Adrien and Marinette turned to their kwamis, who sat on the pillow beside them. Tikki's large eyes twinkled, half of her marveled at the sight of Marinette and Adrien so close together. The other half was disappointed in the pair's lack of responsibility and their overdose in slowness. Plagg on the other hand… was just eating cheese.

"Tikki!" Marinette called.

"Plagg!" Adrien yelled simultaneously.

"Way ahead of you," Tikki floated to Marinette, Plagg groaned as if to say he was strongly attempting to get up.

"Tikki, spots on!" Instantly Tikki was sucked into Marinette's earring. Marinette was enveloped in an enchanting rosy light. Swarms of sparkly pixie dust unveiling a different and stronger Marinette… Ladybug.

Adrien held his breath, quivering in awe. He knew Marinette was Ladybug, but it would take some getting used to. He really loved her. Turns out she loved him back. He knew Ladybug would never let him go with her in his condition. But he couldn't let her go alone, they were a team no matter what. If anything happened to her, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Adrien stood up , "I'm going with you,"

Ladybug turned from the window she was preparing to leap through, "What? Are you insane? No way!"

"We're a team Ladybug. Marinette. We always have been, and I'm not gonna let anything get in the way of that. I'll be fine, I'd be in more danger if I stayed here as Adrien anyway," Adrien glanced down at his right hand and fiddled with his white ring. He glanced up at Ladybug, who was gazing downward at nothing in particular.

"Alright…" Ladybug was hesitant, but something about Adrien made her worry less.

Adrien smiled. But not like the fake smiles on the cover of magazines. Not even the smile he gave his friends every day. It was a new smile. Probably his first real smile in a really long time.

"You won't regret this. Besides, the faster we finish this, the faster I can get out of these bandages and you can get some more of this, am-I-right?" Adrien winked just like Chat always did. Ladybug's heart skipped at the appalling yet amazingly romantic sight of Adrien pretending to be Chat Noir. Of course, she had never even thought of the possibility of healing Adrien with her powers.

"J-just hurry up or I'll leave you behind," Ladybug brushed her bangs aside as if to uncover her eyes, but really she was trying to hide behind them.

"As you wish, My Lady," Adrien said with a bow.

Adrien turned to Plagg and said those magic words once again. Claws out. A different tone in his voice. The words had a meaning now. He and Ladybug were connected on a whole different level now. The unattended and neglected love had been sparked, his claws were out.

Chat Noir strolled up to Ladybug, who seemed a little dazed, "We're amazing together," he took Ladybug's hand, "And that's why I'm never letting go of you."

The grasp of their hands tightened, but it was Ladybug who had tightened her grip. Ladybug looked Chat in the eye and smiled sweetly. Chat peered out the window, flashes of light caught his eye. He pulled out his staff and brought Ladybug's hand with his to the head of the staff.

"Hold on," he said.

Then he pressed a button on the staff and it stretched out to the ground. The staff threw the two of them above the buildings. Chat leaned forward and they plunged into the city.

Chat Noir and Ladybug ran the last block, guided by the colorful rays flying just a few hundred feet ahead.

Ladybug looked over her shoulder at Chat, "How are you holding up?"

"I feel great!" Chat nodded in Ladybug's direction.

Ladybug raised an eyebrow, "I'm impressed,"

Chat closed his eyes cockily and raised his biceps, "Guess I'm just that strong," Ladybug rolled her eyes and scolded Chat for running with his eyes closed.

They came to a stop as they approached the scene. Créatrice de Mode's fabrics flew in every direction. The fabrics weren't hitting objects or buildings, they were hitting people. She was building an army. Instantly, a mother and daughter were a tailor and a mannequin.

Ladybug squinted up at Créatrice de Mode, "This isn't good…"

Chat winced, and then beamed, "I knew you'd need me,"

Créatrice de Mode turned her attention to Chat and Ladybug, "So, you cowards have finally returned? How can you call yourselves heroes if you run away in fear?"

Chat Noir shrugged, "Your getup is just so atrocious we couldn't stand to look at it any longer,"

Créatrice de Mode growled and began throwing attacks at Chat.

Chat dodged them and continued, "I mean seriously, what were you thinking going out in public like that? Talk about social suicide,"

"Ugh, YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON I WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM!," Créatrice de Mode screamed.

Chat looked down at his costume, "Oh, am I really?", he said, caressing his sides.

Créatice de Mode shuddered as Chat winked up at her, "You don't know a thing about fashion,"

Adrien laughed inside, Chat pouted sympathetically-sarcastically, "What's the matter, you seem kinda touchy when it comes to fashion. I'm guessing I'm not the first to disagree with your style?"

Créatice de Mode bent forward with her hands on her hips, "DON'T REMIND ME," and with a wave of her hand, her army was headed towards Chat Noir and Ladybug.

"You had to make it worse?" Ladybug whined.

Chat laughed nervously as he pulled out his staff. In the amount of time Chat and Ladybug had been gone, the army had been able to grow very large. There was no way the two of them could take them on.

Ladybug puckered her lips teasingly as if she was withholding some good news (much like how she puckered her lips to kiss Chat not too long ago and he still doesn't know about it), "Luckily, you served as a distraction and bought me time to think," Ladybug lifted a red, polka-dotted flared dress.

Créatice's army stopped right in their tracks, "Oooh! That dress! I absolutely must have it! Gimmegimmegimme!" Créatice floated down eagerly to retrieve the dress herself.

For about five seconds, Créatice de Mode stood still, a purple butterfly framed her cloudy eyes.

Créatice raised her index finger to her temple, "Yeah, in a minute...", and in an instant she was back to drooling over the dress.

Créatice shot her hands out in attempt to grab the garment, forgetting about the sketchbook she had been clutching, which dropped to the ground, "Aha!" Ladybug exclaimed, swooping for the book.

She then ripped the book in half, and out slipped a dark purple butterfly.

Chat watched as Ladybug "de-evilized" the akuma, and threw the dress into the sky. A pink cloud swept through the sky, turning giant shoes back into cars, and the Eiffel Tower returned from being a giant bejeweled earring. Ladybug noticed Chat was standing a little bit straighter.

Chat Noir and Ladybug did their classic fistbump, "Too easy," Ladybug said.

Chat touched his back, "Yeah, you didn't need me after all,"

Ladybug's smile faded, "That's not true at all! How could you say that after all that other stuff you said?"

Chat looked up, "Well-"

"Remember how she shot my Lucky Charm right out of the sky?" Ladybug continued.

"Yeah…"

"It wouldn't have been possible this time if you hadn't kept her busy,"

"But-"

"And who knows what would've happened if you hadn't been there to protect me..."

At this Chat and Ladybug paused, staring at each other.

Chat took a deep breath, "Do you wanna… go out someplace?"

Ladybug blinked twice too many times, "Sure…"

A voice whimpered from below them, "What's going on? Ladybug?!"

There lie a shrivelled up Chloé Bourgeois, scared and confused.

"Oh… right," Ladybug slouched, mentally preparing herself to give the usual pep talk… which was going to be difficult. Especially without laughing.

"Chloé," Chat Noir cut in as Ladybug was opening her mouth.

Chat knelt on one knee in order to be at eye level with Chloé, "You shouldn't let other people determine who you are, or depend on them to approve of your decisions. Even if it's someone you deeply respect. If there's something you want to pursue, something you love, then what another person says shouldn't discourage you,"

Chloé let herself go for a second, "What if your passion is more on that person you respect, than anything else?"

Chat sighed, "Then you need to change your focus. They might be holding you back. Sometimes, you hurt yourself, waiting for someone to match your feelings. Whether you cover it by faking happiness, desperately try to force a connection with that person, or both… it's not helping anything. Things won't always go your way. People won't always act the way you expect or want them to. Be free, do whatever you want, never let a person consume who you are," Chat got up and watched Chloé's face drop, then added, "Don't worry, you'll find someone new," then turned and gestured to Ladybug to leave with him. Ladybug nodded, with a baffled look on her face, and they began to walk away together.

Chat looked down at his feet, thinking about what he'd just said. Not sure if he had said it for Chloé, or himself.