I Knew It Was You [COMPLETE]

28. Alive

Marinette nodded at him and he took off.

His father was alive. Gabriel Agreste was alive...

"Father?" Adrien said, running into the room. The tall man was sitting upright in his bed, his hands gripping the mattress. Adrien walked slowly towards him, daring to look at his face.
He finally faced him and noticed the difference: his face was no longer sunken, his frame was fuller and not skeletal, he no longer looked fatigued and ghastly.
"Father?" Adrien asked once again, "A-Are you alright?"

"Adrien!" Gabriel said, seeming to snap back into reality, "I'm perfectly fine...I-I guess I'm just processing everything."
 Adrien wanted to be in his Father's arms. The man has been made new and was probably the old, cheerful Gabriel he once was. He didn't want to risk anything, both emotionally and physically, and was careful with his actions and words.
"Do you remember anything, Father?" Adrien asked, cautiously.
"The last thing I remember was struggling for air. There was this, this pain in my chest and now...I'm here...awake and completely healthy." Gabriel, said hand on his chest. He slowly looked up at Adrien and narrowed his eyes. "You know, don't you?"
"Know w-what?"
A flash of pain flashed across Gabriel's face and he took a deep breath.
"That I was..." He didn't have to continue, the words were louder in their minds than the silence around them: Hawk Moth.
"Oh," Adrien said. "I know Father."
Gabriel looked and put his face in his hands. Adrien put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Father, it doesn't matter to me. It wasn't your fault."
Gabriel looked at his son in confusion. Adrien went on to explain about the akuma was controlling Gabriel and it just left him, returning him to his old self.
"I was careless, Adrien. I never wished any of this happened," Gabriel said shaking his head.
"It's all over now. I'm glad you're back," Adrien said softly.
Gabriel looked at his son and pulled Adrien towards him. Adrien melted in his father's hands and held him as tightly as he could. It has been years since he had gotten any physical affection from his father.
"I missed you Father."
"I missed you Adrien. I missed you growing up because I was selfishly involved in this a-and I missed all your achievements-"
"Father," Adrien said, pulling away, "It's okay. It doesn't matter...you are here and I'm happy about it."
"How did you fix it? How did you know all this?"
"Ladybug and Cat Noir...actually Lady Butterfly and Paon Noir fixed it. Like they always do."
Gabriel sat up again. "Emilie."
"Mother...I-"
"Where is she?"
Adrien paused and thought it through, how would Ladybug answer this?
"Before the akuma in you tried harming you, you were here in this room... so that means..."

Adrien ran out of the room and rushed upstairs. He pushed open the doors of his parents' old bedroom...a room that was abandoned since his mother disappeared.
He looked around it, looking for his mother. He was searching all around the room- under the bed, behind the couch, in the closet.  

"Mother! Mom!" Adrien called out, rushing to the walk-in closet. 
"Adrien?" a voice called out.
He flung his head around, looking for the source.

There she was.

Emilie Agreste. His mother.

Adrien stared at her, his mouth open and nearly fell down down. She gaped back, trying to identify this boy as her son.
"Mo-Mo-Mother?" he asked.
Emilie's lips pressed into a smile and she nodded, blinking away the sudden tears. 
"Adrien," she said, approaching him, her arms open.

Without thinking, he sprung from his place into his mother's arms, a gawky smile on his face. 
Her arms were the only thing he wanted right now and he could feel the same energy from her. 
"A-Adrien, my baby," she sobbed. He smiled as wide he could as she looked at him, hands holding his face. She pushed the hair from his face and smiled at him, their green eyes glinting.
"Hi mom," he said softly, his voice breaking.
She smiled, tears streaming down her face. "Hi baby," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Emilie," a voice said, from the door.
Gabriel Agreste stood near the frame, stupefied at the vision of his wife.
Emilie pulled away from Adrien and looked at her husband. "Gabriel."
Gabriel took a deep breath and let out a shaky breath. Emilie choked and covered her face. One more moment and both of them were running, towards each other, crushed in each other's arms.

"I'm so sorry Emilie-" Gabriel started.
"No no, it's all over," Emilie said, smiling through her tears. Gabriel finally smiled, a wave of relief going over him. He buried himself in her shoulders and the Agreste couple was back once again.

Adrien was smiling at his parents and then he moved a step away, to find Marinette beaming at them from the door. 
He jogged towards her and pulled her into the room. She tried to release herself from his grip.
"Adrien, this is your moment, don't involve me," Marinette said.
"You made all this possible, why can't I involve you?" Adrien asked.
"Dear?" Emilie asked, still in Gabriel's arms.
Adrien held Marinette's hand once more and brought her towards his parents.

"Mother, Father, this is my girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng," he said, beaming proudly, "Marinette, these are my parents, Gabriel and...Emilie Agreste."
Marinette's eyes welled up, unbelieving that she was part of the Agrestes' reunion. Emilie gasped and smiled at the sweet young girl her son brought, and nodded immediately.
"Marinette, you have been such a great support for us and I can't imagine all this without you," Gabriel said, smiling at the girl, "You are every bit of family as Adrien is."
"Oh wow, this is all going so fast, Adrien has a girl now. Dear, you are so beautiful," Emilie said, caressing Marinette's cheek, "What do you do? Did you guys meet in school? H-How long has it been and-and what else have I missed?" Emilie asked.
Everyone laughed and Adrien watched them, his family, laughing after years. 

"Where were you when I was searching for you?" Adrien said, putting an arm around his mother.
"When you're under a coma for that long, how could you possibly not take a bathroom break! It took you nearly 15 minutes to find me!" Emilie shot back.
Adrien chuckled and gave his mother a hug, "It's great to have you back, Mom."
"It's great to be back," she said smiling back at her son.
The group left the room, everyone smiling and the happiest they had been.