"Master… we did it." Ladybug opened her yo-yo and presented Master Fu with the recovered Fox and Butterfly Miraculous, as well as the Bee, Ox, Tiger, and Turtle Miraculous she had retrieved from the other heroes.

"I am very proud of you, Ladybug. And you too, Chat Noir. For many reasons, but primarily because you have truly cemented yourselves as a team after this battle. After today, there is nothing that you can face that will ever separate you."

Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a soft look then replied together. "Thank you, Master."

"As for your other three guests, may I suggest that you all detransform in order to feed your kwamis and allow them some rest. Even though you are all in a position to use your power multiple times, it's still best to feed your kwamis at every opportunity." He smiled.

The five superheroes de-transformed.

"Wonderful, thank you. Plagg, Tikki, Fluff, er… Plagg, and Tikki… there is food for each of you in my kitchen. Please take your time and eat until you are full."

The kwamis sped off.

"Now that we are alone, we have much to discuss. Please, sit down." Master Fu sat down and crossed his legs, and the others followed suit.

"First, thank you again. I know that for some of you coming here was a great personal sacrifice. And I know that for the rest of you, having the others here was both very difficult and very rewarding. I do not wish to keep you here long, but we need to make sure things are cleared up sufficiently so we can go forward with a clean slate." He gestured to both Adrien and Oldrien.

"The main thing that I wish to address is the problem of Hawk Moth. Having Mariposa captured on camera using the Butterfly Miraculous to create an army of akuma is both good and bad. It is good because the camera caught her de-transforming and there is no doubt as to her identity. She will be dealt with swiftly and justly by the authorities. However, her using the Butterfly Miraculous as well as a Miraculous that is known to create illusions strengthens Gabriel Agreste's case that he was either being controlled or was actually never Hawk Moth at all. Despite video evidence that he most certainly was, he has access to the best attorneys in France, and they will not hesitate to use this development in his favor."

Master Fu addressed Adrien, who looked pained, directly.

"Another development that works in Gabriel Agreste's favor is that by the time the trial rolls around, your counterpart from the future - Mister Bug, who participated in the battle that led to Hawk Moth's unmasking - will not be available to testify. Even though Hawk Moth was captured, it is a very real possibility that Gabriel Agreste will walk free very soon. Chat Noir - Adrien - you may find yourself in a position to have to testify against your father. I need to know if you are willing to do that. There will be consequences, both good and bad, regardless of which choice you make."

Marinette reached over and took Adrien's hand. "I'll support you either way, Kitty."

Oldrien put his hand on Adrien's shoulder. "Remember, in my timeline, he held me being Chat Noir over my head, even after he had the Butterfly taken away from him. It will be different because the circumstances are different, but I don't know if much will change."

Adrien drew his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them. After a few minutes, he spoke. "I think I might know how to ensure he'll be better. And we may solve a different problem at the same time as well."

Master Fu interjected. "What did you have in mind, Adrien?"

"Mother was still sick when Father was defeated the first time, but evidence says she was getting worse by then. Eventually she died… but what if we got her back somehow?" Adrien's voice was quiet but hopeful.

"You will need to explain to me what you mean, Adrien. Your mother is sick? It was my understanding that she was missing."

Adrien, Oldrien, and Future Marinette took turns recounting to Master Fu what they had learned and discovered.

Oldrien concluded the story with desperation in his voice. "That's why I came back. I couldn't find her. She was in the mansion, I think. Is still in the mansion. But I've scoured every centimeter of that place… I could never find her."

Alix blew a bubble. "Leave that to me. I'll be right back!" She went to the kitchen. "Fluff, clockwise!" There were two white flashes in quick succession, and then silence.

"You know something?" Marinette tapped her chin. "Alix can use her powers multiple times… I wonder if her soulmate is anyone we know?"

Oldrien and Future Marinette looked at each other and smiled. It was Future Marinette who spoke. "Actually, it's -"

A bright flash of white light interrupted her, and Bunnyx dropped into the room.

"I found her! Took me a while to time it right and stay undiscovered, but I figured out how to get to her. Just say the word, Adrien."

Adrien swallowed and blinked rapidly. "Oh my gosh, you did it?"

Oldrien had much the same reaction. "How?" His voice was quivering, either with joy or anticipation - he couldn't figure out which.

"Took me a while to time it just right when Gabriel was entering his hidden chamber. Thankfully, he was always facing away from me when I showed up. I'm sure I just looked like a flicker of light since he generally just stares at his computer. But I know how to get in there now."

Oldrien broke his dazed look at address Fu. "OK, so we get Mother, but then what? Master Fu, can you fix magical injuries like that?"

"I need to know the nature of the injury first. I've spent some time examining the Peacock Miraculous since you brought it back to me. When a Miraculous is damaged, the damages become imprinted upon the wielder. The longer the Miraculous is worn, the more seriously the damages manifest themselves. I'm sure you have seen that with Miss Sancoeur over the past few months as Mayura has become more and more active."

Adrien nodded.

"The Peacock Miraculous is the embodiment of emotion. I had some conversations with Duusu, and I was able to determine that the damage to the Peacock Miraculous, among other things, cuts through the heart of the Miraculous. Since the damages go to the wielder, it is the heart of the wielder that is impacted. Your mother, as well as Miss Sancoeur, are most likely suffering the effects of what is quite literally a broken heart."

Adrien gasped and Marinette reached over to rub his shoulders. "So what can we do, Master?" Marinette was wearing her game face.

"It is a question of how long your mother wore the Miraculous for. If it was a relatively short time, then the injuries will heal themselves. I am guessing, however, that if it was severe enough for your father to build a life-sustaining sarcophagus, then there might not be much hope. I'm sorry, Adrien, I speak plainly so as to not get your hopes up unrealistically."

"So you're saying it's too late?" Oldrien's face fell.

A pop of gum behind him grabbed his attention. "Look at who you're talking to. It's never too late."

"But wait a second… even though you know how to get to Mother now, how do we get her here and safe? I imagine that Master Fu's apartment doesn't have the power to run whatever Father was running… we really can't do much, can we?"

"Work with me." Bunnyx started drawing in the air with her fingers. "You told Adrien here that your father became Hawk Moth because he was mad at the world for taking your mother, right? Well, why don't we make it the truth?"

"What are you talking about?" Oldrien asked.

"I can just go back in time to the day before your mother disappeared and bring her here. We can assume that she's probably better off then than she is now, so Master Fu can have a better shot at healing her."

Marinette raised her hand. "Wait a minute - won't stealing someone from a timeline really mess things up, though? I mean, this is different than capturing a Miraculous or returning a time traveler to whence he came…"

Bunnyx shook her head. "It doesn't change the timeline too much since your father still gets mad about your mother, except in this case she's actually missing instead of in some sort of secret chamber. The only thing that will change is your father's memory of the events. Right?"

"But what if things change enough that we don't defeat Hawk Moth? Or worse, he defeats us and gets our Miraculous? Isn't messing with the timeline once bad enough? I remember reading a story by Ray Bradbury…"

"Who are you going to trust on time travel, Adrien? Some author, or someone who's been doing time travel longer than any of you? I've got this all figured out. Your mom still disappears, your dad becomes Hawk Moth, he gets defeated, bing bang boom. Nicely wrapped up in a little bow for you." She snapped her gum again, then turned to Master Fu. "You'll still be able to heal her, right?"

"I am a Guardian, not a healer… that said, the grimoire does contain many of the secrets of the Miraculous. If I cannot get her perfectly healthy, I should at least be able to get her close enough."

"Adrien… is this something you want to try? We can't guarantee success, but this looks like our best option."

Adrien and Oldrien looked at each other. Oldrien nodded. "We both get her that way. When I go back to my own time, if this works, she'll have six years of memories of us together."

"But you won't, though."

"But you will. And that will have to be good enough for me. I'm willing to give it a go if you are. I won't be changing my memories - I'll not have had this time with her. You, on the other hand… look at how much you'll gain."

Adrien hummed.

"I think you should try, Adrien… and I know I'm probably speaking out of place here, but I love you more than anything in the world. Ever since you gave me that umbrella at school, my heart has been in absolute free-fall for you. I'd do anything to help make you happy. I've heard you talk about your mother. You clearly miss her. I've never met her, but if we can do something to help you have her again, then we should do it."

Adrien looked at Marinette and brought his hand to her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You have her eyes, you know." Without looking away from her he gave the all clear. "Alright. Let's do it. Bunnyx, do you have a plan?"

"Again… look at who you're talking to. We'll make it happen."

Future Marinette led the conversation. "Right, so Bunnyx gets Emilie the day before she disappears and brings her back here. Adrien, what was your mother doing the day before she disappeared? Do either of you remember?"

Adrien answered. "She was out doing something - Father never told me exactly but Nathalie hinted that she was out preparing something-or-other. Mother liked doing things for the family on her own, even though Nathalie was always there to help out. Anyway… that's the last I saw of her. She was out with our bodyguard and just… never came home. After studies had concluded that day, Nathalie informed me that Mother had gone missing and that Father would be assisting in the search for her. For me, it would be business as usual and Nathalie would be overseeing my schedule."

"It sounds like we have one more visit to make before we can get started, then. Let's start with Operation: Find the Gorilla!" Future Marinette wrung her hands in anticipation.

Adrien sputtered. "Wait… you know that I call my bodyguard The Gorilla?!"

"I mean… if the shoe fits, right? Anyway… do you know where he went after the break-in at the mansion? He probably knows where your mother was."

"He has an apartment around the corner from the mansion. You know… I never thought of that. He speaks so infrequently that I honestly never thought to ask him a direct question about it."

"When was the last time you heard him speak?"

"When I was eleven I caught him singing along to the soundtrack of Notre Dame de Paris. It's been nothing but grunts and grumbles ever since."

Bunnyx shrugged and looked around, clearly having more than enough optimism to share with everyone else. "Well, what do we have to lose? Let's go!"

Oldrien, Adrien, and Future Alix knocked on the door of the Gorilla's apartment. After a few seconds, they heard the familiar sound of chains being slid and deadbolts turned, and the door opened a crack. The bodyguard's eyes widened, and he pulled Adrien into the apartment before slamming the door in Oldrien and Future Alix's faces.

He picked up a phone and started pressing on the keypad.

Adrien reached out and put his hand on his former bodyguard's arm. "Wait, stop! They're with me. We need your help."

He looked at Adrien sternly, his eyes searching Adrien's face. After what felt like an eternity, his expression softened. He went back and opened the door, admitting Oldrien and Future Alix.

"Thanks." Oldrien smiled.

The Gorilla looked back and forth between Adrien and Oldrien, then slowly pointed at Adrien and then to Oldrien.

Adrien nodded. "Yeah, that's me, from six years in the future. We're on a mission to rescue Mother, and you're the only one who can help."

The Gorilla recoiled, the expression on his face clearly saying Me?

"We need to know what Mother was doing the day before she disappeared. She was with you, that much we know. We're going to go back in time and bring her here, where she can be healed. Can you tell us where she was, please?"

The Gorilla frowned and stroked his chin. "Shopping. Avenue Montaigne." His voice sounded like it should have come with a subwoofer, it was so deep. "You can save her?"

Oldrien spoke up. "We think we can. This is the best chance we have."

The Gorilla nodded. He walked to the door and opened it, signaling that the brief conversation was over. He smiled at them as they left.

It was a beautiful spring day. Emilie Agreste was shopping for a present for her son when suddenly, there was a white flash off to her left, and a tall woman with shocking red hair and a blue-and-white costume appeared.

"Hello, Mrs. Agreste." Bunnyx held out her hand, and Emilie shook it. "I'm here to rescue you."

"Rescue me? From what?" She fidgeted with the phone in her hand, moving her thumb to the Emergency Call button.

"Relax, Mrs. Agreste. The Peacock brooch you've been wearing - the one on your lapel - is making you sick. You've been having coughing spells, dizziness, and fatigue, no?"

"How did you know that?"

Adrien stepped out from behind Bunnyx. "Because I told her."

"A… Adrien? But you look different… taller… older, even."

"That's right, Mother. It's been over a year since you got sick. We came back to save you. We know someone who can help. Please, come with us. We'll explain everything."

"What do I tell our bodyguard?"

"Just… don't tell him. Tomorrow you get so sick that Father… well… we'll tell you. Now, please, let's go."

Emilie dropped the blue scarf she was holding and followed Bunnyx back through the Burrow.

Two Marinettes, one Oldrien, and Master Fu watched three people climb out of the Burrow that appeared suddenly in the middle of his living room.

Emilie looked around. "Well. Um, hello there! I don't know any of you but… wait." She pointed at Oldrien. "You're definitely my Adrien… but even older? What is going on here?" She started coughing, and Marinette ran to get her a stool, which she gratefully sat down on.

The coughing spell lasted about three minutes, during which Adrien went to his mother's left side and Oldrien went to his mother's right side, each putting a hand on her shoulder. When the fit subsided, she looked at each of them gratefully. "Thank you. Now please, tell me… what is going on?"

"You're dying, Mother. The Peacock Miraculous is making you sick. It's 2019 right now, a few months after you get sick. I'm from 2025, and I've come back in time to rescue you. Tomorrow, you fall into a coma and Father puts you in a sarcophagus to try to save your life. He… does some other things in order to do that. It didn't work, and a year from now you die, never having woken up. We don't have a lot of time, and we've brought you to the Guardian of the Miraculous so he can try to save you."

"You know what a Miraculous is?" She looked at Bunnyx. "Ah, well… yes, I guess that makes sense. Guardian of the Miraculous? So the others weren't lost?"

Master Fu spoke up. "That is correct, Mrs. Agreste. I am the Guardian of the Miraculous. I need to speak with Duusu, please."

Duusu flew out. "Here I am, Guardian."

"Duusu, I need to examine you to help determine what kind of injuries your wielder has. Please, it will only be a moment. Mrs. Agreste, please lay down on the floor mat here. You others - please go get some tea. I will let you know as soon as I find something out."

Adrien, Oldrien, Marinette, Future Marinette, and Bunnyx all went to the kitchen, where Marinette got five mugs and poured some tea in each of them. They sipped in apprehensive silence as a series of low gongs and quiet murmurings came from the other room.

Master Fu appeared in the kitchen as Marinette was about to make another pot of tea. His face was inscrutable. "We are ready. Please, come."

Adrien squinted at the Guardian's face, then followed him slowly around the corner.

Emilie Agreste was standing in the middle of the room. The Peacock brooch she had been wearing on her lapel was removed. But that wasn't the only difference Adrien noticed. In the past few minutes, she had become… well, brighter was the only word Adrien could think of. She looked healthy. It couldn't be possible. After the weeks of persistent coughing, fatigue, and dizzy spells… was his mother… healed?

He ran to her and collapsed in her arms. He felt her hands in his hair and her lips on his forehead.

It was real. He had his mother back.

Oldrien and Future Marinette stood away from Adrien and Emilie, embracing.

"You did it." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Why didn't you tell us any sooner?"

Oldrien shook his head. "As much as I wanted her back… I didn't want to bring her back to… that world." His voice was bitter. "Based on what we were going through, she was actually in a better place. But now that she's here… she'll have a better chance at the future. We'll have a better chance at the future. Our… um…" He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, something Marinette hadn't seen him do in a long time. "Our kids will have a better chance at the future. That is… if you'll have me?"

"Adrien… I wouldn't have it any other way." She kissed him again, this time on the lips, then pulled back and nuzzled his neck.

They were interrupted by the delicate sound of a throat clearing. "Sorry to break you two up… I just wanted to say thank you." Emilie put her hand on Oldrien's back. "I'm proud to know that I've raised such a fine, upstanding young man. One with what appears to be fantastic taste in women, I might add." She smiled cheekily at Future Marinette, who blushed.

"Mother… I'm so sorry."

"Shh, Adrien… don't apologize. You did your best and then when you could, you rescued me. There's no mother that could expect anything more from her son. You were wonderful. Are wonderful. Will be wonderful." She shrugged and chuckled. "I'm not really sure how to phrase that."

"Don't get tense about it, Mother." Oldrien grinned.

"I see that your father's sense of humor has rubbed off on you nicely as well." Emilie smiled.

Bunnyx opened a portal. "I hate to break up the party, but we can't really spend any more time back here without changing more than we intended. Are you two ready to go home?"

"Wait… take this first, please." Master Fu handed Bunnyx a folded slip of paper.

She opened and read it, then nodded.

"I'll see you again, right?" Oldrien looked at Emilie apprehensively.

"Of course you will, Adrien. Thank you for coming back to save me."

Adrien wrapped his arm around Emilie's shoulders. "I'll take good care of her, I promise."

Emilie and Oldrien embraced warmly and kissed each other on the cheek. "I'll see you in six years."

Oldrien, Future Marinette, and Bunnyx stepped through the portal and the white circle faded to a pinprick of bright light before disappearing completely.

"I will leave you three to get reacquainted." Master Fu smiled, paused at the credenza, and departed for the kitchen.

Emilie took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "So… now what? Do we go get Gabriel now? Where is he?"

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other. "About that… so, Father had the Butterfly Miraculous, you know that much, right?"

Emilie nodded.

Adrien continued. "He studied the grimoire and talked to his kwami, Nooroo, and decided that the best way to save you was to combine the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. He was under the impression that it would give him ultimate power; in this case, the power to save you."

"So that didn't happen obviously… what did happen?"

"Um… well, he used the Butterfly Miraculous to create a series of supervillains, hoping that the Guardian would release the Ladybug and Black Cat superheroes to stop him, and then he could capture their Miraculous and save you."

Emilie's mouth dropped open. "You are telling me that my husband, Gabriel Agreste, one of the greatest fashion designers in the world, became a supervillain?"

"It worked for Hobgoblin." Adrien shrugged. "But yes… he's spent the last few months fighting Ladybug, Chat Noir, and a few other superheroes. He did a lot of damage to Paris and hurt a lot of people, but Ladybug was always able to fix it." He looked at Marinette and smiled.

"I… I think I need a minute." She sat back down on the stool. "On the one hand, trying to save me is remarkably sweet and romantic, a lot like the Gabriel that I know… but on the other hand, you probably came to know a different Gabriel. I'm so sorry." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Where is he now?"

"In prison." Adrien tried and failed to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "He was defeated once and for all by Ladybug and Chat Noir, and the Butterfly was taken away from him."

"I should go see him." Emilie stood up, then sat back down. "But… wait a minute, if you brought me through time to save me, then… he never puts me in the sarcophagus, and… did he still become a supervillain? Surely he wouldn't have…"

"There's only one way to find out." Marinette pulled out her phone. "We remember things how we remember them, but articles on the Internet should reflect how things have changed. Let's see what's different." She opened up the search app and typed in Gabriel Agreste.

A stream of search results immediately came up. "Gabriel Agreste design firm… Gabriel Agreste, Paris, Headquarters… Gabriel Agreste Biography… well, nothing seems alarming so far." She tapped on the phone screen and continued reading. "In fact, judging from his biography, he's here in Paris, and… oh." She looked up and smiled. "I think you'll like this." Her eyes twinkled. "Gabriel Agreste last week awarded his first ever Emilie Agreste Memorial Design Scholarship. The Scholarship, named after the designer's late wife, went to the winner of a design competition for students. The winner, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, was presented the award by her classmate Adrien Agreste, son of Gabriel and Emilie." She flipped her phone around to show a picture of the presentation.

"That's awesome, Marinette, congratulations! Also… the Emilie Agreste Memorial Scholarship?" Adrien looked at his mother.

"I'd much rather be presumed dead than missing and buried in a sarcophagus somewhere… or actually dead, now that I think of it. Wouldn't you agree?" Emilie smiled, and Marinette could see exactly where Adrien got his looks from.

Marinette hummed. "So… no Hawk Moth… I wonder how we wound up with these, then…" She took the earrings from her earlobes and was shocked to find a pair of black studs with pink stripes. "Adrien!" she cried, looking at his hand.

On his right ring finger was a plain silver ring.

"Master!" Marinette called and ran into the kitchen, but it was empty.

She ran back into the living room. The familiar gramophone that was usually on the credenza was also gone. "Kitty…" she sobbed. "Tikki… Plagg…"

Adrien ran over and embraced her. "Hey. Hey. We still have each other. Besides… you'll always be my Bugaboo." He kissed her on the forehead and held her close until her shoulders stopped shaking.

Epilogue - 2025

Four people sat in the living room of a modest Paris apartment. The sun outside the window had begun to set, washing the interior in deep oranges and reds. Marinette looked up from her tablet at the sound of a cry from the nursery - the nursery where their daughter lay in a crib with a stuffed ox and a stuffed tiger. The crib over which hung a mobile with bees, foxes, turtles, black cats, and ladybugs. "You know what to do, Adrien?"

Adrien got up from the couch and rolled his eyes. "Yes, Marinette… we've been over this plenty of times. I pick Emma up, rock her back to sleep while humming Alouette, and then gently place her back in her bassinet. I won't otherwise engage with her or stimulate her to keep her from waking up fully." He pasted a reassuring smile on his face.

Marinette blew him a kiss. "Don't be too long, loverboy."

"I won't… I promise." He fidgeted with the silver wedding band - the one that resembled the Black Cat Miraculous - on his left ring finger. He disappeared down the hallway to the bedroom.

Gabriel spoke up from the other couch. "He's a good dad."

"He takes after you, my dear." Emilie leaned over on the couch and playfully nudged Gabriel with her shoulder.

Marinette smiled. It was hard to believe that the "young, up-and-coming power couple of Paris Fashion", as the media had dubbed her and Adrien, could be so lucky.

"You're prepared for Fashion Week, then?" Gabriel asked her.

"Almost. Here's what I've been working on." She passed him her tablet.

"A red-and-black dress paired with a black-and-green tuxedo… each subtly reflecting elements of the other. This is an excellent design, Marinette. I would love to see the finished product. I assume Adrien is going to model the tuxedo?"

Marinette nodded.

"And who will be modeling the dress?"

Marinette flushed. "I was thinking I would, actually."

Gabriel held up the tablet in front of him, and looked between Marinette and the screen. He hummed. "I can see it. Red and black would look good on you. We'd have to teach you how to runway model. It looks easy, but you don't want to trip and fall and… what's the word you like to use?" His eyes sparkled with mirth. "Disaster. Right. Emilie will show you what you need to do. If you don't mind, dear?"

"Not at all, Gabriel. I'd be happy to."

Adrien returned from the bedroom and sat down next to Marinette, and the four Agrestes sat in the living room talking quietly for the next hour or so.

It was hard for Marinette to believe that she and her husband used to be superheroes, fighting her father-in-law over the power to resurrect his wife. She reached up and absentmindedly fiddled with her earrings, a habit Adrien had learned to recognize as her expression of thinking about her time as Ladybug.

He leaned over and whispered "Bugaboo" in her ear, which made her smile and giggle quietly.

Even though their past wasn't what they had remembered, both Adrien and Marinette recognized the force that had brought them together and sustained them.

She took Adrien's hand and squeezed it. The power of love, always so strong. Miraculous.

THE END