eyes and bowed her head, taking a moment to thank every higher power she knew of, before standing back up with a determined gleam in her eyes. "What now, Ladybug?"
"Ah." Adrien sighed, looking even more nervous than before. "That is another story. And it is the reason Marinette's parents aren't here yet." He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I managed to get to them to let them know what's going on. They'll be moving in here for the time being as well. But I told them to wait. I—we—wanted to talk to the three of you first."
Chloe knew Adrien; she knew him well enough to see a scheme behind his gaze. Her eyes darted around the room, over the stranger Master Fu, over the open box on the nightstand—carved with runes from several different cultures, with shining charms lying on plush velvet—to the Kwamii, and back to Adrien with brows raised in surprise. "You want to activate more Miraculous? With us? You want us to become…" She didn't finish, gesturing to the box.
Alya and Nino turned on her in confusion and disbelief, and, when Adrien didn't immediately shoot her down, back to him. Adrien and Marinette were staring intently into each other's eyes, deciding. Finally, he nodded. "That is exactly what we want to do. We intend to pass on three of the Miraculous to you, and use the time that Marinette needs to recuperate to train you. It should be plenty of time; I mean, Ladybug and Chat Noir only had a few hours of training before we fell into our first battle. We've learned a lot since then. And, thanks to your dad, we've got the entire apartment building to train. There's a ball room downstairs, and a banquet hall, and a gym, and a huge indoor pool. So, should you accept—and, realize, you are absolutely not obligated to accept; becoming a Holder is not a light task. For instance, Marinette and I will never be able to give up our Miraculous, and we will…endure past death. I'm not saying that will happen to you. But…it might. We can never give up this fight—stuck here forever—we may never have normal lives again. You must make up your own mind. Should you accept, we would begin immediately. Find a Miraculous suited to you. Start intense strength, endurance, and acrobatic training. Teaching you our strategies and tricks of the trade. It's your decision. Choose wisely, but choose quickly." He let the words sink in, watching them carefully, as one would a potential enemy.
Alya crossed her arms over her chest with a half-grin on her face. "I get exclusive interviews with all FIVE of Paris' heroes after the defeat of Queen Bee. And my identity stays a secret until I choose to give it up or, like the two of you, circumstances force me into the open."
"Is that a yes?" Marinette asked seriously.
"Yes."
"And for me." Nino said, taking his girlfriend's hand. With a start, Marinette noticed a shine on Alya's left hand. "Wherever you go; I go. If you are eternally stuck in the same fight, then I am too."
Chloe was silent, chewing on her lip, eyes boring into Marinette's with apprehension. "We were enemies once." She said quietly. "Could you really trust me by your side?" She sounded completely vulnerable. Teenage Chloe would not have recognized the woman she had become.
"Of course I trust you, Chloe. We had our issues, like teenagers do. And I may not always agree with your…harsh methods of dealing with people," Alya snorted, silenced by Marinette's glare. "But you have always been there when it counted, and you stood behind Adrien, and you stood behind me. I'll gladly step aside and let you stand beside us now. If you'll have us." Tears welled up in Chloe's eyes as she realized the acceptance she'd finally gained, and she nodded, too overcome to talk.
"Well," Master Fu spoke up. "Let us begin."
Alya suppressed a groan as she came to consciousness. Adrien hadn't been kidding about the rigorous training; he was a ruthless instructor. It had been decided that before they would choose their Miraculous, they would train a bit, for the three current holders to see their strengths, weaknesses, and fighting styles. Marinette wasn't any more forgiving than her partner; if anything, she was even more strict. They brought her downstairs in a wheelchair and set her up on a couch so she could observe and assist. Alya, Chloe, and Nino had stretched until their muscles screamed, run on treadmills until their legs were liquid, and were then thrust into a makeshift fighting ring set up in the middle of the banquet hall where they fought with Chat Noir before sparring with each other. They had spent three days like that.
Alya struggled to move her arms, her muscles screaming at the last few days' abuse. She stretched her arm out, reaching for Nino, but the space next to her on the bed was cold and empty. She blinked her eyes open slowly in confusion. Lifting her head, she couldn't see him anywhere, but she noticed hushed voices coming from the living room area of the apartment. On a whim, she stood, joints creaking, and tip-toed to the door, listening in.
"You must be sure," a voice said. It was Master Fu, the elder Miraculous holder. "You cannot take this back, and there are many consequences, as I have already stated."
There was a pause. "Are you sure? If what you told me is true, the moment you give up your Miraculous, you'll start to show and feel your real age. Almost two hundred years, hitting you all at once. You would die."
"I am fully aware. I have lived many years and seen many rise and fall around me as I endured. It is time for me to make way for a new Keeper—for you, Nino Lahiffe." Alya clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
"And…I would endure, as you put it, as well? Until the next Keeper is chosen? What if I didn't? What if something happened. I will be in fights; I won't leave Alya alone out there." Nino's voice was firm.
"I would not expect you to." Master Fu acknowledged. "You will continue. You cannot die until the new Keeper has been chosen; the power of the Miraculous will protect you."
He was quiet for another moment. "What about Alya? If this is true, she will age, and I will be able to do nothing but watch." Tears came to Alya's eyes.
"You can choose another Keeper at any time, young one." Master Fu's voice was full of decades of understanding. "You will pass on the knowledge, and then can step down. The only way it could end up otherwise is if you, like Marinette and Adrien become bonded to the Miraculous. That is a risk with any of the Miraculous."
Alya stood at the doorway, listening with a weight on her chest. She looked down at her left hand where, only days ago, Nino had placed a small diamond ring on her finger. The engagement had been quiet. She knew Marinette had seen the ring, but they hadn't had much of a chance to talk about it yet. That moment had been a shining light in all the dark bullshit imploding around them. And now this…the prospect of spending the rest of her life with Nino, when he might not be able to do the same…She clenched her fist. This wasn't about her. And he could choose to grow old with her if he wanted. And, if she was bonded to the Miraculous chosen for her, he would be there as long as she would, and would watch her after she was gone. This was about Nino. His choice to make.
Nino sighed. "I'll do it. I just don't know how to tell her, you know? I don't know how she'll react. But I'll do this. I will become the Keeper."
"So be it. We'll begin your training today. You will be separate from the other two for half of every session. You must learn much about the Miraculous, their history, and their place in this world." Master Fu said. "For now, go back to your rest. You will need your strength."
Alya pulled back from the door and quickly slid back into bed. A moment later, the door creaked open. Nino leaned against the door frame. "You heard all that, didn't you?" His voice was quiet, trying not to wake Chloe up in the next room. Alya considered playing opossum, but finally sat up, her hands resting in her lap.
"I heard the end." She answered. He nodded. "Come here," She said, patting his spot on the bed next to her. Warily, he did as she asked, his back rigid, tension coming off him in waves. Alya frowned and took his hand in hers. "I…I won't pretend I love this. But," She looked him straight in the eyes. "I understand it. And, rationally, I know this is for the best. I just…everything we had planned for ourselves and our future. This changes it all."
"Yeah, I know," Nino said, rubbing circles on the back of her hand. "But change isn't necessarily a bad thing. This is a change." He turned her hand to let the engagement ring shine in the dim artificial light from outside the window. "And I couldn't be happier about it."
"You're right. Change can be good. And I'm sure this will probably turn out to be one of those good changes. But you know me. I'm not great with that. I like plans and order and neat little lines. Accepting this life means chaos and danger and ridiculous adventures and uncertainty." She paused, then looked back up at him. "And I'm okay with that, as long as you're beside me."
Nino pulled her closer for a soft, lingering kiss, resting his forehead on hers when he pulled away. "I will never leave your side. You're stuck with me."
"Good." Alya hummed. "Then let's go back to bed, Keeper. I have a feeling Alpha One and Two will have a hefty dose of agonizing torture—I mean training—for us in the morning." Nino chuckled and let her pull him back down, cuddling her close and relaxing into the mattress.
Marinette's whimpers woke Adrien just before dawn. He shot up from his perch in the armchair in her room and darted to her bedside, cupping her face and urging her awake with sweet words. She gasped as she came to, her eyes snapping open wide as her hands reached for his instinctually. When she finally realized where she was—their apartment, and not the hellish realm her dreams had become, she groaned, collapsing back on the bed. "No, not again." Her voice was hoarse, and she was on the verge of tears.
"You're okay, Mari. I'm here." Adrien sounded exhausted.
"I'm not okay," She snapped. It was the third time that night he had to wake her from a nightmare. "Every time I close my eyes, Adrien…It's so real. I try to tell myself it's not, that I'm safe, but the words sound like lies. I try to stay awake, but these damn painkillers keep me…" She winced, one hand touching her sternum as the stitches pulled. "Make it stop, Adrien."
His heart was breaking for her all over again. She was right. Every time she fell asleep she woke up screaming. "I know, baby. I know it sucks. But you're here. You're safe. I'm right here beside you."
She curled against him. "But that's not true, is it. We aren't safe. Queen Bee could find us at any moment, and if she does, we're all goners. I can't defend myself, so you'll put everything into defending me. The others aren't trained well enough; they don't even have their Miraculous yet. We're sitting ducks and there's nothing we can do about it."
"I don't see it that way," he soothed. "This is the safest the two of us have been in years. No one knows where we are. No one knows you're even alive. Our parents and friends are well-guarded. We have each other. We have allies. And we have only one enemy left. Our final villain."
"But we aren't safe, Adrien," She insisted. "We will never be safe again. Not us, not anyone close to us. We are bonded to our Miraculous, and we're bonded to this life. Look at me, Adrien. Look at what this life has done to me." She pulled back the blankets. Underneath, she wore only a sports bra and a pair of soft pj pants. Her middle was wrapped with thick white bandages. In three places, the bandages were showing spots of red where her wounds had begun to bleed again. "This will keep happening, and you know it. How many times have we had to stitch each other up after battles? And what happens after this? We're together, and it's amazing, and I love you, Adrien. But what if we want to settle down? Get married? Have kids? They will constantly be in danger. My parents are in hiding with us, because of me. We've dragged our best friends into this life, too, because we had to." She began to cry, and Adrien laid on the bed next to her, holding her. "When does it end, Adrien? When does it end?"
Adrien was silent for so long she thought he wouldn't answer her. "What do you dream about?" He asked. His voice wasn't as soothing anymore. It was infinite, like he was old and had seen battles and wars and the fall of civilizations.
Marinette sobbed again. "Everything." She answered. "Everything scares me right now, Adrien. I'm so weak now, stuck here in this stupid bed, while people risk everything for me because I screwed up. I see everyone that has gotten hurt for my sake, and everyone that will ever be hurt because of me." She clutched at his arms. "And I…I see him. If I had only been a few seconds faster. The Miraculous knew. I pillow. It wasn't for Queen Bee, it was for him." Adrien stiffened. "And I see little Amie. Queen Bee only went after her because she'd seen me there. She's so young, and now I'm stuck here, and I don't know if we can defeat Queen Bee in time to save them, and if we don't, all that blood will be on my hands. Mine. My fault." She weakly beat her fists against Adrien's chest.
Adrien cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "Is that what you think, Bugaboo? That this is your fault? Because it isn't. It isn't your fault, and it isn't my fault. Bad things happen. Even to good people. We're here to make sure good things happen, too. Queen Bee would have hurt them even if we hadn't been there. And Hawkmoth…my dad had been digging his own grave for years." He frowned. "Even if we didn't know it at the time. You and me? We're going to be fine, Milady."
"How, when I'm so weak and fragile?" she sniffed.
"What's the strongest part of Ladybug and Chat Noir?" He asked, a grin on his face.
Ladybug let a half-smile peek through her tears. "The team." She whispered.
"Exactly. Even if one of us is hurt, even when we're both 90 years old and can't get out of bed, we'll still be a team, and we'll still be strong enough to tear our enemies apart. That's what we are." Marinette buried her face in his bare chest again. Her tears had stopped. The painkillers were taking over again, forcing her into a healing sleep. "Don't ever doubt us, Mari." Adrien said, smoothing her hair across her brow.
"Hold me?" She said groggily, turning over onto her back again, the only mildly comfortable position she'd been able to find that didn't pull on any of her stitches.
"Always." He answered as he made himself comfortable, pulling the comforter back over her and grabbing his throw blanket from the chair. "Always."
His voice was the last thing Marinette heard as she faded into sleep, and, for the first time since the Grand Paris, no nightmares followed her down.