I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir, they belong to Zagtoon.

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Mmm… Your mom makes such a good bento." Tarek muttered as he finished his food. JJ smiled slightly and poked her food.

"You okay? You're usually scarfing it down." Marinette said. She'd kept her short hairstyle, which she liked a lot. Adrien did as well. He would cuddle her so much she would almost get tired of it. But then he would give her sweet little eyes and she would melt into it.

"I'm fine, I'm fine…" She wiped her mouth. "I'm… Fine…" Tarek narrowed his eyes.

"Are you really?" He asked. "You woke up before me, and that was weird. You usually sleep later than me." Alya raised her eyebrow, putting down her sandwich.

"And what does that mean?" Alya asked. Tarek blinked innocently and opened his mouth to reply. JJ slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Don't answer that." JJ said, and he nodded slowly. Alya smirked smugly and poked her leg under the table, flicking her eyes at Adrien and Marinette before giving her the 'Pay up' look.

"Anyway, are you sure you're okay?" Nino asked. "You really haven't been yourself today." JJ looked down.

"I have to go somewhere for a while… Not sure how long, but…"

"You can't leave. You're our leader!" Chloe replied. Marinette narrowed her eyes. "I mean, second in command anyway."

"It's mandatory…" She fidgeted. "I'll be back in a year or so…"

"A year or so? We can't wait that long. Hawkmoth can't wait that long." Marinette frowned. "Is there something you're not telling us straight up?"

JJ swallowed heavily.

~Last night, JJ's subconscious~

JJ blinked and narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"Walk with me." Marianne said, beginning to walk down a tunnel. Not float, walk. JJ frowned and followed.

It was quiet before Marianne spoke.

"Adaline Agreste is a beautiful woman, in and out." Marianne said. "It's no wonder why she was chosen as Miss Peacock. Agile, smart, unusually fast reflexes. Not to mention an outside beauty. No wonder why she was a model."

"Adaline went missing a few years ago…" JJ quietly said. "Why?"

"That I do not know. Once a new holder is chosen we see over their actions."

"Even Hawkmoth's?" JJ asked.

"Yes, even Hawkmoth's." Marianne sighed. "Typically the moth brooch is used for good, not for evil. But when it is used for evil, they usually have a good reason."

"He wants the earrings and ring. I read in the book that when a person wields both they have unimaginable power. What kind?" Marianne stared straight ahead.

"The power to bring someone back from the dead."

JJ stopped short.

"Hawkmoth… Who would he get back?" Marianne turned and stared while the gears turned. "Hawkmoth came into power about a month after Adaline went missing…"

"Uh huh." Marianne agreed. "And?"

JJ's eyes widened.

"Hawkmoth is Gabriel Agreste."

~Present~

"You can't leave." Tarek said, gripping her arm slightly. "What about your life here?" His eyes were pleading.

"It's something I have to finish up."

"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked. JJ stared at her hands.

"Somewhere where I can't specify. I leave tomorrow morning."

"But-"

"It's final." She lifted her head.

"I'm going to leave for a year and come back in one piece, I promise."

~One Year and Eight Months Later~

Click!

Tarek smiled and sighed, standing and sitting down on the bench, chuckling as the kwamis swarmed him.

"Oh no, I blinked in this one!" Plagg complained.

"Oh brother. At least you look good." Duusu said. "My tail is out of order." Tikki laughed.

"You two look fine." She said.

"I'm still surprised our masters let us have the day with you."

"Ah, it's only for the book." He said. "Besides, I still have a long ways to go before I'm a professional." Wayzz sat on top.

"You'll get there. All you have to do is believe in yourself." Tarek gave a small smile and looked down at the picture, pressing the next, seeing the group shot of the holders in uniform… But there was something missing.

"She's not here…" He whispered. The kwamis softened and looked down sadly.

"I miss Yunan…" Pollen said.

"Me too." Trixx agreed. "She is amazing…"

"She is…" Tarek said. "Both of them…" He shut off the camera. "You guys hungry?"

"Yeah!"

Tarek smiled as he watched the kwamis chatter happily, eating their snacks with gusto. He got up, quietly walking out and heading into her room.

She'd taken nearly everything. The only things that remained were her computer monitors and tower, her nicely made bed, her desk chair, her couches and her TV. Everything was kept in shape, but the room felt dead. There was no movement, no laughter or sarcastic comments…

He wiped his eyes, running his hand through his hair.

"She'd be proud of you." He jumped and turned, seeing Michele in the doorway. She smiled softly.

"I guess stealth also runs in the family." He said.

"Learned it from the best."

"From you?"

"Her father, actually." Michele chuckled and shook her head. "She learned it to eavesdrop on our conversations. Work, photoshoots, everything you could name."

"She's a smart girl." She nodded.

"She would outsmart everyone who tested her, even before her performances went up at school in Japan. Before, she used to have F's in every class, yet she was athletic. But she never wanted to get engaged in any sort of sport."

"How come?"

"She has a beautiful body. I figured she'd like to play volleyball or hockey. Beautiful body." He blushed, making her smile.

"Like I said, she'd be proud of you."

"Thank you." He replied. "Whatever and wherever she is doing I'd be proud of her too." Tarek rubbed his neck. "I'm gonna go process some of my photos I took today."

"Okay. Dinner will be ready in two hours."

"It's such a nice day today." Pollen said, sighing happily. Tarek rubbed her head. "I smell the beautiful scent of flowers."

He took a picture of her, making her giggle. The other girls pouted.

"Why are you giving her all the attention?" Duusu whined.

"I'm not, I'm not." He laughed, patting her head gently. He skimmed through the photos, showing the kwamis the photos he took of the Eiffel Tower, or other beautiful places and monuments.

"Beautiful pictures. You're turning out to be quite the photographer." He jumped up, the kwamis flying up and getting defensive, reaching for his knife in his pocket before he froze.

"Long time no see." JJ said. "Been a while."

To Be Continued...