Fire!

Marinette slept peacefully in her bed and dreamt of her and Adrien dancing in the clouds. Tikki was resting on a shelf and started to stir when she noticed the smell of smoke coming from downstairs. She flew down to the kitchen to see if anything was left on and to her horror found the entire bottom floor of the house in flames. "Marinette!" She yelled trying to wake her up. Marinette rolled over in her sleep and then got a whiff of the smoke. "Tikki! What's going on?!" She said jumping out of bed. Smoke began to fill the room and she began to cough. "The house is on fire! You have to transform now!" Marinette was in a panic and quickly took Tikki's advice. "Spots on!" She yelled transforming. She could barely breath now with the smoke so thick. She jumped out onto her balcony and was horrified to find the entire building in flames. "Mom! Dad!" She screamed and she kicked through the window to try an enter their bedroom. There were to many flames and smoke clouded her vision. She pushed through them to open her parent's bedroom door, but it was to late. The room collapsed and Ladybug couldn't breathe. "Lucky Charm!" She shouted. She received a breathing mask and put it over her nose and mouth. The firefighters arrived at the scene and began to fight the flames. A couple of the firefighters entered the building and found Ladybug desperately searching for her parents. She was badly burned, and the men immediately carried her out of the building and put a breathing mask on her face. The other men found the unconscious forms of Marinette's parents but unfortunately it was to late. They were dead. Tears ran down Ladybug's face as she took deep breaths into the oxygen machine. The paramedics reassured Ladybug that she was going to be okay and tried to calm her down. "Spots off." Ladybug said enveloping herself in a pink light and transforming back into Marinette. Her suit had protected her from severe burns, but she was still injured. She pushed herself up and limped over to her parent's silent forms which now had blankets over them. She pushed away the paramedics that were trying to keep her laying down and wrapped her arms around her dead parents and sobbed. "I could've saved you" She repeated through her cries. The Paramedics had to practically drag Marinette away from her parents. The cloaked figure watched from the distance at his handiwork. Next he would have ladybug herself.

Marinette was rushed to the hospital where the ER doctors looked over her injuries. Luckily, they weren't too bad and even though they were painful she would be able to heal. Marinette was in shock. She never thought that she would lose her parents so quickly and she was heartbroken. It came as a surprise when she noticed Emilie Agreste waiting for her in the ER with Gabriel by her side. The doctor's helped her out and Emilie embraced her. Marinette cried into her shoulder and Emilie comforted her. Gabriel went up to the doctors and paid the bill. "Adrien is anxiously waiting for you at home." He said. "We thought it would be better if he stayed there." Marinette wiped her tears away and thanked the famous couple. They helped her into their car and Marinette reassured the doctors that she knew the couple. "We heard about the fire and are so sorry." Emilie said. "We are just glad you are okay." Marinette leaned on Emilie's shoulder with tears running down her cheeks. They arrived at the mansion and Adrien ran out to the car. Marinette emerged from the car and ran to Adrien embracing him and sobbing into his shoulder. Adrien held her tight and comforted her. "I'm so sorry Marinette. I should've been there protecting you." Adrien said with a tear running down his face. Time passed and Marinette eventually calmed down enough to talk. "I know he's behind this!" She said clenching her fists. "Who? You don't mean the cloaked man, do you?" Adrien said. "Yes, I mean him. He wants something from me, and I don't know what he will do to my other family and friends next including you!" "Marinette, you can stay here with us and no one will be able to harm you or me. We're unstoppable together." "You don't know that." Marinette said with sorrow. Adrien hung his head. He understood her worry and trauma since her parents had just died that evening. "You are gonna need some rest." Adrien said and he led her to a bedroom that was near his. He wrapped a blanket around her and sat her down on the bed. "I promise I'll see you in the morning." Adrien reassured her, "Now get some sleep." He left the room and she laid in the warm bed. She couldn't get the image of her dead parents out of her mind and she cried herself to sleep. Gabriel and Emilie were the first ones up that morning and they were surprised to hear a knock at the door. The gorilla had let an official looking man in a suit into the room. "Who are you and what are you doing at my house?" Gabriel said in a stern voice. He was still his stern old self even with Emilie around. "Mr. Agreste it's an honor, I am Wagner Hyatt owner of the Paris orphan institute." Gabriel frowned, "Why would you need to come here?" He asked. "Well I have heard that you are housing Marinette Dupain Cheng here and I was sent to relieve you of her." Emilie scowled at Gabriel, "You can't do that. What jurisdiction do you have?" Emilie said. "I have full authority from the board and the mayor of Paris himself." Wagner said holding up a clipboard that showed his authorization. Gabriel sighed, "Have a seat and she will be here shortly." Emilie was stunned that Gabriel was giving in so soon. "Gabriel! You aren't just gonna give Marinette to that man, are you? There has to be something we can do." "I will send a request to be her guardian after the paperwork has been arranged." Gabriel said. Gabriel knocked on Adrien's door and a sleepy looking Adrien emerged. "What is it father?" He said. "We need to talk son." He said. Emilie slowly entered Marinette's room where she was sleeping peacefully. Emilie placed her hand on her shoulder and shook her a little. "Marinette, I need you to get up. We have a visitor." Marinette rubbed her eyes and rolled out of bed. She emerged from her room to find Adrien looking distressed. "Is everything alright?" Marinette asked. Instead of answering, they all walked down to the main room. "Marinette, I would like you to meet Mr. Hyatt. He is your adoption agent and you will need to go with him for the time being." Gabriel explained. Marinette didn't know what to think. She was beginning to feel a bit more peaceful when she was with the Agreste's but now she would have to leave with a stranger. "Marinette it is lovely to finally meet you. I'm sure you will fit in with the other kids just fine." Marinette bit her lip and didn't say anything. Wagner reached out his hand for her to take but she shrank from him. Gabriel gave him a business card to inform him when the papers were ready, and the man just chuckled and took it. "Let's go Mari." He said taking ahold of her arm. She growled at him calling her by a nickname that only Adrien should be calling her. Adrien had tears in his eyes, and she looked at him for as long as she could before she was brought out to a car and forced to enter. She sighed and looked down. Hopefully this was temporary, and she would be back in the next couple days. They began driving and took a rather roundabout way to the facility. "Uh, shouldn't we be there by now?" Marinette asked only getting a grin from Wagner and they turned into another street. Marinette crossed her arms not sure what to think of this ride. They then stopped in an alley and Wagner got out of the car. All of a sudden, some sort of gas filled the car. Marinette instinctively held her breath and tried to unbuckle herself from the car. Then to her horror she saw him, the cloaked figure was standing right outside the car door peering in at her. Marinette gasped and took in a whiff of the gas. Her throat felt tight and she began to cough. "Spots on!" She yelled transforming and she tore off the seatbelt and jumped out of the car. Her vision was blurred, but she still was conscious. The cloaked man charged her, and she dodged his attacks the best she could. She was backed further into the alley the more she tried to fight back. Wagner stood with a shock gun at the end. Ladybug continued to stagger back from the cloaked man. "What's the matter you tired already?" He taunted. The gas was having an effect on her and she was getting weaker. "What do you want with me?" She asked backing away. "Your power, your strength, and your will." He returned menacingly stopping in front of her. Then Wagner shot the shock gun and Ladybug fell to the ground unconscious. They elbow bumped and the cloaked man handed Wagner a huge sum of money. He lifted ladybug over his shoulder and went away.