Nebula - Adrien Agreste

Chapter 29 - Introducing Serenity Swan, Charlotte's Father

When I woke up my head was pounding.

I felt like I had been hit by a truck multiple times. Which was strange really as I had no clue why I felt like this in the first place.

With a groan I tried to sit up right, wincing at the pain that entered my head. Glancing around I frowned at my setting, not knowing where I was. "Where the fuck..." I trailed off, feeling the pain from my body finally subside from being awake.

"CHARLOTTE!" A hysterical wail sounded and the side of my neck was attacked.

Blinking, I glanced down, smiling softly at who I saw. "Gulla," I murmured, patting her head as she snuggled against my neck. "What happened?" I wondered, "better yet, where the hell am I?"

There was a cough outside the door of the room I was staying in. Master Fu stood there, a worried look on his face. Wayzz floated over to us, his eyes wide as he took me in. "You're in my apartment. Chat Noir and Serenity Swan brought you in after the Akuma a few days ago." He told me sincerely as he made his way towards me. "How are you feeling?" He wondered, tilting his head to the side.

"Like I was hit by a freight train..." I groaned, Gulla now sitting on my shoulder and cuddling against my neck. "Wait.. did you say for a few days?! Where does everyone think I've been?" I wondered with a frown. This couldn't be a good thing.

Chuckling he gave me an assuring look. "Don't worry, we took care of that. Your father is a resourceful man," he nodded thoughtfully and my eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Though I had a feeling that Master Fu wouldn't tell me even if I had asked.

He was a sneaky bastard that way.

"What about school? And my mother?" I continued to press, not knowing how I was going to get out of trouble. Aw man, if my mother found out something different there was a chance, a high one actually, I might get grounded for life. Sent to the prison ward.

I wasn't ready to go to prison.

Master Fu smirked at me, his eyes twinkling with mirth. I'm glad you're enjoying my pain, old man, I scowled at the thought. "Everything's fine, Charlotte. Now then let me check you over before I let you leave, you have important guests outside that need to know if you're okay." Blinking in surprise I yelped as he pulled at my arm. He gave me a glance before nodding. "You seem to be good. Alright, you can go."

"What happened?" I asked, realizing none of my other questions were going to get answered.

The old man was quiet for a few seconds. "You were hit with a powerful spell," he stated, "the fact it knocked you out in the middle of the fight and Ladybug's power didn't fix you right away says a lot. I am not sure what happened, but I will figure it out." He promised me and I grew quiet. It was a spell he didn't even know? That didn't sound promising. "You're fine now, that's all that matters. Now." He gave me a cup filled with green liquid. I peered at it in suspicion, giving him a look. "Drink. It'll help before I let you go back out." He promised me, trusting his instincts, I took it.

Sniffing at it in advance, it didn't smell funky. Though looks were deceiving as I took a big gulp, scrunching my face up at the taste. It was so bitter that it made me cringe, and I sat it back down in haste. "What the fuck was in that?" I coughed, ignoring the worried look I was getting from the Kwamis.

Master Fu just chuckled. "A healing remedy. Come, come," he beckoned me with his finger. Hesitantly I swung my legs over the bedside, letting my feet fall to the ground with a soft thump.

Following the old man out of the room, my eyes lit up when I saw a familiar blond. He wasn't in his persona, though that was to be expected. "Adrien!" I beamed when his head whipped around to look at me, relief evident in his vivid green eyes.

Standing up he strolled over to me, bringing me into his arms. I snuggled into them, wrapping my own around his waist with a sigh. I didn't realize how much I missed him until that point. Not that we never saw each other, and we did almost daily, but it felt like forever since the last time I was able to hug him like this. "I was so worried about you, Lotte..." he murmured against my head, leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead.

Our moment was interrupted by an awkward cough. My eyes widened as I glanced over his shoulder, not realizing there had been another person here. The male I recognized talking to my mother the other day was in the room, a white swan Kwami sitting on his shoulder - looking a bit perplexed.

"Ah, yes." Master Fu started as he walked over to the man, "Charlotte, I'm sure you know who this is by now. But for formal introductions, this is Antoine Belleguarde. Or, as you know him, Serenity Swan." My eyes widened at that introduction and the man looked understandably embarrassed. This was definitely not your typical daughter-father introduction.

Swallowing thickly I wiggled my way out of Adrien's grasp, though the blond grumbled about not being able to hold me for long. I gave him a look of apology before looking back over to Antoine. "I saw you at my house a few days ago," I stated with a grimace.

Antoine stared at me for a moment, sighing. "Then I take it you heard the argument your mother and I had?" He asked, ashamed that I had overheard everything.

"Just a bit of it," I admitted with a frown. I hadn't understood most of what was being said, only the fact he had left. "Why did you leave?" The question that had been sitting on my tongue for years now.

"Because of this life," he waved his hands in the air, "I left because I wanted to keep you safe. Apparently that was in vain, thanks to the Master here," he shot the old man a look who just gave him an innocent smile.

"Charlotte was the perfect candidate to wear Gulla's Miraculous," he shrugged, not sorry for giving it to me. I blushed at the compliment as he gave me a soft smile. "No one else would have been able to wield that Miraculous but her," he added as Antoine stared at the old man.

Antoine sighed. "Fine," he snapped before turning back to me, "you two need to be careful," he told us sternly, making Adrien and I blink in surprise. "There is something more at play here. Something much more dangerous than just fighting Akuma's. Look at Charlotte, for crying out loud! She got put in a coma for two days!" I winced at the reminder, Adrien's hand that had intertwined with mine at some point in this conversation tightened around it. "Even Ladybug's power couldn't turn you back to normal. This is serious, Master Fu," he turned towards the old man again.

Master Fu looked at Antoine, pursing his lips. "Yes, it is. Which is why I am allowing you to get back onto the field," he informed Antoine, whose eyes widened in shock. "I will be informing Ladybug so that she isn't surprised when she sees Serenity Swan. It's just too bad the others can't be here."

That comment made me blink. "There's others?" I questioned, my mouth agape.

"That is a story for another time. You two need to be getting home. As for you, Antoine, try to get back into Julia's good graces." Master Fu turned towards my dad, who once again was shocked.

He was silent for a few moments before he nodded his head. "I've been trying. I think we're getting somewhere though. I've asked her to come with me for dinner so we can talk things through tonight," he smiled softly and my hearts did somersaults. "I had asked if you should come, but Julia just wanted it to be the two of us for now," Antoine nodded towards me but I stayed quiet. While I had been getting to know him over the course of a couple months, it still felt weird that he was here. In the flesh.

I pursed my lips, not really knowing how to respond to that. "Maybe another time?" I suggested, leaving Antoine once again surprised. The poor guy was getting so many twists in his life at the moment that it was comical.

Antoine smiled softly at the thought. "Yeah, another time..." He nodded, "Master, can I speak with you in private?"

Master Fu nodded. "Off you two go then," he waved us off, and it had me wondering what they were talking about.

"Well that was something..." Adrien trailed off as we started walking towards a cafe. "Are you okay?" He wondered, glancing over at me - his vivid green eyes giving me a look of concern.

Sighing I leaned into him, causing him to let go of my hand and wrap his arm around my shoulders. "I will be," I promised him, "it'll get some adjusting to, but I'll be okay. Hopefully Ladybug isn't too hard on my dad next time we see him." It would be weird fighting alongside my father, but maybe that was what we needed to take Hawkmoth down.