aftershock

Part 4

Adrien went to the bathroom breath shakey. So much was happening and his mind was overloaded with emotion. Happy because his best friend gave birth to the cutest little angel ever, confusion with why Alya brought cosplaying Wayhem, Glee because Alya protected him, Anger towards his father. He finally reached the bathroom and locked the door. He stood over the sink feeling sick with these conflicting emotions. Right now all he should focus on was Marinette and Emma. He started the tap and splashed his face with water a couple of times then leaned back over the sink. "I'm sorry Alya, You're not going to Chat. He's gone"

Suddenly he hears a voice, "That's hard to believe." It was a high-pitched voice. "I'm staring at him." He froze in his spot. Once it registers who it was he calmed down.

"What are you doing." Adrien asked half mockingly, "Following me?"

"Not exactly Adrien," Tikki said, "I happened to see you and looked for a time to catch you alone."

"Yea well here I am Tikki." Adrien said. "What are you doing here."

"Well," Tikki started, "I just wanted to tell you that Ladybug misses you so much, So do Rena and Carapace. She still loves you and she's so worried about you-"

Adrien cut her off, "Tikki she misses chat, not me." He starts to cry. "I'm not chat anymore. I can't afford to be. Be chat has cost me so much, My family, My way of life, My childhood. I can't even do it even if I tried. I feel bad for Plagg but I can't... I JUST CAN'T" Tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "Tikki I was so close to killing myself a couple of months ago, I still kinda want to die." She stared at him with wide eyes. She knew he was broken but not this much. "I finally have some sort of reason to live now," He tried to blink back the tears. "Don't want Emma to grow up without know uncle Adrien right?" He gave a small laugh but it wasn't out of joy, but out of uncomfortableness. "Anyways the chat part of I is in the past."

"Well, I just want you to know that if you still love her, you have to be ready to become chat again and tell her who you are." Tikki said, "Rather sooner or later, Adrien... but when you're ready." She decided not to tell him about how he had a child now. He was too... too broken to handle being a father to Ladybug's child. Even though he loved her, he didn't even know her name and there was too much trauma and his part to be in a good relationship with her. Adrien splashed his face with water trying to calm down his features, and Tikki phased out the door and returned to Marinette's side. Adrien decided to go down to the food court to get some food for Marinette because theirs no doubt she hungry. He also needed a reason for being gone for so long. He grabbed a couple of bags of chips and a couple of cups of hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was nowhere as good as how Marinette's was. He smiled at the thought of her. She like an angel that came down to earth. She was so sweet and happy and caring, and now she had a child. Emma was the luckiest little girl to exist even though her dad isn't here. He thought about Emma, He smiled. He was the second person to hold Emma who wasn't the doctors or nurses. After Marinette gave him her child and he made eye contact with Emma, something in his brain clicked. Suddenly he loved her with every atom in his body, He felt whole holding her in his arms, He would gladly die a horrific death a million times just to see her smile and would happily slaughter a nation for raising a hand against her. Then Emma was the only thing that was important, Not the fact that her dad was nowhere to be found or that Adrien's life had crashed and burned hard less than a year ago. Everything would be fine with the Angels named Emma and Marinette is in his life.

Adrien wandered back into the room and whatever they were talking about came to a halt when he entered. He felt the awkward atmosphere and shook it off and raised the food and drinks and said, "I got food and drinks. I thought y'all would be hungry and thirsty... especially you. princess" He looks at Marinette and winked and Marinette got red as a cherry and as pale as a sheet at the same time. He always thought it was funny at how flustered he can make her. Everyone stared at him with wide eyes. He laughed, "Calm down guys, I'm just messing with her. It's really funny at how flustered I can make Marinette." If it was possible Marinette got even redder and looked away from him.