Emma had been nothing but a bundle of joy all day.

And he meant that with a heavy dose of sarcasm.

"I've never seen her so angry," Gabriel said. "Reminds me of another girl I used to know."

Adrien quirked a single brow up at him.

Gabriel returned the favor. "Her mother."

That sinking feeling in his gut made him want to throw up. Adrien rubbed his face and groaned. "I don't know what to do."

"Why don't you start by telling me what happened."

With Emma off whining to Nathalie, Adrien explained everything to his father. "She called Marinette 'Mommy'. Marinette and I corrected her, and now she's determined to pitch this fit and I know she's not going to stop. If I could give her a mom, I would. But I can't. That's Marinette's decision and as much as I would like for her to just say 'yes' then 'I do', it's not that simple."

Gabriel frowned. "Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do. She wants Marinette as her mother. Either she is going to have to learn that Marinette isn't her mother or Marinette is going to have to decide that she is willing to fill that role."

Adrien grunted, hand still over his face.

His father rested his hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Adrien, there is nothing you can do except be patient. I highly doubt she is going to reject you."

"She's not ready, father," Adrien countered. "We talked after that, and I told her that I was ready to marry her. But she..." he sighed. "I know she's going to say no. She practically ran out that door. All I can think of is that I scared her off."

He was silent for a while. "I don't know if she is or isn't ready," he finally answered. "However, it is very clear to see she cares for you and Emma. And that is coming from me."

Adrien smirked.

"Have a little faith, Adrien," his father assured. "I think you're worrying far more than you should."

Adrien mulled over his father's words, and while he wasn't certain he could fully believe them, he knew his father had the best of intentions. "Thank you, father."

He hummed. "Now, I would suggest that maybe distracting Emma with lunch at Mimi's may be a good idea."

"Maybe," Adrien said. "We'll give it a try. Thanks, and sorry for disturbing you on your day off."

"You've done no such thing," his father chastised. "I do love seeing Emma, and while I would enjoy coming with you to lunch, I have something else on my schedule."

"I understand. Thank you for everything, though."

"Of course."

Marinette was miserable. And that was putting it lightly. A complete and total emotional mess was more like it. The guilt that engulfed her was haunting and horrible and she just couldn't stand it.

"Marinette," her maman called up the stairs. "Someone is here to see you."

Even though she was terrified of who that someone might be, she still got up and headed downstairs to greet her guest.

Never would she have guessed that it would be Gabriel Agreste.

"Forgive me if I disturbed you," he said. "But I would like to talk with you, if you wouldn't mind."

She nodded, and her mother quickly disappeared from the room.

They stood there for a moment. "Would you like a seat?" Marinette quickly offered.

Gabriel took a seat at the table, then indicated for Marinette to sit across from him. She did as directed.

"Adrien informed me of what happened," Mr. Agreste started. "And I had a very angry little girl running around my house this morning as well as a very distraught son in my office."

Her shoulders slumped under the weight of guilt. "I'm sorry, I..." she couldn't even formulate and end to her sentence.

"You shouldn't be," he said. "You ultimately have to make a decision on what is best for you, even though I know you love my son and granddaughter. That being said, I'd just like to have a little conversation. From widower to widow."

Marinette looked up at him, realizing she'd been focused on the table.

"Adrien told me that he, in a sense, proposed" Gabriel said. "But that he was worried that doing so might have been moving too quickly for you. I simply want to know what you're currently thinking regarding it."

Marinette took a deep breath, trying to cling to his words 'from widower to widow'. "I love him," she said. "Dating and spending time together is one thing. Even kisses are getting easier to handle. But marriage... replacing Nathaniel-"

"You are not replacing him."

Marinette froze.

"Trust me when I say I have been in your shoes," he said. "In fact, I was very worried you were in this place, hence my visit. I do not want you to make the mistake that I did."

Her brow furrowed. "And that is?"

"Holding on even though you believe you've let go."

It took a long moment for those words to sink in.

"I understand that you have only been a widow for a year and a half now," he said. "And I most certainly am not trying to coerce you into marrying my son. However, I also don't want you to hold on to vows that no longer apply out of loyalty for someone who, though you love, is no longer present and can never be present again.

"I've discovered that the hardest marriage vow is no other than 'until death do you part'. Because you are bound in marriage for 'as long as you both shall live'. You see that, therefore, Nathaniel is no longer your husband simply because the vows have, in a sense, expired. And frankly, that is probably the hardest thing to accept. I found it easier to accept that Emilie was gone before I could accept that she was no longer my wife. It felt disloyal to even consider taking another."

The words resonated within her. "Exactly," she agreed, her voice quiet. "I don't want a second husband."

"You don't like the connotation that comes with such a term," he said.

"And I don't want to give that to Adrien. Nor do I want to label Nathaniel my first husband. Like, they're just numbered so I can keep track of how many I've had."

Gabriel hummed. "I can understand your plight. However, you should also understand that such thinking is only given a poor connotation by the society we live in. I can tell you loved your first husband and that you wouldn't even dream of taking anyone else if he were still alive. But unfortunately, he is not. Taking a new husband not to replace the old but to fill the desire of wanting a partner to live out the rest of your life with is completely reasonable. And there is nothing wrong with doing so."

Marinette soaked up his words.

"Furthermore, if you'll recall, Adrien has been married before, as well. He has discovered that he wants a partner, and that partner happens to be you. This all being said, I don't know where exactly you are in the healing process. I only have a vague idea, but I wished to talk to you simply because I don't want you to make the same mistake that I did."

Marinette took a moment to absorb all he had told her. He was right, she knew. And it meant all the more to her knowing that he himself was a widower and had been through the steps she had. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to me," she said. "I really appreciate it."

He nodded. "Before I go, may I finish by telling you my biggest regret as a widower?"

She nodded.

"Letting years of happiness slip through your fingers simply because you cannot let go." He let his eyes close a moment. "I have not even told Adrien this, but I have had feelings for Nathalie for far longer than it appears. However, I spent a good portion of time squashing said feelings simply because I felt as though it was disloyal to Emilie, who at that point had been gone from my life for ten years. So, while I am happily engaged now, I could have spent the last five years of my life happily married instead. Do you have any idea how great of a waste it feels knowing that?"

A big one, Marinette mentally finished.

"And I spent most of my time trying to convince myself that I would never be as happy with Nathalie as I would have with Emelie just so I could stop feeling guilty about having feelings for her. Loyalty to a loved one is good unless it leads you to do something you will spend years regretting." With that, Gabriel stood. "I hope I didn't make you feel guilty. It was not my intention of coming here."

"No, I understand," Marinette assured, standing herself. "I... I see where you're coming from, and I really appreciate your time and your words. It was... nice to hear that from someone who knows what I'm going through instead of people who just have the best of intentions."

His smile was small, but it was a smile. "I will say that navigating the loss of your spouse is a hard challenge, no matter what age. It's something you are never prepared for. However, you are still young with many good years still ahead of you. I would hate for you to have any regrets at your age. I wish you the very best in making that decision."

"Thank you, sir."

He nodded. "Have a good day, Mrs. Kurtzburg. I hope our paths cross again."

When Monday came, Adrien was fearing the worst. Emma had been angry and irritable all weekend while occasionally asking for Mommy. It had been very hard to navigate the battlefield known as her little four-year-old mind, and it was wearing on him. He knew he had to hold out until Marinette made her decision, but it seemed like such a long time.

Monday morning, he was immensely thankful to Nathalie and his father who took Emma for the morning just so that Adrien could have a talk with Marinette without Emma there to influence her decision.

He was so nervous, and when a knock sounded against the door, his stomach twisted into knots. He took a deep breath before he answered it. "Hey," he awkwardly greeted. "Come in."

"Thank you." Marinette entered, slipping off her shoes right in front of the door and hanging her purse on the coatrack. "No Emma?"

"She's at my father's," he answered. "To give us a little time to talk."

"Oh," she said. "Okay."

They took a seat on the couch. Adrien's hands wouldn't stop shaking, so he tried resting them on his legs in hopes of hiding that fact. "My proposal still stands. I want to marry you. I want you in my life as my wife and Emma's mom. But I understand if you are not ready, and I don't want to push you."

"I know," she said. "And I'm so thankful that you understand and are so willing to give me that space and be patient with me." Her hand found its way to his knee as she looked him straight in the eyes. "No matter what, I appreciate that more than you know and I thank you for it."

Even though he felt a weight on his heart, he still covered her hand with his own and smiled at her. "You're welcome."

They stayed like that a moment longer. Marinette took a deep breath. Adrien braced himself for her decision.

"I want to pursue that future with you," she whispered.

And his heart flat out stopped.

She smiled, but he could see the tears in her eyes. "I'm still going to need a little more time," she said. "And patience. I... I'm still learning to fully let go, but I don't want to miss out on what we have-the game nights, the dinners, the time we sneak together after we put Emma to bed-I don't want that to stop. I like this relationship. I like our little family, even though it's not official. And... and... I..."

When her tears fell, he was quick to brush them away. Even once they were gone, his hand didn't leave her cheek. Her hand came up to cup his as she pressed her face against his palm.

And suddenly, he was crying, too. His vision was blurry and his cheeks were wet and he couldn't help but lean forward and rest his forehead on hers. She leaned up so their noses touched.

"But," she quietly said, her voice still a bit weak. "I want to have a very serious talk about what that future entails before we fully agree on anything."

"What do you want that future to entail?" he asked.

She leaned back so they were able to see each other clearly once again. Their hands dropped from her cheeks only to settle entwined together in the space between them. "If... if I am to be your wife, then I won't be Emma's nanny much longer. I... I thought a lot about that job opening your father offered..."

"He'd give it to you," Adrien said, realizing where this was going. "He'd happily place you within the company, and because you'd be his daughter-in-law, I know for a fact he'd manipulate everything around one of us being able to be home with Emma. It's a win-win scenario."

"Are you okay with that?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I am. Design is your passion. I want you to pursue that and will gladly support you any way I can."

She smiled. "The next thing would be finances-"

"We can work that out when we get to that," Adrien said. "I make enough as is to support us all. If you want to contribute, we can talk about that once you get the job and know your salary."

"Fair enough," she said. "I guess... it's not like the first time when Nathaniel and I were just starting out..."

He squeezed her hand. "I get it," he said, recalling how he and Chloe had to build a life while they were still young, and they had each been well off to begin with. "This isn't like the first time in any way. I'm established in my career, and I have the feeling you'll fit right in to that new job. We're steadier in who we are, what we want, what we have. Then there's a kid in the mix and we're each stepping out on a new limb here."

Her mouth was slightly open as she took in his words. "I guess I didn't think of it that way," she said.

"Probably because you never thought you'd have to," Adrien said. "I've had more time than you to come to terms with all that."

She slowly nodded. "I suppose you're right."

He squeezed her hand.

"I won't leave you like Chloe," she whispered.

The words themselves were so simple, meant to offer comfort, but the sheer weight her words held struck him straight in the heart, and suddenly his vision was growing blurry again. He gave her a smile then had to look away before he started crying.

She held his hand tighter. "There are still a few things I want to bring up," she said. Adrien felt a weight lean against his arm as her head rested on his shoulder. "But if... if this all works out, I won't leave you and Emma. If we decide to go down this road, I'll be here to stay."

His cheeks were now officially wet. He quickly brushed the tear trails away with the heel of his hand.

She stayed there in silent support until his tears had stopped at he looked back at her and she gave him a grin. "I don't see divorce in our future," she whispered.

He couldn't keep the smile off his face. He shifted, bringing up his free hand to hold the back of her head and bring their foreheads together in the process. She happily leaned into his touch and stayed like that in the sweet silence a long moment.

"Are you ready to get back on topic?" Marinette eventually asked.

"Whatever it is, we'll work it out just as long as I get to be with you."

Marinette giggled. "Then what do you see in our future in terms of housing?"

"I'd like you to move in when the time comes," Adrien easily replied. "We'll turn the guest room into a studio for you. You were the first person to use it in three years, anyway. But if that's unacceptable to you, then we can go house hunting together and find a place we both agree on."

She frowned in thought. "I'm... I'd love to," she said, pulling away so that she could look him in the eye. His hand shifted lower to her neck, unable to remove itself completely. "Move in, that is. But... well, I guess I should bring up the last point of mine before I say anything."

"And that is?"

She bit her lip. "First, you have to know I love Emma," she said.

"Never for a second did I doubt that."

"And I will happily take her as my daughter."

"But?"

She pursed her lips nervously. "I still want kids of my own," she quietly admitted. "Which... I may not even be able to have."

"We can try fertility treatments."

Her eyes widened.

It took a moment for Adrien to realize the extent of what he had just implied. "Yes," he said. "I would love to have kids with you. And I'm more than willing to try fertility treatments. We'll be able to afford them, so that won't be an issue."

"Two?" she asked tentatively. "If I wanted to try for two, what would you say?"

He grinned. "Two more to add to our family. I love it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Adrien affirmed. "No matter how we have to conceive them."

She grinned. "Okay."

"Okay," Adrien repeated. "Anything else you want to ask me about? We got work, kids, house..."

"I think those were the big things," she said. "And the rest is just a 'figure out as we go' situation."

Adrien's smile grew wide enough to nearly hurt. "So, you'll marry me, then?"

Marinette's smile grew, too, and she nodded.

He grinned, unable to keep the happiness off his face. With his heart beating wildly in excitement, he angled his head, leaning forward to press his lips to hers. She sighed, completely trashing Adrien's willpower to hold back. He took her cheeks in his hands, gaining a little whine from her.

He loved it.

She took his cheeks in her hands, and Adrien melted. Completely and totally melted to become putty in her hands. And judging by the smile he could feel under his lips, she knew it, too.

Adrien lost track of how many more kisses were exchanged. Or how much time passed by. But he really couldn't bring himself to care when this was the woman who he was going to marry. He pulled away, panting as heavily as she was. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

He just couldn't keep the smile off his face. He was so happy that this woman would be his wife.

And that's when it hit him that while they agreed to get married, it wasn't a proper proposal. He would ensure she had one where he got down on his knee and presented a ring to her. It would be the best ring he could find. Maybe a ruby would be best. After all, his lovely ladybug always did look good in red.