Disclaimer: "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir" and all derivative works are the intellectual property of Thomas Astruc, Zagtoons, Disney, Nickelodeon, and a lot of other people. n00btmntfan is not associated in any way with the makers of "Miraculous." This story is nothing but a fan-based expansion and commentary on the source material and should not be understood as anything beyond that.

Author's Note: This story is the sequel to my first Miraculous fic, Recompense. I recommend you read that first, then come back and check this one out! If you don't feel like reading it, you should be able to pick things up pretty easily. Here's the summary of Recompense:

Marinette's life has become complicated enough as she tries to stop supervillains, so when a run-of-the-mill villain shoots her father, she begins to wonder if Ladybug isn't doing enough to help Paris. A new supervillain on the scene wonders the same thing and begins seeking justice for everyday crime. Meanwhile, Adrien has lost his ring.

Gabriel Agreste sat up, pulling his head from his desk. An ungodly pain in his neck stabbed at him. I fall asleep at my desk too often, he thought. He sighed. Not enough sleep...not since...Emilie...

The image of his wife flashed before his eyes—her lithe curves, her brilliant green eyes, the merry chime of her laugh. Heat rose to his cheeks at the memory of her velvet lips brushing across his, and her slender arms encircling him.

His thoughts drifted back to the night she had disappeared.

"Now, Emilie," Gabriel had said, gently tracing the outline of her lips. "None of your crime-fighting tonight, please. Tonight is for us."

"Hmm," Emilie had replied, kissing his fingertips. "You know I have an obligation. Ever since..."

"Ever since your grandmother brought you the pin she found in Tibet. I know, I know. But couldn't you put your responsibility aside for one evening? Leave your Miraculous at home."

Emilie smiled coyly. She leaned in and pressed her lips up to his ear and whispered, "No. But let me tell you what I'll do when we get back home tonight."

"Mmm," Gabriel said, grinning. "Why don't you keep that a surprise for me? Leave something to the imagination."

Emilie giggled. "If that's what you want..." She planted a kiss on his lips. "We should get going."

The evening was perfect. They had gone to the movies, and then gone for a stroll along the Seine afterward. As they stood side by side on the Ponts de Arts, looking out over the river, it happened: a distant cry for help.

Gabriel closed his eyes. "Do what you have to do, Emilie."

"If I'm not back in half an hour, go home without me," Emilie said, her voice low. "But do wait up for me—let that imagination of yours run wild." She kissed his cheek, and without another word, ran from his side.

She did not come back in half an hour. She never came back. Gabriel lay awake the whole night, waiting for her, trying to console himself with thoughts of she always comes back, she always keeps her promises...

But not this time.

Gabriel snapped himself back into the present, squeezing hot tears from his eyes. How he felt now didn't matter. None of this grief would matter. Not once he had claimed the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous. Not once all of his plans had come to fruition.

All that stood in his way was Ladybug and Cat Noir.

Adrien woke up, stretching the stiffness out of his limbs. He sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and yawned deeply. Immediately a horrible stench assaulted his nostrils. Adrien looked over, only to find that Plagg had seated himself on Adrien's shoulder to eat a wedge of camembert.

"Ugh! Plagg!" Adrien said, holding his nose. "Couldn't you eat that somewhere else?"

"I thought you might like to enjoy breakfast together," Plagg said. "I saved some for you..."

Adrien shook his head, unable to suppress a smile. "It's the thought that counts, I suppose." The smile faded. "Ugh...Plagg...what am I going to do? Father has my ring still, and I can't just keep breaking into his drawer to take it and then sneak it back in every time Paris needs me. Maybe I can just ask him if he's seen it."

Plagg swallowed a huge lump of camembert. "What? Don't do that. He might have your ring because he thinks you're Cat Noir. If that's the case, then asking him will only raise suspicion!"

Adrien blinked. "Wow, Plagg. I didn't expect you to care so much. You're usually so...non chalant about the whole thing."

"I can be serious when the situation calls for it. And I've got a bad feeling about this whole thing. I can't think of any good reason for your father to have your ring."

"Maybe he found it and is holding on to it for me, and forgot he has it?"

Plagg frowned. "That's optimistic."

"You think...he suspects?"

"It's possible. I don't know. But you must be careful, Adrien."

Adrien sighed. If Plagg was telling him to be careful, then it must be serious. "Okay. I can be careful. I'll just see if I can wait it out. Or...something."

"That's the spirit! At least we know where it is."

Sighing, Adrien climbed out of bed and started to get ready for school. His thoughts drifted to Ladybug, and his newfound theory of who she might be behind the mysterious mask.

He went over the evidence in his mind. Ladybug and Marinette Dupain-Cheng both walked with a similar delicate stride and light-footedness—something he noticed because he himself had been coached on walking for his modeling. He had also never seen the two of them together at once. Finally, and most suspiciously, Ladybug had tried to kill the same man who had almost killed Marinette's father. Sure, she had claimed that it was only because it reminded her of the fact that her own father had been killed by a criminal, but if Adrien was honest with himself, it was something along the lines of a half-truth he might tell to avoid being discovered as Cat Noir. Not that he thought Ladybug was a liar—just trying to keep her secrets a secret.

A little pang of guilt shot through him. Was it fair for him to try to find out her secret when he knew she didn't want him to know?

He shook the thought away. If he could find out from observation that Marinette was Ladybug, then it was Marinette's mistake for not being more secretive.

...Right?

Come on now, Adrien, he scolded himself. She wouldn't want that.

But if the evidence is there...

By the time he had finished readying himself for school, he decided that his best option would be to ignore Marinette as much as possible, so that he wouldn't accidentally discover if she happened to be Ladybug. He would still be polite to her, but he would avoid her otherwise. If Marinette did actually happen to be Ladybug—which, in all honesty, how could clumsy Marinette really be Ladybug—she would appreciate him all the more for it if she ever did decide to reveal her identity to him. And if conclusive evidence emerged that Marinette was not Ladybug—such as her being akumatized, for example—well, then he could go back to being good friends with her.

It's too bad, really, Adrien thought. I really like Marinette...even if she's a bit awkward.

Adrien found that he could not pay attention in class all day. All he could do was think of the black-haired girl sitting behind him, and wonder if she was the same person as strong, courageous, beautiful Ladybug. His eyes strayed to the clock nearly every five minutes. Finally, the day was almost over—only half a class period left.

"Ms. Bustier!" a voice screamed. "You think you can go on a date with me and just text me over lunch that you don't want to see me any more?"

The door to the classroom swung open. There in the doorframe stood a tall man who was clad from head to toe in blood-red armor.

"You were looking for someone more chivalrous? I am the Red Knight, and I am here to prove to you just how chivalrous I can be!"

"Pierre?" Ms. Bustier's face flushed bright red.

"Not anymore. Now, come with me!" He drew a long sword from his side.

"Never!"

With a cruel laugh, the Red Knight slashed his blade through the air. A fierce blast of energy shot through the air, tearing a massive hole in the classroom wall. "Then they will pay the price for your folly."

Ms. Bustier hung her head. "If I go with you, will you promise not to hurt my students?"

"No, Ms. Bustier!" Marinette cried. "Don't go with him!"

Ms. Bustier sighed. "I don't have a choice."

In horror, Adrien watched as the Red Knight led Ms. Bustier from the room.

"We can't let her go!" Alya said. "Come on, everyone!"

With a rallying shout, the class rose as one and stormed out of the classroom after the Red Knight and poor Ms. Bustier.

"Give me a sec," Adrien called after them. "I'm going to call the police!"

Once the last student was gone, Adrien ran to the hole in the wall and looked down. It was too high for him to survive the jump as himself, without the protection his suit afforded him. He would have to get down a different way.

An explosion sounded in the gym, as well as a chorus of screams.

"Just great," Adrien muttered. "What am I going to do now?"

Plagg flew out of his jacket and looked outside. "Look! A rain spout!"

"Wow, Plagg, I'm impressed," Adrien said. "Good eye."

"Don't sound so surprised," Plagg said, rolling his eyes.

Adrien jumped out of the hole in the wall, just barely grabbing on to the rain spout. He slid down it like a fire pole and the minute his feet hit the ground, he took off running for his house.

Let's just hope I can make it in time...