Author's Note:

What do you call a tired bee?

Sleep-bee.

Chapter 25

The Conservator turned away from Bumblebee and swept back up the stairs, still carrying the limp Ladybug in his hands. "Bring him."

The pain in her head throbbed hard and hot. She wanted to lift her hands to rub her temples but, although her fingers flexed, her arms seemed to weight more than she could lift. Every step jolted through her, pounding in her head, but each step brought more clarity.

Papillon was coming. He was coming here. He was coming to get her miraculous. He might already have the cat miraculous. If she took the time to play dead and recover from the blow to the head, they might get a shot at Papillon himself, and possibly get the cat miraculous back in one fell sweep.

Statues dragged Bumblebee up the stairs behind her and she saw the statues of the Gorilla and Nathalie step forward to take him. Everything about him seemed to emulate defeat; the hang of his head, the drag of his feet and the dangle of his hands. Had he given up?

She had to tell him somehow she was okay. In pain, recuperating, but she'd be ready when it was necessary. She couldn't see his eyes so she couldn't be sure he was looking at her.

The double doors loomed overhead as the Conservator strode inside the mansion. The statues of Nino and Alya closed the door behind them and remained outside to guard.

It was just them inside. Two statues. One akuma. Two heroes.

Good odds. Amazing odds, considering what waited outside. If they were quick, if they struck fast, they might have a chance.

Keeping a firm grip on her, the Conservator lowered his arm and picked up the sceptre he'd left lying against the railing of the stairs. Ladybug let herself slump against his leg, still playing dead. She lolled her head and let out a small moan.

Bumblebee's head lifted at the noise. "Please, let me check her—"

Ladybug winked at him.

Bumblebee's head reared back in surprise, then went thoughtful.

Swishing his cape regally as he turned, the Conservator extended his hand. "Your miraculous. You don't need it anymore."

Bumblebee lifted his chin. "Nope. Not happening. If Papillon is coming here, this is the only thing that will protect me."

Steepling his hand on his chest, the Conservator insisted, "I will protect you."

Bumblebee snorted. "No, you won't. There's no way you possibly could. You know why he wants the miraculous, don't you? Those particular two? Do you know why he doesn't really care about the bee miraculous? Do you even know the easiest way to break a bond?"

The Conservator pressed his lips together.

"What am I even talking to you for?" Bumblebee sneered. "You're a puppet."

One golden etched eyebrow rose up his brow. "You think so?"

"Akuma always are," Bumblebee told him with a shrug. "Don't think you're any different than them."

"I am not a—"

"He's going to kill us, you know that, right?" Bumblebee said. "Does that even get through your thick akuma brain? Same as he killed my mother. That's the easiest way to break a bond. Only it didn't work with her because she didn't take Ferris to confront him."

"He has assured me that he will not—"

Bumblebee scoffed. "He's terrorised Paris and you're going to believe him? He's torn down buildings and allowed akumas to prey on people in a moment of weakness. He preys on children. The only reason people don't think he's as big of a threat is that we can put everything back the way it was. Without that, no one would feel safe in Paris. Do you really think a little murder isn't beyond him? Wow. I didn't think you were that naive."

"He will not harm you—"

"My lady is the only thing standing between him and total destruction. If he gets his hands on both our miraculous, you won't be able to stop the devastation."

The Conservator didn't appear fazed. "I will ensure—"

"The Conservator." Bumblebee lifted his head, then tilted it. "Really, Father? You wanted to control me that much? Conserve the status quo? Am I not allowed to change or grow up? Not allowed to have opinions and want to be more than I am. You don't get to dictate what happens to me. You don't get to keep information from me. I deserve the right to know of my mother's death, you arrogant piece of shit."

Ladybug felt her eyes flare in horror. This wasn't a distraction. This was a son yelling at his father. She shouldn't be witnessing this and he shouldn't be doing it. Not now. Not like this.

"You will not speak to me this way," the Conservator scolded. "I am your father and—"

Bumblebee's laugh was bitter and long. "No, you're not. You don't even know how to be a father."

The Conservator scowled. "You will not—"

"Here's the thing. Akuma never remember what's happened to them when they're transformed." His voice turned sing-song. "I can say anything I like right now and you'll never remember it." He laughed, haunting and chilling. "You'll never even know."

Ladybug shook her head. It didn't work like that. The akuma didn't remember, but they did. Anything he said, he'd remember. Anything he said would eat away at him like a cancer, chiselling away parts of his soul.

Bumblebee's voice and expression turned hard. "You took away my chance to grieve for her. To grieve with you. You let me believe she'd abandoned us. Abandoned me. You kept me locked away in this prison of a house under the misguided notion that you were protecting me. And I hate you for that," he spat through gritted teeth.

The Conservator released Ladybug and she slumped down, staring at Bumblebee.

His face twisted in pain and he strained against the Gorilla and Nathalie. "I hate you!"

Ladybug abandoned all pretence of being injured beyond the ability to move and crawled toward him. It hurt, her head pounding, but she had to get to him.

The end of the Conservator's sceptre hit Ladybug square in the back and pushed her flat to the floor, preventing her from getting to Bumblebee. "There will be no more idle chatter," the Conservator said.

"You're not even human, are you?" Bumblebee spat. "You literally don't care."

"Don't," Ladybug whispered. "Chat. Don't do this to yourself."

His head reared back, like he just realised she was there, listening to him lay out his dirty laundry. All fight seemed to drain from him and he hung limply in the statue's grip. "You never even loved me."

The weight against Ladybug's back was removed as the Conservator strode forward. He gripped Bumblebee under the chin and lifted his head up. "Of course I love you. I'm making the world a better place. For you. So you'll be safe."

The doors bang and Ladybug tensed. She propped herself up on all fours, ready to leap for Bumblebee and get them both away. They couldn't do this. Not right now. Not today.

Except they might never get another chance like this. To finish Papillon for good. She had to do this. Box up the pain and the anger and the frustration. Lock and key. Get the job done. Crumble and weep later. People were counting on her. On them. She had to fight. Had to fight to win.

The Conservator lifted his head. "I'll prove it to you." Reaching behind Bumblebee's head, the Conservator yanked out the comb. "You don't need this anymore."

Transformation unravelling, Adrien jerked and struggled as he tried to stop the Conservator from taking the comb. "No!"

The Conservator jerked as something zapped, then tossed the comb across the room. It made a sad plunk against the floor, then skidded out of sight.

Deedee didn't appear.

"Deedee?" Adrien blurted, twisting and turning as much as he could, trying to see. Without the goggles, his face was blotchy and red and his eyes watered. Panicked, he shrilled, "Deedee!"

With a flare of his cape, the Conservator walked back to Ladybug and hoisted her up by the back of her suit. When he was ready, he tapped his sceptre on the floor.

The statues of Nino and Alya opened the door and held it open as Papillon sauntered through. "Had I known you would've been so effective," Papillon said and swung his cane, before clicking the end of it against the floor. "I would've have targeted you much earlier." His eyes swept over Adrien. "Hard to imagine that the thorn in my side all these months was my own flesh and blood. The resemblance is uncanny. Grandfather would be most—"

"You do not get to look at or talk to my son, Antoine," the Conservator said.

Papillon gave the Conservator a flat stare, then dismissed the threat in the Conservator's voice with a wave of his hand. "The boy needs to be aware of his heritage—"

"You will have no more interaction with him."

Papillon inhaled through his mouth, then breathed out slowly. "Hand over the cat miraculous, then you may go."

Ladybug's eyes shot to Adrien's. The Conservator still had the cat miraculous. There might still be a chance to save Plagg. She balled her hands into fists and waited, planning what she had to do in her mind. First thing would be to take care of the statues containing Adrien so he could retrieve Deedee.

The Conservator smiled and dropped Ladybug back onto the floor. Stroking his fingers down his sceptre, he walked toward Papillon. "Tell me, how, exactly, do you plan to break the bonds between them and their kwami? The same way you tried to break Aurelie's bond? Or do you have a different strategy in mind?"

Ladybug gripped the floor with her fingers and braced herself. One glance at Adrien and she saw he was watching both Papillon and her closely, waiting for a signal.

A flare of irritation and Papillon lifted his wrist to pluck at the sleeve, unaware that the room behind him was slowly filling with statues. "You may leave, Conservator. Guard outside."

"You gave me the power to protect my son and that is exactly what I plan to do."

The doors slammed shut. Statues lunged. Papillon whirled.

So much sound. It rattled away in her brain and all she wanted to do was clap her hands over her ears and hum loudly so she could concentrate.

Among the sounds and the lights, Adrien struggled. Unprotected. She had to help. Pushing all the mayhem and noise away, Ladybug focussed on Adrien. Forcing herself from the floor, she sprinted for him. She dropped into a front flip as she neared, extended her legs as much as she could. She made sure her hands landed Adrien's hunched back, while her feet were planted in the solid marble faces of Nathalie and the Gorilla. Using his back as support, she did a handstand spin and kicked out at their heads again.

As they released Adrien, he dropped to the ground and Ladybug tucked in her head, rolling away. Digging in her toes, she pushed off, bouncing back for him to haul him away from the statues.

"Did you see where the comb went?" he rushed.

Ladybug pulled him to the far corner away from the main door and they crouched behind one of the support pillars. "No."

"You're bleeding!" he blurted and his hand touched the back of her neck. "Are you alright?"

She grazed the back of her head with her hand and winced at the sharp throb that caused. Blinking her eyes, she forced them to refocus on the fight. Lifting up from her crouch, she said, "See if you can find the—"

Adrien's hand planted on her shoulder, keeping her there. "You're not going out there."

"This might be the only chance we get," she replied. "I have to—"

"You're hurt," he protested. "If you've got concussion—"

"You told me you could handle this," she said, then cringed. Brain to mouth filter seemed to have vanished with the hit to the head too. She didn't doubt that concussion was a very high possibility.

He baulked and dropped his eyes. "I… I… once I started… I… I couldn't…"

She touched his shoulder, then his jaw to lift his chin. "Later. Find the comb. Come rescue me. I'll last as long as I can."

Unable to meet her eyes, Adrien nodded.

A guttural groan and a crash of a toppling statue dragged their attention back to what was occurring. All around Papillon, statues were freezing and unfreezing, staggering backward and forward in repetitive motions like they couldn't decide what they were doing. Papillon had a hand extended and curled like a claw as he grinned at the Conservator, who spasmed and shook under Papillon's gaze. The sceptre slipped from his fingers and clattered to the ground.

"I gave you those powers," Papillon sneered. "I can take them away."

The Conservator's hand rose like a puppet being dragged on strings, exposing the ring on his finger. Ladybug could see the akuma flapping away, partially pulled from the ring enough to obey Papillon's commands.

Papillon demanded, "Give me the cat miraculous."

Sweat dripped down the Conservator's face as he fought against Papillon's power. The statues spluttered harder. The ring on the Conservator's hand led the way, its fingers diving beneath the bracer on his wrist.

Ladybug charged. Leaping high, she bounced across the top of the statue hoard, landing on their backs, heads or shoulders before spring boarding to the next statue. She extended her leg and slammed her shin into Papillon's head as hard as she could while simultaneously making a grab for the Conservator's bracer.

The cat ring practically leapt into her hand.

A laugh filled the air. Mischievous and dangerous, echoing and shrilling all at once, it haunted all the dark places of the room. A black and green force erupted from the ring and sang, "About time!"

"No!" the Conservator yelled and grabbed at Ladybug as she threw the ring.

"Plagg!"

Such elation and joy in Adrien's voice, it made her heart sing in response. Maybe one day he'd call her name with such passion, but this moment belonged to him and Plagg. As it should.

Ladybug landed on one foot. She spun into a roundhouse, kicking the Conservator in the side of the head. With her sharp lash, he staggered back. Still spinning, Ladybug dropped to a crouch to sweep Papillon's legs. Continuing the rotation, she rose and slammed both fists into the Conservator's stomach, then palmed his nose.

"Claws out!"

Hoping her strikes would keep the Conservator occupied, Ladybug turning to Papillon. Although she stopped, the room kept spinning around her and she staggered. She shook her head to clear it then was forced to duck under a swipe of Papillon cane. She brought her wrists up to protect her face, blocking another swipe and missed the blow to her stomach. Her breath expelled out in an 'oof' as she took a more defensive stance.

With a smirk, Papillon went for her with his cane, striking at exposed parts of her body. Ladybug curled up to protect herself from the flurry of blows as much as she could. The pounding headache made her reactions slow and fuzzy and she took more blows that she wanted to.

It was obvious Papillon was trained in the art of battle. Ladybug had no formal training, relying on surprise and fast attacks, innate dexterity and improved suit reflexes as well as Tikki's subtle guidance to protect her. She removed herself from danger with quick thinking and diversions while Chat Noir threw himself into it.

Like he did right now, sliding in with an outstretched arm to shield her and his baton extended to block Papillon's cane.

She was so happy to see him with his floofy hair and tail. "Chat."

"In the flesh, my lady," he purred and the tip of his tail brushed against her leg. "Let me take care of this."

She nodded and allowed herself a small sag of relief as she stepped away. "With pleasure."

Papillon's gaze shifted from Ladybug to Chat Noir. "Don't think it'll be—"

Twirling his baton in one hand, Chat Noir doubled it and passed the extra to Ladybug, completely ignoring Papillon. "Here."

Papillon lunged, Chat Noir parried with ease and kept himself between Papillon and Ladybug.

While she understood and appreciated the thought, she'd never actually wielded his baton before. "I don't… um…"

Riposting, Chat Noir struck out and whacked Papillon in the upper arm. "Middle button extends. Don't press any of the others."

She wrinkled her nose as she studied the baton. "Right."

He laughed. "Just swing it like a bat."

That she could do. "Okay." Lifting the baton, she held it up like a bat. "I'll be right back."

His eyes fixed on Papillon, Chat Noir nodded. "Don't stray far. You don't look too good."

"I need my yo-yo."

The Conservator was struggling to control his statues, which continued to jerk and splutter as they moved. Ladybug wondered at that. Had the partially pulled akuma caused it, or had her hits? Maybe a combination. For good measure, she smacked him in the head with Chat Noir's baton on the way.

Scampering outside, she leapfrogged over the back of the statues staggering around the courtyard. Spotting her marble yo-yo, she wove through the statues to get it. She'd need it once she managed to wrestle the akuma away from the Conservator. She hoped the marbleness would wear off once the akuma was separated from the ring. Most of the time, an akuma's effects wore off, but not the damage it caused.

If the yo-yo wasn't able to be used… well. She wasn't sure but she'd think of something. Assuming she still had the capacity to think soon.

She scrambled back inside the mansion, vaguely noticing she landed on Alya's shoulders at one stage on her journey. She just wanted to get this over and done with. Her head hurt so much, a miraculous cure would be perfect right now.

Landing on the back of the Gorilla, Ladybug was surprised to find the world swim in and out of focus. Another dizzy spell, perhaps she'd done more damage to her head than she'd realised. Especially with all the leaping around. Sliding from the Gorilla's back she touched her fingers to her forehead. She didn't have time for this. She had a job to do.

Taking a moment to recuperate, she watched Chat Noir. He was in fine form. Being back in his suit and connected to Plagg had completely balanced his equilibrium. A weight had been lifted. A small smile on his face as he held his own against Papillon. Each strike was easy and fluid and with a cat-like grace Ladybug knew she'd never be able to achieve. This was his element. This was what he trained for.

An easy sidestep, another parry and a parting shot with his baton and Chat Noir circled Papillon.

This was why Papillon never made a move on them before. Having Chat Noir in her corner, her sweet, underrated powerhouse of a partner with a heart to match the responsibilities his powers granted him, had kept them both safe.

She wondered if Chat Noir knew that.

She glanced at the Conservator and wondered if he knew that.

She forced herself to move to his side. "Are you watching this?"

The Conservator didn't stop trying to wrestle the half-phased akuma back into his ring. "Watching what?"

"Your son be absolutely amazing."

The Conservator looked up. He lowered his hand, staring at the duel raging across the foyer of the mansion.

"He doesn't need you to protect him," Ladybug said. "He needs you to love and trust him."

"He'll get hurt."

"That's life. You can't shield him from that." Ladybug stretched out her hand and rested it on the Conservator's, feeling the cool sensation of his ring beneath her fingertips. "But when everything's said and done, you're the one who has the ability to hurt him the most. He's not a statue. He's flesh and blood." She sighed. "I really hope you remember that."

Chat Noir cried out in pain and Ladybug snapped her attention away from the Conservator just in time to see the end of a blow to the head. Papillon lunged, knocking Chat Noir's baton away, and then grabbed him in a headlock.

Turning toward them, Papillon leered and extended his hand. The Conservator whirled and grabbed Ladybug by the throat. He lifted her off the ground and let her hang while Ladybug clawed at his hand, trying to get free.

"Make her stone," Papillon snarled. "And get her miraculous!"

The Conservator lifted his hand and Ladybug grabbed that wrist instead. She wrestled and heaved, keeping his hand away from her, while he squeezed her neck.

The suit offered protection but even it was being crushed beneath akuma strength. She gulped and gasped, kicking her legs at the Conservator's body. She smacked him with Chat Noir's baton, but under Papillon's thrall, he was as immovable as a statue himself. Planting her foot on his chest, Ladybug heaved, pulling away as much as she could.

Chat Noir struggled, wrenching and panting, Papillon's grip tight around his neck, but he was unable to break free. A trickle of blood dribbled down from his temple. Papillon used his size and longer reach against Chat Noir to hold him still. Miraculous to miraculous, they were evenly matched.

Ladybug shoved the baton between her and the Conservator and pressed the middle button and held it. With her other hand, she clawed at the Conservator's ring. The baton extended, throwing the Conservator and Ladybug in opposite directions and she yanked the ring with her. Mid-air, she snapped the ring, then collided with a pillar.

The butterfly fluttered free while Ladybug lay, dazzled, at the base of the pillar. Around her, statues turned back into people and sprawled to the ground, overcome. Gabriel lay on the floor a distance from her. Still slumped, she plucked her yo-yo from around her hips, pleased to see red and black spots. With a deft and Tikki driven twirl, she spun it to catch the akuma.

Instead of releasing the butterfly, she left it contained in her yo-yo. She was not going to give Papillon another chance to prey on anyone else.

She was so tired. Her head ached, her back hurt and all the air had emptied from lungs which refused to fill. In pain and exhausted, but she still had work to do. Hauling herself to her feet, she tried to portray confidence as she faced off against Papillon with her yo-yo spinning.

Papillon's expression hardened. He changed his grip, tightening his elbow and gripping the back of Chat Noir's neck. Eyes locked on, lips twisted up into a sinister smile, he sneered at her.

Her eyes flung wide as she realised his intent. Everything seemed to freeze up, her entire being focussed on Chat Noir and a scream of denial rose in her throat.

Chat Noir closed his eyes and lifted his right hand away from Papillon's arm. He opened his mouth to speak.

Angry buzzing filled the foyer, the sound louder and more dangerous than any natural swarm of bees could be. People who had recovered their wits fled, rushing for the doors to escape the terrible sound. The room emptied of all but a few people.

Deedee descended upon Papillon, a ball of yellow and black of rage. She slammed her small body into him, darting away and rushing back, sharp hits, in rapid succession. Deadly accurate and painful by the sound of her body hitting Papillon's and the resulting grunts he made. Papillon released one hand from his grip on Chat Noir's neck, swatting at Deedee as she attacked him.

Then she vanished.

Papillon howled and clapped his hand over the back of his neck.

Chat Noir was thrown away from Papillon as the man spasmed in pain. Chat Noir skidded on all fours, then into a bounding run as he circled to join Ladybug. Straightening, he positioned himself slightly ahead of her. "Wha—?"

She shook her head and shrugged, stretching out her hand to grip his shoulder, partly for comfort, partly because it was hard to stand.

Both hands clutched the back of his neck as Papillon bent double.

There were others watching. Gabriel sat, unable to rise as he started at Papillon. Nathalie crouched by Gabriel's side, her hand on his back to help him sit up, with the Gorilla looming over them protectively. Nino clutched Alya to his chest, his arms encircling her stomach, ready to pull her away to safety at a moment's notice while the reporter herself held her phone up to record.

Something yellow lifted away from Papillon. She swung drunkenly in the air, then lost the ability to fly, falling to the ground with a sad plop.

Chat Noir's breath caught in his throat. Ladybug's hands flew to her mouth.

Deedee didn't move.

Papillon dragged his hand away from his neck and looked at his palm. "You stung me!" He lifted his foot to stomp.

The yowl Chat Noir made wasn't human. He thundered across to Papillon and tackled him away from Deedee. They rolled and scuffled and Chat Noir planted both his feet into Papillon's stomach, kicking him across the room and into a pillar, where he threw himself at the older man again. Pinning Papillon by the neck against the pillar, Chat Noir raised his claw. "Cataclysm!"

Ladybug sucked in a breath.

Papillon stopped struggling, his face and body leaning away from Chat Noir's hand, lips pinched white in terror.

"You do not touch her!" Chat Noir snarled, his clawed hand flickering with power. His tail flicked with anger, his back stiff and every muscle tensed as he held Papillon at bay. Through gritted teeth, he asked, "Is she okay?"

Ladybug rushed to Deedee, scooping the fragile bee into her hand. "Deedee?" she whispered, her finger stroking the fuzz around Deedee's neck. "Deedee?"

Deedee seemed to have trouble breathing. When she flicked open her eyes, she didn't even appear to see Ladybug. "Everyone… underestimates the bee…"

"What's wrong? What can we do?" Ladybug asked, still stroking and trying to coax her to wake up more.

Deedee sighed and closed her eyes. "Need… sleep."

"Ladybug?" Chat Noir asked, his voice harsh and grating.

Tears in her eyes made it difficult to see Deedee. "I don't—" Ladybug gasped as Deedee's toes seemed to disintegrate into light and sparkles. "Chat!" She scampered to her feet and rushed to Chat Noir's side. She held out her hand so he could see, not caring that she gave Papillon a view of Deedee too.

More of Deedee turned to dust and glitter, fading away like ash blown on the wind.

Chat Noir's voice cracked. "Deedee!"

Ladybug stifled a sob. "I don't know— I don't know what to do."

Deedee opened her eyes and smiled. "It's okay," she whispered as her chest turned to light. "It's meant to happen."

A moment hung in the void between them, a kiss on the wind and a waggle of a stinger and then she was gone and Ladybug held nothing but air.

Author's Note: Bee-gone