Not Alone: A Miraculous Ladybug Story

Chapter 44

 The small god flew over and kissed her forehead in a motherly way.

"Get ready, they're coming." Without another word, Tikki flew through the wall from where she came, and left Adela staring after her. A part of her wondered if she finally had broke and gone crazy. That was Ladybug's kwami, but Ladybug was not Marguerite anymore, so why... she trailed off that thought and realized what Tikki had said. Someone was coming for her!

She sprung into action, reaching for a bag, but then thinking better of it and just stuffing random papers and evidence she had collected into her pockets, the waist of her pants, anywhere. She may need to fight, a bag would only hinder her. Grabbing her coat, and wrapping it around her, she waited. Hearing a crash on the other side of her locked door, she widened her stance, and prepared to fight.

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When Tikki flew out and nodded, Adrien felt his heart stop. She was here. For the first time in a year, the only thing that separate him from his mother was a wall. Marinette transformed and then put her hand in his arm--either steadying him or to keep him from breaking down the door just yet, he wasn't sure which--while she opened her yoyo and told Alya the apartment number.

She had to know he wasn't going to wait for them, but she turned and looked at him seriously.

"I need to ask something of you, and I know you won't want to, but it's the best option."

He just stared at her. They were wasting time! She placed both hands on his shoulders to keep him rooted in place.

"I want you to go out that window," she pointed to the one at the end of the hall, "and I want you to go get your mother. Tikki says her window is on that side of the building. Grab her and then go up to the roof and meet your father there. Then take Adela to my place and we'll meet you there."

He stood shocked. Equal parts of him wanted to see his mother immediately and beat the crap out of whoever was holding her hostage. Then, he also was extremely uncomfortable letting the rest of them fight his battle without him. He started to argue, but she held up her hand.

"No, I talked to Alya before we left, and she already got your dad to agree. We can take care of two civilian thugs and we'll be right behind you. Please, kitty."

He could tell she was worried about his concentration in a fight, and they didn't want to risk his mother being hurt, so getting her out a back entrance was ideal. As was having two of them take her to Marinette's in case they ran into trouble along the way. She would be most willing to trust him or his dad, so that would make it quicker too.

As much as he tried to find fault in her plan, something to argue, he came up short.

"I don't want to let you fight my battle. I don't like it when we fight alone," he said weakly. She lifted a hand and cupped his cheek.

"Me neither, but it's our battle and I have good backup. Now hurry!" She kissed him quickly and pushed him towards the window as Volpina and Honu rounded the corner.

They would give him a two minute head start before they caused a distraction. Climbing out the window he rounded the corner and perched precariously on the ledge of the decorative edifice. Once outside her window, he extended his baton to the ground and balanced more comfortably on that while he pried the window open. Poking his head in, he spotted her.

Her blond hair was flatter and longer than her remembered, but there she stood in a fighting stance, fire in her eyes. He smiled and felt tears welling up in his eyes. Marinette was right to keep him from the fight, he begrudgingly admitted to himself.

"Mom?" He called tentatively and she spun on him, still expecting a fight. The moment she met his eyes though, the fire fell away, replaced by the tender expression he thought he'd never see again.

"Chat--Adrien?" She lifted a hand to her mouth, and then rushed him, grabbing him in a fierce hug and almost throwing him off balance. She pulled back.

"You're --you're --"

"No time," he cut her off and grabbed her waist. She clung to him like she was used to traveling via baton over buildings, and maybe she was. He still couldn't believe that his parents had been friends with his predecessor.

Just as he got her secured and started to ascend, he heard the crash of fighting from the living room but had to trust that his friends were taking care of the rest. He vaulted to the roof.

The moment he set his mother down, his father had her in his arms and they embraced with an intensity he only remembered of them from his very young childhood. As soon as it started, it was over though, and his mother was back in front of him, pecking kisses over his entire face like she used to when he would come home from a long trip and making him chuckle.

She looked back and forth between the two of them, a million questions flaring in her eyes. Her eyes settled on Adrien, but she addressed Gabriel.

"How?" she asked and his father shrugged, but looked over at him proudly.

"He was chosen." They both gazed at him lovingly, and Adrien was basking in the moment. It got better when he saw his girlfriend jump onto the roof, and all the people he truly loved were surrounding him. Then he looked at Ladybug's face, and reality sat back in.

"Seriously?" She looked at him in exasperation. "Thugs called for backup. Family reunion later." She grabbed Chat's hand and began to tug him behind her off the roof, but stopped and turned, a sweet smile on her face. "Oh, and nice to meet you Mrs. Agreste." Then she nodded to Gabriel. "Meet you there."

Chat wrapped his arm around her waist as she swung them to another roof, taking a circuitous route to her house to confuse anyone who may be following. Just before they were out of earshot though, he heard his mother's joyous laughter.

"I like her," she said to his father who also chuckled as they flew off in another direction. Despite the can of worms they just opened, and the fact that they had basically declared war with a lunatic with political aspirations, Chat couldn't keep the smile off his face.