I Knew It Was You [COMPLETE]

21. Unfinished

Cat Noir was huddled over Ladybug in a protective grasp and let go when the wave died down.

"Emilie?" Gabriel's desperate voice searched.
"Master Agreste, no stop!" they heard a tiny voice screech. Nooroo.
"Nooroo, where is Emilie?" 
"Master Agreste, we will find her. You need to stop panicking or else the akuma will capture you!"
"I don't care, Nooroo! Where is she?" He flung his head, left and right, trying to locate his wife.

Gabriel spotted Emilie on the ground and ran to her, unaware of the the akuma fluttering over them. He gasped at her lifeless body, as he collapsed next to her. He grabbed her wrist and checked for a pulse...it was beating.
He kept his ear over her heart and blinked in surprise. She wasn't dead, but her body was frigid.
"Oh Emilie," he said, cradling her in his arms. Her eyes shut and body unresponsive, the fear on Gabriel's face grew. 
"What have I done?"

"Master Agreste, you need to get away as soon as you can," Nooroo said. The akuma was still hovering over them, confused without knowing its purpose.
"Your emotions are negative, your fear is consuming you," the kwami cried, "Please get out of here before it hits you! Your wife will survive if you just leave!"
"I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE NOOROO!" Gabriel voice bellowed across the room. The akuma picked up the sudden change in the setting and flew towards Gabriel, feeding on his anger and closed around his back. A dark wave closed around him and his attire changed: the mask covered his hair and most of his face, the suit darkened to a shade of amethyst and a cane appeared next to him.

He was now Hawk Moth.
Ladybug covered her mouth to prevent a gasp from escaping. Cat Noir gripped his staff tighter, fighting the urge to just fling it onto Hawk Moth.

"Master..." the kwami said, his voice dripping with fear.
Hawk Moth took his cane and pointed it at the end of a ramp, forming a glass coffin and gently picked up Emilie, making his way towards it. He placed her inside and shut it, touching his forehead on it. 
"I will bring her back, Nooroo," Hawk Moth growled in a deep voice.
"Y-Yes Master," the kwami responded.

-x-x-x-

Present time...

Ladybug gasped and Cat Noir collapsed on Alix's chair as they got out - no, they were pushed out of the portal.
Cat put his elbows on his knees and looked down, holding back a sob.
What had he just seen?
"Kitty," Ladybug said, kneeling before him and reaching for his hand. He covered his face and his body shivered, a soft sob escaping him.
"I'm so sorry, Adrien," Alix said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
He shook his head and run his hand through his hair, "Please tell me that my parents will live," he said.
Alix took a breath and kept a stern face, "I'm afraid I can't tell you anything," she said.
Cat looked at Ladybug and rested his head on her shoulder, his torso relaxing as her arms wrapped around him.
"It's okay, Kitty," she said, "We'll get through this."

-x-x-x-

"Hawk Moth's first akuma put your mother in that coma," Marinette said.
They were in her room, after telling her parents that Adrien was just having a tough time since the last surgery didn't go so well. Tom and Sabine understood how hard it must be for him and sent them to Marinette's room with milk and cookies.
 Adrien rubbed his temples and tried to remember the details of the past, without letting his mind spiral with the whirlwind of madness that he was sure will get to him.
"So he must be doing all of this for her," he said, "The power of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous together is indescribable. He wants to restore her health through this."
"But how? If he puts both our miraculouses, he will have to sacrifice something in exchange for the wish," she said, furrowing her eyebrows, "His wish is a life. So to get that wish-"
"He needs a life in exchange," Adrien said. A dark fog seemed to descend on them when they thought of the idea. Will Hawk Moth go as far as murder? 

"Emilie Agreste isn't dead," Tikki said. They looked at her, still hazy from the uncertain fog. "Emilie Agreste was hit by the power of the akuma, she didn't die," she clarified.
"Ol' Hawky just wants to remove that," Plagg added.
Marinette played around with that thought for a while. "Hold on a second," Marinette said, "He doesn't know that."
"What do you mean?" Adrien interjected.
"Hawk Moth thinks that unifying our Miraculouses could bring her life back. He doesn't realize that he needs to remove the dark magic that is still inside her."
"Marinette, that sounds exactly like he'd know" Adrien said. Then his eyes widened, "Uh-uh I didn't mean to make you sound stupid, oh wow I-"
"He isn't Gabriel anymore," Marinette said, completely immune to Adrien's babble. He shot her a puzzled look.
"Adrien, you mother wasn't the akuma victim. You father was," she stressed. The tension on his eyebrows released as a look of realization took over him. "The akuma is still in him."

The issue finally pieced together: Gabriel Agreste was the victim of his unfinished akuma and Emilie was hit by the consequences of it. The problem was running around Marinette's head, but Adrien was in completely different zone.

"Father wasn't himself..." he said softly, "The entire time." 
He blinked in surprise, a rush of joy filling him up after what seemed like ages. "I-I know I'm being selfish here but Father, my father," he said, a wide grin taking over his face, "Father was just...not himself! All this time, I thought I wasn't good enough. All this time, he used to look at me as if I was the one who made Mother leave, but no! He was just....different."
Marinette put a hand on his face, "It isn't selfish if it makes you happy," she said, a smile playing on her lips.
He looked at her, unable to contain his happiness and crushed her with a hug. She giggled, a sense of relief washing over her as Adrien finally smiled after the traumatic visit to the past. She climbed on his lap and dug him into her arms.
"Thank you, Princess," he said, "You just made everything better."
Marinette looked at him, smiling and he touched her jaw, pulling her in for a kiss.

"Get a room," Plagg said, disgusted by the affection of the two teenagers.
"This is my room!" Marinette said, laughing.