Adrien sat hands intertwined looking at his father on the other side of the desk. The look on Gabriel's face was nothing unusual ... The phrase 'sucked on a lemon' summed his father up perfectly.

"So, are we here to sit staring at each other all day or are you going to tell me how disappointed you are?"

Gabriel's face creased into a frown and Adrien knew he'd pushed it too far once again. The older man stood and walked around his desk ending face to face with Adrien. He perched on the edge before speaking again.

"Your mother says I should listen to your side of the story before I say anything. So speak," the designer demanded, raising one eyebrow at Adrien.

Well that's new, Adrien thought. It was very rare he was allowed to tell his side of the story, because low and behold the media and their assumptions were always right, especially when it was about the millionaire heir.

Regardless of Adrien proving himself time and time again, for some reason Gabriel always thought the worst of him. That whatever crap the media were sprouting was true.

"The girls took advantage of me as I was exiting the club. I danced with two girls that night, one who is a model here the other -"

"Let me guess, the intern?"

Adrien shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he didn't want Gabriel knowing about him and Marinette and especially their impending relationship. His father was manipulative and cold, and even his mother couldn't save him from his fathers wrath most of the time.

"What is it to you if she was, or if she wasn't?"

"It's my company, Adrien. If you're frolicking off with one of my interns -"

"Frolicking? I'm not frolicking with anyone."

Gabriel slammed a fist down on the table, stopping Adrien in his tracks.

"Listen to me clearly, son. You may have gotten your way with going off to university and living with those other peasants. But you are still an Agreste, and I expect you to behave like one."

"And how do you want me to go about doing that, Gabriel? Ha! Behave like you? Tell me, does mother know about your little rendezvous'?"

The room suddenly took on an uncomfortable silence, the two Agreste men staring at each other with enough venom to kill.

"What do you want?" Gabriel said, turning his head to look out the window.

"I want you to back off. Me, my mother and Marinette."

"No," Gabriel said. His voice cold and calculated, and Adrien felt a shift in his jacket pocket. His kwami obviously reacted to the tone of his fathers voice.

Adrien stood from his chair and began to make his way to the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?" He called after his son, only for Adrien to continue.

"I'm out of here! Do what you want, you're going to anyway!" Stepping out the room, Adrien slammed the door behind him, storming his way down the corridor and to the elevator.

He slammed his finger into the button repeatedly, hoping the damn thing would appear soon so he could get out of the building.

The elevator sounded its signal and he stepped inside, the overwhelming feelings suddenly catching up to him as he slumped backwards against the wall. His legs turned to jelly as his back slid down the wall.

"Hey kid, I'm really proud of what you just did, but you need to breathe." Plagg flew from Adrien's jacket, hovering in front of him and attempting to calm him down.

"I - can't -" his breath hitched in his throat as the enclosure of the elevator seemingly closed around him. .

"Adrien, come on, talk to me. What's your favourite colour? No wait, movie? What's your favourite movie?"

Adrien looked at his kwami, his vision blurring the black creature into the walls. No longer remaining visible.

"Kid, fight it! You're stronger than this."

The sound of the elevator reaching its next destination had Plagg disappearing back into his hiding place. The tension was high in the small confines of the metal box, only breaking when a soft and soothing voice filled the air.

"Adrien? Oh my God, Adrien! Are you having a panic attack? Adrien, look at me, please. I'm here. Just breathe."

Marinette held onto Adrien's forearms, trying to get him to speak to her, or even look at her. She'd never seen anyone have a panic attack before, and watching Adrien go through this was terrifying. His breath was uneven, the gasps echoing in the small surroundings.

"Adrien, please, look at me, please." She could feel her eyes filling with tears as she placed her hands to his face.

She kept her eyes firmly on him, talking him through his breathing technique as he struggled to gain control.

"That's it. Great work Adrien, you're doing so good. I'm really proud of you."

His glassy green eyes moved to meet hers. She could see the tears collected on his lower lid, a blink away from them being expelled down his face.

"You're doing great, Buttercup. I'm here, I'm not going to leave you."

A shaky hand placed on top of hers, his slow blink finally releasing the water which had collected inside his eyes.

"Never?" His gasped words caused her to smile.

"As long as you'll have me."

"Forever." He said next, threading his fingers through hers just as the final stop of the elevator was reached. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Always," she responded, placing her forehead against his. Breaking away, she stood up holding a hand out for him which he took without any hesitation, just wanting and needing to be connected to her, to absorb some of her strength.

"We're going out!" Her demanding voice dragged him across the lobby of the building almost as much as her hand did, the two of them exiting into the crisp Autumn air.

"I thought I was taking you for lunch, not the other way round." He attempted to joke.

She dropped his hand to walk alongside him, not wanting to bring any additional attention to Adrien whilst he was still vulnerable.. "You look like you could do with a 'pick me up'. My treat. After all this isn't a date."

He turned to her just in time for her to drop him a wink, himself letting out a genuine laugh.

"We can go via my parents, grab some pastries and have a picnic in the park? What do you say?" Her smile was blinding and he couldn't help grinning back at her like a complete idiot.

"Um- that sounds kind of romantic. Are you sure you're not trying to steal the first date?"

Marinette burst out laughing. "I wouldn't steal that away from you, I can tell you're working hard to make it perfect."

He hit his shoulder into hers and laughed. "You know me so well."

They walked silently towards the bakery, giving each other little smiles as they caught the others eye. Each of them taking chances to look at the other.

As they reached the Tom and Sabine Patisserie, Marinette placed a hand on Adrien's chest, stopping him from progressing into the bakery.

"I don't want to come off as a bitch, or for you to think anything is wrong, but if you come inside my parents will interrogate you to within an inch of your life, and as much as I'd like you to meet them, I'm not ready for that right now. They took an instant dislike to my ex and although they were completely right about him, I don't want them saying anything bad about you. I like you too much for that to happen." Her cheeks pinkened as she slowly removed her hand from his chest. Too scared to meet Adrien's eyes in case he took this in completely the wrong way.

"Don't worry about it," he took her hand in his, placing a soft and delicate kiss to the back. "I completely understand."

"Y-you do?"

"Of course!" Adrien smiled. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Oh, um, okay. Goat, I mean great. I'll just," she pointed her thumb into the bakery, before turning back to Adrien. "I'll be quick."

"Sure thing." Marinette looked back at Adrien as she made her way into her partner's store, only to not realise the door was closed. Her face collided with the front door causing Adrien to wince.

"Are you okay?" He shouted over to her.

"Peachy," she replied.

Adrien not believing a word of it.

•••••

They settled on the fountain in the park opposite her old home. Fond memories played in Marinette's head, times spent with friends and times spent alone. But she was here now, with Adrien, and never had it felt so perfect.

"I just wanted to say thank you for believing me yesterday. Most people take what they read in the tabloids as fact without any consideration for what actually happened."

Marinette looked over at Adrien and for the first time since the day in the supermarket, she saw the young vulnerable boy, Adrien actually was. He could talk the talk, most definitely, but he was still the boy who'd never tried M&M's before, and her heart grew with the sheer protectiveness she felt for this guy.

"Adrien, you broke my sofa because you saw a tiny bit of my stomach. Do you really think I would believe you slept with two women in one night? A night when you were texting me too?"

He smiled, and she couldn't help reaching out to grab his hand. "You're an amazing girl, Marinette."

"And you're pretty damn cool yourself, Agreste."

Laughing, Adrien leant forward and took a croissant from the rather larger selection she'd managed to exchange details about 'the attractive blonde' outside with her parents for. She knew the conversation wasn't over, but at least they were placated for now.

"So, I don't want to pry, and you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. But is everything okay? You worried me in the elevator."

She reached out and held onto his hand, feeling a surge of warmth in her body thanks to the contact m.

He sighed and looked down, placing his second hand over the top of their joined ones as he seemed to gather his thoughts to speak.

"I don't want you to run from me." His voice was quiet and afraid, and she just wanted to grab him and hold him tightly to her chest. To comfort him and let him know that everything was going to be okay.

"Why would I do that?"

She looked at him, encouraging him to look back, and when he finally did she could see the hurt and pain in his eyes.

"Because the 'Agreste' family isn't what you think. Gabriel - My father - he's not a nice person. He's cold, and manipulative, and board line evil. He treats me badly, but he treats my mother worse. He uses her, and makes her appear worthless. His own wife, is depressed and broken and he doesn't give a shit about her, about either of us."

"Oh, Adrien. I didn't know." She tangled her fingers through his, squeezing them in support for him to go on, to let this out.

"But that's not all." He sighed. "He has two families, Marinette, and we're not the one he chooses to stand by. He always chooses them."