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"Incoming!"
Maybe it was from being Ladybug for an entire year, maybe it was because of the possibility that an akuma could be around any and every corner if she didn't keep her guard up. So many maybe's and Marinette wasn't sure of anything.
But either way, when she heard those words, she was quick to act. Placing a hand on Luka's back, causing the soft strums of his guitar to abruptly halt, Marinette shoved him down, crouching herself as well, in the means of keeping at least their heads safe— appearances were now forgotten in favor of danger.
She could taste the dirt flitter through the air—kicking its way into her lungs and making breathing difficult. It dusted along her skin, grimy and rough, but she could already feel the majority of the entanglements twine into her hair.
Coughing whatever ruble that was logged in her throat, Marinette didn't even realize how scrunched together her eyes were until she reopened them and blinked a few times.
After the dirt had settled, Marinette realized there was no leftover ash, no boom besides the initial thump she had heard, but from what she could see, her friends beside her had done the same in protecting one another—Ivan covered Myléne, Alix, and Max each other, Marc had Nathaniel pinned to the ground protectively, along with Rose and Juleka.
Nino and Alya— though Marinette would never understand how, seeing as where they had been sitting previously—flung themselves over Kagami and Adrien.
Several—now crushed into the soil—cones were now laid around in chunks; with icecream splattered about.
As all senses came flooding back she had but a second to filter air regularity back into her lungs, Marinette glanced around, trying to zero in on who that mysterious voice had come from.
Not even a few feet from them, there it was. Or rather, who.
Laying in the grass was, from what she could tell, four people. Two young boys—they couldn't be older than twelve at most. Twins, it seemed. Dark hair, almost pitch black with a hint of blue under the noon sun, and as they slowly opened their eyes, and something that could easily set the two apart as one had a green pair, and the other, ocean blue.
They almost… looked like her.
There were also two girls, though one was incredibly older. The younger one, however, looked to be about seventeen if Marinette had to guess. Golden askew hair—probably from… falling, or whatever had happened that lead them to be face planted in the dirt—a light tan, and when she cracked an eye open, emerald iris were unfocused and hazy for a second before she could collect herself.
And kwamis, when she pushed herself up onto her elbows, eyes going around to find whoever, it was the hardest thing to ever deny. Her strength must've given out once more before she collapsed back to the ground.
She groaned, now trying once more to sit up with wobbly arms. "That was a throw." The girl chuckled to herself. Her voice light hearted and almost soft.
That was when Marinette's heart curdled into the pits of her stomach, she set her eyes hard on the kids.
That girl…was an exact replica of Adrien. Just like the boys matched to her.
While she knew there was something going on, Marinette couldn't say what it was. At the moment everyone was scrambling to get to their feet before circling the newcomers.
Staring on in shock was not helping the situation and Marinette knew that, but it wasn't herself that forced her to stand and join the others, no. Luka had gently grabbed her by the arm to tug her up and helped her too slowly— almost crawl— over to the people who were still coming to on the ground.
The final nail in the coffin as to whether this was miraculous related or not, was the stopwatch clutched in the girl's hand. Grasped tightly as if she would sooner let someone throw her across Paris than let it leave her hands.
From the looks of it, someone may have already done it.
Pushing that thought aside, Marinette easily identified it was Alix's watch, definitely a miraculous.
The older woman, maybe early forties, was still unconscious, limp to the world around her.
The girl took notice of everyone in that second, tired, beaten down, but still able to comprehend. Her emerald eyes blown open incredibly wide. "Oh, no." She breathed as she took everyone in. "This isn't good." She looked to the boys. "We're so grounded."
"Speak for yourself." Green eyes scoffed before hobbling to his feet and folding his arms. How he held the energy to be so snarky after whatever they went through was beyond Marinette. "I'm used to being in trouble. Besides." He lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. "It's not like we did this out of fun, you literally took a blow to protect us. Mom was the one to give you the miraculous."
What in the world happened?
Someone finally found the courage to speak, and to little surprise on Marinette, it was Alya. "Wait, who are you—"
"Maman!"
Something seemed to finally click in the girl's head as she spun slowly to see the older woman flat on her face. Maybe it was the boy's mention of Maman—Marinette was sure by now that the older person was their parent—and rushed to crouch low on her knees and to turn the lady onto her back fully.
And that… that was when Marinette's entire world turned upside down. Maybe she should've expected it. Her life had become a crazy thing, why wouldn't this situation be any different?
Because there— still unmoving—was … was her. But older.
Her pigtails lost to a short pixie cut and a few graying strands. Laugh lines cupped around her mouth with crow feet that edged her eyes. It didn't make her look bad, just... older. But it was something good that would've warmed her chest if not given the situation. Her figure was way different from now. Curves she certainly didn't have, her body had taken on a whole different shape, and she knew having kids and being a full-time superhero contributed to it all, but she almost looked like she had aged with grace. She'd be happy about it, if this if she didn't need to worry about what was happening right now.
The now including her older self being unconscious on the ground.
Everything became a standstill as it sunk in.
Alya's whisper didn't go unnoticed, "Girl," Though she knew it wasn't directed at her, but the older her.
Marinette's head started to spin and she thought she might've fainted if not for everyone moving to stand closer to her, as if they predicted such things to happen.
If that was her kids.
Every daydream she had captured in her mind came flooding out. If she had an ounce of hope by their looks—though she knew not to dream— Everything she'd ever wanted was right there.
Dreams of going on small intimate dates, and holding, taking walks along the Seine, first kisses and blushy cheeks, goodnight calls, and good morning texts. First I love yous. Learning together and growing together. Falling asleep and waking up next to each other.
Being married to Adrien, huge white picket fence house. The three kids. A dog— maybe a cat— and a hamster named—-
Marinette inhaled, and exhaled. Thoughts for later. Right here right now, things needed to be better explained.
The girl— she'd call her Emma for now, seeing as that was what she had wanted to name her daughter— started shaking older her almost violently in attempts to wake her. "Manman." Now being more clear headed, sobs started to choke onto her words. "Manman. Wake up." She looked to her brother, blue eyes this time. "Why isn't she waking up?"
Louis—for now, Louis always had the blue eyes in her future daydreams—seemed just as confused. "I think she got hit by one of the beams."
Hugo— she couldn't keep calling them boy and girl, and seeing as they were her kids from what she could gather with little info thrown here and there, and Emma seemed a little too hysterical to answer any questions, she had every right to name them for now and to make do with what she could— went over to place a comforting touch on his older sisters shoulder. "We'll figure it out. Aren't you always the one to take a deep breath before going head first into something."
She looked to him, almost in the makings of a glare, but the anger only felt half livid. "We don't have any ideas as to what that— thing was. All the miraculous are accounted for. From what I know, this can't be an akuma—"
Louis kneeled to be level with Emma, but kept his focus on his mother, searching for any signs of how to revive her. His fingers went to a pulse point in her neck, and the second he breathed in relief, Marinette knew he found signs of life. "We don't know what akumas are like, Em."
As scared as Marinette was, she tucked away that little information that pointed towards her theory of their names.
But Emma wasn't taking any of her brother's hopeful reassurance. "But we do know the butterfly is in the box." For the first time, her eyes darted between the group that was huddled around them. Her voice sank to a whisper. "And you need it to create akumas. This was definitely not that."
Louis shook his head, moving to stand again. "Whatever it was, it didn't kill her. So now we need to figure out a way to wake her, and you're not gonna be much help if you're panicking."
Hugo snorted. "For once, I agree with braninaks over there."
Emma's eyebrow rose beyond her hairline. "Since when did you become the sensible one, Hue?"
As much as Marinette knew she shouldn't be focusing on something so small as names, it was another tick off the list.
Hugo rolled his eyes, scooching closer to his older sister to deliver a sarcastic pat on the back. "Dunno. Seen you and Louis," Three for three. Now she couldn't keep her attention on that though, "Do it so many times, thought I'd give it a try since every reasonable thought in your head's flown the coop." He lightly bumped a fist against her head forehead a few times. "How am I doin' so far?"
Her glare turned full and she took in favor to ignore him. It almost reminded Marinette of her interactions with Chat and it helped to bring a little smile to her face.
As much as Hugo acted with a pretty big sense of sarcasm, Emma easily raddled off against it. "I feel like I just witness a blue moon—today must be a miracle in the making."
Hugo put a hand to his chest and bowed in a low dipped and it was almost achingly familiar that Marinette knew she had seen that pose so many times. She just couldn't place it.
"This is great and all." Alix took a step forward, grabbing all three of the kid's attention, "And I get it, you two're siblings, and swable and yada yada yada." Her eyes were half lidded in unamusement with her hands at her waist. "But we'd like to what's all going on, who you are, and why our friend is knocked out like a limp noodle on the ground. Chop chop with the explanations. Before we have to call for Ladybug."
Marinette understood why Alix was so tense, truthfully everyone looked to be as such, but she was sure these kids were okay, or at least, she wanted to believe that until they could understand the whole situation.
Nathaniel sighed, moving to stand next to his friend, Marc clinging to his side. "What she means is, we're used to weird things happening everyday, but this... this is all a little crazier than usual. Having some answers would be good to calm all of us down."
Emma shared a short glance with her brothers before looking back to the group. "I mean, I'm pretty sure you know who that is," She pointed to the older Marinette. "And I don't know how much more I can really say, but it's obvious she's our mother."
Marc, still as bashful as ever, didn't stop himself from asking, "So... you're Marinette's children?"
Emma giggled despite herself. "Yep. And before you ask, we can't say much about the future-"
"Who's your father?"
Oh, Marinette was gonna get Alya back for this someday.
Emma never got the chance to answer before Kagami interjected. "I think the more logical question here would be, is Marinette okay?"
Marinette had never wanted to hug Kagami so tightly. At least she wanted to venture on safer topics.
But if she knew the fencer any, it was most likely because she had seen what Marinette could only dream to be true. Kagami saw the resemblance between the kids and Adrien just as much as she had.
And she was trying to avoid it just as much as Marinette was wanting to.
"We don't know." Louis broke through her train of thoughts, eyes bouncing back and forth from the group to his mother. "We're not sure exactly what's going on, or even what happened."
Mylene cut in. "Start from the beginning. How'd you guys get here? What's that?" Her eyes point to the miraculous in her hands.
Emma brought the stopwatch to her chest, dripping it protectively. "It's complicated. And I can't explain it all." She took her bottom lip, worrying it so much between her teeth, that Marinette thought she might actually break the skin. "But I do k—"
"Wait," Hugo glanced around. "Shouldn't Man— where are her earrings?" He safely switched his question and Marinette knew without uncertainty that they knew about her whole identity.
Emma's eyes blew wide open. She dropped to her knees, hands digging in the dirt to hopefully find said missing piece of jewelry. "I… I don't know. Help me find them."
"Maybe if you told us all that happened we could somehow help you retrace your steps?" Luka offered, but the hold he had around her was loose—she knew he knew what she and Kagami had thought.
Well, what a small part of her hoped. She couldn't be that possibly lucky, could she?
She'd have to thank Tikki later.
"Our last steps were in the future, uncle Luka. That doesn't help much here."
"Hugo!"
"What?" Hugo yelled defensively, "I'm just staying!"
Louis shook his head. "Names have to be kept quiet—this isn't safe."
Hugo crossed his arms, annoyance molded on his face. "If they have any brain cells, I'm pretty sure they knew who our dad is."
Hope. There was just too much hope stirring in her chest.
"Does this mean Operation Secret Garden worked?" Rose squealed. "Oh, Marinette, I'm so happy for you!"
"Well." Emma shifted around, not paying any mind to the two's squabbled and Rose's outburst of a question, she looked for any signs of her earrings. "I don't.. Don't know." She was slowly starting to panic, Marinette could tell the little fold in between her eyebrow and her face losing its shade of peach. "I'm— I'm not sure—"
Marinette knew, she understood that panic. Like mother like daughter. "I'll help," Marinette interjected as she left Luka's side. "They're my earrings after all right?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Marinette saw Juleka shuffle over to her brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. A ping of guilt erupted in her stomach, but she knew there wasn't much she could do. If her hopes were right, the four of them would have to have a long talk, with so many apologies, but it would have to be pushed to the back burner for now.
Emma nodded, and this time, as she stepped closer to her daughter, the shine in her eyes was hard to miss. "Thanks, Maman."
It was an all too weird of a situation, but Marinette couldn't let this girl stand it alone. "You do know what they mean to me, right?"
For the first time since arriving, Emma smirked. "Of course I do."
And that threw her for a loop, because it was all Chat Noir. His smirk, one hundred percent on her daughter's face. Marinette gulped. "G-ood."
Kagami was surprisingly the one to run over to Marinette's side. "Are you sure it's safe to trust her? We don't know who she is or if there are any facts to her claims."
The worry unfolding in Kagami's eyes— though very subtle— told Marinette that her friend was nothing but concerned. A reassuring smile was all she could give. "We'll keep our guards up."
Living in the world that they did, that was the best they could do. People had to be cautious, but if people lived in fear everyday, Hawkmoth still won.
And Marinette just wouldn't let him have that satisfaction,
"Why do those earrings matter anyway?" Marinette was surprised to find that it was Ivan this time around speaking on her behalf. "Our friend is literally on the ground, unconscious and all you can think about are some stupid earrings that our Marinette has right now?"
This time, she knew Emma's patience was wearing thin as she growled out, "Complicated. But the sooner I find those stupid earrings, the faster I can figure out what to do."
"But—"
"They're important."
"What about Tikki?" Louis asked, turning to Marinette. "We might not have our Tikki, but you have yours, right?" He paused before considering, "Or even Plagg. He could probably help."
Alya pocketed her phone. "Who's Tikki?"
Marinette knew she had to think and fast. "An online friend of mine. Pen pals." Don't panic, don't panic. You panic and it'll look more suspicious. "I never brought her up because I figured that without really knowing her name, it never really mattered. I'd eventually introduce her if we ever met."
A gasp tore through the air, and Marinette turned to see a dumbfounded expression locked onto Adrien's face, jaw slacked with wonder and eyes the size of her yo-yo.
Not being able to pay Adrien's sudden outburst much mind, Marinette kept her eyes on Alya. Said reporter shrugged. But Marinette could see suspicion floating around in her eyes. "I hope you realize I don't buy that, girl. You wouldn't just hide this mysterious penpal."
Adrien just wouldn't stop staring at her then. His gaze trained on her in such a way that the only thing she could compare it to was how Chat looked at her.
Like a boy in love— and she could not deal with that.
Blush warmed her cheeks at the mere thought that he could be looking at her that way because right now he seemed happy with Kagami. He was finally with the girl he loved and she needed to move on.
But… then there was Emma. Hugo. Louis and the possibility—
She needed to snap out of it. Focus.
Right here right now. She could package away the ideas of possibilities to explode at for a later date, and scream into her pillow of the hint that Adrien could just might, maybe feel something for her. "Nothing important for right now."
"Why—"
When shock wore off from whatever realization, Adrien rose his hands defensively. "Okay, I think everyone needs to take a second." Marinette's eyes scrunched in confusion. He actually sounded...sad. But his face was recovered from his previous awe stuck and now was played out as schooled as usual. "If Emma needs us to look for something, we should."
Both she and Emma nodded in agreement. As weird as it seemed to her friends, if older her lost her earrings, then they needed to find them. As soon as possible at that.
"Wait." Everyone, herself included, looked to Louis. "W...what if they got separated before we went through the portal?"
The only visual respiration that showed that Emma was breathing steadily, stopped as her shoulders tensed. "No. We can't go back yet. Daddy said it was dangerous. He told us to stay here until he came to get us."
"But mana—"
"I know!"
Louis sighed, eyes now wandering the park. "There is… one way. A failsafe."
Emma seemed to know exactly what he was saying, and started to rapidly shake her head. "No. We're not doing that. I do that, and she'd forget everything about her life for the past twenty years. Including dad—including us."
Hugo went to his brother's side. "Lou is right this once, sugar queen—"
"You beinged that show one time."
"Thanks for admitting me to being right—"
"Either way," Louis rolled his eyes. "We don't know how to fix this, and is the rest button of all reset button. What if she only has a limited and this becomes permanent or kills her?"
A hollow silence engulfed the air around the group—the words so final that Marinette knew no one whether they question the countability of truth from her kids, knew that what they were saying was true.
Even if they hadn't a clue as to what the children were talking about.
Alya's arms crossed over her chest, and Marinette knew things were going down. That was all inquisitive journal stare hanging on her best friend's face. "Okay, what does that mean? What do you have to do to wake her up?"
Emma hesitated. Her face contorted in a look that screamed I'm sorry.
Marinette knew whatever was about to happen, she wasn't going to like it. But something told her that this was going to happen. No matter if she liked it or not, so she nodded her consent for the seventeen year old to continue.
With her eyes only on her mother now, Emma spoke in a low whisper. "What do you know about the guardian of the miracle box? Anything you know, tell me."
Alya was a good reporter, Marinette knew that without a doubt, but she wished in that second that she wasn't so good at her work. "The guardian's the protector of the miraculous." She looked to Marinette. "I don't know much, but from what I've researched, their sworn duty is to keep the miraculous safe. Remember what I told you that day in the museum, girl?"
Marinette's eyes dopped into suspension. "I thought you said you had your theories."
Alya pulled out her phone from her pocket and started scrolling through her blog, pulling up the same picture of the one painting in the museum that had started Alya on this track in the first place. "I did." She stressed. "Identities need to be protected, right? They would need someone to guard it. It all makes perfect sense. There's a symbol. Something that signifies who's the protector of the miraculous is. Almost like a secret club of sorts."
Emma nodded. "So who's the guardian now?"
"That's what finalizes the theory even more. Ladybug. When Chloe was akumatized, the whole thing was broadcast. I went back and rewatched it on some footage of her receiving some kind of.. Box, Eggshapped? Thing. I don't know the exact details." She shrugged in defeat. "But I do know that whoever was the guardian handed it over to Ladybug. Maybe Hawkmoth found out his identity?"
The half smile on her daughters face was genuine, but it held sadness. "You're pretty spot on auntie Alya. The guardian before Ladybug was found out. He had to give up being one. Along with that, it cured him of almost loosing his life. He granted her the ability with his last breathes, It's like a fail safe with the guardians. If they're ever in trouble, it cures them, even beyond miraculous Ladybugs."
That was when Louis added, "But it also rids them of their memories."
"What does that have to do with Marinette?"
"As I said… in dire situations with guardians, if there's no the way, passing on the guardianship, there is a failsafe."
Alya swayed, looking uneasy as if she was about to faint. "If that's the only way to save the guardians, and you're saying that you can save Marinette in that way...a...are you implying—"
Nothing but tears wavered in her eyes now. Words wobbled out of her mouth almost painfully. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."
She turned, and knelt directly beside the older woman, gently taking her hand.
"If Ladybug is the guardian now that would mean…." Her lower lip was trembling now. "M." Alya's voice shook with utter sadness that it almost brought her to tears alone. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Marinette felt everything around her started to crumble. "Because I couldn't." She breathed. "I wanted to. I never wanted to keep something from you, Als. But I couldn't. Not this."
Alya surprisingly stepped to her side, wrapping her arm around her shoulders in a comforting side hug. "I believe you, girl. I know you'd never. It's just hard to wrap my mind around, is all."
Marinette leaned into the embrace, soaking the comfort as much as she could. "Thanks."
Looking back to her daughter, she questioned, "So, how do we do this? I'm not exactly conscious to give you the box, and I doubt it'd' be safe for me to do it. So how do you become the guardian?"
Emma ran a thumb along her mother's hand. "A direct descendant can do it in dire emergencies. I can take it by will."
"Is this even safe?" Alix interjected. "I mean, c'mon. What if this hurts you, or her?" She pointed to the woman lying on the ground. "What happens then?"
Albite, looking pale, Emma looked on with confidence. "Mom's been training me for this." She went to her. "Guess it makes sense now. I just… never thought I'd see the day where I actually have to do this…. I'll be the guardian. What if I mess up?"
Adrien took to her, knees kneeling down in front of her as he placed a soft touch to her shoulder. "Hey, I can already tell you're gonna be an amazing guardian. You've had an awesome mentor after all, right?" He gave her shoulder a small squeeze with a sweet smile. "You're gonna be the best guardian to ever be."
Emma smiled in return. "You always know how to take us out of your heads, don't you?"
While Marinette was confused by that statement, Adrien seemed less so. "I can only try. I hope that… however, we know each other in the future, we're all still close."
A tiny voice whispered maybe close enough for them to call you papa in the back of her mind, but she promptly told it to shut up.
Now was not the time.
"You're so clueless it hurts," Emma muttered.
"You can say that again." Louis agreed.
Nathaniel shifted his stance, holding up a hand. "Wait, is there anything we should know about before you do… whatever you have to do?" He inched back to Marc, a bit of shyness seeping through. "It just.. seems like a lot."
Hugo's hand went to scratch right behind his ear, contemplating any possible things that they may need to know. "Well. There is the love square."
The seventeen year old let out an exasperated sigh. "Why do you gotta go and bring that up, Hue? It has nothing to do with waking up mom."
A love...what?
A devilishly catty smirk crossed his face. "I know. That's what makes it fun."
Alix nudged Hugo with the toe of her boot. "Okay, so what's the love square?"
Hugo went on. "It's basically where Ladybug and Chat Noir and Ladybug are in love with each other, but don't know it."
"Oh, that sounds so romantic!"
Marinette's eyes widened, her entire body stiff with shock. Wait— what?
Emma looked skittish at best with her younger brother's spilling. "We really shouldn't be doing this."
Hugo, for the trouble maker Marinette knacked him to be, didn't quite seem to care. Which worried her for later on down the line. "Sometimes, they love each other as superheroes but can't stand each other as civilians— but there's always a burning passion string below the surface."
Something in her gut told her she wasn't going to like where this was going.
This time, it was Louis who threw his hands up in defense, taking his turn, both the blonde and dark haired sibling teaming up against Hugo. "I'm not taking any part in this."
But it fell on deaf ears. "Other times, it's reversed. Superheroes not being able to stand each other—both too good to switch to the bad side, don't worry—while they're pining for their civilians self."
"I will not cover your butt for this."
Something told Marinette that Hugo was going to be in trouble. Big time.
"Sometimes it's where Chat Noir is in love with Ladybug's civilian self and she's in love with his superhero self."
"You're gonna be grounded when you get back home."
"Tikki and Plagg always talk about how it typically switches up in the middle of chaos. They fall in love with the other side of the masks— Or the love extends or whatever."
Rose was having the time of her life in all this chaos. "They're soulmates! They have to be!"
This couldn't be possible. Nope, nope nope. Abort!
"Okay, that's it, I'm starting this."
"And then my favorite: The love square we're currently in. The one where Ladybug is originally in love with Chat Noir's civilian self, and Chat Noir is in love with Ladybug. But from the bedtime stories Tikki and Plagg 'ave told me, they're already reversing, too."
She had not been rejecting-
A small pause before Alya finished the connecting puzzle pieces. "So… what're saying is… is that….if Ladybug is Marinette, and Marinette's in love with Chat Noir's civilian self, that means, Chat Noir is…"
"I, Emma Emilie Agreste, take full responsibility and ownership of the miracle box and all that inhabit it."
No one spoke through the layered hush that bared down on then as the eldest of the three confirmed any and all suspensions. A blue flash of light broke opened above the eldests head before quickly snapping shut. Being prepared for something to happen, she lifted her hands, ready to catch the object, only sightly gruing as she caught the weight.
It… wasn't much out of the ordinary. It looked like a rather large music box. Maybe jewelry. Carved from reddish-brown wood with a smooth garnished layer. It was definitely worn, but it looked aged with love. Little swirls and intricate little details were carved into the agreed wood, with a faded heart etched onto the top of it.
Emma fiddled with the rusty golden latch— punching a code into it?—before it popped opened for her. Her daughter gasped, one hand going to her mouth and almost dropping said box, before catching it better with her other hand.
Hugo and Louis honestly looked as equally shocked, but it was Louis that spoke up. "Isn't that the music box Manman got you for your second birthday?"
"Didn't it get lost last year when you went to New York for your internship?"
She nodded. "I thought they lost it in luggage."
"Then how is that—"
"It isn't. You see the miraculous." Hugo pointed in the depths of the box. "So that can't be—"
"But look," Emma rose a shaky finger to the inside of the lid. "That… mom had that engraved."
Marinette couldn't hold herself back, shuffling over to the blonde, coming close to the young girl's side. She needed to see what was in that box besides the miraculous.
And indeed, there was carved into the lid, was a simple saying:
When everything else is lost, love remains.
"But how?" The twin's eyes roamed over the box in her hands. "I've never heard of miracle boxes doing something like that. It's almost like it's copying an old personal sentimental object."
Emma's laugh was dry, almost sarcastic, but the happiness embroidered on her face was real enough. "When has anything happened the way we think it's going to though?"
Marinette couldn't help but ask. "What is that exactly. I know it's your miracle box, but you look as if you'd seen a ghost."
Her eyes just wouldn't leave the box. "For my second birthday, you got me this music box. I can't tell you details, but I loved it so much. No matter how many years went by. Just last year though, I went abroad and wanted to take it with me. But I lost it. No matter how hard I tried to track it down, I just couldn't."
"And now it's a miracle box." Alya concluded.
Emma nodded, bringing the sleeve of her cashmere blue sweater to her eye to wipe away stray tears. "Of course this would happen." Her lips lifted into a halfway smile. "It's not my actual music box, I don't think. Miracle boxes are known to manifest into something connected to the owner, even if it's just the pure look. Like how yours is red with black spots. It represents the ownership. Dad always teased that it was egg shaped so he could find more egg related puns."
Marinette's heart had never wanted to do two opposing thing so much in her entire life—both flutter high into her throat with unbridled joy, and sink to the deepest pits of her stomach with worry and fear.
There was so much to process. Adrien being the love of her life was her partner—who she was rejecting for the past year and oh gosh this was so much— and then her kids. This was all happening to them in a blink of an eye.
This would be her future. Unless Bunix was going to come and fix this all— and something told her she wasn't— this was becoming a stable paradox that she wouldn't be able to avoid.
All breathing was still as everyone took in the situation. No one said a word, Marinette was sure no one could in that second.
"Don't worry," Emma mumbled as she continued to look over it, eyes never leaving the object. "This one's from the future. It's definitely isn't yours."
Max, who hadn't made so much as a sound, wondered out loud, "But if you're in our time, that is nearly next to impossible for the box to tear through time and space— the quantum physics don't add u—-"
"Magic, uncle Max." Emma easily explained, trying to offer an amused grin. Her voice still wavered. "Magic."
Finally, the older her started to stir on the ground, trying to push herself onto her elbows forcing her eye open. "W-what…."
Before she could complete her question, another blue portal opened and with it, Chat Noir— Adrien, that was Adrien, her crush Adrien who was also her partner—bounced through the opening, yelling, "Marinette!"
It was funnily ironic how time slowed, seeing how much time travel was happening.
Heat flushed the skin of her cheeks. The man before her had definitely grown into himself. If Marinette had thought he was good looking now, his older self melted every daydream of what he could possibly look like later on.
Broad shoulders, Light stubble that line his chin. Leather clung to him like a second skin, sculpting every inch— yes, yes including his...abdominal area— and Marinette could tell that years of superheroing were really helping out his physic side.
Because he did that— the superheroing thing.
The drool that hung from her lower lip was not important.
Before Marinette could even blink, Adrien was there already at his wife's side—did she mention that was her? She. As in Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Agreste question mark, was his wife—placing his arms around her shoulders to give her more support. "Hey, bug. Sorry, I'm late."
But only a mask of confusion rested on her face as she eyed the man consciously. "Who— who are you?"
Everything was pounding. Blood behind her ears, thoughts banging on the inside of her skill, sweaty palms, and twitchy legs that for some reason, she just couldn't contain. Her heart was about to burst if she didn't take her stupid eyes off of him.
The smile Chat gave her was strained, compounded into a tight line. "Your husband." He told her gently. "Claws in."
Oh. Oh no. Her heart was going to explode.
The forty something year old woman jumped back as if she been bitten by a snake. "What the heck was that?"
As the electric ring slips up his body to reveal Adrien— she still wasn't over that— he inched closer. "It's… complicated. But you're okay. You've been in an accident. I'll explain everything to you once we're home, but I promise you I'll tell you everything when we get there."
Marinette could tell her older self wasn't convinced. "Who are you, and where am I?"
The older man sighed, but relented. "My name's Adrien, as I said, I'm your husband, and I can't really explain where we are without the whole story, which I can give you back home. If it makes you feel any better, your parents are waiting right over there." He pointed towards the portal where Marinette was sure her parents were on the other side.
She didn't want to look in and see.
The older her did peer into the portal before looking back at them. "Who are all these people?"
The older Adrien looked around the group. A veil of water coating his eyes and gripping his lashes."Again, another part of the story." He held out his hand. "It's not going to be easy to understand, but I promise, I'll do my hardest."
She blinked studying his proffered hand, she paused for only a second more before placing hers in his. "Okay." And there was something in her eyes that just told Marinette she still somehow undoubtedly trusted this stranger. "But if you turn out to be an axe wielding maniac, I promise to kick your butt."
He chuckled. "I wouldn't expect anything less. Just, trust me."
The smile she screamed that she did.
Helping her to her feet, Adrien guided her— her, as in, she was his wife— back home.
Before entering the portal, however, Adrien turned back to their kids."Say your goodbyes. We'll keep it open for you."
All three nodded in sync.
With that, they left.
The three turned back to her classmates, Emma speaking up for them. "Sorry that you had to see that.."
Marinette could feel her heart go out to them. They basically just lost their mother. Years just wiped away with no possibility of getting her back. Not one hundred percent at least. There would always be a part of her missing.
Not knowing if it was motherly instincts, or what, but Mariette opened her arms to her kids, hoping it wouldn't be too awkward or a quiet invitation.
They took it without another thought, all of them bouncing in her arms and holding onto her like dear life. Like she was their last lifeline.
Maybe in some sense, she was.
She almost jumped when Adrien moved in on the hug. "I'm sorry." He mumbled against one of the twin's hair. "I should've done better to protect her."
Hugo pulled away, getting a better view of his papa. "Papa, no. You don't even know how this happened. Trust me, it was a situation you just couldn't help."
Adrien still seemed distraught with that, but nodded in acceptance.
Marinette knew he didn't accept it.
Feeling the sobs from her daughter, and feeling them soak through her shirt as she held on, Marinette could only stand there, stroking her hair as she whispered soft reassurances that things would be alright. "I wished you didn't have to go through this."
For the first time since ever knowing Master Fu, she was furious with him. She understood that what happened was out of his control, and there was only so much he could do, but she wasn't much better.
She was fourteen year old girl, that had so much of her life yet to go through. It all hit her now seeing the older her, how from here in out, she wouldn't remember any of this.
She would be robbed— along with her family—because she wouldn't remember this. Not Tikki or Plagg. Nor Alya or anyone else since receiving her mirlacoiues.
Not even Adrien. Her husband.
It was a punch to the gut knowing she'd forgot all that, and the kids. These wonderful, beautiful kids who she'd only met minutes ago, but still meant so much to her already, that she'd made with Adrien, would be washed away from her memories one day.
So, yes. She was mad.
But she'd figure out her emotions in a short while. Right now she had three children to console.
Knowing that this has to be drawing to a close, she gave them a tight squeeze. "I wish I could fix this. If you ever need to see me, I'm just a portal hop away."
They all giggled at that. "Now you just sound like dad."
Adrien ruffled Louis's hair. "She learned from the best." And winked.
With Emma still in her arms, Marinette cupped her checks. "I don't ever want to forget you."
Her eyes were bloodshot, but the smile was good. "You won't. Just because you lost your memories, doesn't mean the love is lost. Love can't die— especially like that."
Maybe if the situation was different, Marinette would've found it funny. But here and now, it was just a stark reminder of what was happening.
She knew this would come to be, and wanted to make sure her kids knew that without doubt, without ever truly knowing, that she loved them with everything she possibly could.
Even if she didn't know it.
Shuffling away from her, Emma held out both hands for each sibling to take, of which, they did. "Thank you, Maman."
"Thank you." She whispered, the taste of salt in her mouth when there shouldn't be any. "I know that the idea of being a guardian can't be easy."
Emma shrugged, but she could see the cloud of tears still lingering. "If everything in life was easy, it wouldn't be half as fun."
But she still shouldn't have to take responsibility so heavy. But Marinette couldn't really object when the job was already done.
They slowly turned back to the portal, steps sluggish and tired.
At the entrance, Emma spared a single glance towards her. She mouthed the words love you and it took Marinette's breath away with the look that was splashed across her face. Like she was afraid that would be the last time she'd be able it say it for a while.
Everything felt raw and wide open and she didn't know how else to handle this because how does one even begin to?
"It's gonna be okay," Adrien told her as he placed a tender hand on her shoulder, It was a nice comfort, familiar. And she knew, had it not been from the rush of the whole situation, she would've freaked out at the fact that Adrien Agreste was touching her.
But it was Chat Noir's presence that calmed her. "I know."
As long as she had him by her side. Her kids. Friends and family, Marinette knew whatever the future would hold wasn't as scary. Even when her memories wouldn't match up with those of her kids and husband, she knew it'd be okay.
Even on the roughest of days.
Even with everything else gone, her love remained.