Chapter Text

Adrien Agreste's world ended under a bolt of lightning.

Rain drizzled down the edges of his black umbrella like the tears running down the sides of his face.

The familiar tenor voice of Nathalie Sancoeur came from behind him. "It's time to go, Adrien. Your aunt is waiting for you at the mansion."

Adrien drew his eyes from the mahogany and steel casket, turning to face the woman who had so closely watched over him for the past year. Her usual red turtleneck was replaced with a black one, but other than that she looked exactly the same. Adrien thought he could see a quiver in the corner of her mouth, but chalked that up to his watering eyes. "Thank you, Nathalie, for everything you've done for me and my father. I'm sure he appreciated it, even if he didn't ever tell you."

"I'm sure your aunt will take as good care of you as we have. You'll be in good company for the next few years, until you finish your schooling and until you turn eighteen. The family attorney will be in touch periodically until then to make sure you have everything you need."

"Are you sure I can't stay in Paris, Nathalie? It's… my home. It's where my friends are." He twisted the ring on his finger. "It's where I belong right now."

"I'm sorry, Adrien, but this was decided a long time ago. Due to the… absence of your parents, your aunt will be your guardian until you legally become an adult. Your parents had your best interests in mind when this arrangement was made."

Adrien flinched at the word guardian.

His bodyguard placed a large hand on his shoulder, squeezed, and gently steered him to the waiting limousine.

Paris wondered what happened to Ladybug and Cat Noir.

The akumas stopped as if someone had flipped a lightswitch.

Citizens would crane their necks at any noise from above, hoping to catch a glimpse of the red-and-black superheroine and her feline counterpart. The heroes had been a reliable presence in the city for more than a year, fighting supernatural monsters and battling the forces of evil and chaos. But the updates on the Ladyblog had dwindled from daily to weekly to monthly, until Alya announced that the site would be archived until further notice.

As suddenly as the heroes and they had arrived on the scene, they were gone. The statue commemorating their good work and service to the city remained on display in Place des Vosges, and people would sometimes leave flowers or cards at its base in memory of the duo.

Nathalie Sancoeur stood in her employer's atelier. While Gabriel's fashion empire had contingency and succession plans in place, his… other endeavor certainly did not. She stared at the jewels in her hands: a purple butterfly-shaped pin and a blue peacock-shaped brooch.

She never wanted to have life and death in her hands; she only wanted to help her employer achieve his dreams, no matter what that entailed. And she knew his dream was to be reunited with his wife. But now that a heart attack had robbed him of that dream, would Emilie want to come back? Or would she want to be reunited with him?

For the first time in her life, Nathalie did not make a decision. The power generator would keep things running as long as necessary. Years, decades, maybe even centuries. It was out of her hands now.

She put the jewelry in the hidden safe in the atelier, turned out the lights, and did not return.