Hi everyone,

Wow this chapter was quick to write. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and I want to thank Ayolen and Haoyoh Asakura for their amazing reviews, it really made me want to write more.

Enjoy!

Adrien was sick of hearing the doctor babble on and on about his physical state. It was so frustrating; he wasn't supposed to be laying on a bed in the hospital, he was supposed to be running in the rooftops with his Lady. Stupid Nino. He made a note to kick his paranoiac ass as soon as he was out of here. There had to be a way to shake Felix off.

Indeed, his brother was back to his old persona: an overprotective freak who wouldn't leave his bedside, a fact he didn't know how to feel about. The only moment of respite was when Felix's phone rang. He always picked up in the hallway, a tick for which the youngest was glad. Coming back to earth he heard something about an infection. Oh well, more bad luck.

"He will need surgery if it doesn't get better for tomorrow." Declared the doctor, effectively regaining Adrien's attention. Surgery? No! If that happened he would have to live his partner to fence on her own against Hauk Moth. Sure, there had been no attacks all week but that only made him feel more fear. Maybe the villain was planning a bigger offensive, a more structured method to get their miraculous. And he would be defenseless. Why had he been so reckless? Imbecile. Idiot. Piece of shit. No, he couldn't keep going or he would have a breakdown and the test would go on forever. Which implied more time alone with Felix, as he was the only one who could see him because he was in protective custody. If this went on much longer he would go mad.

"I see… Isn't there another way?" asked Felix. It was so strange to see and hear his worry. Hadn't he been the one to push him away in the first place? What right did he have? He was just pretending. He didn't really care.

"I'm afraid not. There is something on his shoulder, if we don't get it out the infection will only grow. We've already tried everything else." Explained the man in white. Great. Simply great.

"Thanks doctor" replied the model automatically looking over the horizon. Goodbye Chat Noir.

Felix and the doctor stared at him for a moment and left to talk some more in the corridor. The opportunity wasn't wasted as Plagg came out and sat on his owner's good arm, nuzzling himself ever so slightly against his neck. "It's going to be okay. It's just a couple of weeks and you'll be back on streets kicking ass."

"But what do I do in the meantime? Being a superhero is what I love the most. I'm nothing without Chat." uttered the human before he could think. Now his kwami would try to make him feel better. Yay.

"Of course, you are!" retorted the little black creature with his blood boiling. The kid couldn't be serious. He had so much going for him: school, his friends, his love for sports and his companion for others.

"I just…"

"No!"

"But…"

"No!"

The blond finally accepted his defeat and sank back in his pillow. The god felt sorry: with everything going on his family life he needed to go out every once in a while. Worst thing was he couldn't do anything to help, even Tikky had failed. Still, he needed to cheer the model up. Problem was the only way to do that was Chat Noir.

"Plagg? What if the wound is permanent? My arm would be useless. I'd be useless. You would have to look for another wielder, right? You're leaving." The questioned said nothing. The doctor had contemplated the possibility but he didn't want to believe. And truth be told, Master Fu could say whatever he wanted but he wasn't leaving the boy alone. He needed him. Specially now.

"I'm not going anywhere." He assured. "I'm not abandoning you to your own devices. Plus, normal people don't have camembert as good as the expensive one you always buy." The joke had no effect but at least he could say he had tried.

"But Ladybug would need a partner. It would be to selfish to ask you to stay. If something happens to her it will be all my fault. You better go Plagg." Said the teenager while giving his kwami the ring. The moment he let go his companion disappeared from view and he started crying. This was it. He was officially completely useless and trapped. He had just given up on his entire world. But it would help Ladybug. She deserved much better.

When Felix returned and found his baby brother crying his eyes out he was at lost for words. He hadn't seemed that concerned about the operation five minutes ago. What happened?

"Ad?" he asked gently. His nickname always made him feel better, it had to work. The subject didn't even raise his face, he only sobbed harder. He tried to remember what he would do to calm him down when they were younger. There was just a blank space. He cursed the distance, the circumstances and time. Come on. There had to be something. What would Mother do?

It took him a second to figure it out, but when he did the result exceeded his expectations. A soft lullaby left his lips. Alice's favorite song. At first nothing happened but then the sobs quieted down a little. He knew better than to talk, he would just mess up, as usual. He just let the tune keep flowing as he sat in the armchair. Mom would be proud, he realized when Adrien fell asleep.

He took impulse running in the rooftops and used the momentum to project himself to a higher building. The night air tasted of freedom and water. The Seine was close, he could feel it. Suddenly another pair of feet fell into his rhythm, creating a perfect symphony of steps and silence. None of them slowed down, actually, they sped their pace until it was impossible to go any faster. The landscape was a mixture of unknown and familiar parts of the city of light. He saw the Eiffel tower shining in the distance and changed his course so he could go to it and uphold the tradition. Much to his dismay, the monument kept getting farther away until he couldn't see it anymore.

As he looked around he perceived the place he thought he would never go back to. His home town rose all around him. right before his eyes was the square in which he remembered thousands of moments, whether it was football or rugby it was the home of the fun of his youth. The school on the other side of the road hadn't change either: it was the same one store brick building with no playground, they used the square instead. On the corner of the street was the bakery with the delicious vanilla cake and next to it the flower shop where he would get mom roses.

"Where are we?" wondered his Lady next to him.

"In the place where I used to live." He answered with a halfhearted smile. Being back was just too weird.

"Now I see why you're such a mess. You come from dumpster and you should go back too. Paris and I would be better off without you. Everyone would." The venom in her voice was unsettling, he had only ever used that voice with Volpina. Why would she tell him something like that? Before he could ask her what was wrong, a pair of dark hands pulled her from behind, taking her to the darkest alley in the village.

He tried to follow but a soft hand prevented him. It was Alice, the mother he hadn't seen in five years. Shock overpowered him as he stared dumbly ahead of him. This couldn't be happening. Dreams didn't come true just like that. "Mom…" The smile that brightened her face was the most precious thing in the world, at least to him. He had missed every little detail of her and had passed his days pestering time for stealing them away. It took a blink for his father to be standing next to the saleswoman and for Felix, the old Felix, to put a hand on his shoulder. They were there for him. His family was whole once again. He almost cried with happiness. This was how things were supposed to be all along.

But the sweet moment didn't last much longer as the same darkness that had took his crush came back to take his father. They all screamed. Alice went after him only to engulfed just like him. Adrien was shoved behind his brother's figure. Felix tried to protect him but no one could. It was happening all over again.

"Not you!"