Marinette nodded her head. "It's probably the best to do it at your house. I don't think Fu's place can fit all of us."

"You two!" said a voice.

Marinette turned and saw Alya and Nino standing there. Alya marched up to her and pointed her finger at Marinette. She didn't look happy. "Hey, Alya..."

"I saw the attack on the news! Why didn't you tell me that they were back!" Alya demanded. She then crossed her arms.

Marinette frowned. "Because I knew you would try to do something for your blog."

"I'm the best reporter for the job!"

She sighed and shook her head. "It's too dangerous." Marinette eyed Adrien. Singleing him for help.

Adrien glanced at Nino for a moment and saw his friend giving him an apologetic look. So this ambush was all Alya (not that he was surprised by this). He looked back to Alya with a frown and a very serious stare. Sometimes her journalist tendencies were annoying. 

"No reporter should be as close to those monsters as you want to get, Alya. Our enemies aren't messing around." He pulled off his jacket so the many scars on his arms from the beast attack were visible. "I almost died. It was an ambush. They were ready and willing to kill me for the miraculous. Just imagine what they'd be willing to do to you if you got close enough; especially if they realized you were our friend. We didn't tell you because we don't want you to ever be in that position. The blog is not important enough to be killed over."

Alya bit her lip super hard. She hated that Adrien was right. She sighed. "Good point." She turned around. "Well let's get to class then." She walked away.

Marinette frowned. She could tell Alya was upset. Maybe there was a way to make things up to her. She followed her friend along with Nino and Adrien. They went upstairs to their classroom.

Adrien pulled on his jacket and followed his friends to class. He didn't feel bad for upsetting Alya. She needed to realize the danger her reckless actions put herself and them in. Just like he did...

The morning lectures were extremely boring, and Adrien found himself staring at the clock more than taking notes. It felt like forever before the lunch bell rang.

Meanwhile, Nathalie had literally left Gabriel to think about his actions, notifying him that she would be cancelling any morning appointments to give him ample time to think. And think, he did. No matter what way he looked at it, she was right. And Nathalie didn't even realize how right she was. She didn't know that Iris, sealed away in the miraculous, had no memory of the past six years. Instead of having time to wonder how he might have changed in her six year absence, she hadn't even realized time had passed until she saw a calendar. 

He tapped his finger against his desk, trying to figure out how to proceed. He really did not want to do a press conference.  Then again, this train of thought was not about doing what he wanted... He sighed, hating when Nathalie was right, and decided he needed to go home for lunch. Rather than bother Nathalie to drive him again, he decided to take one of the small number of company cars he owned for such emergencies as a car breaking down.

He drove home and quickly headed inside. As soon as they were in the house, Gabriel heard Lycca whistle. "Man, Gabe. The hurt and sadness is so thick in here that I could cut it with a knife. Like, this is a level of negativity that I would have considered for the position of Hawk Moth if it wasn't you," Lycca said. Despite the insensitivity of his words, Gabriel could see the kwami looked overwhelmed and quite unhappy himself.

He frowned and looked at Lycca. "Lead me to where she is," he said. Iris could be anywhere in the house. It would be much quicker this way.

He followed Lycca to the bedroom and knocked on the door. "Iris.. Can I come in?"

Iris was still laying bed. Falling in and out of sleep. Iris's eyes snapped open when she heard Gabriel's voice. What was he doing home? Is it lunch time? It can't be later than that. She laid still. Iris wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him. They could fight...

Iris opened her mouth to say no, but she heard the door open. Iris closed her eyes tight. Why did Pain have to push them to talk? She knew it had to be her who opened the door. Gabe wouldn't barge in on her.

Gabriel looked at Pain as she opened the door. Did it count as intruding if the kwami let him in? He hesitated but the sight of her laying in bed, upset about his actions, stabbed through him. Slowly, he entered and walked over to the bed. He gently laid a hand on her shoulder. 

"I'm sorry about earlier, Iris. I don't like the idea of being in front of the press, but I'll do it if it helps your plan."

Iris let out a sigh and opened her eyes. She didn't know what to say at first. Should she be honest with him? It would probably help? Iris wasn't sure. She was worried it would hurt him. She sat up and stared at him for a few minutes. She had to say it, but indirectly. "It's not just that. It's about everything. Things aren't the same.."

Gabriel sat down next to her and stayed silent for a moment. Give another point to Nathalie for being correct. How had he been so blind to the pain he was causing Iris just by acting this way? He let out a heavy sigh. "I know... I'm completely different in the worst way possible.."

"And I don't know what to do," Iris said. She buried her face in her hands. She wanted to cry, but she fought it. Iris was tired of crying. She could feel tears forming in her eyes. Iris hated that when you try not to cry, you do anyway.

Gabriel wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer to him.  He wished he could change instantly, go back to being the person he was, but that's not how it worked. Could he ever get back to that person? Would their relationship be able to survive while he tried? He couldn't stand to see her hurt, especially when it was because of him.

He swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump forming in his throat. "You follow your heart. Whatever feels right to you," he answered. He wasn't lying when he told her father she could leave him whenever she wanted if that's what she wanted. If that would feel better to her... After all, she probably never would have fallen for him if he was in this state when they first met.

Iris felt her heart stop for a moment. Did he indirectly tell her to leave him? She wrapped her arms around him. Iris couldn't never do such thing. He regretted everything that happened. "I.." She was trying to forms words. "I just want to help..some how..."

Gabriel released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He had given her an easy out if she wanted to take it, but she still felt being with his was worth dealing with his various issues. If only he knew what to tell her to help him... Even he wasn't sure what would work.

"I know you want to help. And you being here has helped. It just feels like it's going to take a long time... I wish it wouldn't, but I don't know what to do to change faster.."

Iris looked up at him. "Telling me about those six years." She knew he would shot it down, but it was worth a try. Iris wanted to hear it from him so badly. Maybe a compromise would help. "In short pieces?"

Gabriel bit his lip, his muscles involuntarily tensing at the suggestion. But he pushed the anxiety to the back of his mind as best he could and slowly (very reluctantly) nodded. Every part of him did not want to talk about it, but she had a point. It would have to come out sooner or later, so maybe forcing himself now would help more than waiting for later..  

"We can try that... What do you want to know first?"