Marinette detransformed and dropped into her room as per her usual when her phone started to go off. "Alya!" She grinned and answered her device, "Hey, Alya, what's up?"

"Girl," her best friend's tone sounded exultant, "I've got some news that's gonna blow your socks off. I caught Chat Noir changing back. On Video."

Marinette felt her heart nearly stop, "I… what?"

"See?! I knew you'd be interested. Be there in a flash," And she hung up.

Marinette stared in dawning horror at her cell phone and Alya's cheerful picture. She would finally know who he was, but how was she going to convince Alya to keep it off of the Ladyblog?

Marinette took several deep breaths to try and calm herself, but she was repeating the action still when Alya came bursting through the door.

"You have to see this," She grinned and shoved the phone screen into Marinette's face and pushed play.

Marinette would later swear that this time her heart really did stop. There, glittering from the detransformation, was Adrien. A low, unhappy, moan issued from her open mouth. "Oh no," she whispered, reaching for the phone. She looked up at Alya with wide and panicked eyes, "You can't put this on the Ladyblog."

"What, why not?" Alya demanded. "People deserve to know the truth, you know." She huffed.

"Not about something like this." She put her head in her hands and shook. "All this time he's been Chat Noir, why didn't i see it before." Images of him flirting with her in costume flitted through her mind and she started to hyperventilate again. "He flirted with me. As Chat Noir he flirted with me!"

Then she realized Alya was staring at her, "What was that again, girl? When did this happen, dish!"

Marinette froze and then she leapt to her feet and started rearranging things, her face bright red and eyes very wide. "Uh, it was, it was," she saw her diary box open and leapt to close it with a weak smile. "Uh, the uhm. The Evillustrator! He came to visit me on a date, I mean to ask me on a date, and Chat Noir followed us and we got trapped together?" She wrung her hands.

Alya stood and started to circle Marinette, who made a low distressed noise in the back of her throat. "You're not telling me everything."

Marinette stumbled over her words several times before she slumped down onto the bed and sighed. "You're right." She cast a quick glance at Tikki hiding behind a chair and said, "Yeah, come on out."

Tikki floated out, "I hope you know what you're doing."

Alya looked back and forth between the two of them, growing more and more visibly excited, until, "You asshole! Why didn't you tell me about this!?"

"I couldn't!" Marinette dodged a pillow, "Ah, wait!"

Alya stopped where she was picking up another of Marinette's pillows and blinked, "What?"

"I need to go tell him that i know." Marinette said in a very small voice.

"That's it! You go!" Alya dropped the pillow and hugged her friend. "You got this, i believe in you!"

Marinette just sat there, shaking.

"That's it, Lazybug," Alya grabbed her by the arm. "You're not getting out of this one. And you're going to have me on an earpiece, i want to hear all of this."

Alright, Ladybug. Play it cool. She and Chat Noir were hanging out on a rooftop, discussing strategy for finding Hawkmoth and putting a stop to the Akuma once and for all when Marinette squared her shoulders, metaphorically, and took the plunge. "Someone caught you de-transforming on video. That girl who turned into lady Wifi. Alya."

Chat Noir choked on his words and she felt a pleased little glow in her belly at his nerves, "W-what? Oh shit, this is terrible! My nine lives are officially over." He put both hands in his hair and pulled at it.

"Oh don't be such a drama kitty. You don't have to prove to me how good at acting you are…" she hesitated, "Adrien." She figured she could flail in peace when she got home tonight.

"That's it, girl. You tell him!" Alya's voice crackled through the bluetooth speaker.

Marinette snorted and giggled, though inwardly she was screaming, "Do you want to know who I am?" She asked, voice trembling.

He stared at her.

She cleared her throat and opened her mouth again, but no words came out. Then she took a deep breath, squeaked a bit, and said, "Do you want to know who I am? The girl, Alya, she won't post it to the blog. I asked her not to."

She watched Adrien breathe a huge sigh of relief and then lean his elbows on his knees. "You have me at a disadvantage, my Lady. I want to know who you are, but I don't want you to feel obligated because you know who I am. You're purr-fect just the way you are."

Marinette blushed hotly and leapt to her feet pacing back and forth. "Well, uh. That is… I don't…" She shook her head.

"What are you waiting for! Do it! Show him and you get your happily ever after!" Alya cheered her on.

Marinette squared her shoulders. "Let's do this." And with a pained gasp she let go of the magic. It flooded from her, leaving her weak and gasping. It took more effort this way than changing back after a Lucky Charm. Then she tilted her head and smile at Chat. "Uh… Hi?" She wiggled her fingers at him in a wave and the oofed as she was caught up in a rough embrace. "Uh… yes?"

She watched him look down at her with those too green eyes of his and she nearly broke and ran for the hills. "Thank you," He told her with a soft purr rumbling in his chest.

She tried to smile at him again, but then she fainted.