Love Beyond Time and Space

The Best Friend

Taking a deep breath, she once again launched into the story. The same, or at least as similar as she could remember, to what herself and Adrien had told her parent's the previous evening. To be honest, she still wasn't overly sure what the story was herself.

"So you're telling me, Ladybug and Chat Noir sent this specific child here to 'save the Miraculous'?" Alya asked, obviously not believing a single word that was coming out of Marinette's mouth.

"Yep," Marinette nodded, trying her hardest to keep the smile on her face as it threatened to fall.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste's child?" Alya leaned one elbow on the counter and looked over at her friend.

"Actually, Marinette and Adrien Agreste's child. We're married in Emma's timeline, you should see the wedding photographs too. It was a small, cute wedding and you all looked adorable."

"We're friends in this other dimension?"

Enthusiastically, Marinette nodded. "Best friend's from the photographs I have."

Alya sat staring for a while, Marinette shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The only reprieve in the moment was Emma trumping loudly and continuing to inform everyone in the room what had just happened.

"Emmie, trump!"

The words from the babe's mouth broke the tension, all laughing as Sabine took control of Emma asking her if she needed to go potty. The toddler enthusiastically declined and climbed on the sofa to continue her own rendition of five little monkeys.

"You know what I'm thinking. I'm thinking Ladybug and Adrien Agreste had this child, and that you're keeping something from me. Come on Marinette, who else disappears as soon as there's an Akuma? And don't tell me it's because you're scared, I know you Marinette and you might not see yourself as the woman behind the mask, day in and day out, but I know you can possess those skills."

Marinette felt like breaking down and crying. She'd never had anyone talk to her like that before, except Chat Noir. She's lived her whole life attempting to keep under the radar, to keep hidden, and to have her best friend still see such greatness in plain old Marinette Dupain-Cheng filled her with an undeniable warmth.

Sabine made her way over to Marinette, Emma hoisted on one hip and a hand placed on Marinette's shoulder. "Why don't you take Alya up to your room?"

With a quick nod, Marinette indicated for Alya to follow her, Emma wailing in protest of not going with her mother. Stopping on the staircase to glance at the screaming child. Sabine nodded to her, a smile creeping over her face.

"Marinette, sweetheart, I promise I know how to take care of a child. I've had her most of the day. Go, she'll be fine."

Marinette nibbled on her bottom lip, before slowly turning and walking up the staircase.

It had only been 24 hours since she'd met the young child and she was already getting strange emotions linked to leaving Emma. Is this how parents always felt?

Maman guilt really was 'a thing'.

Marinette indicated for Alya to head on through before turning and closing her loft hatch.

"Okay, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Agreste... whatever the hell you want to be called? What the fuck is going on?"

Marinette sighed, heading over to her lounge chair and collapsing. Her hands came up to cover her eyes, exhaustion finally taking over. How she wished she could just climb up into her loftbed and sleep for a couple of hours, actually make it a couple of days! She'd barely slept the night before, having Adrien so close and being in an apartment so foreign, yet familiar, had filled her with anxiety. But then add on top the child sleeping below who she was reasonable for and she was an absolute wreck.