As Adrien led Marinette into the suite the gathering was already at full swing. Designers from all over the world were talking about the different collections whilst models crowded around the free bar getting their monthly supply of alcohol. Adrien peered over and another wave of relief crossed over him. If he'd stayed with his father that would have been him. Drunk, antisocial, and probably alternating between drugs and sex with one of the other models for the rest of the evening.

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of his past life. Over the years he'd made drastic changes and he was so glad he wasn't Glen Watts from London who was currently being stroked, for want of a better word, by Melinda Hancock from America. He looked down at the girl he was currently attached too and realised models had nothing on the true beauty of Marinette's soul.

The two stopped just inside the entrance and looked from one group of incredible looking people to another, each dressed in beautiful materials and frosted in diamonds and pearls. Marinette couldn't control her fangirling and began to shuffle her weight from one foot to the other.

"Adrien, I can't believe we're here."

He answered her with a throaty laugh. Only Marinette could look past the stuck up snobbery to be completely enthralled by the display of materials and designs.

"Adrien Agreste. Long time since I last saw you, darling. Haven't you grown to a fine young specimen." A lady in black and white had floated over and was currently placing kisses on both of Adrien's cheeks. From the intense grip now around her right hand, Marinette could tell Adrien was not at all comfortable in the present company.

"Aunt Audrey, it's good to see you again."

It was in that moment Marinette pieced together the lady in front. Audrey Bourgeois. Chloe's mother and fashion designer extraordinaire. Suddenly the room became stuffy and Marinette wasn't sure she'd be able to speak. She needed to pull herself together. She was a designer too, she was a strong confident woman.

"You are so handsome, darling. I don't understand why you stopped showing your amazing cheekbones and body to the world. The young girls would love to see you topless, you'd sell millions of magazines."

Marinette, extremely unladylike, snorted out a laugh. Adrien shot his head down to her just as she looked away. She was going to be the death of him.

"Only one lady sees my body now, Aunt. I'm strictly for her eyes only." Adrien remained staring at Marinette. Unspoken words of love and lust pulsing between them. Marinette was quite sure that if he continued looking at her that way she would strip him there and then before riding him like a cowgirl in the middle of the beautifully laid out table.

"Awwww yes! I've heard. Marinette, it's lovely to see your work finally where it belongs. I still believe you made the wrong choice in your earlier design career, however I fully support your endeavour. The Miraculous collection was inspiring, sweetheart. The colours, materials, the cuts ... everything was placed to perfection. I feel I need to discuss some of that Queen Bee attire with you. My Chloé would just look perfect wearing it."

The event Audrey was referring too included a young Marinette and the feather hat she had designed for Adrien. After her first appearance in a 'Gabriel' fashion show, Audrey had wanted Marinette to go with her to America. In usual Marinette style she didn't take it, persuading Chloé to go in her place and spend time with her own mother. She really was too selfless. The only time she felt selfish was when she was with Adrien and she could take every emotion from him, along with being spoilt in bed.

Geez, what was her issue? If she didn't sort her dirty mind out they were going to end in a compromising position, right here during her dream. Perhaps that's why the thoughts were there. He's part of her dream too.

As the conversation between Marinette and Audrey continued, Adrien couldn't help but look around the room. He loved being here to support Marinette, but the overpowering feeling was that he was being watched, and he was quite sure he knew who by. Scanning the area nearest to the windows his eyes locked upon another pair and suddenly the warmth Marinette delivered wasn't enough. An icy cold feeling shot down his spine and he felt like an useless adolescent again.

Gabriel Agreste is the one person in a room full of people who could hide in the background. He was very much a predator ready to attack his prey. Adrien had told Marinette he was strong enough to do that too, however standing here now he wasn't so sure. For the first time in almost ten years the Agreste males were face-to-face and all Adrien wanted to do was run.

"Ladies and Gentleman, please be seated and we will bring out the serving platters to your table."

The sounds around them didn't even break the cold glaze between the males. It wasn't until Adrien felt warm lips against his cheek that he began to thaw. He looked down to the small woman who was now wrapping an arm around his waist. She'd realised he needed a warm touch. She could read him better than anyone else.

"We'll have something to eat and then we'll go." She whispered delicately in his ear. Her voice was so soft against the harshness of how he just felt.

"Princess, this is your night -"

"Don't," she interrupted. He noticed her gaze was on his father and the look of disgust between the two of them was fierce. She was a lioness protecting what was hers from the eye and advances of a lion with no pride.

The two made their way to the long table and sat as far from Gabriel and Nathalie as possible. Nathalie looked uncomfortable, you could tell by her body language she didn't feel the same way as Gabriel, to be honest she looked scared and guilty. Almost to the point of embarrassment. As Adrien pulled out the chair for Marinette he noticed one other person come and join the new Agreste family, Lila. Great, that's all they needed, another one to one with the devil. Adrien could see Marinette's shoulders tease and swore he would do whatever it took to keep her safe and away from Lila's harsh words. Marinette on the other hand had her own issues.

She was preparing to battle. There was no way Gabriel would say another berating word to Adrien whilst she was here. She was ready to fight, to be honest she wanted a fight. She wanted to tell that stuck up bastard exactly what she thought of him. She was ready to defend what was hers, knowing he knew nothing about his own son.

"I'll be right back," Marinette stood up as Adrien took the seat next to her.

As she began to walk towards the ladies room Adrien stopped her, grabbing hold of her lower arm and rooting her to the spot.

Stay, his eyes were speaking to her, but there was no way she could hold this in. She'd be quick, she explained back with her eyes.

"Just heading to the ladies room and I'll be right back," Marinette took longer than expected preparing herself in front of the mirror, after a quick lipstick upgrade and a fix of her hair she began to make her way back into the room only to be met with the sound of harsh tones. Realisation dawned and she rushed back to the table. As she reached her seat she noticed the looks of the other attendees around the table, and the uncomfortable situation they've been thrown into.

"What I want to know is why you'd give up all of this to become a teacher? I know you've made some stupid decisions in the past, Adrien, just so you could defy me, but this has got to be the all time greatest!"

Marinette stopped and stationed herself behind Adrien's chair, possessively placing her hands up on his shoulders. She could feel the tension in them as he was subjected to a verbal basing from his father. She had only been gone five minutes, how had this escalated so quickly?

"Father, I -"

"Seriously Adrien, sometimes you can be so selfish! I gave you everything you could possibly want and need, yet you run off to play sword fighting with your Japanese lesbian lover. I'm surprised you didn't come running back with your tail between your legs once she dumped your useless ass."

Gabriel's words had silenced the room. People staring between to the two grown men who were sat at either end of the table. Marinette was yet to move, the tension in Adrien was turning his muscles into solid rock. Marinette gave them a quick squeeze making sure he knew she was still there. She looked over to Nathalie who, with all fairness to her, looked mortified by Gabriel's outburst. Marinette watched as she placed her hand over her husbands wrist, just as Marinette was holding onto Adrien.

"Gabriel, I don't think -" Gabriel moved quickly, knocking his wife's hand from his. The glare he gave her was cold, harsh and unloving. Did this man actually feel anything? As much as she'd love to be an Agreste, being linked to the monster of the man currently belittling her love made her want to offer Adrien the Dupain-Cheng surname.

"Nathalie, this doesn't concern you. This is between me and my disappointment of a son. You had fame, Adrien, you have fans and money, geez you could have been a multimillionaire, but thanks to that leech on your arm you're stuck getting a real job. It's her fault you decided to go for your own idiotic dreams instead of being happy in what I generously gave you."

Adrien sat there completely confused what to say. His father really was a bastard and he would do whatever it took to finally part from the Agreste name. He wanted nothing more to do with his father. Thoughts over ran his mind. Perhaps he could use his mothers name, or maybe even Marinette's. He placed his hand on his pocket, the ring was there. The ring had been with him everyday since he'd brought it. He didn't know when he was going to propose, he had no elaborate plan, however he was sure when the time was right he'd drop and let her know his complete devotion to her.

"Do you not understand how hard it is to get a PhD whilst touring the world? Your son worked day and night to get what he needed to reach his dreams, all whilst training hard enough to win a gold medal at the Olympics. Were you even there supporting him?" Marinette's voice broke Adrien out of his daze. Quickly he moved his hand and placed it over hers. She didn't need to be doing this. It was her first big fashion event and there she was putting her neck on the line and again it was for him.

"I don't believe I was talking to you, Miss Dupain-Cheng."

"I don't care if you weren't. Adrien has worked his ass off to get where he is today and what's more - he did it without you. He did it of his own credit."

The faces around the table began to go one of two ways; either they were more interested in her outburst than Gabriel's or they became very interested in the set up of cutlery currently decorating around their plate. Gabriel let out a snort as Nathalie attempted to move away from him, and Marinette wondered where her new found confidence had arrived from.

"We all know working in the public sector has its own issues, Marinette, forgive me for wanting the best for my son."

"Father, please -" Adrien spoke up before being cut off again by his father.

"Shhh, boy. I'm trying to talk to this young lady. Although I'm not quite sure who she thinks she is." Marinette saw red at Gabriel's words. How dare he?

"I'll tell you who I am. I'm the girl that knows your son better than you do. I'm the girl who puts up with his shitty mood swings, and fucking awful puns. I'm the one who was there for every single one of his fencing tournaments, I'm the one who gathered his friends together at Uncle Fu's and cheered him on in every match regardless of the time difference, celebrating his win with the people who mattered the most to him. I'm also the girl who puts up with his commitment issues thanks to his bastard father who couldn't tie down a boat, let alone a decent wife and family," Marinette quickly looked towards Nathalie, "no offence." Nathalie answered Marinette with a curtsey nod. There wasn't anything she could really say against that, Marinette was right.

Gabriel raised his eyebrows and threaded his long boney fingers together and placing them on top of the table. His eyes had turned to two balls of fire, red hot fire.

"Is that so?" He didn't look amused. It probably didn't help that everyone was now glaring at him waiting for him to respond.

"You have no idea what you have here, Mr Agreste," his name was spoken with such disgust, "you've missed your child's life by trying to make him something he's not. You kept him away from his mother and his friends, even trying to kill them for getting too close."

Sounds of gasped breaths echoed around the room as the audience went back to looking between the two warring sides.

"Marinette, I'm sorry you two feel this way. If I'd known things to be like this I would have put my foot down and stopped it." Nathalie spoke up again, earning a nod from Marinette in acceptance of her words.

Gabriel turned to his most recent wife with his mouth gaped open. How could she betray him like this, and in front of his fellow colleagues?

"I'm sorry for the scene, Madam Bourgeois," Marinette spoke again, her voice still fierce with the wants and needs for the blonde model who still sat under her grasp. "I think we shall be leaving now. Actually, one more thing before we go Gabriel! There will be no more ragging on Adrien. I'm the only one allowed to do that because I can and he loves it."

Marinette took her hand off Adrien's shoulder allowing him to finally stand up again. He was still remaining silent, reminiscent of a lost boy wandering around Neverland. Marinette prayed he wasn't going to kill her after this. She knew she'd pushed a lot of boundaries, especially after everything he'd done to help her get here.

"Thank you all for allowing us to come along and join you all this evening. It's been a lovely day. Audrey, you've been as helpful as always with wonderful hospitality; Nathalie, keep well and maybe we can see you sometime; Gabriel," she made sure to no show any fear as she looked him directly in the eyes, "it's been real."

Marinette threaded her fingers through Adrien's and began to walk him to the door. Just as they made it to their freedom, she stopped and turned around to face everyone again. The silence in the room was deafening, all eyes still open on her, mouths left ajar. She smiled and led Adrien out the door like a rabid lioness.

They both were silent. Neither speaking until they were safely in the elevator and descending to the ground floor. All of a sudden Marinette's legs gave up on her and she began to collapse down the wall. Adrien was straight at her side supporting her, helping her to stand.

"My legs feel like jelly." She giggled, leaning into the strong arms of her lover next to her.

"You were amazing, Marinette." His voice was soft and gentle as he stroked his hand through her hair.

"You're not mad?" She questioned.

"Men always say they don't need saving and that they should be the saviours, but this one did. I needed someone to save me. Thank you, Princess. Thank you so much."

He let his hand rest on the back of her head and she manoeuvred herself in his arms to connect her lips more comfortably to his. It was so soft and gentle, she could have cried for the man currently holding her and expressing his love to her. They pulled away as the elevator signalled there arrival on the ground floor. Both had so much more they needed to say, so much they needed to finally reveal, there was no way the night would be ending quite yet.

"The get away cars outside," Adrien stated, "who do you want to be Thelma or Louise?"