"Adrien." Gabriel stood in the doorway.

"Yeah?" Adrien asked.

He was playing piano again, trying his hands at some of the harder pieces he'd learned when he was younger. "It's nice to see you play. Just, next time, don't do it at five in the morning. I may be up, but you need to be sleeping." Gabriel said, checking his watch.

"Oh, okay. Sorry... how did you find out about that?" Gabriel had been on a business trip in Italy.

"I've got my ways." Gabriel said, raising his chin proudly.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Adrien asked.

The incident had been nearly a week ago, and Gabriel had returned the same day it happened. "I didn't want to mention the piano." Gabriel said, glancing away.

"Oh." Adrien said, lifting his fingers from the keys.

"In other news... I've consulted the police."

"For what?"

"We're going to get your mother back."

---[-]---

Adrien insisted on driving. Gabriel had raised his eyebrows, but agreed nonetheless. He didn't regret it, exactly, but now the chauffeur sat in the back, arms crossed as he stared out the window, fuming.

Basically, Gabriel was afraid of the large man. "Where, where, where?" Adrien asked his father.

"Just follow the GPS." Gabriel said, almost rolling his eyes.

He would've, but he was just as excited. The drive took over a silent hour, and finally, on the outermost parts of Paris, they reached a clearing. "Adrien, get in the back." Gabriel commanded.

"Bu-"

"Sit in the back." Gabriel commanded. "You, come with me." Gabriel said, snapping.

The chauffeur stepped out of the car, letting Adrien and then shutting the door. Gabriel conferred with the man, pointing at the trunk. The burly man nodded before going to the trunk and pulling out several duffel bags.

Gabriel slid into the back seat with his son. "We just have to wait. They'll be here soon and then we'll have her back." He said, talking to himself.

"Dad, relax. It's almost over." Adrien said, putting a hand on his father's shoulder.

Gabriel nodded.

The squealing of tires diverted their attention to a shiny new sedan, pulling into the clearing and sprouting clouds of dust in its wake. The chauffeur stood his ground, watching three people come forward. The group was led by a woman, stalking towards their car. As the people shifted, another figure became clear, held by two men on either side. The figure had a bag over their head, and Adrien assumed the person was his mother. Anger bubbled in him, and nearly threw open the door to attack the people. Gabriel was growling next to him.

"I'll kill them." He hissed, turning to open the door.

Adrien grabbed his father's shoulder, effectively stopping him. "They'll get what's coming to them." Adrien assured him.

Gabriel nodded tersely. The men threw Mrs. Agreste to the ground. The chauffeur held out the bags.

The woman nodded with a smile, and took the bag. Adrien watched his mother be carried back to the car. Almost... Just a second more.

The door opened, and Mrs. Agreste was placed delicately into the car. They high-tailed it out.

"Mom?" Adrien tried slowly, pulling the bag off her head.

"Adrien?" She croaked out, reaching on frail hand to his face.

"Mom." Adrien said, taking his mother's hand.

"Gabriel?" She asked then, noticing her husband.

"Emma." Gabriel said, kissing her forehead lightly.

"How have you two been?" She asked.

"Fine." Adrien replied.

"Better now that you're here." Gabriel said.

"I've missed you t-" Emma broke into coughs, bending over as they wracked her body.

"Emma? Emma?" Gabriel asked, frightened.

"I'm... I'm fine." Emma assured him.

Adrien bit back tears before hugging his mother. Emma reached up to pull Gabriel down. "You've both changed so much. Oh, Adrien, you're so handsome." Emma said, kissing her son's cheek for the first time in years.

Adrien just laughed. "I'm so terribly tired... could I sleep?" Emma asked.

Gabriel and Adrien shared a look. "Dear, perhaps it's best that you don't sleep. We're going to take you home, and then we're going to get a doctor." Gabriel said gently.

"Why?" Emma asked.

"To make sure you're alright."

"I'm fine." Emma protested, trying to straighten up.

Adrien and Gabriel stopped her. "Dear, you needn't stress yourself. Just talk to us. Tell us what happened."

"Gabe, I don't like doctors." Emma said, bewildered.

"Yes, dear, I know. We'll worry about it when we're there." Gabriel said.

"No, Gabe, no. Adrien, please! No doctors, please, please, please!" Emma said, putting her hands together and begging.

"Mom, it's okay. Don't worry about anything. Just let us talk to you. Ask us questions." Adrien said.

"O-... okay. Fine, Adrien. What have you been up to?" Emma asked.

Adrien grinned. "A lot of things. Here, I'll tell you it all."

---[-]---

"Emma!"

"No! I don't want to do it, Gabriel!" Emma said, her arms were crossed like a child.

"Mom."

"Emma, this is for your safety!"

"Mom."

"I don't care!"

"Mom."

"What?" Gabriel and Emma asked in unison.

"Why don't you want to get checked out?"

"I don't trust doctors."

"Why not?" Adrien asked.

"I just don't."

"Well... don't you want to get better?" Adrien asked.

Emma was quiet. "For us?" Adrien tried.

Emma sighed. "Fine," She grumbled, "but you're coming with me."

"Consider it done."

Gabriel watched slack-jawed.

---[-]---

"You don't have long."

"Lung cancer?" Adrien asked.

The doctor nodded. "But..."

"When she came in last week, she was coughing uncontrollably. I'm sorry, Mrs. Agreste. There's nothing we can do."

"Can I have an estimate?" Emma asked.

She had recovered somewhat from her years of captivity, and was looking better. "Hard to say. Anywhere from three to twenty weeks... I'm sorry." The doctor said.

"Is there anything you can do?"

"We can put you on antibiotics, but they aren't going to do much, I'm afraid."

"Could they stretch out my remaining time?"

"...Possibly."

"Put me on them." Emma said.

---[-]---

When Adrien got home, he disappeared to his room to cry. "It's not fair!" He said, slamming his fist against his desk.

"Why did I get her back only to have her taken away?" Adrien asked.

His phone started to ring. Angrily, Adrien threw it at his bed. He let out a yell, pulling at his hair. Pacing, Adrien balled his fists against his sides. And faintly, he heard the piano. Claire de Lune, just as vibrant as he recalled.

Defeated, Adrien shuffled over to the music room. He watched his mother play for a moment before setting himself down next to her. Her back was hunched and eyes closed as she hit the keys with practiced strokes. Adrien was still crying, but now it was just a tear or two rolling down his cheeks as he listened. He itched to join in, but that wasn't fair. This was his mother's song. It was her turn to tell the world she was back in business... for however short.

Adrien rested his head on his mother's shoulder, just as he had done as a child. "Don't fret, my child." Emma whispered. "Soon I'll be a distant memory. You needn't feel any sadness."

"Mom." Adrien said voice cracking.

"Son." Emma replied, and her voice was heavy with sadness.

The two fell silent again, and Adrien felt his mother swaying to the melody as she played every note concisely and with feeling.

It was perfect.

"Join me." Emma whispered.

Adrien raised his trembling hands to the piano. Was this the last time he ever got to play piano with her? His fingers grazed the keys. Soon, he was playing a simple rendition of the song, the first version he'd learned.

"I love you." Adrien whispered.

Emma looked at him and smiled. "I love you more." She replied.

Adrien shook his head. "Impossible."

"Equally, then." Emma said.

Adrien nodded, a lump forming in his throat. He glanced over at his mother, who was crying. "I don't want to leave you again." She said, releasing the keys and hugging her son.

"I don't want you to leave." Adrien said, biting back tears.

"It's my fault, if I hadn't gotten captured, oh, then I'd have more time with you. My son, my only child. I love you, more than you can imagine, and me leaving pains me more that you could ever know."

"It's not your fault." Adrien said.

"It is, Adrien. Your father and I got into an argument. I said such mean things, and I felt so bad... I went for a walk... I didn't think anything would happen." Emma said, squeezing Adrien tighter.

"You didn't make them take you." Adrien reminded gently.

Emma buried her head in Adrien's shoulder, shaking. "It's over, Adrien. I'm truly abandoning you and your father now. I wish there was something I could do for you two." Emma said.

"Just live your life to the fullest... before..."

Emma pulled back, nodding. "Adrien. Promise me you'll be there for Gabriel."

"I promise."

"He won't be able to get through this alone. Hold each other up. Be there." Emma said.

Adrien nodded, afraid his next words would be a wail.

Over the next week, Adrien helped cross things off of Emma's bucket list. Gabriel was always there, but he would only observe. The next week, Adrien planned elaborate dates for his parents. How he'd missed the love and warmth in Gabriel's eyes.

The third week, Adrien introduced Emma to all of his friends. Including Nathanaël. Emma loved every single one, especially Marinette, who asked politely to hear her piano skills.

The fourth week, Adrien, Emma, and Gabriel spent the days together, wasting time.

The fifth, Emma was bedridden.

---

AN

===

Crap whoops my whole body slipped funny how the keys wrote this chapter heheeheh

#sorrynotsorry

also, how do you peeps, who want to read my next story, feel about Lesbian!Marinette and general lesbian characters in the ML fandom?

Ty!

Loves, 
         Dolly <3