More Chat Sith AU! A peek at the 4th and 5th week of Marinette's pregnancy, just after news was given of Adrien being dead.

When Alya burst into the Dupain-Cheng, her hair frazzled, heart pounding in her chest. Immediately her honey eyes locked towards the kitchen, where a frazzled, flour covered Marinette was.

Surrounded by pastries.

"Oh Minette," Alya murmured, hurrying to her best friend's side.

Marinette jumped when Alya touched her shoulder, turning to see her friend frowning at her, brow furrowed. "A-Alya,"Marinette uttered, giving the redhead a shaky smile. "Wh-when did, did you…" Marinette's lips trembled, the dark haired girl taking a shuddering breath. She went to the oven, pulling out the latest pastry, turning off the oven.

Alya pulled her into a hug. "Just got here Minette. I just got here. I'm here."

"Gr-great! I-I made a lot!" Marinette declared with a broken laugh, leaning on Alya.

"I heard," Alya said. "I, I was there when Nino got the call." Alya tightened her grip. "I rushed here as fast as I could."

Marinette took a shaky breath, slumping on Alya, body shaking. "My hands hurt," Marinette murmured.

Alya gave a weak laugh. "That happens when you bake a lot."

Marinette gave a shaky nod, loud, clumsy sniffles from from her. She reached up, running a hand through messy hair, hair that was easily falling out of the rushed bun she weaved it up into. She gave another weak laugh. "A month," Marinette murmured. "A whole month…"

Alya tightened her grip on Marinette, pulling her close, nuzzling her.

She was tempted to purr.

Tempted to spark the soothing rumble, just to see if that would help Marinette.

It always helped Alya when she was upset.

"A whole month," Marinette repeated, her body shaking.

Alya pulled Marinette out of the kitchen, pulled her towards the couch. Together they fell down on the plush cushions, Marinette going on limp on Alya, going stiff and still. Alya held her, and waited. Not working or moving anymore, Marinette couldn't run from reality. Couldn't mourn. Alya doesn't doubt that as soon as Marinette got the call, she just stopped thinking and moved, went into action, made herself busy so she wouldn't have to think about it.

There was a jerk from Marinette, a whine, a tremor.

Alya held tight, squeezing her eyes closed, already knowing without looking that the tears were starting to build over Marinette's eyes, her lips stretching.

A sob broke out and the dam broke.

Marinette went limp, she cried and cried, gripping Alya's arm, smearing her face into Alya's shirt.

Alya laid still the whole tight, her own breathing shaky, horrible feelings tearing through her at her friend's sorrow. She just nuzzled her flour covered hair, making it messier and not minding the white powder smearing on Alya's face. She whispered soothing reassurances, words that felt hollow, words that just kept echoing under her friend's sobs.

"It's ok."

"I'm here."

"I got you."

They didn't feel like they were enough, that Alya should be doing more.

But what more can she do?

She was the fucking hero Jaguar.

Partner to Anatis.

She was a hero, she saved the day so many times and yet…

Her friend was hurt, and there was nothing Alya could do. Nothing she as Jaguar could do. This wasn't something she could slash at. Something she could beat down and fight. This, outside holding Marinette, waiting for the sorrow and grief to pour out of her, there was little else she could do.

So she waited.

And she held her.

Supported and reassured as best she could.

And when Marinette went still, her breathing shaky, her body trembling; she finally moved, looking up at Alya with puffy eyes.

"Hey," Alya softly greeted.

Marinette closed her eyes and settled back down, sniffing, her shoulders still jerking.

"A-Alya," Marinette managed out.

"I'm here Minette, I'm right here," Alya reassured, wiping Marinette's bangs aside.

"I, I'm…"

"Shhh, it's ok."

Marinette shook her head, taking a shaky breath. "It's, it's not… Alya, I'm, I'm pregnant."

Alya froze.

"I, I found out a, a week before and now this and…" Marinette trailed, voice breaking, a heavy sob bubbling out. Marinette tried to bury herself into her friend once more, a new wave rolling through her.

"Oh Minette," Alya murmured sadly, "oh Minette…"

She pulled her closer, as close as Alya could get her, and buried her face into Marinette's hair, the dark hair falling out of the bun. This time, Alya didn't care of Marinette heard and possibly put two and two together. She started to purr as she held her, trying to comfort her. She purred and purred till Marinette cried herself to sleep.

In Alya's hair, she felt Plagg shuffle about, nuzzling against her neck, reassuring and offering his own purr.

"I'm pregnant."

Chloe went a little stiff, then turned and glared at Marinette, golden brow raised.

Marinette peered back, tired. She elaborated, "Adrien's… Adrien's the father."

Chloe's lips curled down into a grimace. She wanted to deny it, laugh at Marinette's declaration. But, it wasn't too hard to doubt it. On his flight to the States, a bored Adrien happily rambled off an hour of Chloe's life about how amazing Marinette was and how eager he was to come back already and to be something more.

It wasn't too hard to picture the two lovesick fools spending a night together, just before he left for a few months.

Idiots.

The both of them.

Chloe closed her eyes. "You're…"

"I'm keeping them," Marinette confirmed, setting a hand on her stomach, gentle and protective.

Chloe harrumphed. "You think just because of this I'm going to supp-"

"I don't want your support," Marinette quickly said. "I came to tell you because… you and Adrien are friends and… you have a right to know."

Chloe made no comment, picking up a glass of wine and taking a sip of the dark liquid.

"There is a favor I would like," Marinette said.

Chloe peered at her from over the rim of her glass.

"I'd like to get in contact with Gabriel," Marinette told her.

Chloe snorted. "He won't believe," Chloe said.

"I know."

"He'll think you're trying to get his money."

"I know." Marinette frowned down at her glass of water, running a thumb over the cold glass. "He has a right to know. Whether he believes me or not, what he thinks…" She grimaced. "I want to tell him."

Chloe hummed.

"I tried calling on my own," Marinette confessed, "but nothing. You're the only one I can think of that could get in contact with Gabriel."

She glanced to Chloe. "Can you please help me get in contact with Gabriel?"

"No."

"Chloe-"

"I've tried," Chloe cut in, grimacing. "Gabriel's not answering any calls. He doesn't want to talk to anyone."

Marinette stared at her, then slumped in her seat with a defeated sigh. "Thank you for your time," Marinette murmured, getting up and leaving, ignoring Chloe gaze after her, the knowledge that she was having Adrien's child.

A child he'll never know about because he had to be an idiot that got himself killed.

A child he would've wanted to know about.

That would've made him so scared and yet so excited.

He would've been delighted.

Chloe downed her wine.

Idiot.

He was such a fucking idiot.

Personally, for Nino, being Anatis was felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Well, the weight of Paris at least. He even told Jaguar this once, that he had to do right, be there for Paris, always be on watch, always support it.

It was a burden he didn't plan to have but, it was one he accepted.

Who else could he turn to?

There was no one else to really step up as the ladybug hero.

And, he wasn't quite sure if he was up to give the weighted responsibility onto someone else.

Being Anatis was big and exhausting.

Who was he to give that stress to someone else?

And now, sitting across from Marinette, watching her snack on a pickle, a bowl of ice cream set close to her; he found another burden to shoulder.

Watching out for his best friend's girl and their coming kid.

Two he unfortunately couldn't be there for.

And as a hero, he'll make the extra effort to make up for.

Adrien wouldn't leave these two on their own.

"You ok Nino?"

He gave a start, looking over to see Marinette peering at him, frowning.

He blinked at the pickle she held, the tip dipped in her ice cream. He snorted and pointed to it. "Ice cream covered pickle?" he uttered, raising a brow.

"Cravings," she grumbled, taking a fast bite as the ice cream started to melt. She leaned back in her seat, continuing to watch The Little Prince, arm set protectively over her stomach.

Nino spared it a glance.

He felt Tikki shuffle against his neck, peeking out, her antennas tickling the back of his neck. He could feel her buzz and shuffle against him, excited to be near Marinette.

Making life always excited and interested the kwami. Any time Nino came over to visit, she vibrated with energy. Every chance she had, she'd sneak out and help around Marinette's home, just to make it easier for the girl who kept herself busy.

A girl, Nino knows, made an effort not to think over the fact that Adrien was gone and will never know.

He frowned, not paying attention to the movie as he faced the screen, his mind drifting.

He wish he knew what to do.

As Anatis, he always had to have a plan, figure something out, especially before Jaguar got twitchy and decided to act on her own.

But here, with a friend persisting to ignore her grief, try to live on as best she can, take care of the growing life in her; he didn't know what to do, much less how to bring this up.

He knows Alya was in a similar boat.

She was good at supporting Marinette, good at getting her going and braving situations that left Marinette unsure. But she doesn't quite know how to push Marinette out of this slum-

There was a loud sniffle.

Nino jerked to Marinette in alarm.

She was staring at the tv, her lip trembling, eyes starting to pool with water.

"Oh shit!" Nino swore, scrambling up, reaching for Marinette. "What's wrong? What is it?!" Why was she upset? What can he do?

Marinette sniffed, reaching up and wiping her eyes, looking frustrated. "I'm sorry."

"No, no," Nino hurried out, pulling her into a shy hug. "It's ok."

"He looks like Adrien…" she whimpered.

What?

Nino looked over, then tensed.

The Little Prince was on screen, grown and skinny and lanky.

He did look a bit like Adrien.

Just enough to be a trigger.

"Fuck," Nino muttered.

"I'm sorry," Marinette babbled.

"No, no, no, it's ok. It's cool," Nino said, easing away from Marinette, quickly taking the movie out, replacing it with what he knew was another favorite of Marinette. Beauty and the Beast. Can't go wrong with Beauty and the Beast. "We'll just watch something else," Nino reassured, looking back and offering Marinette a smile.

She gave him a small, weak nod, curled up and hunched up.

She looked so small and tired.

The secret ladybug hero slumped, the smile sliding off his lips.

With a sigh, as the movie started to play, he resettled down beside Marinette, letting her nestle up against him, her food forgotten.

Nino felt Tikki lean and press at his neck, offering him silent support.

What a mess this was, Nino thought, wrapping Marinette up in a loose hug.

Anatis is a type of ladybug that has white/yellow rings around the spots. It is also known as the eyed ladybug. Thought that'd be a lot more fitting a name for lb!Nino.