{Cold Stormy Night} (GabeNath)

| Chapter 45: Which Do You Value More? | 5/5/2024 |

''What?'' Gabriel looked at her in shock.

''You heard me,'' Nathalie crossed her arms, ''if you have no need to get the miraculous from Ladybug and Cat Noir, you might as well give ours up.''

Gabriel stared at the woman like she was crazy, ''You know I can't-''

''Why not?'' Nathalie said, looking away from him, ''You know, somewhere along the way of helping you as Mayura, I grew a conscience.'' She said sarcastically.

''If you remember correctly, I never forced you to help me, Nathalie,'' Gabriel spat back.

Nathalie turned to face Gabriel, looking up at him with an angry expression, ''I watched a mother fully break down crying in a public restroom to a stranger because she was terrified of her newborn baby being akumatized and she felt like she had no one else to confide in.'' She shook her head, ''I'm not saying you forced me to use the miraculous, I just need you to REALIZE THE DAMAGE WE CAUSED.''

''IT WAS ALL FOR A REASON!'' Gabriel yelled.

''AND THAT REASON ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH ANYMORE, YOU DON'T NEED TO BRING EMILIE BACK, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO USE IT!'' Nathalie responded with the same tone, ''I MEAN, IMAGINE IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE!'' She hesitated but knew it needed to be said, ''SHE WOULD HATE YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.''

Gabriel's eyes widened.

''Don't you speak about her like that,'' he pointed his finger at her.

She slapped his hand down. ''You know it's true. IT'S TRUE GABRIEL, YOU'VE CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN, SHE WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU...'' Nathalie looked down, ''whenever you go out as Hawkmoth, you transform into this... monster.'' She said, literally and figuratively speaking.

Gabriel looked down at his hand, stepping back from Nathalie. All of a sudden he got déjà vu from when Aston visited the mansion to make amends with Nathalie. He didn't dare to put his hand into her face like that again.

''I love you... the true you. Not Hawkmoth and what he's turning you into,'' Nathalie sighed, ''Your excuse of wanting to bring Emilie back still would not validate every evil deed. But now you're not focused on her, you don't even need Emilie anymore, like you've said.'' She spoke sternly, ''So why are you holding on to the miraculous?''

Nathalie shook her head, ''I mean, you've heard about Ellise's friend... the APTSD meetings. You know about it, you can't make the excuse that you were ignorant of the trauma and hurt that you...'' she stopped herself, ''that we... caused.''

''Well, I'm sure they're fine now,'' Gabriel huffed.

Nathalie stood quiet; she couldn't believe what she heard. Her expression went from upset to crushed, and her heart sank. A familiar voice rang through her ears as soon as Gabriel said that.

When she was in the hospital, she could hear her sister and her father's argument from her room,

''IT'S NOT MY FAULT SHE SHOULD HAVE STUDIED MORE AND PARTIED LESS! THEN MAYBE SHE WOULDN'T BE A FAILURE!'' Henri yelled back at Ellise.

Ellise looked into her father's eyes, finally ready to no longer hold back her feelings, ''You mentally abused your own DAUGHTER for years, I'd say YOU were the FAILURE.''

''How DARE YOU?!'' Henri exclaimed, seething from the insolence.

Ellise yelled immediately after, ''YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE MENTAL IMPACT YOU MADE ON NATHALIE'S LIFE!''

Henri was furious, ''YOU-'' He couldn't get any more words out before Ellise cut him off.

''You always said she was NEVER GOOD ENOUGH. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO A CHILD!?'' Ellise's fury broke out.