What am I for you?

a new future

Nathalie looked uncertainly at the Miraculous in Gabriel's hand which he now held out towards her.
So many questions shot through her head at that moment, questions that passed her by, too fast to grasp them exactly and to pay more attention to them than 2 seconds or even less.
"You are absolutely sure? ..." Nathalie asked him while she looked deep into his dark blue eyes.
"Would I be standing here otherwise?"
"..." she gently grabbed the Miraculous with his fingertips. It was still warm from whoever Gabriel was wearing it.
It was the same as before when she took the Miraculous a first time. Nathalie could feel how she could perceive the most diverse feelings in her environment and how they united in the Miraculous.
She could feel the joy of a young woman who had probably made a trip to Paris possible with her hard-earned money and who felt infinite happiness just at the sight of the Eiffel Tower.
There where another great feeling a few streets away from her. A man was walking down the street. He seemed stressed and just focused on making it to his 2pm appointment. If he would face just one other obstacle on his way, she would probably be able to use him as an Akuma. What would Nathalie call him? 'Stressokotar, I am Papillion. You have reached the struggle of adult life. I give you the power to hold the time to achieve all that you wish for. In return get hold of the Ladybug and Chat Miraculous for me.'
The idea of being Hawkmoth for a day made Nathalie smile for a brief moment before she devoted herself to further feelings in her environment.
In the distance a couple of happy children seemed to be stealing the last nerve of a teacher, at least Nathalie could see the exhaustion and the tiredness of that person.
What would she call this person? What would their superpowers be?
"Can you sense it?" Gabriel asked her carefully, who still had his gaze fixed on her and watched with a raised eyebrow as Nathalie's facial expression changed slightly over and over again.
The many emotions had distracted Nathalie. She closed her eyes for a moment, then focused on the feelings much closer around her.
She could feel sadness; a man around her seemed to be deeply saddened and unhappy. His heart seemed to be broken but now and then Nathalie could feel the feelings weaken for a few minutes as if the person was actively suppressing them for a few minutes. She was impressed at how much control the person had over them. But one thing for sure.
It wasn't Gabriel's feelings.
Nathalie started another attempt this time she concentrated even more on capturing the feelings around her.
And there they were. She could feel Gabriel's relief to have found her, and his great joy about it.
But there was something else. Something new, unfamiliar. A feeling that Nathalie knew painfully but had never felt it in Gabriel. Not even the first time she had the miraculous.
Carefully she opened her eyes and gave him a questioning look, whereupon Gabriel gave her a smile. "You found out"
Nathalie herself was still not sure that she understood correctly, could it really be? Had Gabriel fallen in love with her?
Gabriel, who wanted to take the offensive now inspired by Nathalie's revelation, stepped closer to her and took both of her hands.
"My decision to let Emilie go came from the fact that I had noticed this feeling in me. I'm tired of chasing something that is no longer what I want."
Nathalie blinked at him, confused. She had always been calm but now she was at a point where she was finally lacking in words. What Gabriel hushed up by simply continuing to speak.
"Please don't go away. Come home. Adrien misses you and I miss you too. I don't care if people find out that you are Mayura and that makes me suspect.
I will no longer use the Miraculous to hurt people. Because he's not worth losing you for it. "
"Gabriel .. I" stammered Nathalie quietly unable to form words from her letters before she was interrupted by a loud shout that prompted both of them to take a few good steps away from each other.
It was Ladybug who seemed to be looking for Hawkmoth.
Frightened, Nathalie looked over at Gabriel, who in turn looked over at her just as overwhelmed.
"What is Ladybug doing here?"
"I asked her to help me find you"
"You asked her what ?!"
"I was desperate!"
"And what are we doing now?"
"I ... I have to make myself known ..."
"because that would not lead to further questions"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"I might have.."

"Hawkmoth!" Ladybug called again
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" added Chat Noir which made Ladybug feel the need to roll her eyes violently, which Chat answered with a simple grin.
"He can't just have disappeared like that .."
"I only saw how he suddenly jumped into the crowd and then suddenly he was gone. It was going too fast" explained Ladybug before she touched her head and cursed once, "How could we loose a 2 meter man in a purple Lose suit with strange mask. One would think these facts would make this almost impossible. "
"We are like parents who only turned around and now they have lost their child in the mall. Should we make an announcement?
'Little Hawkmoth is asked to come out of the game paradise' "
"... you are not helpful chat ..."
"Ladybug! Chat Noir!" rang out a voice which made the heroes sit up and take notice of who they were directing their attention to.
A woman in a beautiful yellow dress with white polka dots was now looking up at the heirs on the roof. She seemed to want the heroes' attention.
Both looked at each other in amazement before jumping down to her.
Only a few meters from the ground did they both recognize who the woman was.
"Miss Sancoeur!" exclaimed Ladybug in surprise. Chat had to try hard not to fall around the woman's neck.
"What are you doing here?" Ladybug continued.
"that is a pretty long story. Hawkmoth had told me about the favor he had asked you for" Nathalie now explained what Ladybug confirmed with a nod.
"We should help him find you .. now we have you, but he's gone." spoke Chat which has never been so grateful that his face was protected by a mask.
"He has already found me" said Nathalie before she took Ladybug's hand and put something in it. "He asked me to give you this"
With big eyes both young heroes stared into Ladybug's palm in which the butterfly Miraculous was now.
"He gives up his Miraculous so easily ?!"
"That was always the deal, or am I wrong?" Nathalie said.
"no .... yes .. but .."
"Hawkmoth prefers his dark secret not to be exposed like mine." Nathalie continued before she turned around. "I will now also say goodbye"
"Wait!" Ladybug called out, causing the woman to stop. "I .. well .. we will not make it public that Mayura's identity has been exposed .."
These words brought a slight smile to Nathalie's lips "Thank you. And, I'm sorry that I had to fight you so often. I hope you can forgive me that one day."
And with that Nathalie finally turned around and left the heroes alone who paused for a moment before Chat also made a leap forward.
"Now that this is also done, I still have important cat things to do. This kind of grooming doesn't take care of itself. See you later, my lady!" Chat said just before he swung away over the roof. He just had to go back home. Because he knew what to expect there now.
"Until then, Kitty," said Ladybug who followed him briefly to the place where he had disappeared.
Chat jumped faster and faster over the rooftops of Paris, the wind blowing just around his nose and through his hair, which it completely disheveled. He couldn't wait to be Adrien again. And to really take Nathalie in his arms. He could really feel it. From now on a new phase of life would begin.
And may he heal the wounds of the past and pave the way for a better future.