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Redemption	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 2815 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Thomas Astruc and released by Zag studios. No profit was made writing this story.

Chapter List
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Marinette and Chloe had run several blocks before they heard a terrific boom. They turned to see a pillar of smoke and dust rise from the demolition site, before turning back to each other, their faces pale under the layers of grime.
'Are they allowed to commence demolition so early in the morning?' Chloe asked, with wide eyes.
Marinette blinked. 'I don't know.'
'You don't think,' began Chloe, but she trailed off into silence.
Marinette put a hand on her shoulder. 'What?'
Chloe gnawed her lip. 'You don't think the demolition crew was paid off to make it collapse early, do you?'
'I couldn't say for sure,' Marinette replied with a shake of her head. 'But, we need to get as far away from here as possible, right now.'
Chloe nodded, and so they began jogging away from the destruction.
After a short while, people began appearing on the street, drifting about their early morning routines. Spotting a twenty-four hour convenience store, Marinette hooked Chloe around the elbow, and dragged her inside. There, she begged the attendant to let them use his phone. Their appearance, and apparent desperation, convinced him; he gave Marinette the handpiece with a look of concern.
Marinette called her parents. 'I'm alive,' she hollered into the receiver, when Tom picked up.
She held the phone away as Tom replied, equally loud with relief, when he asked for her location. The worried attendant provided the address of the store, which she then recited for Tom.
'I'll be right there. Don't move,' he ordered.
Marinette sighed. 'Thanks, Papa.' She hung up, then handed the phone to Chloe.
'I really hope he hasn't paid that ransom,' Chloe muttered as she dialled. 'If he had tried to pay that much, we'd be bankrupt.'
Chloe turned away as she spoke with André. Marinette moved to the far wall of the store, giving her what privacy she could in the small shop. Finally, Chloe hung up with a weary sigh, handing the phone back to the attendant.
'Daddy's going to meet us at your place. I assume that's where your father will want to go.'
Marinette hummed in agreement. 'Good call.'
'Excuse me, ladies,' the attendant approached them, a bottle of water in each hand. 'Are you ok?' he asked, offering the bottles.
Marinette accepted hers, gratefully. 'We're fine now, thank you.'
They waited in the shop's break room, for Tom to arrive, the attendant offering the space away from prying eyes. Twenty minutes later, Tom barrelled into the room, engulfing Marinette and Chloe in a tight hug.
'Thank heavens you're both all right,' he sobbed.
Marinette returned the hug, as tears prickled her eyes. 'We're here, Papa. We're ok.'
Tom hustled them out the door, and into his car, Marinette waving a grateful farewell to the kindly attendant as she passed.
The drive home was silent, but heavy with emotion. Marinette took calming breaths to keep herself from breaking down in relief. Chloe was doing the same in the back seat, occasionally wiping a stray tear from her cheek as she gazed out the window.
The moment Marinette entered the bakery, Sabine swept her up in another hug, squeezing the breath out of her as she cried into Marinette's shoulder. André greeted Chloe with equal enthusiasm, as she bawled into his lapel, her composure shattering in an instant.
Tom guided them all upstairs, where Sabine made a pot of tea. Marinette decided to forego the tea in favour of a long shower, scrubbing her teeth, and brushing her hair afterward. While she was in the bathroom, Roger Raincomprix arrived, and was in the process of questioning Chloe when she came out, bundled up in her favourite pyjamas.
Showing surprising forethought, André had brought a bag for Chloe, full of clean clothes, and other necessities. Once Roger let her go, Chloe darted into the bathroom for a long shower of her own, undoubtedly to scrub every inch of herself, just as Marinette had done.
Then, Marinette provided a statement for Roger, while Tom and Sabine crowded her on either side, where she sat on the couch.
It took hours before Roger was satisfied he had as many details as she could give. He didn't give much back, though.
'It's an ongoing investigation. I can't risk anything by giving too much away,' he explained.
Chloe had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout most of the proceedings. After Roger left, she looked up at André with wide eyes. 'You didn't really give them that much money, did you?'
André heaved a resigned sigh. 'Even after scraping together everything I had, it still wasn't enough. I transferred about three quarters of what they asked for.'
'Where does that leave us?' asked Chloe, quietly.
André smiled down at her. 'I'm going to have to make some cutbacks at the hotel, like shrinking the menu, and temporarily laying off the non-essential staff, but we will come back from this. Our hotel is very successful. We'll be back on our feet in no time.'
Chloe looked into her lap, her hands clasped tightly between her knees. 'You know best, Daddy.'
They excused themselves after that, but didn't leave until Sabine made them promise to call if they needed anything.
Marinette gasped as the door closed. 'I need to call Alya and Adrien,' she exclaimed.
Sabine handed over her mobile phone. 'Send them a text, and tell them to come over.'
She must have sprinted the entire distance, Marinette thought when Alya burst in, moments later.
Alya sucked in great gulps of air, a wild look in her eyes as she scanned the living room. With a cry, she lunged at Marinette, and wrapped her in a bear hug. Marinette patted her back and murmured reassurances, as Alya cried hysterically into her hair.
Just when Alya had calmed enough to let go, Adrien bolted into the room. His gaze locked on Marinette, then he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close while he trembled and apologised.
'I'm sorry,' he whispered, hoarsely. 'I'm so sorry.'
Marinette rubbed his back for a moment, then she sat both of them on the couch. They cuddled up on either side of her as she told them what happened. She did them the courtesy of giving them the whole story, so they wouldn't be confused by a second hand source elsewhere.
'That's my girl,' Alya praised her. 'You always were level-headed.'
Adrien gave her a wan smile. 'You really are incredible, Marinette.'
She felt her cheeks heat up. 'Chloe was surprisingly solid, too.'
Adrien nodded. 'She can be strong when she needs to be.'
'I think she could use a friend, after the last few days,' Marinette suggested.
Adrien's fists clenched. 'She wouldn't want me around. Sabrina can take care of her, for now.'
'Adrien,' Alya looked directly at him. 'Go.'
Marinette gave his hand a gentle squeeze. 'Just make sure she's ok. You can come straight back if she's not a blubbering mess.'

Adrien didn't come back. However, Alya did receive a text from Sabrina, thanking Marinette for everything, including sending Adrien over to check up on Chloe.
Alya decided to spend the night, texting Marlena to bring her an overnight bag as well as her school supplies. She was determined to never let Marinette out of her sight, ever again.
'I turn my back for one minute, and you manage to get kidnapped,' she groused.
They lay, side by side, in Marinette's bed, sated after a feast of all of Marinette's favourite dishes. Sabine insisted on cooking all of them, despite the vast amount of leftovers they were left with.
'In my defence, they weren't after me,' Marinette defended herself.
'Which makes it even worse,' Alya retorted.
Marinette folded her arms. 'Well, I couldn't just let them take Chloe, could I?'
'I suppose not,' Alya sighed, reluctantly. 'But I'll tell you what, I've never missed Ladybug as much as I have over the last few days.'
'Same,' Marinette agreed, wholeheartedly.
'I wonder where she is, now,' Alya mused, gazing at the ceiling.
'Probably living a very boring, normal life.'
'If I'd been a superhero, I don't think I'd ever give it up,' Alya commented. 'I think Ladybug's nuts for not sticking with it.'
'She probably didn't have a choice,' Marinette replied, her voice carefully neutral.
'Maybe,' Alya agreed, with a thoughtful hum. 'But still, I'd like to know what became of her, and why she stopped being Ladybug. Conjecture can only get you so far.'
'I guess we'll never know,' Marinette murmured.

Despite protests from Tom, Sabine, and Alya, Marinette attended school on Monday morning.
'You should be resting,' Alya grumbled, as they crossed the road.
Marinette rolled her eyes. 'If I'm not distracted, I'll focus on all the negatives. Trust me, this is for the best.'
Alya remained unconvinced.
She was greeted enthusiastically by all of her classmates. They crowded around, kissing and hugging her, and wiping away tears of relief. Even Kim and Ivan had to discreetly turn away to wipe their eyes. Rose was bawling, unabashed, as Juleka tried to soothe her. Mylene sniffled continuously, and Nathaniel hugged her tight for a solid minute. Marinette appreciated the affections, but was not surprised to note that Chloe was absent.
'Chloe said she wanted to catch up on some sleep,' Sabrina explained, quietly, from Marinette's left.
'How is she?' she asked, turning to face her properly.
Sabrina glanced away. 'Tired, upset, worried. I think the whole ordeal took a bigger toll than she'll admit.'
'We did nearly die,' Marinette concurred.
'Now, she finds out she's almost destitute,' Sabrina went on.
Marinette's eyebrows shot up. 'Can she really call herself that, while living in that palace?'
Sabrina almost laughed. 'Her dad payed almost everything he had for that ransom. Until they can build their fortune up again, they're a hair's breadth away from living on the street.'
Marinette's stomach dropped. 'Oh, my God.'
Sabrina nodded. 'She's really distressed. She doesn't know how to live any other way, and it scares her.'
'I'll bet. Facing poverty would scare anyone.'
'My parents say that if worse comes to worst, they can stay with us. We wouldn't let them live on the street.'
'I'm glad to hear it,' Marinette sighed. 'You're a good friend, Sabrina.'
Sabrina flushed. 'We all do what we can,' she said, with a small shrug.
As Sabrina made her way inside with the others, a car pulled up at the curb. Adrien stepped out, with a murmur of thanks, before he turned toward the school.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, Marinette felt removed from the world. Then, Adrien rushed toward her, and enveloped her in a hug, almost tipping them both over.
'Hey, easy there,' Marinette said, through a smile. 'You saw me yesterday, remember?'
When he didn't reply, Marinette hugged him back, and stroked his hair. They stood like that until the bell rang, but even then, Adrien was reluctant to let go. She compromised by taking his hand, and holding it until they reached the classroom.
Marinette wasn't left alone for a moment that day. She grew fondly exasperated with her friends, but she didn't have the heart to tell them to stop. Instead, she tolerated their presence graciously, even when she went to the bathroom.
She couldn't blame them for their overprotectiveness. They had all witnessed the abduction, and had spent the entire weekend worried for her safety. They were simply trying to reassure themselves, and her, that all was well again.
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Redemption