Marinette was trying to collect her thoughts and calm herself as she and Adrien hurried to the main design room to assess the damage. Adrien paused before opening the door, as if he knew she needed a brief moment to lock in. Marinette was thankful for his thoughtfulness.

She had no idea what she was going to see. What if the designs were so ruined that they couldn't salvage anything? Or maybe it was all a false alarm. But if that were the case, then she should've waited before calling Gabriel. Marinette was so deep in thought that she nearly jumped at the sound of the said man approaching.

"Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, Adrien," he said in acknowledgement. "Move." The two stepped aside, allowing Gabriel to shove open the doors with such a force that they banged against the wall.

Marinette and Adrien waited a moment with baited breath for the outburst they knew would happen. When they both mentally counted to ten and still heard nothing, they decided it was safe to enter the design room.

"Father? How bad is it?" Adrien asked cautiously. He couldn't stop Marinette from rushing to the mannequins and seeing the beautiful pieces in shreds. Her heart dropped to her stomach at the sight of their weeks of hard work torn to pieces.

"Mr. Agreste, I am so sorry. I knew I should've-" Marinette stopped speaking when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She was surprised to see Adrien standing there with a warm, reassuring smile.

"Don't even start, Mari. There was nothing you could've done to prevent this," Adrien said gently.

"My son is right. Someone broke into the building. I don't know who but I do know somebody's getting fired." He scowled. "You are not to blame for someone else's actions. However, we cannot afford to have such actions occur before an important event like this one. Start making calls to your team members, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. It's only 10 PM. We need to assemble something, anything, to showcase tomorrow evening."

"Yes sir. And..." She bent down, examining the damage of the one dress. "Maybe some of this can be salvaged. Adrien, can you do me a favor and check the supply room to see what fabrics we have left?"

"Of course, Mari. Father-" He paused seeing Gabriel was already making phone calls. "Never mind. I'll see what you've got left Marinette. Didn't you say you had a surplus of a particular fabric?"

This made Marinette smile. She knew they had extra material from the snowflake inspired piece, as well as the one Genevieve had personally worked on with the icicles hanging down the fabrics. While they couldn't recreate the exact line they had planned to, she knew they would be able to create a collection reminiscent of it.

"We should if that hasn't been sabotaged too," she called after him.

Adrien disappeared to find the fabrics just as Gabriel hung up the phone. He shook his head before turning toward the young designer.

"Most of the team is on their way," Gabriel said, his expression a mixture of annoyance and focus. "I've told them to be here within the hour. We can't waste a single second."

"Thank you, sir," Marinette said, standing up and brushing dust from her knees. "I'll start organizing tasks once they arrive."

"Good. Do what you need to. I'll oversee production when the team is ready," Gabriel replied curtly. He turned, pacing the room, his hand tugging slightly at his tie in frustration.

Marinette exhaled deeply, letting the enormity of the situation sink in. Her hands moved to the nearest mannequin, carefully lifting a shredded sleeve. The fabric might have been salvageable if not for the jagged cuts slicing through its intricate embroidery. Her mind raced with ideas on how to repurpose what was left.

Adrien reappeared moments later, a bundle of fabrics in his arms and a triumphant smile on his face. "We're in luck! The storage room is untouched. There's enough of the snowflake and icicle materials to work with, plus some neutrals that can tie the collection together."

Marinette's shoulders relaxed slightly. "That's a relief. Adrien, could you help me sort through these pieces? We need to figure out what's usable and what isn't. I'll get a rough plan together so we can work quickly when everyone arrives."

"Anything you need," Adrien said, setting the fabrics down on a large table and immediately getting to work. His calm demeanor was contagious, grounding Marinette as she sketched a few quick ideas in her notebook.

"Start with the outer layers," Marinette instructed, glancing over at Adrien. "Separate anything with major tears or burns from the ones that are mostly intact. We can piece things together later."

Within minutes, the workroom was buzzing with energy as the first few members of the team began to trickle in. Marinette greeted each one with a firm handshake or a nod, quickly explaining the situation and assigning tasks.

"Genevieve, you'll be in charge of embellishments," Marinette directed, pointing to the collection of salvaged beadwork on a nearby table. "Prioritize anything we can reuse from the original designs."

"Got it," Genevieve replied, her sleeves already rolled up as she began sorting through the pile.

"Camille, can you focus on reworking the cuts? We'll need clean lines to pull off a cohesive look with the materials we've got left."

"On it," Camille said, grabbing her shears and a tape measure.

Gabriel loomed in the corner, watching the team work with sharp, calculating eyes. His presence added an extra layer of pressure, but Marinette pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Adrien continued to assist wherever he could, whether it was helping to move equipment or offering a calming word to one of the more frazzled team members. Every so often, his eyes would flicker to Marinette, admiration evident in his gaze.

"You're really something, you know that?" Adrien said quietly, leaning closer to Marinette as she worked on a new sketch.

Marinette glanced up, her cheeks warming slightly under his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"The way you're handling this," he said. "Most people would be panicking right now, but you... you've got this under control. It's impressive."

She smiled softly, her pencil pausing on the page. "I think I'm too focused to panic. Besides, we don't really have another option, do we? The Gala has to go on."

Adrien chuckled. "True. But still, you're doing an amazing job."

Before Marinette could respond, Gabriel's sharp voice cut through the room. "Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, a word."

She straightened immediately, crossing the room to where Gabriel stood near the design boards. "Yes, sir?"

"I've reviewed the initial sketches you've put together. They're adequate," he said, his tone begrudging but not unkind. "Make sure the final pieces are polished. We can't afford anything less than perfection."

"Understood," Marinette replied, her voice steady.

Gabriel nodded curtly, his expression unreadable, and turned to address the rest of the team. "I want this collection to outshine anything we've ever done. Failure is not an option. You all know what's at stake."

The room fell into a focused silence as Gabriel's words hung in the air. Marinette took a deep breath, her resolve hardening.

"Alright, everyone," she called, her voice clear and strong. "Let's make this happen. I believe in us."

A quiet murmur of agreement spread through the room, followed by the sound of scissors snipping, sewing machines humming, and fabric rustling. The team moved like a well-oiled machine, each person playing their part in bringing the new designs to life.

As the clock ticked past midnight, Marinette glanced around the room, a faint smile tugging at her lips. The collection was far from finished, but for the first time since they'd discovered the disaster, hope flickered in her chest.

"We're going to do this," she murmured to herself.

Adrien caught her eye from across the room and gave her a reassuring nod. "We've got this," he mouthed, his confidence bolstering her own.

Marinette nodded back, determination lighting up her expression. Together, they would make sure the Gala was a success, no matter what it took.

Marinette exhaled as she examined the completed line before her. It was nearly seven in the morning, and she could feel the weight of exhaustion in her bones. The team had been working tirelessly since the night before, racing against time to get the last-minute designs ready for the Gala. She could hardly keep her eyes open anymore.

"Well..." she yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "I think that's everything."

Looking around at the room, it was clear she wasn't the only one ready to drop. The others were slumped in their chairs, some with coffee cups in hand, others rubbing their eyes in disbelief at how much they'd accomplished. Gabriel had disappeared an hour ago, retreating to "freshen up" for the night. Adrien, who had been by her side the entire time, looked equally exhausted, but there was still a quiet intensity about him. He had been helping every step of the way.

"I knew you could do it, Mari," Adrien said, his voice soft but warm. He stepped closer to her, the space between them closing as he gave her a small smile. "You were always the best at procrastination, after all."

Marinette chuckled despite herself, but it quickly faded into another yawn. "Thanks, but honestly, I'm so tired I'm sure there's probably some obvious mistake somewhere, and I'm too blind to see it."

Before Adrien could respond, the door opened, and Gabriel Agreste stepped inside. He was much more put-together than the rest of them, though still clearly tired. He surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on the completed work.

"You should probably get some rest," Gabriel said, his voice commanding, but oddly considerate. His eyes then narrowed as he took in their appearances. "The Gala is in a few hours, and you both look like hell."

"How kind, Father," Adrien replied dryly, his exhaustion showing in his words.

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at his son's tone before turning to Marinette. "Mlle. Dupain-Cheng," he began, his voice surprisingly warm. "I must say I am impressed." He scanned the room, his voice rising a little. "I am very pleased with what you've done. You will all be fairly compensated for your hard work, especially considering the... last-minute nature of this project."

Someone in the back muttered, "And inconvenient..."

"So," Gabriel continued, his voice harder now. "I will be presenting a Christmas bonus to each of you once the Gala has passed." A few cheers rang out around the room, and the atmosphere lightened just a little.

Adrien raised his eyebrows. "You're feeling generous this year, Father. Who are you and what have you done with the real Gabriel Agreste?"

Gabriel gave him a dry look. "I'm only being fair. Besides, someone is getting fired once I figure out who caused all this damage in the first place."

Adrien chuckled, then glanced at Marinette. "Now there's the father I know. But I don't disagree. Someone did this, and we need to figure out who."

Marinette scoffed, crossing her arms. "Are you serious? We already know who did it."

Adrien blinked, confused. "Lila, remember? She's been after me since the beginning."

Marinette shook her head. "True, but even so, we need proof or a confession. And we both know we'll never get the latter."

Gabriel looked up, his brow furrowing. "The security footage was wiped. I've already got a team working on it. Whoever tampered with the cameras was thorough. They crossed the coding more than three times, scrambling everything."

Marinette sighed, rubbing her temples. "Great..."

Gabriel turned to face them both now, his tone more insistent. "You two must leave now if there's any hope of you not looking like zombies tonight. You're the face of the event, and you will be representing me."

Adrien shot a playful glance at Marinette. "Nah, I always look great. Princess here, on the other hand..." He grinned mischievously. "Could use some makeup to cover those bags."

"Adrien!" Marinette slapped him on the arm but failed to hide the smile tugging at her lips.

He laughed, the sound light and easy, and for a moment, the weight of the night seemed to lift from her shoulders. "Come on, let's get out of here," he said, motioning toward the door.

They walked side by side through the hallway, Adrien's hand brushing against Marinette's for a brief moment before he gently took her hand in his. They exchanged a glance, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. They had pulled it off-almost. They still had the Gala to get through, but for now, there was a sense of relief in the air.

As they reached the elevator, Adrien held the door open for her with a playful bow. "After you, my lady," he said, his tone teasing yet somehow comforting. Marinette stepped inside, her heart thumping faster than she cared to admit. The elevator ride was quiet, the soft hum of the elevator the only sound between them. She was about to say something when Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder, gently urging her to face him.

"I knew we could do it," he said, his voice low but certain. "I've seen you pull off miracles before, but this? You really outdid yourself, Marinette." His expression softened, and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. "You were calm, collected, and you held everything together when it all seemed like it was falling apart."

Marinette blinked, her tired eyes meeting his, and for a moment, she felt like the world around them had paused. His words, simple yet sincere, filled her with a warmth that she hadn't realized she needed.

"Thanks, Adrien," she said softly, giving him a small, tired but genuine smile. "I couldn't have done it without you, though. We make a great team."

"Yeah, we do," he agreed, his voice lowering to a more intimate tone. "And don't forget, you're the reason we made it this far. You kept us all grounded, even when everything was crumbling."

She felt her heart race, not from the anxiety of the upcoming event, but from the softness in his gaze. "Maybe I just like a good challenge," she teased, trying to mask her own flustered state with humor.

Adrien's eyes sparkled as he smirked at her. "Then I hope you're ready for another one tonight," he said with a wink. "We're going to be front and center, after all."

Marinette chuckled, despite the nervous flutter in her chest. "If you can handle it, so can I." She met his gaze and smiled, her exhaustion suddenly feeling a little less overwhelming.

As the elevator doors opened to the main floor, they both stepped out, the weight of the night still ahead of them but somehow lighter now. Adrien squeezed her hand gently. "Go get some sleep, Marinette. You deserve it."

She nodded, still smiling as she started to head toward the door. "You too, Adrien. See you tonight."

"Definitely," he said, his voice soft and warm.

And with that, they parted ways. But for a moment, Marinette couldn't help but think that the night ahead, despite the nerves, might not be so daunting after all.