Switched

Chapter 9 - Nightmares: Part 2

Marinette was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and sorrow. She wondered what was going on.

She looked around to see where she was. She appeared to be in a church of some sort. There was a casket at the front of the isle. People all around her were either softly crying or holding in their tears.

She assumed she was at a funeral. She couldn't understand why. No matter how hard she tried to remember, she couldn't. No one in her life had died recently, had they? Is it even possible to forget something like that?

"We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of Emilie Agreste. She had a special place in all of our hearts," Marinette heard the pastor say.

Emilie Agreste? Adrien's mom? She died over a year ago, before Marinette met Adrien. She was confused as to why and how she was there, but she was so overwhelmed by everyone's emotions around her, drowning her in an indescribable darkness. She had a hard time thinking in this atmosphere.

She spotted Adrien sitting next to his father in the front pew. Adrien stared at the floor, hands clutched into fists on his lap. He was doing everything he could to hold himself together. He wanted to cry and scream, but he had to stay strong, mostly for his father. He knew his father was hurting too. He thought that if his father could hold himself together, than he could also.

It was much harder to read Gabriel's emotions. He seemed fine on the outside, but Marinette could since his inner turmoil. He was heartbroken by the death of his wife he loved so much, but he was doing everything he could to hold himself together, just as Adrien was. They were two freshly broken hearts longing to be repaired.

Marinette couldn't stop herself from crying. She wanted to help Adrien so much. She hated seeing him upset. All the pain Adrien was feeling, she could feel inside herself. It was like she was a part of him.

The pastor talked more about Emilie's life. He talked about how she had been raised with her sister and how they were always close. Her sister, Amelie, was in one of the middle rows with her son, Felix. Felix comforted his mother as she sobbed.

The pastor talked about the day Emilie had met Gabriel and how they fell in love. He talked about some of Emilie's accomplishments and greatest adventures. Marinette learned a lot about Adriens mother.

"Now," the pastor continued. "Some of Emilie's family has prepared speeches they would like to read in Emilie's honor. Gabriel Agreste, husband to Emilie, would you please come up and say a few words?"

Gabriel hesitated. His expression was stone cold. After a few seconds he stood up and made his way to the stand.

"I love Emilie with all my heart," Gabriel began. "She was the one and only love of my life. There was so much more I wanted to do with her. We had so much planned. She was taken too early. I would do anything to have her back." He paused to look at the casket. He stared at it for a few seconds before continuing. "Emilie, if you can hear this, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry you died like this. None of this ever should've happened. You will be in my heart forever."

He walked back to his seat. His declaration had moved Marinette. She had never seen the man so vulnerable. Even if his cold expression didn't change throughout his speech, Marinette could tell he was feeling all sorts of emotions. Marinette could sense what he was feeling, and she sensed overwhelming guilt. She didn't know the circumstances of her death, but she could tell Gabriel blamed himself.

The pastor called Adrien to share his speech. Both Marinette and Adrien's hearts skipped a beat. Adrien was nervous. Marinette could sense Adrien's fear as he made his way up to the stand.

Adrien took a moment to gather his thoughts before beginning. "My mom..." he began. "My mom... she was... she was wonderful. She always knew the right things to say at the right time. She was..." Adrien kept pausing to catch his breath. He tried so hard to hold back tears, but it become impossible. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he continued to speak. "My mother was the best mother I could've asked for. She will live on forever in my heart. In all our hearts."

Adrien couldn't stop the uncontrollable tears. Marinette couldn't remember ever seeing Adrien cry before. She tried to run to him, but she couldn't move. Instead, she watched Chloe run up to the stand and hug him. It was not a hug in a desperate attempt to win his love, like usual. It was a real hug, solely to comfort Adrien, her best friend since they could both remember. Adrien hugged her back, accepting her comfort.

Marinette tried with all her strength to move, but she couldn't. She wanted to give Adrien the affection he deserved. She was a helpless spectator, unable to help in any way. It pained her greatly. Although, she was glad Adrien had Chloe. Even though Chloe acted like a brat most of the time, Marinette knew there was a nice side to her.

Adrien cried into Chloe's shoulder until he had gathered himself together. He forced a smile as Chloe walked back to her seat.

"Thank you so much, Chloe," he continued. "I feel a lot better now. I'm sorry for getting so emotional."

"I'm always here for you, Adrien," Chloe responded.

The pastor told him he could sit back down if the speech was too hard for him, but Adrien said he was fine. He was determined to finish. He wanted to do it for his mother.

He finished his speech, calm and composed. "I will miss her very much. Even if she's not here with me physically, she will always be with me. Even if she can't talk to me directly, I'll continue to listen for her. I'll continue to talk to her, even if I can't hear a response. I know she will live on." He turned to the casket. "Mom, I love you. I'll miss you very much."

Adrien walked back to his seat. When he sat, he looked up at his father. His father had never looked so stone cold before. He knew his father would become a new person because of the death. Adrien wondered if his mother's death would change him too. He hoped it wouldn't.

Two more people, Amelie and Audrey Bourgeois, walked up to the stand to talk about Emilie before the funeral was over. Everything around Marinette started moving abnormally fast. It was as if she was fast forwarding through time. In fast motion, everyone left the funeral and went home. She saw Adrien and Gabriel in the car, driving home in silence. Time began to move at normal pace again when Adrien arrived at home and walked into his bedroom.

Everything Adrien had been bottling up throughout the funeral had let loose now, in the comfort of his room. He jumped onto his bed and sobbed into his pillow. He had no one to comfort him.

Marinette still couldn't move. She tried so hard. "Adrien," she said, "I'm so sorry Adrien. I'm hear for you."

Adrien couldn't hear her. She felt like a ghost.

Adrien continued to cry into his pillow, longing for his mom's embrace. Marinette wanted to leave this nightmare. She couldn't take the pain of seeing Adrien suffer and being unable to help him.

The last thing she heard him say, he mumbled under his breath as she drifted back into a state of consciousness. "I love you, mom," he said.

Marinette shot up in her bed and gasped for air. She felt so sad and scared.

She looked at the clock and saw that it was morning. She was supposed to meet up with Adrien today to discuss their situation. She got dressed and ready as fast as she could. She had gotten better at changing with her eyes closed.

Tikki asked Marinette why she looked so flustered. Marinette told Tikki about her nightmare and how she had to talk to Adrien. She was ready to rush out of the house when she was stopped by Gabriel.

"Adrien, where are you going?"

"My friend invited me to hang out with her," Marinette responded. Why didn't I transform and leave through the bedroom window? she asked herself. "I wanted to ask you if it was alright. Can I go?"

"No, you may not," he said sternly. "I actually have something very important I have to tell you. Come with me, Adrien."

Marinette could sense that whatever was about to happen would not be good.