*Author's note: This is another intense chapter, but it shows the strong bond between a boy and his older sister. It shows you never know how much people appreciate you sometimes. Also, it shows how in different ways; Adrien and Rachel are willing to stand up for what they believe. So, keep that in mind as you read the chapter. Oh, and as always, No copycats allowed.-Summer Cheng

      Adrien's  POV:

         Adrien notices Marinette's face looks a bit red.  He uses a thermometer to check her temperature. He frowns when he sees what it reads.

        "Oh, no you have a fever, Marinette," Adrien remarks.

       He hears her sneeze once more.  He thinks I hope she is going to be alright.

             "How high is it?" Marinette asks in between coughs.

          "It is 101.3, " Adrien answers. He hands her some water and a few tyneol.

             "Here take these, they will bring the fever down, and use this too," Adrien states as he plugs in a diffuser, and adds water and some breath-easy drops."

            Next, he hands her some funny red liquid and she shakes her head.

      Marinette's POV:

        Marinette swallows the pills Adrien hands her. She smiles as he plugs in the funny machine, adds water, and drops to it.  She sees him try to get her to take some funny red liquid.

         She shakes her head in response. She hates that stuff.  She is not sure it did not kill her mother.

        "I cannot take that stuff, it is dangerous," She protests.

     Adrien replies, "Dangerous, Marinette, it is cough syrup and I would not give you something dangerous." 

      Marinette sees he is serious and can tell he is gentle when he speaks to her. She takes the cup and swallows the nasty stuff. She glares at him.

        "It tastes bad," She says as she turns up her nose.

         Adrien's POV:

          Adrien laughs at her response to the medicine.  "It is supposed to taste that way it means it is helping,"  He says.

        "Adrien, I am afraid," Marinette says.

      "Afraid of what?" He asks.

      "Afraid to die because my mother died, and I do not want to," She tells him.

        Adrien hugs her and whispers, "Shh, she was way older than you, and probably had been sick for weeks.  You are young and have only been sick for a few days. You will be fine."

       He hears her yawn and smiles when he sees she has fallen asleep.

         Adrien hears the phone in his hotel room ring and makes his way over there. The last thing he needs is for it to wake Marinette up.  He answers the phone and frowns when he hears a familiar voice on the other end.

         Adrien's POV:

         "How did you get this number?" He asks with a frown.

         "Adrien, that is a fine way to greet me.  I  called because your sister says you are in some silly hotel on the dirty side of town,"  His father scoffs.

         "It is not the dirty side of town, father. It is where homeless people are because they have fallen under hard times," Adrien argues as he speaks into the phone.

          "Son, I am not going to argue with you. It is the slums and you should not be anywhere near those people.  They are nothing, but trouble," Gabriel retorts.

         Adrien rolls his eyes in annoyance at once. He is glad his father has not met Marinette yet, especially since he claims she is only trouble.

       "Dad I do not agree, but anyway thanks for nothing," Adrien says with a frown.

           "Adrien, come back home and we will discuss the details for your wedding," Gabriel remarks.

         "No, " Adrien says as he raises his voice.

      "No, how dare you refuse to obey me," Gabriel scoffs.

       "I am an adult, you treat me like a child, and I have the right to marry for love," Adrien says. 

         He recalls how Marinette seems to understand him. He does not know why, but he is glad she is his friend.

         "I will marry when I am ready too and to whom I choose," Adrien says. He hopes he made his thoughts clear for a change.

        He hears a click in his ear as his father hangs up the phone.

        Gabriel's  POV:
          Adrien's father hangs up on him. He can not believe his son refuses to come home or to marry the woman he picks out for him. Does not he know this is the Agreste way?  

         He thinks my father chose my wife for me as his father did before him, and his father before him.  He knows this has been the family tradition for years. It was to ensure the best interests of the family were met.

        "My son will not be the one to break it," Gabriel says.

         Gabriel sees his daughter, Rachel approach him.

    "Dad, what is this you are going on about now?  Did you have a nice talk with Adrien?" Rachel asks.

       "Adrien is a name never to be spoken in this house again," Gabriel says with a scowl.

     He sees Rachel gasp but does not seem to care.  "I mean it, he wishes to stray from our ways so he is not to be brought up, and his things are to be sent away," He says.

      Rachel's POV:

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, dad where is his stuff being sent to?" Rachel asks.

   "It is not up to you to decide," Gabriel states.

       Rachel runs out of the room in disgust. She can not believe she thought her father's phone call to Adrien would be good.

     Now, she feels bad because she is the one who gave him the number to Adrien's hotel room.  She feels like she is the one to betray her brother's trust in her.

     She goes to Adrien's room and starts to pack his things. She thinks maybe this way, I can make sure he gets some of it back before father trashes it or mails it to who knows where.

     Rachel finishes a few moments later and grins. She thinks yes, I have four boxes, a suitcase, a bag, and a bookbag all ready for him. Now, she wonders how she can get it to him. She decides she will take it to him. She is fed up with how their father treats Adrien.  It is the least she can do under the circumstances.

    She grabs the boxes and takes them to her car. Then, the bookbag, the other bag, and the suitcase to it. She returns to his room and removes all the decorations from the walls. She wraps up in newspapers and sits on the back floorboard of her vehicle.  

     She sure hopes Adrien will not be miffed about the furniture. It is not like she has a way to store it for him. She does not exactly have her place yet.

      Rachel's  POV:
        Rachel gets in her car and drives back to the hotel. She enters, sets them on a fancy cart, and climbs into the elevator. She pushes the button for the third floor. She smiles as the elevator doors close.

      Once outside the elevator, she wheels Adrien's things to his room. She knocks and calls out, "Adrien I am here."

      Adrien opens the door, looks at the cart, and back to her. "What is all this?" He asks.

       "It is me standing up for what I believe in now," She says.

       Rachel sees him raise an eyebrow.  

      "It means, I believe in you.  I am sorry, but father is irrational and says he plans to send your stuff away.  I brought what I could," She says.

       "Thanks, I appreciate it, sis," Adrien says. He hugs her.

      "Do not thank me, sometimes you have to do what you believe is right," Rachel reminds him. She leaves and Adrien hates to see his sibling go this time.

       Adrien's POV:

         Adrien thinks as my sister leaves I have a hunch it will be years before I see or hear from her again. Yet for the moment he is glad he has his stuff. He brings it into the room and unpacks it. He smiles when he sees the decorations she packed, his cell phone, and charger.  He thinks well at least now I have a way to survive.

         He notices she made sure to include his wallet and an envelope. He opens the envelope and sees an apology note and a huge wade of cash. He knows Rachel must have given it to him. 

     The question is how then it dawns on him, that she must have given him the money she was saving for her apartment. He tears up when he recalls her words, " I believe in you. Sometimes, you have to do what you believe is right."

     "Awe, sis, you did not have to do all this," Adrien says through tears of happiness.

          Find out more in Chapter  6

    bye- bye,

 little owlets!

    -Summer out!      

Edits were made to Chapter 5 on July 21, 2020. 

 More edits were made to this chapter on April 25, 2024.