For the first time in quite a while, Adrien was glad he listened to his gut about returning to the school.

At first, when he noticed he left his bag and other personal belongings at the school, Adrien really considered waiting until the next day to them. It was a reasonable thought, considering he was still ticked about the whole situation. However, there was something inside his brain, urging him to return.

Just as he walked through the massive double doors, Adrien watched his beloved—frozen in place—fall from the second floor's railing. With a surge of speed he never possessed in his human form, Adrien burst forward with his arms out-stretched to catch her. Not a moment passed before Marinette landed in his arms. A loud 'crack' echoed the open space, followed by Adrien's scream.

Alerted by the sound, students and teachers ran from the classroom just as Marinette 'awoke' from her frozen state. Before either one could ask or explain the predicament, they could hear Cerise's 'distressed' voice above the wondering chatter.

"Marinette tried to push me over the railing!" 'Lila' cried hysterically. "I was just trying to talk about the Adrien situation from lunch when she grabbed me! I escaped, she lost her balance, and fell over! I didn't mean for it to happen, but it was self-defense!"

Leaning over the railing, Mr. Damocles declared with his face bright red from rage, "Marinette Dupain, you are hereby expelled! I will have a conference meeting with your father after school to discuss your actions. Get out of my sight before I call the police and press criminal charges!"

No matter how much Adrien wanted to despite and demand an explanation, the pulsing pain prevented him from thinking clearly. Instead, he allowed himself to be dragged away by his beloved, who seemed to fear for her life. Once they were out of the building, made a few twists and turns in the opposite direction on her home, Marinette finally stopped so they could catch their breath.

"What—" Adrien gritted his teeth, pain shooting up his right arm. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Supreme," Marinette panted. Waiting until she could breathe properly, she informed, "He gave Cerise and Chloe a Miraculous. They plotted to separate us so they could steal my Miraculous before going after yours. We need to tell your father—" She paused, gazing at Adrien's misshapen arm. "After we go to the hospital for your arm."

"We'll call him on the way," Adrien compromised through a wince. "He can meet us there with Nathalie, so they don't try going after her or my sibling while she is alone. I don't want them to get hurt because of us. I would never forgive myself is something happened to Step-Mom or my brother or sister."

"You're doing better when talking about them. I'm proud of you." Marinette hesitated, trying to collect her thoughts. "Thank you, for catching me and saving my life. I would be dead if it weren't for you."

"You don't need to thank me." Adrien smiled, though it was a struggle through the pain. "I love you."

-Line-

Gabrielle's focus during the explanation was more on the unfair treatment of the kids at school rather than the fact that the Supreme made a new bold move. Of course, he was still very concerned about Adrien's injury. The force of Marinette's fall was strong enough to break the bone in multiple places. A thick, green-black cast was placed in hopes that surgery wouldn't be necessary.

After three hours in the emergency room, Gabriel drove his wide and the couple to the school to 'speak' with Mr. Damocles about the punishment. Gabriel suggested Adrien stay in the car with Nathalie while he confronted the principal with Marinette.

In the silence of the vehicle, Adrien plotted so many ways for them to gain the advantage over the Supreme. Maybe the Resistance could reform? No . . . that wouldn't work. The limited members have already been placed under Cerise's captivating spell. They would have to be in another universe too—

Wait! That's it! They could get real help from—

"Adrien?"

Jolting from his thoughts, Adrien replied, "Yes, Step-Mom?"

Nathalie flinched, sighing somewhat contently. "That's the first time you called me anything besides my name," she noted softly. "How are you feeling?"

"Better, now that the pain is nearly gone." Lifting his broken arm, Adrien grimaced at the thick cast. "I can't wait for the sixteen weeks to be over with, so I can get this thing off. I can't wear my white leather jacket because the sleeves are so skin-tight."

"I wasn't asking about your arm," Nathalie corrected. "I was asking how you were feeling about me . . . having your little brother or sister."

Adrien tensed. He didn't think he would be having this conversation. "I . . ."

"I get it," Nathalie reassured gently. "You've known me your entire like as a friend of your father, who became his assistant when your mother's illness became worse. It's strange for you, now that I'm married to your father, and you'll be gaining a half-sibling."

"I don't understand," Adrien finally admitted, trying his best to keep his tone even. "How could Dad get over my mother so easily that he married you less than six months after her death?"

"Our relationship was quite complicated years before you were born," Nathalie claimed, laying back in her seat to get more comfortable. "Although the three of us were close friends while we traveled the world to search for artifacts, your mother and I both fell in love with your father. Your father found himself falling for both of us, but he couldn't decide who to choose. After a few more weeks of wild adventures, your father's affection was leaning more toward me. But then . . ."

Nathalie sighed, the memory being so painful. "Your mother became diagnosed with her disease," she continued softly. "I took her to the hospital when she first became ill, while your father was traveling from Paris to meet us for our latest adventure. I was tired of sitting in the waiting room, so I went to Emilie's room. As soon as I was about to walk in, I overheard the doctors discussing her illness, and how there was no cure; she would only get worse."

Nathalie adverted her gaze to the passenger window, so she could distract herself from getting so emotional. "No one knew how long Emilie had left," she informed. "When your father finally arrived, I only told him her room number, nothing more. After watching him hurry down the corridors, I left without them knowing. I took myself out of the equation, so they could be together. I sacrificed my happiness, so your mother could have hers before she passed."

"What happened after you left?" Adrien wondered curiously. "Did they try looking for you?"

"For months," Nathalie provided. "While your mother returned to Paris, your father spent weeks trying to find me, and came close on more than one occasion. Eventually, he went home and diverted most of his attention taking care of Emilie. Your mother proposed a week or so later, giving your father one of the rings that were so valuable to her family. They quickly married, but your father never gave up looking for me. He hired private detectives to track me down, but I was too swift on evading them."

"Like a peacock," Adrien joked, his way of easing the tension. "When did you come home?"

"When your mother asked me to," Nathalie answered. "She must have called me a dozen times before I finally answered. Emilie begged me to come home, because she wanted the godmother of her child to be there for his birth and in his life. I arrived in the Paris hospital just minutes before you were born. Your father looked like he seen a ghost when I entered the room while your mother's smile grew even more than it had been before. She let me hold you so quickly while your father was still mystified by my appearance."

"I couldn't have been born in a hospital," Adrien argued defensively. "Dad told me I am alive because of the Peacock Miraculous; that I'm technically a senti-monster. That's why I do random things to try to make Dad mad to prove he can't control me, like getting my lip pierced and learning to play the guitar instead of piano like he wanted. Nothing ever works though."

"Because your father wants you to be happy, no matter how he feels about your decisions," Nathalie revealed calmly, despite all her emotions raising—stupid hormones. "The Peacock's power helped your mother become pregnant, since her illness originally prevented her from doing so. At first, I retried to maintain a respectable distance, only coming around once a month to every other week. As you were growing up, I was unintentionally becoming closer to your father again. When your mother became worse, your father begged me to work for him, so I could help him manage what would be his fashion empire and take care of Emilie. When I found myself falling in love with him again, I took a month's vacation, so I could distance myself again and harden my heart at ever thinking we could be together."

"I remember that month," Adrien recalled. "You left so out of the blue. I apologized to Mom and Dad so many times because I thought you leaving had something to do with me."

"Never," Nathalie reassured. "I love you too much like a son then and now for it to ever be your fault. The day I returned in the morning became the day your mother passed in the evening. Weeks passed after the funeral and your father tried anything to become closer to me again. I rejected him every time, but he continued to pursue me no matter how harsh I was toward him. The reason I finally caved was because of the video he showed me; one that Emilie made before her passing."

"I have one of Mom's videos too," Adrien interrupted. "It's just a short clip of her telling me she loved me, so I would always be able to hear it when I missed her the most."

"The video left for me summarized a conversation she had with your father," Nathalie revealed, gently rubbing her growing belly. "She urged your father to start a relationship to start a relationship, because she believed he loved me more than her. Emilie insisted she wanted us to be happy and knew we would be amazing together. Your father and I began our relationship, and we found ourselves acting like reunited lovers instead of a first-time couple. In the matter of weeks, he proposed, we married, and few months later are expecting a baby, who we will love just as much as we love you."

"I need time," Adrien blurted out, "to finish adjusting to you being my step-mom and having a half-sibling soon. I'm almost there, but hearing your story will help me get there quicker."

"Take all the time you need," Nathalie turned her head so she could smile softly at her stepson. "Just know that I'm not trying to replace your mother. I want to give you the same love and support she gave, so you will always remember her."

Thankfully, Adrien didn't need to continue the conversation, since his father and beloved girlfriend returned to the vehicle. As they climbed in, Gabriel still looked mad while Marinette wasn't as frazzled as before. "I told Mr. Damocles he had no proof of the allegations toward Marinette, and I would be suing," Gabriel reiterated as he drove them away from the corrupted school. "I made it very loud and clear you two would be enrolling in a private school in London. That should throw the Supreme off your trail for a bit, so we can figure out a plan to defeat him."

"I already have the perfect idea," Adrien boasted. "We just need a little help . . . from another universe."