A/N: Apologies for the delay! Returning from a week at Disney.

Excited for this one, it's a fun one Might need to forgive Marinette a bit for her stubbornness here at the beginning. That fear of failure really getting in the way.

Song rec: Sideways by Forest Blakk

One evening, during a meeting with the slowly-growing resistance, Marinette paced in front of everyone.

"Everything is going well, but we need to start making progress on our next step. Does anyone here know anything about our next potential member? Kim Chiến Lê Ature?" She glanced at Max, their newest member and holder of the Horse Miraculous.

Max cleared his throat, but as he began speaking, Marinette noticed Claw Noir staring at her intently. Meeting his eyes, she saw him surreptitiously wipe above his lip, which she mirrored, her hand coming away with a red streak.

Damn, another nosebleed.

They had continued making a regular appearance for her, which was super irritating, but otherwise not concerning. Still, she didn't want to alarm anyone else, so she gave Claw a slight nod as she twisted away briefly.

She turned back after a moment, tuning into Max's information he had on the new target. Though Claw's pinched expression continued to draw her gaze throughout the rest of the meeting.

After assigning surveillance schedules for the others, Marinette ended the meeting alongside Gabriel, and everyone scattered, leaving at different times as usual.

Outside, Claw caught up with her as she swung through the city. "Red, slow down."

For a moment, she wanted to ignore him, but with a sigh, she stopped on top of a building. "What's up?"

He landed, his eyes tense. "You're still bleeding." His gloved hand brushed beneath her nose, coming away red.

She swiped at her face, frustrated. "I'm fine, Claw. It's just a nosebleed."

"You're transformed, Red."

"So what? It's a nosebleed." She kept moving, heading back to her hotel.

She detransformed in her usual spot, walking back only to see Adrien striding towards her, having landed ahead.

He met up with her, walking silently at her side as they headed into the lobby of her hotel, and then into the room.

Marinette sighed as she held the door open for him. "Listen, Adrien, I'm telling you—"

He cut her off, his mouth suddenly on hers as he pressed her up against the wall beside the closing door. She'd been expecting an argument, taken aback by his sudden passion. Not that she was complaining, but they did have a big meeting with the Supreme and other holders later that evening, so she wondered if now was the best timing.

Still, she let him lead, following him as he eventually dragged her from the wall and to her bed.

As they moved together, Marinette could spot more signs than normal that Adrien was struggling. She did her best to focus on him, to try and keep whatever thoughts were running through his head away.

Afterwards, Marinette slowed her breathing as she lay on his arm, looking into his eyes. "Adrien," she whispered, "I'm fine."

A sliver of pain struck through his gaze. "Not trying to guilt you, Marinette, but I have lost enough family members to things where they should have been 'fine.' I would be happier if you got yourself checked out."

She gripped his arm, her mouth turning down. She felt for him, and the last thing she wanted to do was worry him at the moment. But it was only a nosebleed. "It's probably just a side effect of being in this universe. The air is drier here."

Tikki appeared suddenly above them. "I'm sorry," she said, floating in the air. "The Supreme is contacting you."

Marinette groaned, rolling out from Adrien's arms. "Come on. We need to go." She snagged her clothing from the ground, putting them back on as Adrien reluctantly did the same.

She stood and walked to the door, but before she opened it, she felt a wave of dizziness pass over her, causing her to stumble.

Damn, she thought. Must have stood up too quickly.

Adrien grabbed her arm, steadying her. She met his gaze, noting the thinly-veiled panic behind his eyes. "I can't lose you, Marinette. Please."

She felt her determination falling away as she looked at him. The expression he held was so different from the Adrien she had expected when she had first met him.

She hadn't been expecting the shift in him that she had seen over the past couple of months. His uncaring confidence had somehow morphed into an all-consuming focus, though he'd carefully hidden it beneath his usual public persona as Claw Noir. As their relationship had deepened, so had his determination to see their mission through. She had been pleasantly surprised by the attitude shift, glad to have had a positive effect on him.

Seeing him like this, worried and completely focused on her, was a reminder of why she had started to fall for him well before.

He truly cared. Even if this was something she wished he would care less about—she was fine.

Her hand slipped up behind his neck, pulling his forehead down to hers. "It's going to be okay."

He closed his eyes briefly before snapping them back open, gripping her arm. "How about you rest for five minutes, then we'll go? Can't have you passing out in front of the Supreme."

"I just stood up too quickly, and I'll be transformed—"

"Five minutes," he repeated, undeterred.

Finally, Marinette relented. "Fine, if it'll make you feel better." She knew that sickness was a bit of a touchy topic for Claw, with the way that he lost his mother. The least she could do was humor him.

She went and flopped onto the bed, giving him a pointed look. "There. Resting."

He watched her for a moment, his eyes tense, before abruptly turning and leaving through the door. "I'll be back," he said, slamming the door behind him.

Marinette considered following him, but decided to stay. She needed to be 100% for the Supreme anyway. Maybe she did need a moment.

And a snack.

Adrien had just left the hotel and transformed in order to let out some steam when he was dragged off to the side by none other than Bunnilark. "Claw. Long time no see."

He glared at her, in no mood to be cheered up at the moment. "Can you just piss off, Lark? I can't handle you today."

Bunnilark hopped up on a firescape, crossing her legs. "Your claws seem extra sharp today. What's up?"

Claw felt his anger flare up. "Like you don't fucking know."

Completely unaffected by his tone, Bunnilark shrugged. "I'm not omniscient, Shamrock." When he continued to glare at her, she sighed. "I thought you might need someone to talk to again. If not me, I suppose I could take you back to Shadybug. It's been long enough."

The comment reminded him of what Bunnilark had told him a while back, that she couldn't simply transport people back and forth all the time through the time stream and the portals, not without consequence.

He felt some of his anger trickle away. It had been several months since he had seen them, and the thought of being able to voice some of his frustration appealed to him.

Claw crossed his arms, unwilling to show any of it. Just because he had begun letting his guard down around Marinette didn't mean anyone else would get the same privilege. "Fine. Take me through."

Bunnilark smiled, jumping down and opening a portal beside her. "I'll bring you back to Marinette afterwards, sound good?"

"Whatever," he mumbled, stepping through the portal and into his partner's living room once again.

Where he met an angry Shay, standing mere feet from him as he came to a halt. She jumped at him, causing him to startle back a step before she snatched at his jacket. When she had a hold of him, she dragged him to her, only to shove her hand against his chest and push him away again.

Completely taken off guard, Claw stumbled back as she whispered angrily, "You are going to stay right the fuck here and explain what the hell is going on, Claw." The portal gone, Claw might have fallen on his ass if it weren't for the armchair behind him, which luckily caught him.

What the fuck? He narrowed his eyes at her, taking in her pissed-off expression as Adrien sat behind her on the sofa, holding their sleeping baby in his arms.

What was she all worked up about? It wasn't his fault Bunnilark had made him wait so long before coming back for an update.

"Geeze," he said, lowering his voice. "I'm sorry. I know it's been a while, but damn." He looked away, feeling the worry that he tried so hard to keep bottled up threatening to overwhelm him. He felt morose, ticked at himself that he was letting something so stupid bother him as much as it was.

Fucking pathetic.

The anger in Shay's expression faded, leaving concern in its wake. He realized belatedly that she was somehow able to pick out some of the emotions that he had let show through. He usually was pretty good at hiding those, but apparently his recent weakness was getting in the way. "Claw," she asked gently, "—what happened?"

He recalled their last conversation, and how it had also centered on Marinette. Giving up on keeping up a front, he slumped in the chair. "I'm worried about her."

Shay sucked in a breath, and he was surprised to see how seriously she was treating his statement. "What's going on?"

Sighing, Claw ran a hand through his hair. "It sounds stupid, I know, but she keeps having these nosebleeds, and getting dizzy at random times. And before you ask, yes, she's eating." He glared at Shay, thinking about how she had spent years hardly eating outside of her transformation at all, her body taking the hit thanks to staying in the suit for too long.

Adrien cleared his throat. "Have you taken her to a doctor?"

Frustrated, Claw grimaced. "She won't go." And she hadn't, even though he'd told her he would be willing to do whatever it took to get her seen in his world. Though maybe now she would, after that little dizziness stunt of hers.

"What do you mean she won't go?" Shay asked, pissed off again. "You gotta take her, Claw. Isn't she yours? You have a responsibility."

Claw paused the response that had been at the tip of his tongue, the rest of Shay's question causing confusion to spark up within him. Of course he had a responsibility to help Marinette stay safe while helping him in his world, regardless of his feelings about her, but the odd possessive phrasing threw him for a loop. "I...what? Mine?"

Shay gave him another confused look. "Aren't you talking about the baby? Or is she not yours?"

Baby? What the hell?

"What?" His eyes flickered back to the infant in Adrien's arms before resting on Shay again. "No, I'm talking about Marinette."

Instead of working to clear up whatever the fuck Shay was confused about, his answer only seemed to make her angrier. "Just tell us if the baby is okay, Claw. I can't handle this fucking waiting around for you to spit it out."

Claw stared at her, aghast. "What the hell are you talking about, Shade?"

Shay threw up her hands. "What do you mean what am I talking about? You can't fucking show up here and tell us a baby is coming and that you'd be over here with it, and then not bring a damn baby back with you!"

Despite the fact that Shay seemed to think she was adding clarifying information, none of it made any fucking sense to him. He'd never shown up here saying anything of the sort. Was she getting him confused with something else? "I'm telling you, Shay, I have no idea what you're talking about. I never said any of that."

"Yes you did, I'm telling you, you showed up here, and...and…" Shay trailed off, something finally seeming to click for her.

Well, he hoped she would get around to letting him know, because he didn't have a fucking clue what she was going on about.

Understanding flooded across her face, amusement hot on its trail. "The bunny is sending you back here in reverse, Claw."

"Reverse?" Claw repeated, bewildered. What in the actual fuck? Like, backwards? He thought back to their previous conversation. "Hold on, the last time I was here, I asked your advice on Marinette."

Shay merely raised her eyebrows and shook her head, a clear denial.

He let out a huff as he tried to reorient himself. If she didn't remember him coming back last time, that must mean…he'd show up in their future? Reaching back to what Shay had said, Claw realized that it must have been him returning from the future. Well, his future, their past. Damn that rabbit for fucking with his head for shits and giggles. "You're saying that I come back in the future, and say...something about a baby, and…"

A baby is coming. That's what he had told her? Why would he bring a random baby across universes, unless…

The idea was absurd, but the seed of it finally took root in his mind and grew.

Unless it wasn't random.

Unless the baby was his.

The connection to Marinette's current condition fell into place, and his mouth dropped open. "Oh fuck, she's pregnant, isn't she?"

He jumped to his feet as the realization slammed into him, but the first thing he felt was—surprisingly—overwhelming relief.

Marinette wasn't sick.

Before the idea could settle within him, however, doubt creeped in. "No, wait, that doesn't make sense." His head twisted back to land on Shay. "Are nosebleeds a sign of that?"

Shay shrugged, glancing over at Adrien. "Sunshine here'll know. He did all the research."

Claw felt slightly gratified to see Adrien frown as he slowly tugged his phone out without disturbing the baby. After typing one handed, he looked back up. "Yeah, looks like it might be."

That had to be it then. Especially as Claw remembered she had also started having dizzy spells. He let out a single laugh before the implications finally set in.

Marinette was pregnant.

Groaning, he ran a clawed hand through his hair and down his face. "She's going to kill me, goddamnit—" He let out a flurry of curses as he paced the floor. He thought back to the first time she'd gotten a nosebleed, and realized it had been further back than he would have expected. "But she's been getting them for months, how would she not know?" The thought seemed unimportant at the moment, however, and he quickly resumed contemplating just how much of a dead cat he was going to be.

The one thing they'd been determined to avoid, and somehow it had happened anyway.

She was going to be so pissed.

Something occurred to him then, halting his frantic movements. He recalled once again what Shay had said, one of the first things when he'd gotten there.

For a blessed moment, an unfamiliar peace settled through him.

Meeting Shay's eyes, he asked, "But it's going to turn out alright? I came back here, after all?"

Adrien was the one to respond, a smile lifting the corner of his mouth as he did so. "You did."

Closing his eyes, Claw tilted his head up towards the ceiling, breathing deeply.

Claw Noir had returned here, proclaiming the impending arrival.

It was going to be okay.

Maybe even better than okay.

He could almost taste it as he stood silently, listening to nothing but the sound of his breathing.

Hope.

As quickly as it arrived, he sent it away. He didn't actually know anything. Well, perhaps one thing, a realization he couldn't stop from leaving his lips. "She doesn't kill me." That was really the extent of it, though. Any number of things could still go wrong, after all, and—

He was almost grateful when Shay interrupted the path his thoughts had been about to go down, one that he knew from the past would have been filled with more darkness. "And the Supreme?" she asked, meeting his eyes as he reopened them. "How is that going?"

"We're close," he said, willing it to be true. They had a lot on their side now, they just needed more, and a solid plan of attack. "Really close, I think. I hope." Speaking of it brought to mind the fact that he needed to get back, needed to tell Marinette what he'd discovered before their big meeting with the Supreme and the other holders. "I need to go back."

Just like that, the portal reappeared, Bunnilark stepping through. Claw took a moment to glare at her before turning back to Shay and Adrien, a grin quickly appearing on his face. "I'll catch you in your past." Then he turned and strode over to Bunnilark, the grin disappearing as his eyes narrowed on her innocent expression. He walked her to the other side of the portal, separated from the others. "You think you're hilarious, don't you?" he said through his teeth.

She merely cocked her head. "I don't know what you mean, Claw. Time and universal travel aren't easy, you know. Sometimes I'm off by five minutes, or an hour. Sometimes stuff gets muddled." She shrugged, but he could see the amusement in the corner of her eyes.

"You could have just told me, Lark."

She grew more serious then. "You know I can't do that, Claw Noir."

He squinted his eyes at her. "Sure is convenient what you can and can't do."

With a dramatic sigh, Bunnilark nudged him forward. "It hurts my head too, alright? I really do need a nap. Now on you get, or you're gonna throw me off."

He let out a sigh. "I don't know if you're serious or not, but if you ever actually need one, you can always crash at my place. As long as you shut up and aren't being an irritating nuisance like you usually are."

A genuine smile lit her face. "Thanks Shamrock. You're a good friend, ya know?"

The statement threw him off. No, he definitely was not a good friend.

She nudged him again, but Claw hesitated once more, pushing his already negligible luck. "Can you tell me if she's gonna be okay?"

Bunnilark watched him intently for a moment. "Not asking about both of you?"

He shrugged. "Don't care about me, to be honest."

She shook her head, merely repeating what she'd said before. "Can't reveal that, Claw. I'm sorry. Some things you gotta just figure out on your own." Her eyes tightened suddenly. "Alright, enough chit chat, this will portal you back to Marinette. Go."

He took a deep breath and stepped through the portal, preparing to explain as fast as he could so they could make it to the meeting on time. And hopefully avoid as much anger as possible. "Marinette, we need to—"

He cut off as he quickly realized he wasn't in the hotel room where he had expected to be.

Marinette did indeed stand before him, but she was facing to the side, her eyes wide as her head twisted to him. Eyes that were red, beneath her Shadybug disguise.

And in the corner of the dark room, shrouded by the usual wispy shadows, stood the Supreme.

A/N: Anyone else look at the tags and think "Now, Ladynoir_Fan, how are you going to manage an unintentional pregnancy reveal, they already know each other's identities?" Heh. Well. This was how :)

Also, I don't always know where my chapter breaks are gonna end up, but oh, was this one easy. Heehee. Til next week!

Also feeling pretty excited, got my first offer to narrate an actual audiobook never thought I'd be at this point two months after starting!