Summary:

The final chapter is here. Against many requests, this is not ending happy. This will end with angst. This chapter contains: Miscarriage and Mild Language.

Notes:

The final chapter is here. Against many requests, this is not ending happy. This will end with angst and while it's not exactly how I imagined it scene for scene, this is how I always intended to end this. Thank you for your support. I have a few fluffy prompts to work on after this.

NINE YEARS LATER/ADULT CHAT'S TIME LINE

When Chat arrived back at their apartment, he wasn't surprised to find Marinette gone. He had, after all, left her for nearly three days. He released his transformation as Plagg scurried to the pantry for his rancid cheese. Adrien pulled his phone from his back pocket and thumbed it back to life. He was greeted with his home screen of Marinette and him on their wedding day. He offered the professional picture a smile before he cleared days' worth of missed notifications and called his wife. He frowned when it went immediately to voicemail. He tried Alya figuring the two were together.

His call was answered on the second ring. "Where the hell have you been, Agreste?"

Adrien's scowl deepened. "Is Marinette with you?"

He heard movement on the other end and the soft voice of Marinette in the background. "Yes. And she wants to talk to you." His heart pounded in his chest as there was more shuffling as Alya supposedly handed Marinette the phone while the former grumbled and cursed him.

"Kitty?" Marinette breathed.

His knees buckled and Adrien heavily sat on their bed. "Bugaboo, I'm so sorry-"

"Something's wrong with Emma."

His throat constricted and the phone quivered in his shaking hand. Was he too late? "Where are you," he demanded as he stood and strode towards the bedroom door. Plagg sensed his charge's urgency and appeared before him. Marinette rattled off the hospital room number and elevator locations before Adrien cut her off.

"I'm on my way."

He disconnected the call and locked eyes with Plagg. The cat god frowned before he was summoned into the Miraculous stone.

XXX

Sitting in the uncomfortable visitor's chair, Adrien hunched over Marinette's prone form; one of her hands were tightly gripped in both of his. She blinked up at him as the doctor read over the results of the latest ultrasound. Alya had left the room when Adrien had first arrived, stating she was too pissed off to even look at him. Now, as Marinette's heart monitor beeped in chorus with the doctor's pitiful voice and the whooshing warbles of the ultrasound, Adrien wished the reporter had stayed.

He needed someone to yell and hit him.

"The stress was just too much. Marinette's heart rate and blood pressure sky rocketed. Her body was trying so hard to keep up that Emma was a secondary factor."

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut in the looming pause before the doctor dropped the bomb.

"I'm sorry, M and Mme Agreste, but sometimes these things happen. I can have the nurse provide information on a local adoption agency if you two desire children as I don't advise trying naturally or otherwise again."

Marinette's strained sob wretched his eyes open. She clutched a hand to her mouth as she shook her head in denial. "I'm sorry, Adrien."

He shook his head, tears leaking from his eyes. "No, Mari…"

The doctor snapped off the ultrasound. The nurse stepped forward with tissues to clean off the gel from Marinette's swollen belly before replacing her gown. "We'll leave you two alone for a few moments. Someone will be in soon to schedule the operation." The nurse whispered to Adrien before securing the ultrasound machine and wheeling it towards the door. The doctor typed a final note on his laptop before offering his apologies once more and following the nurse.

Once the door clicked shut, Marinette filled Adrien in. When he had arrived, there had not been much time to talk before Marinette's final ultrasound was to be performed. The preliminary tests performed the day before had not been promising. Emma's vitals had not been good and Marinette's spotting had increased since her admission. They had hoped that by bringing Marinette's blood pressure down, Emma would be ok.

It hadn't worked.

"When I realized where you had gone," Marinette warbled. "I tried to stay calm. But I wanted to remember it, y'know? It was so hard, though. The more I focused, the more my memories shifted like some aspects had changed. And then I started getting anxious and well…" She trailed off, her fingers tracing over her swollen belly out of habit.

Adrien swallowed thickly. "We'll get through this, My Lady." He lowered her hand back to her side and stood. His joints cracked from his stiff posture. Wiping away her tears with his thumb, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Have you spoken to Tom and Sabine?"

Marinette nodded. "They were here yesterday. Alya forced them to go home late last night." She swallowed thickly and closed her eyes. "I can't tell them just yet…"

Adrien stroked her hair from her face, peeling a few strands away from the tears that glued them to her cheeks. "I'll take care of everything, Princess. Just rest."

She clutched his hands to her cheek. "Stay with me. Please don't leave me again."

That was the only time Adrien denied his love anything.

XXX

Gabriel Agreste was being held under maximum security. Adrien had not seen him since the final battle years ago. He was not surprised by the inspections he received before he was granted time with his father.

Adrien sat in what he assumed was an interrogation room. The room was furnished minimally with only two chairs, a table, and a naked light bulb. Behind him, was a mirror that he knew would grant security access to the Agreste men's conversation.

Plagg nipped at his chest from his pocket. "Kid, this is a stupid idea. You should be with Marinette. Not here with this psycho."

Adrien locked his jaw and refused to answer the kwami; his jade eyes locked on the door for any sign of it opening. And he was rewarded. The knob twisted and two guards escorted his father inside. Adrien fought back an eye roll at seeing his father shackled hand and foot. Though, the ghastly orange suit his father was forced to wear brought a smug happiness to Adrien.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

Once Gabriel had been seated, the guards gave Adrien a final warning that they would be in the room beside them and the men would be monitored before departing with a firm click of the door.

Gabriel blinked uninterestedly at his son. "To what do I owe the honor, Chat Noir?"

Adrien scoffed and leaned forward. His Chat persona coming out in full force. "It's Chat Blanc now, Hawk Moth. And I'm here for the spell."

And Gabriel did something Adrien had not seen since he was thirteen years old. Gabriel smiled at him with pride.

"My son…"

Adrien had finally won his father's affections.