Missing

No More Lies. No More Secrets

Adrien's POV

    "Come in and thanks for coming," Mari says. I walk in and wait for her.

    "It's no problem," I say. She walks towards the couch, where Luka is sitting. Luka? What's he doing here? Then it hits. He stayed the night. I get the thought out of my head and sit down. "So what is it that you needed to tell me?" I ask. She takes a deep breath and rubs her hands together.

    "First things first... this isn't easy for me. And only Luka and I know about this," she says and I nod. "I'm Ladybug," she simply says. My eyes widen and I take a good look at her. "Spots on," and in a matter of seconds, the girl I had fallen in love with is standing right in front of me.

"No fucking way," I say a little slow and shocked.

"Spots off," and she's back in her normal clothes. "Look... I told you this because I need to tell you a lot more than what Marinette knows." I shake my head and close my eyes, trying to process what I just saw. I need to have a conversation with her in private or will that be necessary? I mean she's in love with Luka and well I'm in love with her. Oh, holy fuck! "Are you okay?" I hear Mari's voice and open my eyes.

"Yeah... no yeah, I am.... I'm just a little shocked... that's all," I manage to say.

"Do you need a minute?" she asks.

"No I think I'm fine," I say. I look at her and smile and she returns it.

"Okay... well as I said before... all of this Luka already knows and well I wanted to tell you as well," she repeats her previous words.

"Okay. Why and what else is there to know?" I ask as calmly as possible. She takes another deep breath and closes her eyes. She opens them and looks directly at me.

    "Your father is Hawkmoth," she says and my heart sinks to the bottom of the ocean.

"What?" I say in a shaky voice.

"Adrien... I didn't know until he took me to his lair. To your house! I overheard him talking with Natalie. And..." she cuts herself off.

"Natalie?"

"She's Mayura..." she looks down. I feel my head spin and like throwing up. "Adrien... I am so so sorry," I hear Mari say.

"No Mari, don't. I should be the one who's sorry," I say and she looks at me confused and with glossy eyes. "My father kidnapped you and he hurt you. This was all my father's work and I'm sorry for it," I say and look down at the ground.

"Adrien, I don't blame you for what happened to me. You're just an innocent person who's stuck with an evil man.... I'm going to tell you something else and I'm really hoping it does not change your mind about your father," she tells me. "I know why he wants my and Cat Noir's miraculous," she says. I snap my head up at her with wide eyes.

"What?"

"He wants to bring your mother back." More spinning and now sadness at the mention of my mother. "But making that choice has a terrible price to pay, Adrien," she says. I already know what it is but I must act like I don't. I need to decide a better time to tell her I'm Cat Noir.

"What's the price?" I ask. She rubs her hands together before answering.

"Depends really on the wish. Like his. He wants to bring your mother back but a trade must be made. A soul for a soul," she says.

"I can't believe it," is all I can manage to say.

"Are you okay?" Mari asks me after a minute of silence.

"I will be. I think I just need to get some rest and process it, I guess," I say. I look down again.

"Adrien...?" Mari speaks again. I look up and she's in front of me.

"Yeah?" I ask. She doesn't say anything but just hugs me. I'm taken by surprise but I hug her back. For some reason, I got so emotional I started to cry. I feel her hugging me tighter and I tighten my grip as well. Of all people, of all people in Paris.... It had to be my father. My father! Who has been distant ever since my mother disappeared and hasn't shown signs of love towards me. I know he loves me but I at times feel like I'm a burden or a bad memory to him.

After some time of letting it out and Mari consoling me, she lets go but keeps her hands on my shoulders.

"I promise you, Adrien, that no matter what, no matter the cost, Cat Noir and I will defeat your father," she promises. I do my best to smile and she returns it. I then remember what Natalie told me this morning.

"Ummm Natalie told me this morning that Lila's funeral will be this Sunday. I thought you guys want to know," I say as Mari makes her way back next to Luka. They look at each then back at me.

"I'll go and pay my respects. Thank you, Adrien,"

"I'll go with you," Luka says. He puts his hand on her shoulder and they smile at each other. "Adrien, I'm sorry about everything that is happening to you. You don't deserve it. No one does," he tells me.

"Thanks, Luka. Don't worry about it. I just need to pretend everything is fine," I say. Easier said than done.

"If you ever want to talk to someone, don't hesitate on reaching out," Mari says as I get up. She walks me to the door and Luka follows along.

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it and Mari, thank you again for telling me. I know it was hard to tell me," I say, standing in the doorway.

"No problem," Mari says and hugs me again. I hug her back and she releases me moments after. "See ya Sunday,"

"See ya Sunday," I repeat and leave. I hear the door close as I make my way down the stairs to my car. As I walk in, a question emerges into my mind.

Can I even trust my personal driver? What if he knows about all of this and....?

I stop myself before I go deeper into that hole. I can trust him. He's taken me to all the places I've asked him to and never tells my father. Well... I think he doesn't so he does not get in trouble.

The ride is short and in minutes I'm back home. Well, I think it is. After everything Mari told me, I do not know how to feel. Questions that I'm trying my best to not let out bounce back and forth in my head. As I walk inside, no one is around. I make my way to my room and I hear the door of my father's office open and I quickly hide.

"Where did he go?" Natalie's voice comes out harshly.

"The Dupain's Bakery," my driver answers.

"Why?"

"I-I am not sure,"

"You're dismissed," she says and I then hear her footsteps, and then Natalie speaks again. "He went to her house... I think he told him... I'm not sure, though... Gabriel, I told you she was going to be a danger if we didn't take care of her... Yeah, I understand..." her conversation ended and I quietly made my way to my room.

Take care of her? What? She's willing to kill her or something? A knock on the door startles me from my train of thought.

"Adrien?" Natalie calls from the other side.

"Come in," I say as calmly as possible.

"I was just checking on you. Everything okay?" she asks.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. I went to Mari's house. I just wanted to check on her. To see if she was fine," I simply say. My voice is calm but my heart is going 100 m/h.

"Okay," she simply says.

"Is that all?" I ask.

"Yes. If you wish to go somewhere else, let know so I can get the car ready,"

"Will do. Thanks," I say and she leaves. I sigh and lay on my bed. I replay what Mari told me and try to process everything.

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