The Other Part of Me

How do you grieve someone who meant more to you than you realised? How can you stand there and watch the person who brought you into this world, the person who cared for you unknowingly, who saved your life, be lowered into the ground like just an inanimate object? How can you carry on when your life has been pulled apart at the seams and ripped so badly you have no idea if it can be mended? You try and try but it just won't fit together anymore, at least not the way it used to.

Adrien watched as the priest said his final words and Nathalie's coffin was lowered into the ground. He thought he was dealing with it, but this right here and right now, was not someone who was dealing with it. He felt numb. Broken. His whole life was a lie and a sham. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, twisting himself to come face to face with the Gorilla.

Due to what had transpired not too long ago, Nathalie's funeral was closed off. Only close friends and family were welcome, and it seemed himself and his bodyguard were her only close friends and, metaphorically, her family. The area had been closed off keeping prying eyes and paparazzi out and away from the ceremony.

A grunt left Gorilla's mouth, indicating it was time for them to return to the hotel. Adrien let the red rose in his hand drop down onto the coffin as he kissed his fingers and threw that down too.

"I'll never forget what you did for me," his voice was low, quiet, broken. It was no longer hidden that Nathalie had died saving Adrien's life, that he owed everything to her.

"Neither will I," a voice spoke up behind him, causing him to turn suddenly.

The girl in red walked forward, a red rose in one hand and a black suit bag in the other. She placed the bag down and threw a red rose to lie on top of the coffin. Adrien took a moment to study her before turning back to the Gorilla. Seeming to understand what Adrien needed to happen, he grunted again and walked the priest away from the plot, along with the grounds keeper who was standing with his shovel.

"How have you managed to get here? What about school?" Adrien asked, eyes following their companions around the side of the building.

"Those darn dentists' just needed to give me a quick check up this morning, my parents were mortified that more notice wasn't given for the school." Her lips turned up into a small smile, eyes following the same as Adrien's.

As soon as the others rounded the corner, Ladybug jumped towards Adrien, taking him in her arms.

"Careful, LB, you'll break me."

She pulled back a little, keeping her arms around his waist and looked him up and down. The look in her eyes overpowered all emotions he was feeling as he moved his head down and kissed her on the corner of the lips. He wasn't quite sure where he was aiming for. Her lips, her cheek, her nose?

She smiled back at him before loosening the grip from around his waist. She stood by his side, both staring down into the newly created hole now the proud owner of a Clarksburg wooden casket.

Adrien stretched his hand towards Ladybug allowing her to slot both hands together, fingers joined in coordination with their hearts. They both stood there in silence, each playing their own stories in their heads from the day the final battle went down.

"I haven't asked this, but how did it happen?" Adrien spoke, yet the words didn't sound like his own.

"Adrien -"

"I need to know, M'Lady. How did it happen? Was there a fight? Did she get forced into it? I need to know, I need closure."

It had been a little over a month and Marinette's nightmares were still fresh, her mind replaying the whole event as though it was on Netflix. It never changed, and she was quite sure the memory was never adapted. Tikki would never speak about it, and Plagg was in a state not too different from Adrien. It seemed his emotions fed off that of his wielder.