The Wolves in the Woods

Interlude: Your Family

When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching — they are your family.

— Jim Butcher

***

Bria talks to a friend during a sleepless night.

Takes place during Chapter 24.

***

            Bria sat on the windowsill observing the contrast of silvery blues and golden lights painting the night scene of Paris. Dressed in her sleepwear with her knees close to her chest. Arms folded enough she could rest her head whenever she felt weary. To say the past three days had been hectic was an understatement. Most of it didn't even come from dealing with the fallout of Eleanora's confrontation at work. While the woman's sacking let many in the office breathe for once, the threat of an akuma still hung over everyone's heads.

Thankfully, it didn't come to pass.

Her main concern had been her daughter's safety this very night. The night she had been told Ladybug would be benching three of the former temporary heroes. And that one or two of them may come for her daughter's head once they received the news. She didn't want to believe it, at first. But the solemn looks on the heroes' faces, along with her intimate familiarity with her little bambina's history, told her everything she needed to know.

She wanted to say she was surprised. But alas, she wasn't. That hollow feeling of "oh" took root in her chest. Blooming in a twisted mockery of a beautiful flower in spring. It was a feeling she was intimately familiar with. Every time Lila started her lies again, that feeling would rear its head. Every time Lila conned a classmate out of their possessions, that feeling would rear its head. Every time she was reminded of her failure as a mother, that feeling would rear its head. Was this her punishment for failing to save her marriage? Or was it karma for spending so much time away from Lila? To her frustration, years after being kicked out of her own home, the answer had yet to come.

Knock knock knock

"Mrs. Rossi?" a gentle voice called. "May I come in?"

Bria sighed, remembering where she was. "Come in."

The door to the room opened, and in hobbled an elderly lady with a tray. Two mugs with a steaming hot liquid sat on the top of it. By the scent, Bria recognized the beverages as hot chocolate. Though it took a while for her tired brain to register that, it still brought a smile to her face. The older woman sat down with her and offered a mug. To which, Bria accepted with a word of thanks. Holding the cup to her lips, she blew and took a sip. The hot chocolate was still hot, enough that a wrong move could burn her tongue if she wasn't careful. But nonetheless, she was grateful for the gesture.

"Couldn't sleep?" the older woman asked. Bria hummed.

"... no," she admitted, the mug still in her hands. "I am... sorry if I woke you, ma'am." The older woman shook her head.

"There is no need," she said. "I wouldn't be a good hostess if I didn't notice." Bria hummed a light laugh, appreciating the humor. "Do you want to talk about it?" Bria pursed her lips, debating on how best to tell her hostess what was going through her mind. That was assuming if she wanted to. For all intents and purposes, the older woman was a stranger in her life. A stranger who had offered her kindness and a listening ear. Would it be wise of her to tell? Or would it be better if she kept quiet?

"... is it bad to say I don't know?" Bria asked. "As kind as you and your family have been to me," she looked down at the mug in her hands, "I don't know you."

She had expected a gasp of offense. A deathly silence. Perhaps even a scolding for daring to question her hostess's credibility. Instead, out of all things, the older woman gave a small laugh. As though this hadn't been the first time she had heard that about herself.

"It's quite alright," she said, much to Bria's surprise. "I wouldn't expect an immediate amount of trust after we've just met." The old woman set her mug down. "Besides," she added. "It wouldn't be right to ask so much right out of a first meeting."

Bria stared for what seemed like an eternity. She... she wasn't going to be reprimanded just for not accepting help? What on... was she dreaming? She pinched herself just to be sure, when the hostess wasn't looking. Sure enough, she wasn't. Just to be certain, she took another sip of the hot chocolate from her mug. The taste of the beverage was enough to jolt some part of her brain awake. But given how late it was, the endeavor wasn't entirely successful.

Sighing, she leaned against the windowsill, the back of her head touching the frame. She had been assured again and again, sometimes even by herself, that her daughter was safe and in good hands. But it didn't soothe her fraying nerves one whit. Not when she knew that Césaire brute had assaulted her daughter in public. What were her parents thinking? Letting her out of juvenile detention that early? When she first heard about it, she nearly dropped everything she was doing to go confront them. It was sheer happenstance that she didn't.

"..."

But... she couldn't deny it had been an enormous relief when the Oropeza family had stepped in when they did. Between juggling the responsibilities she had as Lila's mother and her job at the embassy, she was surprised she didn't land herself in the hospital. Or worse.

"I'm worried about my daughter," Bria said out loud. The older woman looked up. "I know you said she was in good hands and that she's safe," the words spilled out before Bria could stop them, "But I can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen tonight." The older woman hummed. "What if I'm not there when she needs me? What if I'm not there when they show up?" If she had the energy, she would have been pacing back and forth in the room. "What if I can't even do anything when she needs me the most?..." The train of thought was stopped by the feeling of a hand on her own.

"While your worries are valid," the older woman said. "You are not going to help her by worrying yourself sick like this." Bria's breath hitched in her throat. "I understand that you are concerned." A smile, full of confidence and warmth that Bria wished she had, crossed the older woman's face. "But I assure you," she added. "My grandsons have this under control."

CRASH!!!

"What the—?!"

WHOOSH!!

Startled, both women whipped their heads toward the window. All was still. All was silent. Then, without warning, a girl in a red mockery of Rena Rouge's costume darted out of the Rossi's apartment. Followed closely by someone else in a white wolf costume. Had Bria not known about the various Miraculous heroes in existence, she would have thought that was a real wolf chasing after the red Rena Rouge. It wasn't long before both figures disappeared over the horizon.

"Ah," the older woman said. "They sprang the fox trap." Bria whipped her head to look back at her hostess, startled out of her mind. Her confusion increased tenfold when the older woman stood, her mug in hand. "I'm going to go prepare some light snacks for when they come back."

"What?" Bria asked. The older woman smiled.

"They always get hungry after a hunt," she said. "But I better put the chocolate away. One of them can't have it. Or else it upsets their stomach." She headed to the door leading out. "Do note, Mrs. Rossi." She turned back with a smile. "That this means there are no more threats to your daughter tonight."

"... thank you, Miss Lenoir," Bria said. Not fully trusting her word but grateful all the same. "Thank you."

Marianne smiled at her guest. "It is not a problem," she said. And closed the door, allowing her guest to sleep with a light conscience this night.