Hey guys! Sorry about the long delay between updates... My life has hit a rough patch lately, and it has really affected my motivation to write. Both of my kids ended up in the hospital during that time, and my morale was pretty low. But, I have to keep on keeping on, and I just have to remember that writing helps my depression. I also threw myself into a new fandom (My Hero Academia, ya'll need to watch it if you haven't already) to take my mind off of things, but that's neither here nor there. I won't promise that the next update will be soon, but I am slowly getting back into a better mindset for writing, and I haven't lost my passion for this story or where we have planned for it to go. So I can absolutely assure you that I am in no way, shape or form abandoning this story or its wonderful readers. Both of the other co-authors have been amazing friends to me, encouraging me and lifting me up in the times my brain went to dark places.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and accept my apologies!

He slammed his hands down on the table in the dimly lit room. I'm surrounded by incompetent assholes, he thought to himself. Maybe it was finally time to get his hands dirty. It seemed like the girl had an extraordinary amount of good luck, narrowly escaping his clutches each time he let his guard down for even a moment. At some point she would need to be punished for evading him so well.

He stared at the wall in front of him, where a spiderweb of string and Post It notes, all centered around an old photo of Marinette and Adrien, occupied most of the blank wall. Adrien's college schedule was posted, denoting his side of Gabriel's obsession, along with Marinette's job offer from M. Laurent to represent her side. Her string crossed with his son's far too often for his taste. Luka's picture was tacked up off to the side, pictures of his family branched around him. They had been employed by him for years, his most promising students in the killing arts before the tragedy with Luka's mom. He had managed to salvage Luka, watching from afar as he grew colder and more calculating. More like himself. And now he was gone. He had felt his death as his power weakened by another margin. There was always a chance that he was still alive, that he had just cloaked his power, but Gabriel had his doubts. He had felt his power peak during a heady mix of pain and pleasure, only to be snuffed out a short time later. He wouldn't know for certain until his eyes in the area checked in though. After suffering the loss of Adrien's power to the girl, he couldn't afford any more slip ups. He could only assume that their true powers had awakened by now as well. Luka hadn't checked in before his passing, so Gabriel was back to square one pinpointing his son and his girlfriend's location.

A knock on the door pulled him out of his infuriating musings. He slammed a finger onto the first in a series of buttons that were built into the deceptively plain looking table before he turned his back on the string laced wall. This particular button was wired to his state of the art security system, and activated a display next to the only door in the room, one that he turned to view with a sigh. A camera feed popped up on the wall next to the door, revealing that Chloe Bourgeois stood on the other side of the door. He sighed again and pressed another button to grant her entry before turning back around.

She heard the click of the lock releasing and she opened the door, pulling it towards her and slipping in. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in the room, looking at the back of the powerful and cold man in front of her. The man who had given her another chance after her father's failures. She sauntered over to him, her heels clicking across the dark wood flooring. He hadn't turned around when she entered, so she slid her hands up his back before trailing them down his arms. He was lean and tall, much like herself. He also craved power, much like herself. They had been dancing around each other for years, never publicly together but occupying the same circles regardless. He was the definition of dangerous, and Chloe had never been able to resist stroking that danger higher. She pressed her breasts against his back as her arms wrapped around his waist. She couldn't see his facial expression yet, but he hadn't pushed her away so she took it as a sign to continue.

Her hands skimmed over the bulge in his pants before cupping him from the outside. So you ARE in the mood to play, she thought to herself wickedly. She wasted no time unbuckling his silver belt and pulling his zip down, easing his hard length outside of his pants before dropping her hands. She walked around him, still not looking in his face as she crouched down. Her six inch stilettos gave her the height she needed to draw close even while crouched and she leaned forward and drew her tongue from the base of his rigid length to the tip. She flicked the tip with her tongue before drawing him into her mouth. She wrapped her lips around his head and hollowed her cheeks as she swallowed him down. His hand buried itself in her hair, she felt only a moment of triumph before he started thrusting into her mouth harshly. To her own credit, she never faltered, taking each punishing thrust down her throat with no outward sign of discomfort. It would've been wasted on the man in front of her, and likely would've just pissed him off anyway. Instead, she concentrated on palming his balls, stroking the flame between them higher still. He pulled away from her, removing himself from her mouth while simultaneously yanking her up by her hair. He spun her around and forced her down across the tabletop. He pushed her dress up and pressed a hand against her spine to hold her down. She wasn't wearing any underwear, so he slammed into her without any further ado. Before she had a chance to cry out at the forced entry, he started a bruising pace. There was nothing she could do except cling to the table as he pounded his frustration into her tight pussy.

He gazed at the cluttered wall as he thrust into the girl below him, completely ignoring her squeals as his long cock rammed into her. His eyes remained trained on one particular photo, one that Adrien had posted to his Instagram right before she left for Milan. Marinette was in a emerald green halter top that accented her chest, which was pushed out as she bent over in laughter. Short white shorts barely covered any skin and modeled her wide hips, the barest hint of her ass on display from her position. The back of a hand was pressed to her mouth, doing little to stifle what were obviously out of control giggles. The other arm was wrapped around her stomach, holding onto her side in her hysterics. Her bluebell eyes were sparkling into the camera, making it appear that she was laughing at him. How he wished it was her underneath him laid out on this table. Her that his length was ramming into, her that was being reminded of her place beneath him. He wanted to break her, to destroy every good thing in her life and bathe himself in her blood and tears. Just picturing the things he would make her do to him brought him to his release.One day soon, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I will have you exactly where I want you. He tucked himself back into his underwear and adjusted his pants back the way they were before the girl beneath him had interrupted his planning session. "What do you want, Chloe?"

The girl was still catching her breath, but she caught the dangerous edge in his voice and pushed herself up and off the table immediately. "I wanted to let you know that Marinette has been released from the hospital in Loire. Due to my connections with the staff there, I now have their home address from the paperwork. It is in a smaller area of the city, on the outskirts but not out of the populated area. It is likely that Luka followed Marinette to a nearby farmers market that she seems to frequent. There was an abandoned building that burned to the ground the day after Adrien was released from the hospital, it is likely that it was the scene of Luka's attack and death. Adrien-"

"Stop telling me things I already know. I need new intel, Ms. Bourgeois, otherwise you are just here to get in my way. I'm not in the mood for distractions today." His cold voice cut through her detached rambling. Her mouth snapped shut and she simply eyed him for a moment before continuing.

"Well, Mr. Agreste, it seems like you officially have a future daughter-in-law. Congrats and all that." Chloe couldn't hide her smirk as she watched the older man's face as the new information sank in. His eyes narrowed at her, and his hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Continue."

"Adrien and Marinette were spotted shopping for an engagement ring at a prominent jewelry store in Loire. After some bribing, I've acquired the design they purchased. I will e-mail it to you if you are interested. I also was able to 'convince' the shop employee to allow me to review the security footage, and I think there is something you need to know. I didn't think to review Marinette's hospital records until after I saw the footage, but once I did it was confirmed. I emailed you a snippet of the footage right before I knocked."

Her blatant refusal to just spit out what information she had was a red flag for him. His anger spiked as he pressed yet another button along the side of the table. A display appeared in the same spot as before, only instead of a camera feed it was his computer display. Quickly walking forward, he tapped on it a few times before selecting the e-mail at the top of his inbox list. A file was downloaded a second later, but before he could press it, a hand gripped his upper arm.

"You might want to watch it on a bigger screen. It can be hard to miss." She stepped back as he shrugged her off. While there was some truth to her statement, really she just wanted him to have a full screen view of Adrien's ultimate deception. She wanted to watch his face as he realized that Adrien had already taken more steps away from him than he had realized. She wanted to watch his plans crumble. Just like hers had.

He hesitated, clearly there was something quite important in the footage that he needed to know, but he couldn't understand what that could possibly be. And what minor detail would need to be so carefully scrutinized that he needed a larger screen? Dread began to curl around his heart, its icy fingers licking at his insides as he clicked the final thing. The video started on the adjacent wall, encompassing the full surface. A mundane jewelry store was displayed, Adrien and Marinette's backs were to the camera as they talked with an employee. He recognized his sons embarrassingly unruly hair, and it appeared that Marinette was wearing the same emerald halter top as in the picture on his wall. She appeared to be a bit thicker, but then again with all the hiding it wasn't like she could be moving around a lot either. His patience was quickly wearing thin, there was nothing out of the ordinary about this. He was just about to turn his wrath on Chloe, when Adrien and Marinette shifted. Their profiles were thrown into relief as they made to exit the shop, and in an instant he understood. His gaze zeroed in on Marinette, who was walking slightly ahead of Adrien. And he understood why it appeared that she had gained weight. In fact, he understood exactly why Chloe had been the one to bring him this footage. She wouldn't trust anyone else with it, nor would she allow anyone the chance to take credit for the discovery of this monumental disaster displayed on his wall. Without looking, he slammed a finger onto the smaller display, pausing the video. His fists curled and uncurled at his sides as he struggled to maintain his cool demeanor. He needed to think, not come apart at the seams over a new development. "Get out."

"But-!" Chloe tried to protest, but his patience had reached its limit. He grabbed her arm as he slammed the button to unlock the door, and then he dragged her across the room and hurled her out into the hallway beyond. He didn't glance back or acknowledge her in any way as the door slammed shut once more. She pulled herself up off the ground, glad no one had been nearby to witness her abrupt dismissal. As she stood, she heard a sound that caused a smile to grace her wicked features despite her embarrassment. A roar from the inside of the room, one that would scare any other person, but one that was only music to her ears. I hope you're satisfied, Gabriel. He's well and truly beyond your reach now.

Inside the room, after he disposed of the obnoxious woman who reeked smugness, his eyes continued to glare at the frozen image in front of him. He raised his right hand and curled it into a fist once more. He concentrated as he felt his rage battering his body. A series of popping sounds rang throughout the room, and then he threw his head back and screamed. Purple light covered him for a moment, before it dissipated and revealed Gabriel's true form. No one else knew about this power, no one except Nathalie. The maelstrom of emotions running through him fueled it, but none more so than his rage. And the image in front of him infuriated him. With blinding speed, he was in front of the image, whipping his fist back before slamming it into the wall right where the still image of Marinette Dupain-Cheng resided. Right where her unborn child, his unborn grandchild could be seen. Cracks spiderwebbed out from the impact of his fist, but it wasn't enough. She was still there, smiling. Smiling at his son, his worthless son that refused to be shaped into something useful.

His first impulse was to order his operatives to attack, to do whatever necessary to bring her to him so that he could wipe the smile off of her face. But running recklessly into situations had never been his style. He needed to plan everything out carefully to ensure that all things worked out in his favor. He wanted to be able to savor his victory over the woman in the picture, and to hurt her with the most devastating effect possible. While his anger still raged, his logical mind began to plan.

She was still shaken from her encounter with Luka, so it was more than likely that she would still be on high alert. And his son would be annoyingly clingy following her attack, especially with her being pregnant. No, he needed to lull them both into a false sense of security, and make them relax their guard. That would be the only way he would be able to get close enough to snatch her. He didn't notice it when his power faded, lost in his musings on how best to approach these new developments. After a moment, he flexed his fist as he removed it from the wall and walked back over to his desk. He picked up a phone and dialed, waiting less than a second before the call connected and a woman's face popped up on the display next to the door.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Nathalie, clear my schedule. I need to get out of the country, and I need Adrien to believe that I have backed off of trying to run his life. Make sure it happens."

"Right away."

And then she was gone.

Marinette paused, the hum of the sewing machine dying down as she pulled away from it. She straightened up, rubbing her lower back tiredly as she strained to listen into the silence of their house. After a moment, another round of knocking sounded on the front door, and she started towards it. Tikki accompanied her, floating alongside her head as she made her way down the long hallway leading towards the front door. Marinette's footsteps were light as she approached it, not wanting to alert whoever was on the other side of the door to her presence until she was sure they didn't mean her any harm. She hated that she had to be so paranoid, hated that even in her own home she felt unsure of her safety, but it couldn't be helped. It had only been three weeks since Luka had found her, and the memory was still too fresh to not be cautious. Adrien had only just now left her at home alone once again, she didn't want to do anything to worry him further. She stood on her tiptoes and looked through the peephole Adrien had installed right after she came home from the hospital. In that moment, she was extremely grateful for her overprotective fiance and his thoughtfulness.

A older man, obviously of asian origin, was standing on the porch. He wore a bright red hawaiian shirt with a pattern of white flowers, with khaki colored pants. As if he knew she was looking at him, he turned his face up to stare right at her. A chill raced down her spine at the scrutinizing look he wore, even though he couldn't possibly know that she was looking at him in that particular moment.

"Who is it, Marinette?" Tikki's voice was a worried whisper near her ear, as if she could feel the unsettled feeling tearing its way through her holder. Marinette looked at her with an expression that she couldn't quite place.

"It's…. An old man. I've never seen him before. He is wearing the most obnoxious red hawaiian shirt…" Marinette was rambling nervously, trying to figure out what to do with her current situation. Something about her description piqued Tikki's interest, and she lifted herself higher to peek through the peephole herself.

Tikki's gasp cut through Marinette's swirling thoughts, and then suddenly Tikki was flipping the lock on the door and turning the knob. "Tikki!" she hissed, "What are you doing?! We don't know who this man is at all, why are you-"

"Marinette! I know exactly who this man is, you must let him in, quickly! There's got to be a reason he's here, I'm sure of it!" Tikki continued to pull against Marinette's hand holding the door shut. Marinette hesitated another moment and then steeled herself. If Tikki trusts this person, then she must as well.

"Sorry it took me awhile to get to the door. Please, come in." Marinette was allowing the man entry before she knew it, watching as the man slowly made his way into the house. Tikki whooped and rushed up to the man's face to press a hug into his cheek. His stern expression melted away and he smiled brightly.

"Tikki! It's been so long, my friend! How are you?"

Marinette stood awkwardly in the entryway, listening to Tikki jabber rapidly to the old man and him fire questions at her like they were old friends. For all she knew, they were. After all, Tikki had only been with her for a short time in the grand scope of things. Tikki and Plagg had only briefly mentioned their past holders at times, but Marinette had never thought to ask in depth about their pasts either. She had just immediately accepted Tikki's presence in her life, not questioning why or how or what happened in the past when they arrived. She resolved to fix that oversight as soon as possible.

The older man watched the young bluenette out of the corner of his eye as he chatted with Tikki, nearly able to hear her inner chunnering himself. He assessed her quietly, thinking Tikki had picked yet another perfect match for Chat Noir. The girl exuded a quiet strength, obvious intelligence, but no trace of any arrogance to be found. She was small but he could see the fire lurking just under the surface, the righteous desire to help. He watched as she seemed to come to a decision, her face smoothing from its concerned crease. Yes, Tikki did very well this time. "Where is Chat Noir?"

Marinette looked up at him in surprise. Her eyes narrowed as she debated on whether she should respond as if she didn't know exactly who he was referring to. It was obvious this man knew something about their recent superpowers, but was he someone looking to capitalize on that, or to help them? Marinette decided she needed more information before she could form a concrete opinion in that regard. "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I am the only one home at this time." She bowed as her mother had taught her growing up, showing respect for the older man while still dodging his question.

When she raised her head, her eyes were drawn to the smirk stretching across his face. "Nicely done. However, there is not much time to waste. I can assure you that I am here merely to assist you, to help you understand your powers and the responsibilities that come with them. Do you have somewhere we can sit and maybe discuss this over a cup of tea? I would prefer Chat Noir to be here to avoid having to repeat the conversation, but if he is teaching at this time, I suppose there is nothing I can do about it." The older man gazed around the large entryway, taking in the homey yet modern style of the newest Miraculous holders. He shuffled over to a large framed photograph hanging on the wall. Marinette was wearing white capris and a red and black spotted short sleeved blouse that was pulled up and tied around her middle. Adrien was standing behind and slightly to the side of her, his arms wrapped around her stomach. He wore a plain white unbuttoned shirt with his signature black shirt underneath, khaki cargo shorts completing his casual attire. Marinette had one arm laid over his wrapped around her, the other was cupping the side of his face. Both were facing the camera with soft smiles. Next to them were Alya and Nino, who were making goofy smiles at the camera. Alya had an elbow against Nino's shoulder, leaning into him. She wore an off the shoulders flowy black top that cut off at her midriff and blue jean cut off shorts. Nino had his headphones around his neck, a blue t-shirt and khaki cargo pants on. One hand was behind his head and his smile was too cheesy to be sincere. He was the only one not looking at the camera, his head turned slightly to look down at the girl posing next to him. None of them had shoes on, the sand of whatever beach they were on littering their feet and legs. The man took time to look at each face, gleaning much just from that one photo. He was certain that the choices made were the right decisions. Now he just had to convey that to the suspicious girl observing him.

Marinette watched as he reached up and traced his hand along the frame of the photo he was inspecting, fairly certain he had no idea that he was doing it. After another long moment of watching him, she cleared her throat. "The kitchen is this way, sir. Please have a seat while I prepare the tea and then we can retire to the living room." Marinette started walking towards the kitchen, smiling when she heard the older man shuffling behind her. When she reached the table, she pulled out a chair for him and gestured for him to make himself comfortable while she went about making the tea. She was thankful her mother had passed on the art of tea making to her, as Adrien had no experience with anything of the sort. She had always enjoyed the quiet afternoons she would spend with her mother, listening to stories of her youth in a different country and the different way she grew up. She relaxed as she prepared their snack, adding some pastries to the tray containing the steaming teapot and cups. She carried the tray into the living room and set it down on the coffee table, taking a seat on the couch before leaning over and pouring the tea into each cup and placing each on a saucer. She also put a couple of pastries on each plate she brought before placing a plate in front of each of them. She gingerly took a sip of tea and set it back down, looking at the older man expectantly now that there was nothing left to do but talk.

"Thank you, young lady. I expected no less from Tikki's chosen, you are an excellent hostess. My name is Fu. I am the last living guardian of the Miraculous. What do you know about your powers?" Fu took a sip of his tea and hummed in pleasure.

Marinette opened her mouth to respond, but Tikki interrupted before she could begin. "Master! His name is Master Fu, and he is also the holder of the Turtle Miraculous. Where is Wayzz, Master? Oh, Marinette, I'm so excited for you, this must mean-"

"That's enough, Tikki. Let's not confuse her with unnecessary details before we cover the basics. Wayzz is currently upset with me, so he isn't here." He waved off Tikki's concern about Wayzz and focused on Marinette. "Please, young Marinette, tell me all that Tikki has told you."

Marinette repeated the few things that Tikki had told her over their time together, along with what she told her when she first appeared. There wasn't really much to tell, so it was no time at all before she was back to awkwardly waiting for the older gentleman to explain the reason for his visit in more detail.

Master Fu stroked his beard and stared down into his nearly empty teacup. There was so much ground to cover in such a short amount of time, Tikki didn't seem to explain the entire scope of her powers, just the bare minimum. Granted, there had been extenuating circumstances that could have prevented her from divulging the full story regarding the Miraculous, and Tikki had always been selective about what was shared because she was worried about the weight of expectations placed on such young shoulders. But, things were about to start in earnest, and soon the young people would not have the luxury of time to correct their ignorance. "It seems that Tikki has done you a disservice during this peaceful time. We have much to catch you up on if you are to be prepared for the future. I assume that Plagg has been as unhelpful as usual?"

Tikki's face fell and her antenna drooped at the gentle chastising tone in her Master's voice. It wasn't that she wouldn't tell Marinette, she just hadn't prioritized it with everything that had happened. Knowing the full scope of her powers wouldn't have helped Marinette against Luka, and Adrien had been protecting her zealously since she was released from the hospital, so Tikki just assumed that there wasn't an urgent need to explain. Obviously, it was a wrong decision.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Tikki. You haven't had the easiest of start ups with this holder, and the timing of her kidnapping was awful. I'm not disappointed, I just want to rectify the oversight and move on. We need to get young Marinette and Adrien up to snuff as quickly as possible." Master Fu stroked the top of Tikki's head as he spoke, silently showing that he wasn't mad at her decision. She perked up and smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes quite yet.

Marinette watched them and felt bad for Tikki. It wasn't Tikki's fault that Lukass had hunted her down and kidnapped her, sending her to the hospital where Tikki was forced to remain hidden and silent for most of the day. Her life had been a whirlwind the past few months, with no time to stop and relax. A thought occurred to her and she looked back at Master Fu. "That's the second time you've mentioned something about the future. What exactly are you expecting to happen? Is that the reason our powers awoke? Whatever is getting ready to happen?"

"I see you have a keen mind. Yes, that is why your powers have awakened. A great evil is coming. In fact, you have already encountered the first tendrils of it personally, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Paris is getting ready to need protectors, to bring the people a sense of peace and justice in the midst of the chaos that evil causes."

"But if you are already aware of the evil and who is causing it, why can't you stop it before it appears?" Marinette's hair was standing on end, foreboding running through her blood as her fists clenched in her lap.

"On the contrary, I do not know who is the mastermind behind the events getting ready to be set into motion, I only know the events that have happened so far and the patterns I've learned over my years of study. You see, I studied at a temple in Tibet with many other people to become a Guardian, a protector of the superhuman powers granted by kwamis, small gods possessing different abilities and attributes that can enhance a person's physical being. Not all Miraculous are made the same, each one possessing different powers and skill sets that are unique to the kwami. But, there are two more powerful than the rest. The original Miraculous, the ultimate power; so powerful it was forced apart to prevent the destruction of the reality we live in. These two kwami are the oldest, have the most experience and power, and are the only ones that require their holders to be born with the power. All other Miraculous are given to worthy holders, carefully scrutinized by Guardians to ensure they will use the power they are given for good and justice reasons. At least, they would have been in the past. Now it is just me making those decisions. And I think you can guess which two Miraculous that I speak of." Master Fu watched the young woman carefully, gauging how she was reacting to the news.

"I… I was born to be Ladybug? That can't be right?! I'm just Marinette! I've never been strong or powerful, I'm a klutz! I could see how Adrien would be an amazing superhero, he's so good at heart, but…" Marinette jumped up and started to pace around the spacious living room, a hand gripping her chin as she lost herself in her whirling thoughts.

"You have a tattoo, correct? One that showed up out of the blue, that you've never been able to show anyone or explain how it came to be or what it meant? And Adrien has one that showed up at the same time as yours, correct?" Master Fu gave Marinette a small knowing smile as she stopped pacing and stared at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Our tattoos are the key?"

"Tikki and Plagg have to be very selective who they chose to wield their powers. They must wait for souls that possess a certain spark, a unique trait that sets them apart from everyone else. When they find that spark, they watch it cultivate as you grow from childhood to adolescence. If you are deemed worthy, they place a mark on your skin to prepare your body for the magical and physical strain that comes with wielding their powers. They do this by injecting a small fraction of their powers into you. It is why you were able to resist Luka's magic, and survive all that he put you through. And it is why Adrien was able to find you so easily once you returned to Paris. Tikki was lending you her strength without you ever realizing it. But, the way the mark manifests is entirely your own design. It is tailored to your personality and quirks, not some predetermined formula. Please do not think you don't have a choice in this destiny of yours. If you choose to walk away, to reject the powers, no harm will come to you. You would simply become normal, like anyone else. Tikki would fade from existence until the next spark appeared. I know this is a lot to process in such a short amount of time. I wish I had more time to teach you all of the ins and outs of your power. But I can see that you've already formed a strong bond with Tikki, as I imagine Adrien has with Plagg. Plagg can be a nuisance, but he has a good heart underneath all of that sarcasm."

"If I were to reject it, what would happen to Adrien?" Marinette worried her bottom lip as she waited for Master Fu's reply. She didn't have any intention of giving up her powers, but it was still good to have the knowledge.

"Adrien would be able to keep his powers, but they would be severely unbalanced. You see, Tikki and Plagg are two halves of the same whole. They are two sides of the same coin. Gods of Creation and Destruction. Without Tikki to keep his destructive powers in check, Plagg would either go rogue or slowly wither away until there was nothing left. It would depend on the strength of the holder he has chosen the path that he would go down. It has been a very long time since that last happened though."

"And the same would happen to me if he rejected Plagg?"

Master Fu nodded.

Marinette stood straighter and clenched her fists, her voice filled with conviction as she voiced her decision. "I have no intention of rejecting this. If this is the way my life was meant to be, then I have no regrets. I will accept this power and the responsibility that comes with it, and I will do my best to be a pillar of peace to the citizens of the city I love. I will fight off this evil that is coming so that everyone can have happy, normal lives." She brought her hands up and placed them on her stomach, looking down at the bulge that housed her unborn child. When she spoke next, her tone was softer, but the conviction was still unmistakeable. "I will make sure my child has a safe place to call home."

Master Fu's eyes widened as her last statement sunk in. "You…. you're pregnant? With Chat Noir's child?"

Marinette looked up sheepishly and put one hand behind her head to rub the back of her neck, a bad habit she had picked up from her fiance. She nodded.

This time it was Master Fu that stood and began to pace. She watched as his brow furrowed and his hands folded behind his back. "I… had no idea. I must admit I'm not sure how to proceed from here. While Tikki and Plagg are two halves of the same whole, sometimes that means that their powers aren't exactly compatible in one body. Sometimes traits can carry over, and sometimes nothing at all happens. There are so many unknowns…." He turned back to Marinette, who's expression was panicked.

"Oh god… Did we do something wrong? Is the baby going to be okay? What does that mean, the compatibility thing?! We didn't know at the time, everything was so brand new…"

Master Fu strode over to her and reached to place his hands on her stomach, stopping a hairsbreadth away and looking at her face for permission before touching her. She nodded and he closed the minute distance, closing his eyes and bowing his head as his hands rested on her stomach. Silence stretched on for what seemed like forever to Marinette, and she was just about to lose her mind when Master Fu removed his hands from her and took a step back. He looked at her with an unreadable expression, causing her panic to rise even further.

"It is still too early to tell how much power your child will inherit from you, if any at all. I can feel something, but it is too small right now to tell. We will have to monitor the situation to make sure you and the baby remain safe and healthy. Because you are pregnant, that puts you at a severe disadvantage against the approaching evil. Tikki will need to spend some time with me, training to make sure she can protect you magically as much as possible when you are in your suit. I think that, given the situation, it would be best if we also had some extra help. I will see to that, though. For now, it's time I showed you the miraculous."

The old man went back to the front door, where he had placed a plain suitcase upon entering the house. He retrieved it and returned to the living room, placing the suitcase on the coffee table and opening it up. A line of plain black boxes filled the inside, all with the same weird red intricate design on the top. Marinette stared at the boxes, noting that there were seven boxes in each row. Master Fu selected the first two on the top row and set them on the table before closing the suitcase back up. Marinette leaned forward, feeling like a magnetic force was drawing her towards the boxes as she reached a hand towards them before catching herself and pulling it back. Master Fu chuckled and picked up one of them, popping it open to reveal a pair of plain black earrings against a ladybug themed cloth backing.

"These are Ladybug's earrings. Wear them all the time, and when you transform, they will change to be spotted just like their namesake. They will give you the power to use Tikki's Lucky Charm. Maybe it's better if you transform now, and then I can walk you through all the enhancements they provide. Please tell me that your ears are pierced."

Marinette laughed, nodding and accepting the box offered to her with only a slightly shaking hand. She quickly placed them in each ear and stood up. Tikki floated up beside her and nodded as Marinette's determined gaze fell on her, and then Marinette was calling out her transformation and pink light was washing over her. Master Fu stood and stared in reverence, taking in the young confident woman in front of him. Granted, her pregnancy was more pronounced in the skintight suit Tikki had her in so that would have to be adjusted to not give their enemies a target, and he was sure that she hadn't had time to get used to her yo yo yet, but all in all she was still a sight to behold. "Okay, pull out your yo yo and show me the different things you can do with it so far. Then-"

The front door opened and shut, and then Adrien was in front of Ladybug, placing himself between her and Master Fu. "I don't know what's going on, Bugaboo, or why you are transformed. But I'm here now." Adrien slipped into a slight crouch with his arms at the ready, eying the old man standing calmly in front of him.

"Silly kitty, this is Master Fu. He's here to explain more about our powers." Ladybug wrapped her arms around Adrien's waist and stood on her tiptoes to place a quick peck on his cheek. "I had just transformed so that he could show me the new upgrades from my earrings." She lowered her voice to a whisper, her breath caressing his ear as she spoke so low only he could hear her. "But I'll show my appreciation for your valiant defending of my virtue later." A slight shudder ran down Adrien's spine at the promise in her voice.

Adrien cleared his throat and straightened up, sticking his hand out to shake Master Fu's. "Sorry about that, I've become a little paranoid lately. I hope you can forgive my rudeness. My name is Adrien Agreste, and I'm sure you already know I'm Chat Noir." His voice was slightly sheepish as they shook hands and parted.

"No need to apologize, Chat Noir. You have every right to be wary of strangers given your recent circumstances. That is actually the reason I am here, to ensure you both are the most prepared you can be for what is to come. Let me catch you up with what I've already told Ladybug, and then we'll have you transform and start going over the improvements." Master Fu turned back to the table and picked up the other black box before handing it to Adrien. As he did, he started to explain all the things he had already discussed with Marinette. She jumped in from time to time and added things she knew he would be considering, like what would happen without the other and why they were chosen.

By the time they stopped talking and his questions had run out, he was wearing the ring and Plagg was floating next to him looking disgruntled at being woken up from his afternoon nap. Plagg had looked surprised at Master Fu's presence when he was awoken, but then spent the rest of the conversation with his arms crossed acting like he didn't care. Master Fu was used to his attitude, so it didn't bother him unduly, but Tikki was appalled at the blatant lack of respect Plagg was showing towards their Master. She caught his eye and gave him a look promising that they were going to have a conversation about his attitude later on. He rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Plagg. Claws out!" Adrien punched the air and green light flashed through the room before Chat Noir appeared. Adrien looked down at the ring he was wearing on his right hand ring finger. The once plain silver ring was now as black as his suit, with a neon green paw print on the face of the ring.

"The first thing you both need to know is that once you use your special powers, you will then only have a few minutes until your transformations drop. Because these special attacks are so powerful, it causes Tikki and Plagg's energy to start flagging as soon as you use it. The toes of your paw print on your ring, and the spots on Ladybugs earrings, will disappear one by one until time runs out. Each time a spot disappears, it will beep to let you know. You must always be aware of how much time you have remaining, as you cannot afford for anyone to know your true identities. Chat Noir, your special power is called Cataclysm and will destroy anything your right hand touches after you call it up. Marinette, do you have a sheet of paper lying around he can demonstrate on?" Marinette left the room to go fetch the paper Master Fu requested, and he took this time to warn Adrien. "Chat Noir, this is the very essence of the power of destruction. The very essence of Plagg's power. You must never use this attack on a living person, for they would surely disintegrate at your touch just like the paper. Even Ladybug is not immune to this power, so you must exercise extreme caution. That being said, do not be intimidated by this power. Plagg chose you for a reason, and has entrusted this responsibility to you because he believes in you."

Adrien stared at him, awe and terror warring with each other on his face as he grew more alarmed at the grave warning. Master Fu shuffled forward and patted his right hand. Adrien's breathing started to quicken as his mind continued to race with the implications at all that could go wrong with just a single touch of his power. "I'm not sure I'm the right person for this, Master. It sounds like this is a very precise power, one that requires a good deal of concentration and strategizing to use. When it comes to battle, my main focus is always going to be protecting Marinette. I tend to lose my head when she's endangered… I'm not sure I'm responsible enough for this destructive power." Adrien thought back to Luka, and the way he tortured him before finally ending his miserable life. He would've drawn it out even more if Marinette hadn't needed medical attention. He could be vindictive and petty when it came to people hurting Marinette, and he wasn't sure that he wouldn't use Cataclysm to kill someone. Sure, he wouldn't use it against an innocent soul, but he wasn't sure he could hold back against someone that hurt Marinette. He could be blinded by his emotions at times, and act without thinking. Marinette needed someone with a cool head to have her back if there was going to be a fight. But the thought of some other man protecting his soon-to-be wife and their unborn child made him sick to his stomach.

"Adrien, you are the purrfect person for this. You're intelligent, fearless, fiercely protective and loyal, you genuinely care about people, and you have an amazing sense of justice. Trust me when I say that there is no one more suited for the God of Destruction's power than you. Besides," Marinette revealed herself and laced her fingers through the fingers on his right hand. "No one can make awful cat puns like you can."

Adrien smiled at her, still unsure of himself but appreciative of her vote of confidence all the same. "Thanks, my Lady. I think." Both of them startled when Master Fu let out a loud belly laugh, looking at each other and then at the older man.

"I've never heard a pep talk quite like that one! I look forward to hearing all of your cat puns, Adrien. Seems like Plagg really did know exactly what he was doing when he picked you." Master Fu said through his laughs, wiping tears of merriment from his eye.

"Don't encourage him, Master!" Marinette shook her head in mock admonishment.

Adrien decided that if these people could believe that he was worthy of wielding the power given to him, he would make sure to make them proud to put their trust in him.

"Okay, let's go over everything that you and your equipment can do."

They spent the next hour and a half going over all the different ways to use Chat's baton and Ladybug's yo yo. Adrien, being the professor that he was, took extensive notes on each thing so that they could study outside of the suits as well. Chat used his Cataclysm and Fu explained how Lucky Charm and Ladybug's Miraculous Cure worked. They set a time for Tikki to visit Master Fu to begin the training needed to protect Marinette and her unborn child. After they were as prepared as they thought they could possibly be, Master Fu started to get ready to leave.

"What do you know about the upcoming battle?" Chat had noticed that anytime he or Ladybug asked questions regarding the future, Fu would dodge or redirect the conversation. Ladybug didn't seem to mind, but it was starting to really bother Chat that the man knew things he wouldn't give a straight answer about. Now that all the other topics of conversation had run out, it was now or never if he was going to actually give them something they could go on.

"I cannot say, Chat Noir. Until whoever behind this reveals their intentions, I am just as much in the dark as you are."

"And yet you knew about us. You knew about Marinette and Luka. You know more than what you are telling us, and I don't understand why you won't share your information if you are on our side." Chat shook off Ladybug's placating hand on his arm, keeping his gaze locked on the man in front of him.

"It is true, I knew about you and your encounter with Luka. But, that was because I was in possession of a Miraculous power that I no longer have. Kwami's have very particular auras, and using my training along with my kwami, I was able to pick up on Tikki and Plagg's auras when they appeared. Similarly, my kwami is able to detect magical presences, because it also projects a very distinct aura. The overwhelming evil radiating from Luka was so strong, his aura was practically begging to be noticed. But while he was truly evil, there is still a foreboding presence looming over Paris that is a thousand times moreso. I can't pinpoint where it is coming from, the presence is so large. I do not know if that person is in possession of a Miraculous or is just a very powerful magic wielder. We will not know until they reveal themselves. I have given up my Miraculous so that you both will have the help you will need to fight this presence. I understand your concern, Chat Noir, but until we know more, I cannot reveal just yet the extent of my knowledge. Speculation will get us nowhere." Master Fu calmly gazed back at the newly minted hero appraising him.

Ladybug looked back and forth between the two, waiting for the tension in Chat's shoulders to relax with the older man's words. His shoulders remained tense.

"So there is still more you are keeping from us. How can we be expected to fight against this if we don't know everything we could possibly know? Ignorance could get us killed."

"Too much knowledge is a not necessarily a good thing either, especially when the mind is unprepared for it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back home before the train departs." Master Fu continued to make his way to the front door, Ladybug on his heels. She bid him a good night and shut the door while Chat remained still and quiet.

"Adrien? Are you okay?" Ladybug's voice was concerned, and it melted the tension he was holding on to. He met her halfway across the living room as she walked towards him, sweeping her into a bonecrushing hug and burying his face into her neck.

"Drop your transformation."

"Adrien? I…"

"Drop your transformation."

Marinette sighed and released her transformation, catching Tikki as she floated wearily down. This was the longest she had held a transformation, and she had hoped that Adrien would've been up for going out and testing out their abilities tonight. She tilted her head and looked at her still transformed fiance with a raised brow, silently questioning him why he hadn't released his as well. He detransformed and caught Plagg, who immediately started complaining about being hungry. Marinette smiled and walked into the kitchen to fix the kwami's their snack, and then started in on her and Adrien's dinner. Adrien watched from the doorway for a while before coming up behind her while she was chopping vegetables at the counter. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair. "I'm sorry. I just can't help but be freaked out about you fighting while pregnant. And seeing you transformed just makes it…. Real. I don't know how I'm going to be able to watch you fight and not lose my mind. I know there's no way you'll reconsider this path though, so I'll have to figure it out."

She set down the knife and turned in his arms, looking up at him and placing her hands along his jaw. "Hey, you know I'm going to be as careful as possible. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that I make the baby's health my number one priority. This," she gestured to her stomach, and then between them before replacing her hand, "has been my dream for far too long to do anything to jeopardize it. And I know that I'll have a strong kitty by my side to help keep me safe." She rubbed her nose against his before placing a light kiss on the tip.

"I love it when you talk about how long you've loved me." Adrien's low voice was sultry, and then his lips were capturing hers in a hungry kiss. She gasped at the sudden intensity and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside her mouth and run it along hers. She tilted her head and began to fight back, kissing him breathless. He swept her up bridal style and strode out of the kitchen, turning towards the stairs.

"Adrien! What about dinner?!" Marinette laughed.

"Sometimes, Princess, it's better to have dessert first." Adrien smirked down at her as he kicked their bedroom door further open and made his way to the bed. He set Marinette down gently and captured her lips once more. He crawled on top of her and deepened the kiss, his tongue darting out to trace the seam of her lips before forcing itself inside. The visit with Fu had set his nerves on edge, and he needed to get rid of some of the tension before he snapped. Marinette seemed to grasp this at once, because her arms wrapped around his neck and yanked him down to her at the same time her legs wrapped around his waist and locked behind his ass. She met his roughness with a need of her own, and he loved her for it. He stopped kissing her long enough to grunt out, "I think I'm really enjoying the second trimester so far."

She broke away and looked him in the eyes, a mischievous glint shining in her bluebell orbs. "Oh, Kitty, you have no idea." And then she was pushing him off to the side so that he fell on his back. She climbed on top of him and ground down against his clothed erection while her hands slipped underneath his black button up shirt. Her nails lightly grazed his skin as she pushed her hands upwards, branching out to graze against each nipple as she leaned down to kiss him roughly. His sharp intake of breath and following moan shot straight to her own clothed wetness and she rolled her hips. He grabbed her hips to stop the torture, but she merely pulled away from his lips. He tried to follow her, but she placed a hand on his chest and forced him to stay down. Once she was sure he wouldn't move, she started to slowly lift up her midnight blue maternity shirt while keeping her eyes locked on his. He groaned as skin was revealed inch by agonizing inch, so slowly that he thought he might lose his mind if he didn't get to see her in all her naked glory soon. She finally pulled the shirt over her head and threw it somewhere in the recesses of their room, her bra following right afterwards.

This time it was his turn to place a hand on her chest to prevent her from moving back down to kiss him. He traced the swell of her breast before running his hand along her side and over her rounded stomach. She smiled down on him and the soft bubble he was in popped. Suddenly his need returned full force, and he couldn't wait any longer. He needed her now. He sat up and caught her bottom lip in his teeth, tugging on it before flicking it with his tongue and kissing her with renewed passion. While he did, his hands worked the buttons on his shirt and once free, hers pushed it off of him and threw it with the other clothes. Now he could feel her pert nipples dragging along his superheated skin, could feel her stomach brushing against his as he pulled her closer still, but it still wasn't enough. His lips trailed down her neck, sucking marks into the skin harshly. He wanted to brand her, to let the world know that she was his and his alone. Her moans and gasps spurred him on, his teeth nipping the skin at the junction of her shoulder, and again at her collarbone, his tongue always soothing the sting afterward.

He suddenly broke away and swung her around to lay flat on the bed, not giving her even a moment before he was tugging off her leggings and pale pink underwear. His hands worked his belt and pants before those too were gone, his underwear immediately following. His skin still felt overheated and oversensitized; it was like something was urging him to hurry up and take her before something awful happened and she was ripped away from him again. He dropped his face down between her legs without warning, licking up her slit and causing the most delicious noise to escape her kiss swollen lips. He wanted more, to hear more of those noises she made only for him, and so he attacked her sex. His tongue probed into her and his finger spun a slow circle around her swollen clit. He switched, and suddenly his finger was pumping in and out of her while his lips were wrapped around her bundle of nerves. Her cries and moans echoed in the dark room as her hands buried themselves in his hair. He curved his finger inside of her and listened as her moans became more and more breathless, waiting until just before she was falling over the edge in release before pulling his finger out and towering over her.

She looked up at him, taking in his glistening lips and the wild look in his eyes, and she understood. He needed to know that she was real. That she was here and unharmed and his. Instead of inviting him down on top of her, she sat up with a little difficulty before shoving him onto his back once more. She straddled him and took his rigid length in her hands, lining him up before sinking down without any further delay. She watched as his whole body shuddered as she took him in. As soon as she was down all the way to the hilt, she started moving. He practically howled as she bounced on his cock, his hands digging into her hips as the sensations washed over him again and again. Her name fell from his lips like a litany of prayers, his head pushed back and eyes closed as her walls swallowed him over and over.

She took his hands and placed them on her stomach as she moved, grounding him to her. His eyes snapped open and his mouth hung open as he marvelled at the woman above him that always knew just what he needed. He felt like his heart was overflowing, the need to show this woman how much he loved her causing the pressure to snap at the base of his spine, and then he was thrusting up to meet her as his release overtook him. His sudden movement, along with the look of pure love right before the bliss took over, caused her own release and her walls clenched around him. After a few more shaky movements, she collapsed against his heaving chest.

His arms tightened around her, holding her to him as they both came down from their high. He didn't tell her downstairs, but their life now, it was his dream come true.