Chapter 26: The Only One Left To Lean On

"Adrien where have you been?" Nathalie called as he begrudgingly stepped towards his home. "Where is your father…"

"Please just-" He attempted to reach the entrance when a series of reporters from a crowd pushed passed security, and harassed him from behind.

"Tell me young Agreste what happened tonight?"

"Was your father involved?"

"Why was Hawk Moth abusing your property? Did you see him before?"

"Where were Ladybug and Catnoir?"

"Will your father make a statement tonight?"

Adrien's breath shook. He wanted to cry. He had nothing left in all of this…how could he say the truth? He couldn't tell them he saw Catnoir and Ladybug he'd only be calling attention to himself and yet if he tried to explain the storage system underneath…

"I-"

"Wait! Leave him alone…"

He blinked for a minute and looked up to see Marinette pushing through the crowd. She was wearing his jacket to cover herself.

"Who are you?"

"I saw you with the Agreste boy, tell me are you his new girlfriend?"

"Enough. Adrien's father…" She looked to Adrien, whose gaze had fallen, as she managed to get to the front of the crowd, standing just below him on the steps up to his mansion home. "Adrien's father left the country earlier during the party to continue to work on his new line; he left for the tropics...his work means a lot to him. At the same time Adrien and I went to follow him, we happened to get in the middle of a battle between Hawk Moth and Ladybug and Cat Noir. Hawk Moth was stealing the water so he could make everyone into monsters…I got caught in the battle and so did Adrien. Adrien's all that is left of the Agreste family here…so please…the water has returned because of Cat Noir… and if you believe in them…Ladybug and CatNoir will make sure Hawkmoth doesn't hurt this city again. I'm sure of it!"

"So it wasn't Gabriel Agreste who was responsible?"

"No, it wasn't Mr. Agreste." Marinette looked to Adrien, whose wide eyes watched her in disbelief. "It was Hawk Moth…he's the real villain."

"Can anyone else cooperate your story?"

Nathalie blinked for a minute and then stood forward. "I can affirm that Mr. Agreste left earlier due to some inspiration he wished to pursue, and he left Adrien in charge. Now if you'd kindly get off our property, I think it's time we put this party to rest."

She led them back into the mansion. As the door closed Adrien spoke.

"I'm not staying here."

"What? Young Mr. Agreste I-" Nathalie tried to persist.

"I can't. Father is gone and there's nothing left. I just need some time away…"

"Where will you stay?"

"He can stay with my family…or with a close friend." Marinette had a gut feeling he'd intended to stay with Master Fu.

"I don't have the energy to argue. Is it true that is where you're father went?"

"Yes…" Adrien knew it might not have been the real answer…but Nathalie didn't need to know the truth.

"Oh. Well I can't control you like your father did but I will be checking up on you. I know I will be responsible for you if anything happens because I'm sure I'd be shipped off to Timbuktu, god forbid a hair on your head got hurt. I hope I get fair warning before your father returns, I think I would die sooner." She sighed. "I recommend you leave the back way…and have a maid grab your things. Return whenever you'd like, it's your abode."

"Marinette… I'll meet you back there."

"But-" She protested.

"I have a few things I need to do." Adrien looked up at her with sad eyes.

Marinette went to protest but felt her phone vibrate. Her parents. She nodded and left.

He looked to his room. He'd take what he needed…some money…and then he was gone.

As he left the premise he finally realized why his father never let them take the back road into the forest; it had made sense. His hideaway was nothing but a lair.

As he passed by the well something occurred to him.

"Plagg, I need to change to Cat-Noir."

"Are you sure? Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll manage. I just need to do this."

"Okay…" Plagg and Adrien transformed, and he left down the well. It didn't take long. The police tape was up, but he knew…unless his father had been careful it was possible he had had fingerprints all over these machines.

"Cataclysm!" And with a slash he'd managed to destroy nearly all of it. Somehow his powers had gotten stronger… hopefully Master Fu could answer for the reasons why.

He returned above and continued walking down the path with his luggage when he noticed Marinette had waited.

"Adrien…I know I shouldn't have but-"

"You saved me Marinette." He didn't want to cry in front of her.

"Please come back to my home with me…then we'll return to Master Fu's place. You can decide then…"

He wanted to protest, but he saw the way she shivered in the cold. She needed her home now. He nodded as they walked together.

By the time they had reached her home it was raining.

"Marinette! Oh god your safe!" Her mother embraced her as she entered.

"I'm fine…just got a little beat up in the chaos." She smiled.

"Adrien…I'm sorry. We're here if you need us…" Her father said with a concerned face, as he too entered the house wet.

Adrien tried to feign a smile.

"Actually…could Adrien live with us for a while? It's hard for him to live at home. His father is gone and nobody is there…plus the fact that Hawkmoth was under their noses…it's…"

Marinette's mother and father looked at each other for a moment.

"Of course. That won't be a problem." Her mother nodded. "I will prepare our spare room. Your uncle is gone now so I don't see it an issue."

"You have no other family?" Her father asked.

"No…I-I don't need to if it's a both…"

Her father sighed. "Of course it's not. Whatever happened…it seems…aweful." He stared a bit absently at the glow from their own television.

"I'll make sure my father pays you back for this. I will actually…if I can while he's gone…" Adrien persisted.

"You mean the baking? Hah, don't worry. Frankly we're just happy your safe." Her father shook his head.

"But the money and product you lost…"

"Well we'll manage." He shrugged. "Marinette, honey, your pretty bruised…"

"It would be a lot worse if it wasn't for Adrien." She turned and smiled to him, trying to help him regain himself.

"What?" Her mother came down the stairs.

"Well Adrien made sure…after these injuries happened that it wouldn't happen again. He kept me safe and out of the way before Cat Noir and…Ladybug…could uhm get there…"

He looked at her surprised, and then noticed how as soon as she mentioned Ladybug she looked away. He weakly smiled back. "I promise I didn't do much. It was my fault for bringing her tonight …I had no clue everything was going on so close to my home…"

"I think it's about time we call it a night. We can talk it over more tomorrow. Marinette I drew you a bath too if you want." Her mom smiled. "You're bedroom is ready."

"I apologize…Marinette told me to bring some of my stuff…" He motioned to a few bags.

"Don't worry dear." She smiled.

He smiled back and followed them to his room. Somehow this would have to work...wouldn't it?

After he got settled he noticed how the room felt much cozier than his own. It had been an hour. He felt tired but his mind hadn't stopped racing.

"Are you going to be okay?" Plagg asked.

"Not sure." He said as he looked out to the window. It was bitter dark outside. Black. It should be a good thing that the town got back their water, but it felt like nothing but a curse to him.

"We'll get your father back. His Kwami isn't bad…all that dark energy would mess up a Kwami…it's hard to say no to our partners…especially him…he never really had much of a backbone but-" Plagg quieted down after he noticed Adrien had stopped listening.

"How can I ever go back? Even if something happened and we found a way to bring him out of this…I just need to know what he hopes to change with that power…what is so immense that he would risk hurting me too…"

"Nobody really knows what that power can do…but I think that because you had me he…was hesitant..."

"I'd like to think that was true. But at the end there…I'm not sure…"

Plagg sighed. He'd lost words himself.

"I don't see how me being here helps. If my father returns Marinette and I are cornered into one house…"

"It wouldn't make sense." Plagg shook his head. "You two are celebrities…he couldn't out you, because you'd just attract more attention to yourself."

"But I'm putting Marinette in danger…you are the one he'd go after next." Adrien shook his head back.

"AAHH!"

They both sat up straight. That sounded like Marinette's voice.

Quickly they ran into the other room next door and found a hazy Marinette shuffling around her bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Tikki- I can't find Tikki…"

"Marinette…shh…" Adrien tried to approach when he realized she was still half-asleep …or dreaming.

"She's not here…where is she…"

He sighed. He sat down gingerly on her bed.

"She's with Master Fu…remember?"

She stopped for a moment, and he put his hand lightly on hers.

"Marinette? Wake up?" He asked.

She blinked. "Oh my god what am I doing…" She fell back onto her bum onto her bed.

"You were looking for Tikki…"

She looked frightened, and lowered her head. "I don't deserve her do I..."

"What?" He looked surprised.

"I couldn't keep her safe…now she's…she's barely…"

"She's healing with Master Fu…and you did everything you could! It was my father's fault not yours…"

"It doesn't matter. I led her into that. I let her get hurt. I'm supposed to use her power to heal others, but I never considered what would happened if I couldn't heal her…" She looked at him, her blue eyes watered, as she wiped away tears. "I'm really sorry…I know you're struggling too…I shouldn't make this about me…"

"We'll manage…won't we?"

"I just…what if something happens? What if he strikes and I don't have her back…I can't save you…I can't help you…I can't defend you…or Plagg…I can't heal your father or anyone else…."

He blinked. It had just occurred to him. He couldn't leave here. Even if he put Marinette in danger…Marinette was Tikki's other half. That's why his father didn't care if she survived; Tikki would have to search for another person worthy of her…someone who shared her spirit. He had to stay here for Marinette's sake.

"You've saved me before Marinette. Don't worry. All these marks…you tried to save me without Tikki…so don't say you can't save me because you did. If I have to save you a few times I will. Tikki will get better…" Adrien realized how he would feel if Plagg was in the same position. They weren't just "Power" they were friends…more than that…

"I woke you up didn't I?" Marinette asked meekly.

"No…I couldn't sleep."

"You need to though…I know it's not easy…" Marinette bit her lip. "I need you to make it through this okay…"

"I'll be fine…" Adrien smiled, but when he caught her gaze she looked dead serious.

"I already lost Tikki once, I don't want to loose you too okay?"

"Marinette…if it wasn't for you…I don't know where I'd be…"

She leaned into him and he held her for a bit.

"I'm sorry if I've been selfish…"

"How?"

"I told you, you could stay here…but if it's not what you want…"

"For now. I'll have to take things a step at a time. But you don't have Tikki…and I don't think I should be back at my place so…"

"Are you saying I'm not a factor at all?" Marinette raised a brow.

His eyes widened. "No- no that's not what I said! I'll do whatever I can to stay with you Marinette… because in case you haven't noticed…"

She looked up at him.

"…you're pretty much all I got too."

They fell into a kiss as she fell back onto her bed.

"Are you okay now?" He asked.

"Yea, you?"

"Mhm. We'll go find Master Fu tomorrow okay?" He said.

She nodded.

Adrien raised to leave the room when suddenly he heard her muffle some words into the air as she fell asleep…

"I think I love you Cat-Noir."

He closed the door and breathed out. Now would be a great time to take on Cat-Noir's stealthy moves and-

"Adrien? Might I ask what you're doing?"

Adrien breathed a heavy sigh. He turned to see Marinette's father in the hallway in front of him.