Trying to not make any sound, Viperion opened the window of the hospital. He looked around the dark room to check there was no one else but him and the sleeping figure of Master Fu.

This was the second time since the gala that the snake hero sneaked into a place, after he tried to recover the miracle box from Lila's room only to discover that it wasn't there.

''Hello, Master. You don't know me yet but I guess it's time I introduced myself…'' The snake hero started whispering after hesitating for a bit.

''I'm your successor, the new, ah, guardian'' The boy could feel his face blushing as he spoke. Why was he being so awkward talking to a comatose man?

Viperion sat on the bed, Master Fu was small enough that he didn't need the extra space anyways. He sighed.

''I've tried my best, but I think I'm not qualified for what is happening right now…'' He said, and immediately knew he didn't really believe that. He was sad about the result of the fight at the gala two days ago, but he was also sure that no one else could have done anything differently. Maybe he was getting arrogant, but Viperion truly believed they did everything in their power to solve their problems, and the terrible consequences were just… life being unfair, or maybe destiny.

He sat in silence as he started overthinking all the things he could have done better, but, and this was most frustrating for a hero that could manipulate time, what was done was done.

''I hope you wake up soon… Not because I want you to see this mess, but there is a girl that really needs you right now'' He said, walking again towards the window.

Sure, he was the new guardian, and he knew Marinette pretty well. He had done, along with their other friends, their best to comfort each other and the girl after Adrien disappeared. But Master Fu had trained Ladybug, helped mold and guide her to what she ended up becoming. And he was sure that what the girl needed the most right now was a reminder that she was still Ladybug, and this man that had chosen her was one of the few people that could do that right now.

''Anything else, miss?'' Asked Jean the butler before he left her alone in her room again. Chloe shook her head.

''I'm alright, thanks'' She assured him, realizing too late that her being nice and polite was probably only gonna worry the man even more. After a bit, she heard the door closing behind her, her eyes still glued to her phone.

She was watching a debate where a bunch of people that didn't even know any of them in person argued with each other about the heroes of Paris. She suppressed the irritation that hearing these people speak out of ignorance inspired in her, and tried to listen. She needed to be informed after all.

''I don't think we should be judging these kids so harshly'' Was a woman saying, and Chloe instantly liked her just because of that.

''A girl died, sure she was a bit of a liar and she probably had a grudge against the heroes, but killing minors is not the solution! The law is the law, Adrien Agreste should be in jail with his father'' Said a bald man. Chloe cringed at the mental image of her Adrikins wearing striped clothes and eating unidentified substances from the prisons cafeteria.

''It's still not confirmed that Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth'' Retorted another man, sitting beside the woman that talked first.

''I think that basement under his house is proof enough''

''And it makes sense, why else would the so called heroes leave him be? Because it was the father of one of them!''

Chloe recalled the news following the raid into the Agreste mansion right after the gala, where they not only discovered the strange basement full of butterflies, but also that a lot of stuff was apparently missing, like some of Adrien's clothes and almost everything in the safe. The girl had no idea how he did it that fast, but she was glad Adrien was at least acting rationally instead of just… running off without anything. There was also no sign of the family's bodyguard.

''We have lawyers right now working with our government to finally update the legal system so that people that defend us are not abandoned by the law when things like this happen'' Said the woman, and Chloe wasn't entirely sure she liked the government starting to mess around with what the heroes could and couldn't do, but if it meant that they would stop chasing her Adrikins around….

''´´Things like this?´´ a girl died!'' Sheesh, this man had no other arguments, did he? but as soon as she thought that, Chloe felt immensely guilty remembering the image of Ambassador Rossi helplessly crying for her dead daughter.

''And Ladybug already explained it was an accident!''

The conversation went downhill from there and Chloe lost interest, having already heard about the short interview Ladybug gave to the reporters regarding the situation. It was kind of a miracle that no one seemed to have connected the dots yet on the heroines identity, considering Marinette was Adrien's girlfriend, but then again, Luka had already explained how powerful the glamour was, specially on people that didn't know them personally.

One more time, Chloe wondered what was her childhood friend doing right now. Had he eaten? Was he alone or maybe the gorilla was with him? and more importantly, what was he going to do from now on?

Simon, better known to almost everyone around him as the gorilla, carried two bags on the train station as he followed a boy that covered his hair with a black hoodie.

They entered the train, not after he noticed Adrien looking around first, then sat on their seats as soon as they found them. The bodyguard glanced everyone on their vicinity, to make sure no one was staring. The ex-model was wearing one of those masks people used when they got sick, that covered half of his face, while the hoodie shaded the rest. Simon couldn't talk, but he still managed to convince Adrien that morning that wearing sunglasses on top of all that would attract more attention than if people saw his eyes. Besides, the effect was only really noticeable on the dark.

He noticed the boy beside him relaxing, and he knew he was asleep. He let him slip on his shoulder, knowing full well sleep was going to be rare from no own for both of them. Not only was the law ordered to look for them and arrest on sight, but there were two men that the gorilla noticed were following them around too. These past two days had been a nightmare for the boy as he slowly realized he couldn't stay in Paris anymore.

He recalled watching Ladybug on the news doing her best to defend her partner, and though a lot of people agreed that the situation was not as black and white as it looked, the government had to follow the law, until it changed, that is, to forge an appropriate response to accidents heroes might have while on the job. Simon had faith that one day Adrien would go back to live a semi normal life, even though everyone now knew his secret identity, but he also knew that anything to do with the court was slow business. So, running away was the wise option for now.

As for his former employer, Gabriel Agreste… He didn't have as many hopeful thoughts. The bodyguard never really approved of the man's actions to get his wife back, even if the woman was her creator, but he had decided to stay with the family anyways. His duty was protecting Adrien at all costs, and even though he didn't feel the compulsion of doing so anymore, thanks to being granted freedom a while ago by Gabriel, it was the only life he knew. He would also be lying to himself if he denied the affection he felt for the boy, a fatherly instict that griped at his heart whenever he saw him.

That feeling was especially strong when he found Adrien walking around like a zombie the night of the gala. The boy was heading towards the mansion, which the gorilla had already cleared of all the important things. Gabriel had asked him beforehand to do it, the man's paranoia paying off as the party became a nightmare. The first thing he gave to the boy, however, was a very old monkey plushie. Adrien had stared at it in confusion at first, but then he got out of his stupor and grabbed it, looking at the bodyguard in the eyes.

''I'll protect this…'' Whispered the broken boy as he held the plushie. Simon tried to convey with his eyes that the feeling was mutual, and he was pretty sure Adrien understood the gist of it.

They both walked away from the home that held so many of memories for them, and spent a couple of stressing days running around Paris, trying to figure out how to avoid all these people that were looking for the boy.

And now they were here, on a train to Lille. Adrien was still sleeping and the gorilla was finally starting to relax too as no one around them seemed to pay them any mind.

They would be fine.

Marinette stared at the brooch on her hands.

The peacock miraculous was one of the two things that appeared tied to her window, along with a letter written with a rushed calligraphy that she recognized anyways.

''Aren't you going to read it, Marinette?'' Asked Tikki, forcing her to stop ignoring the piece of paper that was both the envoltory of the jewel and the most important part of the package.

She sighed as she left the brooch on her desk. She never had the chance to look at it properly before, but she was sure it was not cursed anymore.

Then she did her best to straighten the piece of paper without damaging its inked content. It had spent the whole humid night outside, and she was afraid some parts would not be legible if she smudged it by accident.

But she knew deep inside that she was just stalling, not wanting to read these last words her partner had left for her. She sighed, and prepared herself to inevitably start crying again.

´´ Dear princess:

I know things look really bad right now, and I'm sorry our time together was cut short by my mistakes. I enjoyed every bit of it, and I won't ever give up on us being together again. But right now I need to be away, so you won't see me for a while. There is a lot we need to talk about, and I would have texted you but the gorilla made me throw my phone away.

So I'll send you letters like those old school lovers, I'm sure you'd like that, considering how many failed ones you tried to send me before.

Sorry, I know it's not a good time to be joking, all I really wanted to tell you is that I love you, my lady, and no distance, walls or enemies will change that.

Farewell, for now.

Your Kitty.

P.S.: Please burn this letter after reading it, I don't think they would search your house, but it would be cool, like the spies in those movies do.

P.S.2: Sorry for being an idiot, I love you.´´

...

Thanks to everyone that read this story!, this fic is over but I will continue with this AU on a second part, though it wont come out until March at least.

Make sure to check the fanart I made for this on my tumblr: blog/brasslass