Salutations! We're back with another update. I'll be sticking to the two week schedule for the time being but I hope to have enough content in the bank to go back to weekly updates soon. Updates will be on Tuesdays or Wednesdays depending on my schedule.

In this chapter Rose talks about her childhood illness which I couldn't find a definite definition of. A lot of people seem to think it was childhood leukemia but it's currently in remission. I've decided to go with that for this story. While it has to be monitored in case it comes back I will say it will not be coming back in this fic in case anyone was concerned.

Content warning: Hospital visits, anxiety, flashbacks, discussion about medical issues, missing loved ones, cancer remission, injury, and guilt.

Chapter 3

Vigil

"This is Nadja Chamack reporting live from Paris. The city is in chaos after being invaded by masses of sharp, black, unbreakable rocks. This is not an Akuma attack, Repeat: This is not an Akuma Attack!"

Marinette turned off the TV, she had lived through that already she didn't need a reminder. She held her head in her hands wondering how it had gotten so bad. The rocks seemed to have finally calmed down but no one knew when they would start up again. Heck even the villains were putting their plans on hold due to the state of emergency. She knew it wouldn't last long but the fact that they even had a truce, even a temporary one, was telling. So many people had gotten hurt or worse and she was exhausted from spending the entire day rescuing as many people as she could. Thankfully Rena Furtive used her illusion power to cover for her so her parents never knew she'd left the house. After a night with only a few hours sleep however she got the news. Someone she cared about was among the injured.

The day after the rock invasion had begun word got out that Luka was in the hospital. Marinette was shocked by the news. She had sent out word to any and all Miraculous holders that they needed all hands on deck. Most were given their Miraculous and spent the day rescuing people and securing the buildings that were damaged. She noted Juleka and Luka didn't answer her call but didn't think much of it. That is until Juleka started letting people know that the rocks had destroyed their home and Luka had gotten hurt…badly.

Many of Luka's friends were stopping by the hospital to see him and support Juleka and her family. They had to go in small groups and could only stay for a short time since the hospital was so busy. She was on her way now while talking to Adrien on the phone.

"I hope he's going to be OK." she said quietly. "I just talked to him the other day, it's hard to believe he's…" Adrien sighed on the other side of the phone.

"I know. I was so excited to go back to the expo and ask him some questions. Now that all seems so petty." Marinette too was starting to feel like she relied on Luka's advice a little too much. But now he was hurt and she wanted to be there for him even if he wasn't awake. Some say people in comas can hear what's going on around them so she wanted him to know his friends were all there for him.

"I'm going with Alya. When are you and Varian coming?" Adrien was silent for a moment.

"Hopefully soon."

"Why, is it your Dad?"

"No he's actually being really supportive about me wanting to visit. Varian though…he's not taking this well." Marinette could sympathize, Varian and Luka had grown close lately and as far as she knew Varian's Dad was still in the hospital.

"If he needs time he can visit later."

"Yeah I'll let him know but, he might regret it more if…" he trailed off not wanting to think about one of his friends dying. But he would have liked to have seen his Mom one last time to say goodbye. It would have hurt seeing her like that but that decision was made for him. He never said it out loud but he was a little bitter about it.

"Still, I don't think you should push him. Just let him know he's welcome whenever he's ready."

"You're right Marinette." Adrien reluctantly agreed. "I'll ask him again when I'm ready to leave."

Marinette wished him good luck as she made her way to the hospital.

Adrien sighed as he hung up winching slightly. The wound from the black rocks didn't heal from Ladybug's Luck Charm but then again nothing else did either. He had treated it as best he could with disinfectant and wrapping it securely. It was above his sleeve line so he wasn't too worried about someone seeing it. In the back of his mind however he was glad he quit modeling since this was likely to leave a scar. Jacque would have pitched a fit if he saw-

But he stopped himself momentarily forgetting that his old cameraman was still in jail for kidnapping and assault. Why had that just popped into his head he wondered. He had been doing so well since his attack and with his focus on finding a new career he had been too busy to give him a second thought. His therapist said stuff like this was normal. Trauma has a way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. That didn't mean he had to like it.

He pushed that thought to the side as he started getting ready to visit Luka. He wondered if he should get the wound looked at but quickly dismissed the idea. The hospitals were busy enough as it wasn't that bad, no need for them to worry about something so minor.

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Varian was currently in his lab inspecting the damage for real this time. It was pretty bad. Black rocks littered the floor destroying a lot of his projects. His notes were scattered everywhere and several of his more acidic chemicals had broken open from their safety cases making the air dangerous to breath. A back up filter was working to clear the air but even so the area was no longer safe to stay in nevermind work in.

The worst part was that there was one giant black rock sticking out in the middle of the room. It was nearly identical to the one that invaded his home. The one he had experimented on, and the one that trapped his father in an unbreakable prison. It stood there mocking him. Reminding him that he could never escape his past.

"Varian?" He heard Gabriel call out from the top of the stairs. "Don't worry about trying to salvage anything else. I don't want you down there if those rocks start up again." Varian sighed but complied. There wasn't much more he could save anyway.

"Can I set up somewhere else? My notes are ruined but I've got a pretty good memory. So it shouldn't take me too long to get back on track." Gabriel frowned at his partner.

"I don't think that's a good idea, at least right now."

"Oh come on, it's not like this was my fault! Nathalie's making sure everythings safe."

Varian protested but Gabriel held up his hand.

"I'm not suggesting you stop for good but we don't know if and when the rocks will strike again. You can set up your lab again when conditions are more stable." Gabriel was being reasonable and he knew it, but the rocks didn't calm down until Rapunzel made contact with them since they were hunting her down. And the likelihood of her just dropping in from another world was not very likely.

"Fine." he relented, knowing how hard it would be to set anything up if there was another outbreak anyway. "But not for long. I'll just have to recreate my notes until I have a new location." he paused remembering something. "Say where did you move Emilie?" She had almost died in the lower levels surly Gabriel would move her as soon as possible.

"She's in a temporary spot near my lair. I'm having her new room built as we speak, heavily reinforced." He was glad she was on the upper levels but he was still worried. Even the most secured room wouldn't stop the rocks.

"Let's hope she stays safe." He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you again for saving her." Varian blushed still unused to being praised especially for helping people. "As you requested, Shadow Moth will not be attacking while the rocks are still wreaking havoc." Varian was glad the man was finally listening to him. The man did almost lose his wife to the rocks after all. At least he wasn't taking advantage of the situation.

"Thank you for that. I think Emilie will be glad to hear that as well." Gabriel looked away as he adjusted his glasses.

"This is only a temporary truce, mind you."

"I know, but I still appreciate it." They were silent for a moment when Varian's phone alerted him to a text from Adrien.

"Hey I'm getting ready to go visit Luka…are you coming?"

Varian frowned thinking about the other boy. He wished he could talk to Gabriel but he didn't know about his earlier morning visit to Luka's boathouse or that he suspected Luka knew the identities of Ladybug, Chat Noir and himself. Just that he was out. He wasn't going to tell him either. While he was grateful Gabriel agreed to the truce he didn't fully trust him with this. Besides he still wasn't 100% sure what Luka knew.

"Adrien told me a friend of his was in the hospital were you going to visit him as well?"

"Actually he was just texting me about that. I…I want to go but…" he wasn't sure he could face him knowing he was the reason he was hurt so bad. Gabriel didn't know this of course.

"Visiting hours are a bit tight with all the emergencies. You can go later but it might be a bit of a wait." Varian sighed and texted Adrien back saying he was coming. He really should make an appearance at the very least. He owed him that much.

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Jalil always knew there were things out there waiting to be discovered. There were things out there hidden from view by people who thought the truth was best kept secret. It was only now he was starting to realize perhaps there was some wisdom in that.

He had followed what he thought was his destiny only to end up tricked by a ghost and now he had inadvertently unleashed something horrible. Whatever she was, she wasn't the kind spirit here to guide him to greatness but rather a demon from Hell happy to drag him down with her.

The rocks wore him like a suit of armor, one that he had no control over but that wasn't the worst of it. Through the rocks he could feel the people screaming and crying out or worse just fading away. All his attempts to fight them were met with immovable resistance. He may as well have been fighting a brick wall and well…that wasn't far from the truth.

He was trapped with no way out and no one knew he was even there. And as that realization sunk in, so did the fear. The fear his actions were hurting others and the fear he may never escape this new Hell he found himself in.

As his fear grew so did a new batch of rocks spreading much slower than before but potentially more dangerous.

Zhan Tiri watched with fascination as these new red rocks began to spread in response to their current host.

"Well now, this should be very interesting indeed."

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Varian and Adrien arrived at the hospital just as Marinette and Alya were getting ready to leave. They were with Juleka and her parents wishing Luka a speedy recovery. Rose was there as well comforting Juleka but Varian also saw Alix sitting against the wall looking worried.

"Hey Alix." he greeted crouching down to her level. "You OK?" She shook her head no.

"Her brother's missing." Marinette supplied. "She's been here all day checking the unidentified patients brought in." Varian's heart went out to her. No wonder she looked so worried as well as exhausted.

"Jalil and Dad had a fight a few days ago." Alix said, finally looking up. "The same day the class came to visit the Museum and Varian passed out." Varian looked a bit embarrassed but didn't want to interrupt.

"I was the same old weird conspiracy theory, this one about one of the pieces on display. I'm not sure which one I wasn't really paying attention. Then he stormed off saying something about proving it and that was the last either of us heard from him. When the black rocks invaded we both tried getting in touch with him but…nothing."

"Where's your Dad?" Adrien asked, wondering why he wasn't the one checking the hospitals.

"He thinks he might be at the museum but he and the police are having a hard time finding a way in." Marinette nodded, making a mental note for Ladybug to check out the museum for herself.

"You guys should go visit Luka, visiting hours are short today with all the overcrowding." Varian and Adrien nodded, both promising to help her look or help any way they could.

Adrien walked right in but Varian hesitated. He could do this, yes Luka was hurt but he was still alive. He took a deep breath and entered the room.

Adrien was already standing by the bed looking down at his friend but afraid to touch him. Luka had on an oxygen mask over his face helping him to breath. The whir and the beeping of the machines keeping him alive gnawed at Varian's mind. The bandages and neck brace seemed to hammer into his brain that this was his fault. Just like Dad.

He had seen dead people before when the rocks first came to his village and Luka looked like he was about to join them at any moment. Unconsciously he took a step back, he didn't hear a concerned Adrien asking him if he was OK. He wasn't.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." he mumbled before fleeing the room. He flew down the hall expertly dodging people and gurneys until at last he found himself in an empty corner, sank to his knees and covered his face with his hands.

He wasn't sure how long he was there before tears started spilling down his cheeks. It wasn't long before he felt a presence standing in front of him.

"Mind if I join you?" Rose asked, approaching no further awaiting his answer. Varian wiped his eyes feeling ashamed she saw him like this. Still she waited patiently for his response and there was a part of him that was glad someone found him and was offering nothing more than company if he wanted it. As much as he felt he shouldn't be around people he really didn't want to be alone.

He nodded and she quietly sat down next to him letting him make the first move. Eventually he got himself together enough to properly speak.

"Sorry for making a scene like that." he said quietly, still upset with himself. "I want to be there for him. I really do it's just…" he trailed off afraid he would start getting upset all over again.

"Hospitals can be scary." Rose commented looking down the hall. "It's not easy seeing someone you care about hurt or sick." Varian remembered hearing something about Rose being sick when she was younger.

"Were you in the hospital too? I heard something about that but Adrien said it was private so I didn't ask any further. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Rose smiled, happy that both Adrien and Varian had respected her privacy this time around.

"It's OK, I just don't like people treating me like I'm made of glass when they find out I had Leukemia." Varian blink in surprise. Cancer of any type was a death sentence in his world without the use of magic. He still marveled how much science had advanced to be able to accomplish so much.

"I'm in remission right now but me and my family always have to keep an eye out in case it comes back." She remembered how Juleka panicked and let the entire class know about her condition. "Juleka was really upset too. I heard she ran out of class when she thought it was back." Varian sighed. He appreciated the sympathetic ear but Juleka wasn't the one who put Rose into the hospital.

"I guess it's natural to feel bad when a friend is hurt." she nodded.

"It was tough watching my parents trying to act so strong while they couldn't do anything to help me. I guess that's when I started acting so upbeat. I was pretty young so I guess I figured if they saw me happy it would make them less sad and that made me even happier." She was quiet for a few moments as if deciding how to best phrase the next part. "I guess the whole thing taught me that I like being happy and seeing other people happy. Life isn't a guarantee so I want to enjoy it as much as I can.

"But it's OK to feel sad and upset." She turned to him. "Did you have to watch your Dad while he was in pain?" Varian took a shaky breath.

"I was the only one trying to help him." Quirin's expression frozen in pain still haunted his nightmares. "Everyday for months I stayed by his side while he never got better. Eventually I got to a point where I couldn't look at him anymore, it was just too painful." He hated that he had to cover his Dad with the tarp just to function but he was starting to go crazy at that point.

"And now Luka's been hurt." Rose commented showing that she understood his grief.

"I just…I don't know if I can go through that again." He rubbed a stubborn tear out of his eye. "I'm a bad son and a terrible friend." At this Rose jumped up.

"Don't say that!" She took his hands in hers. "If you were a bad person this wouldn't be hurting you so much." Varian paused, there was something in her tone that sounded so sincere. This didn't sound like Rapunzel telling him everything was going to be OK when she had no way of knowing. This was a friend, a real one, who took the time to listen and share. One who didn't dismiss his pain and even understood it to an extent. It left him a little shaken.

"You-you really think so?" She guided him up so that they were both standing now.

"It's easy to see how much you care about Luka. If this is too painful or if you still need more time he'd understand." Varian smiled sadly.

"That sounds like something he'd say." Rose smiled and he found himself very grateful for the support.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Thanks for finding me. I really do appreciate the talk." She smiled wider. "You're a good person and a good friend. I didn't realize how much I needed one right now." She was practically beaming when Adrien and Marinette came around the corner.

"Varian, there you are." Adrien said, sounding relieved.

"We were worried when you ran off." chimed Marinette as Alix and Alya rounded the corner after them.

"Sorry about that." He took another deep breath. "I thought I could handle it but…" Alix came up to him offering him a tissue.

"Hey no worries, this whole rock invasion has been hard on everyone. Hell even though I really want to find my brother every time I walk into a room there's a part of me hoping it's not him because that means he's hurt, bad." hearing this Rose came up to her.

"I can help you look!" she offered. "I'm here with Juleka most of the day anyway." Alix looked a little surprised but smiled back.

"I hate to ask but it would be easier than doing it alone." Marinette stepped up.

"I could make some fliers and see if anyone's seen him around." At that Alya pulled out her phone and started searching.

"There's already posts and articles about found and missing people, I could link it to my Ladyblog to help with the search."

Varian watched with a sense of pride as everyone was gathering to help one of their friends in need much like how Rose helped him. It left a warm feeling in his chest.

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Deep within the forest of the Dark Kingdom a loyal knight lay hidden from view. Hector hated hiding but his beasts would not let him leave until he was recovered enough to fend for himself. Years of training had made the knight resilient but loss of his home hurt worse than any wound he had received.

He had guarded the Great Tree for 25 years and the supposed "Sundrop" had carelessly destroyed it with her reckless use of the decay incantation. A tree that has stood for thousands of years gone at the whims of a child.

This was the one his foolish sister was leading to the Moonstone? While he can't deny her power, few if anyone could harness the power of that spell, she had no clue what she was doing. Just following her destiny to wherever it leads. She couldn't comprehend the power she was playing with.

Not all the blame could be laid on the Princess however. Hector had resisted the call of Zhan Tiri for years and in a moment of desperation he pulled the spear out of the corrupted tree. He feared the consequences for his action and worst of all he failed in his mission.

The Princess and her party were on their way to the castle now. He sent a message to his King warning him of their arrival, praying he was enough to keep the Moonstone safe.

A 'kwaw' caught his attention. It wasn't the call of an ordinary bird, it was Hamuel, one of the last loyal to the crown. He pushed himself up to meet the messenger, a letter in his beak with the King's seal and his name inscribed fell into his hands.

What he read was shocking. Somehow the Moonstone's power had been taken before the travelers had gotten to the castle. He growled as he forced himself back up much to the dismay of his loyal beast.

"Forgive me my friends, but our duty comes before everything else." He was healed enough, he could ride through the pain he'd had much worse in the past anyway. He quickly wrote back to his King telling him he was going after the travelers knowing Adira was likely to be with them. Odds are someone there had something to do with it. If not there was a good chance whatever did steal the Moonstone's power would at least be close by.

Giving his message to Hamuel the bird flew off to complete his duty. Hector climbed onto his rhino and drew his sword as his bearcats followed the smell of the missguided travelers.

They would not escape this time.

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Visiting hours were cut short, Luka had another round of minor surgery to go through later that day. His family went back to the hotel to get some much needed rest before then.

In the car on the way home Varian gathered up his courage to talk to Adrien.

"I'm sorry your visit got cut short because I freaked out." Adrien looked back surprised.

"No need to apologize, I'll be honest it was harder than I thought seeing him like that." The confession made Varian feel a little better but he still wished could have been there for Luka. "I was upset when I found out my Mom passed away and no one would let me see her before she was gone. Now though…" he trailed off now wondering if his father was right not wanting him to see her like that.

"It was hard seeing my Dad like that." Varian stated. "But I don't regret the chance to see him again and talk to him even if he couldn't hear me."

"A lot of people say that people who are in comas can still hear others around them." Varian was about to correct him but quickly remembered everyone thought his Dad was in a coma and not in a magical amber prison. He hoped that his Dad couldn't hear him though that, he doubted he would have heard anything good from him during that time.

"Perhaps." He said thinking of what he would want Luka to hear. "As for your Mom, I guess it depends. Not everybody reacts the same way to seeing a loved one in pain."

"Now that I think about it maybe she didn't want me seeing her like that either." Adrien thought as they pulled up to the Manor. He might never know for sure since his Dad still had a hard time talking about her at all. Still in an odd way this might have helped him let a part of his grief go. Maybe it was OK for his last memories of his Mother to be healthy and happy. It wasn't like he could change that anyway.

As Adrien exited the car he heard Varian gasp.

"Varian what's wrong." Craning his head to see what was wrong he was greeted by a new batch of rock, not as big as some of the others but red in color. "What's going on, why are they red?" He reached out to touch one but Varian immediately grabbed his hand.

"Don't!" he shouted, pulling him away. "We don't know why they look different but you can bet they're still dangerous." As if on cue the boys hear screaming coming from Gorilla who had gone to investigate the red rock after dropping off his charges. They watched in horror as the man screamed as if something was attacking him. Eventually the screaming stopped only for his entire body to be surrounded by a red light which quickly hardened leaving him frozen in place like a red tinted statue.

"Gorilla!" Adrien screamed trying to reach for the man but Varian still held him back.

"We need to get away from them, let's head inside." Adrien was hesitant but knew this wasn't something he could fight. He just hoped Chat Noir stood a better chance. They quickly ran into the house not prepared for what they saw.

Gabriel Agreste was sitting on the floor staring at his hand whimpering with tears in his eyes. A red rock was present right next to the man who was now slowly being consumed by the red magical aurora.

To be continued…

Next time: The city of Paris is under attack yet again but how does one fight their own fears? Who will fall victim and who will be left to fight?