When Adrien got home, the scene was covered in police vehicles. "Father?" Adrien had asked, stepping into the now crowded foyer.

"Mister Agreste, your father is in his office." A female officer directed Adrien, pointing at the wide double doors.

"Dad?" Adrien asked, poking his head into the room.

"Adrien. Come in. Were you at Marinette's?" Gabriel asked.

After Marinette and Adrien had become friends again, she'd visited a few times. Once before his room was renovated, and several times after. "Yeah... What're all these people doing here?" Adrien asked, shutting the doors and walking over to the desk.

"Good morning." Gabriel said, raising an eyebrow.

He shuffled some papers. "Good morning. Sorry, Father." Adrien corrected, sliding into a chair.

Gabriel sighed. "Why do you do that?" He asked, walking over to the window.

"Do what?" Adrien asked, looking up.

"You make the littlest of mistakes- things that don't even count as mistakes - and then it's back to father. Instead of dad." Gabriel said, almost as if talking to himself.

"I-... I'm sorry, Fath- Dad." Adrien stuttered.

"There it is again." Gabriel said, but more endearing, a tight smile grazing his face.

Adrien stood up, trying to see what his father was, through the window. "Take a seat. You're going to need it." Gabriel advised.

---{-}---

Marinette woke up on her chaise, tucked in tightly. Adrien. She sighed, rolling over to look at her clock. Sighing once more, she pushed herself up, gathering the blanket around herself as she went to her sink. "Oh, Marinette, you're a mess." She said sleepily, eyes half open as she started her morning routine.

"Hmm?" She wondered, hearing a buzz from her desk.

Toothbrush hanging out of her mouth, Marinette lifted her phone, smiling sleepily at the messages displayed there. One was from Nathanaël, asking to meet up. The others were from Alya, and the very newest was from Adrien. Blinking slowly, Marinette read the message. [ Mari. Can you come over asap? I know we just saw each other, but I kinda need someone right now, and I don't know who else to ask. ] The message was concise and devoid of any emoticons.

For a second, Marinette didn't react. The next, she was throwing the blanket off her shoulders and running to finish cleaning her teeth as alarms sounded in her head. Adrien was being serious, and he wasn't being serious about something silly. With a hurried good morning to her parents, Marinette kept herself composed long enough to step out of the bakery doors, before she was sprinting down the street to Adrien's. Her heart almost stopped when she saw numerous police cars parked outside.

"Excus-" Marinette tried.

"Sorry, you can't get through." A burly officer said, reminding Marinette of her short stature.

"But- my friend- Adrien Agreste-"

"We're all friends of the super-model, aren't we?" He said, annoyed.

"If you'll just let me talk to him-"

"No can do."

"I'll just call him then."

"Okay, you do that." The officer mocked.

Marinette dialed and waited a few rings. "Adrien, an officer won't let me in." Marinette complained, skipping over greetings.

"You're bluffing." The officer said, face flushing slightly.

"Nope." Marinette assured him, watching as Adrien's face appeared in the open doorway.

She waved at him, throwing a smug look at the officer as she made her way through the crowd and into the house. "Hi." Marinette said simply, taking in the sudden tiredness on Adrien's face.

"Hi. Thanks for coming." Adrien said, stepping back to allow Marinette entrance.

"Yeah, of course." Marinette assured Adrien, watching him as his hand flew up to mess with his hair.

He seemed older, somehow, carrying the weight of worlds on his shoulders. Marinette watched him with growing worry as they walked down the familiar path to the large bedroom. Adrien's room had changed, and Marinette knew this, but the now-extended library and more complex rock wall paired with even more technology still managed to remind her that this was not the same as it was a few years ago. They weren't the same as they'd been a few years ago.

"Even though I've seen your room before, it still surprises me every time I walk in." Marinette said, realizing a second later that she'd said the same thing on numerous occasions.

"As you've mentioned." Adrien said, flopping face-first onto his bed.

"Désolée." Marinette said, wandering over to the widowed wall.

"Whatever." Adrien groaned, voice muffled by the bed.

Marinette fell silent then, quietly watching traffic in the streets below. She wasn't sure how long she stood there. It was long enough for the cars in driveway to slowly trickle out, leaving only one. She didn't understand why they had sent so many. Couldn't one officer say what needed to be said? Or perhaps they were leading an investigation... on what? "Marinette." Adrien, and his voice was so much closer.

Marinette turned around to see Adrien, inches away. He was poised to rest his chin on Marinette's shoulder, but she'd turned and instead made him tower menacingly over her. Stepping back against the wall, Marinette cocked her head. "Hi." She said, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know you're wondering what I called you here for." Adrien said.

"You need me to be here." Marinette shrugged.

"This is why you're the absolute best." Adrien paused. He couldn't very well say I love you, without screwing with Marinette, could he?

Marinette just offered a smile, planting a hand on Adrien's shoulder as she turned back to the window. "Don't you ever wonder where people are going? You see them in traffic, cursing other drivers, but you never know why. Maybe they're late. Maybe they have an emergency. Perhaps they just wanted to go on a trip." Marinette said, tracing patterns on the windowsill.

Adrien followed Marinette's eyes, mouth slightly agape as he considered what Marinette had said. He watched in rapt silence as cars shuffled along before spotting a bright green one. It was almost the same color as his mother's eyes. With a jolt, Adrien remembered why he'd called Marinette over. "My mother." He blurted.

Marinette's gaze slowly shifted over to him. "Hmm?" She asked.

She was trying not to break her calm facade. Adrien watched her eyes swim as concern poured into them. "My dad finally told me something." Adrien said, reaching up to rub his neck.

Marinette remained quiet, turning back to the window once more. "She was going to leave. She finally had enough of my father's attitude. All he cared about was work. I remember that. Hell, he still does it: gets so caught up in his job he forgets about his son. His only child. I know you think things are good between us, but it's like treading on eggshells. It's painful and difficult to balance on." Adrien said, crossing his arms as he turned to press his back against the window framing.

Marinette looked at Adrien. "She wanted a divorce. Or a separation. I was supposed to know." Adrien said, disbelief in his words.

Marinette let out a short, quiet gasp. "But then she vanished. Disappeared. Recently, a ransom was issued." Adrien explained.

Now Marinette was fully facing Adrien, hand hovering in the space between them. "How much is a life worth?" Adrien asked.

"There's no price. You can't price a life." Marinette breathed.

"They priced her at fifty million." Adrien said.

Marinette took two steps closer. "We've got the money, that's not an issue. But they priced her. Gave her a tag." Adrien said.

"You're getting her back." Marinette breathed.

"Yeah." Adrien said.

"Just because those... those... insolent bastards price her, it's up to you if she's really worth that much. If you let their price define her worth, well, then they're winning, aren't they?" Marinette asked.

"You're right." Adrien said.

"Focus on the important thing: you're getting your mother back." Marinette said.

"I'm getting my mom back." Adrien repeated.

Marinette nodded. "Holy shit, Marinette, I'm gonna get to see her again!" Adrien cried, grabbing Marinette's shoulders.

"Let's get the ransom paid, and let's get your mom back." Marinette said, smiling.

"Yes- oh my God, I'll be back, just... just stay there." Adrien said, rushing off.

Finally, he'll be truly happy again. Marinette thought, letting out a breath she'd been holding for so many years.