Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng pulled up in the hospital car park slowly with Alya and a very nervous Marinette in the back seat and they stepped out onto the grit coated pavement. Christmas was a mere three days away and the whole of Paris was blanketed in snow. The four disembarked and quickly made their way towards the reception entrance, Alya practically pulling Marinette along by her gloved hand as she trailed behind.

"Marinette, It's just a scan, don't be so worried!" Alya coaxed, laughing and rolling her eyes. Marinette flushed and trotted behind her, hugging her coat tightly around herself.

"There really isn't anything to be afraid of, you've seen it in movies before and your doctor already explained what would happen." Sabine gave Marinette an encouraging smile and the raven haired nodded, letting herself be lead to the reception where they where directed to the ultrasound department. They found another reception and sat down, Marinette looking around awkwardly at the other women at various stages of pregnancy, some with their partners, others with family and friends. "I remember when I was here for my very first scan when I was pregnant with you," Sabine said, smiling fondly and Marinette couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Sabine narrowed her eyes at her husband who chuckled. "If I do remember correctly, you forgot the date and went to play Rugby with your friends."

"I must admit I've never felt quite felt fear like that in all my life when you turned up at the match with the picture." Tom circled a large arm around his wife and Alya breathed wistfully. Marinette smiled, thankful when her name was called shortly after sitting down and she shot out of her seat.

"Nope, Don't even think of leaving, you have to eventually." Alya grabbed the stiff girls upper arms and began forcing her towards the nurse who was holding a door open with a kind smile.

"What if there is something wrong with the baby? What if it has two heads? No nose? A tail? What if the baby's-"

"Calm down mummy, you won't know until after the scan-"

"So there is a chance that i-"

"Marinette! You're being ridiculous!" Alya gave Marinette's arms a squeeze as she urged her towards the door while Sabine linked her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be fine. You'll be fine," Marinette couldn't help calm down in her mothers calming aura and smile, she couldn't help but think for the millionth time 'how does she do it?'. They managed to urge the stressed girl into the room and she sat on the padded seat as instructed while her parents and Alya sat on the seats near the ultrasound machine chattering excitedly.

"Hi Marinette, I'm Maia; your sonographer, today we'll just be doing your dating and NT scan and hopefully we'll be able to see baby. Can you lay back and lift your top up to your chest please?" The middle aged nurse smiled and went to the large intimidating looking machine and picked up a bottle of some sort of clear liquid. Marinette glanced at Alya who had shuffled her chair next to her and nodded, excitement clear in her face. She did as she was told, shimmying her jeans down to just below her hops and lifting her jumper to just below her bra, exposing the small but clearly notable bump of her stomach. The sonographer returned to her side, snapping a pair of latex gloves over her hands and shaking the bottle. "This might be a little cold." She sucked in a breath as the cold liquid was applied to the area below her navel and Alya's hand came up to clasp her own. "Now if you calculated the time of conception correctly, we shouldn't have much trouble seeing baby and I'll be able to give you a due date." Maia returned to the ultrasound and sat in front of it on the opposite side of Alya, putting her glasses on and picking up a probe like device and pressed the end of it to her stomach. She watched in fascination as the screen of the machine displayed a black and white image she couldn't make any sense of. The nurse moved the probe around for several tense minutes, pressing quite hard on her but not enough to cause discomfort until the screen displayed a roundish shape with a back and white outlining inside. Marinette's grin on Alya's immediately tightened.

"Is that...?" Marinette craned her neck as best she could from her laying position, looking at the image in wonderment. In the picture she could clearly make out what was a head, a body and two tiny little legs and arms.

"Yes, That is your baby. I can't see any abnormalities but I would like to take a blood sample just to make sure your levels are all okay." Marinette heard her words but they didn't register with the design student at all. The entire room around her disappeared from her conciousness as she watched the tiny little life inside her on the screen, occasionally a leg or an arm twitched and her heart felt like it might explode.

"Emma..."

"What?" Alya and her parents looked at her in confusion and she flushed slightly under their attention.

"Oh you already have names in mind?" Maia said warmly, removing the probe and typed at the computer attached to the screen before standing up and coming towards her again with one of those medical finger pricks. "Now I just need to take a blood sample and go and get a picture of the scan and your results, I can give you a few minutes." She pricked her index finger, pressing it against a tiny plastic vile so the blood could collect in it and exited the dimly lit room. Alya turned to Marinette and gave her a worried once over.

"Marinette?" she asked uncertainly. Said girl looked back at her best friend, her cheeks damp and a smile slowly spreading across as she cleaned off the remnants of the gel with some paper towels, trying and failing to hide the happy tears that spilled without her even realising. Alya and her parents stood, surrounding the girl and hugging her from all angles.

"Oh Marinette," Her father was close to bawling as he ever so gently encircled the three women in his massive arms, "My baby's girl is giving me a grandchild." The women laughed at his heartfelt statement. When they eventually broke apart, Marinette wiped at her eyes.

"So you think it's a girl?" Alya beamed, the name vaguely familiar for some reason. Marinette nodded.

"Yeah, Just a hunch. If I'm wrong it will be Hugo for a boy." Alya blinked, remembering where she had heard those names before and crossed her arms, trying not to let the tug at her insides show. Emma, Hugo and Louis where the baby names a much younger Marinette had fantasised about calling her's and Adrien's imaginary future children. Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng visibly warmed.

"I love them, Emma or Hugo. Oh Marinette you're going to be a wonderful mother." Sabine fussed, reaching to hug her daughter once more. Maia knocked on the door and entered slowly.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting. The results are fine, you're both perfectly healthy. Your baby is about nine centimetres and you are spot on 13 weeks and are at the end of your first trimester so you should experience less nausea, fatigue and morning sickness. I estimate your due date will be around June 14th." She held up a small plastic model of a baby that would fit comfortably in her palm and looked at it in fascination. "This is roughly how big your baby is right now if you're curious." She handed it Marinette and she took it, holding it unnecessarily carefully. Alya eyed the model like it was about to sprout teeth.

"Seriously? THAT'S what's been causing my girl to puke religiously every morning and spend a quarter of her day on the toilet?" Maia chuckled.

"Oh no, That is the baby now, it was much smaller when that all began. Here's your picture." She handed her a small picture of the image she had seen on the screen minutes before with her name and today's date printed on it. "Now we just need to book your next appointment and then you're done, I expect to see you back here in seven weeks for your Anomaly Scan." The sonographer lead them out of the room and back to the brightly lit reception they had sat in less than half an hour ago but it felt like they had spent hours in that room. They booked Marinette's 'mid-pregnancy' scan which was to happen on February 11th and they left the building. The atmosphere in the car ride home was far more relaxed, a new buzz in the air as the four discussed car seats, nursery themes and baby clothes. Marinette kept quiet for most of the journey, sitting legs bent up against her chest and stared fondly at the picture of her unborn catbug, tracing the image with her finger, caught up in her own little happy bubble. The happiness drained out of her a little as her mind wondered to places she would usually never allow it to, wondering how Chat would react if he was here right now. Would he fuss over her, pattering around her and examining her, making sure her every whim was tended to. Would he get emotional and cry and hug her like her father or would be be as cool as he always was and just hold her, telling her everything was going to be fine. Her thought trail was interrupted when Alya put an arm around her and pulled her so her head was resting on the the aspiring journalists shoulder, her thumb coming up to wipe at the wetness on her cheeks that she hadn't noticed.

"You okay?" She whispered, dropping her voice so the others parents wouldn't hear. She sniffled and nodded her head and repressing the thoughts that haunted her, little did she know Alya had just made a pact with herself that she would find out who had made that sad expression on her best friends face and punch him so hard where the sun doesn't shine so hard he wouldn't be able to to do it again to another girl even if he tried. "Now I may not know much, but I'd say a healthy dose of Gad Elmaleh, The largest serving of fries we can find and as many macaroons as we can salvage from the bakery are in order. Nino's DJ'ing for a party tonight so I have the place to myself for the night. What say you?" Marinette giggled.

"Don't forget the side of milkshake for dipping the fries in," Marinette commented in as if it was common knowledge, laughing at the brunettes look of disgust.

"I still don't understand that. At least you didn't have any REALLY weird cravings, My mum swore she used to eat gummy bears with hot sauce on toast every day for breakfast when she was having me," She shuddered.

"Oh that sounds like a good idea actually, do you have any hot sauce?" Marinette dissolved into hysterics at her friends look of abstract horror and revulsion. "I'm joking! That's disgusting!" Alya glared at her playfully - hiding her relief for having successfully distracted her from her own inner turmoil and seeing her friends unspoken gratitude in her eyes - as the Dupain-Cheng's drove them to the nearest fast food vendor and dropped them off at Alya's, giving their daughter a tight squeeze before leaving them to their girls afternoon.

Christmas was a day Adrien had been dreading. Back at his home it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience but at least he could escape his house and gate crash at Nino's who's family where always happy to have him over for their family party, treating him like a second son. He woke up very alone in his own apartment, not even his father around and slumped over the sofa in front of the TV, watching some 'classic' american movies while he sipped coffee and picked at a bacon sandwich that was slightly burnt. He had quickly discovered that cooking was far harder than he could have expected having spent his life being catered for by world renowned chefs his father hired for their everyday meals and had lived off coffee shop panini's, protein shake cans, subs and salad platters since coming to New York and when he had no choice but to cater for himself, instant noodles or cereal. Yesterday he had decided to get a little adventurous and purchased eggs, sausage and beacon but after an embarrassing round in his kitchen, the bacon had been the only thing remotely edible and he didn't want to be stuck with more than one day off with nothing else to keep himself busy by making himself ill. After whatever movie he was watching ended, he turned to the small Christmas tree Mark had insisted he put up which was very messily decorated but made him beam in pride, never having decorated one before. Underneath it where a small selection of presents from his friends back home and some of the representatives and other models at the agency he saw more frequently. Getting a little excited, he turned on some music and sat in front of the tree with his legs crossed and pulled the first thing he found towards him. He opened numerous bottles of champaign - all of French orientation he noticed - from his co-workers with cards he expected to be of 'designer' brands before he reached a messily wrapped present that could only be from Nino. Smiling to himself, he unwrapped it and found a copy of Ultimate Mega Strike 5. In the card stuck to it was Nino's familiar messy writing which hadn't improved much since school.

"Hay Adrien, Hope you're not driving yourself into an early grave with work. Figured you'd have trouble finding this over there so don't forget to actually have some fun, wouldn't you wanting to turn into your father XD

Happy Christmas bro

Nino & Alya"

Adrien grinned fondly as he set the card on top of the fire surround in the centre along with the other cards he had received. He returned to the tree and unwrapped 'Cooking Basics for Dummies' From Mark which made him laugh at the posibility that the man was psychic and found a very fancy looking parcel wrapped in pink foil paper next. He couldn't find a card or anything attached, opening it in confusion, he unravelled it's contents and found a note along with a picture. In the picture was a very recognisable woman he shuddered at the mere thought of, Chloe wearing a set of festively themed lingerie posing erotically, winking and blowing a kiss at the camera. On the back read "something for those alone moments this xmas" underneath it was a red smudge that looked like she had kissed it with the red lipstick she was wearing in the picture. Adrien looked at the items in his other hand and then back at the picture before throwing the offending garments featured in the picture across the room, thoroughly disgusted while his whole head burning with embarrassment. Seriously was that girl incapable of taking a hint? Or several rejections and him begging her to leave him alone? Throwing the offending items as far away from his person as possible, he noticed a present left he had overlooked, a larger present wrapped neatly in vintage themed paper. He examined it, not finding any note or tag attached. He tore the paper open curiously and a matching glove, scarf and hat set fell into his lap. He eyed them curiously, not finding any tag or label and realising they where hand made. They where silky soft, the kind of needle work only found with more expensive brands - some of which he had modelled at some points - in a soft green colour that matched his eyes. Feeling a little foolish he put the set on, noting a sweet and oddly familiar scent as he wrapped the scarf around his neck and breathing it in.

"Well this isn't creepy at all," He said to the empty room and trotting to a mirror in his bedroom and examining himself. The set was beautiful and suited him, even if they did look a little ridiculous over his worn Jagged Stone tshirt and sweatpants. "Who sent you?" The blonde asked his reflection, frowning at the stupid habit of talking to himself he had developed from spending so much time alone when he was young and still hadn't grown out of. He took the accessories off and placed them neatly on his dresser for the next morning. He looked at the new watch he had treated himself to, 3pm. It was far to early to call Nino and Mark had booked him a table at a fancy restaurant nearby in an hour for his Christmas Dinner as had refused the assistants offer for him to spend Christmas dinner with him and his wife. He got dressed and returned to watching TV until it was time for him to make his way to the restaurant.

Hours later he returned feeling stuffed and in much better spirits than he had earlier, having spent most of the evening talking to the restaurant's owners son who ran the restaurant between his studies, the two laughing and complaining about how strict parents could be and he had even warmed to the man that he didn't bat an eyelid when the temporary manager asked him to autograph a serviette for his younger sister and take a picture with him before he left, leaving a generous tip for the waiters and chef. When he got back he immediately changed back into his pyjamas, not wanting to sit around in the fitted suit for the rest of the day and dived onto his couch, looking around for something to do. His eyes fell on the bottles of champaign and Ultimate Mega Strike 5 and grinned, uncorking the first bottle and inserted the disk into his laptop and finding his controller. He played the game for hours, finishing the first bottle and breaking into the second one, not even bothering to use a glass this time until he decided he was to inebriated to play effectively anymore and set the controller aside. It was still only early and he was far to buzzed to go for an early night so he opened his browser in a moment of weakness, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Without really paying to much heed to what he was doing, he found himself browsing through the old blog that followed his and his lady's lives up until three months ago, the one ran by his best friends girlfriend. It came as quite a shock to learn that there was now a new Chat Noir but he scrolled down to older posts, knowing that someone else would have to take his place eventually. There was little activity from Ladybug for about a six weeks after he left before video's of her stopped being posted and he wondered if she had given it up because her life was now more preoccupied with that other guy she loved.

'Stop it' He told himself firmly, slapping his cheeks with both of his hands. He scrolled to posts dated before Hawk Moth had been defeated and smiled fondly as he watched video's of them together, fighting Akumatized villains, chuckling to himself as he watched his teenage self tasting various goo's and strange substances that himself and Ladybug had been covered with in numerous fights, all the times he got caught in a sticky situation but Bug would always be there to get him out and they would fist bump after purifying the Akuma and saving the day yet again. Before he knew it, hours of this had past and he was now sipping the dregs of his third bottle of champaign, curled up into a ball with a blanket pulled over his head with his arm hanging over one of the sofa's arms, head lolling as he fought the lull sleep. The room was in total darkness apart from the light emitted from his laptop's display when a green box pops up in front of the video he had been watching, indicating Nino was finally calling. Adrien jumped from his spot, tumbling off the sofa as the jingle scared the living daylights out of him and he scrambled to the keyboard from his place on the floor in front of the coffee table. Nino's face appeared on the screen, his cheeks are flushed and he is still wearing a paper crown along with an obviously hand knitted Christmas jumper.

Nino looked at the screen that opened when Adrien answered, the image almost completely black apart from the faint outline of the blonde who looked like he was sitting on the floor.

"Adrien?"

"Happy Christmaaaaaaas! Hold on, let me get the lights," Adrien stumbled off screen for a few moments and the lights came on, illuminating the room. The first things he noticed where empty bottles sitting on the table Adrien's laptop must have been on and there was a white bra sitting over the back of the sofa facing the camera with candy canes printed all over. Adrien stumbled back into view and collapsed in front of the laptop, leaning in close and waving, a lopsided grin plastered across his flushed face. A pang of worry immediately struck him as he noticed Adrien's eyes where bloodshot and swollen even on the screen in front of him. His frame looked a lot smaller than last time he had seen him, his slim build looking closer to unhealthily skinny. His once bright eyes devoid of the life they used to hold to a point even the DJ noticed. He wanted to ask but didn't want to push the closed-off blonde away by pestering him and turned his attention to the betraying article of clothing behind him.

"Woah Woah! did I interrupt something?" He pointed at the bra he could see in the background, raising his eyebrows in scepticism and laughing when Adrien turned his head to see what he was pointing at. The blond immediately brushed it off the back of the couch and out of sight, raising his hands back at his friend defensively and looking around for something.

"oh god no! No! a memento from Chloe," He holds up a polaroid to the camera featuring a snapshot of the Mayer's daughter wearing the undergarments and Nino laughed, laughter turning into hysterics when the picture was turned around to show a note written in elegant cursive with a red smudge of lipstick on it. "I'm glad you find it funny!" The blonde fumed at his friend

"Oh man this is priceless! Maybe you should send it to the local gossip magazine, or better yet her father!" Adrien laughed, a mischievous expression on his face.

"That's a genius idea! I'm going to find the -hic- address tomorrow!" Nino snorted.

"Okay I was only joking, that's harsh man."

"Naaa, I like it! Maybe it's abou' time daddy found - hic -out whatta little brat his daughter is like!" Adrien swayed even while sitting and Nino worried even further.

"Are you okay bro? You look like hell." The words slipped out without Nino meaning to let them and Adrien's uncharacteristically sly grin dissolved, he shrugged, the action exaggerated.

"Surviving. I had a moment of weakness. No big - hic - deal man." He waved his arms in the air sloppily, the grin returning. "Thank you for SMS3! You're a legend! They don't sell it over 'ere an I keep forgett - hic- forgetting to order it. Oh! One moment." He stood up, stumbling and catching himself on the arm of the sofa and disappeared again, returning after several minutes with a bundle of green in his hands, holding up a pair of gloves and a scarf. "Do you know - hic - who sent these? They came from France but there's no name on 'em - hic - I dunno where they came for." Nino shrugged, knowing full well who made and sent them, having overheard the conversation about them but knowing full well he would effectively be signing his own death certificate if he spoke a word of it.

"No idea, Maybe they're from your father?" Adrien grimaced.

"My father hasn't given me a Christmas present in two years, and the years before that they where from Nathalie, I don' Wanna talk about that, How was your families Christmas Party?" They engaged in small talk, Nino chatting animatedly about how his mum had attacked him with the jumper he was wearing and how his sisters taunted him about when he was going to pop the question to his other half. Adrien sat silently, listening to his words with a wistful smile on his face. They talked about how Adrien used to sneak out after Christmas dinner at his home and come to Nino's for their Christmas party when they where in school and how he missed it.

"You should come back soon, it's been three months already! I don't think Alya would mind if you stayed on the couch if you didn't want to go to your dads, Or you could just stay in a hotel or something." Adrien's smile dissolved and he shook his head quickly.

"No can do, to many -hic- memories." Nino's brows lifted, he leaned closer to the screen, Adrien had never really said why he had left Paris the same day as receiving a job offer when he had turned down so many just like it even since finishing school.

"What memories? I know your dad is a bit of a kill joy but surely it can't have been that bad." Adrien seemed to realise what he said and shook his head lightly, pulling up the blanket he was sitting on and wrestling with it until it it was draped around his shoulders. Nino could practically see him closing off like he usually did, his eyes drooping in his drunken state as he forced himself to stay awake. To Nino it was only 7.30pm but he knew it was much later and there where three empty bottles of bubbly on the table in front of him.

"I don't want to talk about it." As expected. He was about to try another angle to get some answers when Alya's voice drifted in from the living-room.

"Nino who are you talking to?" Nino looks towards the door as Alya came in wearing her own jumper over yoga pants holding two glasses of wine. "Are you really going to leave me alone while I have alcohol, I don't know how much longer I can bare to sit on my own drinking," She leaned against the door frame pouting adorably, sticking out her hip in a way that highlighted her curves in a way that made his mind wonder to x-rated places.

"Just saying hi to Adrien, I'll be in in a minute." He immediately knew they where the wrong words to say as her rather enticing posture turned stiff, her lips pursing.

"Oh, Say hi to Mr American for me, Hope he's living it up in the states," her tone came out rather cold and sarcastic, his brows furrowed and he gave her a disapproving look.

"Hay that's a little uncalled for, I'll be out in a minute." She shrugged and turned around and Nino turned to apologise to the blonde, only to find him out cold with his chin resting on his chest, his laptop's microphone picking up his light snores. He gave him a once over and hovered his mouse over the 'end call' button, speaking once more before ending the call.

"Take care of yourself bro, you look like hell. Merry Christmas."

Why do I always write such angsty stuff?! Future chapters will lighten up, the whole thing won't be angst hehe.

Now I Know Adrien is quite ooc here but tbf, He's in a country with no friends apart from someone who is only around him because he is paid to and he can't see his lady so I could picture this scene quite easily. Although the legal age to drink in the US is 21, It's 18 in France. As for Marinette's scan, I only had to go off what I could read up on so sorry if any of this is wrong haha. Gad Elmaleh is a popular comedian in France, He's actually really funny so you should check him out ^^ The waiter from the restaurant will be seen again in future chapters, I had a little to much fun writing the next chapter :3 As for Tom being into rugby, have you seen he size of him? he had to do something to get that huge and have you seen the size of those rubgy players?! XD

I was planning on updating once a week so I stay ahead and consistent but I'm currently 1.5 chapters ahead of schedule so I may post a little more frequently :3 Reviews will probably make this happen a little quicker hehe (hint hint). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! And thanks again for Totally Lucky for letting me write this again :3

See you in the next chapter

xX Aneki Xx