His Midnight Shadow

^Chapter Sixteen^

Gabriel's smile lit up as he heard voices coming from the kitchen but as his hands curved around the door handle he heard a loud commotion coming from the dining room. He rushed over shoulders tensing to his sides only to find Adrien decorate the table. He laughed at his son as he watched him struggle caring, from what Gabriel could count around eight centerpieces.

Once Adrien's mind was pulled from the current plate he was working on he stepped back to admire his work but was blocked. Though before he could turn around Gabriel grabbed Adrien causing his whole body to stiffen as he let out a high pitch scream. Gabriel let go of his son and started laughing, Adrien was angry at first but couldn't control his laughter around his dad.

Gabriel shook his head helping Adrien set down the decorations, "It never gets old."

"It has gotten old dad, very very old," Adrien scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"You'll miss it," Gabriel jocked, bumping his shoulder.

The two continued setting the table until Gabriel brought Adrien to the side and showed him a box made of rose gold decorated with many animals and a large sun atop of it, "What is this?" Adrien asked, taking the box.

"It's a necklace for your mother," Gabriel expressed, then pulled out a matching box keeping it closer to his heart. "And this one is for your sister."

"Is it a holiday?" Adrien pondered, aloud confused.

"No, but you know that your mother and sister are always doing kind things for us. Why can't we for them?"

Adrien nodded his head in agreement, as his face brightened  as he thought of his mother and how good she is to him. Gabriel did the same taking a seat next to the one his daughter would always sit in. As Adrien waited with anticipation for dinner at the table so he peered into the jewelry box to find a flower necklace smaller than he would have imagined it to be based on the extravagance of the box.

"Dinner!" Ella called from the kitchen. She waited a while but earned back no response from the boys, "We need help carrying out all the food, guys mom and I can't on our own."

"Coming!" Adrien called back quickly stuffing the box into his pocket. "What do you need help with?"

"The Soupe de poissons, there's way too much of it for me to get on my own," Ella answered, grabbing one side of the soup bowl.

"I'm sure I could-"

"Don't even finish that sentence," Emilie laughed at Ella's remark and Adrien only scoffed at his sister.

"Whatever, let's take this outside," Adrien said grabbing the other side.

"Outside?" Ella asked sarcastically.

"Ugh, you know what I mean," Adrien rolled his eyes. "I'm getting attacked by all of you today."

"Hey! I haven't done anything," Emilie protested, carrying the toasted baguette and rouille. "Oh, look, it's the one who didn't want to help."

"I knew the three of you could manage," Gabriel shared helping his kids guide the soup onto the table.

"What if we couldn't?" Ella asked, taking a seat next to her dad.

He gave her a weird look before pulling the box out of his pocket, prompting Adrien to do the same, "Well you did. You and your mom do so many extraordinary things and I want you two to know that Adrien and I see that, so we got you special gifts."

Gabriel handed Ella the box while Adrien handed Emilie's hers. Even before opening the box Emilie gave Adrien the biggest hug and placed a kiss on his forehead. Adrien returned the hug but held his mother tightly and for a while before finally letting go. Ella watched somewhat confused since Adrien never hugged her this passionately before. When she opens the box blood begins to pour down from it coating her whole arm along with the dress she is wearing when she looks up in a panic the whole world before her becomes more stale, as the colors start to drain and only red is left.

She looks up at her dad with terrified eyes searching for protection but he's only returning a sinister grin. She then looks to her mother, breathing quicking, trying to run to the spot where her mother was but cannot move an inch. Instead of finding her mother in standing with Adrien she sees a corps, bones showing behind the decaying of her mother's flesh, and eyes devoid of any life at all. Sacred to see the state of  her brother she slowly peers over to him to see he's drowning trying to get to the surface but chains are pulling him down.

Ella tries to stand up and push off her chair, Adrien sees her struggles and calls for her but all that is heard is bubbles rising to the surface. He reaches his hand out of the water and Ella reaches her arm out to grab his. Though as soon as their fingers touch Gabriel yanks her chair away from the table into a dark pit.