Hallelujah cover by Pentatonix.
•●•●•●•●•
Well I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
•●•●•●•●•
"Luka... Luka! I think mom is calling for us," A little Juleka tugs on his older brother's arm.
"But we're having so much fun!" He whines.
"I don't know...Dad could get angry again."
Luka couldn't argue with that. So he turns to me with his wide grin plastered over his small face. "Well this is bye-bye. We'll play again next time right?"
I nod eagerly. "What do you want to play?"
He scratches his head in contemplation, but Juleka interrupts and pulls him away. "Come on! Bye-bye, Selie. See you again!"
"Wait," Luka rips his arm free and runs back to me. "Let's be superheroes!"
"Okay, don't forget it then."
"I won't!" He says before chasing after little Juleka as they disappear into a bright, white landscape.
I wave goodbye and walk the other way.
•●•●•●•●•
My surroundings feel different from before. Compared to my last visions, this one is sharper and much more blinding. It's nothing like walking into a dream-like haze as I've done so before.
Suddenly, I feel arms wrap around me. It radiated warmth from the cold and held me securely. I find myself melting into embrace as a sense of nostalgia fills my head. The shape holding me convulses with sobs and I spot the colour of her hair.
"Mom, don't cry."
Ocean blue eyes meet my brown ones. She has rosy red cheeks, a button nose, completed with peach wisps of her framing her face. She looks like a fairy. Her palm cups my cheek as I stare at her in a daze.
Another figure- a man appears behind her. I feel as small as a mouse especially in my child-like state, but he bends down to meet me eye-to-eye.
"Did I do well?" I blurt out. I didn't want to ask if I was a good hero because there was no way I had a sense of duty for anyone but myself. I know I was no hero.
He pats my head with a large, calloused hand. "You were perfect and you still are."
"We love you so much."
•●•●•●•●•
But baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know, I used to live alone before I knew ya
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
•●•●•●•●•
My eyes fly open and I awaken rather silently. At first, I had to blink several times because of the ceiling lights as intense as beacons shining on my face. I was almost sure I'm beyond dead. But my sight sharpens until I can deduce where I am. I lay stiff on a hospital bed in a blinding white room.
I attempt to roll on my side, but surprisingly can't move my legs, not even an inch. However, I only notice now Luka resting his head on the edge of the bed. The sensation of a hand patting my head still lingers which urges me to run my fingers through Luka's dark hair.
He stirs in his light sleep and his eyes eventually shoots open. When he sees me awake as clear as day, he jerks up in shock. We stare into each other's teary eyes until I realise that he's waiting for me to speak first.
"I'm not dead?" My voice comes off as raspy.
He chuckles. "Thank God- no. How do you feel?"
"I think I'm thirsty," I mumble. He passes me a bottle of water sitting on the bedside table. I gulp down greedily, instantly refreshed.
Luka rubs the bridge of his nose with his fingers. I can tell how frustrated he is and his desire to talk to me, but he waits patiently anyway. I register the purple splotches on his hands that stretches to his forearms. I ask in concern, Luka your arms..."
"And what about you?" Anger is laced in his tone and his sudden outburst silences me. "You fell from five storeys up and straight to the ground. I watched you with my own eyes and I couldn't stop it."
"Luka..."
"No, just listen." He looks down and fiddles with the snake bracelet on his wrist. "I watched you die six times before I forced Ladybug to catch you, but even that, her yo-yo only mildly broke your fall. You chose to let go when Agreste was holding on to you. Why?"
I admit it. I didn't think it through. I would say there wasn't any time to react but it would sound like a pathetic excuse. Maybe the reason I didn't think about how Luka would feel is that I couldn't bear ro imagine it. "I-I did what I thought was right."
"I was terrified! I thought I was going to lose you. When I called you my serenade at the Tower, I meant what I said. Whatever you do, no matter how unrelated it may seem, it affects me too!" His fist aimed at the empty space beside my head, lands on my shoulder instead. His face instantly falls to that of regret. "I'm s-sorry. I didn't mean that."
"You're right. I know a sorry won't fix everything, but I truly am. It doesn't hurt, Luka. What pains me more is that I made you cry. I never wanted to make you go through all the mess I've made." I struggle sit up, but he assists me silently.
I press a kiss onto his lips hesitantly and he kisses back. He says after a long sigh, "I can't stay mad at you, but I haven't completely forgiven you."
"I'll make it up to you. I'll think before I act- I'll consider you before doing anything rash."
"Swear on it," he says. Nodding, I promise him. "That's all I need for now."
The door to the small room clicks open and Marinette enters. Her baby blue eyes widen like saucers when the sight of me registers to her. "Oh my God!"
Marinette rushes over to me, clumsily bumping against Luka. Her hands- also a startling purple- grips onto my stiff ones as tears start to stream down her face. "I'm so sorry!"
"I'm alive, Mari. That's all that matters. I'm glad you're okay, but what about your arms?"
"No, this is something else." Urgency rings in her voice. She places several black fragments in my cupped hands. I swiftly recognise the broken pieces of what used to be the bat miraculous. "I'm so sorry."
The air becomes frigid, sending violent shivers down my spine. "What happened? Mari..."
She doesn't return my gaze as she rubs her eyes furiously.
"Where's Grimm?"
"Before you...fell." Marinette begins. "Grimm came to me, holding the Sunbird earrings while Mr Agreste wasn't looking. He gave the earrings to me, but he couldn't take the ring from Mr Agreste himself. During the second explosion, Mr Agreste smashed his hand with the ring along with it."
I stare at the small pieces, as if it represents my own heart. I'll never see him again? I can still recall his narrow, yellow eyes and sharp tongue. It dawns on me that there was a real chance that after getting to the other side of the war, we wouldn't see each other again. I don't remember my last words to him.
"I returned the earrings to Master Shou. I tried to fix the ring, but I've never mended a broken miraculous and I couldn't collect all the pieces."
"No." At that instant, I wanted to slap someone... or me. She couldn't be serious! But as I inspect her face for any subtle signs of deception, I understand she's telling the truth. Not even a Second Chance could help me now. I clutch the pieces tightly, despite its jagged edges digging into my skin. "No..."
I painful noise escapes my throat and I begin to weep. Luka holds me in an embrace, also at a loss for words.
I never noticed how similar Grimm and I actually were. We were always throwing ourselves into danger for the sake of others. I remind myself that he's not entirely lost- that only our connection is broken like a cut telephone line- but I really can't accept that he's gone and there was no goodbye.
•●•●•●•●•
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do ya
•●•●•●•●•
I receive all the information from Marinette and Luka. I was asleep for a couple of weeks but recovered well. Besides my purple marks and completely losing feeling from my legs, I'm quite unscathed.
Gabriel had been immediately arrested by the police as soon the public grasped his significance to the conflict. He faces numerous charges and prison time as his actions could not be given a light punishment. Aunt Amalie became Adrien's and my temporary guardian until Paris could decide what to do with Gabriel. It will be long time until everything will settle down.
Unfortunately, Lila was nowhere to be found- she escaped the scene along with the butterfly miraculous still in her possession, but something tells me she won't strike again so soon. We've made her afraid.
"So the secret's out. After the battle, our identities as superheroes were exposed," Luka adds in.
"Is it because of the injuries?" I ask. Since the heroes suffered so many, there's no way to hide it as civilians.
"No, the purple marks Lila generously gifted us gave us all away." Marinette gestures to her arms and then points to Luka's. "They're like scars and wouldn't come off, including much of the destruction to the Agreste mansion. My Lucky Charm had no effect."
"So Lila's stronger than ever before," I say bitterly.
"But so are we," Marinette objects. "During the battle, even if we used our special abilities, we managed to last for a whole hour before detransforming. I've never experienced anything like it."
"Just think of what else we can achieve in the future. When Lila ever comes out from her cave, we'll be ready for her," Luka declares.
I nod. "But how did Paris react? And your parents? How did they feel knowing a bunch of kids were protecting the city from criminals all along?"
"Not so well," Marinette confesses as Luka scratches his neck.
"Juleka was furious she actually raised her voice at me. That was terrifying!" Luka exclaims, rubbing his arms.
"But we'll handle it- no problem," Marinette says, albeit with a hint of fear when she mentions her parents.
•●•●•●•●•
Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya
•●•●•●•●•
Luka says there are a bunch of people waiting to see me. So with a nurse's help, they moved me to a wheel chair and Luka pushed me to the visitor's lounge. There I meet Adrien, Alya and Nino.
Adrien rushes to me and gives me a suffocating embrace. I assure him, "We're going to be fine."
He chuckles light-heartedly. "I should be the one telling you that."
"Emilie would be proud of you."
"And the same for you. Don't forget that."
"You don't look too bad," I say looking over him carefully.
He winces as he replies, "My back wasn't so lucky. You'll be horrified of the amount of purple marks I have."
"Hey, we're still breathing aren't we? This is isn't a competition for the best-dressed, or worst." Nino says aloud and strides over to me. "Look at you! You seem as relaxed as always."
I notice the purplish scar just below his chin- it isn't very pretty. "Well I have all of you to watch over me now. The nurse said I'm up for physiotherapy as soon as possible so cheer for me, will you?"
"You got it, dude."
"We all survived this deadly ordeal! This is the perfect time for a group picture," Alya chimes in. She pulls out her phone and starts capturing the reunion. As she extends her arms, I see the multiple unpleasant marks all over her arms.
"Speaking if pictures, I know who's obsessed with them. But where is she?" Nino asks.
"Sorry I'm late." Chloe sashays in as if on cue. "But it's a fashionable time. Anyway, I was threatening the press outside to back off. People don't respect privacy these days."
I gasp. "Oh Chloe, your face..." Prominent on her pale complexion is a large violet splotch on her cheek. Chloe may be extremely vain and snobbish, but no one deserves such a drastic scar. "I'm so sor-"
"What?" She cuts in. "Just because I have a mark on my face, you think Paris won't adore me anymore? I'm more than just a pretty face. It takes attitude to get as far as I have."
Her resolve surprises me, but for once, it's a surprise I gladly welcome. "I agree. You look as beautiful as ever. Well, I'm so relieved we're all more or less all right."
"Damn right, sis." Alya says. "I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this stuff anymore."
"I don't think we'll be called upon for a while. Let's just say after the adults found out underage kids were the first responders to conflict, they took a greater initiative to keep the peace in the city." Luka places his hands on my shoulders, giving me a reassuring squeeze. "Let's spend this precious time living as normal teens for now."
"I'd like that," Adrien says. Although it's just a fraction of a second, I spot his eyes glance at Marinette.
"Wait wait wait. Am I detecting something here?" I question.
Adrien laughs, but he suddenly takes Marinette's hand. The unexpected gesture makes her burst into a blushing mess. "Yeah, we're dating."
Chloe groans instantly and Alya's phone flashes as she steals a photo of them. I clap my hands slowly. "Finally!"
As I watch all my friends bicker and tease one another, I chuckle softly. This would be 100% perfect if Grimm was here. I hope wherever he is, he's all right and he knows that we are too. I'm not ready accept his absence- feeling as if he could just be in the other room and would return soon.
But as long as Luka and everyone I care about is here by my side. I can be a lot stronger.
•●•●•●•●•
"Master Shou, it's nice to see you well," I greet as he and Master Fu saunters over to me.
"The same goes for you, my dear," he bends down and pats my head. "I've extended my stay here in France long enough. It's time for me to return back to Singapore."
"Have a safe travel," I say.
"I sincerely apologise for everything. I acted inadequately to the dire situation I took so long to read. It's all thanks to you that this city is safe," Master Shou says. "You've proven to me that the bat miraculous was in good hands, but I realised it too late."
"I don't think I can move on from this. Grimm was my family," I confess.
"If there's anything I could do to repay you, don't be afraid to tell me."
"Well, I-I might be feeling up to visiting Singapore one day- and my parent's resting place. Please welcome me home if it ever happens."
"You have my word." It thought our conversation ended there but he continued more hesitantly. "You showed yourself to be undeniably strong-willed despite the obstacles in your way- with me as one of them. You've brought great honour to your family. Godspeed to you, my dear. You will face more difficulties in the future, but keep your head held high."
"Thank you," I mumble solemnly. He nods and let's Master Fu chat with me.
"You still look beautiful if I may say," Master Fu compliments.
"Appearances hardly matter to me but thank you," I reply politely. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot to return this."
I take the possessions I left just at the side of my chair and place them on his opened palms. His eyes widen in realisation as I give him the leather-bound grimoire and the peacock miraculous. "Grimm and I found it in Gabriel's safe while we were snooping around. It didn't occur to me to find the owner until now."
"Bless your soul, Selene." A look of relief comes over his narrow eyes as he smiles at me full of gratitude. He flips over the peacock brooch in his hands. "Ah, it seems to be damaged."
"It's broken? I'm so sorry. I found it that way..."
"It's not something I can't fix," he assures me. He gestures to the red grimoire. "You see, this is why I keep ancient records. You could discover information, you would never be able to find anywhere else, in books such as this."
As I slowly comprehend his advice, it gives me an idea. It immediately sends the gears in my head turning- to make sense of what he said.
I whip my head to Luka silent behind me. I could tell that he shares the same fanciful idea. "Could you pass me my bag?"
In hurried motions, he brings it back to me and drops it onto my lap. I fish out Master Shou's grimoire among other contents in my bag. I quickly leaf through the pages, eyes skimming through Chinese characters.
There.
My fingers stop flipping and a single page settles. Luka couldn't have known this because of his inability to read it. And neither could Master Shou since he's more inclined to speaking and reading Hindi.
I feel breathless. Despite all these years, I still recognise my father's poor handwriting. His Chinese was the best in the whole family. He must have recorded his own discoveries into the book when he still possessed it.
The heading says "请只在不良的状态下修理 (please repair when in bad condition)". The instructions are there right in front of my eyes. It stretches out to a dozen pages but the sliver of hope appears.
The last battle was nowhere near to an indisputable victory. We returned alive, but with scars and memories we never want to relive again. Right now, Paris is in ruins, scrambling to recover but she will rise back up eventually.
It could take everything I have to get my partner back, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I have Luka and Adrien and Marinette and everyone else to support me.
"What did you find?" Luka asks urgently. He helps to keep me grounded, preventing me from getting lost in my own thoughts.
I beam at him and then I start to cry.
•●•●•●•●•
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
•●•●•●•●•
Dear readers, thank you so much for waiting patiently for this ending. I had a wonderful time in the first few days of school and met many new friends.
I can safely say this book is finally complete.
This story will now undergo massive editing during my spare time. And if you all wait patiently just a little bit more, I will publish an epilogue for the several-years-later segment after editing is complete.
[Has ended.] I'm considering a Q&A so you can ask me any questions about myself, this story or MLB in general and I'll create a separate chapter if I get like 5 questions...
That's all for now. :)