One Way or Another

A Meaningful Name and An Ending

Adrien stared up at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll make the wish to bring her back. I know that I won't be able to save the baby too, but at least you'll still have Marinette. And she's the one you need."

"Why... why would you do that?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Marinette's the only reason that Emilie woke up. Because of her, I got five more years than I would have gotten otherwise." He paused momentarily. "Do you remember when we defeated Lila in that abandoned warehouse? I was already prepared to make an ultimate wish that night. That's why I attacked Marinette and tried to take her earrings. I was determined to bring Emilie back, and I was going to sacrifice myself to make sure that it happened. If I had been successful, I never would have seen Emilie awake again. I never would have met my daughter. And I never would have had the chance to explain everything to you."

Listening to his father, Adrien could barely hold it together.

"So you see," Gabriel continued. "Marinette saved all of us. She saved you, she saved Emilie, she saved Annabelle, and she even saved me. So that's why I'm doing this." Another pause. "Besides, I made a promise to you that nothing would happen to her. Now I know that I'm not much, but I still like to believe that I'm a man of my word."

Adrien blinked back tears. "You don't have to do this," he choked out. "Mom wouldn't have wanted..."

"Yes she would have, and I know that for a fact because she told me. Right before she fell asleep she told me that I have her permission to do whatever I have to do to save Marinette. And I promised her that I would." Gabriel cleared his throat before continuing. "I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but after we brought Emilie and Annabelle into your room, I was going to take Marinette's earrings when I went to check on her."

Taken aback, Adrien couldn't believe his ears. "Wait, you were going..."

"Then I was going to take your ring from you," Gabriel interrupted. "Marinette is too sick, and we aren't going to figure out the formula in time. So I wanted to make the wish before it was too late." A pause. "But this way is better because now you won't have to worry about solving the riddle. Let Marinette wake up Emilie and Annabelle. And then I'll bring her back."

Staring up at him, Adrien didn't know what to do. Of course he wanted Marinette to be saved more than anything else. And he was fine with sacrificing himself for her. But to have his own father do that instead? He wasn't sure if he was fine with that. He also wasn't sure if he could even trust him to go through with it.

"It's alright," Gabriel insisted, sensing his hesitation. "I want to do this. I want to do this for Marinette, and I want to do this for you."

After a minute of internal turmoil, Adrien tearfully asked a question. "No tricks?"

"No tricks."

Another moment before he nodded curtly. "Okay," he said, his voice cracking.

"Okay," Gabriel repeated. Then he stepped forward and wrapped his son up in a hug.

They held on for a moment. Then Adrien wiped his face as he followed his father back into his bedroom.

Nathalie was sitting next to Marinette on the couch, checking her pulse. Her expression already told everyone that it wasn't good news.

Gabriel walked right up to them. "Well, I think we've all had a chance to clear our heads. Let's decide what we're going to do."

"I want to wake them up," Marinette said, looking at her husband. "I'm not confused, I swear. Please Adrien, please let me help them before it's too late."