Marinette groaned as she ran her fingers through her hair. It was probably a good thing that there wasn't a mirror in this apartment. At least, she could pretend her hair wasn't a total disaster. Oh, how she wished she could style her hair again; then, her bangs wouldn't fall into her eyes so much. At this point, she might as well grow them out. Besides, it wasn't like she would see a hairdresser anytime soon.
Hmm... She could always wear the Monkey Miraculous. A headband would keep her hair out of her eyes. Or perhaps the hair clips? Marinette glanced over at the sewing box and frowned. If she let one out, the others would complain. And she already felt bad about keeping them hidden away. Not that she had much choice in the matter. 15 Kwami were hardly silent, and she couldn't risk having the neighbors hear.
Perhaps she could see if Adrien could find some hair clips or a bandana. Some makeup would be nice, too. Marinette smiled to herself. Maybe, somehow, she could find a way to dress up for Adrien.
Closing her eyes, Marinette bit her lip as she remembered Adrien in his suit last night. Man, that boy looked hot! Marinette wished she could look nice for him, too. He had made their "Date Night" so special, and yet she only had her frumpy, tired clothes to wear.
It has been three weeks since Adrien first kissed her. Three weeks of sleeping by his side. Three weeks of waking up in his arms. When she was with Adrien, Marinette was filled with such blissful happiness that she could almost forget the outside world. Almost forget about everything that she had lost.
Even during the days she spent away from Adrien, Marinette found she cried less. It wasn't that the pain had softened. No, it wasn't that. Her heart had just become used to it. It was an emptiness that was always there. The grief and loss were a part of her now.
It was strange. Marinette still had all the memories of her old life, but lately, it was as if they belonged to someone else. The details seemed more like scenes from a beloved movie rather than from a life that once belonged to her.
Marinette rubbed her palms together, trying to warm up her hands. It was still a few hours until it was time to go to Adrien's; she should try to fill some time. Maybe she could design some evening wear in her new sketchbooks. Marinette slumped as she looked out the window. The sun had already set, and, without functioning lights, the apartment would get dark soon. Marinette had some candles for emergencies, but she should probably save those. Wanting to draw was hardly an emergency.
Maybe Marinette should leave a message for Chat? He might be up for a phone call. Although he still hadn't joined her on patrols, Chat was always up to keep her company, and he usually had free time after dinner.
Suddenly, Marinette jumped to her feet at the sound of someone kicking open the window. Her arms flew up instinctively as the intruder burst into the apartment. Quickly eyeing her surroundings, Marinette grabbed a scrap piece of lumber, ready to defend herself. But she instantly dropped the makeshift weapon when she saw Chat Noir holding a woman in his arms.
"Please, Marinette! Help her!" he shouted.
Marinette paled; she could feel herself start to panic. What? How... how did Chat know she was here?! Or alive for that matter! No. Chat couldn't know Marinette was alive. No one could!
"Ch...Chat Noir? How did you find me?" she stammered. "What's going on?"
Chat didn't answer; he wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were closed as he held the woman tightly to his chest. As Marinette slowly walked closer, she could tell from the shaking of his shoulders that he was sobbing. What? Chat's crying? Who is this woman?
When she finally saw the woman's face, an icy chill washed over her body. "This... this is Emilie Agreste!"
Still cradling the woman's shoulders, Chat knelt down and gently placed her legs on the floor. He quickly unzipped his pocket and threw two tiny objects across the room.
"There! It's over!" he cried. "You can go home now. But, please, you have to help her!"
Marinette's eyes grew wide as she focused on the pieces of jewelry. She blinked several times, not fully believing her eyes. There, resting on the bare wood floor of the apartment, lay the Peacock and Butterfly Miraculous.
"I don't care what you have to take from me," Chat's rapid, ragged breaths made him hard to understand. "You can have my blood, my heart, my life, anything. Please, bring her back!"
Why did this woman mean so much to Chat? How could he know the Kwamis could heal through equivalent exchange? Even as a Guardian, Marinette had no idea until they saved her. A horrible realization washed over her as Marinette tried to swallow. With wide eyes, she looked back over at her grief-stricken partner. "A... Adrien?"
"It was my father; he was Hawkmoth," he quietly told her as tears dripped from his mask. "Everything he did, he did for her. Father wanted to join the Miraculous to bring her back."
Marinette's legs buckled beneath her, and she landed hard on the floor.
"He wanted me to join him. So together, we could recreate the world where you existed." Chat's voice trembled as he spoke. "I didn't know what to say... so I agreed." Chat violently shook his head. "I agreed, but I didn't mean it. I never meant it, Milady. I could never..."
Marinette stared blankly ahead, unable to move, barely able to breathe.
"Then, I asked to see the Miraculous to study them, to try to understand. And... Father just handed them to me. All these years of fighting, and Hawkmoth just handed them to me!" Chat Noir hugged his mother to his chest. His whole body shook as his tears fell on his mother's blonde hair.
"I... I didn't know what to do," he sobbed, quieter this time. "As soon as he left, I took her and ran."
Frozen with shock, Marinette stared back at her partner. Thousands of questions were flooding her mind all at once. It was too much! She couldn't focus; she could barely breathe. Marinette's vision grew blurry before she realized she was crying. No! Something this horrible couldn't be true.
Marinette blinked away her tears as she clenched her fists, forcing her frozen muscles to move. She had to act; Adrien needed her. There would be time to process everything later. Slowly, she crawled over to Chat Noir and placed a hand on his arm. He didn't react but continued softly weeping as he held his mother.
"Adrien. I..." the lump in Marinette's throat made it hard to speak. She desperately wished she could tell him it would be okay. It broke her heart to tell him the truth. "I don't know how to help her."
Chat Noir's shoulders slumped as his sobs grew louder. Marinette had never felt so helpless in her entire life. Frantically, her eyes searched the room for Tikki. Soon, she saw her Kwami in the corner next to the discarded Miraculous.
"You should let the Kwamis out," Tikki told her.
Marinette numbly nodded. Maybe they would know what to do. She walked over and picked up the brooches. It was so surreal, having them in her hands. She had dedicated countless hours and years of her life to finding the missing Miraculous. And now... they unceremoniously sat in her palm.
After placing the brooches in the Miracle Box, she pushed the button to release the Kwamis. Suddenly, the room exploded in a swirl of commotion as the group excitedly circled Nooroo and Duusu. So many Kwamis started talking all at once; it was impossible to understand what they were saying. But one thing was clear; they were all so very happy. Why wouldn't they be? They were friends who hadn't seen each other for 180 years.
Marinette shut her eyes and turned away. She couldn't bear to watch this happy reunion, not when her heart was breaking for Adrien. With heavy steps, Marinette walked back over to Chat. He didn't react as she knelt beside him.
"Is she... alive?" Marinette asked; if she wasn't so overwhelmed, perhaps she could have phrased it more delicately.
Chat nodded, still struggling to choke out words. "Yes, somehow. But she's cold; her heart barely beats. She's been like this for years. No one knows how to help. Somehow, it's a side effect of using a broken Miraculous."
Marinette stared at the blonde woman in Chat's arms. Emilie Agreste was a Miraculous holder?
"You should go," Chat's voice was so soft as he cradled his mother. "Return to your family."
"No," Marinette stated firmly. "I'm not going anywhere. Adrien, I can't leave you like this." She glanced across the room to the happy group of Kwamis. "You should let Plagg out."
Chat nodded. "Claws in."
Marinette watched as a green light engulfed her partner, leaving Adrien in his place. It was hard to take her eyes off him. But Marinette forced her attention to the unconscious woman, trying to think of something she could do.
"Let's try to make your mom more comfortable," Marinette said as she numbly climbed to her feet. "I'll go get my bed."
By now, the sky was completely dark. Only Paris's ambient light illuminated the tiny apartment. Marinette walked over to her stash of supplies and quickly found the candles. Once they were lit, she grabbed her sleeping bag and laid it out on the floor. Adrien gently lifted his mother and placed her on the cover, folding her hands across her stomach.
Marinette sat down by his side. Neither spoke as they watched Emilie lay motionless in the dim candlelight.
"I was scared to tell you I was Chat Noir," Adrien admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was so afraid you might try to protect me in battle. That you would let yourself get hurt again."
He brought his hands to his face, covering his eyes with his wrists. Sobs tore out of his throat as his face contorted in pain. "Milady! I watched you d... I couldn't... I couldn't...."
"Shhh... It's okay, Kitty," Marinette turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his wet, tear-stained cheeks. With everything else going on, Adrien being Chat Noir was the least of her shocks. She felt Adrien's strong arms pull her against him; Marinette gripped him back as hard as she could. With all her might, she wished she could somehow save him from this nightmare.
For several minutes, Marinette held Adrien while he sobbed, rocking him gently as she smoothed his hair away from his eyes.
Suddenly, Marinette heard a piercing wail. A split second later, Duusu dashed over to Emilie's body and hugged her cheek with his tiny body. The rest of the Kwamis soon followed, their happy, excited faces replaced with solemn ones.
"Can anything be done?" Marinette quietly asked Wayzz. "Can you heal her the way Adrien healed me?"
"The Kwamis cannot heal on their own," Wayzz answered. "We are only conduits of balance."
"If we were to transfer the damage, Adrien would be left in a similar state," Sass added.
"But Mom would wake up, right?"
Marinette stared at Adrien in disbelief. He can't seriously be considering what I think he is? Fresh tears started forming in Marinette's eyes at the thought of losing Adrien. No. She couldn't let that happen.
"What if you used both of us?" Marinette suggested quickly. "Then, the damage transferred wouldn't be so severe, right?"
Adrien met her eyes. "No, I can't let you do that."
"Yes, you can." Marinette grabbed his hand and squeezed. "You're not alone in this."
"It still would not be enough," Wayzz shook his head sadly.
"What do you mean?" asked Adrien.
Dusuu looked at Adrien with his face full of heartbreak. "It's her spirit, her soul. The corrupted Miraculous split it from her body. She's been gone so long. Even with her body healed, I don't know if her soul can be returned."
"You don't know? But if there is a chance, I can try." Adrien didn't bother hiding the desperation in his voice. "I was able to get Marinette back. And... and Mom is still alive! Marinette wasn't."
Marinette froze at his words. I had... died? Like, actually dead? Before, when she had asked for more details about her injury, Tikki had always seemed intentionally vague. Could it be true? Marinette tried to shake the thought from her head. There were more important things to think about now.
"Yes, but Marinette's soul had only been away for minutes," Sass explained. "Your mother has been gone for years."
"The spirit realm is a dangerous place," Wayzz warned. "Time passes differently there. If you don't find her right away, you won't know how much time has passed. A lifetime could pass on the living side, and you would never know. Your body would age and die"
"I don't care," Adrien's voice cracked. "I have to try!"
An icy wave of fear washed over Marinette; she knew her partner's determination. He would easily sacrifice himself without a second thought. "No, Adrien," Marinette pleaded. "Please, no."
"Her soul exists in its celestial form," Wayzz added. "Only the person closest to her would be able to recognize it."
Nooroo floated over and rested his arm on Adrien's shoulder. "The best person to bring her back... won't be you. It needs to be someone else. It needs to be... him ."
It took Adrien a moment to understand what Nooroo was implying.
"My father?" Adrien sneered. "To bring my mother back, we'd have to use my father? He's Hawkmoth. He's a terrorist!"
"Yet he gave his Miraculous away," Sass countered.
"I've been with him a long time," Nooroo added. "He can be cruel, selfish, arrogant-"
"But he loves his wife!" Duusu interrupted. "I don't trust Gabriel, either, but I do trust him on this!"
"Marinette?" Adrien's voice was full of pain as he looked at her with red, swollen eyes. "I don't know what to do?"
Marinette swallowed, unable to believe what the Kwamis were thinking. They wanted to use Adrien's father, use Hawkmoth?! Her enemy of the last three years! She didn't want him anywhere near a Miraculous ever again. Every part of her brain was screaming that this was a bad idea. Yet, as she looked over to Adrien, over to her partner who was suffering so much, she knew she needed to do something.
Marinette gulped. "If... if we use Gabriel, what's the chance it will work?"
"A small chance," Sass explained. "And if he fails, he likely won't come back."
Adrien was silent for a moment. "The world would be better off without him," he finally said through gritted teeth. "But even still, I can't ask him to do that."
A heavy silence hung in the air. Marinette couldn't begin to imagine the emotions Adrien must be feeling. No matter how evil Gabriel was, he was still Adrien's father. And if the ritual didn't work, Adrien would have to live with the guilt of sending his father to his death.
Marinette reached over and touched Adrien's arm. "Then don't ask. Tell him what you know, and let him decide."
Adrien seemed to consider this for a while. Then, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone.
For several moments, Adrien stared harshly at the screen. Marinette noticed the tension in his jaw as he swallowed. Then, he tapped the phone a few times with his fingers and brought it up to his ear. Through the speaker, Marinette could hear the faint ringing. It wasn't long before Gabriel picked up.
"Father. I brought Mom to the Guardian," Adrien spoke in a low, emotionless voice. "There's a slim chance we can still save her. But we need you. I'll text you the address."
Without giving his father a chance to respond, Adrien ended the call. He quickly typed in a text message before dropping his phone in disgust. The air was heavy and tense as Marinette waited for Adrien to speak again.
But he never did.
Time passed. Soon, Marinette could no longer ignore a growing dread deep inside her. Before long, Gabriel would be here, and she would be face to face with the man behind Hawkmoth's mask. Over the past three years, he had inflicted countless traumas on millions of people. Hawkmoth was a man that terrorized Paris without guilt or remorse. And now they were going to try to work with him? Every instinct Marinette had was telling her this was wrong!
They sat in silence until Marinette heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps from the outside stairwell. As Adrien slowly rose to his feet, the Kwamis flew to the opposite side of the room. Marinette's heart beat rapidly in her chest as she tried to quell the fear rising inside her. Biting her lip until it stung, she resisted the overwhelming desire to transform. As Marinette, she felt way too vulnerable to be face to face with Hawkmoth.
Marinette jumped at the sound of the knock. Adrien was already standing at the door, looking back at her with uncertain eyes. Marinette drew in a shaky breath and nodded.
The door opened, and there on the other side stood her enemy. Gabriel Agreste.