Love Apart AU *Sequel to Nino's Theory* by Summer Cheng

Chapter 7 Love Together Now?

        Adrien  looks up at Marinette and smiles.  He breathes a sigh of relief when she smiles back at him.  He is happy to have her in his arms at last.  He never wants to let her go again.  He only wishes it had not taken him so long to admit how he really felt for her.  He feels rather silly about it now that he thinks about the whole thing.   Why the pain he must have put her through over the years must have been just dreadful?

       "Adrien, I am glad we are here together!"  Marinette says.

     "Same, here, Marinette!  Same here!"  Adrien replies.

      Marinette no longer has any doubts about his love for her.  She is sure now that he truly loves her as he says he does.  She only wishes she had not run away from him , so many times in the past.  She imagines if she had only confessed sooner, maybe then she would have not felt a need to return the miraculous to Master Fu!    This is all in the past now, so there is really no need to worry about such things, is there?

     Adrien thinks, if I told her sooner, would she have kept the earrings and I the ring?   Would we still have gotten to together in the end?   Perhaps, or who knows really.  Anyway, why worry about it when the past is gone now.  I much rather enjoy the present with my princess here beside me!

     The hermit goes to the door and smiles.  "Why hello there old friend!"  The hermit remarks.

      The hermit invites the man inside.  When Marinette and Adrien see him they gasp.  Why it is Master Fu!

       "Wow, what brings you here?"  Marinette and Adrien ask at the same time.

     "I  heard you were hear and came to see to it that you found your girl!  It seems like you made sure of that after all, Adrien!"  Master Fu says.

      "Haha, I sure did! " Adrien says.

     "Wait, you knew?"  Marinette says.

     "Yes, but as the guardian  I was not allowed to tell anymore than the kwami's were, it is part of the magic to protect the secret and keep the holders safe."  Master Fu says.

       "Oh, and I retired as the guardian a few years back!  I made sure to find an appropriate replacement though."  Master Fu remarks.

      "Wow!  Who is this replacement then?"  Adrien ask.

     " It is someone special who is the best qualified for the job."  Master Fu says.

      " Is it some one we have ever met?"  Marinette ask.

     "Yes, you could say you have met them a long time ago."  Master Fu says.  He laughs at the looks Adrien and Marinette give him.  He knows there is no way they will ever figure out who the new person is that guards these special artifacts.

      "It is Nino, for sure!"  Adrien says.

     " No, it is Alya, or Alix!"  Marinette says.

     "Actually, it is neither of them  you too."  Master Fu says.

     "I know for  a   fact it must that young boy with the blue hair who plays guitar."  The hermit says.

    "It is not Luka either."  Master Fu says.

    "Surely it is  not Chole!"  Adrien and Marinette says at the same time.

     "Haha, no worries there!  It is  definitely not her!"  Master Fu says.  He leaves without even so much of a hint to it is really is and goes back to his house.

        Adrien and Marinette both laugh!  They think, yeah right!  Master Fu would never give his job to some one else!   The two are happy they get to be a couple now.   

   

     "Marinette, come on!  I do believe I owe you a date!"  Adrien says.

     "Yeah, I do believe you are right Adrien!"  Marinette says.

      Adrien and Marinette leaves to go on their first real date.  Too much time has gone by already without such an event anyway!  The two have a great time and they even manage to remiss about some of their favorite memories from high school!    As they walk together hand in hand, Adrien thinks so this is what is it is like to be with the woman I love!  He smiles to himself and enjoys the moment with her!   It is just the two of them as it should be.

    Meanwhile, the hermit is fine to be by himself.  This is how things have been for many years.  Though he did enjoy the company, he too is glad the couple is out of his house and wonders, if they will be gone for good or what?  He shrugs his shoulders, as he hums a little tune to himself while he sits in the rocking chair on his back porch.  He soon dozes off.  He forgets all the two lovebirds as he sleeps.

     Adrien turns to Marinette and says,  "Sweetheart, I am so happy we got to do this!"

   Marinete replies,  "I am too!  It sure has been fun, darling!"

     Adrien daydreams the rest of the date about a possible future with her.  He smiles as the realizes who knows what it brings?   For now, it is  just one special  moment with her!  If that is all I ever get then it  has been worth it all!

   Marinette thinks about the future too. She thinks, I love him!  I  am glad we get to enjoy this time here right now.  I  do not know what happens next, but bring it on!  Whatever it is can not be as bad as what we have faced before, now can it? 

    to be continued in the Epilogue:  Love Meant to Last  A  Life Time!