Tales Untold

The Disappearing Act 3

He didn't understand what was wrong. He didn't understand why she was crying.

"What's wrong?"

She sank to the floor, staring at her room in shock? Disgust? He didn't understand any of it. He knelt next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She whipped her head to face him, glaring.

"Why?" She whispered, and he pulled her into him, holding her tightly.

"Why?" He repeated, and she choked back a sob, gripping onto his shirt as she tried to push away from him.

"Why didn't you make them move on?"

Move on? She expected her parents to move on, from their only child? Who was missing?

He released her, staring at her in bewilderment. How were they supposed to move on? They didn't know what happened to her, or where she went. They didn't know. He didn't know how he could explain that to her. He didn't know how he could make her understand. So he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled her back into a hug, practically crushing her into his chest. He marveled at the feeling of her against him, thinking back to all those years before, when he had hugged Marinette. He had always appreciated her hugs. But he should have appreciated them more. He should have held on longer. He should have paid attention and he should have never let her go.

"How could I?" He finally answered her question, wanting her to understand.

Needing her to. He couldn't just give up on her. He had to prove to himself that she was still alive. She didn't answer, and he heard someone coming up the stairs. He stood, quickly pulling her up with him.

"Pizzas here." Sabine called, and he pulled out his wallet, opening the trap door.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

She wiped her eyes, trying to put on a brave face before she would see her parents again. He knew that was what she was doing, and he hated it. Marinette shouldn't have to hide anything. Not anymore.

* * * * *

He sat on the couch, his attention focused on the girl beside him. They had finished the pizza, and had devolved into an uncomfortable, bitter silence. Something that had hurt the most when she was gone, was the not knowing. Not knowing if she was alive, if she was okay. If she was happy. All of them had expected that when she was found, that would go away. But it didn't. Because Marinette didn't know the answers to any of those questions. And he could tell it was killing her just as much as it was killing them. They needed to know.

"It's getting late." Sabine murmered, glancing at the window.

He almost jumped, they had been sitting in silence for half an hour.

"I should head to bed. I've had a long day." Marinette's voice was gentle, and he noticed her gaze jumping from one of her parents to the other.

Her parents just looked confused to him. As if they were in a daze. She stood up from the couch, and he flinched at the loss of contact. She hugged her mother first, who seemed to tremble at her daughters embrace.

"I love you Maman."

"I love you too baby." Her voice shook, and Adrien stood up, making his way to the kitchen.

That felt like a private moment, one he didn't want to intrude on.

"You seem sad." Plagg whispered, reappearing.

Adrien figured he had disappeared to go talk to Tiki.

"I'm happy she's home. I just don't understand. Three years is a long time. Why is she back? Where was she?"