Chapter 15: Home After the War

                                    

                                          
      Adrien awoke feeling groggier than usual. He blinked his tired eyes, still unable to see, and went to rub the crust from his eyes, but when he did, he felt hair on his hand that wasn't his. 
      His eyes parted wide open and he looked down and saw Marinette's head.
      "Holy shit!" he whisper-shouted in his coarse morning voice.
      "Hrng?"
      Marinette heard him in her sleep and broke away from her dreams. She looked up with tired eyes, and after a few seconds, and became abruptly aware of her surroundings. They made eye contact with wide eyes and red cheeks.
      "Um, wantmetotakeyouhome?"
      'Smooth, Adrian.'
      "Ah...yeah. I'll just find Tikki, a-a-and we can goooo..."
      'Why? Why? Why? Why?'
      "Uh, Marinette?"
      "Yes, Adrian?"
      "...you're on my arm."
      "Sorry!"
      Marinette went to scoot away from Adrian and off of his arm, but rolled right off the bed and hit her head in the same spot she did the morning before, but winced in pain and skipped fainting again.
      "Mari! Are you-"
      "I'm fine! Just get your cat suit on!"
      'Fantastic Marinette. Can't even quit while you're ahead anymore. Go big or go home!'
      Adrian, sparing Marinette any further embarrassment, left the bedroom and went into the guest room where the kwamis were congregated, and took Plagg and Tikki with him. When he returned to his room, Marinette was on her feet, but rubbing the bump on her head with a pained look on her face.
      "Hey, I should be fine. I just really need to get home."
      "Alright. Just take care of yourself. Transform! Black Cat!"
      Almost instinctively, Marinette took Black Cat's hand and walked out with him. They went downstairs to the foyer, where Cat made judgmental eye contact with Natalie from the dining room. Cat's face became as red as the streak in Natalie's hair.
      "Hey, Natalie. I'm taking Marinette home. Be back soon. BYE!"
      Cat rushed down stairs, Marinette still in hand and went outside to the courtyard. He took his staff from his new belt, and extended it in his free hand.
      "Okay, Mari. Get on my back and hold on tight."
      "Okay."
      Cat made it through Paris with his staff like he'd done a thousand times, but with Marinette on his back this time. Marinette held on even tighter, and pressed her cheek into Cat's back and buried her chin in her own shoulder.
      "You okay, Princess? We can go on foot."
      "No, no, I'm fine. This is nice, actually."
      "As you wish."
      When the couple made it to Marinette's house and family baker, a large poster was mounted on the front door. It read 'CLOSED INDEFINITELY. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON MARINETTE, PLEASE CONTACT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.'
      "They already closed because of me?"
      Cat put a paw on Marinette's shoulder.
      "Hey, it just means they love you. You'd do the same for them."
      "...I guess you're right."
      Marinette knocked on the door. No answer. Cat knocked on the door louder, and more firmly, and two solemn faces greeted Cat, but two gracious and relieved faces greeted Marinette. Marinette's parents pulled her into an air-tight hug, and they all began to tear up, including Cat, who was quietly watching.
      "Oh, my darling Marinette! After the attack, you were no where to be seen and we feared the worst!"
      "No, mom. I'm okay. I...I..."
      "After I arrested Hawkmoth, I found her in his lair. I waited for her to wake up, and when she came to her senses, I brought her home."
      Mrs. Dupain-Cheng kept her arms around Marinette, but Mr. Dupain sauntered to Cat, and put a firm on his shoulder.
      "Thank you, my boy. I can never repay you for this."
      He pulled Cat into a tight hug.
      "You're welcome, sir, and no need. This is more than enough."
      Breaking away from Marinette, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng spoke to Cat.
      "Would you like to stay for dinner?"
      "Oh, I couldn't possibly-"
      "Please?"
      Cat fell victim to Marinette's doe eyes again.
      "Okay, but I can't stay stay. Can I come back and eat then?"
      "Of course. It's barely noon. Would you join us at 6:00?"
      "I'd be more than glad too. Until then, ADIEU!"
      Cat sprang into the rooftops of Paris and disappeared before the Dupain-Chen family's eyes. Marinette went though a slew of questions from her parents before even making it into her bedroom and finally getting out of her pajamas. 
      She put on a forest green shirt and a black skirt in anticipation of Cat's visit. She topped her outfit off with green thigh high socks with pink paw prints at the knee, and black flats. She tied up her hair into a single ponytail secured with a green ribbon with golden bells. It was 12:30 when she got dressed and found her phone. She was greeted by 84 messages and 12 missed calls, all from Alyssa. She read every text, opened every voice mail, and made an hour long phone call complete with pressing questions and an audio recorded interview. After all this, she still had one message left that she received recently while she was talking to Alta. It was from Adrien.
      'Duusu spoke with the others last night while we were asleep. She told them what really happened to my mother.'
      Marinette's heart quickened and replied, awaiting an answer that wasn't really hers to pry for.
      'I'm sorry. Are you okay? You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to.'
      'You don't understand.'
      Marinette held her breath.
      'My father is responsible.'
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FIN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~