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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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Over the next few days, Adrien and Alya kept close to Marinette. She took their concern with good grace, but longed to have her space back. Nino teased them all, fuelling her growing frustration, as they became the butt of many peoples' jokes. Alya and Adrien either took the good natured ribbing in stride, or ignored it, depending on how they felt at the time.
Chloe returned to school on Wednesday, to Sabrina's relief. Although she looked strained, Chloe seemed to be coping with her family's sudden decline in fortune, albeit with her usual acerbic nature.
'Daddy is the mayor of Paris, and the hotelier of the finest establishment in the whole city. We'll make our money back in a couple of months, tops,' she explained to Kim, after he offered to buy her lunch.
Kim seemed unperturbed that this was not the answer to the question he had asked. 'Of course you will,' he agreed. 'But for now, would you like to go out for pizza?'
Chloe screwed her nose up, and opened her mouth, but then closed it again as her features smoothed out. 'Very well,' she said, instead.
Kim's eyes opened comically wide as Chloe breezed by him on her way out. He scurried to catch up when she called, 'are you coming or not?'
Sabrina stayed in her seat, watching them go with a motherly smile.
Marinette, Alya, Adrien, and Nino went to the bakery for lunch. As usual, they were all greeted enthusiastically by Tom and Sabine, before they were directed upstairs to eat.
'Hey, Marinette,' Alya began. 'When are you going to get a new phone?'
Marinette paused as she was fetching dishes from the cupboard. 'I don't know. I don't have enough money to buy a new one, right now.'
'Did the cops ever find your old one?' Nino asked.
Marinette shook her head. 'They think it's probably buried under the rubble of that demolished building.'
'Damn.'
Alya's fists clenched where they rested upon the benchtop. 'I can't believe they tried to bury you like that.'
Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Marinette smiled down at her. 'Hey, at least we're all here, unhurt. That's what really matters.'
'How come the media aren't all over this?' asked Nino. 'Surely this is the type of thing they'd want to know about.'
'Apparently, Mayor Bourgeois is keeping it all under wraps,' Adrien explained.
Everyone tuned to him with wide eyes.
'I visited Chloe yesterday,' he went on. 'It seems Nathalie told him in an email that if news of this got out, Chloe would be punished. He's taken the threat to heart, as he still won't divulge much of what she said. Since she's still on the loose, Mayor Bourgeois doesn't want to take any chances. He's basically issued a gag order on the school, telling the teachers, and Principal Damocles, not to say anything that could get him, or Chloe, in trouble. He can't do much about us students, though.'
'But there were so many witnesses,' Alya protested.
'Things that can be dismissed as childhood hysteria or rumour-mongering,' Adrien shrugged. 'No one had their phones out, so no one recorded anything. There's no proof it ever happened.'
'Except for dozens of witness testimonies,' Alya countered.
Marinette gripped her hand. 'Perhaps it's better this way,' she offered. 'If news got out, it would be a circus. I, for one, don't want the media hanging around here again, harassing everyone.'
Alya heaved a sigh. 'You have a point there.'
'Since no one knows where Nathalie is now, or what she'll do next, it's also safer,' Adrien added.
Alya conceded the point with a nod.
'Seriously, Mar, when are you going to get a new phone?' Nino asked.

It wasn't until the following week when Nathalie's motive for the kidnapping was made clear.
Marinette and Adrien were at his apartment, going over their latest set of math problems, when Nadja's voice drifted from the television. Marinette turned the volume up when a picture of Gabriel Agreste flashed across the screen.
'In a shocking twist, the judge who presided over the infamous Agreste case has revoked his decision regarding Monsieur Agreste's sentence.
'Judge Bouchard claims it was a grievous miscarriage of justice to send an "obviously mentally ill" man to prison, when he should have been sent to a hospital to receive treatment.
'Judge Bouchard also states that his decision was made after careful consideration, and reflection on the case, especially in regards to Monsieur Agreste's conduct in the courtroom.
'Despite calls to keep Monsieur Agreste where he is, Judge Bouchard is set to release him to a medical facility some time within the next few weeks.'
Adrien gaped at the screen, his complexion ashen. Marinette took his hand and held it tight, as his fingers curled automatically around her own.
'I don't understand,' she whispered. 'What happened?'
'Chloe's ransom is what happened,' he growled.
Marinette turned to him. 'The ransom?'
'Don't you think the timing is a little too convenient? A week after Mayor Bourgeois pays off the kidnappers, the judge suddenly changes his mind. He must be crooked.'
'We don't know that for sure,' Marinette tried to reason with him.
'You mean there's no way anyone can prove it,' he argued.
She placed her other hand atop his. 'Do you think he'll come for you?'
Adrien shook his head. 'No, he knows I provided statements against him. Plus, I've disappointed him by not continuing the search for the Miraculous. Also, things have been rather strained between us, lately. I don't think he cares about me, anymore.'
'Not even for revenge?' Marinette whispered.
Adrien paused as he considered the possibility. 'I don't think so. Revenge has never been his style. He always said it was a fool's errand.'
Marinette bit her lip. 'What do you think he'll do?'
Adrien slumped back into the couch. 'He'll go abroad, and continue searching. Nathalie and Gorilla will meet him somewhere and accompany him, probably under assumed identities. With any luck, I'll never see them again.'
Marinette rested her head on his shoulder, lost for words.

Protesters filled the streets when Gabriel was released. He was to go to a secure location in an armoured car, which unhappy citizens pelted with eggs and garbage as it drove by.
Marinette stayed with Adrien at his place, watching events unfold on a news broadcast.
'I can't believe this,' Adrien grumbled.
Marinette gripped his hand. 'The reporters are all saying he's to be moved to a mental health facility. That's something, isn't it?'
He shook his head. 'Nathalie and Gorilla are still out there; I doubt security will be as tough in a hospital as it is in a prison. They'll bust him out in no time.'
'You're really worried about this.'
Adrien hung his head with a defeated sigh. 'Only because I don't know what he's going to do. I mean, I can make an educated guess, but I don't know how he's going to do it.'
'You think he might hurt people,' Marinette guessed.
'What I wouldn't give to be Chat Noir for just one more day,' he mumbled.
Marinette rubbed his back. 'I don't think even superpowers could stop this.'
Adrien abruptly stood up. 'Then what can I do? I can't sit by and let this happen.'
'It's already happened,' she told him, quietly. 'The best we can hope for is that he'll fade into obscurity, out there in the big, wide world.'
'He should be in prison,' Adrien argued, heatedly.
'I know that. Everyone knows that. But what's done is done. There's nothing anyone can do, now.'
Adrien threw himself back into his seat. 'This is bullshit,' he swore, vehemently.
Marinette could only agree.

Two weeks after Gabriel had been relocated to the new facility, a news broadcast announced his sudden disappearance. The public outcry was instantaneous, as people demanded to know how this had been allowed to occur. Many people called for the resignation, or imprisonment, of Judge Bouchard for his part in the debacle. They had accused him of the same thing Adrien had - that he was corrupt, and had accepted a bribe from Nathalie to get him to change Gabriel's sentence.
The only thing preventing his conviction was Mayor Bourgeois' adamant silence on the rumours of Chloe's alleged kidnapping.
Adrien was furious. He kept his anger strictly in check, but Marinette could see it in the way he clenched his fists, held his shoulders, or scowled at the floor when he thought no one was watching. Marinette tried to console him, but the longer Gabriel remained unaccounted for, the more he withdrew from her.
'I'm really worried about him,' she confided to Sabine over tea, the Saturday following Gabriel's disappearance. 'He's mad all the time, though he tries to hide it. He won't talk to anyone about his dad, or how he feels, so I don't know what to do.'
Sabine stroked her cheek with a tender finger. 'Adrien has his psychiatrist to talk to, remember? I daresay he's venting his frustrations there, in a place where he doesn't have to worry about feeling like a burden.'
'I could never think of him as a burden,' Marinette argued, heatedly.
Sabine held up her hand. 'I'm not saying you do. But think of this from his perspective. He's such a sweet boy, he probably just doesn't want you to worry.'
'But I am worried,' Marinette countered.
'Have you told him that?' asked Sabine, as she sipped her tea.
Marinette hunched her shoulders. 'Not as such. But, it's not like he's given me much of an opportunity to.'
'Just be patient,' Sabine advised. 'Be a supportive friend, and let him know you're here whenever he needs you. I think that's the most important thing you can do right now.'
'But,' Marinette began.
'He'll come to you when he's ready,' Sabine interrupted. 'This isn't something you can push. After all, this is about his feelings, so you need to respect that.'
Marinette acquiesced with a sigh, as she slumped against the couch. 'How can I be there for him if he's keeping me at a distance?'
'There are ways,' Sabine assured her, with a smile.
Marinette leaned forward. 'Like what?'
'Well, you could tell him a funny joke you heard, or send him one of those silly cat pictures he likes. You could also bring him some food the next time you meet, or even teach him to make something himself.'
Marinette nodded, eagerly. 'These all work? Did Papa try any of them on you?'
She laughed. 'I tried them all on him, after his father passed away. Tom was so depressed, nothing seemed to get through to him, but I kept trying with lots of little gestures. It was slow, but steady progress, and it gave him the time he needed for the grief to run its course. Adrien's case is different, sure, but I think the method will have the same result.'
Marinette set her tea cup on the coffee table, then wrapped Sabine up in a hug. 'Thank you, Maman. That's really good advice.'
Sabine returned the embrace. 'Of course, Sweet. Keep me posted, ok?'
'You bet,' Marinette promised.

Marinette knocked on Adrien's door, juggling bags of ingredients and cooking equipment. He didn't answer right away, so she knocked again, louder.
The door creaked open to allow Adrien to peer out from a narrow gap. 'Marinette, what're you doing here?' he asked, voice hoarse.
She felt her cheeks flush. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be presumptuous. I just thought I could show you how to make dumplings.'
His eyes widened. 'Oh, ok. Come in,' he invited, holding the door open.
Marinette ambled inside, placing her bags on top of his counter. She turned to him and grinned.
They spent the next few hours preparing and cooking, then eating and cleaning up. Marinette kept a subtle eye on Adrien's mood, but he didn't seem upset with her presence. He had stayed by her side, watching carefully, as she showed him how to make the dumplings, and had stayed close by since.
'This was really nice, Marinette. Thank you,' he said, as they returned to the couch.
'Are you feeling any better?' she asked, quietly, looking up at him through her lashes.
His expression eased into a genuine smile. 'For now.'
Marinette tilted her head, her brow furrowed.
He looked away, rubbing the back of his head. 'Actually, there's something I ought to show you.'
Marinette sat up straight. 'What is it?'
Adrien bit his lip, then went into his bedroom. He came back with an envelope, which he then handed to her. 'I got a letter.'
Marinette took it gingerly, inspecting it closely. 'This is a private letter to you.'
He nodded. 'It's ok. I want you to read it.'
Worry gnawed her gut as she extracted the pages from the envelope. The handwriting was neat and bold, but the paper looked as if it had been torn from a notebook. She straightened the paper, and began to read.

Adrien,
I'm sorry. I never realised Gabriel was Papillon, or that you were Chat Noir. I had always seen you as the precious son of a wealthy man, but over the years, you showed me you were so much more.
I often thought of you as the son I never had, which makes my latest transgressions that much more unforgiveable.
After your mother passed, I did everything I could to keep you safe, and would have done so much more to make you happy. So, after Gabriel's downfall, I put my hand up to continue to be your guardian. I thought you might appreciate having a familiar face around, and that I would remind you that you are loved, that you still have a family in me.
I never blamed, or resented you for your actions as Chat Noir. In fact, I understand better than most how badly you missed Emilie. She was a beautiful woman, and we are all the poorer for no longer having her in our lives.
After your father's defeat, you no longer seemed interested in his mission. I was confused by this, so I went to talk to him. He told me to speak to Nathalie, so I did. She told me her plan to break Gabriel out of prison, involving the kidnapping of your childhood friend. I didn't like it, but she assured me it was all in your best interests.
It was a simple plan - learn the Bourgeois girl's habits, then kidnap her and hold her for ransom. We'd then use the money to buy Gabriel's freedom from a corrupt judge. Nathalie had been in contact with Judge Bouchard since the beginning, though I don't know how. She has always been wily.
Bourgeois payed enough to appease the judge, who had demanded four million euro. The extra million was supposed to fund their expedition as they searched for the Miraculous. But the mayor failed to produce the full amount, so Nathalie set off the explosives a wrecking crew had set up the day before. She had promised them a hefty payout to let her detonate the charge, but she never had any intention of fulfilling her promise to pay them.
Words cannot express how terrible I feel at the loss of those girls' lives. They were brave, beautiful girls who didn't deserve to die like that. I don't expect you to forgive me, just know that I am deeply sorry for my part in this, and not trying harder to dissuade Nathalie from her course.
I am no longer in the company of Gabriel and Nathalie. I parted ways with them in Sweden, and am currently travelling by foot across country. Every so often, I come across a small town, like this one, where I can replenish my supplies, but I am quickly running out of money. I don't know what I will do, then.
I'm sorry to say that I don't know where your father and Nathalie are now. They never did let me in on the finer points of their plans. One can hope they'll come to their senses, and give up this foolishness. Too many people have been lost already.
I don't know what I'll do now. I know I should return to Paris, and face the consequences of my actions, but I feel like I need to take some time to find myself, first.
I hope that, one day, our paths will cross again.
I really am sorry for everything. Please remember that I love you, my son, and that I always will.
Goodbye for now,
Gorilla

Marinette lowered the pages, with tears in her eyes. 'Wow.'
Adrien had his hands in his lap, and was staring at them as he twiddled his thumbs. 'Yeah.'
'They don't know Chloe and I survived.'
Tears gathered in his eyes, too. 'I wish I could tell him that.'
Marinette placed her hand on his cheek, gently wiping his tears away with her thumb. Adrien tilted his head, pushing his cheek into her palm.
'You still care for him a great deal,' she observed.
Adrien closed his eyes, and placed a hand over hers, where she still cupped his face. 'I know he was misguided at the end, but everything he did was for me. I just can't be mad at him for that.'
Marinette rubbed her thumb against his skin. 'I don't blame him, either. Actually, I'm glad he sent that letter. I think you needed it.'
He nodded. 'I think so, too. You're really not mad at him?'
'No, not even a little. Like you said, he did it for you, because he loves you. Clearly, he never intended to hurt anyone.'
His grip on her hand tightened. 'Unlike Nathalie.'
Marinette didn't know how to respond to that. Nathalie had been willing to hurt people to achieve her goals, but Gorilla was nothing like her. Unfortunately, he had been taken in by her machinations, failing to realise the danger until it was too late.
Marinette reached forward to hold Adrien's shoulders. He looked at her in confusion for a moment, before she pulled him back with her until they lay side by side on the couch. It was cramped, and he was half on top of her, but as he wound his arms around her, Marinette felt it was the best thing she could have done. The tension in his shoulders eased as she stroked his hair.
They stayed there for hours, soaking in the comfort of each other's company. It wasn't until the sun had bathed the streets in rose gold light when Marinette decided she should head home.
'I'll see you at school tomorrow,' Adrien said, as he walked her to the door.
Marinette smiled up at him, her bags swinging from her hands. 'You bet.'
Before she could second guess herself, Marinette rose up on tip toe to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. 'Good night.'
Adrien's face turned bright pink as he placed his fingers over the spot. 'Good night.'
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Redemption