"Wouldn't wool be too hot and itchy?" Spencer asked as he regarded the designs that Marinette showed him in her sketchbook. "I like the idea, but..."

"Merino wool." Marinette answered cheerfully, picking up a sample from off her desk. Well, temporary desk she reminded herself, in Adrien's office. "It's not itchy, is breathable and helps wick away moisture. Warm enough for cool mornings, but cool enough for when the sun gets warmer later in the day which makes it perfect for Autumn, especially if paired with the right kind of sneakers." She looked over to Adrien who grinned at her, giving her an encouraging wink.

Spencer scratched the top of his bald head and moved the designs around the table with the swatch samples Marinette had gathered. He was a portly man with more than a hint of a broad Yorkshire accent in his French. "It would push the price up for an urban wear line though." Marinette nodded in agreement, grabbing a spreadsheet of figures from Adrien and handing it to him

"It would, but not as much as the haute couture line. It is more of a middle ground between that and the streetwear range. Think maybe more young university graduates rather than teenagers. They have their first professional jobs meaning more disposable income for something more expensive, but not enough to drop a few thousand Euros on." Spencer's lips curled up into a grin.

"Gabriel said he thought you would learn fast Marinette, now I can see why." He looked over to Adrien, love and admiration written all over his face. "I'd hang on to this one if I were you Adrien." The blonde slid his arm around his girlfriends back.

"I have every intention too." He beamed, bending his head down to kiss the top of her hair, unaware of footsteps walking through the door behind them.

"I'm glad to hear that Adrien." Gabriel reached out a hand to shake with Spencer. "So how have you all been getting along the last few days while I was in London?"

"Like a house on fire." Spencer said, slapping Adrien on the back and looking up at him. "I still can't get over how big you are now. You know I tailored your first suit when you were just a wee little lad." Spencer said, holding an open hand down about waist height. "You went with your parents to Milan for your first fashion week, you remember that one Gabriel?" Adrien blushed a little as his girlfriend giggled at him. Gabriel nodded, his heart clenching a little at the memory.

"And how have you settled in Marinette? I hope Adrien hasn't been too distracting for you here in the office." It was Marinette's turn to blush this time.

"Of course not Mr Agreste." She said, trying to read his face. If it was one thing that Marinette had learned over time, it was that Gabriel Agreste was a man of few expressions. "We've been very productive and I have so many ideas for this Autumn campaign." She casted her eyes over the desk that looked like she had been there three years, not three days. "I'll be sure to clean up my mess at the end of the week." Gabriel waved his hand around.

"No need for that Marinette." He said in his usual monotone. "I'm sure you will continue to make good use of the space after this week." Adrien stepped excitedly towards his father.

"Does that mean Marinette gets the internship?" To his surprise, his father shook his head.

"No, she won't be starting as an intern." Gabriel replied flatly. Marinette could feel herself physically deflating and Adrien put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You must understand Marinette, in light of your relationship with my son, it would be inappropriate for you to work here as an intern." Marinette nodded her head slowly. She had expected as much, but had clung to the hope that things would have been different.

"Yes, Mr Agreste...I understand." She said quietly,wrapping an arm around herself, but Adrien was shaking his head, feeling affronted on her behalf.

"No. Mari, you can't just...But father..."

"Just a moment Adrien, I haven't finished." Gabriel said with a warning eye for his son's temper to simmer down. Adrien bit his tongue, and slid his arm down to hold his girlfriend around the waist. "She won't be here as an intern because I have much higher aspirations for Marinette, if you feel she is up to the task Spencer?" The portly man nodded.

"I have no doubts at all Gabriel." He said, folding his arms with a toothy grin. "I've seen enough in the last few days to have complete confidence in Marinette and her abilities." Adrien and Marinette looked at each other confused.

"I don't understand Mr Agreste." Marinette said with a quiver in her voice. Gabriel walked over to Marinette and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I want you, Marientte, to work closely with Spencer here. He has been one of my most trusted designers with a wealth of experience. Learn from him, challenge him, and grow your skills as a designer. I have been in contact with the headmistress of one of our top design schools here in Paris. She has agreed to tailor an external degree program so that you can qualify as a designer while on the job, much like Adrien will be doing with his business degree. That is, if you would like the position of course." Marinette was speechless. It was more than she had ever dreamed of. She looked to Adrien whose face was full of pride and love.

"Well Princess, it looks like you're going to be stuck with me in this office." He laughed, picking her up and swinging her around much to Spencer's amusement. When he put her back down she patted his face affectionately before stepping closer to Gabriel.

"Mr Agreste, I'm truly honoured by your faith in me, but I'm not really qualified for such a position." Gabriel shook his head.

"This was, and will always be, a family business. You make my son happy, Marientte. That's all the qualification you need." Marientte became overwhelmed. This wasn't just an endorsement of her skills as a design, but if her and her relationship with Adrien.

"Mr Agreste I..." She couldn't find word as her throat constricted and tears of joy filled her eyes. Instead, she suddenly surged forward and wrapped her arms around Gabriel. The older Agreste was taken aback by the show of affection, but he soon reciprocated as best as he could, patting her hair affectionately.

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you Marinette." He said, holding her back with his hands on her shoulders. "And I have complete faith in you, Adrien and Spencer to guide this company forward when I retire." Adrien's face dropped and a frown between his brows formed.

"But you won't be retiring for years yet, Father. You're not exactly over the hill." Gabriel dropped his hands from Marientte's shoulders and Adrien could see a cloud pass over his father's eyes.

"There are some important things that Nathalie and I would like to talk about with you and Marientte. Perhaps we could talk tonight?" Gabriel didn't show any emotion, but Adrien felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't explain it, but somehow he felt something wasn't right. If he was being honest, he'd felt something hadn't been right for a while now.

"We have a dinner date at six, but we can come after that." Gabriel nodded before leaving the room with Spencer. Marientte could see the confused look on Adrien's face as he watched where his father had exited. She placed her hand in his arm and gave it a light squeeze.

"Are you alright Kitty?" She asked. Adrien looked down at her and took solace in her beautiful eyes.

"I don't know." He said with a sigh and a shrug. "I'm so excited for you Bugaboo and you absolutely deserve this, but..." His eyebrows furrowed again. "Doesn't my father seem to be, I don't know, acting nicer than usual? I mean don't get me wrong, it means the world to me to see him take so much of a liking to you and trusting me more with work outside of modeling, but..." He left the thought hanging for a moment, shaking his head. "Something just seems off." Marinette stepped closer and stood in front of him with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Maybe he and Nathalie are finally going to fess up to us that they are more than "just friends" now." She said with her fingers up in inverted commas. Adrien rolled his eyes at the phrase. "I don't know about you, but I don't believe for one minute those trips to London have been all business." Adrien let out an embarrassed chuckle.

"Yeah, maybe." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. That was a mental picture he really didn't need. "Come on m'lady, let's finish up here and go have dinner." He said more cheerfully, planting what he planned to be just a soft kiss in her lips, but when she gasped and invited his tongue to dance with hers, who was he to refuse his Lady? Their kisses quickly started developing into something more heated. Adrien didn't mind admitting he was completely addicted to kissing Marinette, and he hadn't gotten enough of his fix today.

"Oh break it up you two." The couple was jumped started out of their little bubble as Spencer walked back into the room holding up a pair of sneakers. "Shall we focus on these tongues for now and you can explore each other's later." The two teens shared an embarrassed blush before continuing on with work.

After a quiet, but most enjoyable dinner at a little Thai restaurant, Marinette could see Adrien fidgeting as he drove. He had not long got his license and really had to beg Nathalie to convince his father to let him drive himself around without his bodyguard all the time. It made him feel more normal, and he wanted that with Marinette, to just be himself and not Adrien Agreste - teen heartthrob, but just Adrien, Marinette's (ever doting) boyfriend. Not to mention it allowed their kwamis a bit more freedom in the car too.

A text message popped up on Adrien's phone as he drove. Asking Marientte to see who it was, she said it was Chloé.

"Open it and see what she wants." He decided not to question how Marientte knew his passcode. Reading the text over, Marinette put on her best Chloé impression to read it out.

"Adrikins, are we still on for lunch Friday. Felix will be here by then. I guess you better bring your little girlfriend along so we can talk strategy about you know what for Friday night." Marinette screwed up her nose. "She finished it up with lots of kissy faces."

Adrien scoffed at that. "Typical Chloé." He said, giving Marientte an apologetic smile. "She does try you know, but she can't help being, well, Chloé." Marinette laughed and shook her head.

"I think the fact I was even included could be considered an improvement though don't you think?" Marinette quipped with a smirk. "Should I reply?" Adrien reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss while he still kept his eyes on the road.

"Just say 'we will see you then.' She'll understand that means both of us." He then shot her a side eye. "No kissy faces." He deadpanned and they both cracked up with giggles.

Arriving at the mansion, Adrien nerves kicked back in and he almost had a death grip on Marientte's hand as they walked into the sitting room. Garbriel and Nathalie were already there waiting for them and Adrien couldn't help but notice how thick the air seemed in the room.

"Ah Adrien, Marinette, do sit down." It was Nathalie who spoke while offering them a drink. They both declined the alcohol, but accepted the coffee. Everyone sat in silence for a moment before Gabriel cleared his throat.

"Have you shown Marinette your new apartment yet Adrien?" Gabriel asked.

"Not yet father." Adrien replied, giving his girlfriend a smile. "I wanted to wait until after the painters had gone through first and the carpets cleaned." Although the apartment had been maintained, it had been sorely in need of a freshening up, and Adrien didn't want the place looking less than perfect before taking Marinette there. Gabriel nodded his head, downing the rest of his drink. The shake in his hand as he did so didn't go unnoticed.

"There is no rush. Don't think I'm kicking you out of your home here Adrien." The blonde shifted uncomfortably. He never really felt like the mansion was much of a home. The bakery was a home, Marinette was home, this was a house, a place to live, but never a home.

"I would like to move the piano there though if I may?" Adrien asked. His father nodded.

"Yes, of course. It's yours to do with as you wish." A silence passed over the group. The feeling of an elephant in the room was growing stronger as the evening went on. More than once, both Adrien and Marinette had noticed Nathalie looking expectantly at Gabriel. She seemed on edge, like she was waiting for the floor to fall out from under her.

"Father, what's this meeting really about?" Adrien asked, shifting forward in his seat. Gabriel moved his gaze over to Nathalie who reached a hand out, placing it on his and entwining their fingers. Gabriel nodded to her and swallowed hard.

"You may have guessed that over recent months, Nathalie and I have become quite close." He gave a small smile, giving her hand a light pat. Adrien gave them both a wide smile.

"I'm so happy to hear that father." He gushed. "I told you once before that I always regarded Nathalie as family." Gabriel nodded, but his face remained solemn.

"I knew you held no objections. It was difficult for me to move on from your mother, but Nathalie has been patient enough, and I owe it to her to give her more of the life she deserved." He picked Nathalie's hand up and kissed the back of it. Adrien had never seen his father show that much affection to anyone and he found it heartwarming to see his father could show a more sensitive side. "I will be retiring soon and Nathalie and I will be moving to the country. I plan on selling this house and renting out rooms at Chateau Rosalie from Lady Charlotte. That was one of the reasons I gave you your mother's old apartment now and not later. I intend to pass the company over to the two of you. By the time you are both 21, you will have full control." Adrien saw the way his father tightened his hold on Nathalie's hand as he spoke. Looking closer he now could also see the hollowed look in his father's grey eyes and how his hair seemed to have been thinner. That knot from earlier had again returned in his stomach. The way his father looked reminded him of his mother before...

"Father." Adrien said gently, his voice strained. "Please tell me what's wrong." It was almost painfully pleading the sound of his voice, and it made the task even harder for Gabriel to talk.

"It's leukaemia." He finally said. The room went very still. Marinette felt Adrien's fingers tighten around hers before Gabriel continued. "I know I should have told you earlier, but...well...it is what it is." Adrien kept his eyes lowered on his hand joined to Marinette's. She was rubbing her thumb up and down the back of his hand.

"Have, um, you known for long?" He couldn't meet his father's gaze.

"I've been having treatments in London with Doctor Espére. He is confident in his treatment plan, but I may only have 5 years or so and I need to start making steps in regards to you and the company before I become too ill to do so." Adrien felt somewhat jarred by Gabriel's matter of fact way of saying things, although he probably shouldn't have been surprised. Like this was just some kind of inconvenient bump in the road. He could feel Plagg patting him under his shirt, trying to calm Adrien's accelerated heart rate.

"Oh." Was all the response Adrien could muster. Another silence fell over the room before Adrien managed to speak again. "He's a good doctor is he? I mean, it's a long way to go to London isn't it?"

"Yes, quite good." Gabriel answered. "He...also cared for your mother." Adrien lifted his misting eyes towards his father's. He heard Nathalie gasp Gabriel's name.

"My...my mother?" He asked bewildered. Nathalie shot a glare at Gabriel, but he chose to ignore it. He'd opened pandora's box now, and he wasn't backing out. Schooling his features, Gabriel began to tell Adrien about his mother's cancer and the search they had made in order to find a cure. He mentioned travelling to Tibet, but left out any mention of the Miraculous. He wasn't ready himself to divulge all his secrets, but in light of his own mortality he figured he might as well confirm what Adrien had suspected, that his mother was dead. Nathalie watched the conversation with concern. She didn't like the fact Gabriel had chosen now to tell Adrien about Emilie, feeling that the information overload would be too much for him, especially with Gabriel's own diagnosis. She looked at the blonde who sat motionless, eyes wide and knew that she was right. It pained her to see him as the information sunk in.

Marinette held Adrien's hand between her own. She could feel the tremble of his fingers as Gabriel talked. A single tear streaked down his face and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the warmth of her hand in his and the vibration of Plagg against his chest.

"Where is she now?" He asked, his voice conveying the shock he was clearly in. Looking at how broken his son looked, Gabriel realised he had made a mistake here. Not to mention the fact that Emilie's cremation had not yet been done, and the last thing Gabriel wanted was for Adrien to see his mother in her current ashen grey state with blue lips and fingers. The sight of that might break him and Gabriel wanted his son to remember his mother as the woman she was, not how she ended up.

"I have her ashes in a safe place." He said hastily, hoping Nathalie would be the only one to detect the lie. "When the time is right, you may have her interned into a columbarium." To Gabriel's relief, Adrien accepted that and didn't ask any further about his mother. Gabriel pushed his glasses back up his nose and poured himself another drink.

Adrien was trying to process everything that had been told to him. His father had cancer and may die in the next five years. He wasn't sure how he even felt about that. He and his father had not been particularly close, but he was still his father with a future to look forward to with Nathalie. His mother is dead, for how long he didn't know. It didn't matter really, she wasn't coming back. He had resigned himself to that idea long ago, but hearing it hit his heart harder than he ever thought it would. She missed him growing up, he will never get to introduce her to Marinette, or see them married, or hold her grandchildren, or...

"May I be excused now father." Adrien asked quietly, sounding so much like a small child it broke Marientte's heart. He looked pale, and his breathing had become shallow. He made eye contact with her and she could read the unspoken words in his eyes - stay with me.

"Yes, of course." Gabriel replied, downing his drink in one gulp. Adrien, ever the gentleman, helped Marinette to stand before the two of them left hand in hand from the room. As they left Marientte heard Nathalie's stern voice break through the silence.

"Damn it Gabriel. You could have handled that a whole lot better." But they didn't wait around to hear his reply.

No sooner had they gotten into Adrien's room than he collapsed into Marinette's arms and they fell together onto the floor. The tears he had been holding back now flowing freely. He wasn't even sure what upset him more, the fact that his, until recently, cold and distant father was going to die in a few years or the knowledge that his missing mother was already dead. Deep down he had known that, but hearing it confirmed brought up a well of emotion he had tried to suppress for so long. There was another, unexpected feeling though, guilt. Guilt that he cared more about his mother, guilt that he hadn't asked more questions before, guilt that he felt confused about how he should feel about his father's illness and relationship with Nathalie.

Marinette didn't say anything, but held him close to her, rubbing his back until his tears began to subside. How long they sat on the floor like that, Marinette didn't know, but she had no intention of moving, rubbing his back and rocking him. Plagg was on his shoulder purring to help calm him down. Tikki handed him up a tissue, which he took gratefully. "You should go home Princess." Adrien finally said, wiping his eyes and nose. "It's late and I'll get my bodyguard to..."

"I'm not leaving you alone tonight." She said firmly, letting go just enough to hold his face in her hands. "A wild akuma couldn't drag me away from here." She swept his bangs away and gently kissed him on the forehead. "Now you go into that bathroom, have a warm shower and clean yourself up and we can snuggle up on your bed and watch a movie, okay." Adrien looked up into her eyes. She had that Ladybug look on her face, taking control and telling him what to do.

"But your parents? And you don't have anything with you?" She placed a finger over his lips.

"My parents would agree with me and don't worry, I'm sure I can sort myself out. I've crashed unexpectedly at Alya's place more than once." She cupped his face in her hands and gave him a chase kiss on the lips. She could taste the salt from his tears, but he was a lot calmer now.

"Okay m'lady." He said with a weak smile. He really didn't want her to go anyway. Gently he ran his fingers down her face. "You've kept me grounded in so many ways over the years, both as Chat and myself, more than I think you even knew. You're my guiding light, Marinette, my North Star - bright and constant, never changing, never wavering, lighting my way home." Marinette melted into him as he brought his lips back to hers. He knew everything would be alright, as long as she was there.

Parting breathless, Marinette gave him a playful bop on the nose. "Now, go get into that bathroom and sort yourself out." He gave her a small shake of the head.

"I want you to have a shower first, I can wait." Marinette had to smile. Even though he was hurting, he still felt the need to have to take care of her first, so she let him have that.

When she came out of the shower, she had on one of Adrien's t-shirts that hung like a bed shirt on her. Adrien was sitting on the edge of his bed talking with Plagg and Tikki and wasn't immediately aware she had come out of the bathroom. In his hand she saw he was holding her lucky charm bracelet. She walked over to him and he reached out, hugging his arms around her where he sat, his head resting against her stomach. Marientte ran her fingers through his hair and he snuggled more into her, the two kwamis slipping away to find their own quiet corner.

"I rang home." Marientte said as she continued to card her fingers through his thick blonde locks. "Mama said if you need anything, they are here for you and if you like, papa said he can show you how to make your favourite cinnamon and vanilla cupcakes."

"You're wonderful." He mumbled against her (his) shirt. "Your whole family is wonderful." He looked up at her, life returning to his eyes again. "I don't deserve you." Marinette sat down on the bed beside him, his hands held in hers.

"Don't say that Kitty." She said firmly, looking into his eyes. "Don't ever think you are undeserving of anything. You put yourself between me and danger more times than I ever want to think of. Let me do the same for you" She leant in to kiss him when a knock came to the door and it tentatively opened.

"It's alright Nathalie, you can come in." Adrien called out, kissing Marientte's cheek and standing up to see Nathalie.

Both Adrien and Marinette saw the distress in Nathalie's face as she entered the room, wringing her hands and avoiding eye contact. "I just wanted to apologise Adrien." She began, darting her eyes away from his. She looked like she had been crying too. "This was not how tonight was meant to go at all and I never want to bring you more hurt and..." She was cut off by Adrien rushing in and hugging her.

"You don't have to apologise. I'm not angry at you Nathalie, I'm not really angry at my father. I'm just upset and overwhelmed right now." He said. Stepping back he held both his hands on her shoulders. He was quite a bit taller than Nathalie now, and she had to look up at him.

"Adrien, please believe me when I tell you that I'm not trying to replace your mother. No one more than I wishes she could have been saved." She swallowed back her own tears. "I would have given anything to save her, I would have..."

"Hey, it's alright." Adrien interjected. "I never thought you were trying to replace my mother, and I wouldn't want you too." Nathalie looked away and Adrien crouched down a little to catch her eye. "I wouldn't want you too because you are you, Nathalie, and I love you for who you are. You have done so much for me and if you are happy, then I'm happy." Nathalie finally allowed herself to smile.

"Thank you Adrien." She said with genuine affection. "And don't worry about your father, I'll take good care of him." Adrien bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

"I know you will." He said, holding her hands together in his. "Please tell my father I'm not angry at him, I just need a day or two."

"That's understandable." Nathalie affirmed. "Take tomorrow off. I'll cover for you. Do you still want to attend the Bourgois event on Friday night? I can cancel if you like."

"No, no, I'm fine to go." He reassured, not that he could tell Nathalie what they were really planning for that night. "Besides, it's Mari's first big event. I wouldn't want her to miss out." He turned to his girlfriend and smiled, a much brighter smile than before and Marinette could see he was already feeling better.

Up until that point, Nathalie hadn't even noticed Marinette was still there. Now she took in the fact that Marinette's hair was wet and she was in one of Adrien's old shirts. "I take it you're staying for the night Marinette?" She asked. There was nothing judgemental in the way she spoke. Marinette just nodded, a little unsure as to how she might react, but she was surprised to see a small smile on Nathalie's face. "Very well. I'll tell the chef to make extra in the morning and send it to your room." Adrien thanked her as she left.

Taking his Lady's advice, Adrien washed the day away in the shower. He still felt that there was more than his father was telling him, and he certainly had questions in regards to his mother, but he couldn't face it. Like the safety deposit box in Zurich, he just didn't want to know about it right now, not with everything else that was going on, so he pushed it to the back of his mind and compatmentised it like he often did with things he couldn't control as he washed his hair.

Feeling much more refreshed he came out to find Marinette sitting up on his bed with both kwamis in her lap. She was gently scratching the back of Plagg's ears and he was purring contently. Adrien slipped into the bed beside her, moving the laptop she was watching a movie on and cuddling up to her. Plagg popped one eye open and gave Adrien a toothy grin.

"Traitor." Adrien mumbled at the black cat, wrapping his arms around Marinette's waist. Plagg chuckled at him, closing his eyes and snuggling into Tikki.

"Are you being a jealous Kitty?" Marinette mused.

"Maybe." Adrien grubled, holding her tighter. Marinette laughed and moved her hand from Plagg's head to Adrien's.

"Feeling better?" She asked, her voice gentle and soothing. "Can I get you anything?" She shook his head next to her.

"I'm all good, as long as you're here." He replied with his eyes closed and his head on her chest. She was warm and soft, her steady heartbeat and breathing regulating his own. It wasn't long before he was sound asleep.