Mayura

Renewal by Dream

Sitting atop Marinette's fainting couch, Adrien tightly hugged his chest with crossed arms while avoiding eye contact with his dearest friend. Outside, the rain continued to fall as the world seemed to grow colder by the moment. However, Marinette's presence made the room warm and comforting.

"You're still having trouble, aren't you?" the dark-haired young woman spoke up as she sat down on her bed. Her voice was calm and considerate as she gazed into her friend's soul.

Unable to speak without risking another tearful breakdown, Adrien simply nodded his head. Gazing at the frightened, insecure boy still trying to hide his tears, Marinette found it hard to believe he was the dashing, devilish hero she called her partner. "…I'm sorry to barge in like this," the blond young man finally managed to choke out, though his words were little more than whispers.

"You're my friend, Adrien," Marinette lovingly declared. "I hoped you would come to see me. The way we left each other…it was terrible."

"I'm sorry," Adrien replied, his voice still hoarse and hushed.

"Adrien," the young woman sighed. "You're in pain. You can't run from it. You've come to me before, so what makes this so different?"

Turning his head to the side and staring at the wall, the blond boy tried to steady his pounding heart and compose himself. However, despite his best efforts, he knew his strength would soon fail. "…Because, when I came to you before, it was…" Adrien stuttered through a cracking voice. "It was always because of something I did…Now, I'm just like a little kid. I can't do anything. I'm supposed to be stronger than this."

Marinette sat silently for a moment, unable to look away from her beloved friend in his most vulnerable hour. Unwilling and afraid to look away from the fixed point he confided in, Adrien soon felt a soft palm rest atop his dry, rough hand. Turning his head, the young man saw Marinette kneeling down in front of him with sympathetic eyes and a compassionate smile. "There's nothing you're supposed to be, Adrien," she declared. "And not being strong is nothing to be ashamed of. I may not have the answer to all this, but I do know you're asking too much of yourself. It's like we always tell each other: Nobody can be strong all the time. That's why we're a team. Maybe we bicker and fight and storm off, but we're all here for each other. I know you can't tell Nathalie or your dad what you're going through, but I'm here for you. Don't ever try to be strong around me…okay?"

His eyes clouding over with fresh, hot tears, Adrien finally turned his head towards his friend, only to bury his face in her shoulder and break down sobbing once more. Wrapping her left arm around her friend's upper back, Marinette placed her right hand on the back of his head and gently stroked his hair.

Lying in the chilled, pale, dormant body her mind seemed to be drifting away from, Nathalie let in frequent, heavy breaths of air as she slept. Gabriel sat at her bedside, as he had for hours, having finally succumbed to exhaustion and fallen asleep. Suddenly, the purple-haired woman opened her eyes, felt the intravenous drip fall from her arm, and sat up above her covers. Gazing over at her beloved, Nathalie adored him as her body took to flight, leaving her cold cocoon behind. The woman slowly reached out her right hand for him to take, but he could not join her. Once her form rose beyond the beautiful, sorrowful soul she came to love so deeply, all that remained were blue feathers that fell from above. In the end, that was all he would have to remember her by.

Within seconds, Nathalie no longer recognized her surroundings. As the rain and cold air passed through her exposed form, she found no one but Duusu to hold. Closing her eyes, the unhappy Kwami allowed her new partner to welcome her into loving arms and cradle her next to her purest heart. Nathalie closed her eyes as she shed the last of her eternal tears. In the end, the sorrow she bore was her own.

Gasping, Nathalie awoke from her dream and jolted into a seated position. Gabriel ran to her side and steadied her arm before the needle tore her vein. "Nathalie, it's alright," he tried to assure her. "You were asleep. It was all a dream. Please…"

Looking at the one she cherished so deeply, Nathalie began taking in deep gasps until she caught her breath. The woman slowly lay back down, relaxing her arms and letting her head turn to its side. Just seeing Gabriel, she knew everything would be alright. She would save him, she knew. "…My friend," she whispered through dry lips.

"Nathalie," the silver-haired man replied with concern in his voice. "You shouldn't be doing this for me. Please…I was frightened before, but I'm ready to take this burden from you."

Smiling, Nathalie's eyes released twin streams of tears that ran until they stained her sheets, as she shook her head. "No, Gabriel," she warmly answered. "This is my choice: This is my destiny. I swear, you'll live to see your family made whole again." A painful lump began to form in the long-suffering woman's throat as she prepared to share the awful truth. "…That can still happen, even if I'm not there."

Gabriel's eyes grew red as bitter, desperate tears began to stream down his cheeks. "Nathalie," he choked out, though he was barely able to speak through the sorrow.

"…I love you, Gabriel," Nathalie happily confessed. "I don't have the strength to say goodbye to Adrien…So I need you to take care of him. Please, make sure he never knows. All that I ask is that Emilie returns, and the three of you live happily ever after…just like I dreamed of. Please…promise me."

Nodding his head, Gabriel found himself unable to speak. His very throat seemed to seal, though he knew he had to answer. The man placed his hand upon his Miraculous and accepted fate: "I promise, Nathalie," he finally choked out. "And thank you…for everything."

Nathalie smiled as her weak, tired eyes slowly closed, returning her to her dreams. Once she fell asleep, all of her pain seemed to fade away. A part of Gabriel wished that she would never awaken again, if only to spare her the pain.

Come nightfall, Adrien returned home, sat at his beloved guardian's bedside, and quietly watched over her. "Nathalie," he whispered as his heart pounded. "A part of me hopes you hear this, but another part…doesn't want you to know." Nathalie remained still, her skin as white as untouched snow. "…I'm afraid. I've been afraid ever since I found out you were sick…I keep thinking I have the power to take this from you: That I have the power to make everything alright…But I guess I never did. I think that's what you tried to tell me…I'm sorry it took me so long to see that. But, I want so much to save you…because you deserve it…and because I don't want to lose you. I know it's selfish of me, but I love you so much. I know you're in pain…and if I could, I would take it all into myself…But I can't do that. I don't want you to go…but I'd rather lose you, than for you to keep suffering. If you can't take the pain anymore, I want you to know I understand. I'll never blame you. I'm just sorry I can't save you, Nathalie."

Standing before the portrait of his beloved, Gabriel remained as still as stone, his gaze never flinching. The man endured the icy silence, as he had for years. The hour was drawing near, and he had to make himself prepared.

"Master…" Nooroo nervously spoke up, his voice still weak from having been stolen. "Is it true? …Will you really surrender your Miraculous?"

"Yes, Nooroo," Gabriel answered without looking away from the sacred image. "Once she is returned to me, I'll never want that power again. I would even turn it over to the Miraculous Ones, just as long as Emilie and I can remain together with our son."

"…Will you be happy then, master?" the Kwami asked with hope in his young voice. Beneath it all, Nooroo never gave up on his dream for Gabriel.

"…I do not know," Gabriel confessed, his voice strong, though his mind was at war with uncertainty and regret.

Having returned from her patrol, Ladybug shed her Miraculous form in her bedroom, leaving Marinette and Tikki alone on yet another quiet night. Since Lila's last transformation, Hawk Moth had been all but silent. However, the presence of a new force of darkness, coupled with Nathalie's illness and the qualms among the Miraculous team, choked any relief that could be found in the absence of Akumatized.

"I'm proud of you, Marinette," Tikki warmly declared as she nibbled on a small cookie.

"Huh?" Marinette replied as she placed a towel over her sweat-glistening neck.

"The way you helped Adrien," the ladybug Kwami answered. "You've grown so strong and wise since the first time we met."

"I don't know about that," Marinette confessed with a heavy sigh. "If I was, I would've been able to stop that blow-up back at Master Fu's house, or at least do something more for Adrien and Alya."

"Marinette, don't you remember what you told Adrien when he was here?" Tikki persisted. "That nobody can be strong all the time? That we don't have an answer for everything? Doesn't all that apply to you too?"

"I mean, I don't know…" the dark-haired young woman stuttered. "I…I just…"

"You can't hide it from me, Marinette," the Kwami interrupted, her sweet tone growing stern. "You give advice to others, but you still don't think you're good enough to follow it yourself. What do you have to do to prove you're just as good as those around you?"

Marinette paused for a moment, unwilling to look at anything but the floor. "…I know you're right," she finally answered. "I just…I hope I'm doing the best I can."

"You are, Marinette," Tikki assured her beloved friend and partner. "You're always there for anybody who needs you. Even when you were about to break, you still tried to help those around you. You're selfless to a fault, but we're working at that."

Just as Marinette smiled and let her doubts and fears slip away, her cell phone began to play one of its custom ringtones. "It's Alya," she declared. "Thank you, Tikki. I'll talk to you later, okay?" The Kwami nodded her head and floated over to her partner's dresser to finish her treat. "Hey, Alya. What's up?"

"I'm sorry to call you so late," Alya answered without her usual flare or enthusiasm. "But…I've had a lot floating around my head today. I just…Sorry for being a jerk earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

"Don't worry about it, Alya," the raven-haired girl calmly replied. "You were upset."

"No, Marinette, it was wrong," the redheaded young woman sharply replied. "I shouldn't take my anger out on other people, especially you. I'm sorry, okay? How are you doing? Did Adrien come to see you?"

"…I'm having a hard time too, and yes," Marinette confessed as she took a seat at her vanity mirror. "I'm trying to be there for you guys, but there's nothing I can say or do to really make things better."

"Yeah. There's a lot of that going around. Don't worry about us, girl. You need to take care of yourself right now. I'll keep my phone on if you wanna talk later. Don't hesitate to wake me up, okay?"

"Thanks, Alya. I'm really glad we're all a part of this team. More than that, though, I'm glad you're my best friend. Love you."

"Love you too, girl. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

"You too, Alya."

Come midnight, Marinette, Alya, Master Fu, Adrien, and even Gabriel lay asleep in their beds. Calming their minds, coming to terms with doubts, fears, and regrets, and telling their family how much they loved them, the five struggling warriors finally managed to close their eyes and bask in the light or darkness of their dreams. Master Fu and the Miraculous all managed to find the peace and hope they needed to rest at last, and were taken in by comforting visions throughout the cold, rain-veiled night.

Nathalie remained in her Limbo, her mind wandering wildly, while Gabriel found himself standing still in a warmly illuminated room one warm summer's day. The room, that light, and the feeling in the air all pointed to one single day, which passed and faded so quickly. Now, the silver-haired man found himself in that exact moment for the first time in his life. Everything was calm as the merciful sun slowly rose over the east. Time seemed to stand still for once, as the peaceful morning went on without flaw or change. Looking away from the sun-soaked garden just outside the patio doors, Gabriel turned to Emilie as she lovingly studied him with wide eyes and a caring smile.

"What's wrong, honey?" the man asked in a gentle, youthful voice.

"Nothing at all, my love," Emilie answered with a genuine smile. "I just can't believe you're mine, is all. I know he's having fun outside, but could you bring Adrien in, please? There's something I want to tell you two."

"Yes, ma'am," the father of the Agreste family happily answered. "And, by the way, I still can't believe you're my wife. How did I get such a blessing?"

"I told you, Gabriel," the golden-haired angel answered as her husband got up to go outside. "You're one of His favorites." Turning away, Emilie dried a small dish while she waited for her family to return to her.

Standing still in that moment, unable to look away or even blink, Gabriel, shrouded in the darkness that he now resided in day by day, couldn't help but bask in his long-lost love's radiant beauty, kindness, and grace. The world she lived in was warm and kissed by Heaven itself, while he was trapped in coldness and darkness. Slowly, he reached out his pale and trembling hand, but no warmth or light would reach it. "Adrien's on his way, my love," he choked out to deaf ears. "Please…is there any way you could forgive me?"

Humming Adrien's lullaby to herself, Emilie continued with her small tasks while she awaited her beautiful husband and son. Hawk Moth could never exist in her world, nor could she ever enter his. Turning his masked face to the side, the dark Miraculous watched as Gabriel and Adrien ran in from the yard, each of them smiling and laughing. There was no fear then, nor was there darkness, hate, or loss. It was in those hours: It was in those lost days, that God's presence was clear and comforting. Hawk Moth, the demon, could only remember vague glimpses of that life, as the Hell he created to soothe his anguish and sorrow provided the cage he now rotted in.

As the shadow of a great man watched his wife and family love and laugh, he was powerless as the times changed. Not far from that day, Emilie donned the peacock Miraculous for the first time, hoping to make the world a better place for her beloved son and husband. Her cries, convulsions, and blood drenched the remainder of her days until her suffering finally ended. However, she still visited him in his dreams. The demon was born soon after that, killing the last shred of Gabriel Agreste that survived Emilie's death. Now, the Miraculous returned to take another of the broken man's loved ones.

"Gabriel is a good man," Nathalie declared as she and Duusu drifted through the darkness. "He's suffered so much for so long…That's why we found each other, Duusu. We're the only ones who can save him and Emilie from death…from their sorrow." Looking out to a light just out of her reach, the woman saw her beloved friend alone and crying, slowly drowning in his own sorrow. "I'm doing it for Adrien, too. He needs his mother."

"…What will happen to you, Nathalie?" the peacock Kwami asked as her large eyes gazed up at her partner. Her heart and mind calmed, Duusu had grown gentle and tepid while in her friend's arms.

Somewhat shocked by the question, Nathalie took a second to calm herself and put on a strong smile. "…It's my destiny to bear their sorrow, Duusu," she answered, though the truth pained her terribly. "I don't think I'll be able to handle it…I think, what I told you, was a lie. I might not be able to stay with you forever. I'll drown in the sorrow…But it'll bring Emilie back to you. Don't you miss her?" The Kwami nodded her head. "So do I. You'll all be a happy family again one day…That's my dream."

Opening her eyes to reveal ruby-red irises, Nathalie felt hot tears stream from each eye as she gasped for air. "…It's time," the woman realized. "Please, forgive me, Adrien."