All The Light We Cannot See

Shooting Blanks

Nino walked quickly down the streets trying to get back home as quickly as he could. He wanted to call Alya and tell her he was okay. He didn't want her to worry. He felt his pockets only to realize he didn't have his phone. Did he leave it at the comic book store? He didn't have Marinette's either.

The crosswalk light changed as he halted to a sudden stop. He bent over, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. A car pulled up to the side as the dark tinted window rolled down.

"Nino?"

Nino looked up feeling a rush of relief.

"Hey dude, can you drop me off at my apartment?"

"I don't mind, is everything okay?"

"I guess? I'm just confused."

Nino opened the door and slumped down in the passenger seat, not bothering to use the seatbelt.

"You're confused?"

"I took Marinette's phone to the comic book store and I think I left hers and mine there."

"The comic book store?"

Nino nodded as Adrien started driving again.

"Yeah. I don't even remember why I was there but I know I had the phones with me."

"Nino, you're my best friend and everything and I promise I won't judge you if you're... you know..."

Nino raised his eyebrow, looking over at the blonde who didn't bother taking his eyes off of the road.

"You think I'm on drugs? I'm not on drugs! Look, after you drop me off go to the comic book store that Nathaniel owns and ask him why I was there. Maybe you can find some clues or something."

"Nathaniel owns a comic book store?"

"Yes! Him and Marc. Here's the card that Max gave me, it has the address on it."

Nino felt his pockets again realizing that they were empty.

"Well... I had it..."

"Nino-"

"I swear, man! I'm being dead serious! It's like, I remember some but I don't remember the rest."

Nino closed his eyes, sighing loudly. He didn't understand why he couldn't remember.

"And you don't remember why you were there or why you had Marinette's phone?"

"No. I don't remember anything."

Adrien pulled up at the apartment and put the car in park. He turned the car off and opened his door.

"What are you doing?"

Nino opened his eyes as Adrien was getting out. He quickly opened his door and stumbled out of the car.

"I'm going to talk to Alya if you don't mind."

"Good idea, maybe she'll know something."

When they got to Nino's apartment, he knocked on the door and Alya opened it as if she was waiting for him at the door. When she saw him, her eyes filled with tears and she grabbed him tightly, pulling him into an embrace.

"Where were you?! I was so worried."

"That's why we're here. He doesn't remember anything."

Alya looked over Nino's shoulder, at the blonde.

"He doesn't remember anything?"

Adrien shook his head with a frown.

"We were hoping you knew."

"Come in, hurry. Just in case you were followed."

She shut the door behind them. They went to the kitchen and sat at the table as Alya rubbed her stomach. It was clear that she was in pain but Adrien couldn't tell if it was because of Nino going missing or the baby.

"We came up with a plan. You went to see Max so he could fix the picture you took and you also took Marinette's phone to see if he could trace the number that messaged her. That was the last I heard from you."

Nino covered his face with his hands and sighed before dragging his palms down his face until his hands fell back to his lap.

"I don't remember any of that. I'm sorry."

"Do you think Lorenzo is behind this?"

Adrien exchanged glances between the couple as he bounced his knee anxiously.

"There's only one way to find out. We need to trace Nino's steps and..."

"No-no-no. There's no, 'we' to it. You're staying here with Nino. I'll go figure everything out."

"Why?! I can help you!"

"Alya! You're pregnant. There's no way I'm letting you go with me, right Nino?"

Alya turned her head towards Nino, glaring at him. He gulped and shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to say that he didn't think it was a good idea but he also didn't want a death wish.

"I have no part in this argument."

Adrien got up and turned to the door but stopped as it finally dawned on him. He forgot that Marinette didn't have her phone which meant she never got his message, which meant...

"Alya, there is a way you can help. Please call the hospital and talk to Marinette. Let her know what's going on. Tell her that I love her and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"You make it sound like you're going to die, don't talk that way."

Adrien smiled sadly over his shoulder as he held the door open.

"You never know when you're going to die but that doesn't mean you can't be prepared. There's a new Hawkmoth now and that means it's time for the hero of Paris to save the day and protect everyone. I have a feeling that all of this has something to do with Lorenzo and I will get to the bottom of it."

He glanced down to his ring as Plagg moved to Adrien's shoulder. He looked back at Alya and Nino with a smile.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine! I'll make sure of it."

"And what about Ladybug? Marinette can't exactly purify akuma's right now."

"Akuma's are the least of our problems right now. If one shows up, Adrien can use his cataclysm."

Adrien hurried out before Alya could ask or argue about anything else, transforming in the process. But little did they know, her plan was turning out exactly how she wanted it to. With Adrien searching for clues that would lead him no where and Nino with his memory erased, she had Marinette in the palm of her hands. She didn't have to worry about Alya, for her time was coming soon and she was too pregnant to do anything anyways.

•

Lorenzo smiled as he watched out of the hospital window at the people that passed by below. The hospital room's phone that sat on the table beside Marinette's bed stayed quiet as the cut wire hung low.

"I don't understand why he left. He said he would be right back and..."

"Hey, don't stress it. I told you he was like that, didn't I? He doesn't care enough to stay."

He reached into his pocket, gripping onto the girl's phone that was hidden there. When he looked back out the window, he saw Chat Noir out of the corner of his eye.

"Mari? I'll go look for him. I promise I'll come back, unlike Adrien, I never break my promises."