As they walked out of the hospital, Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng frantically rushed in. Chat was the only one of the four to notice.

Chat turned back to the group. "Would you excuse me, I have to go back in and speak to someone a moment. Wait for me here?" he handed the orb off to Emerald Turtle.

"Uh yeah, sure..." Emerald raised an eyebrow in confusion, but shrugged it off.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng!" Chat called after them. They stopped in their tracks and spun around at the urgent tone of the person calling them. Sabine's eyes were red and puffy, clearly she had been crying, and Tom was doing his best to hold it together for the sake of his wife.

"Chat Noir?" Tom said in surprise. He hadn't been seen in Paris in almost two years, so naturally, this was the response he was going to be getting tonight.

Chat jogged up to them. "Marinette's on the 5th floor. She's still unconscious, and she's currently in for a CT scan and MRI, but she seems stable."

The worry wrinkles in Sabine's forehead smoothed slightly, her face relaxing from intense worry and fear to a more moderate level.

"Do you know what happened to our daughter?" the petite woman asked, her voice breaking.

Stick to the truth as much as possible.
"She...she was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, when that akumatized victim attacked. He bombed a building, and a piece from it hit her in the back."

Tom looked dissatisfied, and shook his head in confusion. "But last we knew, she was at home, in her room. I don't understand how she could've gotten into the midst of an akuma attack..."

"We probably just didn't notice her leave, Tom," Sabine rubbed his arm reassuringly. She turned back to Chat Noir. "We saw what happened to Ladybug... We're so sorry..."

"If there's anything we can do for you, Chat Noir, let us know," Tom added in.

Chat was surprised by their kindness. Their daughter was in the hospital, and yet, they were concerned about him. They were so very different from his father, so caring about others even when there was tragedy in their lives. So friendly and kind.,, They reminded him of his mother...

He cleared his throat, attempting to get rid of some of the emotions he was feeling. "Thank you, but I should be the one saying that to you."

Sabine looked up at him with her kind eyes. "You and Team Miraculous have done so much for us already. Keeping our city, and our daughter safe... Marinette's told us of the times you've kept her from harm. Thank you, Chat Noir," she gave the superhero a hug. It was a mother's hug. Warm, gentle, and full of love.
He started making choking noises, startling Sabine. She pulled away, looking up at the young man in the leather suit.

"I-I'm sorry," he sniffed, wiping his eyes. "You just... you reminded me of my mother, and well, she's... not around anymore..." he looked down at the ground, trying not to fall apart completely.
But Sabine and Tom understood. This boy, whoever he was, was truly a hero. He clearly had a lot of hardships in his life from the look he held in his green eyes, but here was, saving and helping the people of Paris once again.

Sabine wiped away a tear of his that had fallen onto his cheek. She gave him a warm smile, "Your mother would be very proud of you, young man."

Chat smiled, though he didn't feel like she would be. He couldn't protect Paris for nearly two years. And because of it, he abandoned Ladybug. Because of his safety, her safety was in jeopardy instead... "If Marinette wakes up before I'm back again, could you tell her that I came by?"

"Will do," Tom patted him on the shoulder.

Chat thanked them for their kindness, and made his way back to the rest of Team Miraculous.

"Excuse me, could you let us borrow one of the conference rooms, please?" Queen Bee asked the concierge, whose eyes had gone wide at the sight of her, and the three superheroes that stood behind her.

"Of course, Queen Bee! Right this way," he led them through a door in the back, and down a long hall before reaching several doors. He unlocked one of them, and held it open for the superheroes. Inside was a very luxurious room, with a long and dark wooden table and over a dozen padded chairs.
"Is there anything I could get you, Team Miraculous?"

"Just water for now, thank you," Queen Bee said, dismissing him.
They all took their seats at the table, and before any of them had a chance to speak, they were presented with glasses of ice cold water.
"If you need anything else, let me know," the concierge told them before shutting the door behind him as he exited.

The three superheroes turned to Chat Noir, giving him their undivided attention.

"First off, I'd like you to meet someone," he unzipped his zipper pocket, and Tikki jetted out of it.
The trio gaped at her.
"Hi, I'm Tikki, Ladybug's Kwami," she introduced herself. She wasn't in her usual cheery and happy mood. "Vixen and Emerald Turtle, what were you two thinking?" she asked in a hushed tone. "Ladybug was counting on you to help her, and you just stood there arguing. You can't let your personal issues interfere with your superhero duties. The consequences could end up being dire, as you saw today." Her little eyes glistened, she was worried sick about Marinette.

Vixen and Emerald Turtle looked away from each other, frustration and guilt on their faces.

Emerald turned to Chat Noir after a moment. "You know what I don't get? Why you haven't been here to help us the past two years, but when Ladybug gets hurt, you come running? She needed you!" he pointed at him angrily. "Do you know what it was like seeing her reaction every time a reporter said your name? You of course wouldn't know this, but I watched her eyes go blank whenever she thought of you. I saw the pain that was there, I watched her cry her eyes out on more than one occasion over you. She told me how much it hurt her that you left, wondering if she was ever going to see you again. But now you choose to come back?!" he slammed his fist on the table, causing the girls to jump.

Emerald Turtle's words were like a knife in Chat's heart, cutting deeper and deeper with every word he spoke.

"You think I don't know that? You think that it didn't kill me to be away from her?!" his voice wavered, rising. "Ladybug...this city...is everything to me. I had no choice but to leave. Not everyone's lucky enough to stay where they love, with the people they love. But by some miracle, I was finally able to find my way back to her. And it was under her orders that I stay low. She was worried people would find out my true identity if I Chat Noir was spotted. I wanted more than anything to be here, fighting by her side tonight. You don't think I regret listening to her?" he clenched his fists, and his jaw. His eyes burned, fighting back the tears.
"I saw you with her, footage on the Ladybug. I kept up with it while I was away. Your over protectiveness of her. The looks you gave her. What was that about anyway?" he asked, his tone accusing.

"She's a friend of mine, that I care about very much," remarked Emerald defensively.

"Ohh, is she now? How'd you find out who she is under the mask, huh?" Chat asked, his voice as cold as ice.

A cunning grin crossed his face, "she told me herself."
Emerald knew that would bother Chat, as he had been wanting to know who the girl was behind that mask for years.

Chat made a "tch" noise, clenching his jaw harder than before, his body shaking in anger. He glared at Emerald with pure hatred alight in his eyes. For years he wondered who his Lady was. He asked her on several occasions, and she was adamant about him being kept in the dark. Why would she tell this guy, this stranger, her most important secret? Unless she did love him... clearly she trusted him, more than she had trusted him.

"Admit it," Chat's voice barely audible, his body continuing to tremble. "You love her, don't you?"

Vixen's eyes darted over to Emerald Turtle, hurt very apparent on her face.

Emerald said nothing. If looks could kill, the look Chat gave him would've certainly done the job.

"You know what? This needs to stop," Queen Bee said adamantly. "Now."

"I agree," Tikki said. "I know who all of you are under those masks of yours."
The four looked at Tikki in surprise. Of course, Adrien and Nino had met Tikki, but they were unaware of her knowing the others.
"I know the solution to the problems you're having with each other. Now, it's up to you all if you want to take my advice."

The superhero team looked at one another, before Chat agreed to listen to what she had to say.
"Normally, I would never suggest such a thing, but in this case, it's the best, and possibly only solution... You need to reveal your identities to each other."

"What?!" they all exclaimed. Chat and Vixen had jumped up from their chairs.

"You'll have to trust me, and each other. But we can't let what happened, happen again. One of you could get hurt next time, or worse. I'm sure your Kwami's would agree with me."

The heroes could sense their Kwami's, they too, agreed with Tikki. The group nodded their heads.

"Alright then. Considering I left Paris, left Ladybug, I feel some of you may have trust issues with me," he glanced over at Emerald Turtle, "I'll reveal who I am first," he walked over to the windows, and shut all the curtains before standing in an open space in the room.

A flash of green light filled the room, and Chat Noir was gone. In his place stood a familiar blonde, thin, but muscular model.