The minutes feel like hours as I wait for Plagg to return. I'm not sure whether or not to remove Ladybug's earrings, fearing she could be hurt worse if I do. Plagg comes back quick as he can, and when this is all over, I'll buy him a mountain of cheese.

I gather Ladybug in my arms, and make the portal, stepping through the Tibetan temple. Luckily, its placed me near the entrance and I don't have to climb the Forever Staircase from the bottom of the mountain.

The air is cool and sweet, and I catch sight of a woman with red hair flowing down her back, attending to some flowerbeds. "Please, help me. Please." The woman turns and gasps when she sees what I'm carrying. "Come this way, quickly, Adrien." She opens a wide set of double doors and sets off at a brisk pace. I keep up the best I can, and she leads me through another set of doors. The air smells of antiseptic and a faint scent of lemon cleaner. "This is the sick bay. Rigel, would come here, please?" Rigel swiftly comes over. "Adrien, can you tell Rigel what happened? He's the head doctor here." "I don't know. I was trapped in a room, and when I found her she was covered in blood and lying on the floor not moving." "We need to get her into a bed quickly. Follow me, please, Adrien."

I follow both the woman and Rigel to a more quiet part of the hospital and enter a small room. I pull back the covers, setting Ladybug against the pillows. She looks so small in the bed, as if she's taking a nap. A few tears slip from my eyes, and I step back not wanting to get her wet. "She's in good hands, Adrien. But its time to go now, so Rigel can get to work." "Wait, please," I tell her, turning to the doctor.

"Would you possibly be able to find a cure for my Mother? She's in a coma." Rigel gives me a kind smile. "I have to examine her first, before I could give you any answers." "Adrien, give yourself time to rest, you must be in shock."

Suddenly, the adrenaline starts fading, the whir of the machines are calming, and I feel my eyes drooping. "Come on, I'll find a room for you. My name is Autumn." "Adrien, though it sounds like you already knew that. Did Ladybug know you or something?" "All in good time. Ah, here we are."

She opens the door to a small room with a bed but the most fantastic picture window I've ever seen. "Don't worry about a thing, Adrien. Just relax."

Autumn has such a calming nature, and once she leaves Plagg flies out of my shirt as I toss it over my head. He flies into the cupboard, I wonder if he's worried too, he just doesn't me to see he's scared.

I fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow, how long I sleep I don't know. When I wake, its dusk and I watch the colors in the sky, pinks and purples before fading into darkness. A gentle knock at the door causes me to sit up.

"Come in," I call, and its Autumn, rolling in some kind of cart. "Would you like some food, Adrien?" She lifts one of the dome-covered platters and my favorite dish chicken fried rice rests heaped on a plate.

"Are you a Guardian here?" I ask as we sit down at a small table. "I am, but Orion and I are a different kind of Guardian. We provided love and advice for the heroes who are on their own. Ladybug stumbled upon me when I believe you two were having some sort of fight." "I'd forgotten about that. Thank you for taking her in and helping her. Is she doing better?" Autumn is quiet, and I begin to lose my appetite. "She will get better, won't she? I can't lose her now that my father is dead and my mother is in a coma…."

Sobs rack my body and Autumn comes around to me. "Just let out, Adrien. Your allowed to feelings and don't be ashamed to cry." It takes a few minutes to regain my composure. "I was talking to Orion and he said if your up to it, he could help bring your mother here." I wipe at my eyes. "He'd do that? For me?" "Of course. I'm not saying for sure she would get better, but you have to try." "Give me ten minutes. Could you send him here?" "Consider it done. And I'll stay by Marinette's side until you return." "Does Rigel know about the baby?" "Yes, the baby is fine, thank the Kwamis."

As soon as Autumn leaves, I locate the bathroom in the room, stripping down and stepping into the shower. Nicks and scratches cover my body a long scratch stings when I rub soap over it. Stepping into clean clothes, I feel refreshed, even if the night is far from over.

Orion comes exactly on time, and I like him immediately. "Ready to go?" I nod, making the portal. I gag as we exit the portal, the smell of rotten things and stink fill our nostrils. I lead Orion to Mother's resting chamber, sighing a silent of relief when I find that's she okay. Then I turn to Orion. "How do we get Mother out?" There's a thick pane of glass sealing Mother inside. "Here, Adrien. There seems to be a button on the side." He looks at me and I nod, and he hits the button and the pressure is released, the glass paneling scaling back. Orion gently picks Mother up. "Make the portal, Adrien. We need to get back to the temple as soon as possible."

I do and deliver Mother safely to the hospital. Autumn finds me. "You should be getting some rest, Adrien. We'll let you at once if anything happens."

I curl up in a ball, but unlike earlier, I can't stop shaking. Green eyes stare at me from the wardrobe. My heart starts to pound thinking a stray animal got in. "I'm scared, Adrien." Its Plagg, flying out from the cupboard and nestles into my hair. "I'm scared, too. But we have to do this together."

Eventuality, I drop off to sleep, but I'm awake at first light, not being able to sleep any longer. Thinking I'll wait for Autumn to find me, I go outside onto the battlements looking over the wall. Mist clings to the ground, and a heavy but pleasant scent of flowers fills my nose. Flowers. Thousands upon thousands of flowers are stretched before me, and I descend a staircase and walk into the garden. Mother would love this garden, when she wasn't sewing or modeling, she would take me into the garden, my favorite place to play as a child….

"Mommy, Mommy, I found another one!" I dash up to Mother happily, cupping the small ladybug. "A ladybug brings good luck, you know. So, the more ladybugs you find, the luckier you'll be!"

I sigh, watching the red-jeweled insect take flight, and take hold of my stuffed cat. "I don't want to be lucky. I just want a friend." Mother smiles at me. "I know, honey."

Though we have company all the time, there all grown-up and no one wants to play with a shy boy anyway. Well, expect my cousin Felix. But he lives in London so we don't see each other often. "Cheer up, honey. How about you go draw a picture of a friend you might have?" A smile breaks over my face. "Okay, Mommy. You'll be the first person to see it when its done."

"Adrien! Adrien!" I stir slowly, blinking into now bright sunlight. I must have fallen asleep against a tree. Autumn walks towards me. "I thought I might find you down here. The garden is very calming, isn't it?" just as she says that, a bird chirps out of a morning chorus. "I just talked to Rigel, and he thinks Marinette will be okay. But she needs surgery." "I need to give her a kiss before she goes," I scramble to my feet.

Disappointment hits me hard as I enter her room, why was thinking she'd be awake and waiting for me? I wonder where she is now, what thoughts are going through her head…

"Will give you a minute, Adrien." I take Ladybug's hand, and give it a gentle squeeze. "Your going to get better, and just be brave. Don't forget that I love you, Marinette."

I press a kiss to her soft lips, trying to shove back the doubt that this is the goodbye kiss. I watch them wheel her bed down until it disappears through a swinging door. I feel very alone and lost. I transform, a coping mechanism when I get scared. I find my way outside again, and I hear the tumbling sound of water and find a small waterfall.

There's small path that leads behind the falls, and I start out. The rocks are wet and slippery, but here no can see me, and no one can hurt me. I have to strong, I have to be brave.

Curling up in a small ball, I let the water lull me into a thinking stupor. How long I stay in my balled position I don't know.

If I didn't need food or water, I might have stayed behind the falls much longer. People smile at me as they pass me in the hall, but no one gives me an update which must mean there's been no change.

I find the dining hall and get some spaghetti and milk, sitting at a back table. The minutes turn into hours and the day stretches on. Still, no change to M'lady's condition or Mother's.

Finally, I make my way back to my room. There's nothing to do but wait as I climb into the window seat and pray for a miracle.