[Narrator's POV]

The party has already started by the time Marinette, Alya and Chloe make their way downstairs.

"How is it that we're the closest, literally inside the venue, and yet we are the last to arrive?" Alya questions.

"It's called being fashionably late." Chloe answers. "Now we get to have a dramatic movie moment walking down the stairs."

And Chloe was right. As the three girls made their way down the stairs, most of the heads in the room turned. Fashion designers whispered amongst themselves, debating what brand Marinette could be wearing. Some of the female models scoffed as the boys goggled at the newcomers, but they already had dates of their own. Two gentlemen wait at the bottom of the stairs, smiling up at their girlfriends. Both Nino and Adrien are wearing suits without the jacket but while Adrien's tie is plain black, Nino's is a dark green. Chloe frowns slightly, wondering where the third one is...

"Babe," Is all Nino can say as Alya steps up to him.

Alya giggles. "You look good, Nino."

Nino smiles, blushing a little. "And you look stunning."

Adrien bows and kisses Marinette's hand. "You look beautiful, princess."

Marinette smiles and yanks Adrien up by the hand so she can kiss him on the lips. Chloe's eyes shift from the two couples to look around the room. Her heart sinks a little when Nathaniel is nowhere to be seen.

"They have some seriously expensive cuisine here," Nino tells Alya. "I suggest you eat it while you can. It tastes heavenly."

Alya smirks. "I lined my purse with plastic so that we could stock up."

"Oh my god the perfect woman!" Nino says.

And with that, Alya grabs Nino's hand and pulls him off towards the food table.

"They haven't taken their eyes of your dress since you got here. It's only a matter of time before someone approaches you." Adrien says, referring to the fashion designers. "Shall we go mingle?"

Marinette loops her arm around Adrien's and allows him to lead her off into the crowd.

Chloe sighs. "Okay...surely it can't be that hard to find that flaming redhead. He's got to be here somewhere..."

Sure enough, as soon as Marinette and Adrien walk forward, a group of men and women alike approach them.

"Sorry to disturb you young lady, but we were just having a little troubled debate as to who you are wearing." Says one of the women. "An exotic Chinese designer, no doubt."

The man beside her shakes his head. "I told you, though the style is unique and clearly inspired by traditional Chinese clothing, I know for sure that this dress was made with French hands."

"How would you know that?" The woman challenges.

"It's a designer's gut feeling!" The man answers proudly.

One of the other, younger ladies sighs. "Do stop bickering you two. The poor girl can't get a word in."

The small group of people all turn to face Marinette.

"You're both right." Marinette says. "You're asking whose name I'm wearing? It's Dupain-Cheng."

"A hyphenated French-Chinese name...I'm afraid I've never heard of it." Says an old man.

Adrien smiles proudly. "Allow me to introduce my very talented princess, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She designed and made this dress all on her own."

Marinette giggles at the gawked expressions of the designers.

"You made that dress yourself? And only a teenager too! You have some extraordinary talent." Says a man.

"Yes, she does. She also made that feathered derby hat featured in my father's spring collection two years ago, as well as many other things." Adrien boasts. "If you ask me, her sketchbook belongs in the Louvre."

The young lady clicks her fingers. "Yes, yes, I know her now—She designed Jagged Stone's top-selling album!"

Amazed gasps and mutters break out.

"As expected of Adrien Agreste. Those two would be a power couple in this industry."

"An exotic Chinese designer indeed! Your style is so unique, I must have you!"

"She's not a collectable China doll. She's a genius—a prodigy! I would sign her for my company."

And so come the offers,

"How would you like to come work for me?"

"Here's my business card. Give me a ring once you've graduated."

"I'll offer you an internship right now."

Adrien smiles giddily to himself.

"You're having way too much fun." Marinette whispers playfully.

"Is it so bad of me to want to show off how amazing my girlfriend is?" Adrien replies.

"Fools, all of you!" The old man speaks up. "Ms Dupain-Cheng shouldn't work for anyone. This girl has the talent to start a business all on her own."

"Thank you very much sir. All of you, I'm very flattered." Marinette says happily as she puts away the stack of business cards she had collected in her purse.

A firm voice clears their throat. "I hope you are all enjoying the party. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a word with my son and his partner."

Marinette's blood runs cold, her smile slowly fading. All of the designers mutter in disappointment as they walk away.

"Ah man, of course Gabriel Agreste would have first dibs."

"It's only fitting. If she were to marry his son she would make a fine successor for his business."

"Still, don't you think she has a little too much personality for Gabriel's brand?"

"Yes, it'd be a shame not to see that style develop into its own label."

Marinette's heart is pounding as she and Adrien turn to face his father. She can feel Adrien tensing up. The moment Marinette looks up into those grey-blue eyes, she is met with a wave of unwanted memories. This is her first time being face to face with Gabriel Agreste since her defeat of Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth, the cruel villain who had akumatized both her and her beloved Adrien. Hawkmoth, who had beaten her down, nearly killed Adrien and put her in a coma for a month. Hawkmoth, the man standing right in front of her. The man who knows her secret identity, her greatest weakness. The one who once threatened her life and still has the power to destroy it...Marinette can't help but cower in fear. She unconsciously tightens her grip on Adrien's arm. Though she tells Adrien time and time again to forgive his father, Marinette only now realises how daunting it is to stand before him. His presence is all so confronting. Any happiness she was just experiencing has been drained away by her past trauma.

Gabriel surveys Marinette closely. He is no doubt finding it hard not to see her as Ladybug. Just as he will never speak Cat Noir's name, Gabriel finds it uncomfortable to acknowledge the girl as 'Marinette'. But, he is determined to get acquainted with the civilian that his son has fallen in love with.

"I am dating Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a talented designer. She far more than ladybug, she is an intelligent and compassionate girl who I have fallen in love with." Adrien had declared to his father.

If Gabriel wants to be seen past Hawkmoth then perhaps he should make an effort to see past Ladybug.

Gabriel takes a deep breath and holds out his hand. "Ms Dupain-Cheng, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Gabriel Agreste, Adrien's father, and nothing more...because there is nothing more that I could hope for."

Adrien looks up at his father in surprise. Marinette tries to calm herself to give Gabriel a firm handshake. This is the first time she has had to formally introduce her secret identity to someone who knew Ladybug first, it's strange and nerve-wracking.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." She says. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir."

"Yes, well, I would have liked to speak to you alone..." Gabriel looks to Adrien. "But I'm guessing you won't allow that?"

Adrien locks eyes with his father sternly and pulls Marinette closer.

"As expected..." Gabriel turns back to Marinette. "Then, I'll say my thanks here. You not only saved my son's life...you saved mine too. I owe you everything for what you've done for this family. I can see why my son likes you, you truly are a very strong and compassionate young lady, far more than I. I thank you for always caring for Adrien unlike I ever could, and I would be lucky to call you my daughter in law someday, though I understand if you could never acknowledge me as any sort of father." Gabriel looks at Adrien sadly, his son who has rejected him, before clearing his throat and continuing. "It is true that you have extraordinary talent. I would be happy to offer you a job at Paris' most famous fashion design company."

"Are you trying to bribe her?" Adrien says angrily. "I thought I told you that you don't deserve to be acquainted with Mari—"

"Adrien." Marinette interrupts. Adrien settles down to look at Marinette, who smiles reassuringly. "It's okay." She says softly before turning to Gabriel. "I'm not interested in your offer, Gabriel."

"It was not my intention to bribe you, I hope you know." Gabriel says honestly.

"I know, but even so...I'm strong and talented, as you say. I can make it on my own." Marinette replies. "I don't want to take a short cut to the top just because you feel as though you owe Marinette, or because you feel guilty over what you did to Ladybug."

Gabriel flinches at Marinette's casual name drop.

"I've received a lot of offers today already. I'll take up experience here and there, but the ultimate goal is to create my own brand." Marinette finishes.

Gabriel looks surprised by Marinette's words, or at least as surprised as his emotionless face can get. Any person in this ballroom would kill for the position he just offered her, and she declined him flat out. Adrien seems amused by his father's bewilderment. He has certainly underestimated Adrien's princess.

Gabriel readjusts his collar as he composes himself. "I understand. Well then, I wish you the best of luck."

Adrien smiles at Marinette complacently. "Why don't you start heading over to the banquet, I'll join you in a minute."

"Okay," Marinette give Adrien a kiss on the check for good luck before walking away.

A moment of silence passes before Gabriel speaks up. "She certainly is something...I approve of you seeing her."

"I don't remember asking for your approval." Adrien cuts in.

Gabriel sighs. "Adrien, please, let's not be hostile. Not here, at least—"

"Marinette is the only reason I'm here." Adrien says. "She is a good person, you have no idea how amazing she is. It certainly amazes me how she can still have faith in you after all you did to her. She is the one convincing me to forgive you, to give you another chance. So yeah, you better approve, because without her you don't have me."

"Will you be holding onto this grudge forever?" Gabriel questions. "I've done all I can, Adrien."

Adrien scoffs. "You just don't get it, do you? I've already forgiven you for the evil you became. Though you dealt with it the wrong way, I understand your pain, your grief and your sadness. You know I do, you akumatized me over it."

"Then why—" Gabriel starts.

"Because you hurt her." Adrien says, tears stinging at the back of his eyes. "I had to sit beside her hospital bed for a month dealing with that same pain, grief and sadness, wondering if she would ever wake up. You flaunt your money and your power by paying for her bills and offering her a job because even after all this you still don't get it. You are too obnoxious to realise that she is already above you. You should be crawling on your hands and knees, begging for forgiveness. The reason I hold my grudge against you is because you still haven't apologised for it!"

That's it. The simplicity that Gabriel had missed. The man too distracted by money and power to understand things like human relationships and feelings. He has been trying to put the past behind them when all Adrien wants is for him to acknowledge it. Acknowledge the pain he has caused and say sorry like a caring father.

"Then I apologise, Adrien." Gabriel tries.

Adrien shakes his head. "Apologise to her first." He says before walking off.

.

"He should have left school by now." Chloe says impatiently as she dials Nathaniel's number.

Chloe has searched the room at least three times to no avail...She is beginning to fear that she has been stood up. Unfortunately, rejection is one of the very few emotions that she is familiar with.

"This is Nathaniel's phone but I'm busy right now, so, uh, y-yeah..."

Beeeeeeeep!

Chloe lowers her phone and stares at Nathaniel's contact sadly. A familiar loneliness aches in her chest. She really thought she had been successful in reaching out to someone.

"This is what happens when you actually have a heart...it hurts all the time." Chloe says, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Nino!" Alya gasps horridly.

Chloe looks up to see Alya and Nino standing not too far away...but something is wrong.

"I just got a crime notification from my blog." Alya says. "O-Our school...our classmates."

Chloe's heart pounds fearfully.

"Calm down, what is it?" Nino asks, gripping Alya's shoulders.

"I don't know, some sort of terrorist attack? Our friends have been taken hostage!" Alya says frantically. "I-I'm sorry Nino, I have to go!"

"Wait, Alya!" Nino calls out as Alya runs away.

Chloe's eyes widen in terror. Her body immediately moves on its own, sprinting towards the exit.

Nathaniel!