Chapter 8

After that first time in court, the days skipped by in a blur and Gabriel couldn't believe it. Every day he sat at his desk staring at the calendar where that fateful Wednesday was circled in red ink. That was the day that this whole nightmare ceased to be.

One way or the other.

His hands trembled as he attempted to sketch to take his mind off of things. He was so grateful for Nathalie, handing all of the mundane aspects of his business while he cowered away uselessly in his office, turning over every heartbreaking scenario in his mind.

Ask him.

So simple. So terrifying.

It had been ages since he last knew what Adrien truly wanted, and he hadn't realized this with more clarity than this past week. Despite the reassuring words of Adrien's loyal classmates, he hesitated to fully embrace the joy they felt. Would Adrien even care? Would he want to come home? He loved being with his grandparents, who doted on him as any grandparent should. As any parent should.

He rubbed his eyes again, sending his glasses askew on his face. He couldn't think straight. His traitorous mind waffled between dread and elation at the upcoming trial. He wanted it to be over. He wanted his son back.

But did his son want to come back?

Before he knew it, he stood on the steps of the courthouse again, staring up at the doors that would seal his fate. He arrived unscathed this time – no unfortunate encounters with flyaway pastries. He found a seat in the courtroom and did a quick scan of the people, noting the gaggle of Adrien's friends near the back... and Adrien himself, seated in the front row. He tried to catch his eye, but Adrien wasn't looking around. He stared at the ground, forlorn and despondent.

What did that mean?

The judge entered and Gabriel took a long moment to study her. She was dark skinned with no-nonsense brown eyes that promised unyielding judgment. He hoped she was one of the fair ones the teenagers talked about. Knowing the resourcefulness of the kids – that one girl especially – he felt more than confident in their abilities. Still, he glanced back to gauge their responses.

The pigtailed girl bumped fists with her blogger friend. Both grinned at the mayor's daughter. Good news, then. She glanced around and caught his eye. Her smile widened and she flashed him a thumbs up. He almost smiled in return, but couldn't even force out a small one because of his growing anxiety. He settled for a polite nod. She beamed at him in response, undeterred by his stoic answer.

"I'm Judge Zoé Vertueux," the judge declared, folding her hands and casting her gaze around the room, settling upon him. A shiver of apprehension ran through him. "I'll be presiding over your case today. My predecessor has left quite a quagmire for me to sift through, but I believe I have a fair grasp on the basics of the case. Mr. Agreste, I'll begin with you. Do you have anything to say in this matter?"

Gabriel stood. He cleared his throat, drawing from every single moment of frightening business speeches, and started to present his case.

"Your Honor," he began in a steady voice that thankfully did not betray his true uncertainty, "to begin with, my son should never have been removed from our home in the first place." Gabriel reached into his briefcase and pulled out the document that Marinette had referenced previously. "I have here a copy of the paper stating that I received a summons to a court appointment. I understand that it is to be believed that I ignored said summons and thus was automatically ruled against in my absence. However, I received no such summons."

The judge frowned as Gabriel walked over and handed the paper to the bailiff, who handed it to the judge. "Furthermore," he continued, "according to the public access records, it shows that the previous judge signed off on the order to allow Adrien to be removed from his home without proof of receipt on file. There is no picture of me receiving the summons nor a signature recorded. Yet, my son was taken from our home in a move that essentially blindsided me." His gaze slid over to Hermine, who appeared just as stunned as the judge. "Intentionally or not."

The judge frowned as she looked over the papers, clearly displeased with her predecessor's lack of due process.

Gabriel continued. "However, since we cannot change what has happened, I shall address the original reason for this session. I was informed my house was unsafe, having been targeted directly by an akuma victim and the security breached while Adrien was inside. This is true, but I must comment on the absurdity of holding me responsible for the actions of another."

He paused for a moment, bending down to extract some more papers from his briefcase before straightening. "My house is fortified against many things, and the belief that I could have prevented a breach of security due to a magical attack is absurd." He held up a few photos of various monuments and buildings destroyed due to akuma attacks. "Famous historical places have been decimated during attacks and yet those victims were not held accountable. The owners of those buildings have not been punished. If the government cannot even prevent akumas from destroying places that are important to France due to collateral damage, how am I to prevent an attack where I was directly targeted?"

Judge Vertueux looked up and met his eyes. "You raise an interesting point. Mr. Eclat, do you have anything to say?"

Hermine stood. "Yes, your Honor, I do." He turned to face Gabriel. "First off, I was unaware that the previous judge did not follow the proper protocol for the summons. I had erroneously assumed when we received word of your ignorance of the court date, that it was intentional and well, to be frank, some kind of power play. For that, I apologize." Gabriel blinked. Hermine turned back to the judge. "But the issue remains, our concerns that Gabriel continuously places Adrien in danger for akuma attacks. His school is repeatedly converted into a battleground and many of the students within have been turned into victims themselves. We feel it is only a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured. Ladybug's cure can fix much, but we would rather not test if it can restore permanent injuries. For his safety, we believe Adrien would be better off in our care."

The judge looked back to Gabriel. "Mr. Agreste? Do you feel that Mr. Eclat is valid in his concerns?"

"No, your Honor," Gabriel replied. "I'm sorry, Hermine, but to hold someone accountable for the actions of another is insane, as I previously remarked. Adrien is smart enough to know to avoid danger, just as many of the citizens of Paris are familiar with the evacuation protocols to safely escape attacks."

"But you caused that man to become akumatized," Hermine interjected.

Gabriel scoffed in reply. "My ire was aimed at the announcer, for tricking me into believing I was accepting an interview for my upcoming line. I cleared my schedule to fit him in, only to discover it was nothing but a childish ruse. I declined to participate in his farcical scheme. That victim should have directed his rage against that announcer because he didn't fail the contest – he never got the chance to display his talents. Mr. Cataldi turned the contestant against me and as such, the victim misdirected his anger at me instead. Irregardless of that, dozens of people get angry or upset daily. Should we hold everyone accountable for the reactions of others? Should we separate those children from their parents? Obviously since they were akumatized, their parents must have raised them poorly enough to not have a handle on their emotions." The last was said with heavy sarcasm, but Gabriel was done playing nice. "And should we separate the children from the adults who happened to become akumatized? I know several of them have families of their own."

"You've made your point, Mr. Agreste," the judge said. "And yes, I agree with you on those issues. But Mr. Eclat believes that your son would be happier and healthier living with him and his wife." She turned to the boy, and asked the one thing Gabriel both desired and feared. "Adrien, we have heard both your father and grandfather make excellent points for custody. But the one person we have yet to hear from is you." She folded her hands and cast him a warm smile. "Tell me, who do you want to live with?"

Gabriel's breath caught in his throat. Adrien stood, biting his lip. He purposefully avoided looking at either his father or grandfather and met the judge's serene expression with his own steadfast one.

"I miss my friends," Adrien declared, hesitant yet clear. "I miss my school and my home. I miss my father."

Gabriel's heart clenched into a tight ball in his chest at Adrien's words.

"But," Adrien added, and Gabriel's heart jumped into his throat as Adrien continued with a nervous nibble on his lip, "I like spending time with my grandparents. I don't want to stop seeing them either."

"Hmm." The judge studied Adrien, then Hermine and Marie, then rested her dark brown eyes upon him. He clenched his jaw to stop the trembling. "I see," she murmured. She bent her head, shuffling through the papers in front of her. The minutes stretched into eternity. He couldn't recall the last time he felt so... scared. He wasn't afraid to admit it. He was terrified. He already lost his wife. He couldn't lose his son, either. He wouldn't survive. The shuffling of papers and the clear declaration from the judge as she spoke snapped him back to reality. "I've reached a decision."

Gabriel thought his heart would stop right then and there it pounded so hard. His vision swam. His head spun with dizziness. He leaned forward and gripped the back of the bench with iron-tight desperation. His breath caught in his throat.

"Adrien may continue to live with his father, Gabriel Agreste, as it appears to be in the best interest for him," she declared and Gabriel's heart leapt for joy. He sagged, and his hold on the chair was the only thing preventing him from collapsing. His knees shook like jelly and barely supported his weight. "But Hermine and Marie Eclat shall be awarded visitation rights – once a month at minimum – to be determined at a later date. Court will take a ten minute recess. Dismissed." She banged her gavel and Gabriel didn't hesitate in bounding over to Adrien, wrapping him up in a tight hug. He distantly recognized the cheers of his classmates, but ignored them. Nothing mattered more to him in this moment than his son.

Adrien was in shock. He hadn't really expected to be called upon to get asked his own opinion. Both his father and grandfather made convincing cases, and he had to force himself to stare at the floor before he could look at his father and lose all composure. His father probably wouldn't appreciate his less-than-professional presentation if Adrien started getting emotional.

But here he was, wrapped in a death-gripping hug by his father of all people. The usually stoic man practically clung to Adrien as if he was afraid if he released him Adrien might slip away, like sun-bleached grains of sand falling through his fingers.

It didn't take but a second for Adrien to return the hug – deep and fierce and awkward but oh so comforting. He sighed into his father's jacket, closing his eyes as Gabriel's long arms surrounded him. Eventually – much too soon, Adrien thought with a pang of remorse – his father pulled away, blinking hard and gripping Adrien by the shoulders. He held him at arm's length and stared down at him.

"I really missed you, Father," Adrien confessed.

His father's face softened and the rapid blinking started up again. "Adrien," Gabriel began, "I... me, too."

A rough scraping noise beside him snapped them both out of their reverie. Adrien looked over to see his grandfather smiling sadly beside him. His grandmother looked to be in near tears next to her husband.

"Adrien," his grandfather began, seemingly for the first time to be at a loss for words.

"I still want to visit you guys," Adrien told them, emphatically trying to reassure them. He felt Gabriel stand up beside him, still resting one hand upon his shoulder. His grandmother blinked away her own tears.

"Oh dear, I'll miss having you around the house," she said, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

"I'll practice my baking while at home," he told her with a smile. "Then when I come back I'll show you what I really can do! I'll even get Marinette to help me."

To everyone's surprise, Gabriel spoke up. "If Adrien can even learn a tenth of that girl's skills with cooking, you're in for quite a treat."

Both of his grandparents and Adrien stared at Gabriel in shock. It wasn't often his father lavished such high praise on someone. Gabriel ignored Adrien and focused upon Hermine. "It isn't fair to keep you out of Adrien's life," he said, appearing to force the words out. He sounded strained, awkward and unsure. "Despite our differences, it's clear we both share one thing in common." He glanced to his son. Adrien flushed. "I think we can work out some kind of arrangement so you wouldn't have to be out of his life for very long."

His grandfather appeared as stunned as Adrien. "I..." He glanced to his wife, cleared his throat, and amended his statement. "We would like that very much. Perhaps I misjudged you, Gabriel. You must have done something right if you raised a fantastic boy."

The corners of Gabriel's eyes crinkled as a gentle smile formed on his face. "Thank you, Hermine. But I cannot take all of the credit. Yvette was there every step of the way. She must have learned that from you." The fashion mogul held out his hand and the ex-senator accepted with a solid shake.

Adrien looked past his father and spotted all of his classmates watching with varying degrees of smiles. The blond beamed at them. His father noticed and followed his gaze.

"Ah, yes. You have very loyal friends," he remarked, waving them all over. They rushed to to the front in glee. Chloé and Sabrina lingered in the background, behind the others. Adrien suspected it was because the blonde didn't want to be noticed by his grandfather. "Especially this one," Gabriel added, motioning to Marinette. She blushed bright red and squeaked as she was singled out by his father.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked, confused.

"Ah, is this the darling Marinette?" his grandmother piped up, her eyes sparkling with delight. "It's a pleasure to meet you, dear. Adrien spoke very highly of you and your incredible baking skills."

"Grandmother!" Adrien gasped, feeling his cheeks heat up in mortification. His flush only deepened when he spotted Alya jabbing an elbow into Marinette's side with a giant grin on her face, causing the girl's blush to grow as she ducked her head. He slid beside her, hoping to alleviate some of her embarrassment. "Thank you for everything you did. I'm sure whatever you did was absolutely amazing," he said to her in a low voice.

To his confusion, instead of relaxing, she stammered something incoherent as Alya roared with laughter. "What did I do?" he asked her. Even Nino smirked at him.

Oddly, it was his father who stepped in with an explanation. "Miss Marinette dropped your homework and notes off every day after school before I informed her you were being tutored privately. All of them also stopped by several times to inquire as to your well-being." His eyes softened as he appeared to reflect on something. "They were very encouraging."

Adrien looked at her in surprise. "That was very nice of you, Marinette," he said. "What have I done to deserve a great friend like you?"

Alya choked on her laughter and stuffed a fist in her mouth to muffle it. Marinette offered him a shy, dainty smile before turning and leveling the deadliest glare he had ever seen at Alya. He turned to his father in confusion only to find him exchanging an amused smile with his grandparents.

"W-we all worked together," Marinette said, snapping his attention back to her. Her blush had faded from sunset-red to a light dusting across her cheeks. Worked together on what? Homework gathering? He was confused. "We missed you in class, Adrien."

He opened his mouth to reply when the bailiff walked over to them. "I'm sorry but court is about to resume. Either take your seats or vacate the courtroom."

They decided to leave. In the lobby, Adrien wrapped his grandparents into a fierce hug with a promise he would keep in touch. His grandfather handed him back his cell phone. Then, Adrien turned and followed his father outside, his heart soaring for the first time in a long while. He was going home.

Of course the day after the epic Ladybug-worthy courtroom battle (Alya's words!) Marinette had to go back to dull, boring school.

The only difference was Adrien was back, sitting in front of her like he never left.

She let out a dreamy sigh. Okay, so it was a big difference.

It was a roller coaster of emotions the day before, with Adrien's heartbreaking plea to the judge (quiet, Alya, it's not a testimony unless he's under oath!) and his father's astonishing display of affection. It had to have been all of that excitement that caused Mr. Agreste to actually praise her. Praise her! To Adrien!

She almost swooned again right there at her desk.

Alya snickered beside her and Marinette flicked a piece of paper at her friend. It stuck to her hair. Alya picked it out with a roll of her eyes. She was so caught up in her reminiscence of the previous day's events that she almost missed Adrien turning around to face her during a small break in lessons.

Almost.

She couldn't help the gleeful smile that bloomed on her face.

"Hey Marinette," he said. He's talking to me! her mind screamed. "I heard uhm... from a special source that you filmed a very unique video." He smiled at her. "Would I be able to see it?"

"I'll show you anything you want," she replied automatically, staring at him with half-lidded eyes and her chin propped up on one fist. His eyes widened in surprise. Alya snorted beside her. "Ah!" she exclaimed, bolting upright as she realized exactly what just slipped out, "I-I mean the video! You can see the video if you want! Sure!" Why was his smile so disarming?

"Great! How about after school?"

"Sure," she replied, her voice taking on the dreamy notes she normally adopted around him.

"And I hate to impose upon you," Adrien added, rubbing a hand across the back of his head in a familiar motion that would have had Marinette's knees turned to jelly had she been standing, "but I guess I'm still a bit behind. Since you dropped off my work everyday to my father, do you think you would be able to give me a quick review of everything we've done?"

"Sure," she replied, eager to agree with anything he said.

"Great!" he repeated. "I guess I'll see you after school, then." He turned back around and faced the front, completely missing the enormous grin plastered onto Nino's face as the DJ exchanged a gleeful smile with Alya.

"Girl!" Alya hissed once Nino had also turned back to face the board. "You just got invited over to Adrien's house to help with his schoolwork. How are you so calm?"

Marinette blinked and stared at her. "I... did what?"

Alya chuckled and patted her arm. "Why am I not surprised. Chill out, Marinette, because you need to keep it together for both of your sakes this afternoon."

Marinette's head swam with happiness, her mind fantasizing a million different scenarios. She was on cloud nine, a bliss only comparable to the joy of the Elysium fields. An eternal, Adrien-filled Elysium field. Her very own Isle of the Blessed.

In the fire pits of hell. What had she done? In an instant, she realized with horror the exact extent of her damaging babbling. She was going over to Adrien's house after school, her mind screamed in one long note of utter panic.

What was she wearing? Did she look okay? What would she talk about? Would she even be able to talk at all?

Her mental freak-out and slight hyperventilating came to a sudden halt when a hand slammed down on her desk and she jumped with a shriek.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," a frosty voice snapped her back to reality. She growled as she looked up at Chloé.

"What do you want, Chloé?" she asked.

"Our truce is officially over."

"What?"

Without another word, Chloé flipped her hair and stalked back over to her chair. Despite her declaration, Marinette spotted a faint smile on the corners of the blonde's lips. Hmm, maybe things will work out for the best, she thought. After all, Adrien was back in class, she was invited over to his house for a study session, and Chloé's icy disdain had thawed somewhat.

Things could only get better from here.

Adrien bounced with excitement as he fluttered around his room, plumping pillows and arranging cushions and wiping off his immaculate desk. Marinette had to go home after school to get her notes and he seized the opportunity to prepare for her arrival, ensuring his room was in tip-top condition and perfect for his friend. He reflected on the previous night as he cleaned.

His father had sat down with him for dinner, promising to be more involved with Adrien's life from then on out. He had asked Adrien all about his activities at school and the boy regaled his father with semi-exciting stories about fencing competitions, gym class obstacles, and time spent with his friends. His father listened attentively even though Adrien had thought for certain that he would have departed immediately after eating. Instead, they sat for nearly an hour, talking about many things. Adrien left the dining room that evening feeling lighter than he had in several months. Gabriel had praised Nino's diligence and thoroughness in researching (though his father declined to say what exactly Nino researched – Adrien would have to pin down his friend tomorrow during school because he had gotten distracted asking Marinette over to his house today). He never thought he would ever hear his father approve of his best friend, but Gabriel had tossed out a casual remark of how Adrien might consider pairing up with Nino for future projects, as the boy could ensure their reports would be well-documented.

Adrien was left speechless at that. And then his father had gone on to ask several pointed questions about his friendship with Marinette. He wasn't sure why at the time, but after talking with Alya and discovering his friend had secretly filmed a video that had been instrumental in the removal of the corrupt judge, he wondered if his father had known of it. He would have to ask Marinette today. She would know. Alya had told him that Marinette talked at length with his father privately. He wondered what that was about. Maybe the video? Another thing to ask her about today. In between studying, of course.

After his room was spotless, he poked his head into his father's office, eliciting a startled jump out of the man.

"Can Marinette come over for a few hours today?" he asked, his words rushed and breathless.

"Whatever for?" his father asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"To help catch me up on what I missed while I was away," Adrien explained.

His father pondered the request for a moment and then nodded. "I don't believe you have anything extra scheduled this week," he answered. "Your friend is welcome to come over anytime."

Was it his imagination, or did his father place special emphasis on the "friend" part? He tilted his head to try to get a read on him, but the elder man leaned over to scoop up a paper that had fluttered to the ground when Adrien burst into the office unexpectedly.

Gabriel straightened and looked up at Adrien. "Was there something else you needed?" he asked. "If you're trying to figure out how to ask if Miss Dupain-Cheng can stay for dinner, don't bother. She's welcome to join us. I'll inform the chef right away."

Adrien could feel his face growing hot. "That's not... she's not..." Gabriel lifted an eyebrow at Adrien. "She's not going to stay for dinner!" he finally managed to spit out.

"She's not?" Gabriel shrugged, as if the answer didn't bother him either way. "Well then, if you change your mind or get too wrapped up in your studies, just inform the chef." His father picked up his pen and went back to marking through some sketches. He glanced back up after one or two strokes. "Was there something else?" he asked when he noticed his son hadn't moved.

The question spurred Adrien into action. "No! Thank you, Father," he cried, backing out through the door and heading back to his room, missing the amused smile that formed on Gabriel's face the moment he departed. Plagg snickered from inside his shirt. "Oh hush, you," Adrien grumbled.

About fifteen minutes later, Adrien heard the buzzer sound and Nathalie answer. He bolted out of his room (he was not listening at the door, now be quiet, Plagg!) and made it all the way down the stairs just as Nathalie opened the door for Marinette.

"Hi, Marinette!" he greeted, forcing himself to take a deep, steadying breath to calm himself.

"H-hi, Adrien," she replied, grinning widely at him. She hooked her thumbs around the straps of her backpack. "Sorry I took so long," she apologized as Nathalie went back into the atelier, "but I lost track of time looking for all of our notes."

"It's no trouble," he assured her. He motioned ahead of him up the stairs. "I was just catching up on some studying while waiting for you." Plagg vibrated in his pocket. Adrien resisted the urge to slap him.

They made it all the way up the stairs and almost to his room when a voice stopped them in their tracks. "Ah, good afternoon, Miss Dupain-Cheng." What was his father doing out of the office? They turned toward the voice.

"Hello, Mr. Agreste," Marinette said, polite and courteous. Adrien refrained from glaring at his father. What was he up to?

Gabriel stood at the top of the opposite set of stairs and descended slowly. His face remained stoically neutral as usual, but Adrien thought he detected a gleam of... was it mischief?... in his eyes. That couldn't be right. He blinked, and the moment vanished. Must have just been his imagination.

"Adrien tells me you're going to be over here often to help him catch up on his schoolwork," the older Agreste said.

Marinette nodded. "Uhm, that is, if that's okay with you, sir," she said.

"Of course," his father replied. "I would hate to see Adrien fall behind in his studies. I do hope this isn't an inconvenience for you."

She shook her head. "No, I'm happy to help," she assured him.

His father quirked a smile. "You're a great friend to him," he said, and this time Adrien was almost one-hundred percent positive his father had purposefully emphasized the "friend" part. Almost.

His eyes narrowed in accusation at his father and he opened his mouth to say something when he paused. Just what exactly was he going to say? Stop embarrassing him? She really was just a friend? But Marinette didn't seem to pick up any inconsistency. She remained her usual stammery self.

On cue, said girl stammered something in reply to that remark. Gabriel hummed in response before glancing around. "I won't keep you from your studies any longer," he said. "Since you have to be home before dinner."

"Uh..." Now Marinette looked confused. "Oh, you must have plans."

Gabriel shook his head. "No, I had assumed you did, since Adrien informed me you couldn't stay for dinner. Was I mistaken?"

Marinette turned to him. Adrien was certain his face was a mask of red that could rival Ladybug's own mask. "Father!"

"You're welcome to stay, of course," Gabriel continued, pointedly ignoring Adrien's outburst. "I know how intense those study sessions can become and cause you to lose track of time. I'll inform your parents if you would like."

"I... that's very kind of you, sir," she replied. She glanced to Adrien and deflated, casting her eyes to the floor once she caught sight of his expression. "But I don't want to impose upon you... or Adrien."

"It's no trouble!" Adrien insisted, wanting to bring back that cheerful exuberance he had seen seconds earlier. "I insist. Please stay for dinner," he said.

She met his eyes with a shy smile. "Y-you insist? I won't be in the way?"

"You can never be in the way," he affirmed, solidifying his statement by placing his hands on her shoulders in what he knew was a surefire tried-and-true way to reassure her. Her cheeks turned pink under his touch.

"Now that that's settled," his father said, interrupting them, "I'll leave you two to get to your studying. Please let me know if you need anything. I'll summon you both when it's time for dinner."

The designer turned and ascended the stairs. Desperate to shake off any awkwardness from the encounter, Adrien turned to Marinette. "So, about that video?" he asked hopefully.

Her giggles filled the hallway as she crooked a finger toward him. "Be careful what you wish for, Mister," she said in a shockingly coy voice that struck him to his core, "because you might get more than you bargained for. Prepare for the surprise of a lifetime."

With an equally huge grin splitting his face, he trailed after her as she led the way to his room.

The End

Author's Note: Thank you everyone for your support!

A very special and sincere thank you to PerditaAlottachocolate for beta-reading this and helping me with ideas. This story started as a very rough draft of about 26k words, and grew during the editing phase under her strict and guiding hands to 37k words as the final draft. Credit for all the smooth ideas, flawless transitions, and plot-hole plugging goes to her. Do please check out her works, they are amazing!

This is my last contribution for the year. I have plenty of more ideas floating around in my mind, and even started writing a few of them, so hopefully this next year will be equally as productive for me. I'm thrilled I discovered this show and this fandom and the plot bunnies don't seem to want to cease.

Rest assured, you will see me continuing to write Gabriel Agreste as a decent human being for a long time coming.

Thank you everyone once again for your never-ending support! This was a fun journey, as always. Please feel free to PM me if you want to chat, most of you regulars know that I enjoy doing that!

Thank you all once again.