Author's Note: ***WARNING*** This chapter contains mentions of a major character death (temporal and just implied, no details). You all knew it was coming, this is "A Christmas Carol" fic for a reason. I also must say I really like how ambiguous this warning is.

Chapter 4. Wayzz of Christmas Yet-To-Come

Gabriel prided himself on the fact that he wasn't a person to freak out easily. Keeping one's emotions under control was crucial in his line of work, and even more so in his extracurriculars. But he couldn't help the cold panic crawling up his spine as he headed through darkness to whatever his next destination would be. Logic suggested that it would be future, hence the newest revelations probably wouldn't matter, provided the future was distant enough.

His stomach twisted and clenched, as guilt, fear, jealousy and determination fought for dominance over his synapses. He did his best to convince himself once more that his goal justified the means. That even if Adrien was Chat Noir, hence the constant target of Hawkmoth's akumas, even if he had been continuously hurt during the attacks, none of this mattered, as long as Gabriel would come victorious out of the final battle. When he'd succeed in bringing Emilie back, in bringing their family back, everything would return to order. Besides, Adrien would understand, wouldn't he? He deeply loved his mother and missed her as much as Gabriel, if not more.

Somewhere at the back of his mind a tiny voice whispered, that with his mother no longer there, and his father focused on his mission, who had Adrien been left with? By taking the quest for Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculouses Gabriel had effectively orphaned his son. The boy seemed happier and more carefree with friends from school and someone else's parents , than at his own house. He was more welcome there, more cherished, more appreciated. This nightmare made it clear how exactly Gabriel's search for the miraculouses instigated that.

But the voice was subdued pretty quickly by Hawkmoth's usual mantra. He wasn't hurting anyone; he simply wanted the jewels. Everything would be fine once Emilie is back. And if it's not, there would be plenty of time to fix it. Heck, he even could just use the Ladybug cure once he gets that miraculous.

Then words he had heard at the beginning of his journey drifted to the surface of his consciousness.

It can't change the heart, it can't clear memories, it can't create better ones. It can't heal what's already broken.

And there's always a price.

With that last warning still ringing in his ears Hawkmoth appeared in his study again. The landing was much smoother than the two previous times. And the guide was already waiting.

'Good evening, Gabriel,' a little green turtle bowed his head respectfully. 'We meet at last.'

Gabriel's head was still reeling, but the turtle's words caught his attention. 'At last what?' he asked. Lasts where not what he wanted right now.

'Ah, I see that you're as sharp as usual,' the kwami smiled politely. 'Glad to hear it.'

'At last what?' Gabriel repeated with emphasis.

'Let's not get ahead of time more than we already have, if you excuse my little joke,' the green sprite chuckled goodnaturedly. 'I am Wayzz, the Kwami of Christmas Yet-to-Come.'

That name rang a bell. The turtle had a wise vibe to him. Maybe that green bald head contained the knowledge Gabriel needed?

'So you're Wayzz,' Hawkmoth sent him a searching look. 'Then maybe I will finally get some answers.'

'Yes.'

'Yes what?' That terse turtle was slowly getting on his nerves, even more than the cheeky fox and motherly bee.

'Yes, you will get answers.' Wayzz stared at him intently. 'All the answers.'

Gabriel returned his gaze in a silent staring contest. 'That's funny,' he drawled, 'because I know for a fact, that there is no such thing as one determined future. Each choice creates a new possibility, a new knot, a new universe.'

'That is an interesting theory.' The kwami bowed his head, but didn't elaborate.

'Then how am I supposed to believe in the future you're about to show me?' Hawkmoth said triumphantly. 'There must be millions of them! Millions of choices, millions of futures!

Wayzz pressed his lips into a thin line as he considered it. 'Let's assume your theory is right for a moment, for the purpose of my explanation,' he finally said. 'It is much more complex in reality, but if I started explaining we'd never get anything else done this evening. Let's say there are many possible futures based on the choices people make on the way,' he opened his paws as if he was opening a fan. 'Strangely enough in your case those many paths and knots all collapse to this universe,' he brought his paws back together with a decisive clap.

'That's impossible.' Hawkmoth wasn't a physicist or philosopher, but he knew a thing or two about the universe, and that definitely didn't sound like how the world should work.

'On the contrary it's perfectly solvable in M-dimensions but learning the necessary math would take more than your remaining lifetime,' the turtle explained patiently. 'What it all boils down to is this: every possible choice you faced, every decision you made eventually led to this universe and to this moment. The multiple universes are for other people. They get sets of possible futures, classes even. In your case we have a class containing just this one future. Some of the paths merge earlier, others join late. But all in all, this is the result for each of them. The common denominator,' the kwami concluded.

One future. He only got one future. Yesterday he'd say "Hell, yeah!" He knew he would succeed. He knew he'd win. So of course there was only one result and one future waiting for him. But the things he'd seen this evening made him doubt that belief.

'So you're saying that…'

'If you ignore our little… gift for you,' Wayzz interrupted him, 'this is your future, Gabriel. Are you ready?'

He wasn't. Not in the least. But there was no choice, was there? So he squared his shoulders and braced himself for whatever waited outside the door of his study.

It was not what he expected.

The foyer was decorated with festive colors - red and gold, a nice contradiction to the monochrome decor of the mansion. Lots of greens. Holly, mistletoe, fir twigs. A magnificent christmas tree stood next to the stairs, decorated with trinkets of every shape and shade he could think of. The lights flashed softly to the distant tune of Douce nuit, Emilie's favorite noël. Presents piled under the lowest branches of the tree and spilled onto the carpet.

Carpet!

A red carpet covered the floor and climbed up the stairs, giving the interior a much warmer feel than it had in years.

Still, the space was empty. Hawkmoth headed for the christmas tree and kneeled to read the tickets. His heart rose in his chest. "Adrien", "Emilie", "Gabriel" the notes said. They had been prepared with the three of them in mind. And that meant…

'I did it!' Hawkmoth said with a triumphant smile. 'I brought her back! We are a family again.'

'Yes, you did it,' Wayzz repeated slowly, his eyes tight and sad. For a moment he looked as if he wanted to add something, but then he pursed his lips and kept silent.

Gabriel turned his head in the leisure room direction. He thought he heard something. Now fully used to his ghost-like abilities he didn't even bother with reaching for the knob, just strolled through hardwood.

Emilie, his heart sang.

She was sitting in an armchair by the window, her blonde curls bathed in the glow of the light filtering from outside. The sound he'd heard was her soft, quiet hum.

He hesitated, conflicted between the need to rush to her, to see for himself that her presence here was real, and the cold awareness that he couldn't even touch her like this. That he'd have to wait Wayzz-knew-how-long to do that.

Wayzz knew.

'What year is this?' Hawkmoth asked, still frozen mid-step.

'2019,' came a reply.

So the end of his quest wasn't a distant future, but a close one. And it would come only in two years from his "now". Adrien would be barely eighteen. That thought added to his excitement, and the feeling of self-righteousness just gained more fuel. He'd get his wife and his old life back soon enough.

With newly restored confidence Gabriel resumed his stroll until he found himself next to his wife and the fairy tale ripped at the seams.

Emilie looked almost like a ghost herself. Deep dark shadows under her eyes and the ashen complexion added at least ten years to her age. Her hair only seemed golden in the light of the lamps. There were far more silver strands than blond ones. Dried lips, that used to wear the red of her favorite lipstick, continued the hum that lured him here. The brilliant green eyes Gabriel had come to love so much were now dull, lifeless. They lost their sparkle, trained on some invisible spot outside of the windows as if she was looking, waiting for something.

Or someone.

The premonition sent shivers down Hawkmoth's spine.

The woman sat hunched, rocking slightly backward and forward and clutching something to her chest so tightly Hawkmoth had to lean in closer to see what it was. And when he did lean in, he caught the words hidden in the constant hum.

'My baby boy. My beautiful baby boy. Gabriel will bring him back. He'll bring back my baby boy, my beautiful baby boy…'

'Madame Agreste, I brought you some soup,' a new voice cut through the mantra making Hawkmoth jump away from his wife.

His heart was racing now, as all the possible scenarios rushed through his head.

'You really need to eat something,' Nathalie entered the room with Adrien's bodyguard at her heels. She put a tray with a steaming bowl on the windowsill and turned to Emilie.

There was no reaction. The woman stared out of the window, swaying slightly and humming to herself.

Nathalie hesitated for a moment, before reaching out and brushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen to Emilie's face. 'Madame Agreste? Emilie?' she murmured softly, but the other woman did nothing to indicate she was aware of Nathalie's presence.

Gabriel's assistant nodded to the bodyguard and pulled the item from Emilie's unresisting fingers. It was Adrien's drawing of the three of them, that his wife had had framed and put in his study. The glass over it was now cracked, but the picture remained intact.

'Move her to the sofa,' Nathalie instructed.

The bodyguard lifted Emilie gently and carried her as if she weighed no more than a feather.

'My baby boy. My beautiful baby boy. Gabriel will bring him back. He'll bring back my baby boy, my beautiful baby boy…' the woman droned and the huge man grunted something in reply that seemed to soothe her.

Nathalie raised a brow, as the bodyguard settled Emilie on the sofa and draped a blanket over her legs.

'You really think so?' she whispered.

The man shrugged and shook his head barely noticeably, respectfully keeping out of Madame Agreste's sight, although she appeared to be oblivious to her surroundings.

Nathalie sighed and fixed her glasses. 'Me neither,' she said to herself. 'But he's going to try anyway.'

She brought the soup to the coffee table, took a spoonful and offered it to Emilie. Despite the gentle prodding Emilie's lips remained closed.

Hawkmoth stared in silence as Nathalie tried to feed his wife, too scared to ask what it all meant.

Wayzz patted him lightly on the shoulder. 'Let's move to where future Gabriel is now,' he said softly and the scenery began to change.

'But…' Hawkmoth recalled what the fox kwami had told him. 'Isn't that dangerous?'

'Why would it be?'

'Trixx said-'

The turtle rubbed his nose irritably. 'Whatever that lazy bum said was probably an excuse for her not to do her math.' He turned to Hawkmoth. 'Don't worry, Gabriel. This is an established timeline,' he added and the weight of his words crushed Gabriel's heart.

The leisure room transformed into an outside location. Dirty clouds heavy with the promise of snow framed the sky. Bare trees swayed in the scarce light of approaching dusk. Long dead leaves danced and fell as the wind blew from the East.

Concrete and granite monuments crowded each other. Here and there a candle flickered in the wind, bringing them the smell of wax. It was dead quiet, which seemed adequate, Gabriel thought, since they clearly landed at a cemetery.

His thoughts were running hundreds of kilometers per hour now, analysing every scrap of information, trying to reach conclusions and at the same time dreading them. Future Gabriel was here - that's what Wayzz implied. Was he… dead? But Emilie said that Gabriel would bring her baby boy back, even though Nathalie and Gorilla hadn't shared her sentiment. That still could mean that Hawkmoth was here to see his own resting place or… and that thought hurt more than any pain he'd experienced, he was here to see someone else's resting place.

Someone, whose return Emilie was awaiting.

Someone Nathalie thought would never return.

He shivered like the last leaf in December wind when he heard a broken voice.

'My love,' it weeped. 'My dearest. I miss you so much.'

Wayzz tilted his head in that direction inviting Hawkmoth to see for himself. Dreading what he was about to find out Gabriel walked around the corner only to stand face to face with a grand tomb, drown in flowers, wreaths and candles.

A man was crying at its feet, wrapped in a grey parka that obscured his posture and face.

'My Lady,' the man whispered, before a violent sob shook his form.

Hawkmoth's eyes wandered up, to where a sculpture adorned the tomb. His heart stuttered as he took in the sight of a young granite woman frozen mid move while throwing her yoyo. The artist managed to capture her brave, challenging smile as well as her boundless energy.

He felt tears streaking his cheeks and shame gripping him in iron clutches, as he realised with relief that this wasn't Adrien's grave, but someone else's. The fact that it was his enemy resting underneath was too much to digest at once.

'Adrien,' he whispered watching the man in front of the tomb.

'Adrien,' a similar voice echoed and future Gabriel appeared at the end of the path.

He was walking with a cane, and Hawkmoth wasn't sure if it was the reason or the consequence of his evident limp. His hair was almost white now but he still stood tall.

'Adrien,' the older Gabriel repeated. 'Please, come home. We're waiting for you.'

There's a beat of silence as the man stilled and stood up. When he turned to face the newcomer both Gabriels gasped in unison at the sight.

Hate burned behind the green irises, as they looked at Monsieur Agreste. 'I'm sorry, sir,' the man said, 'but you must have mistaken me for someone else.'

His tone was hard and unforgiving, thought he kept his expression carefully blank. A red scar ran through his left cheek, diverting attention from the extensive burn that covered the whole right side of his face and crawled down his collar.

'Adrien, please,' future Gabriel pleaded. 'Your mother-'

'Sir, I don't know you,' the man fixed him with another stone stare. 'My name is Jacques Moreau,' he added before facing away. 'Adrien Agreste died with Ladybug.'

With one last heartwrenching look to the monument Jacques turned and walked away down the gravel path, leaving the older Agreste alone. Future Gabriel sank to a bench and hid his face in his hands. His cane fell to the ground and rolled to the curb.

Hawkmoth's gaze shifted between the retreating back of his son and his older self, resigned and defeated despite his earlier victory. Some sick fascination spurred him to move closer to the tombstone and read the inscription. And suddenly he was out of breath.

Here lies Ladybug

The brave heroine, The Princess of Paris

Who gave her life for her city and her people

Rest in Peace Marinette Dupain-Cheng

We will always love you

'B-but I wouldn't,' he stuttered, gasping for air. 'I was after the miraculous. I'm not a murderer!' He exclaimed. More tears ran down his masked cheeks. 'I would never kill her.'

'You didn't,' Wayzz confirmed. 'Nor had your akuma,' he anticipated Gabriel's next question.

'Then how…?'

Wayzz sighed deeply. 'Your wish,' he finally said. 'For your loved one to return to you someone had to lose theirs.'

'No…,' Hawkmoth whispered, turning his head to where Adrien had disappeared moments before, as the reality of his future finally sank in.

'Adrien changed his name and cut all ties he had with you,' Wayzz carried on. 'Future Gabriel and Emilie will never see him again.'

Gabriel felt the rage and despair boiling in him. He clenched his fists.

'No! This isn't real! You tricked me!' he cried accusingly. 'You showed me some glimpses and now you want me to believe this is my fault!' He trashed left and right as if expecting a last second rescue, an ally. But there was only future Gabriel there, as crushed and broken as he was. 'You did this to me!' Hawkmoth yelled at the top of his lungs.

'Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?' The turtle asked. His voice, patient and even for so long, finally quivered betraying his own emotions churning under the lenient shell. 'Even small details matter in the long run. And you have been running a freaking butterfly factory for years, Gabriel!'

Those words made Hawkmoth pause and he looked at the green kwami. Wayzz's eyes lacked compassion as he returned Hawkmoth's gaze.

'We didn't do anything to you,' the turtle continued. 'We merely helped you see what deep down you wanted to see. It was you who chose what you saw on this journey,' Wayzz's voice was quiet now. 'It was your choice to see your father for the last time and your wife for the first. It was you who wondered what Adrien was like with his friends and if he missed you. It was you who wanted to know, what will become of your family when you succeed. Because you always knew you would stop at nothing to succeed - your mission has become your whole life'.

Hawkmoth stared at the tombstone again, at the dates engraved below the inscription.

2001-2019

The light lost too soon will never be forgotten

"One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it" - Joan of Arc

Marinette's figure appeared in front of his eyes as she tackled his son into the couch. As she handed him the gift he cherished so much. As she cheered when the boy played their game. He saw again how tightly Adrien hugged her, how he looked at her with absolute adoration.

My love. My Lady. Adrien's voice rang in his ears.

'Make this not happen,' Hawkmoth whispered sinking to his knees. Plagg's words from the beginning of this nightmare came back and spilled from his tongue before he even realized it. Smug little shit knew it all along.

'I can't,' came a sharp reply. 'It's been done. By your choice and your hand.'

Their surroundings began to change again, the cemetery and future Gabriel disappearing in mist.

'No!' Hawkmoth clutched at his head. 'There's got to be a way. Please,' he begged. 'This is not what I wanted. Make it not happen. We're in the future. There's still time. There's still a way. Have mercy.'

'Like you had mercy?' Wayzz tone turned harsh as they reappeared in Gabriel's study again. 'On people of Paris? On your kwami? On your son and the woman he loved?'

Nathalie entered the room, unaware of their presence. Hawkmoth watched her as she walked to Emilie's portrait and opened the hidden safe to put some documents inside.

'This is what you wanted,' the turtle pushed him to follow the assistant, never ceasing his tirade. 'This is your wish and your achievement. Your success. Congratulations, Hawkmoth. You did it.'

With those last words he pointed to the inside of the safe where two main miraculouses rested on a shelf in front of them. Charred. Dented. Broken.

AN: Please don't hate me! Also this needs to be pointed out that I didn't kill Gabriel.

Now please leave your screams in the review box, I'll gladly take them away from you. There's one chapter left in this story. I hope you're ready!