Maribat March 2021

Found Family/Reunion

The time Marinette spent with the Wayne's may as well have been the best of her life. Of course she missed her friends and family during their separation, not a day went by without her starring at their pictures. Their pictures that used to line her wall. 

But she had new pictures too. One of her and Alfred in the kitchen, beautifully taken by Tim from various angles. A portrait of her brief time on Themyscira. A family photo of all of the Waynes, even the unofficial members. She could barely remember what color her wall paint was. 

She had grown attached to her host family, undesirably so. It was supposed to be a quick stay. A few weeks at most. Max would fix the border of Cuwèi, she would say farewell to the outside world and go home and be crowned Supreme, send some ambassadors to the United Nations and live happily with her husband. 

But now, five years after defeating Gabriel, she wasn't sure Cuwèi was home anymore. 

The reason of her stay at Wayne manor was less than optimal. They had offer to house her until the portal to Cuwèi was fixed. Which turned out to be a lot longer than expected since the only way they could communicate was through the phones made by the miraculous. 

Kaalki had fallen ill and the only cure needed a special plant that took years to grow. And since Kaalki was the gatekeeper of Cuwèi, no one came in and no one came out. Leaving her friends in Cuwèi and her in the outside world. 

They fixed it of course, Kaalki was as healthy as they were when they were a brand new ideal. 

Marinette traveled back to the city, it was her responsibility, it was her home. She said goodbye to the Wayne's, formally thanked them for their hospitality, and left to become the Supreme. She would have travel to see them more often then she did, but her Supreme duties kept her too occupied.

That shouldn't bother her as much as it did. She should revel in her new position, it was her destiny to become the Supreme, to lead the city through peace and hardship as their northern star. 

So why did it feel so wrong?

~

"-so the safest option is to lock the gateway." Said a councilmember. 

"No, there has to be some other way." Marinette denied, head in hands at her seat in front of a map of the city.  She and the councilmembers were at a meeting discussing ways to defeat Praang, a rogue spirit grounded to cursed headdress. They would use it to control the vessel wearing it to move and get around. It wasn't a quick process, but if they waited to long, they would be out of the city and the guardians would have a much harder time defeating them. 

"Supreme, it's the only way to keep both Cuwèi and the outside world safe. We need to close the Gateway immediately or else we might be to late." A different councilmember reasoned. The rest of the council nodded in agreement. 

 "But-" She started. The gateway can never be permanently closed, not unless Kaalki dies. But it can be closed. But the lock would last longer than any Cuwèi lifetime. Even the Supreme's. 

"As Supreme, you must put the wellbeing of the people before your nostalgia. It's bad enough you spent years out of Cuwèi, you shouldn't have even been eligible for Supreme. But since your predecessor was so dead set on you taking his place, your absent was overlooked." Snarled a councilmember third to her right. 

"Fei, calm down-"

"You're right." She admitted in a heartbroken tone, "We need to close the gateway. It will be done at first light." 

The council nodded and left the meeting room to prepare for the ritual. 

She didn't move from her seat, she just sat and cried until Adrien carried her to their chamber.

~

"Mari, you can't do this. You'll never see them again!" He pleaded. 

She shook her head. "Adrien, I have to. It's what's best for us all. They'll be safe, you'll be safe-"

"And you'll be miserable." He interrupted.

"I'll get over it-"

"No, you'll pretend to be over it and cry on the roof of the temple every night." He held her in place by her biceps. 

"This is what's best for everyone." He paused at that, then his face softened. 

"Mari, you carry your pictures in a bag, right?" She was surprised at the sudden change of topics, but nodded. 

"Okay, it'll be here in a moment."

"What..." She questioned him with a confused expression. 

"You deserve to be happy, Mari, so happy." He told her with a kiss. 

"Adrien, what is going on?" She asked cautiously. She noticed his eyes were beginning to water.

The barrier was slowly closing down over the city. From the edge of the city you could see the land below and were the barrier would converge with the ground.

"I love you, Mari, we all love you."

"Adrien what are you-" Then he pushed her. Along with her bag.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed, and she saw all her friend and family line up to the barrier, pounding it with horrified faces.

As she from the sky, her own horror was clear. Her free hair fanning out around her head while her wide-eyes stared at newly shielded city.

I love you, Mari, he mouthed, be happy now.

What? He pushed her out of the barrier, and- 

Oh.

She understood now. She wasn't happy in Cuwèi. He could see that. They both knew where she was happy. 

He would forever be her Kitty, just as she will always be his Buggaboo. He would always have a place in her heart, even though her heart was in Gotham.

I love you, too, she mouthed back with a watery smile, and I will.

She smiled to her family and friends, pausing their attempts to break through the barrier. Their shocked faces morphing into ones of tears. They all said their 'I love you's and pressed a hand to the barrier.

Neither of the couple could see but both knew of the tears falling from the other's cheeks. They starred for as long as they could see each other. Letting Marinette fall peacefully with her with her thoughts.

Goodbye is not forever. This moment proved that. She'll reunite with the family who took her in and made her one of their own. She'll reunite with the family she fell from.

Something and somehow she'll see them again. It won't be pretty, not at first. 

But as of for now, it was fate that they found her, and it is fate that will let them find her again.