Gabriel paused, wondering if he should sugarcoat anything but ultimately deciding not to. "The news is right about him being stable. He was in really bad shape last night, though.. They had to give him blood and stitch up a few wounds, but so far nothing's gotten worse. He woke up for a short time this morning but went back to sleep."

Marinette felt better hearing it from Mr. Agreste than the news. "I'm glad is okay. Is it okay if I come over?"

Once Iris got her bag packed, she left Fu's apartment and slowly made her way home. She decided to take the subway. It was best to travel underground so the brothers couldn't spot her. As she waited for her train Iris noticed people talking about both her and Adrien. She frowned and tuned them out. She didn't want hear it.

Gabriel nodded, mostly to himself since she couldn't see him, and replied, "Of course. No need to ask." He wasn't the type to say it out loud, but Marinette was practically family at this point. He felt kind of bad not calling her the night before, but he wouldn't have thought of it even if it wasn't 2:00 am because there was too much going through his mind at the time.

Plagg looked up from the edge of the bed as Gabriel spoke. "Can you ask her to bring some cheese. Adrien used cataclysm. I can't fully recharge without something to eat." The kwami turned back to watching Adrien, the tip of his tail twitching restlessly despite know that Adrien should be fine at this point.

Gabriel would have sighed in exasperation if Plagg's request hadn't sounded so disinterested in the food he was asking for. Instead, he shrugged to himself and added, "Do you think you can pick up a small thing of cheese? I'll pay you back when you get here."

"Of course," said Marinette. "I'll be right over." She then hung up the phone and let out a sigh. Tikki was now beside her. She just finished reading up the news. Marinette looked at her. "Adrien is doing fine. I'm going to go visit him. Oh and Plagg needs cheese."

Tikki nodded her head. 

Marinette got up from her bed and went back down to the lower level of her bedroom. She quickly got dressed and brushed her hair. She then grabbed her purse and Tikki went inside. Marinette left her room and informed her parents that she was going to visit Adrien. She then left her apartment and got some cheese along the way.

As she was reaching the hospital Marinette came across a cross walk. She stopped at due to traffic. She had to wait for a crosswalk light. As she waited Marinette overhead some people talking about the beast attack and Adrien's mother. Her eyes widen. Adrien's mother's appearance really didn't affect her until now. She was more worried about Adrien's condition when she was watching the news. Then the idea of her being Peacock popped back into her mind. The light changed and Marinette quickly walked across it.

"Tikki," Marinette whispered when they were away from enough people.

Tikki popped out of her purse. "Yes?"

"I'm 99% convinced that Peacock is Adrien's mother."

"Well you're right."

"WHAT!?" Marinette stopped walking. People were now staring at her which caused her kwami to hide quickly. She laughed sheepishly and then ran off. "I mean I am?"

Tikki came back out of the purse."Yes. I asked Lycca and he confirmed. Gabriel discovered it awhile back."

"Explains why they were getting close. I wonder why they kept both me and Adrien in the dark. Especially Adrien.."

"Who knows. She did say she was trying to protect her family. Maybe she was worried the brothers would find their house."

"Well so much for that...."

Tikki nodded her head.

They finally made it to the hospital. Marinette went inside and walked up to the visitor desk. She asked for Adrien's room number and fought with the man behind the desk. Since Adrien was famous they were making sure unwanted people weren't going to see him. Marinette had to pull out her phone and show pictures to prove to the man that she was Adrien's girlfriend. Once he saw the pictures, he willing told Marinette Adrien's room number and she headed toward the elevators.

Marinette pressed the up the button and took a step back. She glanced at her shopping bag. She hoped she bought enough cheese. The last thing they needed was a whiny Plagg.

"Hello, Marinette," said a voice.

She jumped and turned to her right. Mrs. Agreste was standing next to her. She was holding two bags.

"Ah...Mrs. Agreste!" Marinette said nervously. Now that she knew she was Peacock she felt embarrassed for mistreating her. "Hello!"

She just smiled at her. "I take it you saw everything on the news?"

Marinette nodded her head quickly.

"Sorry about that. Gabriel and I weren't thinking about contacting you."

"It's fine! I mean Adrien is more important.."

Mrs. Agreste shook her head. "You're important to us too."

Marinette just stared at her. The elevator arrived and they got on. Mrs. Agreste hit the fourth floor button and the door closed. The elevator then started to move.

"Since we're alone I can tell you something."

Marinette just smiled. "I know."

"That I'm Peacock?"

She nodded her head.

"Tikki was investigating and kind of pulled me into it. I feel bad now because I didn't tell Adrien about this..It's just I was worried about being wrong."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll understand. It's my fault anyway. I was being stubborn. He should be mad at me not you."  The elevator then stopped on the fourth floor and they got off. Mrs. Agreste showed Marientte the way to Adrien's room. When they got to his room, Mrs. Agreste slowly opened the door and they walked. Adrien was still asleep. She walked over to the couch and put both bags down on it. She glanced at Gabriel. "The front gate is locked?"

Marinette ignored them and walked over to Adrien's bed. She just stared at him for a moment before noticing Plagg sitting beside him. She then pulled out his cheese out of the shopping bag. "Here."

Gabriel frowned. "Sorry. I forgot to mention that.. It needed to be locked to keep trespassers out." Trespassers, of course, meant the media. They had swarmed his front yard when Iris disappeared, and he didn't want a repeat in the future.

Plagg turned to Marinette and took the cheese. "Thank you," he murmured before nibbling on the food. He would feel much better once Adrien felt better.

Adrien stirred at the sound of Marinette's voice. Now that his dose of pain killers was weakening, he was in a lighter sleep. He opened his eyes a moment later, wanting to talk to her and make sure she wouldn't feel too worried while he was in the hospital. "Hi," he said, looking up at her.

"Don't worry about it," said Iris. "I was curious." It was something she has been meaning to ask him. She knew it was locked since she dropped off her cakes on Adrien's birthday.

Adrien caught Marinette's attention. She looked at him with a smile. "Hey. How you are you feeling?" 

Tikki came out of her purse and landed beside Plagg. She gave him a disappointed look before turning her attention to Adrien.

Adrien began to shrug but winced as the familiar pain of broken ribs. He wondered if a nurse or doctor would be in to check the pain killers soon. "Not too bad considering I was mauled by a bear.. But I've been better," he answered.

Tikki's look was not lost on Plagg. He expected her to be disappointed with him and he expected the impending lecture of how he shouldn't let Adrien go out alone. But he didn't say anything as she turned back to Adrien. They could have that conversation later.

Gabriel looked over at Adrien's bed as his son spoke but stayed where he was to give the teens some time to talk among themselves.

Iris just grabbed Gabriel by the hand. The kids probably wanted to be alone. "Gabe, let's get something to eat. Knowing you probably haven't eaten yet." She looked at the kids. "We'll be back later." Iris then dragged Gabriel out of the room.

Marientte watched Adrien's parents leave the room. It was so weird to see his mother. She then returned her gaze to Adrien. "Why were you out so late at night anyway?" She gave him a disappointing look.

Adrien bit his lip, suddenly feeling stupid for going out that late at all. His main reason was to search for his mother, but she was Peacock so searching for her was unnecessary. She had been with them all along. But his other reason (wanting to get out and enjoy some freedom above the streets of Paris) wasn't any better. So what he really needed to decide was which reason would garner more sympathy than anger.

"It's stupid but.. I've been going out and looking for my mother most nights since I realized she was in Paris. I guess that's a moot point now, though."

"What!? Why didn't you tell me about this?" Marinette was mad at him. She shot a glare toward Plagg. How could you let Adrien go out so late? "You're lucky you know that? If your dad didn't show you would be dead."

Plagg's claws dug into the sheets on the bed, his ears falling back on his head at her glare. He didn't say anything, though. Even if it was his fault, Adrien would have probably done it whether he agreed or not.

"If I was lucky, this never would have happened," Adrien answered, ignoring her first question because he wasn't quite sure why he didn't tell her.  "Five people are dead because my father showed up."

"This would have never happened if you followed your curfew," she snapped. "We have no business being out late in the first place! Even without miraculouses." She then frowned. "Oh now you're going to blame your father about this? You know he did that to save your life right? It's not like he wanted to kill them. Or knew there was five souls being used."

"I know that I shouldn't have been out that late!  I get it.  I messed up there," he conceded, though reluctantly, "but that doesn't mean he needed to kill people.  There had to have been another way for someone who can teleport to get out of that situation without innocents dying! It wasn't their fault they were turned into a beast!"

"Parents don't think, Adrien when their child is in danger! Take your mother for example. She held on to you durning that dragon beast attack! She could have easily pulled you out of the way!" Marinette was furious. "And I'm sure your father knows it's not their fault for being turned into a beast! He was focusing on you!" She took a deep breath. Anger was boiling through her vains. She had a enough of this attitude toward his father. She grabbed Tikki and put her in her purse. "I can't take it anymore, Adrien. It's been five months since Physic. I think you had enough time being mad at your father. Now is time to start fixing things with him. He regrets it, Adrien." She took another deep breath. "Talking is the only way you can be healed." Marinette was going to make sure it got through his thick skull. "And I'm not talking to you until you start fixing your realtionship with him." Then she started marching herself over to the door. Before she left glanced back at him. She thought of one more thing to say about the beast attack. "Oh and if it was me being attacked you would have killed that beast too." She then stormed out the door.

Marinette made it to the elevator and pressed the down button. She didn't have to wait long. The door opened and Marinette got on. She hit the ground floor button and the door closed. Tikki popped out of her purse since they were alone.

"Harsh," she said.

"Well it's call tough love for a reason," Marinette. "I'm doing this because I don't want him to become a bitter adult."

Tikki nodded her head in agreement. "You got to do what you got to do."

Adrien watched speechless as the door closed behind Marinette, leaving him alone other than Plagg. It took him a moment to fully process everything she said to him. His thoughts whirled around his mind like a hurricane as he tried to figure out what to focus on first: the fact that she was not talking to him now or the rather chilling fact that she might be right about him being willing to kill a beast for her safety...

"She's right, you know."

Adrien jumped at Plagg's voice (and winced from pain). He'd forgotten Plagg was still in the room. "Huh?"

"You really should stop going out at night and make amends with your father." The kwami's tail lashed back and forth as he looked up at Adrien.

Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Since when have you wanted me to make up with my father? And are you trying to be responsible?"

Plagg glared at him, his green eyes locking with Adrien's. "You don't get it. You almost died, Adrien! Being angry at your father is not worth your life. Listen to your girlfriend like you do in battle. She knows what she's talking about."