The rain thundered down constantly, relentlessly atop the parisien buildings. The torrents erupted from the gutters, pouring out into the streets dragging fallen leaves and discarded papers with them. Massive puddles formed in the roads, periodically being driven through by traffic whose wipers struggled to allow them to maintain visibility. The downpour which had started only a few minutes ago had already caused most to run for any shelter available, desperately hiding in doorways or under trees. Those trapped underneath it were quickly drenched to the bone, their clothes clinging tightly to them as idle walks became desperate charges. The city, in the dwindling light of the early evening found itself transformed, quieter than it would have been as those who occupied its boulevards fled, seeking any protection they could find against the shower. The storm brought with it an unpleasant chill, the last dying gasps of winter as April finally brought with it the promise of spring.

It changed things, namely by creating a certain atmosphere, the likes of which some of the city's impressionist painters had once depicted. Although the streets, usually bustling with people coming and going found themselves unusually empty, a new form of life in the shape of the numerous lights which were turned on took over, allowing a passer-by to get a glimpse of the goings-on inside the numerous apartments and houses, as families gathered together forming a long day of work or school, chatting and expressing relief for being inside and out of the rain. Lit up like that, Paris took on a completely new light. Gentle and warm, despite the cold of the air.

Beneath a pile of rubble which had once been a chimney stack on one of the older buildings of a large boulevard, a teenager, only fourteen years of age, stirred. Dazed, her blue gaze drifted around the rooftop, struggling to focus on anything in particular. The rain made everything blurry, dampening the dust so that it became mud. The sound of it thundering against the stone and tin of the roof was deafening, drowning out everything else which surrounded her. She let out a groan, her head falling back down so that it lay in the wet and the dirt once more. The world was spinning, growing darker. Only shutting her eyes offered some brief relief. It was proving to be a challenge not to fall into the absence which unconsciousness offered. Thinking was a task which she barely even wanted to contemplate right now, fully-aware that not passing-out would be enough of an accomplishment.

As she lay there, half buried in rubble with her ribs ever-so-politely informing her that this wasn't a position that they appreciated, she tried her best to slowly gather her wits. Shifting slightly, a sharp pain informed her that some caution was required. Ironically, the growing puddle her face was resting in served to bring her to somewhat. Spluttering, some water was dispelled from her mouth. Was she bleeding? It felt like she could have been. Gradually, the shock began to ebb away giving her control of her body and thoughts once more. It was enough to allow the teen to raise her head, just enough to get it out of the puddle. Slowly, blue eyes fluttered open once more, trying their best to focus in and allow her to regain her visual bearings.

She wasn't alone. The lithe figure of another, roughly her age stood literally right in front of her but just out of her reach. He looked down, green eyes wide, horrified. It was a long shadow which the teen cast over her. One which served to obscure his features as well. With the dark clouds behind him, he seemed to gain something of a cold halo as the daylight desperately tried to shine on through despite the rain. He remained a friend however, dare she say it her dearest of friends. At a time like this, it was instinctive, she turned to him for help. Her voice was weak, trembling somewhat she managed to croak out a few syllables:

"Cat… Please."

A few minutes was all it took to change a life. A fencing lesson abandoned because of an akuma attack. A simple request about an upcoming field trip to be made. A secretary busy with a phone call. It only took a moment at the wrong place, at the wrong time and everything could change. Had Adrien simply waited until Nathalie had finished to ask to go into his father's study as he would have done any other day or had her file the request in her role as secretary which seemed to include dealings of father to son as much as it did anything business related, then nothing would have changed. If he had been a minute sooner, he would have found the room empty and looked elsewhere for his parent. Had he opened the door only seconds later, then he would have found Gabriel Agreste in his study, facing the portrait of his late-wife as he so often was.

The circumstances are absurd and the chances of it happening to few to even begin to fathom but as Adrien opens the door and steps in, he finds his father slowly rising up on a platform, coming from some place he didn't even know existed. They lock eyes and stay frozen, simply starring at one another. In an instant, Gabriel knows the game is up.

Ladybug tried to lift herself up once more. With every passing moment, she regained a little more of a feeling of her body and self-awareness. The weight on her back was still proving to be too great however, not quite crushing her but still enough to keep her pinned in place. Her painful arms and ribs informed her that she was about to get out of this one without any help. A mind can be just as powerful as any weapon, her Lucky charm had taught her that much over the years. If she lacked the physical strength to free herself, then maybe she could think of some way out. There had to be some kind of a solution.

Cat Noir just stared, his eyes still wide and his mouth slightly ajar. He seemed disconnected. In shock. Her plea seemed to have bounced clean off of him, not even registering in the slightest. He would be of no help to her, she quickly realized still trying to piece together what had happened. Her mind is still spinning in more ways than one. It struggled to figure out just how she had gone from looking out over the city and informing her friend that the rain was coming to lying here uselessly like this. Her first thought was akuma but there had been no warning and everything was too calm, almost as if someone had pressed the pause button leaving just her and her ally up here on the rooftop in the rain. It continued to pelt them, relentless as if it's trying to drive home some manner of a point.

Just when she was about to scream at him for help, her eyes locked onto her yo-yo. It was lying just a few feet away. Reaching out, she bit her lower lip, muffling a yelp of pain to the best of her ability as she did so. Her fingers were tantalizingly close, despite her muscles screaming at her to stop and that this really wasn't helping things. In her mind, Ladybug was already going over the possible ways she could get out of this mess if she could just reach her tool: if she could grapple onto something, she might be able to pull herself out, alternatively, she still had her Lucky Charm to use, that might just supply her with something to get this rubble off of her. After that, it wasn't impossible that a doctor would be required and by extension a good and feasible excuse as to just what had happened to her.

The tip of her index and middle finger brushed against the yo-yo before in a flash, it was kicked away from her. Startled, she looked up into the eyes of the culprit a mixture of startled and devoid of understanding:

"Cat?"

"This is all your fault!" Adrien's yells carry through the entirety of the mansion, they're somewhere between angry and despaired. "You're him! You're Hawk Moth! All these akumas, people getting hurt! It's all you!"

"Adrien! Wait! Let me explain!"

His father follows him as he runs through his home, desperately trying to put some distance between the two of them. He's not thinking. He can't think right now. At times like that, he usually does the only thing that he can do and retreats to his room. The sanctuary of which allows him to don his mask and escape. He can't right now however as his parent is intent on pursuing him. They've already made it up the stairs. The disruption is enough to prompt Nathalie to hang up, not even giving an excuse. The shock on her face is clear to read. Gorilla arrives a second later, alerted by the uncharacteristic shouts. A brief glance to the secretary confirms his fears. They don't intervene, standing back and letting things play out, powerless but to do otherwise.

Adrien reaches the door to his room. Gabriel is mere steps behind him.

With a single violent action, the teen turns the handle in a way which feels as if the brass knob might come off in his hand. He doesn't care. All he wants is to get inside and lock the door. The door is swung open, its hinges creaking in protestation at the unusual roughness with which it's being treated. He takes a step in, already savouring the release which the privacy of his room has to offer. His hand never leaves the door eager to slam it shut behind him, creating a real and definitive barrier between them. He's half way there when in a flash, his father grabs a hold of the wood stopping him. The blonde boy with green eyes looks back over his shoulder angry but also fearful. Tears threaten to flow.

"I can bring back your mother."

It sounds almost like a plea, a desperate request for reason and to be heard out. A second later and he releases the door and Adrien is gone, disappearing inside, a moment later. Giving in to sobs, he locks himself in, just as the man's strange words begin to dawn.

Cat Noir stared down at his friend. He seemed to have recovered at least somewhat from the shock. At least partially, there was still something about his demeanour which seemed to indicate that some of this was all a surprise to him and he was struggling to figure out just what had happened. For a moment, they simply stood still. The yo-yo lay now well out of her reach, kicked there beyond a doubt intentionally. The perpetrator remained silent, refusing to voice his reasons or give any manner of explanation for his actions. Stunned and with the lingering shock of the attack, Ladybug couldn't bring herself to ask. Her mouth hung open, ready to ask just what he thought he was doing or demand that her ally help her. The words seemed to be stuck, refusing to come.

Very slowly, as if anything too sudden might cause the building they were on to collapse, Cat Noir crouched down in front of her. They weren't quite level but it spared her from having to crane her neck as much as she had been. The rain was endless, battering down even harder than it had been before. Despite its thunder as it came down against the surfaces of the city, battering them like a drum, her ears were able to pick up a very faint beep, one which served to send a cold chill down her spine. Her gaze travelled down, away from those bright green eyes of his and down to his hand, more specifically the ring which adorned one of his fingers.

Four minutes left, the timer was going down.

Cataclysm! The sudden cry echoed through her mind almost painfully bringing with it the recollection of just what had happened. It came back clear as day, having happened only a moment ago. She saw everything which her own eyes had witnessed and her mind was able to make up enough of the rest for it to all make some form of sense. She felt sick all of a sudden, her stomach turning over as she lay there. Fear gradually began to grip her, as the realization of both what had occurred and its implications abruptly hit home. Powerless, all she could do was mutter a single word, a refusal to admit what was happening and a desperate plea to the world for it not to be so:

"No…"

His own attention trailed down to the ring on his hand, noticing as she had that he was running out of time. He would have to be quick.

Gabriel Agreste stands tall and solemn as the day begins to die, the last rays of sunlight cast a warm glow over the portrait of his beloved wife. He knows he has a visitor but doesn't deign to turn around. Instead, his eyes remain riveted on the image of a woman now departed from this life. Silence hangs heavily but neither of the two break it. In a way it suits them, giving them both time to gather their thoughts. If he's concerned, he's not letting onto it. The man's pokerface is as legendary as his sudden and brutal shows of cold temper which those who know him do their best to avoid. It's a while before he finally talks, refusing to turn around and acknowledge the other person in the room by actually facing them.

"Come to bring me in, have you? I'm surprised you didn't bring Ladybug with you."

Cat Noir stirs but says nothing. He sticks to the shadows, as if he fears the dwindling daylight might somehow be enough to shine through his mask and reveal his true face. Adrien isn't strong enough for this. He figures that the man must reason that his son is the one to have informed the heroes about him. That suits the teen well-enough, he'd rather his alter-ego stays out of this. For the moment, he doesn't quite know what to do. There's a considerable part of him which longs for nothing more than to end. He doesn't know if he's powerful enough to face Hawk Moth. He's never tried. Right now however, it isn't the villain he's faced with but rather his father. They're one and the same, he's still struggling to get that through his head.

Sticking to the darker regions of the room, he dares to come a little closer. His staff is drawn, weary. He doesn't attempt to conceal it. It serves its purpose, a clear warning: try anything and I'll attack. Finally he stops. It takes all of his self-control to prevent his attention from creeping over to the image of the woman as it almost inevitably does when he's in her presence. Finally, he dares to speak, forcing himself to remain as calm as humanly possible. He wants this to sound professional, serious and not like he's some frightened kid:

"Your son called me. He said you could bring his mother back and that that's why you're doing all this. Is that true?"

"With your miraculous alongside the Ladybug miraculous it is." He seems calm given the situation. There's no doubting that he's curious, wondering just where all of this is going. "Together, they have the power to grant any wish."

It takes all of Cat Noir's self-control to remain steely faced and not to display the brief excitement which courses through his body. Already, he knows there is going to be a price for this.

She hadn't seen it coming. In a way, neither of them had. Right up until the last second, a part of him had been convinced that he didn't have it in him. That something would stop him and say that this wasn't right. There had been no such barrier. If his own moral compass had screamed at him it wasn't enough to prevent him from carrying out his plan. In truth, it wasn't the fruit of much reflection. Ladybug trusted him, it had never crossed her mind that when he called up to inform her of an akuma attack that it might be a lie. She hadn't looked behind her to check what he was doing and hadn't expected the chimney stack to come down quite so quickly or violently. Perhaps, she had hoped that he would have her back and protect her from such an attack. Not once had she imagined that he could ever be the cause.

He took a deep breath, shaking. It was still possible to go back. He could pull her out. She would be furious. Their friendship would be in tatters and the trust which existed between them forever broken but that would be the full extent of the damage.

The image of his mother remained plastered behind his eyes. In part, she reminded him of just why he was doing this. He'd been hurting for so long since she had passed that all he found himself wanting was some form of relief. Having her back would do more than simply numb the pain as he had been struggling to do for the past year, it would vanquish it once and for all. More than that, he would have his father back rather that the cruel ghost of the man he had once known. For all of that however, he found himself seeing her lying there pinned under the rubble he had caused to crash down upon her. He felt sick. He wanted this to end.

The rain drowned everything out as he stood there, a part of him still torn. There was anger behind the eyes of the girl he had grown to love. She knew what he had done. There had been no other choice, the teen reasoned. Ladybug would never trust Hawk Moth and thus would never have consented to any of this. Talking about it would only serve to raise suspicions making force far more difficult to use. At least like this he had been able to use the advantage of surprise and hopefully limit some of the damage. His eyes glassed over becoming cold, calculating at the same time he resolved to make his heart out of stone until this was all over. It wasn't lost on his friend who let out a gasp, no doubt realizing just what was about to happen.

"I'll help you on three conditions."

Cat Noir speaks firmly leaving no room for debate. He will walk out if necessary. Run and never return if required. One thing is clear in his mind: he will not live with Hawk Moth. His eyes almost glow as they stand there, surrounded by darkness with little more than the lights from the lamps in the street outside to allow them to see. He's holding onto his staff, using it as something of a support. Without it, it feels as if he might collapse and his legs give way beneath him. It's the only way to prevent himself from shaking. The last thing he wants is for Gabriel to become suspicious, to wonder why a teenager and his dead mother are having such a great effect on one of Paris' famous superheroes.

"Name them." Business-like, professional, as always, his father isn't one to mess around.

"One: no one gets hurt." He raises his fingers so as to count them, ensuring that he's as clear as humanly possible. "Two, when it's all over you stop. No more Hawk Moth, no more akumas. You hand over your miraculous and call it quits. Finally, I want a mask or something. This stays anonymous. I don't want you or your son or anyone else knowing who I am."

The man hesitates, contemplating the offer. There will be no negotiation. The terms are simple, moral as far as Cat Noir sees things. If it doesn't suit Gabriel Agreste then he'll walk away. If the man is honest about his intentions, then three very simple requirements shouldn't be cause for much trouble. The fact that it's drawing out as long as it is concerns him somewhat. Yet he doesn't push. Recognising the man's "thinking face" as his brow furs and he rubs his chin for a few seconds. Then, without saying a word. The man takes a series of steps towards him, bridging the gap between them. His strides are long, confident. Adrien quickly recognises them and the man's demeanour as those he adopts when he is going about his business. He knows Hawk Moth's answer before it's even given to him. The man holds out his hand, a universal sign of both trust and the offering of perhaps not friendship but an understanding:

"We have a deal."

"M… Marinette?"

It was the only thing he'd been able to utter since the chimney had come down. He stood there, her earrings clutched tightly in his right hand. For the first time, he found himself face to face with the girl under the mask. She looked up at him, blue eyes wide, terrified. The waters ran down her face, causing her hair to sag loosely and cling to her skin. Her face was battered, bruised and marked with some grazes from the rubble. Along with the rain however were some tears pain both physical and from the betrayal of someone she no doubt trusted and had assumed would never willingly hurt her as well as the shame of being discovered. Both Adrien and Cat Noir knew this teenager, she linked the two of them in more ways than just the one. That friendly and somewhat clumsy girl from class, could she really be the person who became the formidable Ladybug? It seemed impossible and yet in some odd, twisted way he couldn't quite wrap his head around, it all made sense.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He'd dreamed about in the past more than once. Ladybug and Cat Noir would defeat Hawk Moth together. The villain would be carted off by the authorities, his wrongs put right by the two of them. With Paris safe, they could breathe and finally be more than just heroes. Finally, they would remove the masks, letting the other see them for who they truly were. It would be awkward for a moment but the uneasiness would pass and turn to laughter maybe even something a little more.

Yet here he was, drenched to the skin looking into the eyes of "his lady", a friend whom he had betrayed. There was too much pain there to be ignored. She seemed to dominate it for a moment, reaching out. Desperately, she struggled to try and free herself from the rubble, all the while trying to snatch her miraculous back. He remained frozen there. The painful irony of the bitter realization still settling in. Of all the people in the world, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was perhaps the one he would want to protect the most from harm. He'd experienced her kindness and selfishness first-hand more than once. Together with the awareness that he had just already hurt Ladybug, it was enough to cause the voice in his head to command him to hand back her earrings and to stop this folly before the damage done was irreversible.

"Give her back!" The teen demanded a mixture between a plea and a scream.

The use of a pronoun caused him to turn to look towards his hand. Floating next to it was a kwami. Red with black dots, it was very much a ladybug. Strangely, he noted that the little being was offering little to no resistance. In truth, he knew relatively little about them and wasn't entirely sure if they were even capable of fighting back if they happened to be torn away from their owners. Whatever the case, she was surprisingly docile. Simply hovering there, eyes wide and pained, silently pleading with him to do as the girl ordered and to return the miraculous to its rightful holder. He couldn't help his shaking, not any more. Perhaps she might have mistaken it for him shivering from the cold, more likely the teen had too much on her mind to notice such things right now.

He hesitated for a moment, his own fingers lingered just above his ring. If he removed it, then things would be equal. She could see who he truly was and hopefully realize that he didn't want to do this. Hurting others had never been something he had intended to do. She would see him for who he truly was just as he had been able to see her.

Gabriel comes in to see his son some time after Cat Noir has left. The hero promises to return soon with both miraculouses. He leaves it at that, not asking for any further details or just how he plans to accomplish such a feat. He finds the door unlocked and the teen sitting on his bed. His eyes are lost out of his window into the darkness of a night from which the stars have been hidden by the clouds. The father says nothing, choosing simply to sit next to him. Adrien doesn't react, continuing to stare listlessly into the darkness. There's still anger and resentment there, he's simply too lost to voice it right now. In a while, perhaps not for a long time, things will be simpler and scores can be settled but for the time being, such notions are far removed from the boy's mind as he finally stirs, acknowledging the presence of another in his room.

"Father…" His voice is quiet, barely anything more than a whisper. "I don't want a part of this. Whatever happens, it's between you and Cat Noir."

The man doesn't question how he knows what passed between him and the superhero some hours before. There are many ways by which he could have known. Instead, the man simply nods, silently understanding.

Cat Noir stopped himself from removing his ring. No… He couldn't hurt her like that. Ladybug had already been betrayed by her partner in crime or more appropriately crime-fighting. That blow would be terrible enough without him adding on another layer. Marinette didn't deserve to be hurt in the same way. Adrien was her friend, knowing that he was just as involved in the plot and betrayal could easily prove to be heartbreaking. Best he continue to allow her to be fooled by the mask and the attitude. As cruel as it might have been – he wasn't denying that it wasn't – it could easily have been the lesser of two evils as the young hero saw things. He didn't know if after today he could still be friends with her. Certainly not as her superpowered ally but even in school, the teen found himself struggling to believe that he would ever be able to look her in the eye, knowing just what he had done and put her through without her knowing...

His fingers were touching the metal he had come so close but gradually, they released, allowing the disguise to linger. It wasn't something which had gone unnoticed by the teen. Her eyes rested on his hands for a moment before travelling back up to his face. She'd stopped her yelling, realizing that it served no purpose whatsoever. Instead, she opted for pleading silently with him. She didn't ask why he was doing this, neither did she attempt to guess. There was enough about his actions to clue her in to the fact that this wasn't something that he particularly enjoyed. The rage was replaced only by a single question which she dared not ask: why? There was no forgiveness however, there never would be.

Some more frantic beeping informed him that he was running out of time. Two minutes, that wasn't enough to get much done. He would need at least half of that to run away and to ensure that she didn't follow. A part of him wanting nothing more than to flee now and put as much distance as possible between them, he turned away. He would jump into the darkness and disappear, it would make things easier and more bearable for him. With Ladybug or rather Marinette out of sight, she might be at least slightly more out of mind, allowing him to concentrate on the task at hand and what completing it would mean for him and his family as a whole. Standing on the edge of the building, his green gaze focused on his house. He could see it, there in the distance. His father would be home, waiting patiently. The man wouldn't sleep or eat if that was what was required. The sooner this was over and done with, the sooner he could focus on the future which would hopefully be a great deal brighter than this day was turning out to be.

Her sobs cut through the storm like a knife. Somehow they reached his ears perfectly, almost undistorted by the thundering of the rain or the sounds of the city below. They stopped him in his tracks, causing him to spin slowly on his heels back to see her. He couldn't leave her, he realized. Not like this at any rate. Aware of his time constraint, he rushed over. Using his staff, he placed in underneath some of the rubble, weighing down on it with his body in an attempt to lever some of it up and allow her to escape. Despite everything, she didn't refuse the help, taking advantage of the assistance to crawl forwards, an activity which was evidently painful. It was almost agonizing progress but he maintained the pressure until she was free. There was a crash as he withdrew his weapon, allowing the bricks and mortar to fall once more.

Although free, she remained shaken. On her hands and knees, the teenager coughed, evidently in some pain. Green eyes scanned her body, searching for any obvious injuries which could put her in any danger. He hadn't intended to harm her, merely to ensure that she no longer posed a threat and that he could remove her miraculous without her being able to put up a fight. Collapsing chimneys were rather difficult to control however and people were decidedly fragile. Thankfully, she seemed to have escaped with little more than a few cuts and bruises. He was cautious as he reached down, taking her left arm with his right hand and pulling her to her feet. Once more, she accepted the help. Allowing herself to be coaxed up so that she stood uneasily on her two feet. A grimace distorted her features as she struggled to maintain her balance. Perhaps the attack had done more damage that he had initially thought.

In a flash, she lashed out. It wasn't a punch thankfully but rather a desperate grab at the hand which held her miraculous. Cat Noir was only just fast enough to pull it back, raising it high and out of her reach. With his other hand, he pushed her back gently but firmly. It was a task which was made easier by her injuries and the fact that without her powers, he now had the advantage. Still, she persisted for quite a few moments, continuing to struggle even though she must have known just like him that it wasn't going to get her anywhere. Finally, she stopped, out of breath and with the raw flesh of her grazed hands complaining loudly that this was something she shouldn't be doing. Instead, she breathed out in a tearful and trembling voice:

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I- I'm..." Explaining himself proved to be more complicated that he would ever have thought possible. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he finally managed to reply: "It's for the best. This time tomorrow everything will be over."

"What do you mean?" There was fear in her voice as she watched him take a few steps away.

"I can't explain right now." His ring bleeped, informing him that he was on his last minute. "I promise, I'll give you your miraculous back. I just really need it right now."

"Cat-" One last frantic plea was uttered as she realized he was about to disappear.

"I've got to go!"

He left no more room or debate, diving off of the rooftop before making his way out into the night, leaping over rooftops as he went. He needed to be out of sight. His priority wasn't even getting home immediately although that was something which he would have to see to quite quickly. He was under no allusions. With both the cat and the ladybug miraculouses he was a threat. It wouldn't be long before the other heroes of Paris and maybe, depending on just how desperate the remaining miraculous holders were, even the regular authorities were after him. No doubt Hawk Moth could hide him. He'd been hiding himself well-enough for these past few months. That still meant that he had to be home sooner rather than later. He came to a stop a couple of blocks away, half way between the Agreste mansion and where he had abandoned Marinette. His time was up, there was no sense tempting fate by trying to make it in one.

The rain continued to pelt down as Cat Noir vanished leaving Adrien alone on an old building, looking out over the city. Plagg materialized seconds later, tired but perhaps not as utterly drained as he was used to seeing the small being. He could tell that he disapproved, he'd already voiced that opinion more times than it was welcome. They had argued but ultimately the small creature had very little say in just what the holder of his miraculous chose to do. You'll regret it... The words weren't as taunting as they were sincere. He had been right of course, standing there, there was little the teen would rather have done than go back in time and reverse his actions. He couldn't however, the damage had been done and remained carved in stone. There was no going back now... Reaching into his pocket, he refused to speak, simply offering the kwami a piece of Camembert. He said nothing but accepted it willingly albeit not with the same wolfish appetite he normally devoured the smelly cheese with.

He ran a hand through his sodden hair, trying to remove it from his eyes. Tears stung at the corners of them as the reality of what he had just done gradually began to sink in. He saw the look on his friend's face as she realized what he had done and what he was about to do. The shame of a good person who found herself powerless to stop her own friend from stealing her power, leaving her helpless and injured. He was going to hell, he told himself, just for that one single action. Nothing could ever justify it. He prayed that his mother, when she returned, never learned of what had been done to bring her back. She would have a heart attack if she discovered just what her husband and son had done so that she might live with them once more. Of all things, it was the movement of Ladybug's kwami, a being he didn't even know the name of, which drew his attention. It hovered near his face, staring at him with its large eyes filled with a mixture of pain and perhaps more surprisingly, some compassion.

"Are you hungry too?" His voice was shaking, tearful.

"Not for smelly old cheese." The comment earned a half-hearted grunt of amusement. "Please Adrien, you don't have to do this. Just go back and apologize. Marinette will understand."

"I can't… Not now. I have to do this. For mom, for dad, for everyone in Paris and for me. If I turn back now-"

"But it's not too late!" The kwami argued moving on to a full-blown plea. "I don't know what you're planning to do but-"

"If I turn back now, it will all be for nothing!" He snapped, growing angry and eager to put an end to the discussion once and for all. "Plagg, are you done?"

"Ju't 'bout." The response was almost impossible to make out for the cheese filling his mouth.

"Good..."

His eyes fell back upon his mansion. It was still there, waiting for him. It seemed as if the light, fighting its way through some of the clouds casting a cool silver glow over the building which appeared somewhat ominous to him. He did his best to gather his thoughts together. Just a little bit longer and he would be able to abandon this charade for good. Until then, he needed to ensure that when Cat Noir handed over the miraculouses to Hawk Moth, the man had no reason to doubt his motivations and therefore suspect who might be hiding beneath the mask. Just a little bit more… He told himself, unsure if he had anything left to give.

Marinette cautiously pulled her phone out of the pocket of her jacket. The screen was badly cracked and she would almost certainly need to contemplate buying a new one when this was all over. To her amazement however, as she pressed the button, life surged into it albeit somewhat more dimly than usual. It was all that she needed. Going into her contacts, she was quick to find Alya. She was forced to shield the device from the rain, using her own body as best as she could. She wiped some of the water off with her jacket as she pressed the dial button, silently pleading that her best fried would answer. Waiting for a reply, the teen allowed herself to slump down, alleviating some of the pain that she was in in the process. Her bones and muscles ached as she sat there but it wasn't quite bad enough for her to think that she'd broken anything. No doubt she would be black and blue tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, it didn't look like she was going to have the luxury of waiting that long.

Alya picked up, her greeting was warm and bubbly and despite everything, it was enough to bring a soft smile to her face.

"Alya..." She winced with pain, her ribs reminding her that only a few minutes ago she had been buried under rubble. "It's me- No. I'm not alright… Don't call the cops… Listen, I need you do something for me. It's really important, like fate of Paris important- no this isn't a joke. I'm going to send you – ow – send you an address… You need to go there, take Nino and Chloe – yes, Chloe Bourgeois – with you. There's an old man who lives there. He'll know what to do. I'll send you my coordinates afterwards. Please, hurry..."

She hung up, not leaving room for any more questions as she tried to gather together enough strengths and wits to type in the address. A few seconds later she pressed send. Her arm fell as the will to move abruptly left her. She took a few deep breaths, ignoring the pain in her ribs, trying once more to force herself to remain conscious. Sitting there, she raised her gaze up to the dark sky and the merciless rain which showed no sign of stopping. Please don't let me be too late… She pleaded silently.