When Marinette went downstairs to grab breakfast that morning, she was surprised by how empty the bakery was. Usually the morning rush lasted for a few hours, but it seemed like there had hardly been any customers. Most of the trays were still filled with pastries and there was no one tending to the cash register. The whole place was completely empty.
"Maman? Papa?" Marinette called, looking around for her parents. She was startled when they came rushing around the corner from the house section of the bakery. Both were dressed surprisingly nice. Sabine was wearing a short, white dress with a pink flower in her hair. Tom had on a clean shirt and pants, not his usual baking attire. Not only was their dress strange, but they seemed to be in a hurry.
"What's going on?" Marinette asked as she hugged both of her parents. "Is there a party I wasn't told about?"
"The King is making a big announcement today outside the royal palace," Sabine explained, her expression rather giddy. "The entire kingdom is going to be in attendance, but your father and I were given special invitations to be on stage with the king!"
"What? Why?"
"Maybe our world class baking skills have finally been recognized," Tom chuckled as he pulled his wife close. "It's not important though. We would never turn down an invitation from King Gabriel. But we'll be late if we don't hurry. We were told to arrive early this morning even though the event doesn't start until later."
"You're right," Sabine nodded. They headed towards the door before she stopped and grabbed an umbrella from behind the counter. "Don't want to forget one of these. It looks like it might rain today. It's always good to be prepared!"
"Wait!" Marinette called out. "Are you going without me?"
"Sweetie, this event is... umm... for grown-ups! Why don't you stay behind and relax for a while? See if Alya is free. You can come by and visit us later, alright?" Without any other explanation, Sabine and Tom waved goodbye to their daughter and then were out the door.
"That was strange," Marinette frowned, her hands on her hips. "Maman and Papa aren't usually so secretive. This 'event' must be to announce Adrien's return, but why would they be invited? I have a funny feeling about this, but maybe I'm just being paranoid. But they were right about Alya. I need to go apologize about not meeting up yesterday. I'll bring a snack with which will hopefully appease her."
Using a pair of metal tongs, Marinette grabbed a few croissants and stuck them into a paper bag. "These are for Alya," she told Tikki who had come out of hiding. "What do you want for breakfast, Tikki?"
"Three sugar cookies for me please!"
"Three? You certainly are hungry this morning." Marinette pulled out three cookies and handed one to Tikki, setting the others in her bag. Tikki could finish the rest on the walk to Alya's. "And one strawberry tart for me," Marinette continued, picking out her breakfast. "And what should we grab for Chat? He usually likes-"
And then she remembered Chat Noir wasn't there anymore. He was probably at the palace eating the finest breakfast money could buy. Marinette didn't need to worry about feeding him. She didn't need to remember all his favorite foods, his likes and dislikes. Adrien was living the life of a prince and a prince didn't need a common girl's help. He had servants to do that.
"Don't look so sad!" Tikki cried, nudging against Marinette's cheek. "We're going to see him later, right? The event your parents are going to must be in his honor. We'll be able to see him there and celebrate his return with the rest of Paris!"
"But I don't want to celebrate with everyone else," Marinette sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Call me selfish, but I'd rather it was just me and him. He's only been gone an hour or two and I already feel so... lonely. I'm used to having my kitty around. What are we going to do without him?"
"We'll be fine! And I know Adrien is feeling the same way. Both of you two need some time to readjust. I'm sure everything will work out for the better! So turn that frown upside down!"
"Okay... you're right. I've got to be positive! And if anyone can make me feel better, it'll be Alya! Let's not keep her waiting any longer. Off we go!"
Marinette opened her purse and Tikki hid inside. She locked the door and left the bakery. The girl tried to maintain a smile, but was finding it more and more difficult. Her thoughts were filled with Adrien as she secretly prayed that time would move a little faster so they could see each sooner. All this waiting was going to drive her mad.
They arrived at Alya's house after only a few minutes. Marinette took a deep breath as she prepared for what awaited her. Immediately after knocking on Alya's door, Marinette heard an angry stomping. "Here it comes..." she thought, biting her lip. Good thing she had the croissants ready.
The door swung open to reveal an irritated Alya. Her arms were crossed as she shouted, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng! When I said see you later, I didn't mean see you days later! What have you been up to and why haven't you come running to my doorstep to tell me about this boy of yours?"
"First of all, I'm sorry!" Marinette handed Alya the brown paper bag. "These are for you. I know I said I'd hang out with you and Nino, but things came up. Second of all, he's not my boy! He's just a friend."
"Meanwhile your face is redder than a tomato," Alya laughed, pinching Marinette's cheek. "Girl, you don't have to lie to me. There's nothing to be ashamed about. He was a cutie despite his interesting outfit choices."
"Alya!"
"Tell me that you don't love him."
"I..." Marinette bit her lip with a frown, knowing that Alya had defeated her. "Okay, I love him. Happy?"
"Ecstatic!" Alya leaned over and hugged Marinette, practically squealing with excitement. "This is great development. I'm so happy that you've moved on. It hurt me bad to see you so sad, girl. I'm glad you've found somebody else."
"Little does she know it's the same person," Marinette sighed. "And over a year later, he's still causing me emotional distress. Only this time around it's gotten a lot worse."
"But I do want to have a chat with him," Alya continued. "He looked nice, but I gotta make sure he's good enough for my best friend. You deserve only the best! If he ever does anything to hurt you feelings, you come straight to me and I'll show him the power of Alya Cesaire!"
"T-thanks, Alya, but that won't be necessary. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to properly introduce you two and have a conversation."
"Why not?"
"Because the love of my life is a prince with amnesia. The same prince that's considered dead and who, from Alya's perspective, I as Marinette should have no more romantic connections with. Yep! That's just what I'll tell her... not!" Marinette loudly groaned, facepalming. "It's annoying to keep my entire love life undercover. I keep feeding Alya more and more lies, but I'll have to explain it all eventually. But maybe I should take my time..."
Alya gently grabbed Marinette's shoulder, looking concerned. "Are you okay? You look a little stressed. Don't tell me your kitty escaped again?"
"N-no... it's nothing like that. I'm just tired, that's all. I didn't get much sleep last night. That kitty came home in the middle of the night and woke me up."
"I know just the thing to shock some energy into your systems then!" Alya exclaimed as she pulled her bag with with her journalist notes out of nowhere. She pulled out a notepad and pointed to what was scribbled on the page. "King Gabriel is holding a conference outside the palace today! It's definitely going to be about Ladybug and Chat Noir so we're going to sneak our way to the front! This is big news!"
Marinette's eyes went wide. "About that..." she mumbled, twiddling her thumbs. "I'm not sure if it's about them. What if the king has other important news to discuss?"
"Are you kidding me? What's more important than the heroes that have been protecting Paris? Trust me, Marinette. I know my stuff. So are you in?"
"Well..." Marinette's words trailed off. She had promised to meet up with Adrien, but that could wait until after the meeting. After all, she probably wouldn't even get close to him once everyone realized he was... alive. The entire kingdom would be in celebration and Adrien would have a busy schedule. She might only be able to see him if she snuck into the castle as Ladybug. So maybe going with Alya couldn't hurt. Marinette owed her best friend anyways.
"Alright," Marinette nodded, giving Alya a smile. "My parents are there too so it seems like a really big deal. It would be silly if I didn't go."
"Your parents?"
"Yeah. They got invited by the king personally. Pretty strange, right? They didn't know why and I'm curious about it myself."
"Maybe King Gabriel's interested in some high class treats?" Alya joked. "If he needs catering done, there's only one bakery in Paris to ask."
Marinette giggled. "That's what I thought too. Maybe this is my family's chance to strike it rich!"
"Well, let's go see ourselves! If we don't hurry, we won't get a good seat!" Alya bolted out the door, laughing maniacally, and grabbed Marinette's arm, dragging the poor girl along. Marinette was so taken off guard, she nearly tripped over her own feet. Once Alya got going there was nobody who could stop her, not even her best friend. Marinette decided just to let this one go.
"Isn't this so exciting?" Alya rambled as she pulled Marinette through the streets. Despite fighting past throngs of people, Alya still hadn't settled down. "What if Ladybug and Chat Noir make an appearance? Do you think they'll sit down for an interview? The paper is just dying for an inside scoop as am I! Maybe I can even get their autographs!"
Marinette sighed, trying to calm Alya down. "I think you've got the wrong idea about this press conference," she tried to explain. "I don't think Ladybug and Chat Noir will visiting though I think you'll still certainly find a newsworthy story."
"And what makes you think that?"
"No reason..."
"Sabrina! Just what are you doing!"
Alya and Marinette froze, their bodies unconsciously shuddering at the sound of that familiar voice. "There's no way," Marinette moaned, about ready to pull her pigtails out. She was having a bad enough day already considering her Adrien withdrawal. The last thing she needed was a little blonde nightmare in the mix.
"I-I'm sorry!" a weak voice stammered. It was Sabrina, Chloe's maid though the word indentured servant or slave might have been better suited to her position. Marinette watched Sabrina scramble to pick up boxes probably filled with dresses and shoes that had fallen to the ground. Chloe simply watched her arms crossed, an annoyed huff on her face.
"You'd better be," Chloe snarled. "If any of those get ruined, you're going to pay for them!"
"Looks like the wicked witch flew in on her broomstick," Alya muttered, rolling her eyes. "What I wouldn't give to sock her right in the mouth... Wait... Marinette?"
Marinette's natural sense of justice stepped in as she stomped in between Chloe and Sabrina, holding her hands up to protect Sabrina. "Knock it off!" Marinette cried, her eyes filled with anger. "Can't you see she's trying her best?"
"If it isn't Marinette..." Chloe sneered as she jabbed her finger at Marinette's chest. "What do you think you're doing? Oh wait... I see. The dirt poor have to stick together."
"Well at least us dirt poor have some manners. Too bad I can't say the same for you."
"Ugh. I don't have time for the likes of you." Chloe whipped her ponytail to the side and gave Marinette a smug smile. "Adrien is waiting back at the palace for me."
"You met Adrien?" Marinette's aura turned dark. "I swear if she bothered him, I'll treat her like I do with an akuma. With no mercy." Marinette's cracked her fists. "The last thing the poor boy needs is a heavy helping of Chloe."
"That's right. Your little mind might not be able to comprehend this, but he's not really dead. Now that he's back, he's all over me. When I had to go home yesterday, King Gabriel practically had to drag the two of us apart. It was heartbreaking..."
"Somehow I doubt that..."
"Woah, woah, woah!" Alya cried, jumping into the conversation. "Did your broomstick hit you on the head? Prince Adrien's been dead for over a year."
Chloe crossed her arms. "News flash, weirdo: He's perfectly alive and well. I talked to him yesterday." To prove her point, Chloe nudged Sabrina, who had finished picking up the fallen boxes.
"T-That's right!" Sabrina stammered, nervously trying to carry all of Chloe's boxes at once. "I saw him through the window while I waited for Chloe outside the palace."
"No way!" Alya grabbed her head in shock and turned to Marinette. "This must be what the King's meeting is about! How is this possible? Did you have any idea?"
"Not at all..." Marinette lied. "But didn't you say you didn't want to be late. We should really get going..." She had a feeling the conversation was going to take an inconvenient turn and she wanted to leave the presence of the Queen Bee.
"Hold it!" Chloe held up her hand, stopping Marinette. "You haven't talked to Adrikins since he came back, have you?"
"Me? Talk with a prince?" Marinette pushed Chloe's shoulder playfully though she wished she could have been more forceful. "I didn't even know he was still alive."
Marinette rubbed the back of her neck anxiously and prayed that her weak lies would be sufficient. The last thing she needed was Chloe on her back. Leave it to Adrien to spill the beans although Marinette had never outright told him to keep it a secret. She just assumed he would know better especially around Chloe. Trusting a boy with amnesia may have been the wrong choice.
"You're right. What was I thinking?" Chloe clapped her hands and yelled, "Sabrina! Put those boxes in the carriage! We're off to see Adrien and hopefully we won't pass by these two losers again." Sabrina nodded and quickly ran to the carriage which was parked nearby. Before Chloe left, she stuck out her tongue at Marinette and Alya. Then she trotted away, satisfied with herself.
"That was a close one," Marinette thought until she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe not as close as I thought..."
"Girl, what was that about?" Alya exclaimed as she shook with excitement. "Prince Adrien's alive! That's gotta be what the press conference is about today. Talk about a scoop! It's like a miracle! I can already see the title: Beloved Prince Back from the Dead. Readers will eat it up!"
"I'm sure you'll write a great story about it!" Marinette pretended to smile, but was secretly hoping Alya would drop the topic. Not to mention, if she did any research into the story, she'd find only dead ends. No one was supposed to know Prince Adrien had been living as Chat Noir for the past year. Although, there was no reasonable explanation as to why he was suddenly alive. Marinette had left coming up with that one to King Gabriel.
"But why did Chloe think you've talked to him?" Alya's eyes narrowed. "You haven't been holding out on me, right?"
"O-of course not! When would I ever get the chance to talk to the prince especially a dead one? Think about it!"
"Hmm... guess you're right. Chloe must be crazy, but what else is new?"
"Yep, she's real crazy..."
"We should really get moving now!" Alya gasped as she pointed in the distance. Not too far away was the castle gates and there was already a huge crowd moving toward it. "I'm really excited for this story so we've got to get up close! Not to mention, this could be your chance to reunite with your one true love!"
"Let's save the love for later. For now, we should find some seats."
Marinette pushed Alya along towards the castle. "We've already reunited, but thanks for trying..." Marinette thought. "And I can't wait until I get to explain that the feeling is mutual. My entire love life will probably make into the headlines of the next day's newspaper."
After a bit of walking, the girls found themselves at the edge of a massive congregation of people. People were lined up far past the palace gates, so far that it would be impossible to hear the king's speech from the distance. Still, people were eager to hear their leader speak and would happily wait amongst the crowd for his news to reach them.
"Uh-uh! Nope!" Alya frowned as she tightly gripped her bag. "I'm not getting caught back here. Marinette, we're moving towards the front. Hang on!"
Before Marinette could argue, Alya grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd, nearly knocking people over. There were a few angry grunts and grumbles, but nobody stopped them so Alya and Marinette just kept going. They quickly found themselves in the front, standing at the edge of the wooden platform brought out for the king's speeches.
"This is more like it!" Alya grinned. She pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. "Pay close attention," she told Marinette. "I need to get all the details. Prince Adrien coming back from the dead has got to be the biggest story in history and I'm going to be the first one to report about it!"
"Keep your voice down," Marinette whispered, signaling for Alya to lower her volume. "Look over there!" She pointed to a portion of the crowd that was sectioned off. Among the group was the city's most elite Parisians. They were friends of the king and were always formally invited to all his speeches. Marinette's parents were among the group which they had mentioned earlier. She still didn't understand why, but that wasn't what bothered her the most. What bugged her was the blonde haired bee sitting beside her overly wealthy father.
"If Chloe sees you causing a ruckus, she won't hesitate to kick us out."
"Alright," Alya sighed, putting up her hands in defeat. Marinette was right. She tended to get a little over excited and she didn't want to risk her story because of Chloe.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps filled the air and the entire crowd went quiet. The king stepped onto the stage and approached the podium in the center. He was dressed as regal as always with the same impartial look he always had. But this time, he wasn't alone. Behind him was Prince Adrien, dressed in equally royal clothing. It was different than what Marinette was used to seeing him in. It wasn't black leather or a worn cloak. He truly looked like a prince, but it felt like the distance between them had grown even more. Marinette felt like she was looking at a stranger.
"It really is him," Alya gasped, her mouth gaping. "But could it really be possible? The king himself declared Prince Adrien dead!"
Marinette covered Alya's mouth as she strained to hear King Gabriel's words. "Just listen..."
King Gabriel cleared his throat and began to speak. "People of Paris. It is my great honor to bring you this joyous news. My son, who was long thought dead and gone, has returned to us once more."
Gasps echoed through the crowd. Quiet murmurs grew loud as people started to question the king's words. To everyone, it seemed impossible. How could somebody come back from the dead?
"I'm sure you all have questions," King Gabriel continued. "So I must confess the truth as is my duty as king. When my son vanished a year ago, I spent much time searching for him with fruitless results. Against my better judgement, I gave up on my search and my son. I believed he was truly dead and gone which I relayed to you all. But it seems that the heavens are on our side as my son has finally returned."
"I cannot speak of his time away from us. He has changed and grown as a man, something I regret never being able to watch. Despite his absence, he is still my son and still this country's prince. He will become a great leader and I hope you will all accept him back into our country's history. Give him all the love you shared before. Now, my son has a few words he wishes to share with you. Please listen with an open mind and heart."
King Gabriel stepped back and Adrien approached the podium. Marinette bit her lip, suddenly feeling worried. "Isn't this too much for him?" she thought. She could see Adrien's nervous expression and wished she could leap onto the stage and hug him. "He doesn't remember anything about being a prince! He needs time to readjust. How could he give a speech like this?"
Her heart sank as she answered her own question. "Maybe he's better off than I thought... He doesn't need me to watch over him. He's got maids and assistants or whatever else he could ever want. He's a prince and his time with me as Chat Noir doesn't change that. Maybe he's trying to leave that old life behind. I can't blame him. His father's expectations are large as are the kingdom's. It's only a matter of time until he gets so far away from me that I can't even touch him. Love... he doesn't need that or me anymore."
"H-Hello..." Adrien addressed the crowd, his voice cracking. His face turned red, a sign of his embarrassment. "Don't get discouraged," he thought as he took a deep breath. "This is important." He relaxed his shoulders and cleared his throat. "People of Paris, I thank for your warm welcome towards my return. I know I've been gone a long... long time, but I hope you will reaccept me as this country's Prince. I might be different than you remember, but I am still me and I hope you will accept this new me."
"I cannot explain my absence, but it was a long struggle to find myself. I felt scared and alone like the entire world was against me. I had no one to trust or rely on, not even my own father. My life as prince vanished from my mind as I struggled to survive in a different and threatening world."
"Adrien..." Marinette whispered, finding herself engrossed in his speech. He sounded anxious, yet confident. He appeared princely, but spoke informally. In many ways, he reminded Marinette of the Prince Adrien she met in the rain, official but kind-hearted. However, his posture and attitude struck her as one of Chat Noir. They had combined into one amazing boy. It was the boy who had truly won Marinette's heart.
Alya noticed Marinette mumble something to herself. She looked up from her notepad and saw a vacant look in her friend's eyes. Marinette was staring directly at Prince Adrien, hardly even blinking. "Is she okay?" Alya worried, wondering if she should snap her friend back to reality. "I thought news of Prince Adrien's return would be good for her, but maybe it was more shocking than anything..."
"But I wouldn't have made it through this journey alone," Adrien continued, his heart racing. "Telling people of my return wasn't the only reason for this gathering. There is something more important I have to do. I can hardly hold it in another moment. When I was on my own, alone, one girl changed everything. She is brave, confident, and witty. She's the most beautiful girl in Paris with the kindest heart. She would put herself in danger to protect even her enemy. This girl quickly became my entire world..."
"Is he talking about me?" Marinette panicking, suddenly feeling tense. "Why is he talking about me? What's he doing?"
"Who do you think he's talking about?" Alya whispered into Marinette's ear. "Sounds like a pretty special someone so don't get too down, girl. You've already found someone else, but I am wondering who this mystery girl is. Got any ideas?"
"No clue..."
Adrien tightly gripped the podium as his voice grew louder. Professing his love was something he became well-versed at and he felt in the zone. His Chat Noir side was beginning to take over. "When I returned to being prince, I realized I couldn't spend my every day with her. The only person I cared about was ripped from my side, but I'm going to change that. I want to make my life with her and I want all of Paris as my witness."
"Oh my god..." Alya could hardly breathe. This was an even bigger scoop! Prince Adrien had vanished for a year and considered dead by all, but he was actually spending time with a girl! And he wanted to marry her! As Alya tried to scribble down notes as fast as she could, she noticed Chloe's face warp into one of disgust and horror. It seems like she didn't know Prince Adrien had a secret lover either.
"He isn't..." Marinette thought, her eyes widening. "Oh God. He can't be... that's too gutsy even for Chat Noir!" She tightly gripped her dress to keep her hands from trembling.
"My father and I arranged this event so I may ask her to marry me," Adrien smiled as his gaze turned to the crowd. He found a familiar face staring back at him, just as he expected. Taking a leap of faith, Adrien jumped off the stage and into the crowd which was followed by loud gasps. People moved out of the way as he walked towards a particular girl until he stopped right in front of her.
"Marinette..." he smiled, gently grabbing her hand. Their eyes locked. Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out ring adorned in diamonds. "I already almost lost you but I won't make that mistake again. This may seem too sudden... and it is. But it's the only way I know we can be together forever. My lady, my princess, my... Marinette. Will you marry me?" He held up the ring and slid it onto her finger. Marinette hardly moved, still stunned.
"I-I..."
Marinette glanced down at the ring. It was a sign of lifelong commitment. A symbol of everlasting love. And she was only sixteen. Yet she had fought evil akumas, broken magic spells, and kissed a prince. Would it be the strangest thing that ever happened? And, like everything else, maybe it had been a part of her destiny. Her dream, though when conceived was far-fetched, had transformed into reality. And who could say no to their dreams coming true?
"Yes... I will!"
Tears flooding from her eyes, Marinette jumped forward and hugged Adrien, nearly knocking him over. With a chuckle, he hugged her back, holding back his own tears. From the crowd, Tom and Sabine watched, happy to see their daughter happy though they felt confused. Beside them was King Gabriel, who for the first time since his wife passed, felt like everything in the world was right again.
Marinette and Adrien stayed wrapped in each other's tight embrace, desperately trying to grasp the realness of their words. After so much struggle and heartbreak, their true love was finally realized and they would never be separated again.
Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette and Adrien. It didn't matter. They would be together for always.
