Shattered

29) Under Cover

Cole's POV
Throughout the day, Alyssa, Jessie, Janson, and I did our best to ask questions and figure out what the twins knew.

In the middle of the movie we were watching in the basement, I stood up and went to "get some more snacks and go to the restroom".

Instead, I snuck up the nearly empty house and made my way into the upper level.

Uncle Adrien and Aunt Marinette's room was empty, so after taking a deep breath, I opened the door. Time to find out what the newbies were up to.

Emma's POV
The moment Cole left, I knew what he was up to. So after a few minutes I excused myself as well.

Where would he have gone?

I was certain that he wouldn't find much in most of the house except...

Crap. My parents' room.

I rushed up the stairs just in time to see him enter and slowly shut the door behind him.

I cracked it open just enough to see him snoop around.

He overturned pillows, searched through drawers, and looked through all their personal belongings.

My worry only faded when I remembered that even if he did find something of "Kaleb and Kayla's", it would have the names Marinette and Adrien on it. No matter what he found, anyone could justify it being in the Agreste's bedroom.

Before I had the chance to take my leave, I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket.

I silently pulled it out and checked the message.

🐞😘 Mommy 😘🐞
Hey Em! Me and dad will be home in a couple minutes. I hope no one blew anything up while we were gone... I'm pretty sure our insurance wouldn't cover that 😬. See you soon!

Perfect. I decided. I love Cole like a brother... but maybe he'll learn his lesson if mom and dad are the ones to catch him in the act.

So with that I quietly made my way back down the stairs, and joined the others watching the movie below.

- • - • - • - • - • -
(Future) Marinette's POV
Adrien and I had decided a long time ago that the miraculous should only be used for emergencies, and sadly wait times at the airport didn't count as a disaster.

"Look at that view," Adrien awed as we flew overhead the Alps.

"It's beautiful." I agreed.

"But not as beautiful as you." He retorted. I playfully slapped him on the shoulder.

"What?" He laughed. "Since when has a compliment warranted that?"

"Since you made it sound like the world's cheesiest Hallmark card." I giggled.

"Fair enough, but you have to admit it was quite m-"

I quickly took my travel pillow and lightly tossed it at his face, finally getting him to be quiet.

"I swear, another cat pun and I will kill you."

"But I was going to say 'miraculous'!"

"That's even worse." I cringed.

"Whatever the lady wishes, I suppose," He finally obliged before wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"but I know you secretly love them."

"I don't know," I playfully shrugged, "but you'll never get me to confess."

"We'll see about that bugaboo... we'll see."

- • - • - • - • -
Not long after, the plane finally began its decent to Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport.

Quickly after grabbing our luggage, my husband called up a driver as we made our way home.

Hey Em! Me and dad will be home in a couple minutes. I hope no one blew anything up while we were gone... I'm pretty sure our insurance wouldn't cover that 😬. See you soon!

I quickly texted our daughter.

We entered the gates to reveal an empty looking house, surely our friends from the past were out in the city, and we began to lug our belongings up the stairs.

"Home sweet home!" Adrien smiled as we opened our bedroom door to see none other than...

"Cole! What are you doing in here?" I exclaimed.

"Oh... um... I'm... hi Aunt M!" He quickly waved, giving his biggest guilty smile.

"Explain."

"Well... Jessie heard Kayla and Kaleb, you know, a couple of those new kids, talking about some weird stuff like 'time travel' and 'Ladybug and Chat Noir' up here. So... I kinda looked around, you know. See if I could find anything." He admitted.

My husband and I gave each other a look that translated to an annoyed version of crap.

"So... how was the conference?"

"Out, Cole."

"Yep. Sorry Uncle A, going downstairs," he quickly made his way out the room and towards the top of the stair case, "Yup! Bye!" He finally concluded.

"This is bad." Adrien stated once Cole was out of ear reach.

"Very." I agreed. "It makes sense that our younger selves would stay in our room, and I bet Jessie overheard them when Alix and Kim came to check up on everyone. I know Emma mentioned she left her jacket here or something last week, I bet she was coming up to grab that."

"Do you think the twins know? Or 'Kayla and Kaleb'?"

"I wonder who chose those names." I joked.

"Hey! They're pretty good." He defended.

Going back to the question at hand...

"Well, they certainly weren't being inconspicuous about it."

"Someone had to have caught on by now."

"I think we need to have a talk with mini-us." I decided. "Let's figure out how to protect their cover."

- • - • - • - • - • - • -
Sorry... I'll make this quick because I hate A/Ns... but I just wanted to say thank you to anyone who's reading this. I'm over 100 views, which I know isn't a lot, but this is my first story and I only started it about a month ago... so I'm really excited that it's gotten this much attention already.

Thanks again! Let me know if you have any suggestions... I'll happily take them!

-Livy