Next of Kin

Chapter 7

A/N - I'm back with a new chapter. Hopefully we should be back to the 2 week schedule from now on. Thank you for your patience.

"Scarabella, I think it's time to call your Lucky Charm." Femme Chat called as they dodged yet another flying projectile, her long twin plats flying around her head. This was the third akuma in as many days and Marinette really didn't have time for this. She wasn't sure whether Hawk Moth was just toying with them, or whether he was trying to find a weakness in the new duo, but each akuma just seemed more pretentious than the last. Between working on the new designs, dodging Ricardo as much as possible and spending time with Adrien at the hospital, she really wasn't in the mood for whatever had tipped this akuma victim off.

"What on Earth?" Scarabella said as she held a red and black water pistol Lucky Charm in her hand.

"Maybe you need to fill it up first." Femme Chat suggested, spinning her stick to protect Scarabella as she tried to figure the Luck Charm out. The interim  Ladybug hero looked around.

"Right, I think I've got it. You go and keep him occupied while I fill this up."

Femme Chat extended her baton and leaped back over to the akuma, her electric green boots streaking across the sky. Marinette would be lying if she said she didn't miss her Chat fighting beside her. Even on those few occasions where they had swapped their Miraculous, it was still him there with his badly timed jokes and putting his body on the line. Now that she was having to do it for Alya, she appreciated more the hits he had taken for her. Alya was doing an amazing job, and she was getting better with every fight, but it wasn't the same. Marinette knew it was hard for Adrien too, having to just sit back and watch from the television.

Adrien had been putting on a brave face when she would visit him, but as the week dragged on she worried about him blaming himself for what had happened. They had long talks about modeling and fencing. The reality of his injuries hit him hard when the national team contacted him to say that he had been replaced. His dream of an Olympic gold medal was gone, maybe forever. That day he had finally broken down and cried into her arms and she had never felt more helpless as she stroked his hair.

"Bye bye little butterfly. Miraculous Scarabella."

The Miraculous Ladybugs whizzed past, correcting all the damage. Femme Chat breathed a sigh of relief that it was over for today. Her mind had really been elsewhere.

Scarabella and Femme Chat shared a pound it before Scarabella placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take care of the victim, you go and see Adrien, I know you've been worried about him." She whispered, giving the cat hero a hug.

"Thank you. I'll catch up with you later." Femme Chat replied before scurrying off. She dropped into an alleyway near the Gabriel fashion house and released her transformation. Taking out some camembert from her bag, she gave a slice to Plagg.

"Why are we here?" Plagg asked. "I thought you were seeing my Kid."

"I will be Plagg, but I have to stop at the office first. I need to give the new Vesperia design to Ricardo. I've been trying to avoid him all week, but if I don't get this to him today Mr Agreste will start to notice I'm getting behind."

Plagg huffed, but didn't argue. "So we sleazebag first and then go and see the kid."

Marinette had to bite back a laugh. "If you keep calling him that, I'm going to accidentally say it to his face one day."

"Good" Plagg said, swallowing the last of his cheese. "Someone should. Remember I'm having to listen to all his flirting with you."

"Plagg." She warned, but the kwami waved her off.