"We haven't had a visitor in such a long time, so I'm sorry if this may seem uncomfortable to you, doctor." Emilie apologetically smiles at the woman sitting at the dinner table.

"Oh, no, no, I'm the one who should be terribly sorry. I apologize for barging into your home and n-not greeting you first." Marinette nervously rubs the nape of her neck, the unfamiliar feeling of shame settling in. It was embarrassing to cry in front of them as she held onto Adrien for dear life. It was even more embarrassing when they had to wait for her to calm down from crying before they could talk to her.

Just as Emilie excuses herself to return to the kitchen, Adrien then enters the room from taking care of some of the dishes still in the kitchen. "Do you want anything to drink, doctor? We have juice, tea-"

"Water would be great," she answers.

"All right, water it is. Um, the food for dinner may be different from what we normally eat at Ping's, but I promise you that mother is a great cook."

"I won't mind. I'm sure I'll still enjoy the food. I'm just..." Marinette trails off, starting to feel shy as she continues in a soft voice, "I'm just really happy to see you again, Adrien."

The corners of Adrien's mouth twitch upward and tenderly he replies, "I'm happy to see you again, too, doctor."

Dinner was a bit...okay.

Marinette could not seem to describe it. She was so nervous about being around them that she even was aware of the sounds she would make when chewing. Thankfully, she sat beside Adrien, and the person across was Emilie.

"Do you want more apple strudels, doctor DC?" Emilie offers, carrying the plate of apple strudels.

"Y-Yes, please," Marinette stammers taking the plate from her with an awkward smile playing about her lips. She places the plate before her and takes two more slices of apple strudel to place them on her plate. Feeling the gaze of the three on her, she then says, "Sorry if I'm a bit stiff...I'm not used to such hospitality. And again, I'm really sorry for intruding-"

"That's alright," Gabriel says, "We're surprised to even have a visitor...a doctor of all."

Emilie then asks, "May I ask why you decided to visit us, dear?"

"I-um..." Marinette could not bring herself to say the real reason as to why she was here. I'm here because I miss your son so much to the point that I was on the brink of going insane. Again, absolutely embarrassing if she says that out loud. She thinks it wouldn't give her plus points with Adrien's parents. Out of instinct, she looks at Adrien and becomes surprised to see him smiling softly at her. It wasn't just that, but it seemed like he was trying to tell her something. His smile came off as encouraging and even supportive. It was the same smile he would give her back when they worked together at the hospital whenever it came to a difficult task or even a difficult patient. He always knew what to do in difficult times, be it an action that is as simple as smiling. She has always admired him for that.

She wanted to reach out her hand to him, but she'll keep it to herself for now. She breaks her gaze from Adrien and looks back at Emilie who was still waiting for her to answer.

Marinette knows what to say now.

"Adrien left a gift for me before leaving the hospital," she answers, "I came to thank him for it."

----------

Adrien and Gabriel left to prepare the guest room for Marinette to stay in for the night. She was against it, but Adrien's parents were very adamant in their decision to let her stay over. It's too late for her to go back to the city and there's no public transportation available around this time of the night.

Marinette decided to stay behind with Emilie in the kitchen to help out with washing the dishes.

"I hate to pry, but this thought has been in my head for the past year," Emilie begins as she's now soaping the plates while Marinette is drying the glasses with a hand towel, "how is Adrien as a nurse?"

"A-Adrien?" Marinette stammers.

Emilie breathes out a laugh and nods. "Yes, Adrien. I assume that you work closely with him at the hospital. I've never seen him act as a nurse since he immediately moved out of the house after graduation from nursing school, so I've truly been curious ever since."

"Well, if there's a part of you that's worried that he's not acting like a good nurse, then I would have to tell you that he's one of the best nurses I've worked with within these years of being a doctor." Marinette looks up at her, beaming. "He's a great newbie while-oops!" She slaps a hand over her mouth, not expecting to say that out of the blue.

Emilie turns off the faucet and throws a look of disbelief toward the doctor. "Newbie?"

"I-I can explain-" Marinette's then interrupted by Emilie's titters.

"You call my son, newbie, doctor?"

"I-I did, but not anymore!" Marinette starts to ramble as she places down the glass she was holding and the hand towel, "It started because he was assigned to be my partner at our department and I'm known to be a bit strict when it came to working - actually, not a bit but really strict but I'm changing now, so nothing to worry about that! I just called him that nickname because he was really new in the hospital, and yes, I know that it's harsh of me to say that. I just couldn't help it and I'm really sorry-"

"My dear, my dear," Emilie cuts her off gently by grabbing a hold of the doctor's hand, the amused smile still evident on her face. "You don't have to explain yourself. I understand why you would call my son that."

"You do?" Marinette mutters unsurely.

"Of course. I'm just surprised with the nickname."

"T-To make up for it, I would like to say that he's a good newbie, the-the best newbie nurse, actually!"

Emilie bursts into a small fit of laughter and after she becomes quiet but continues to tenderly look at Marinette. "You know what? For the past years, I've always tried to find the reason why my son suddenly wanted to become a nurse. I think I've finally figured it out."

Her words render Marinette speechless.

"I'm just happy that it's because of someone like you," she finishes, still with that evident smile on her face.

Marinette though can't seem to smile back at her. His mother is not aware of how badly she has treated Adrien for the past year of working together. She has always been unfair to him and he was always patient with her. The gentleness that exudes from him is definitely from his mother. She envies that, his patience and kindness. And yet, she feels blessed to experience those things from him. In some way or another, she still is a selfish person.

A lump formed at the back of her throat. She knows that she needs to say something back to Emilie. "I..." she starts off reluctantly and looks down at her feet, "I haven't been the nicest person to Adrien." Her confession came in a weak voice as tears pricked her eyes. "I-I'm sorry..."

Emilie instantly notices the sudden change of air in the room. Gently she squeezes Marinette's hand in her hold as an act of comfort. "If there is something I must tell you about my son, it is that he takes after me the most - stubborn and reckless, but driven and compassionate." Her mouth then flattens into a straight line, trying to keep her own tears at bay before she continues, "Adrien is a patient man and I'm blessed to have him as my son, but he's still human, my dear."

"Well," Marinette whispers, "he's grown to be one of my favorite people in the world."

"Me too. I...I think I can tell you that he was in tears when he arrived home."

Marinette all of a sudden looks back at her. "Really?" She asked in disbelief.

Emilie nods sullenly. "He couldn't stop crying for the first few days he came back. He kept on telling me, 'Mother, I have no regrets but it still hurts.' I just don't really know what specifically, but I'm sure you do."

Oh, Adrien... Marinette's heart breaks from him. She should have fought harder and never left him alone with his thoughts.

"My dear, I think tomorrow, you both should go around town." Emilie brings back that bright smile on her face, trying to lighten the mood. "Adrien grew up in a beautiful place. I'm sure you would enjoy exploring it with him."

----------

The gentle knocking on the other side of the door made Marinette's heartbeat quicken. It's now the morning of the next day and Marinette just had her best sleep in a week. The knowledge that the room beside hers is Adrien's might have contributed to the good rest.

She stands from sitting on the made bed and heads to the door. She opens it to find Adrien standing there wearing a jacket over a casual shirt and black pants. He looks different without his scrubs. Until now, Marinette still can't get over how good-looking he is.

"Good morning, doctor," he greets her with a wide grin on his face.

Seeing him all bright and cheerful first thing in the morning made Marinette blush instantly. "G-Good morning," she manages to reply.

"How was your sleep? I hope you didn't feel uncomfortable in this room last night."

"It was the best sleep I had in a week," she admits shyly.

Adrien chuckles. "I think I can say the same, as well. I was hoping to take you around town today if you don't mind."

"I don't at all. Even your mother suggested it to me last night and I've been excited about it ever since."

"Great. Then let's not waste any more time, doctor."

Adrien's hometown is quite different from the city life Marinette has been accustomed to for the past years, ever since she was a resident doctor.

There are no high-rise buildings or skyscrapers, but that doesn't mean that the place is not beautiful.

In fact, Marinette finds it beyond beautiful. She just never noticed it yesterday because her head was busy thinking other thoughts.

The people they encountered as they walked along the pavement and passed by various restaurants and shops were never in a hurry. It seems that time somewhat slows down here and that's okay. For once, Marinette does not have to worry about being late for something.

Adrien, though, did not waste any time explaining and telling her different stories of him growing up in the place.

"I remember after school I'd sometimes come with my friends here because this used to not only be a restaurant but an arcade as well."
"Wait, we need to stop at this bakery because I want to get you a box of their chocolate croissants. For me, these taste better than the ones at the hospital. No offense, doctor."

And Marinette was not offended in any way. In fact, she agreed with him the moment she took that first bite of the croissant. There is just something about the flakiness of its warm dough and the bittersweetness of its dark chocolate filling.

"Doctor, I actually have a surprise for you."

"Hm?" Marinette quirks an eyebrow up at him as she used some tissue to clean her hands after finishing the last chocolate croissant in the box. "A surprise? You don't have to surprise me, Adrien."

Adrien grinned. "It's not a big one. I promise. Just trust me and come with me." He then reaches down to grab her hand, just like how he would when they would take their breaks together at the hospital. He tugs her with him and they head to one of the small streets lined with smaller restaurants.

"Where are we going?" Marinette asks while also looking around the area and being fascinated by the decorations set by the different restaurants. Most of them have themes to them - some go on the colorful route while others delve deep into rustic or earthy settings. Overall, each one is magnificent to look at.

"You'll find out soon." Adrien then makes them stop before a small unnamed restaurant. Its exterior design is not different from the building it belongs to. The owners of the place may have not changed it all. "We'll have to enter this place," he informs Marinette.

She tilts her head, studying the small restaurant before her. She can't say anything about it yet because she has never gone to the place before. "As long as you promise me that this place is not sketchy."

A laugh bubbles out of Adrien and he squeezes her hand in his. "I'll never take you to a place where you'll feel uncomfortable, doctor."

Again, call me Marinette when it's just the two of us. She wanted to remind him, but she feels that it was too soon to speak to him nonchalantly. As if they didn't go through something very rough together. So, she then chooses to say, "I look forward to what that restaurant will have for us."

"Then I won't make you wait any longer." He tightens his hold on her hand and together they walk to the entrance. Adrien holds the door open for Marinette to enter and immediately her mouth falls open in awe to see the whimsical decorations of the restaurant. She feels like she's inside one of the cars attached to those old trains in the 1800s. Even the windows are covered with sceneries once would see as they ride the train. There are picture frames hung on the walls with paintings and pictures of people with elaborately coiffed hair and clothing that brought nothing but an air of elegance to them. To her right is a small area where coffee is made, judging by the huge espresso machine sitting on top of the counter.

"Good morning! Welcome to the Steam Engine, table for how many-Nurse Adrien!" A woman exclaims as she comes from behind the counter to clearly see the nurse standing at the entrance. "Great to see you here- oh my goodness!" She exclaims again, this time in a louder voice. "Doctor DC?!" She couldn't hide her disbelief.

Marinette's eyes widened in the same disbelief showing on the woman's face. "C-Celine?"

"Oh, my goodness!" Celine repeats and laughs happily. "Oh my!" She can't hide her excitement. She then goes to the doctor and doesn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her. "Doctor DC, I am so glad to see you again!"

Marinette reciprocates the hug. "Celine, I never expected to see you again!" She pulls away from the hug. "I mean, from all places...Do you really reside here?"

"Mhm! Who would have thought that Nurse Adrien and I share the same hometown? We only found out a week ago when he suddenly entered this place hoping to get a cup of coffee."

"Matthias was here when I visited last week," Adrien adds.

"Oh! Speaking of Matthias, where is he?" Marinette asks.

"He's currently in a meeting with his research team," Celine answers, a serene smile evident on her face, "He's been nervous for the past few days, but he's confident that his team will finally get the budget they are looking for their new research."

"I never knew he was into research. I thought he was more into cooking."

"He still is into cooking," Celine reassures the doctor. "He actually helped me with fixing this whole place and he taught me his recipes for the food we serve here. When he's not busy, he's the chef here. For now, it's just me."

"Wow, Mrs. Bouchard," Marinette sighs in awe. "I'm really glad to see you looking so well."

"It's all thanks to you, doctor. Ah! My goodness, where are my manners? Come with me, I'll give you two the best table in the restaurant. It gives the most picturesque kind of ambiance one would expect when on board this train." She happily leads the two to the table in the middle. A centerpiece of a vintage watch adorned with dry yet still colorful flowers is in between two set plates before them. "Order anything you want from the menu! Everything will be on the house, I promise you that!"

Adrien pulls back the seat for Marinette, to her surprise. She smiles in gratitude at him as she sits on the chair. Celine catches the whole event and the corners of her mouth twitch upward, forming a smirk. "I see that something must have blossomed between you two after I left the hospital."

"B-Blossomed?" Adrien coughs out, "Celine, how are you still so unhinged?" He could feel his cheeks flaring up. Even Marinette was becoming too embarrassed to say anything.

She giggles, pleased with her teasing and the way it still affects them. "It seems that the doctor's heart has melted a bit for the nurse. It's clear from where I'm standing." She then winks at both of them. "Excuse me for a moment, I'll bring out Matthias's homemade pommes aligot, and then I'll take your order."

Once she disappears into the kitchen, Adrien shyly turns to look back at Marinette who seems to also be too shy to look at him. He finds it unlike her to act like him who would go all tongue-tied. "So that's how you act when you feel shy," he comments quietly, a faint smile playing about his lips.

Marinette furrows her eyebrows. "I-I'm not shy," she argues, though her red cheeks say otherwise.

Adrien brings an elbow to the table and rests his head on his hand which is now formed into a fist. He continued to look at the doctor, admiring and internally thanking the heavens that she was so near him now. With a look of affection, he whispers, "I've always thought that you were cute, but I never imagined that you would get any cuter than this."

"Shut up. I never knew that this is how you feel when you're under my gaze," she uneasily mutters.

Adrien breaks off into a smile. "And now I understand why you continued to act this way. It's fun."

----------

They ate such a heavy breakfast, all thanks to Celine and her generosity, that they decided to spend the rest of the day together just walking around the town.

At one point, Marinette saw a vendor selling hand-made trinkets that she bought two matching ones - one for her and one for Adrien. Inside his head, Adrien vowed that he'll never lose the trinket she bought for him.

The tall lamps that lined the streets are all switched on once the sun has set already. The day is almost ending, but neither of them wants that to happen. They just can't seem to admit it to each other because...there are still more things that they need to talk about standing in their way.

Marinette still has so much she wants to say to him. She just doesn't know when to bring it up.

Adrien looks up, seeing the lit lamps lighting their path in the park they decided to walk around in. "It's getting late already," he says.

It is getting late, Marinette agrees in her head. I need to talk with him now.

"Do you want to eat dinner somewhere or do you want to go back to the house?" Adrien continues. "I'm sure that mother prepared dinner for us, but she won't mind if we ate ahead at another restaurant-"

"I," Marinette shakily interjects, feeling the nerves build up in her all of a sudden, "I..." she starts again, meeting Adrien's eyes on her. "I want to talk, Adrien."

A delicate smile forms on his face. "Okay," he whispers tenderly. "How about we find a bench nearby and then we can start talking. How does that sound?"

Marinette nods. "I would like that very much."

It didn't take long for them to find a bench in a somewhat secluded area. Not too many people are walking around the park, maybe just another couple like them and a few night joggers, and it's not too dark since there are a lot of lamps to illuminate the area. Marinette is happy, though, that she'll be able to finally say what has been on her mind for the past week, but it doesn't mean that she's not scared anymore.

She'll finally be giving him a piece of her heart in the form of words, a form of an explanation he deserves.

"How is this spot for you, doctor?"

"It's great," she breathes out.

"I forgot what the park looked like at night. It's a bit different from my-"

"Adrien," Marinette gently interrupts him midspeech, placing a hand on his arm as she sits to his right. She knows what she's doing, he's trying to lighten the heavy mood that has fallen between them. Adrien is aware of what Marinette is trying to say, but he doesn't want to force her to really say them all at once.

But Marinette is tired of letting him wait.

"I know what you're trying to do," she continues and adjusts her body so that she's fully facing him. "You don't have to do all the talking, for now, Adrien."

"I just don't want you to feel forced with what you want to say, doctor," Adrien admits.

"And I admire that so much about you, but I need to say what I have to say. If I don't, it means I've never changed. And I want to change, Adrien. I-I want to change for you."

The conviction heard in Marinette's voice was enough for Adrien to forget what he wanted to say back. Instead, he utters a simple, "Okay." He licks his lips and then finishes with, "I'll listen."

"O-Okay..." Marinette heaves out a nervous and shaky breath and clasps her hands together resting on her lap. "I...I found you really annoying at first, Adrien."

Adrien's eyes widened out of shock. He did not expect that to be the first thing she would say. He makes sure to stop the urge to reply. It's not his time to talk, but to listen.

Marinette then laughs to herself, it sounded a bit awkward but it did not stop her. "First I found you annoying. I saw you as a nuisance. It was during one of those first few months working together and you really liked to talk. I'm not used to being around a work partner who would talk a lot," She admits. "But when I started talking to you and we shared these really good conversations, I started to look at you as an opportunity for a listening ear. I don't know if anyone ever told you, but you're the best listener I've ever met..." She trailed off toward the end. There is a bit of reluctance as she tries to continue speaking.

Adrien sees Marinette struggling a bit to continue talking and since he promised that he'll be listening, he reaches a hand out to rest it on her hands that were visibly shaking a bit from her nerves. Gently, he gives them a squeeze and he reassures her with a faint smile. Go on, he said in his mind, you can say whatever you want. I still won't run away or shun you.

She looks at his hand on top of hers, feeling the warmth radiating off of him, and it calms her heart a bit. Just enough for her to continue. "You're an even better listener than Luka," she whispers. "Adrien, I...I loved Luka. At one point in my life, I saw him as someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, so when things ended between us nothing but the pain was left in me. A part of me died that day in the accident. I carried that pain with me for years...and then you came." Her voice then starts to become shaky as she continues, "A-And because you were there, because you were easy to play with, because you were easy to fall under my whim, I then started to treat you as someone I thought I could selfishly impart my pain on." A fresh wave of tears forms in her eyes and in an instant, she breaks down into soft sobs. Adrien also felt the tears pool in his eyes and he tries to blink them away, but they fall on their own.

"I wanted to hurt you so that I have nothing of it left in me," Marinette confesses amidst her sobs and sniffles, "I wanted to break your heart because I thought mine could be made whole again. I just wanted to find my old self through you and I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry that I made you go through that. I-I can never go back to the person I was before and it was my mistake to think that it was the only way out. I'm sorry that I made you give your heart only for me to destroy it like mine."

Adrien, overcome with raw emotion, wipes his tears away and shakes his head as he pulls a distraught Marinette to him and wraps his arms around her. Marinette instantly melts into his embrace and rests her head in the crook of his neck, finally allowing herself to let go of what has been holding her back all these years. The way Adrien holds her is enough to make her feel that she mattered.

She can be vulnerable and she can still be loved despite it.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Adrien," she wouldn't stop repeating those words even if they came out muffled when another sob would build up in her. She was an emotional mess, but it still didn't stop Adrien from keeping her in his arms and gently rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"I know..." he whispered in her ear and presses a kiss on her temple. "I know," he says again. "To be honest, it hurt to go through all of that, but I'm sorry for not saying anything in the beginning. I'm sorry that we had to fight instead of figuring things out together."

"D-Don't be the one saying sorry," Marinette sniffles, moving her head closer to his neck to bask more in the warmth and comfort he's giving her. "You did not do anything wrong, Adrien. You were only genuine to me."

He chuckles softly and brings his lips close to her ear again. "...This is why I love you," he murmurs tenderly into her ear.

Marinette's breath hitches from hearing that sudden confession. Adrien notices her freeze in his arms. He pulls away a bit to see her whole face but to still have her in his arms. "Let's stop this," he continues, smiling softly at her and bringing a hand to her face to wipe some of the fallen tears away. "All this pushing and pulling is not healthy for the both of us." He then cups his hand on her cheek for him to caress it. "From now on, I want you to be aware that I'm genuinely in love with you. And it's not because we met in a fateful encounter more than five years ago or that I've worked with you for more than a year now, but because before me is someone whom I want to give the best version of myself to."

As Marinette blinks, her eyes still on him, fresh tears fall down her face, and Adrien still wipes them away before leaning in to press a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I don't ask for a flawless person. I just want to be in love with a good person and that's who you are, Marinette."

"Why do you think I'm a good person?" She murmurs weakly.

"You still uplifted my spirits," Adrien brings his other hand to cradle the other side of her face. Peering into her eyes, he says, "You were also kind to me. When I had these crazy ideas for our patients, you found a way for me to fulfill them. You comforted me in your way when I was weak and upset...and you're sorry for your mistakes." The smile on his face is still there. "Again, I never asked for a flawless person. I only want to shower all my love for someone like you."

"Then..." Marinette begins carefully, "would it be alright if I asked you to wait for me?"

He leans close, his breath fanning over her lips. "As long as you allow me to love you, no matter what."

A smile forms on her face. "You have my permission, no matter what." And their lips connect. Gentle and tender. There was no urgency to the kiss and no need for passion to keep it lasting and meaningful. It held meaning on its own already. It was a simple kiss that held love at its core.

It did not even have to last long for them both to know what it meant between them and the rekindled and definitely stronger relationship they shared.

"I'll keep hanging on, Adrien, so don't let go of me, okay? Hold on to me a little longer."

Adrien breathes out a chuckle, finding her absolutely cute at this moment. He leans his forehead against hers. "Who said I wanted to let go, Marinette?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

As much as possible, I really wanted to write this chapter well. With that in mind, I think I may have gone a bit overboard 😅 I hope you liked it, though hehe

I placed a piano cover of 'Something Good' from The Sound of Music. It's actually my absolute favorite song from the musical and I thought of this song the whole time I was writing this chapter.

I also have a new fanfic. It's with Yorch from Trainee A (a kpop group which hasn't debuted yet). He's now my bias and my fingers were itching to type down a story with him starring it hahaha check it out if you're a fan or if you simply want to :)

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