The next day, Marinette headed off to school with a smile on her face. When she reached school, Alya ran over to her, handed her her bag, and exclaimed, "Did you hear about last night?"

"No. What happened?" the blogger's best friend asked.

"That Hawkmoth Jr. guy, came to Ladybug's patrol. And it looks like he's getting cozy with her," she pointed out in the picture of them hugging, and then the one when Hawkmoth Jr. wiped away her tears.

"No, he was just trying to comfort her, since her Cat Noir is gone," she said, with a blush which was gladly barely noticeable.

"Well, we'll see," the journalist grinned.

They walked into class, and saw Adrien grinning in his seat.

"Hey, Adrien," Alya called as she passed by.

"Hey Alya, hey Marinette," he greeted the girls.

Nino then walked in, and cheered, "Hey, look who's back out of the blues!"

"Hey dude," Adrien greeted back.

"So what happened to your hair and eyes, and did things get better with your pops?" the DJ asked.

"The dye I used was the wash out kind, and I just had on some contacts, and yeah! My dad has been much better to me, and he apologized for once!" the boy exclaimed excitedly.

"Great dude! I'm so happy for you!" Nino congratulated.

walked into the classroom, and greeted the students. She then continued on about what they were learning that day. Marinette once again began daydreaming, about Adrien, but this time, Hawkmoth Jr. was there, but gladly, called her name, and Marinette snapped out of the dream and exclaimed, "Here!"

Class was quite boring as usual, and Marinette often was caught staring off into the back of Adrien's head. They were learning about the French Revolution in more depth, since they were of course told about it when they were younger, but every other year they taught the kids the subject with more depth appropriate to their age.

The bell rang, and it was off to Phys Ed. Alya and Marinette walked down to the gym where they had some basic mats and other equipment for gymnastics set up. They walked into the locker room and changed into their clothes. Down the row of lockers, Rose and Juleka were talking:

"What happened to Lila? She hasn't been to school in days now," Rose said.

"Didn't you here?" Juleka replied. "Lila has been labelled missing. No one has seen her in the past two days. She just disappeared in the middle of the night."

"Oh! That sounds so scary!" Rose quivered.

When they exited the locker room, the coach was ready in a leotard.

"Come on students!" she called, and all of the students gathered around her.

"Today, we'll be going over some basic gymnastic poses and tumbles, like handstands, bridges, cartwheels, and somersaults," the teacher explained as she did the poses and motions, and at the end, we'll have a handstand contest to see who can hold a handstand the longest.

First, they started off with bridges. Most of the students got it, but those who couldn't either didn't have the strength or didn't have the flexibility. Next, was a forwards roll which half could do but the other half were either scared, couldn't push themselves over, or were complaining that it would ruin their hair. Next, they did cartwheels, which a third of them could do decent ones which weren't diagonal, and at the end, they did handstands. After everyone tried them, they began their contest. Alix, Kim, Nino, Alya, Adrien, and Marinette all lined up. The coach began with an, "On your mark, get ready, set, go!" Each of them got into a handstand successfully. Alya was the first to go after two and a half seconds, Nino came shortly after with five seconds. Alix and Kim glared at each other, but Kim got distracted and fell after nine seconds, and complained that Alix distracted him. After about twelve seconds, Alix finally fell down, and both Adrien and Marinette were left, not moving and looking quite stable.

"Go Marinette!" Alya cheered. "You can do it!"

"Go Adrien!" Nino cheered. "You got this dude!"

"Go Adrikins!" Chloe cheered, then discouraged Marinette with a, "I bet you're getting weak, Marinette, so just fall already!"

The two stood there for nearly a minute with no sign of falling, so the coach called an end to the contest, and everyone cheered for them as they landed back on the ground.

"Wow, Marinette! You did a really great job!" Adrien complimented her.

"Uh, thanks! Too you, I mean, you too!' Marinette stuttered.

"Thank you," he smiled. Adrien then just remembered that Ladybug said that she liked a boy named Adrien. This teen thought it was quite impossible that it would be him, but he did think to keep an eye out on anyone who acted like Ladybug around him.

The rest of the morning was quite boring, but at lunch, there was a bit more excitement. Mr. Agreste waited in the front of the school for Adrien, since he wanted to take up Tom's offer. Adrien walked out of the front doors, and cheerfully walked over to his father.

"Hello, Adrien," the adult greeted.

"Hi, father," the boy greeted back, giving his dad a hug. "How's Plagg?"

From Gabriel's coat, the black cat poked his head out, and saluted his former holder, before hiding, since there were far too many students around for him to stay out for long without being noticed.

"As you said, he's a brat," the designer sighed, pulling a piece of Camembert out of his pocket, putting inside his hand in his jacket, pulling his hand out with nothing.

"What does Nooroo eat?" the student asked.

"Carrots," he replied.

"Well, at least it isn't Camembert," Adrien chuckled.

Out of the front door, came Marinette, with Alya blabbing about her other Ladybug theories. When the young designer reached the bottom of the steps, Mr. Agreste called her over.

"Yes, Mr. Agreste?" she asked curiously.

"Adrien and I are going to have lunch at your bakery again, I was wondering if we can accompany you back there," the fashion emperor asked.

"Oh, of course!" she smiled, beginning to lead them over to bakery.

When they reached the bakery after a few minutes, they entered, and Marinette ran over to her parents, gave them a hug before she went back upstairs. Gabriel and Adrien walked over to the menu, and started contemplating what they should eat. They then ordered, and a few minutes later were given food.

As they sat down and began eating, out of the corner of his eye, Gabriel spotted a blur of orange dive down behind a nearby trash can. He looked closer, and it appeared to be Volpina. The next moment, he saw her run across the street getting closer to bakery, and then she kicked the door open and smirked.

"Well, I'm tired of just being ordered to sit in the shadows by Hawkmoth, so it's time to have some fun!" she cackled, strutting over to Adrien, and grabbing his wrist before trying to drag him out of the bakery.

"Adrien!" Gabriel called to his son, truly not expecting the attack.

The man ran outside, but Volpina was once more dragging Adrien away, but this time, for real. He heard a sound from behind him, like a magical swoosh, and then from above him he saw Ladybug jump off the balcony of the bakery, swinging after Adrien. Gabriel gasped. Thinking about it, Marinette looked quite like Ladybug. At this point, he didn't mull over it, since his son was in danger. He ran to an alley, and both of the kwami flew out of his jacket.

"So, Gabe, whatcha gonna do?" the black cat asked worriedly.

"I'm not sure. This has never happened before," he worried, keeping his eye on his son, getting closer and closer to the Eiffel Tower.

"I suggest you transforming into Hawkmoth first, but if things become dangerous, transform into Cat Noir as well," Nooroo suggested. "This is quite a tedious situation."

"Fine," Gabriel agreed, calling out his transformation, and turning into Hawkmoth in a dark blur.

Meanwhile, Marinette was in her room, getting everything ready for afterschool when she heard a crash from downstairs, and then she saw Adrien being dragged by Volpina once more.

"Tikki, Volpina's back!" the girl gasped squeezing her face up against the window.

"I know Marinette I saw," the bug replied.

"Come on. We need to follow them," she stated focusedly furiously climbing up her ladder to the balcony. "Tikki, Spots on!" she called, and with a magical swoosh, she transformed, and then leapt away after Volpina.

After chasing them for a minute, they reached the Eiffel tower once again, and Adrien was dangling from Volpina's hand, looking very scared.

"Not again," the hero muttered to herself.

"Volpina, I know your tricks. Adrien isn't dangling from your hand!" Ladybug called up.

"Hmm, do you think I'd really to the same trick twice, who knows, maybe this one is real," the akuma chuckled cynically, swinging Adrien around.

From below her, Ladybug heard a familiar crying. She let her curiosity roam, as she jumped down a floor to see Cat Noir crying.

The other hero looked up at Ladybug and cried, "Ladybug, I've missed you so much! Please help me! Hawkmoth just made me transform, and he can now teleport me away with at his own will. Please, Ladybug!"

The black-spotted heroine gasped, and approached the boy, but the cat disappeared in a blur.

"Cat," the girl remorsed. She didn't know what to think.

From above her, Adrien desperately called, "Ladybug, please! This time it isn't fake! That Cat Noir was fake! Please!"

He looked up at Volpina who was smirking with pride.

"You know, I didn't give you this order," Adrien whispered angrily up at her, a green outline appearing over both of their faces.

"I know," the villain cackled. "After I get rid of you, I can then get rid of Hawkmoth, and then I'd be able to roam free and I take over the world."

At that moment, Volpina let go. Adrien began to fall fast down to the ground, and Ladybug only peaked her head over the edge, fully believing Adrien was an illusion this time.

"Ladybug!" Adrien screamed, trying to figure out what to do. Everything was happening so fast, that he couldn't comprehend it. He was literally eating lunch with his dad at the bakery a few minutes ago, and now he was falling from the Eiffel Tower.

After a few more seconds of falling, he felt himself landing in what felt like arms.

"Adrien," he heard his father's voice speak, as they reappeared on the level Ladybug was standing on.

Ladybug turned around speedily, and growled "Hawkmoth, give Cat back!", swinging her yo-yo threateningly.

"I can't Ladybug, but we have more important things to talk about, like letting a boy nearly fall to his death," he hissed angrily as he put Adrien down, whom then ran behind a beam and transformed.

"Oh, so now you care about the welfare of Parisians," the bug snickered.

"I'm not so determined to get your Miraculous as to let anyone die due to it!" Hawkmoth yelled at the teen furiously. "This akuma is no longer under my control and is wanting to take over the world, a goal much darker than what I want from your Miraculous."

"Then what about Cat, is he safe?!" the girl hissed, but before she could get a reply, Hawkmoth lifted his cane, and swatted by Ladybug's ear. "What was that-"

Behind her, she saw Volpina who was shaking her wrist out.

"Ladybug, purify her akuma," Hawkmoth ordered.

"But-"

The fox lifted her flute, and dozens of illusions appeared.

"Ladybug, trust me for this once. Our goals are the same momentarily," he stated.

Ladybug didn't reply, but at that moment, Hawkmoth Jr. revealed himself, and began swatting at the illusions with his cane as Ladybug swung her yo-yo eliminating a good number of illusions. Hawkmoth tensed up, made an outline appear on his face, and then noticed the coordinating Volpina standing next to him, reaching for his ring.

"Heroes, she's right here," the man called to the two stepping away from the akuma, and disappearing.

"Hawkmoth Jr, get her necklace!" she ordered.

The boy nodded, and ran behind Volpina, grabbed her necklace, and snapped it apart, letting the green and purple akuma free.

She swung her yo-yo, and caught the akuma, saying her usual catchphrases. After releasing the butterfly she walked over to Hawkmoth Jr, and sighed deeply. "What the heck just happened?!"

"I have no idea, but at least we know Hawkmoth isn't totally heartless," he shrugged. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for a while. I had to escape my civilian life," he apologized.

"Uh, Ladybug?" Lila asked nervously. "What just happened?"

"You seemed to have been akumatized for quite a long time," Hawkmoth Jr. explained.

"Who are you?!" Lila gave a disgusted look at the boy.

"I'm Hawkmoth Jr. Don't worry, I'm not in any way related to Hawkmoth," he smiled in relief that she doesn't remember him.

"Where's Cat Noir?" she inquired, looking around.

Ladybug froze in place as guilt grew on her face.

"Hawkmoth took his Miraculous," Hawkmoth Jr. explained with slight remorse. "I'm helping Ladybug, since I happen to have superpowers, and she needs someone to help her."

"So you're a replacement," she stated plainly.

"Um, I guess?" the akuma powered teen cringed, looking over at Ladybug.

"He's helping me for now, and is going to help me get Cat Noir back," Ladybug explained further.

"Okay?" Lila looked at the to strangely, before walking over to the elevator.

"So, Ladybug where were we... Oh! I was apologizing for not being here for most of the battle," the fancily dressed hero continued.

"Don't worry about it," Ladybug shuttered, sitting down against a beam, and stared in anguish. "I really need to get myself back together. I can't believe I let Adrien Agreste fall to near death. First I let Cat get taken away, next I nearly have the love of my life nearly die on my watch."

Hawkmoth Jr. was shocked excited by this information. Really, the Adrien she like was Adrien Agreste?! This would aid in his plan immensely, but he mustn't reveal himself too soon.

"Ladybug," the boy said softly, walking over and taking her hands off her head, and holding them carefully in his hands. "You've probably been overwhelmed with the number of akumas that have happened within the past three days. Please don't take this battle to heart. The villain was so bad that Hawkmoth was on your side," Hawkmoth Jr. explained. "Just enjoy the rest of your day. I can watch over Paris tonight so you can get some rest."

She nodded, and got up. The designer nodded, and said, "Thank you," before swing back to her house to get her school stuff again. Adrien stood their for a moment and sighed, wishing he could tell Ladybug the truth, but he decided he shouldn't linger on that thought and teleported himself to Hawkmoth's lair.

When he appeared there, he saw his father with his elbows on his knees and his hands on his head. The model walked nervously over to his father.

"Adrien," Gabriel began. "I can't believe I nearly lost you today. It's all my fault," the man pouted.

"Dad, don't worry. It was not your fault. Volpina being akumatized for a while probably just corrupted her mind," the child tried to comfort the adult.

"Well, I won't be making any more akumas for a while, well at least this weekend," the designer sighed.

"That sounds fine. I'm just worried about Ladybug. I hope she will be okay, after losing me, and then nearly losing me again," the boy stated worriedly.

"Don't worry, my son. You can tell me when she has recovered." Gabriel got up and hugged his son. "Now, next time, when you're in danger, use your powers to get yourself out."

"Even if it means revealing myself?" the teenager cringed.

"Yes."

"Of course, sir," Adrien nodded nervously. "Oh, and dad, guess what I learned!" Adrien perked up with cheer.

"What is that?"

"Ladybug is in love with my civilian form!" he cheered.

"Are you sure? She let you fall for more than a hundred feet," Hawkmoth Sr. eyed his son doubtfully.

"I'm extremely sure," he assured. "She called me the love of her life!"

Gabriel smiled. "That is great news, Adrien! I just hope she isn't an ignorant fangirl."

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm nearly through the next chapter so the next update will be in a week or so.