Last chapter is here, guys. And it's the longest chapter so far with almost 5K word count and yet I still think it's not detailed enough. In the end I made do with this because I don't want you guys to sleep through a 10K-word long chapter.

I'm sorry for the super long wait for this one because I got really really busy handling pre-orders for my newest MLB keychains. And by no means to do shameless self-promoting, yes I sell MLB merchs that I draw myself. You can follow me on instagram (yukifrill) for MLB arts and merchs ;)

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Let's reply the reviews I got last chapter:

- Reminiscent Lullaby: And here I thought I already threw too many heavy hints for the revelation to not shock anyone HAHAHA I'm happy with your reaction as usual, though ;) And eagerly waiting for that GabeNath fic!

- Little cereza: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it! And omg of course any form of art for this fic is welcome! I'm actually planning to draw some myself but what is time, really? :")

- alex: I don't watch Samurai Jack so I can't be sure what you're talking about but I guess you should prepare for a tear-jerking ending? Not like I'm confident my writing would make anyone cry but XD Anyway, I hope you enjoy the conclusion!

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Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!

Protector

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Chapter 6

Protector

Ladybug was surprised. Shocked. Elated. Relieved. But above all, confused.

How?

One afternoon, during their patrol, Chat came over and handed her two things that never in her wildest dreams she'd ever imagined she would hold. Before today, she didn't even know their exact shape, only what she could interpret from the book.

The Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses rested in her palm when she shot Chat a look that she couldn't even tell for sure could be passed as sane. She studied his expression, searching for any signs that said it was a prank, but relented when she couldn't find any. If it indeed was, she would make sure he'd regret ever knowing her.

Thousands of questions ran miles in her head but the only thing she managed to choke out was, "How?"

And like a switch had been flipped, Chat broke. He fell on his knees, startling his partner with the sudden meltdown, then buried his face into his hands. His shoulders shook in such tremor that she could instantly tell he had been holding back for so long. When he started sobbing, Ladybug kneeled with him, placed the Miraculouses on the roof beside her, and pulled her partner into a hug. He choked and gasped like a little boy and she found her own eyes watering, too. Her heart broke with him. She couldn't begin to guess what happened but if it made him this upset, it couldn't be anything good.

"Sshh, it's okay," she whispered in his ear, biting back her own tears. "It's okay. I'm here for you, kitty. Always."

Nathalie watched as her boss cradled his wife in his arms. So tight, so desperate. The blonde woman's breathing was almost non-existent.

Nathalie had sent Adrien away to the Bourgeois for a sleepover for days now because Emilie's condition had deteriorated dramatically over the week and none of the couple had the chance to think about what to do with the little boy. Adrien was a sharp boy, and he had picked up that something was amiss but chose not to question it. He flashed a smile and waved at Nathalie when she saw him off with a backpack behind him, not even questioning why his parents didn't see him off.

After making sure Adrien was not around to witness the nightmare-inducing views of his sickly Mother and sleep-deprived Father, Nathalie had tried to assist the husband and wife however she could; researching the woman's symptoms online to find the remedies, looking up underground doctors who normally deal with infamous diseases, hiring people to find rare herbs that could possibly heal the most dangerous disease. She had done everything she could, with or without Gabriel's instruction, but Emilie's life seemed to continue slipping away from them as the clock ticked.

Gabriel, in his desperate attempt to prolong his chance of saving his wife, had requested her to order a life support tube that was impossible to obtain through normal means. Nathalie had waited to hear back from the maker.

Clutching the tab close to her chest, Nathalie bit her lip, unable to hide to rising panic and the feeling of helplessness that was gurgling inside her stomach. She watched as Gabriel whispered reassuring words into Emilie's ear. Those words that she was sure he himself didn't quite believe.

It was only until some days later that the tube had arrived and Nathalie watched as her boss carried his wife into her new living space for the next… however long he might take to save her. She had begun to hate only being able to watch. They exchanged a promise before he kissed her forehead and closed the tube. Nathalie could see the last smile the woman casted at her, mouthing, "Protect them," before she closed her eyes and went into a deep, long slumber with no definite waking hour in sight. Nathalie had only managed a nod to ensure the other woman that their own promise had been exchanged as well.

Gabriel stood there in stillness for minutes and Nathalie didn't move from her spot behind him.

"The power exhausted her," Gabriel suddenly spoke up after a long silence. Nathalie's head perked up but only his back was facing her. "For three years, the Miraculous has been extracting energy from her," he said, then turned around to face Nathalie with such cold, menacing gaze that she promptly froze. "To power you."

Nathalie held her breath, unable to deny the accusation.

He walked slowly towards her, his breaths heavy and his glasses fogged from anger. Nathalie shuddered under his hateful gaze but remained in her spot. She couldn't find it in her to deny him or defend herself. Because it was only true.

"Some Protector you are," he whispered when he was inches from her, venom dripping from his every word.

She looked down, terrified and guilt-driven. "I…I apologize, sir. But—"

"I should have done everything in my power to get rid of you since day one," he interrupted, slicing her non-existent heart in two with his words. "But I had to wait three years until everything is irreversible. Until Emilie has grown to love you too much. Until I have grown to appreciate you too much."

Nathalie gulped. "Sir, I—" She was once again interrupted, this time by the powerful hands wrapping her thin neck. She dropped her tab to the floor with a loud clank and attempted to hold the hands that were holding her neck with a death grip.

"Why must you exist?" he asked in a dangerous whisper. His eyes glinting with such animosity and a tint of regret. "Why, Protector, WHY?!"

The woman tensed when the loss of oxygen had started kicking in her survival instincts. She gripped the man's hands to try and tear them away from her neck but he seemed so lost in her anger and sadness that his humanity went away with it. Seconds passed as she attempted to claw at his fingers, choking and gasping.

"Gabriel!" she screamed and his strength finally halted. Almost immediately, his hands let go of her neck and dropped beside him. Nathalie coughed and gasped for air, her face red and ears ringing.

Gabriel chuckled, and much to her concern, sounding crazed. "You even sound like her." Nathalie looked up at him with a frown. She was not granted much time to react when his head landed on her shoulder. She froze, not sure how to react.

The man whispered dreadfully, "Are you going to stay here and haunt me for eternity? Remind me of my failure? Will you, Nathalie?" he whispered, sorrow enveloping every word.

Her hand moved to give him a reassuring pat on the head but stopped halfway. She inhaled, then squared her shoulders to choke out, "Sir, I apologize for causing the current predicament," she said apologetically. "But please believe me when I say I will gladly give up my life if it means the Madame will be healed."

He was silent for a couple of seconds before his head left her shoulder. "You better be." His voice was rigid again as he fixed his tie. "Because if that is an option, I will take it without second thoughts."

"Of course, sir." She nodded professionally.

Gabriel stomped off, leaving her in the cold basement without looking back. She crouched down to pick up her tab, unlocking the screen to see a photo of Gabriel, Emilie and Adrien smiling on a picnic at the Versailles. She pursed her quivering lips slightly and hugged the tab in her chest.

"Because I am your Protector," she finished, unheard.

Nathalie snapped her eyes open. Her gaze traveled everywhere. Where was she? Reality had only dawned on her when she took a look at herself. She still existed. She looked outside the window of the room she was in, only to see snow piling up outside. The color outside was so monotonous it brought peace to her soul. But in some places, she could see the colorful Christmas lights blinking in excitement to welcome the holiday.

When she looked around, she realized it was one of the guest rooms in the Agreste mansion. She would know, because she had been the one responsible of arranging it to be hospitable for Gabriel's business partners to stay a couple of times before. It was smaller than Gabriel and Adrien's rooms, of course, but it was considerably bigger than what people in general would find adequate.

She looked at her side. On the bedside table were a couple of get-well gifts, most likely from Adrien, judging from the writing on the notes.

Get well soon, Nathalie. We miss you.

She smiled at the sweet note and noticed the calender marked by X's that appeared to show how long she had been out. It had been two weeks. By the time she tried to detach the plethora of tubes from the respiratory and medical life support systems surrounding her, the door of her room flew open, showing a very flustered Gabriel Agreste. His normally picture-perfect hair was not treated well by the wind. His glasses were slightly crooked. His breathing was ragged. So far the only thing that remained calm was his literal pants.

"Nathalie," he called in-between huffing and puffing.

Only when she tried to respond him did she realize her voice was dried out in her throat, probably from not being used for too long. She started coughing lightly.

He rushed to her side and bent over to pat her back gently. When she calmed down, he went and pulled a chair so he could sit beside her bed. Wordlessly, he took her hand in his.

"I couldn't do it," he confessed, biting his lip and looking down. "Forgive me, Nathalie."

Nathalie tried to produce her voice. "But… how?" It came out hoarse but it's better than nothing.

He gave her a small smile seeing how quick she managed to return to talking. "I knew," he said, remembering how he had cancelled the shutdown just before the last beep went off. "I had a hunch that you would disappear with Emilie. Of course, I had no way to say for sure, but I felt like you would. I wasn't just preparing to lose Emilie that day. I was battling my conscience because I knew I would lose both of you." He brought his hands together on his lap. "In the end, I was too afraid. Forgive me."

Nathalie was quiet, unable to put everything together in her head because she still felt the strong headache from waking up after a long slumber. Inside, she knew she had a sinister laugh. How could she not? The man who used to say he would happily throw her life into the gutter had told her he was too afraid to lose her. Saying it was ironic was an understatement.

"Are you upset?" he asked carefully.

"I…" her voice was hoarse and faded. Gabriel instinctively grabbed her a cup of water. After gulfing it down, she felt her voice returning slowly. "I really thought… it was the end," she finally said.

He nodded. "I believe you did."

"What are we going to do now?" she said slowly. "There is no closure in sight."

"There is." Gabriel looked determined. "Many things have happened while you were out. I believe I should fill you in with the new information. Adrien is at school. But I already requested the Gorilla to let him know about you. He insisted on coming home right away. He should be here any minute now."

Nathalie only nodded, still looking like she was in a trance.

"I handed him our Miraculouses," Gabriel suddenly said.

Nathalie frowned. She had so many questions but as her voice was not completely back, she started with what mattered the most, "Who?"

"Adrien."

She was even more confused. "Why?"

"He is Chat Noir."

Adrien tapped his feet against the car floor mats, wishing the seconds could go as fast as his tapping. He wanted to tell the Gorilla to go faster, but he knew the man was already doing his best. He wouldn't want them to be halted by a cop for breaking the speed limit, either.

He sighed and looked out the window. He remembered clearly what he felt when the Gorilla had texted him saying Nathalie was finally awake. He felt like the whole world stopped and he was the only person not stopping. His heart rammed against his ribcage and he didn't realize when Nino had nudged him to let him know Miss Bustier was looking at him. He didn't hear anything when the kind teacher gently warned him about not using phone in class. He snapped his head around to look at his Lady—Marinette, who blinked at him in utter confusion.

A smile split his face and his eyes were watering when he told her, "Nathalie is awake."

He was so sure the whole class were looking at them when Marinette gasped, took his hand into a reassuring squeeze and smiled at him. She gave him a determined look, all from knowing his pain and devastation during the past two weeks, and whispered, "Go."

The whole class gasped when he nodded and kissed her cheek before excusing himself, sweeping all of his belongings on the table into his bag, then slung it over his shoulder and dashed off in a flurry. Their relationship was still a secret, but surely Marinette wouldn't mind having to sit with everyone to explain what just went down over lunch.

When the car pulled over in the front yard, Adrien basically sprung out of the car and shot through the mansion like a bullet towards the guest room.

"Nathalie! Thank God, I thought you'd never wake up again!" he exclaimed when he spotted the woman on the bed, looking like she was already anticipating his arrival. Probably due to his thundering footsteps. But it didn't matter. "C-can I?" he asked, slowly approaching her.

Nathalie smiled and opened her arms. Adrien threw himself into her arms and squeezed her, careful not to do it too hard.

"I'm so relieved." He sighed in her embrace. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Actually, I think I feel very fine, like I was never asleep." Her voice was back and her muscles no longer felt numb.

Adrien let go of her and nodded with a relieved smile. "That's good."

Gabriel brought an extra chair for Adrien so the boy could sit beside Nathalie's bed as well. Flashing his Father an appreciative smile, Adrien then took the seat and held one of Nathalie's hands as they continued talking about what went down while she was asleep. The blond focused on the joyous news such as his budding relationship with Marinette, which Nathalie listened to intently with occasional nods and a thin smile. She appreciated Adrien's effort to avoid pointing out the fact that both her and his Father were once the enemy of him and his girlfriend.

"I heard from your Father that we will let the Guardian know once I woke up," Nathalie brought up at one point.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, he forbade Master Fu to fix it before then because, according to Father, you might disappear if the Peacock Miraculous is fixed. I have no complete understanding on the matter so I'm currently just agreeing at whatever."

"Yes. But that is not important. Will the Madame be healed if the Miraculous is fixed?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Because, going by the logic, the Madame is only in her current predicament because of the broken—"

"No," Adrien interjected. "What do you mean by not important? Nathalie, do you think we only like you because you remind us of Mom or something?"

Nathalie blinked, agape. "I… No, that was not my intention. But I can understand how you would interpret it that way."

"Just so you know, Nathalie, the only reason I'm not reduced to a crying mess right here and now is because I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or guilty, not because I have no qualms about what will inevitably happen." Adrien pouted mildly that Nathalie wondered if he was being serious. "Do you want me to cry?"

"…I apologize."

He smiled at her and gave her a quick hug.

Gabriel, who had only been a silent spectator up to that moment, spoke up, "Shall we inform the Guardian now?" It didn't take a mind-reader to know how anxious he was. His left foot was lightly tapping the floor in an attempt to shake off his anxiety. Like Father, like son.

Nathalie was about to nod when Adrien yelled, "Wait!" The two adults looked at him. "Can we… can we wait until after Christmas? I promised to plan something for your birthday, Nathalie. Do you remember?"

The woman nodded. "I do."

The older Agreste let out an exasperated sigh. "Adrien, let's not overlook what's important because of such trivial feeling. Nathalie is in a hurry." Adrien had to ignore how specious that sounded.

"I can wait," Nathalie said.

"Nathalie, you yourself said you wanted it to be over as soon as possible." From the way Gabriel insisted, however, it seemed as though he was the one who wanted it to be over as soon as possible. Adrien was once again reminded of how bad his Father handled feelings.

Adrien looked dejected but Nathalie held his hand.

"I did. But if there's one thing I can give Adrien before I leave, this is it. I don't wish to leave Adrien with a regret. He doesn't deserve it."

Christmas day was normal. The most normal Christmas Adrien had ever had in a while, in fact. He woke up to snow piling up outside. The floors were freezing and his windows were fogged, but his heart was warm with anticipation. He opened the room of his door and ran down the stairs to the big Christmas tree that stood just besides the staircase. He smiled at the tree, reminiscing how, last year, Nathalie had made his first Christmas with friends happen. He wouldn't forget the excitement and warmth he felt that night. He remembered falling asleep with a smile on his face and not remembering the actual coldness of the weather that night. And he owed it all to Nathalie. This year, he made it his personal mission to make it her best birthday ever.

Adrien went to the kitchen and produce a box of Christmas cake from the Dupain-Cheng bakery out of the fridge. He smiled when he remembered how Marinette had insisted upon coming over on Christmas day to serve as his emotional support but he ensured her that the only support he needed from her was a perfect red velvet cake that wasn't too sweet because like his Father, Nathalie wasn't a huge fan of sweet treats. They had spent the afternoon baking the cake together. Adrien promised himself to bring her to lunch as a form of appreciation for not kicking him out of the kitchen as soon as he fabulously knocked off their first dough and poured the blessing right into the sink or when he tripped over a rolling pin and, at his desperate attempt to stay balanced, grabbed Marinette's collar, fell anyway, and ripped a couple of buttons off her shirt. It was a major disaster and he had no one to thank but God and Marinette that the cake came out in one piece.

When Adrien finished placing the cake on the dining table and arranging plates, he puffed his chest proudly. He didn't forget to snap a picture and send it to Marinette. Then he went back to his own room, rummaged his old bookshelf before pulling out an old picturebook. He smiled when he looked at the cover. Despite the faded colors, it still reminded him of that night like an old photograph. His Father had told him all about Nathalie and the Christmas spirit. Even so, he still couldn't quite believe it. He scanned through the pages to make sure all of them were intact before he decided it's time to wake the adults.

"Father?" he called, uncertain if he was seeing things because it was still so early in the morning and his Father was there, still in his pajamas, standing in front of the guest room where Nathalie had been staying for the past few days.

The man jumped a bit when he was called, then turned to face his son. "Oh, it's you, Adrien," he said, as if there was someone else in the house besides Adrien, himself, and the woman sleeping behind the door he was standing at.

Father and son exchanged looks before they both smiled. Adrien, book in hand, joined the older man in front of the door before they both opened it.

Master Fu rang the doorbell to the Agreste mansion, waiting for the gate to open with his hands behind his back and a serene smile on his face. In one of his hands was a black and red box that contained the object that had ruined the family he was about to meet, but which had also bestowed them with a miracle no other had witnessed. Today, he would be the one to reduce that miracle into nothingness. To restore the balance once broken by the damaged jewelry and equally damaged god.

"Come in," was Gabriel Agreste's voice from the intercom before the gate opened.

Master Fu stepped inside, the gate closing behind him.

They were in the basement. And while it was not the first time Adrien had seen his Mother in her casket, it didn't stop him for feeling overwhelmed. Ever since Gabriel had told him everything, many times he wondered if things would be different if back then, he actually asked what was wrong with his family. Master Fu was crouching before the casket, with the Peacock Miraculous between them. The little old man moved his arms around like he was moving waves and if Adrien didn't know better, he would say he was drunk.

Just a few hours ago, they were in the kitchen, slicing cakes and chattering away about pointless things. Then they were in the living room, cuddling together under a blanket while reading picturebook. Then they were under the Christmas tree, opening presents. It was a normalcy they knew they treasured.

Then they were down in the basement, saying goodbye.

"I guess this is it," Nathalie said, turning around to face the two Agreste men while Master Fu worked his magic behind her. She put a professional distance between them.

Adrien tried to crack a smile. "Yeah."

There was a growing silence between them before Gabriel spoke up, "Nathalie."

She looked up at him. "Yes?"

"Ever since that Christmas night," he started and she gave him her full attention. "I have always regretted the fact that Emilie had to use the Peacock Miraculous. I have regarded it as nothing short of a part of history that I desperately strife to remove."

Nathalie breathed an ironic chuckle. "I know."

"But if there is one thing I could not regret about that night, it is that I was allowed to know the amazing woman that is you." Gabriel smiled at her but didn't make an attempt to close the distance they had wordlessly agreed to put, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.

Adrien blinked and bit his lip before looking away, his heart weighing on the upcoming inevitable farewell.

Nathalie tried not to let the two males that had held such huge chunk of her heart see her falter. She smiled at both of them before saying, "I'm glad I was given the chance to exist as well. To be a part of this family. To be by your sides through highs and lows."

Gabriel looked at her, a smile making its way to his grim expression. Beside him, Adrien inhaled and blinked rapidly, wiping the single tear that was starting to form with his thumb. He wanted to say something, too. Because he would never be able to again. But he was afraid of what he would tell her. He was afraid of all the screaming and crying and begging that was halted in his throat. He didn't want her to leave. He didn't want to lose another mother.

"Because of you," Nathalie continued, placing a hand against her chest, "I grew a heart." She bowed formally at them. "Thank you."

Both Gabriel and Adrien bowed back. "Thank you as well," the older man said when they faced each other again. He smiled. "To you, my loyal assistant. My partner. It was a pleasure to know you and work with you."

She smiled back. "The feeling is mutual," she paused, before adding, "sir." There was barely a pause before she added, "Have I helped you, sir, all the way to the end?"

Gabriel immediately caught her implications to their first meeting. His smile didn't falter. "You have. All the way to the end."

"Nathalie," Adrien finally said, after making sure he was strong enough to say something without breaking down. "Thank you for being there for me and my Father when we were at our lowest point of life. I—" Tears started pooling in his eyes but he smiled nonetheless. "I love you so much," he finished. It took everything he had not to close the distance between him and the woman and tackle her in a hug.

The three of them were simultaneously alarmed when the woman began glowing faintly. It reminded them of when Mayura would renounce her Protector, except instead of black light, it was golden. Nathalie Sancoeur was not born out of negative emotion.

"It's time," Nathalie said matter-of-factly.

Both males nodded.

They expected her to disperse and disappear, completely out of reach forever. They expected to watch her turn into light. They expected to cry their hearts out in their rooms privately afterwards. What they didn't expect was when she took the initiative to close the unspoken distance between them, tackled both men into a hug by their necks, and whispered, "I love you."

They watched as her body became translucent, almost completely white. Her features changed rapidly into something less human. Something Adrien knew too well to forget. The entity flapped her wings once, grand and beautiful, glowing in blinding golden light, then whirled like the wind and vanished, leaving nothing behind.

Both Gabriel and Adrien stood still and continued watching the spot where she had left them for good. They stayed like there for almost a minute before Adrien broke down and like a dam had broken down, he shook and cried freely, letting the tears flow like somebody left the faucet running. He screamed in frustration and choked like a little boy. Gabriel kneeled down beside his son and held him close.

Master Fu walked up to them and said, "Thank you for doing the right thing." He bowed at both Agreste men as he placed the brooch back into its box, back into its home after so long.

The kwami residing inside smiled and and closed her eyes, finally having obtained the peace that had slipped away from her nearly two hundred years ago.

Adrien dragged himself back to his room, heart still heavy from the farewell. The Father and son had placed Emilie in the master room because Master Fu convinced them that she should recover in time after the Miraculous was no longer eating away at her life force. For a moment, Adrien was celebrating the one good thing that came out of Nathalie's sacrifice, but when he walked out of the room, his eyes started watering again whenever he remembered where a certain woman would be standing while watching him play his piano. Where she would stand and read him his schedule for the day. Where she would stand when waiting for him to finish his meals. When she talked to him and listened to him. When she hugged him and told him she loved him. The home was marked with her presence.

When he walked around his room to absorb the feeling left by the teary goodbye, he spotted a piece of paper and a single rose by its side, serving as both a weight and a side decoration.

Adrien rushed to get his Father. When they returned to see the paper again, both Father and son looked at it and smiled, holding each other to show their affection and give each other strength. Tears threatened to fall, but they wouldn't wipe out the smiles on their faces.

On Adrien's table, just before his computer screens that displayed a photo of the trip to Versailles—of him, his Father, and one missing woman—was a small paper. On it was written in familiar, meticulous block letters:

I love you. I'm always with you.

- Your Protector

So, that's the end, guys. Thank you for sticking with this story until the end. Are you happy with it? Sad? Angry and wants to punch me in the face? Tell me what you think in your reviews ;)