Butterfly Delivery - Adrinette

Bonjour, De la Cour

"Père, could we see her?

"She's completely unresponsive; it's heartbreaking, even for me. You've always been extra sensitive. Are you sure you want to see her like that?"

"I want to see her."

"As you wish." Gabriel led the two teens into his office, then stopped and looked back at Marinette. "Is she coming with us...?"

Adrien reached out and grabbed Marinette's hand in his. "I want her to come, please."

"All right. The lift will only take one person at a time. I'll go down first and send it back up. I don't suggest you try jumping down like that friend of yours."

--

The plate settled into the floor with a click as the last person descended into the basement. Before them was a glass coffin, wrapped in some sort of vine blooming with cone-shaped white flowers. "This is where I harvest the akuma," Gabriel explained, gingerly cradling one of the blossoms. Getting a better look at it, Adrien and Marinette could tell what they had first understood as petals were the wings of a pure white butterfly.

"What kind of life form are they?"

"Shh," Gabriel scolded, "Emilie is resting." All three healthy humans in the room gave their full attention to the woman sleeping in the box.

"She looks like a Disney princess," Adrien blurted out.

"Like Sleeping Beauty?" Marinette guessed.

"Like a combination of her and Snow White. You know... in her glass coffin? And both of them were woken up the same way; a true love kiss. Have you tried that, Père?"

Gabriel shook his head. "That only works in fairy tales; real life isn't that kind."

"Kisses do break spells," Marinette insisted. "Remember Dark Cupid? Chat Noir was trying to cataclysm my face but I kissed him and he turned back into his normal sweet self." She grinned sideways at Adrien.

"You never did truly explain how that kiss happened!" Adrien exclaimed. "When I saw the pictures - you said you were saving me, ha! You were saving yourself!"

"And it worked! We're both here now, aren't we?"

Gabriel got a thoughtful look on his face. "Maybe..." he stepped a little toward the coffin and backed away. "But I'd better not. This coffin is the only source of life support she has. If a kiss didn't work, and I disturb the set up, it could kill her."

"She looks like she needs medical attention. Why have her on life support down here? Why not in a hospital?

"A hospital wouldn't be able to do anything -" Gabriel shook his head, "- at least nothing better than I can do for her here. They're all right for treating the common illnesses, but this is not one of those. Her illness was caused by magic. Most doctors don't even believe in it. I just know they would try some ordinary treatment for her extraordinary condition and end up killing her. I know she's better off here."

"Then can we take her to the monastery?"

"Are you insane!?" Gabriel's eyes searched his son's face, trying to see if the boy was seriously suggesting what he thought. "Are you talking about the one in Tibet?"

"If anyone knows the cure, it would be among the Order of the Miraculous."

"Perhaps they would have been able to save her before she got to this point, but now she wouldn't be able to survive the trip."

Adrien and Marinette looked at one another for support. At least they'd found something that Gabriel somewhat trusted.

"Then send Nathalie," Adrien tried. "It's obvious she's developed the same symptoms Mère had. They can at least stop her from getting worse, and maybe examining her will help them come up with a cure they could send back here for Mère."