The Wedding Planner

Chapter 26

The rest of his wait is agonizing. When he wasn't calling friends and family to inform them of the situation, which he knew he had a duty to do, he stared longingly at the empty bed.

The Ladybug Miraculous seemed ever present in his front pocket, a constant reminder of the easy way out.

"Plagg?" he says under his breath. His head hangs in his hands, exhaustion of every type catching up with him as the sun starts its descent over Paris.

Plagg peeks out, floating beside Adrien's shoes to keep out of sight, "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I almost used the Miracle Wish, and didn't listen to you before unifying our Miraculous." He mumbles, trying to not draw attention from the staff in the hallway.

Plagg pats the top of Adrien's shoe comfortingly, "I know you're sorry." He says understandingly, "I kinda expected something like that to happen, for you to lose control. But what I didn't expect was for you to pull yourself back from the edge so easily." He compliments.

He shakes his head, "It wasn't easy. But my mom really knew how to get through to me." His brow furrows, "How many times has the Miracle Wish been used exactly?"

Plagg rocks his head side to side, "Oh, maybe around a dozen; only a few were made by humans like your father, corrupted humans. Most of them were actually Ladybugs and Chat Noirs, trying to save the other." He says matter-of-factly, twisting the end of his shoelace absentmindedly.

Adrien's face twitches into a smile for a fleeting second, "That checks." He says, remembering what his mom said about soulmates. "Did they all pay the price?"

Plagg closes his eyes and nods, "They were never the same afterwards. All the Chosen are inherently good people, so the guilt always just eats away at them for the rest of their lives. That's why I tried to warn you." He adds sincerely, clearly haunted by the past.

Adrien reaches down and strokes his Kwami's head, "Thanks for looking out for me."

Plagg turns his head, "Yeah, well, someone has to when Marinette isn't around." He dismisses but his ears perk up at the end, "And speaking of-"

"Marinette!" Adrien jumps up from his seat as Marinette is pushed into the room on a transfer bed. Hooked up to an IV with some bandages around her abdomen, but with her eyes wide open, locking with his, that's all he could ask for.

The nurses slide her onto the room bed carefully, one of them approaches Adrien, "Everything went as planned. With a month of healing, she should have a full recovery." She gladly reports, the weight on Adrien's chest vanishing.

"That's fantastic," he says breathlessly, his eyes never leaving his wife, "and our baby...they're fine?"

Marinette raises her head, "I actually have news on that," she smiles, reaching out to him.

He kneels on the floor, taking her hand and kissing it softly, "What news?" He feels a pang of worry but her smile confuses him.

She breathes steadily, "They ran a few tests during all of...during everything, and one was an ultrasound for the baby." Her eyes glisten, "They told me when I woke up, the sex of our baby...Do you want to know?" She tempts, shaking his hand in hers lightheartedly.

He leans in eagerly, like it's a secret, "You know I do."

Mari gingerly lifts her other hand to stroke her baby bump, "It's a girl." She coos, a few stray tears falling down her cheeks.

He beams with happiness, placing his hand on hers over their baby girl. "I know she'll be perfect." He professes, kissing her on the lips. "Oh, and these belong to you," he pulls out her earrings from his pocket. "Maybe next time you're in a life-threatening situation, you hide these someplace I don't know." He says guiltily.

She takes her earrings, confused from the tone shift, "Why? What do you mean?"

He hangs his head, "I almost used a Miracle Wish to guarantee that you came out of this alright."

The words sink in for Marinette slowly. She smooths the hair on his head, "But...you didn't?"

"Yeah, my mom kinda talked me out of it." He says nonchalantly, removing her hand from his head and kissing her fingers.

"What? She's awake?" She looks around the room as if Emilie was sitting just out of her eyeline waiting to be acknowledged.

"N-no," he brings her attention back, "when I combined our Miraculous, the powers... I was...able to connect to her consciousness, I think. She helped me through some stuff. And...she told me she's ready to move on."

"Oh Adrien," she consoles him, "are you okay?"

He nods, "I got to say goodbye, which is more than I got to do the first time she left my life." He rubs the back of her hand with his thumb, "I'll be fine, knowing she's in a better place, and that you're going to recover in no time. And before we know it, we'll be holding our daughter. But for now, you need to rest." He leans in and kisses her forehead.

Marinette releases a relaxed sigh, closing her eyes in comfort knowing Adrien is beside her.

~~~

"Come on, Plagg, people will be here soon!" Tikki warns, zooming around the Dupain-Cheng-Agreste apartment, searching for her fellow Kwami.

She finally flies past Adrien and Marinette's bedroom, backtracking when she spies him floating beside the bed.

Her temper softens as she approaches him, whispering, "What cha' doing?" She asks, even though it was obvious.

His gaze doesn't leave the dozing black-haired, baby girl in the bassinet set up at the foot of the bed. "I, uh, Adrien and Marinette are busy getting things ready for the party, so I, uh, figured I better keep an eye on the kid." He attempts to say coolly but as usual is unable to hide how much he cares.

Tikki smiles, "She's just taking a nap, and Marinette has the baby monitor on her at all times."

He shrugs, "Well, you never know! Babies are such fragile...things, after all. Can't go trusting technology where ancient beings like us can do the job better." He hangs on the side of the bassinet vigilantly.

"And that's what makes you such a great babysitter." Marinette chimes in as she enters the room.

Plagg backs away, shaking his head, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mari pats the baby monitor clipped onto her hip, "I think I do."

He mumbles to himself, rolling his eyes as Mari moves in to pick up the baby. "Watchherhead," he mumbles before turning to Tikki. "Alright let's go hide already, people will be here soon, come on!" he exclaims before zooming out of the room.

Tikki gives her Chosen a look before following him out.

Mari smiles as she cradles her one-week old daughter in her arms. "Come on, Amelia." She whispers as she rouses from her nap. "There'll be a bunch of people who want to meet you."

She squirms and yawns, finally opening her green eyes to the world, cooing at the sight of her mother.

There's a knock on the open bedroom door, "Knock, knock," Adrien announces himself, coming up beside them, "There's my girls," he kisses Mari then Amelia on her forehead. "Everything's set. Your parents will probably be here soon. Always early birds," he comments.

"That's what happens when you run a bakery." Marinette nudges him playfully with her hip so as to not disturb their daughter.

He chuckles, "I know. Yet, you didn't inherit their timeliness." He leads them out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the main living floor where purple streamers and balloons clung to every wall and archway, along with a sign saying 'Welcome Home Amelia'. The smell of various appetizers and treats also waft through the air, waiting to entice the group of friends and family coming over to celebrate Amelia's arrival.

They stand anxiously by their front door, knowing there will be a knock any moment now, Mari bouncing to keep Amelia soothed. "I hope this goes well," she confides, her eyes locked on their child.

Adrien puts an arm around her shoulders, beaming at the two of them, "We're superheroes, we can get through anything." He assures her. The three of them sharing a moment right as there's a knock at the door.