A Snap in Time

Chapter 7 (Adrien)

She'd done it!

He felt the pride over take his sorrow as he looked into her eyes mere moments ago. He willed her to come over to him, to speak to him, but she was pulled away. Taken by her current partner. He couldn't blame Luka, he would be the same with a random newcomer too, but he would trust his lady's instincts. He would always trust Marinette.

Adrien wandered through the crowds attempting to control his sneezing as much as possible. He didn't want to draw any attention to himself as he made his way out of the park and onto the streets of Paris. He wanted to stay dark within the shadows until he figured out what was going on. He needed to find Fu.

After walking without paying attention to his surroundings he finally stopped and surveyed the area. He couldn't believe where his subconscious had taken him too.

Tom and Sabine Patisserie.

His stomach rumbled in hunger and he realised he couldn't remember when he last ate. Was it yesterday? The day before? Or even the day before that? Checking his pockets he realised they were empty, not a euro in sight and no food. His eyes welled with tears. Rubbing them harshly he couldn't help but think it was just another problem to add to the never ending list.

He had no money and no food. Plagg was going to despise him! How could he keep his kwami powered up, if he couldn't afford to feed him? What if he needed to transform? Who was he kidding? No one needed Chat Noir, no one even knew who he was.

Looking up to the sky he sighed, eyes closed and slowly counting backwards from fifty in his head. By thirty he was feeling a little more calm, and opened his eyes. His eyebrows creased as he noticed the billboard in front of him, how curious? Taking a couple of steps forward, he headed over to the park and sat on a bench opposite it.

The billboard had housed a number of different things overtime with Adrien's face on it. Adrien the fragrance being one of the more recent, however what he saw situated on there now sent shivers down his spine. This couldn't be true. It had to be a joke.

A black umbrella filled the board, held in position by a delicate hand of a woman dressed in black. Her blonde hair twisted and twined together, cascading down her back.

Solitude 2 coming soon.

Standing up, Adrien stumbled a couple of steps in the direction of the bakery.

One, two, keep counting Adrien and don't forget to breathe, three, four ...

Just as his foot hit the pavement in front of the bakery, his world went black, a high pitched ringing in his ears being the last of what he could sense.

"Adrien, you, you're Chat Noir?"

"I'm sorry if you're disappointed Marinette, but I meant everything I said. You mean everything to me."

"You mean everything to me too, I'm so sorry for not finding out earlier, I could have helped you."

"It's ok, you being here now means everything -"

"Oh, how sweet? It's a shame that it has to end, but as you know only one can survive and unfortunately it's not you ..."

"No, please! Don't! No ... no ... noooooo."

Adrien jolted up, breathing heavy. He wasn't on the cool pavement, instead he was on something soft and smooth. Something very similar to ...

"How are you feeling?" A small woman came and sat next to him, a mug of tea and plate of pastries in her hands.

Sabine.

Sabine was here. She was looking after him.

"I'm so, so sorry." Adrien's voice was hoarse, itching as he spoke. He began to cough causing Sabine to move into action, handing him over the tea cup.

"It's ok, please, have a drink." She saw he was shaking as he took it from her so decided to help him. Supporting the tea cup to his lips and slowly tilting the hot liquid into his mouth.

The temperature was perfect and he heard himself sigh from the refreshment.

"Thank you," Adrien whispered out, his eyes looking down.

"Please, eat something. You look pale." She offered the plate to him and his mouth practically drooled at the look of the croissants.

"No I couldn't, I don't want to impose and I don't have any money to pay you for them. I - um - I best be going." Adrien went to stand up, only to lose the feeling in his legs and topple back onto the sofa.

"Woah, easy there my lad. Don't try and run before you can walk." Tom's shadow presented itself in the room. Taking over the majority of the floor as he came to join his wife.

"Sorry Sir, but I can't just impose on you. You don't even know who I am." Adrien said.

"Son, if someone needs help then why should we ignore them?" Tom's big hand engulfed Adrien's shoulder as he tried to calm the boy down. "Eat."

Adrien sat in Marinette's lounge with her parents eating a croissant and he could almost make himself believe it was normal. His heart rate had settled down and the feeling in his legs strengthened as he embedded himself into their warmth. He'd always idolised Tom and Sabine, and in return envied Marinette. They were wonderful, caring parents and it's how he wished his father would have been with him.

His father.

What had happened to his father? The memory flashed back from the billboard, and Adrien's stomach turned. No, no it couldn't be. He wouldn't believe it, he couldn't believe it. There was no way his mother was around. That she was here. There just had to be some sort of mistake.

A chime echoed through the room, Sabine explaining that it was a bell for the bakery. Apparently after finding Adrien on the floor passed out, they shut up for the day to help him out. He felt awful for it. It was only early lunch, and he was sure he'd affected their income. He wished he could offer something in return, but all he had at the moment was literally the clothes on his back.

Tom made his way down in the bakery, as Adrien attempted to say his goodbyes leaving Tom and Sabine in peace. Adrien thanked her for the generosity of allowing him to stay and began walking to the door, only to bump into Tom's big form.

"Son, someone here's to see you. He says he's your great uncle."

Stepping to one side, Adrien's jaw dropped as standing in the doorway to the Dupain-Cheng's apartment was none other than Master Fu.

"Hello, Adrien. I've been looking for you."