Flashback Cutscene: Safe

One week after Gabriel's disappearance

Life can be separated into two parts. The good days and the bad days, and it's through remembering the good days that sometimes help you with the bad.

"If you had one power, only one, it could be real or made up, what would it be?"

Adrien sat and looked out over Paris as Ladybug sat beside him. It had been a week since his father's disappearance/death? He didn't even know what to think. Ladybug had been an almost daily visitor. Taking him out and seeing the sights, unaware he did that almost nightly with her anyway.

"That's hard," Adrien replied. "I mean, I could ask for something like invisibility to sneak out the house, or I can't help but think it would be awesome to fly, but then that would all be for myself."

"It's fine to be selfish sometimes Adrien, you should try it once in a while." She giggled, a noise which used to make his heart sing but now only made it yearn for Marinette.

"Yeah," he sighed, "I suppose."

They sat in silence, the cool Parisian air wrapping around them and taking the edge off the day's heat. It was still summer and though the days were getting shorter, the daily temperatures still attempted to trick the last minute summer tourists.

"Though, whatever the power is, I would want it to keep my family safe, to keep Marinette safe."

"That's really sweet, Adrien."

"You say that like it's a shock."

She laughed again, giving him a playful shove on the shoulder. "You know what I mean. Most people wouldn't be so selfless."

"You're a superhero and you're selfless," Adrien stated, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We didn't get to choose our powers though, Adrien."

"That doesn't make you any less selfish."

Ladybug responded. "For all you know, I could be using my powers to sneak out the house and visit my boyfriend."

"I think your boyfriend would say that was selfless. After all, you would be doing it for him."

"Maybe. But I'm sure Chat Noir doesn't do something as selfish as that. I couldn't imagine him putting his powers in jeopardy."

Adrien looked down to the rooftop where they were sitting, finding a stone beside him and rolling it between his fingers. He shrugged, a knowing smirk on his face. "I don't know. Like, I don't know Chat Noir personally, however, I'm sure if he did have a girlfriend, he would abuse his powers too."

"Who knows?"

I do! He thought, thinking back to last night's rendezvous with Marinette.

They sat in silence again, Adrien running through the many times he'd ended up on Marinette's balcony in his alter ego form, convincing her it was just a coincidence, when really it was done on purpose. As relaxed as she was now with him in civilian form, there was something different about visiting her as Chat Noir. She was freer, giving him a little more than what she did to Adrien... and he couldn't deny the ego stroking when she told him just how much she loved and adored him.

"I think I know what I'd like. I'd like the ability to take pain away."

"Is that your way of protecting Marinette?"

"Everything I do is for her!"

"No good deed goes unpunished," Ladybug mumbled, bringing her knees tightly into her chest and wrapping her arms around it tightly.

"Maybe, but, say I had to make a decision for her to survive and give up my own life in exchange, I would do it without a doubt. She deserves a long future. One where she can live it to the full."

"We'll have to agree to disagree here Adrien, because I know, without a doubt, she would prefer to die than to live without you."

*****

Level 18: Masks of Deception

Present Day...

"Help!"

A shaking hand stretched to reach for her face, a red streak marking her forehead as he moved away a couple of stray strands of hair. Her face was pale, a wince of pain disfiguring her usually perfect porcelain face.

"I've got you, M'Lady," he sniffed. "You'll be okay."

He stroked down her face again, kissing her on the forehead between clammy streaks of hair, the wetness of his lips coated in tears and pressing into her hair.

"HELP!" he yelled into the distance, praying someone would hear his cries! This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't!

"My... Kitty!?" Her voice was weak and he knew she was using far too much energy to talk.

He sniffed, tears steaming like waterfalls down his cheeks as he studied her face. Was this how Alya felt? So useless and vulnerable? Her life hanging on the injury of another person?

"HELP!!!" he screamed again, a sob escaping his lips as he prayed someone would hear his cries. "For the love of God, please someone help me." He sobbed again. "Please." The final word came out a whisper, his lips pressing down on her forehead again.

Chatter sounded from the ends of the alleyway, yet no one seemed to be hearing his cries. All that mattered was his wife, his pregnant wife, who was currently dying in his arms — taking with her his life, his love and his child.

Acting on instinct, Adrien ripped his shirt from his body, his strength overpowering every other emotion as he screwed it up and placed it over the wound. Marinette screamed in pain from the pressure, rolling to the side and throwing up.

"You need to get her to the hospital!" Plagg and Tikki appeared in front of him, the concerned looks on their faces only a margin to what his own was expressing at the moment.

"How? I don't have a phone!"

Tikki flew around Marinette, obviously looking to see if there was one around her holder. "Marinette, hasn't got one either!"

Adrien looked to Plagg for help and support, any type of indication that they knew what to do, or whether she would be okay, because right now, all he could see was impending doom.

"Sugarcube, can you maintain her vitals if we can get her to transform?" Plagg looked to Tikki, taking control of the situation.

"I don't know, I've never had to do that before."

Marinette screamed out in pain again, the cries of help stabbing him deep in the chest, his body beginning to tremble.

"Our baby, please!" she said, a whimper and groan following after. Her body began to convulse on the floor, the last words draining her of all energy as her body began to shut down.

"Tikki, you need to try! Please!" Plagg's cries for help reminded Adrien he hadn't spoken in a while, that when the time came to step up and be a hero without a costume, he had frozen, incapable of even speaking.

"But I don't know if it'll work... it could make things worse..."

"Just try!" Plagg demanded, the words growled at his red counterpart.

Tikki looked at Adrien, and he couldn't even move his mouth to let the words out. Instead, he hoped his eyes could convey the message.

Try, Tikki, please! Don't let her die!

"I'll try my best."

Adrien watched as Tikki closed her eyes and willed herself into Marinette's earrings, turning his delicate, innocent wife into Paris' spotted saviour and his best friend. She was suddenly covered in red with black spots, her hair wrapping around into a high ponytail, a sight which would have been mesmerising if it had been at any other time; instead all he could do was pray that it had helped.

"Adrien?" Her voice held a little more strength, yet she still wasn't completely back with him.

"I'm here, Princess. Just stay with me, please." He lifted one of her hands to his mouth, pressing a soft gentle kiss to the back of it before calling Plagg into his ring, coating himself in black.

"Kitty?" she asked, her hand shakily reaching up to stroke across his cheek. A bloody smear left in its wake.

"I'm here," he said, taking her hand and nuzzling it to his cheek. "I'm going to get you to the hospital and I promise you'll be okay. You and our little bean."

A sad smile crossed her face. "Yeah! You're always saving me!" She sighed before closing her eyes, fearing hitting Chat Noir that maybe she wouldn't open them again. C

In one swift movement, Chat Noir swept Ladybug into his arms, conscious of the wound and pressing the top tightly into her side. Though it didn't seem like she was bleeding through the suit, he didn't want to take the risk. His hand remained hard on her stomach, holding her cautiously, yet closely and he rose above Paris and began pounding his way across the rooftops in search of the hospital.

Crashing through the doors to a whole abundance of gasps, Chat Noir entered the emergency room with Ladybug in his arms. The room fell silent as everyone stopped to watch the scene in front of them unfold. Their beacon of hope and light, writhing in agony as Chat Noir pushed Adrien's t-shirt into her wound.

"Get me Dr. Guérison," Chat Noir demanded, nurses and doctors tentatively walking over towards them.

"She's working on the burns unit." The nurse speaking looked terrified, almost like she was about to approach a rabid lion.

"I don't care! Get her down here, now."

Carrying Ladybug over to a gurney at the side of the room, Chat Noir placed her down gently and kissed her on the lips. "You're going to be okay, Bugaboo, I promise."

"Chat Noir?" A familiar voice sounded behind him, Chat Noir turning around and coming face to face with Dr. Guérison.

"She's been stabbed in the stomach, she's pregnant but I don't know how far. Please, save my wife, save my baby."

Dr. Guérison's eyes widened as she looked between the heroes and the room. Everyone had suddenly pulled out phones and were typing away, filming or had them positioned against their ear.

"Come with me." Calling over a couple of nurses, Dr. Guérison ordered them to take Ladybug into a private room, one kept solely for VIP's and the one Adrien had been into when his appendix had erupted.

Ordering the nurses to leave, Dr. Guérison closed the door stopping any unwanted attendees from entering. She walked over to Ladybug and checked her over, her eyes frowning as she checked the abdominal area.

"I'm sorry, Chat Noir, but I can't see anything."

He gulped, knowing what he was going to have to do. There was no option. He had to save her. He didn't have that superpower he'd wished for all those years ago. All he had was a doctor and a hope.

"Will you be able to help me?" Chat Noir asked.

Dr. Guérison looked towards him, pain on her face. "I can, but I'm a burns specialist. There are far better trauma surgeons in the hospital than me."

He had to think, he had to come up with a plan to get Marinette seen.

"We're going to show you who we are. I need your help to get her seen by the correct doctor."

"You - you would trust me with that."

Chat Noir shrugged. "It's not so much a 'would' but a 'should'. We need help. She needs help and you are possibly the only one who can help us. Everyone has seen us come in, they know she's injured. We need someone to help cover this over. I just need you to promise, this stays between us."

Dr. Guérison nodded in response, and Chat Noir could tell she was uncomfortable with this option. But she was entangled in this mess now.

"Are you ready?" he asked, only to be met by a small smile and a weak yes.

"Claws in." The green swirls covered Adrien's body, taking away his super suit and leaving him bare chested and shoeless.

"Adrien Agreste!" she gasped, a hand covering her mouth to stop from announcing it too loudly and to anyone passing.

"In the flesh," Plagg replied. "A little too much of it, if you ask me!"

Adrien grabbed Plagg from in front of him and placed him — not so gently — in his trouser pocket.

"He's a kwami, he – you know what, that isn't important. Marinette's been stabbed in the lower stomach. She's four weeks pregnant, and she's in her suit to try and contain the bleeding. Please, say you can get her operated on or something, I beg of you. I can't lose her!" The emotion was pouring out of him once again. A well of sorrow sliding down his face without remorse.

"People are going to know who you are, I don't know what to do!" Dr. Guérison looked panicked, Adrien knowing full well he'd placed her in an awkward position.

He looked down to Ladybug, her eyes fluttering as she stayed in a deep sleep. He needed to think of a plan. For once, his Lady was out of the game and he was in charge. He could do this; he just needed to think. Dammit! If only he could make a fake... he stopped and stared at her. That was it! That would work!

"If I can create a diversion, can you please do something?"

Dr. Guérison studied Ladybug once more. "I'll do my best."

"Is Alya Césaire still here?" Adrien asked, the doctor nodding in understanding as she pulled her phone from her pocket and called the burns ward.

"Can you send Alya Césaire to the emergency room, please?" Adrien watched as Dr. Guérison completed the call and then shut the phone down. "She'll be here in a moment."

He just hoped a moment wasn't too late.

Adrien moved around the room impatiently waiting for Alya to arrive, each second excruciating as he saw it as one more second closer to his wife's death. She was the one who made the plans, himself being the loyal partner, though not just as superheroes but in their life together as well.

A small, tentative knock sounded against the door and Adrien practically pulled it from the hinges in a bid to get it open. Alya's eyes frantically searched the room, moving from Adrien to Ladybug.

"What the —" Before she could say anything else, Plagg flew from Adrien's pocket and covered her mouth, giving Adrien the opportunity to grab her and pull her into the room.

The door slammed shut behind, and he could see the pain and suffering in Alya's eyes. Maybe this wasn't the best idea, not when his friend was suffering so much as it was.

Plagg slowly pulled away. Alya gasped and placed a hand to her mouth.

"Not Marinette too!" Without realising, Alya had revealed she knew Ladybug's identity, something that he hadn't considered until that moment.

"Alya, shit! Sorry, I didn't think! Nino..."

"... is going to be okay!" Alya said. Adrien looked up to see tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes. "He's awake. There's a long way to go and they're running some intrusive tests on him at the moment. But he's going to be okay, Adrien, we need our Lady to be now, too."

Adrien became a rainbow of emotion. Not knowing which one to give acceptance to first. A shallow groan sounded from the bed, Ladybug bending herself in two to try and ease the pain, and his decision was made.

"I needed Rena. I need you to make an illusion."

Alya looked over at Marinette again, before starting to nod.

"What do you need me to do?"

Adrien talked through the escape plan with Alya and Dr. Guérison. Rena Furtive will create an illusion that Ladybug is leaving with Chat Noir. From there, Adrien and a de-transformed Marinette will be moved to theatre, Dr. Guérison offering herself and the best available surgeon.

"Are you ready?" Alya asked, Adrien looking over Marinette one last time before turning back to his friend.

"Let's do this."

Freeing Trixx from her pouch, Alya transformed into her alter ego and pulled out her flute. A couple of notes later and Adrien watched a copy of himself and Ladybug leave the hospital. Smiles on their faces, and a slight limp on Ladybug's steps. Perfect.

As Alya answered questions and tried to keep everyone away from the illusion; Adrien headed over to Ladybug, taking her hand and pressing it gently to his lips.

"Hey Angel." He watched as her eyes fluttered open.

"Hey, Handsome." She managed to huff out. Stretching a shaking hand up, she pressed it to his chest. "Did I ever tell you I like your body?"

"A few times, sweetheart." His hand automatically came to his face, wiping away stray tears from his cheeks, before moving down and taking hers. His other hand swiped a stray hair out of her eyes.

"Am I dead?" she whispered, Adrien shook his head.

"No. Heaven called and they're not ready for you yet, something about the throne room needing to be redecorated for the Queen."

She chuckled then groaned, closing her eyes to see through the pain. "You're such a sap. How did I never put two and two together?"

Adrien lifted their joined hands from his chest and pressed his lips against them. Words unable to break the boundaries and escape past the heartbreak.

"Can you remember, all those years ago, when we spoke about superpowers?" He kissed her hand again before moving and kissing her head. Nuzzling against her neck, he whispered gently in her ear; his nose prickled and burned. "Well, I would like to use mine now."

He pulled back and looked in her eyes. Eyes filled with so much love, longing ... and pain.

"They're ready!" Dr. Guérison appeared alongside them, her phone held to her ear as she indicated to Adrien that Marinette needed to detransform.

"Okay," he said, pressing one last kiss delicately on her lips. "Drop it, Princess. We're going to save you and our little bean."

"Spots off." As the words finished the screaming began and he'd never felt more useless in his entire life. She writhed in pain on the bed, screaming and shouting for it to stop. His usually subdued and calm Princess being tortured from the acts of a psychopath.

"Trixx, let's rest." Alya reappeared in her hero's place, running forward and taking one of Marinette's hands. The white sheet underneath slowly growing red.

The door slammed open and a group of doctors and nurses entered, the one at the front heading straight for Adrien.

"We've got it from here, M. Agreste."

Without as much as another word, Marinette was taken from him and he was left standing alongside Alya. When would this ever end?

It felt like it had been hours... and maybe it had? But Adrien couldn't calm the nerves, not when his wife was hooked up to wires and the regular sound of beeping was the only thing keeping his heart beating. He settled down in a chair beside the bed, his hands together and head resting against them.

He let out a deep sigh, looking out the window and into the early morning sunrise over Paris. Bastille Day. He looked back at his Lady lying asleep in the bed, the effects of the anaesthetic still circulating through her blood.

She was going to be okay and, in even better news, so was their child – for now at least. She'd lost a lot of blood and if she'd lost anymore, she would have been in transfusion territory, but thanks to Tikki's transformation, it allowed her body to keep functioning at a high percentage.

The door slowly opened, three people making their way into the room. The smallest came straight over to him, wrapping their arms around him and sobbing onto his bare skin. Adrien had refused to go home. Refused to be anywhere but here.

"We've brought you a shirt, son." Tom Dupain made his way over to Adrien and handed him a shirt, pulling his wife away from the hero so he could hug him too.

"I'm sorry," Adrien whispered, his eyes dry from all the tears he'd already shed.

Tom squeezed him harder, before stepping away and allowing Adrien to slide on his shirt. Once on, Tom handed him a small backpack containing other personal items; shoes, socks, both their phones, and his wallet.

"Adrien? What happened?" Sabine asked, sitting beside her daughter and taking her hand. If he thought he looked bad it was nothing compared to Sabine. Alya moved over to them and stood on the opposite side, taking Marinette's other hand.

"The fucker stabbed her! They knew she was pregnant and stabbed her! They must have..." Adrien trailed off, his unorthodox ramble bringing a key piece of information to the forefront of his mind, itself sitting snugly in the hot seat with a tumbler of scotch and a cigar.

"Pregnant?" All three asked in chorus.

As much as he would have liked to respond, his mind went into overdrive. How had he missed this? How had he...

The door once again burst open, this time it was Luka who appeared — wild and manic looking.

"Adrien, we need to go."