This is a follow up on Chapter 40, the Ladynoir prompt with 35 (both)
I know I was only supposed to do 45 (2) but I accidently started with 45 (1) so I thought meh, why not just keep it that way?
So here it is, the continuation ;)

Once again, a suggestion by Chat_Coccinelle on Ao3 :D

"But what if I don't want to?", he asked himself, surging forward, "What if I don't want to be left out?"

He knew he shouldn't follow her. He knew that.

He also knew he shouldn't find out her secret identity. They had made the deal years ago, that they wouldn't reveal. Ever.

But now, it was different. They had fooled around, they had been in bed together and Chat wasn't ready to give that up so easily. Plus, he just couldn't help but worry for her. He also couldn't help but let his feelings grow for this tiny baby she carried.

He was the father.

His heart skipped a beat as he lunged over another street, securely and silently landing on the roof, never letting his lady out of sight as she walked down the street.

He was going to be a father.

He wouldn't give that up for his secret identity, nu-uh, never ever. She said she didn't expect him to be there for her and the baby but he wanted to. He wanted to so badly.

The secret identity deal was long forgotten over the thought that he could actually have a family. A real, loving family to which he could return to. Everytime.

To which he could return to and know he'd be accepted.

Okay – hopefully. Admittedly.

He hoped he could have that. But the hope alone drove him forward, right to breaking his old promise.

Did that make him selfish? Sure.

Did it make him untrustworthy and mean? Maybe, yes.

But he just couldn't stop.

There was someone waiting for him and even if his lady didn't want him, that little someone wanted him. He knew that. He had been in its place.

His mother vanished and his father as far away as he could be. Chat knew Ladybug would raise their child with as much love and affection as she would be able to give and he knew from little bits of information that she had given him over the years, that he had treasured dearly, that her parents were loving and understanding and that her best friend would do everything for her.

He knew that child would never know what it was like to be abandoned by its mother because he knew Ladybug already loved that child to pieces. He had seen it as she had explained it to him – right after he had yelled at her.

But he knew the child would want to know who its father was. He knew the child would ask its mother and ask why he never showed up. He honestly didn't want the answer to be that he had abandoned it.

He didn't want to give up the chance to at least see it growing from afar, to watch it be loved and happy. He didn't want to abandon his own child as his father had done with him. Because he wasn't his father. He would never be, he had sworn that to himself.

Ladybug took another turn before looking around and slipping into the house on which he crouched, watching her.

This was the wrong thing to do, he knew it. She'd be furious, probably even sue him, but he at least wanted to tell her he wanted to be there for the child, even if she wouldn't want him.

And who knows, his irrational hope whispered, maybe she'll even want you to take care of your child together with her.

He shook his head, fearing that he hoped for too much, and instead dropped to the street to see a light being turned on the second floor. This was his chance. Maybe that was her.

He extended his baton to lift himself up, then he looked into her window from the side, not to be seen. In his feverish eagerness to follow her he hadn't noticed he was looking into the apartment of an old friend of his. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked into the familiar, comfy room, recognizing Marinette's living room.

He hadn't even noticed he was coming here because he had been too focused to follow Ladybug…

Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Marinette in months. Last thing he knew she was getting busy with college and wanted to take some time for herself, only meeting up with Alya if necessary.

As Marinette finally came into view through the doorframe leading to the hallway he almost fell from his baton of shock. There she was, in jogging pants and a fluffy sweater, just pulling off the jacket he had seen on Ladybug. As she hung it up on a hook the fabric stretched over her obviously bulging stomach.

He choked silently and spun to the side, pressing his back against the wall to try and calm his beating heart.

Marinette was her. Marinette was Ladybug. And she was pregnant, with his child. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have been so dense and dumb?

There she was, the love of his life, and she had been around him for so long. Had sat behind him in school, had met up with him, had become friends with him. She had needed some time to get comfortable around him – he had blamed it on his celebrity status – but she had soon gotten used to Adrien.

And now, after all this time, he knew she had been so much more. They had been so much more. He remembered how she had changed in the last year, even starting to talk to him like Ladybug. She had begun bantering and teasing him because-… Because their relationship as superheroes had started then. Now it all made sense.

His breathing was shallow and short as he shook his head, the shock still sitting in his bones like ice, making him unmoving.

She was her.

And she was pregnant.

Oh, he had messed up and he had messed up badly.

The TV was turned on in the apartment behind him and as he risked a glance she curled up on the couch, her stomach vanishing behind a pillow that she hugged. Her chin was propped up on that pillow as well, her expression somehow-… Sad?

He breathed through. Okay. Okay, he could do this. He needed to talk to her. Maybe even reveal. He needed to. Not only for himself of her but mostly for the child.

Her child.

His child.

He needed to tell her. He couldn't possibly act normally around her ever again as Adrien. He just couldn't, there was no way he could deny that if she decided to tell him of her pregnancy. There was no way in hell he could ever call himself 'uncle Adrien' in front of that child. Not if it was asking where its Papa was.

With a last push of courage, he let his stomach drop and his knuckles knock on her window. A little yelp told him she had heard it. Partly he was glad because he couldn't have brought himself to knock again, but he was also scared as hell.

Her window opened and he pushed himself off the wall, balancing his baton so he'd come into view.

The first thing she did was screaming. The second, stumbling back and tripping. He didn't even think about it as he lunged forward, quickly catching her before she could hurt herself or the baby.

Which forced them into a quite awkward position.

Plus, well, he saw the question in her eyes getting smaller the more she thought about why he suddenly showed up as Chat here. As soon as he had straightened her up again she pushed him away, her eyes narrowing in angry realization.

"You followed me?! Are you out of your mind?! We had a deal, Chat!"

He gulped but decided to stay strong, merely scratching the back of his head sheepishly before squaring his shoulders.

"I-… I know you must be angry now-…"

"Furious is the better word."

He flinched before continuing, biting his lip.

"It's just-… You didn't even let me reply! You just-… Stated the facts and left me, shocked and confused. Can I-… At least speak with you about that?", he helplessly gestured to her belly but she protectively crossed her arms over it, glaring him down.

"As far as I remember you yelled at me just seconds before. Plus, you're in no position to say anything about that, Chat! You followed me, you found out about my civilian life and you're still claiming you want to say something?! I believe you should leave now."

He groaned and shook his head, his gaze nervously wandering.

"No, I-… I just wanted you to know that I wanna support you… Listen, I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I was worrying and scared to death when you didn't show up anymore so I was-… I was angry you had just left me alone."

"Well, I was scared! I couldn't believe I was pregnant and I didn't-… I couldn't talk to you, I couldn't see you! I just-… I couldn't, Chat."

"Well, a short message would've been nice.", he mumbled, still not meeting her gaze. She remained silent for a while before she finally spoke up again, rubbing over her arms.

"… Sorry I didn't let you know…"

Chat nodded, then finally he looked up again.

"So, we're both sorry, but-… Marinette, I-"

"Wait, you know my name?", the disbelief in her voice was obvious and he flinched. Second mistake, damnit, "You know me?!"

"Uhm-… We, uh-… You were at the Evillustrator incident a few years back and-… And the La Befana thing as well…?", he tried but she had already understood what was going on.

"You can't possibly have remembered my name from there! You know me in my civilian life, in-… In your civilian life, too?!"

"Uhm-"

"Oh my god. Oh my god, no!", she exclaimed, wildly shaking her head.

Chat helplessly watched as she began pacing around, one hand tightly gripping her midnight blue hair, the other clenching into the sweater over her stomach. She took a few steps to the side, then turned to walk in the other direction since her living room wasn't that big. Chat went back a little to grab the remote and mute the TV so they could talk normally, only then she looked up again.

"I-… I suppose listen to you first… What did you wanna say?"

He drew in a huge breath, closely watching her if she would pass out or anything.

"Do you trust me?", she shook her head at that and his heart sank, "I-… I wanna support you with the baby. Either help you raise it or support you financially and-"

In an instant she shook her head again, now stepping to him, grabbing his shoulder and walking him back to the window.

"Okay nope, stop talking, you want to go now.", she quickly interrupted him, her face flushed and her grip firm on his arm.

"Uh, wait, Marinette-"

"It'd mean I'd know who the father of my child is and thus, your reveal and I so don't wanna do this. You will leave now and if I ever hear of you again we'll have a problem."

He turned out of her grip and protectively held out an arm so she wouldn't come too close to the window but he successfully brought himself out of the line to be thrown out.

"Wait, damnit! I wanna be there for the child! It's not only yours, it's mine, too!"

"Why are you so eager to be there for this child?!", she now exclaimed, tears already shining in her eyes as did in his as well.

"Plagg, claws in!", with a green flash he detransformed, his face flushed and his fists clenched as he answered, "Because I was abandoned by my own father and I don't want to be like him!"

Adrien was forced to catch Marinette a second time that evening as her eyes rolled up and she fainted.