I Knew It Was You [COMPLETE]

20. Before

"Oh by the way, ADRIEN AND MARINETTE!" Bunnix yelped.
The two heroes blushed. "Uh, yeah," Ladybug said.
"I wasn't allowed to see what happened immediately after your reveal but boy, are you two one strong pair," Bunnix said, hands on her hips.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat said crossing his arms.
"You'll find out in your own time, Agreste."
"Okay, back to the mission," Ladybug interrupted. As much as she wanted to know about her future with Cat, she wanted to know if she had a future in the first place.

"This way," Bunnix said leading them down to a portal.
Ladybug caught glimpses of different times in other portals: Marinette kissing Luka, Adrien slow dancing with Chloe, Kagami with a blade near her wrist...
"What are those?" she asked in horror.
"Those are the alternate situations...the things that could have happened if someone made a different decision in each situation. This varies from person to person; I don't see what you see because those things haven't impacted me."
"You learned quite a bit for someone who just got the Miraculous," Cat Noir said.
"It may have been minutes for you but it's been years for me...you really can lose track of time," Bunnix said.
"Which is exactly why this Miraculous was meant for you," Ladybug said, "You're carrying out your responsibilities."
"Well I can't argue with that. I haven't seen an alternative for me receiving the Miraculous. I guess some things really were meant to be."
Cat Noir looked at Bunnix. "Meant to be?" he asked.
"If there's one thing I can 100% confirm was meant to be, it's the fact that Master Fu had done the right thing choosing you two as Ladybug and Cat Noir. You two saved the world from what could've been its end."

She stood in front of a portal and Ladybug saw glimpses of it: Gabriel laughing, Emilie watching little Adrien run around, Nathalie scribbling away in her notebook. Gabriel was so happy and young, the scene almost seemed non-existent.
"I feel like this happened during another life time," Cat Noir said.
Ladybug squeezed his hand and Bunnix nodded slowly. 
"You guys need to go in and stay hidden. Make sure you are, or else there's no telling what could  go wrong," Bunnix said. 
The heroes nodded and stepped in, the white light before them.
"Listen, the portal will take you based on what you need so don't get confused when your settings change. It may not show you the complete situation but all I can say is, trust time. You'll have everything you need," Bunnix said.
"You sound so wise, Alix," Ladybug said, gripping her hand, "I'm so glad I gave you the Miraculous."
"I'm so glad you guys are Ladybug and Cat Noir. It was always meant to be," Bunnix said. She let go of Ladybug's hand and gestured them to go in.
Ladybug looked at Cat and he gave her the slightest nod. Soon, they were both in.

-x-x-x-

15 years ago...

"Adrien! Get back here, sweetie," Emilie Agreste called out. Gabriel was studying a book which both Ladybug and Cat Noir recognized: The Guardians Book.
"Gabriel can you please put that book down, it's starting to take away your existence," Emilie complained.
"You have no idea how much power it contains, Emilie. The Gabriel Brand can rise to an empire with the power I can obtain," Gabriel said hungrily. He heaved and then stopped. Suddenly, he shut the the book and closed his fists.
"No," he said. "T-This book shouldn't be the reason to my success."
Emilie approached Gabriel carefully and pulled the book away from him. "I trust you Gabriel. This kind of power will not consume you," she said, kneeling in front of him.
Gabriel nodded and stood up. "I'm going inside. I'll see you later, dear," he said.
Emilie nodded and watched her husband walk inside as she tightly clasped the book in her hands.

Their setting began to shift and the heroes caught glimpses of happier times: a party where Gabriel was laughing away with the guests and had his arm around Emilie's waist; the happy couple watching Adrien laugh as a photographer clicked him; eight-year-old Adrien playing the keyboard with his mother as his father looked on. 

Suddenly it stopped and Ladybug pulled Cat Noir behind a set of potted plants.

-x-x-x-

Seven years ago... 

"Emilie, why don't you understand? The brand is falling, my investors are demanding their returns and my designs aren't impressing the buyers!" Gabriel said in a loud voice. As large as the man was, there was an aura of power around Emilie, making him look like he wasn't the one doing wrong.
"Gabriel, this is unpredictable magic that we have no control over," Emilie said in a dangerously calm voice, "The fate of the brand is something you can control, the consequences of this strange magic...I know you are smarter than that."
"Just one day! Just one meeting with the peacock miraculous and this could change-"
"Gabriel, enough!" Emilie was panting, her hands clutching her hair. 
Gabriel's desperate face dropped and he looked at her with concern.

"Are you alright, dear?" he said, approaching her.
Emilie hesitantly nodded and bit her lips, an attempt to keep the tears from falling.
"I should've never trusted you with that book," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I-I'm so sorry, Emilie," Gabriel said, his hands on her shoulders. Emilie flinched and Gabriel dropped his hands. He took one look at the book and walked over to the door.
"I understand if you need time," he said, right before he swiftly walked out of the room.

The images shifted and they saw Gabriel in a dark room with the book in his hand and a flashlight hovering over it. Then it showed Gabriel in what seemed like a meeting and everyone was smiling. In Gabriel's hand, the Peacock Miraculous glowed and he placed it in his pocket. The scene shifted yet again but this time, Gabriel looked like he was submitting the Miraculous to Emile, his head down in shame.
"I used to think Father had mistresses..." Cat Noir said softly.
"I guess he just used it behind her back," Ladybug said. She was in awe of Gabriel's respect for his wife which seemed far from what he was like as Hawk Moth.
"He was such a gentle man that loved his wife to no end. What could have possibly gone wrong?" 

-x-x-x-

Six years ago...

The white butterfly landed on Gabriel's finger.
His whole body trembled as he closed the butterfly in his hands and transformed: "Nooroo, wings rise!"

But he wasn't Hawk Moth. He was wearing a light purple suit with a mask that covered the area around his eyes and bridge of his nose. His hair was hanging freely, he didn't have a cane and he looked professional, rather than evil.
He looked around once more and slowly summoned the purple energy, infusing it into the butterfly.

"GABRIEL!" Emilie Agreste screamed. Gabriel roared and let go of the unfinished akuma, the power in his hands splurging out uncontrollably. 
And soon, the room was washed in a dark purple wave.