Unshared Secrets

Chapter 15: Secrets and Pain

Chat Noir surveyed the streets below him, jumping from road to road on his pole searching for Marinette. It was calm, as if some plant monster hadn't just burst in and grabbed his great friend.

How could a plant just disappear-

That's when their New York adventure hit him. The sewers.

He catapulted towards them near the school and jumped inside. He looked around for any sign, and then he saw it. A golden piece he recognized, from the bracelet he gave her as Adrien. He began running towards wherever the path took him to realize, it was a dead end. There was another bead, floating on the waters. He has to follow it-

His phone began ringing. Gabriel Agreste. Adrien put the call on silent, but it kept on buzzing. And with the baton ringing he couldn't use it to breath underwater. He inwardly sighed,

He picked up, "Hello Father?"
"Adrien, come home, I need to speak to you."

His voice sounded urgent, and Adrien thought if his father was involved in Marinette's case, then he should go home. He quickly jumped through Paris and landed in his room, detransforming. He walked down towards the cold room where he usually ate and dined.

"You wanted to see me father?"

"Adrien, sit down."

Adrien pulled a seat across when Gabriel raised a hand to stop him, and patted to the seat next to him, all while looking down. Adrien felt his heart beat as he sat next to his father, who's eyes finally declared emotions of a human. There was...shame? Was that what he saw? Shame?

"Adrien, before I tell you, I truly am sorry."

"What is it father?"

"I- I was Hawkmoth."
Silence. Deathly silence. Gabriel looked at his hands which twitched, and Adrien debated how to deal with this. This was his chance, for every thing his father put him through. The years of loneliness, pain and grief, for the restrictions and burden. His response would surely decide their future relationship. And then Adrien put his hand on his father's.

"I- I think it's ok...but why?"

"Adrien, I really am sorry. I shut the world and you, and in my grief I used the miraculous wrongly to grab power and bring back your mother. You see, she is not dead."
"W-what?"

His breath hitched in his throat, Aspik and Multimouse didn't know this.

"Then where is she father!?"

His voice came out hoarse, loathed with pain.

"She's in a magical coma. Your mother and I found the Miraculous, we were...foolish and attempted to use the powers. The Peacock was damaged, and it faltered your mother."
"Why didn't you stop?"
"Your mother wanted to use the powers and help the world, whereas I wished to study them. We did not know the miraculous was damaged."

Adrien couldn't breath properly. Marinette was still missing, his mother wasn't dead. All those nights he thought she left because of him returned. He was on the verge, the cliff. About to lose the most important people in his life. And he wasn't even sure if his sanity could handle all the secrets which hit him like a canon ball.

"Then?" He swallowed.

"She began coughing, having mild headaches. I told her to stop, but she was afar in her cause and by then it as too late. One morning I woke up to her shriek and discover her asleep. I  thought she died. And I wept until Nooroo told me she wasn't, that she was in a coma. Miraculouses have kwamis, some creature, mine was a purple one called Nooroo."