A/N: Hello again, everyone! I'm a bit early this time, which makes me really happy! It's also a bit of a late night update, if you live in the US that is. Anyway, enjoy!


Marinette felt her eyes slowly begin to open; the small mounds of sleep built up in the corners of her eyes trying to keep them closed. The blinding lights in her hospital room had been dimmed down and the sun was beginning to set across the skies of Paris. Through her slightly opened eyes, she could see her parents sitting in the chairs on the other side of the room. She wanted to say something, anything, to let them know she was okay, but her mouth refused to speak. Everything felt so exhausting. The pounding in her head had returned and her whole body felt limp.

She took notice of the oxygen canula that was now placed in her nostrils. Her ears picked up the whispers coming from her parents, making her body perk up a little. Using a bit of her strength, she turned her head to the left. She noticed immediately that her bag was still there, but Adrien's was gone. Her body felt too weak to react to that realization, so she simply stared straight ahead.

It wasn't long before Sabine turned her head in her direction, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Marinette!", she said, trying not to raise her voice too much. "Finally, you're awake."

Both of her parents walked over to her bed, their faces looking on at her in relief. "How do you feel, sweetie?", Tom asked her in a soft voice.

Marinette swallowed, trying to see if her vocal cords would let her speak. "I..", her voice trailed off as she tried to speak, her throat raspy. "I don't know."

Sabine came closer and began stroking her hair. "That's okay," she told her. "The doctor came in a little while ago to check in on you. You're really dehydrated."

"So, I'll be okay?", Marinette asked, her voice still weak.

"Yes, definitely," her mom said. "You're a very strong girl. You can do it."

Tom picked up a tray and sat it in front of her. "They also brought you some food earlier," he said. "It's not the best, but you'd probably feel better if you ate something."

Marinette looked at the tray of food in front of her. On top of the tray was a small bowl of pasta, some fruit, and half of a baguette.

Her father leaned in close and said, "I bet that bread isn't as good as mine."

She found the strength to snicker a little. "You're probably right, Papa," she said. "But I am kind of hungry." Looking at the plate of food in front of her, she picked up a fork and took a bite of the pasta. She didn't gag, so that was a good sign. "Mmm, not bad."

Sabine brought over a bottle of water. "The doctor wants you to drink plenty of fluids," she said. "She already has you hooked up to this bag up here."

"Thanks, Mama," she said, her mouth full. As she continued to eat, a question burned in her chest. "I almost forgot to ask: Where's Adrien?"

"He went back home for a bit," Sabine said. "He looked so exhausted. All he wanted to do was sit here and wait for you to wake up. So, I encouraged him to go and get some rest."

Marinette nodded. "I'll be honest. I worry about that boy sometimes," she said. Thinking about how much Adrien had been so worried about her was enough to make her heart ache. She loved him so much that she sometimes still felt like she didn't deserve him. "I'm thankful to have him and I know he cares about me. But…"

"You wish he didn't neglect himself for you," her mother finished. "Is that it?"

Marinette bit her lip and looked away. "Y-Yeah," she said. "I know he's so used to hiding his own feelings inside due to his own trauma in the past. It's just…" She tried to keep tears from welling up in her eyes. "I wish he didn't hide that kind of stuff from me. I know that I'm sick and he's worried. I know that…" She took a deep breath. "I know that we just lost our baby so perhaps this is his way of coping." Her heart begged her to continue, but doing so made it feel as though she had ignited a flame that she never meant to touch.

It was at that point that her mom began running her fingers through her hair, causing Marinette to settle down a little.

"It just hurts, Mom," she said, looking at Sabine with tears in her eyes. "Everything hurts right now."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?", her mother asked her.

Marinette shook her head. "No. I really didn't start feeling this way until last night, and honestly it could just be because of how messed up my brain is right now," she said. "I don't want to hurt Adrien for nothing."

"Oh, sweetheart," Sabine soothed her. "You two have known each other for such a long time. I'm sure you could fix things."

"I know we could," Marinette said. "But I want to get better first and see if my feelings change.

She felt her mom grab her hand. "I know things between you and Adrien will be fine," she said before kissing Marinette's hair. "You're married now and part of being husband and wife is learning how to resolve conflicts together."

Laying her head back on her pillow, Marinette pondered her mother's words. Of course if anyone knew how to resolve conflicts, it would be her and Adrien. They were Ladybug and Chat Noir after all. They had their usual squabbles about the best way to defeat a villain or even minuscule things like which restaurant they should order from, but she couldn't remember a time when they had an actual fight.

She didn't show it much, but the idea of fighting with Adrien left her terrified. Her heart told her that things would always be okay with them no matter what, but the last thing she'd ever want to do was hurt Adrien.

He was always so kind, thoughtful, sweet, funny, not to mention handsome. His heart was big and soft just like hers was and so she knew that he would take her words to heart. That was just the kind of person Adrien was.

She squeezed her mom's hand. "Thank you, Mom," Marinette said. "I just want to focus on getting out of here first."

"That's fine. Talk to him whenever you're ready," Sabine said. "Just don't let those feelings wallow for too long."

"I won't, I promise," Marinette said with a small smile. She turned back to the tray of food in front of her and continued to eat, hoping that her body would regain its strength soon.

They heard footsteps coming and turned their heads towards the door. In stepped Sabrina with her usual big smile on her face. "Oh Marinette!", she said, trying to not be too loud. "You're finally awake! I've been so worried about you."

"Hi Sabrina," Marinette said, coughing a little. She watched as the girl came closer, her smile never fading.

"How do you feel?", she asked her. "And where's Adrien?"

"I'm feeling a bit better now, thank you," she answered. "And he went home for a bit to get some rest."

"Oh okay, good to know," she said. Marinette took notice of how Sabrina was bouncing on her feet slightly. "I ask because there are actually some people here to see him." There was a bit of a squeal in her voice. "Oh, and you too."

Marinette turned her ears toward the doorway. Outside in the hall, she could hear a familiar monotone voice.

"Excuse me, my name is Gabriel Agreste. I'm looking for the room in which my daughter-in-law is being held," he said.

"Um yes sir, right down there on your left," said another voice, presumably a nurse.

"Thank you, Miss," Gabriel said. "Come on, Nathalie."

Marinette sat up straight in her bed as the footsteps came closer. Even after knowing Gabriel for a few years now, his presence still managed to send a shiver down her spine.

It wasn't long before she saw him poking his head in the door, a little smile on his face as he noticed her.

"Hello, Marinette," he said, stepping inside with Nathalie following close behind. "Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng as well." He nodded to them and they calmly nodded back.

"H-Hi Mr. Agreste," Marinette said.

He laughed. "You know you can call me 'Gabriel'," he said. "You earned that right by marrying my son."

"You're right," she said. "I'm just…not really myself right now." She turned her head away from him.

Gabriel frowned, followed by Nathalie. "I understand," he said. "Adrien called us yesterday and we…" He looked at Nathalie, who gave him a knowing glance. "We knew we needed to be here with you both."

Marinette felt the edges of her lips curl into a little smile. Gabriel had always been someone whom she admired, even before she knew Adrien. She knew that he wasn't the best person, or even the best father, but having his support meant everything to her. "Thank you so much," she said. "I know you two were having such a great time on your trip and we-"

She was stopped dead in her tracks by him holding up a hand. "There is absolutely nothing to worry about," Gabriel said. "Nathalie and I both knew that being here for you and Adrien was more important."

Marinette swore she could feel her heart growing in her chest. "Really, I…I can't tell you how grateful I am," she said.

"Please, it is our pleasure," he said. "I will also pay any medical expenses that may come about from this visit." She noticed her parents' eyes growing wide from that. "In the meantime, where is my son?"


"Aww look at him, Plagg."

"Why? I see him all the time."

Plagg looked on in confusion as Tikki looked longingly at Adrien, her small paws squishing her cheeks as she laid on her belly. The two of them had spent the last few hours following him around to make sure he took care of himself. After awhile though, he had told them to leave him alone for a bit. This left the kwamis to go relax in their own little shelter. They came back to find him asleep in his bedroom, small snoring sounds escaping from his mouth.

"I do too, but I'm just really happy to see that he's resting," Tikki said, her eyes not leaving Adrien's form. "I can tell that his nerves are very worn."

"Mine are too!", Plagg said, flying back to sit in the drawer of the nightstand. "Do you know how hard it is to go an entire night without my sweet, sweet camembert?"

The ladybug kwami rolled her eyes and looked back at him. "Would you stop thinking about your stomach for two seconds?!", she said, her small voice becoming shrill. "We have more important things to worry about right now."

Plagg's whiskers fell. "You're right, Sugarcube," he said. "I guess…this is just my way of dealing with it." He looked up at her. "I'm sad for Marinette and Adrien too, ya know."

Tikki's little smile turned into a frown when she noticed the sadness in his eyes. "You really just need to work on your timing," she said. "But I get it. It's hard for us as kwamis to understand what they're going through." She flew over to sit on top of the nightstand. "We just have to be there for them."

The cat kwami looked over at her; his whiskers perking up. "I'll try, I promise," he said, grabbing a piece of cheese. "Maybe I'll be happier when Marinette gets to come home."

"I will be, too," Tikki said. She took another glance at Adrien, his chest moving up and down as he snored. Looking at the window, she noticed that the sun looked as though it would be setting soon. "Do you think we should wake him up?"

Plagg also looked at the sleeping Adrien, laughing a little when he noticed the trail of drool on his pillow. "Maybe, I don't know," he said. "I'm sure Marinette misses him."

"Oh I know she does," Tikki said. "But, he just looks so peaceful."

Both of their antennae shot up when they heard a noise coming from the other side of the bed. Plagg took the lead of flying over to see what was up. His eyes widened and he motioned for Tikki to come over. "Hey, I think we have our answer," he said, looking down at what was in front of him.

Tikki popped up beside him and gasped when she saw what he was looking at. Laying before them on the bedside table was Adrien's phone. It vibrated with text messages from Marinette and…

"His father?!", Tikki exclaimed. She remembered hearing him talk to his father on the phone the night before. Even with just having known Adrien personally for only a few years, she knew that Gabriel Agreste was not someone to keep waiting. "Okay, this is definitely a situation."

"You're telling me," Plagg replied. "So, how do you want to go about doing this?"

Tikki looked around, her eyes looking from Adrien and back to Plagg. "Well, he's your owner," she said, pointing at him. "I'll let you do the honors."

Plagg sighed. "Of course you'd pick me," he said. "But if he gripes at me, then I'm blaming it on you."

She seemed to accept that, so she watched him in action. He flew back over to the drawer where he kept his cheese and grabbed a piece. Making his way back to where Adrien was sleeping, he gently stuck the piece of camembert beneath the boy's nostrils. He watched as his nose began to twitch and the kwami tried to hold back a giggle. It wasn't long before Adrien's eyes opened sleepily; his pupils looking directly at Plagg.

Adrien yawned and used his hands to rub the sleep from his eyes. "Plagg?", he asked, his voice low. "What's the big idea?"

The kwami put his paw on his stomach, trying to keep his laughter contained. "Sorry, kid," he said. "But we needed you to wake up."

His eyes wandered around the room; his vision blurry without his glasses. All he could see was Plagg's figure in front of him. "Why? What's wrong?", Adrien asked. He felt his heart begun to race as he became more frantic. "Is Marinette okay?"

"Slow down, Adrien," Tikki said from behind him, noticing his panic. "Let your mind and body awaken first."

He tried to slow his breathing as he rolled over onto his back. Closing his eyes once again, he began to take deep, slow breaths. "Okay, I think I'm good," he said once his heart has calmed down. "Now do you mind telling me what's up?"

Before Tikki could explain, Plagg piped up. "It's your father," he said. "He's at the hospital."

"My father?", Adrien asked, mild confusion filling his head. "But I thought he and Nathalie wouldn't be arriving until tomorrow?"

"It seems they took a fast jet," Plagg said, shrugging. "Or something."

Adrien brought himself to sit up, stretching his arms as he did so. "Alright, then let's go back," he said, yawning. "Plagg, claws-"

"Hey! No!", Plagg objected before he could finish his transformation phrase. "How would you explain to everyone that you somehow got to the hospital without a car?"

The boy chuckled. "Okay, you're right," he said, finally standing up. "Thought it was worth the shot, though." He reached down and picked his glasses up off of the nightstand, then walked over to the closet. "Just, um, let me change my clothes first."

Once he had stepped inside, Plagg said to Tikki, "Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to see a grown man wearing Ladybug pajamas, now do we?"

The kwamis laughed as they saw his face turn into the lightest shade of pink. "Hey, I like my Ladybug pajamas, thank you very much," he said, taking his shirt off.

"So do I," Tikki said, covering her mouth as she giggled. As she glanced into the closet, she could see the matching Chat Noir pair. "Actually…" She flew into the closet and picked up the pajama shirt. "Why don't you take these to Marinette? I'm sure she'd love to change into them."

Adrien smiled at her. "That's a wonderful idea, Tikki," he said, taking the pajamas from her. "Marinette really needs all the happiness right now." He took a deep breath, inhaling the cool air around him. "And so do I…"

The kwami noticed the hint of sadness in his voice and gave him a reassuring pat on the face. "It'll be okay, Adrien," she said. "You and Marinette are strong. You're Ladybug and Chat Noir! You can get through anything as long as you're together." She giggled. "Believing in yourself helps, too."

He scooped her into his hands. "Merci beaucoup, Tikki," he gave her a little kiss on her head. It was hard not to notice his current state as a small breeze blew across his bare chest. "Now can I please get dressed so that we can go see Marinette?"

Tikki nodded, flying back out into the bedroom. "Yes, of course," she said. A thought crossed her mind and she turned back around. "Oh, and you're very welcome, Adrien."

He gave the kwami one last little smile before closing the closet door, leaving him to get dressed. As he did so, many things flashed into his mind. The first was, of course, how his father would react to now knowing that he was going to be a grandfather; key word there being "was". A part of him felt guilty for not telling him the news sooner. He knew that he would've taken it hard either way, but somehow he felt like that would've lessened the blow.

Regardless of how his father reacted, Adrien knew it was important that he talked to him as soon as possible.


Adrien made his way through the automatic sliding doors of the hospital. Making his way up to the desk, he spotted Sabrina looking at her computer.

She looked up and gave him a warm smile once she noticed him heading towards her. "Hey, Adrien," she said. "Feeling refreshed?"

He ran his fingers through his freshly washed blond hair. "Much," he said. "Now I'm going back to be with my wife."

"Good to hear," she said. "She's been doing very well, in case you wanted to know."

He felt a bit of relief run through him, calming his nerves. "Thank you for letting me know," he said. "I'll see you later." He waved at her as he began walking towards the hallway.

She waved back before glancing back at the computer.

Adrien walked the short distance down the long hallway to Marinette's room. If there was one thing he knew, it was that he wasn't fond of hospitals. The cold rooms and hallways never failed to send shivers down his spine. Along with the constant sounds of crying or yelling, sometimes screaming, it just always gave him an uneasy feeling.

The sound of giggling could be heard from inside Marinette's room, making him smile. He peeped his head inside to see her still laying in bed, now with the television turned on. He tapped his fist lightly on the outside wall to signal her attention. "Knock knock."

Her head immediately turned to the door. Seeing the way her lips curled into a smile was enough to make his heart skip a beat. "Adrien!", she said, holding out her arms.

Without hesitation, he speed walked towards her and immediately pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you so much, my lady," Adrien said, laying his head on top of hers. "Were you good while I was gone?"

She laughed, squeezing him tighter. "No, I was very mean and the nurses hate me," she said in a playful tone. "Of course I was good."

He also laughed and kissed her hair. "That's my Marinette," he said. Looking around the room, he noticed that she was alone. "Where are your parents?"

"Oh, they went back home," she explained. "They want to get some sleep so that they can reopen the bakery tomorrow."

"So you've been alone in here?", he asked, a hint of sadness in his voice. The feeling of guilt weighed in on him. "I'm so sorry, I never should've left. I should've stayed here with you so that you wouldn't be-"

He was stopped by Marinette putting a finger to his lips. "Adrien, it's okay," she said. "I've had other company since you've been gone."

Before he could question her, they heard a knock on the door. Adrien turned around to see none other than his father and stepmother poking their heads in the door.

"Hello, Adrien," Nathalie said as she stepped inside. "We're so happy to finally see you."

In her hands was a cup of coffee and her tablet. Gabriel followed close behind and went to take a seat on the other side of the room.

Adrien walked over to Nathalie and gave her a side hug. "I'm happy to see you guys, too," he said, flashing her a smile. He looked back and forth between them, noticing the bags under their eyes. "I'm sure you're both exhausted from your flight."

Nathalie yawned. "It is nothing I'm not used to," she said. "Though, your father may say otherwise."

They looked over to see Gabriel relaxing on the futon that Adrien had slept on the night before. He was covering his eyes with one of his hands. "You okay, Father?", Adrien asked.

Gabriel took his hand away from his face and looked at him. "I'm fine," he said.

"They've kept me company since my parents left," Marinette piped up. "We've just been waiting for you."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Adrien said. "Sorry I took so long. I really needed that nap."

"Don't worry about it, mon cher," she said. "I'm just so happy to have you back."

Adrien went back over to her and picked up her hands. "And I'm happy to see you awake," he said before placing kisses on her knuckles. "I missed you."

She placed a hand on his cheek. "I missed you, too," she said. He moved his face closer to hers, closing his eyes as he prepared to close the gap between them. The softness of their lips brushed against each other, igniting a spark that-

"We're still here, ya know," Nathalie said, raising an eyebrow.

Marinette and Adrien immediately pulled apart, feeling their cheeks burst into deep shades of pink.

"R-Right, sorry," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess we just um…got a bit caught up in the moment."

Gabriel found the strength to sit up as the dizziness slipped away. "Adrien," he spoke. "I would like to talk to you for a moment."

His son looked at him, his gaze showing that of anticipation. "Yes, Father," he said. He looked at Marinette, using a hand to brush loose hairs from her face. "I'll be back."

She nodded and waved him goodbye as he followed his father out into the hallway.

Adrien closed the door behind him and turned to see his father facing him. He opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by his father pulling him into a hug. He grunted a little, the mild shock running through him as Gabriel squeezed him in his arms. "D-Dad?"

It took him a few moments to speak. Many thoughts ran through his mind as he tried to find the right words to say. "Adrien, I…", he began, pulling back from the hug. "I am so sorry."

"But why?", Adrien asked, mildly confused. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"No, no, I know," Gabriel said. "I'm sorry about what happened to you and Marinette."

The realization dawned on Adrien and he felt his face soften. "Oh. Oh…", he said. "Listen Father, Marinette and I were going to tell you eventually, we just didn't want to ruin-"

"Son, please," Gabriel said in a comforting tone. "Just listen to what I have to say."

"Yes, of course," Adrien said. "Sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel put his hands on Adrien's shoulders. "When you called Nathalie and told her what had happened, I wasn't sure how to react," he began. "So many feelings cycled through me. Sadness, guilt, anger. It was a sensation I have felt only a few times in my life." He squeezed his shoulders. "I guess you could say that I felt very…numb."

"Father I…", Adrien tried to speak. "I didn't mean to make you angry."

"If I'm being honest, I was only angry for a short time," Gabriel said. "I was never mad at you or Marinette for not telling me that she was pregnant because I knew that you would have eventually." He pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "I was mad because you and her don't deserve that. You two deserve to be happy and to have a family. I know it's something you both have talked about since you were in collège."

Adrien's mind was wandering in that moment. Never in his twenty-three years of life did he ever see his father radiate this much emotion. His eyes were glistening in the light, much like his own did at times. "If I may say something now," he looked at his father, who then nodded in approval. "I don't know if I've ever properly thanked you for being so supportive of mine and Marinette's relationship." He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. "It…it's always meant a lot to me."

"How could I not be supportive towards a girl who loves my son?", Gabriel asked. "Seeing the happiness she brings you really reminds me of…." He looked away as his voice trailed off. "How your mother made me feel."

Adrien tried to hold back the tears that were trying to force themselves out of his eyes. Even if it had been nearly a decade since she had disappeared, a hole in his heart still remained. A hole that she used to occupy. All he could do was listen and flash his father a tear filled smile.

"And another thing that makes me angry is that…", Gabriel continued. "I never wanted you to have to go through what your mother and I did. I've never told you this before, but when Emilie and I decided to have children, we also had a bit of trouble."

"What do you mean?", Adrien asked, wiping his eyes.

Gabriel gulped. "There was a time, before you were born, that your mother found herself pregnant," he said. "We were elated, ecstatic. But after a little while, she could feel that something wasn't right."

The realization finally set into Adrien's mind. "You don't mean…?"

His father nodded. "Much like the situation you and Marinette are in now, we also suffered a loss," he said, feeling his own eyes beginning to tear up in that moment. "We were devastated. Our hopes of having the family we dreamed of were dashed."

"Oh my gosh, Father I-I," Adrien said, his voice shaky. "Why did I never know about all of this?"

"We just never knew the right time to tell you," Gabriel said, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. "But I figured now is that time."

His son whimpered. "I'm so sorry," he said. "You guys didn't deserve that either."

Gabriel shook his head and patted him on the shoulder. "It's in the past, don't worry about it," he said. "Besides, we both know it turned out fine in the end, right?"

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, I do," he said.

"When we found out that your mother was pregnant again, we were still so excited," he started again. "However, there was still that worry that something would happen to this baby too." His face turned into a little frown. "The doctors monitored that baby every single day, under your mother's orders of course. And every single time, they would tell her the same exact thing."

"And what was that?", Adrien asked, curious.

"'He's perfect'," Gabriel said. "Your mother never fully believed them until the day he-". He gave Adrien a small smile. "You were born."

"Me," Adrien said. "You were talking about me?"

He nodded. "Yes, when you were born, we felt as though our hearts had finally been ignited," he said. "We finally had the baby we had always dreamed of."

It was impossible for Adrien to stop the tears now. "And-and you think the same can happen for me and Marinette too?"

He noticed that Gabriel was crying too. "Of course I do," he said. "And I'm sorry if you ever thought I was mad at you."

The wetness on his cheeks felt more like an ocean of relief to Adrien. He couldn't remember the last time he'd ever had a conversation like this, let alone with his father. All of his feelings spilled out of his eyes and nose and he unconsciously leaped into his father's arms. "I-I forgive you," he said, wrapped his arms around his chest. "Thank you so much." He laid his head on Gabriel's shoulder. "I love you."

Gabriel hugged him back, leaning his head against Adrien's. "I know I don't say it much," he said. "But I love you too." He used one of his hands to brush back his son's soft, golden hair as he felt him pushing himself deeper into the crook of his neck.

The warmth of his father's embrace was a sensation that Adrien had missed. The hairs on the back of his neck and arms stood up at his touch. A feeling of warm fuzziness flowed through him as their bodies held each other.

Adrien finally pulled back, turning around to hear the door being opened behind him. The wetness in his eyes made his vision blurry, but he was able to make out a figure. "Dr. Laurent?"

"Hello, Adrien," she said, her brows furrowing at him. "Are you okay?"

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Yeah, I am now," he said, giving her a small smile. "Oh, and this is my father: Gabriel Agreste." He moves aside to show his father, who stepped up to greet the doctor.

"Enchantée," Gabriel said. "I assume you're the doctor watching over Marinette?"

"You would be correct," the doctor said. "I was just about to go in there now." She continued inside the room with Gabriel and Adrien following close behind.

"Hi, Marinette," Dr. Laurent said as she spotted her on the bed. "How are you doing this evening?"

"I'm good," she answered. "I'm feeling a lot stronger than before."

"Good, good," the doctor said. "Well, I have some very good news for you."

Marinette immediately sat up in her bed; her eyes widening in anticipation. Adrien went to stand beside her, grabbing her hand. Gabriel and Nathalie took this as a sign to leave the room.

"The other doctors and I have been monitoring your condition," Dr. Laurent flipped through the charts on her clipboard. "And we all think that you are ready to be discharged in the morning."

Marinette felt her chest release the breath she didn't know she was holding. She looked to Adrien to see his face showing the same sign of relief. "Oh my gosh," she said, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Thank you so much."

Dr. Laurent nodded. "It's my pleasure," she said. "We do still want to keep you tonight, just to make sure you're completely stable."

"We really can't thank you enough for all of your help," Adrien said, squeezing his wife's hand.

"No problem," the doctor said. "It's what I do, after all." She looked at them with the biggest smile on her face. "I'll leave you guys alone for now, see you in the morning."

As she left the room, the couple didn't hesitate to celebrate the moment.

Adrien leaned into Marinette, squishing his cheek against hers. "I'm so proud of you, my lady," he said. "There was never a doubt in my mind that you would recover."

She smiled, pushing her face against his. "You are too sweet for me," she said, using a hand to pat his other cheek.

"It comes with the package," he said, giving her a sly grin. He turned and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm just so happy that finally get to go home."

"Fi-na-lly!", Plagg exclaimed as he flew out of Adrien's bag. "I'll finally be back with my my sweet, sweet cheese."

Tikki flew out and gave him a jab in the side, while Adrien and Marinette laughed.

"Yes, you can finally have all of your cheese again," Marinette said.

Tikki shook her head. "What will we ever do with you, Plagg?", she asked sarcastically.

Adrien looked on as the kwamis began to playfully argue, ready to jump in if it called for intervention. All she could do in that moment was relish in her relief, even if it was embedded in continued sadness.

She felt a single tear drip down her cheek.


A/N: The scene with Gabriel and Adrien was my favorite part in this chapter. I feel like Gabriel may have been a bit OOC, but honestly? I'm fine with that. Until next time!