Not Alone: A Miraculous Ladybug Story

Chapter 45

 Volpina cursed herself as she and Nino flew towards Marinette's. Ladybug had taken the bigger one all on her own, but theirs was sneakier than they expected, and still managed to send out the signal for backup before they took him down.

They descended a few blocks away, found an alley, and released their transformations before walking the rest of the way to the bakery. They were met at the entrance by Marinette and Adrien coming from the opposite direction. Hands intertwined and strolling leisurely, they looked like any couple just out for a moonlight walk. Alya smiled, still happy for her friend's good fortune, but getting a bit restless waiting for the man by her side to finally get the hint and make a move.

"Hey guys!" Marinette waved amicably. "Come in for some cocoa?" She unlocked the front door and ushered them in behind her, taking care to deadbolt it after them. Once inside, they all rushed, upstairs and were immediately embraced by the Dupain-Chengs as they looked them over for even any minor injuries.

"Maman, Papa!" Marinette said, laughing. "We're fine. I promise. Are Gabriel and Adela--"

"They're in the back room. Here," she handed Marinette and Alya a tray of pastries and tea. "Take this back."

They walked back, and Adrien sat directly in between his parents, making Alya smile, and formally introduced them all to his mother. She seemed extra pleased to meet Marinette when Adrien introduced her as his girlfriend and Alya had to chuckle at the bright red blush that covered Marinette's expressive face. Once they were acquainted and well fed, a must in the Dupain-Cheng household, they caught Adela up on the event of the past year, but more specifically of the last few weeks.

Just when they had finished, Chloé arrived, but apart from her warm embrace of Adela, she looked grave.

"They had cameras."

"What do you mean?" Marinette leaned forward, staring at her.

"I mean," Chloé flicked her hair agitatedly, but it was really just a tell of her worry. "I saw a video of the three of you beating up two men in what seems to be a random attack in their own apartment, and Germain plans to use it for his political advantage. He's going to claim that we've given these vigilantes too much freedom, and now they're becoming a public menace and are volatile."

"But--But--," Marinette sputtered, and then pointed to Adela. "Adela! We were saving Adela!"

"But that's not on camera," Chloé explained gently. Marinette looked so forlorn, and Alya wrapped a arm around her shoulder.

"What should we do?" She asked no one in particular. And no one in particular answered. Complete silence enveloped the room, and then Adela lifted her head, and spoke.

"Gabriel, go home." She looked to her husband who had a startled expression on his face.

"Err, darling, what--why?" he settled on, but Adela was staring directly at Marinette.

"Gabe, you're going to go home and wait. Then in about thirty minutes, I will be miraculously returned by Ladybug and friends to your doorstep. You'll call the police, and tell them joyously that Ladybug, Chat Noir, Volpina and Honu rescued me from kidnappers. We will have a brief press conference, without my heroes." She turned to Adrien. "Adrien, dear, you need to be there as my son, and it wouldn't make sense for Chat Noir to just be missing. So," she turned back to them all, "The rest of you will go home and sleep. Chloé," she swiveled her gaze to the blonde. "You will go catch your father up on what has been happening, including all you uncle's ideas of grandeur. André may be a bit too trusting, but his is an intelligent man, and he will be crucial if we're going to take Germain out permanently."

She stopped, and looked around at each of them. Alya glanced around at the open-mouthed stares of her friends an almost wanted to laugh. This whole situation had gotten to the precipice of being overwhelming to them all, and while grief-striken Gabriel was a help, and Marinette's parents were a stabilizing presence, Alya realized how in over their heads they were. Akumatized victims? No problem. Political masterminds scheming a government takeover? Maybe a bit above their expertise.

"We so needed an adult," Alya said, sitting back. "What?" she asked indignantly, looking around at her friends. "I'll admit it if you all won't. I'm fifteen! I like running into danger for a story, and fighting akumas as Volpina, but thwarting a coup d'etat is a bit more than I'm prepared to handle. Call me in a few years."

There was silence, and then Nino started to chuckle, followed by Marinette's giggle and Chloé's snorting laugh. Finally the Agrestes and Dupain-Chengs joined in until they had gotten it out of their system.

"No offence, Mr Agreste. Sabine, Tom." She added, but Sabine just laughed at here.

"None taken, dear. I don't think my bread baking skills prepared me well on the ways to stop a maniacal, political upstart either."

"And I..well..." He touched Adela's shoulder from where his arm rested on top of the back of the couch behind his son, as if to just assure himself that she was still there.

"Of course," Alya nodded, understandingly. He had more pressing concerns than unraveling Germain's twisted game of political intrigue.

"So, it's settled then?" Adela asked, checking to see that they were all on the same page, and they all looked to Marinette, who'd somehow become their impromptu leader in all of this. They caught her mid-yawn.

"Okay, let's do this then. Before I pass out," she added sheepishly.

She leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek. Gabriel left, getting a head start. He wanted to make sure his own security cameras captured exactly the scene they needed to show police and take down Germain's false accusations.

Then,Chloé went home for an uncomfortable talk with her father and the rest transformed, preparing for the miraculous reappearance of Adela Agreste.