I Knew It Was You [COMPLETE]

25. Almost

"You see," Marinette said, "This is why I need my Cat Noir."
Adrien chuckled in response.
"You came up with the whole plan! Do you have an-"
"Marinette?" Adrien interrupted.
She looked at him and nodded.

"Let's put that on pause. Can I ask you something?" he said. Marinette nodded again, slightly confused as Adrien looked at his surroundings. They were near the park, close to Marinette's house.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," he said, pulling something out of his pocket. Marinette nearly had a heart attack, thinking it was a ring but the box was bigger and he didn't get down on one knee.
"Don't worry, I'm not asking you to marry me," he said, chuckling. The fear must've been evident on her face but she flushed and exhaled.
He opened the necklace box and revealed a thin chain with a pendant on in. She stepped forward and gently picked up the charms: a silver ying-yang between a red and green gem.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
She held her breath and looked at him, slowly nodding. The small smile on his face grew as her nodding turned into saying "yes" repeatedly.
"Yes! Yes, I will be your girlfriend Adrien Agreste," she squealed. He took out the necklace and placed it around her neck, attaching the clasp.
She touched the pendant and turned around to kiss her boyfriend.
"Oh my god, you're my boyfriend," she said, pulling away.
"You have no idea how happy you make me, Princess," he said. Marinette laughed and they walked back to school, ending what might've been a very successful date.

-x-x-x-

Marinette was tackling a history assignment that evening when Adrien called.
"Marinette, you have to get here now," he said.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Father."
He knew she immediately understood. This is it.

The machines were going haywire, all of them beeping and ringing. No one knew which one meant what and what happened when one of them was turned off. The nurses immediately got to work and managed to turn off some but Gabriel's face started looking more and more lifeless with every passing moment.

Adrien's heart clenched as Gabriel started shaking, gasping for air. The cylinders are filled with oxygen, Adrien wanted to scream. He held back tears as he hoped for Ladybug to appear. 
"STOP!" a voice boomed from behind them.
Ladybug rushed to Gabriel and instructed the nurses to disconnect the machines. The nurses immediately complied, seeing their hero after what seems like years. Ladybug gave Adrien the slightest nod and he got the signal.
As much as he wanted to see his father, he knew duty came first. He left the room and tried to find the nearest empty room, but a hand grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going?" Nathalie asked.
"Just-just away from here," Adrien said, struggling against her grip.
"Adrien tell me what you are going to do!"
"Nathalie you have to trust me! Just let me go!"
"What is so important that you need to leave your father at this time?"
"This," he said, pulling off his ring. He didn't know what else he could do and he didn't have time or the patience to deal with Nathalie. Not that he was angry with her, but he could see how lonely she would be. She didn't want him to be there for his father, she wanted someone to support her.

She stared at the ring and immediately let go of him. He looked at her for any sign of reassurance but all he could see was shock.
"I'm sorry, Nathalie..." he said, stepping away from her. Her mouth was still open as she processed everything.
"Nathalie, I trust you. I need you to do the same for me," he said, nearly out the door. Even after a few moments, she was unresponsive and he took that as his cue to leave, his chest heavy with guilt. He didn't want to leave Nathalie, but he had no choice.

He found an empty room and transformed. He ran out and found Nathalie at the same spot he left her. She was staring at the ground with a firm look.
"That's her right?" Nathalie asked him.
"What?"
"Marinette. It's her isn't it?"
"Nathalie, I don't have the right-"
"I'm not angry Adrien," Nathalie said, looking up at him, "I've seen that pendant, I helped you order it. All I'm saying is, if that's Marinette...trust her, completely."
Cat looked at Nathalie, absolutely stumped by her words and confidence. Then his face melted as he realized that Nathalie looked out for Marinette, too. With all the times Marinette had come over and spent time with them, she was the only daughter figure Nathalie had when Adrien was like her son.
"Trust her," Nathalie confirmed, "Like I trust you."
Cat tried to push away the jolt that went through him when Nathalie put her hand on his shoulder. He gave a stiff nod and ran towards Ladybug, the weight of all the promises he had made raining on him.

-x-x-x-

"Do you have them?" Cat asked.
Ladybug nodded and placed the Peacock Miraculous in his hands. They gave each other one more glance, the weight of the reality settling between them.
"Ready, Princess?"
"Ready, Kitty."

Cat took a step back and said the words: "Plagg, Duusu, unify!"
A coral blue wave of feathers whirled around him and fed into the seams on his suit. The jet black suit had blue and green highlights and his staff was decorated with dark blue lines and a neon green finishing. He now sported a mask with blue detailing and there was a strap on his arm, hung with pristine, white feathers: amoks.
Besides his physical appearance he could see the realm of emotions around him. Everyone had a different aura but Gabriel's was stronger than ever: fear, pain, anger, grief. Cat felt every particle buzz around him as own emotions overwhelmed him.
"CAT!" Ladybug screamed. He looked down and realized that his own powers were swirling around him, taking him in. A black and blue tornado was engulfing him.
"No no no," he said trying to get away from it.
"YOU NEED TO CONCENTRATE! FORGET YOUR EMOTIONS AND FOCUS ON GABRIEL!" 
Cat started panicking and the black and blue started spinning faster.
"CAT THIS IS FOR EMILIE AND GABRIEL AGRESTE!" Ladybug cried.
"ADRIEN, YOUR FATHER IS IN DANGER! YOU NEED TO STOP!" Nathalie yelled.
He shook a little when he heard Nathalie call his name.
"ADRIEN, YOU CAN'T MAKE THE MISTAKE YOUR FATHER MADE!"
Immediately, the room fell into silence as the waves died down. Ladybug looked at Nathalie.
"I know how this Miraculous works," Nathalie said, stepping towards him. Cat saw the wisps of hope sprouting out of her thick atmosphere of fear. Cat nodded and a bulk of that layer evaporated and the hopeful mist settled in.