Marinette recalls how Adrien spoke to her the last time she was here. She also is unsure what to say when it comes to his speech this time. She believes he must be delusional due to all the stress.  She refuses to believe anything else. She can not because what if it turns out she can not handle a life different than the one she is living already?
 
            "Adrien, do not say it," Marinette says.

             "Say, what?" Adrien asks.

         "You know very well what I am talking about Adrien Agreste," Marinette tells him.

          "Does Emma know you are ladybug?" Adrien asks.

            "Yes, but she just guessed it," Marinette explains.

           "For a hero, you do not read people well at all," Adrien blurts out.

           "Adrien, that was a horrible thing to say," Marinette states.

          "Oh, and telling your daughter that we are best friends is perfectly acceptable," He says with sarcasm.

              Marinette pulls her hand away as she remarks, "Do not go all crazy on me, Adrien."

               "Mari, please trust me on this one," Adrien says sadly.

       Marinette shakes her head and calls out, "Tikki spots on!" She does not even think to give the poor kwami a cookie this time.  She just transforms and walks to the door.

         "You know you can run, but you can not hide from love all your life, Mari," Adrien calls out.

            Ladybug turns around and says,  "Adrien, you know nothing about love."  She instantly regrets it when she hears his sobs.  She swings away.  She always does this.

          Adrien is left alone in the big hospital bed and room to his thoughts.  He thinks Marinette why must you go all Ladybug on me when you do not want to talk?  He wishes she could make up her mind.  All this back and forth between caring about his feelings one minute and denying he loves her the next drives him crazy.  
 

         "Ladybug, Marinette, whoever you are you make me all crazy," Adrien says softly.

      Meanwhile, Emma shakes her head and waves one arm in the air.  She sighs as she mutters, "Mommy, why can not you love him? "

       She knows she is right.  Mr. Adrien is good for her mother as he is a good man. She even remembers her mom saying he is a good person.  So, why then does she try to shove him away?

       She thinks goodness grown-ups are so weird.     This is why she has no intention to be one well at least not too soon.  She sure hopes one day when she meets the one for herself she will not be as silly about it as her mother.  She chuckles at the look Adrien gave her mom just one day before she found herself in this space full of drab walls, shiny tile floors, and tubes everywhere.

      Emma's  Flashback Round 2...

          "Come on Marinette, what are you afraid of anyway?" Adrien asks.

          "I am not afraid," Marinette says.

         "Yes, you are mommy," Emma replies with her hands to her sides.

            Adrien holds one of Emma's hands in his, and the other he uses to grab ahold of Marinette's hand. He walks towards the amusement park with a huge grin on his face.

            "Adrien, I want to go on the rollercoaster," Emma says full of excitement.

              "Oh, but it says must be accompanied by an adult, Emma," Marinette says.

             "Yeah, so?" Emma responds.

        "It is okay, Mari, I will go on it with her," Adrien says.  Sure enough, he scoops Emma up and sets her down in one of the cars. Then, climbs in beside her. He makes sure to fasten Emma in tight before he fastens his belt.

     The girl in the car behind her next to her mother, says,  "Wow, you are lucky to get to ride with your dad."

      Emma would have corrected the other child, except for the fact the ride starts right then. She has a blast as she and Mr. Adrien go up higher and higher into the air.

     Marinette stays on a bench below watching in amazement. She thinks for the second time in the last few weeks he sure is good with her.  

         She wonders could it be Luka is right and Adrien is the person to be a father to Emma?  She frowns at the idea that her best friend should do such a huge job.  

         It is one thing accompanying her child on a  ride, but to be her father, why that is too much to ask of him.

     Besides, Marinette reasons to herself you are not married.   So, unless he either adopts her or marries you he could not legally be her parent anyway.  She frowns at the possibility that Adrien should take her child away from her. 

     She also knows that there is no way she will marry the guy.  

         A half-hour later, the ride ends, so Adrien and Emma climb off and walk in her direction. "Mommy, did you see?  Mr. Adrien and I had so much fun.  We were flying," Emma squeals.

         "I can not say anything to the contrary.  I mean it was great," Adrien says.

       "I see," Marinette says.

         "Why so glume, Mari?" Adrien asks.

         "It is nothing," Marinette says.

     "Ok, if you say so," Adrien replies.  He winks at her.

          Emma grins when she sees her mother blush in response to Adrien's wink in her direction. 

She thinks wow if I did not know any better mommy's in love with him. 

           Marinette frowns as she, Adrien, and Emma go to get something to eat. She rolls her eyes at the prices and Adrien thinks if it were possible her eyes would roll from their sockets.

          "Mari, here," Adrien says as he hands her a hot dog with mustard and slaw, no chili.

          "Thanks, wow, you remember how I like it," She says. 

         "There is a lot of things I remember about you," Adrien says.

             "Mommy, can you see it?"  Emma asks.

                 "See what sweetie?" Marinette asks.

               "Nevermind," Emma replies and gets back to eating her lunch.

                   Adrien takes a bite out of his burger while Marinette enjoys her hotdog. 

                       Emma enjoys the cheese dog Adrien bought her. Suddenly, right after she finishes the food and drinks the water she starts to cry.

                       "Emma, what is wrong?" Marinette says.

                          "Yes, what is it?" Adrien asks.

                       "My armpit something is wrong with it, mommy," Emma says.

                         Adrien looks up at Marinette without a word. He does not want to worry her, but something must be wrong. Why else did Emma say what she just did to her mother?

                       "Emma, let us go home," Marinette says.

                     "What about Mr. Adrien?"  Emma asks.

                    "He did bring us here, so he can tag along too," Marinette remarks.

                        Adrien carries Emma to the car and holds one of Marinette's hands. He walks in silence with them to the car.    Once inside, he worries for the little girl whom he has come to love as if she were his daughter and not the child of his best friend.  He also worries about what will become of Marinette if something should happen to this dear little one.

                      Later, Adrien carries Emma inside since she fell asleep on the ride over. 

             "Adrien, you did not have to carry her," Marinette protest.

               "I know, but I wanted too," He says as he sets Emma down gently on the sofa.

                    Adrien stares into Marinette's eyes and falls even more in love with her. He kisses her cheek, then pulls away.  

                "Mari, I  want you to know, I will help with whatever I can," Adrien says. 

                  "Shh, Adrien you have already done enough," Marinette says as he places a fingertip to his lips.

                 Adrien looks at Marinette in surprise and thinks let this be real. Let what we have to be real.

              Emma opens her eyes, sees Adrien with her mother being all cute and smiles. She thinks to herself, go get em, cowboy,                 

                End of Flashback...

               What happened to mommy since the day before I came to this place?  Emma thinks. 

              She recalls how happy her mom was at the moment. She knows because he remembers everything. She even recalls how her mom put a fingertip on Mr. Adrien's lips and how Adrien was surprised.

            Ladybug rushes home, once inside, slams the door shut, locks it, detransforms, and  asks herself, "Am  I running from something beautiful because I am afraid of the outcome?"

           Marinette is not sure cause if she is this means she is in love.  But she can not be can she?

            Adrien takes a fist and uses it to slap the headboard, but accidentally punches a hole in it. He hears it crack and knows he messed up hospital furniture. He sighs, thinks great now I will have to pay to fix it.

         He stands up, pulls the tube out of his arm, winces in pain as he grabs a band-aid, and puts it over the place where the iv was in moments earlier. He is not going to stay here.  No, he will go home.  What is the use when he is not sick?  He is fine.  

         Adrien grabs his wallet, shoes, etc. and checks himself out of the hospital.  After he sings the papers, he enters the empty elevator, as the doors close, he puts his clothes back on and drops the hospital robe.  Then, when the elevator stops he walks to his car. He climbs in and drives home.

       He passes out on his sofa the moment he enters his place, but it is good to be home.  

       Find out more in part 9

    -Summer out!