Adrien thought he heard a small noise beside him. He looked to his left and noticed Marinette standing on the low stage beside him. She was looking out at the crowd in front of them. He saw her slowly raise her hand a little and kind of wave. He looked out to the crowd and saw her parents enthusiastically waving back.

Adrien scanned the audience and noticed Nathalie near the front with his father on a tablet. 'As usual,' he thought. 'Father can't come here in person. At least he did make time to attend, even over a screen.'

Adrien tried to tune his thoughts to what Principal Damocles was saying. Himself, Marinette, Ivan, Juleka and Kim were all standing on a small stage in front of most of the school. There were also various parents and important people in the seated crowd. A small group of firefighters stood in the back along with some paramedics. Sabrina's father, Officer Raincomprix and some other police officers were standing at the sides of the stage.

There was a podium on the stage that was loaded with various microphones from news sources. Cameras were off to the side of the seating of the audience.

Adrien shook his thoughts and tried to listen to the principal again.

"... and without further ado, please welcome Mayor Bourgeois to speak a few words." Mr. Damocles smiled and gestured to the mayor of Paris as he took the podium.

"Thank you Mr. Damocles," he stated as he placed a set of papers in front of himself. "Ladies and gentlemen, members of our Emergency Response teams and members of the press. It is my honour to be here today to give thanks to 5 students of Francois DuPont College. Without their selflessness and courage we would be facing a great tragedy today."

"As many of you know, a couple of weeks ago the class was on a field trip to a historical house that had just opened it doors to public walking tours. The class was one among many groups that were in the building. Juleka Couffaine was the first to smell the smoke and notice it coming from the first floor while they were all on the second. She alerted the others and proceeded to guide people out."

"Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng went through the building warning other groups and looking for anyone needing help. The fire unfortunately grew quickly and during the evacuation a section of wall eventually fell blocking people from leaving. Ivan Bruel and Lê Chiến Kim in a feat of strength lifted a portion of the wall to allow others to escape. They then held the wall as Mlle Couffaine, Mlle Dupain-Cheng and Mr Agreste scoured the building for anyone left behind."

"After many long minutes Mlle Couffaine came out saying that she though she had heard cries from the third floor but hadn't been able to find anyone. She herself was suffering from the effects of the smoke and could no longer search. Mlle Dupain-Cheng and Mr Agreste both proceeded to the third floor and listened for the cries. Mlle Dupain-Cheng heard a cry and found 2 tourists trapped behind a fallen bookcase. Mr Agreste joined her in pushing the bookcase aside and retrieving the tourists. They then guided them to the back of the second floor as the stairs to the first were now impassable. During this time Mr Bruel and Mr Kim had let the wall go and were searching from the outside to see if they could see anyone trapped within."

"Mlle Couffaine noticed the 4 people on the second floor and also noticed a large tarp near a neighbouring house. Mr Bruel and Mr Kim grabbed the tarp and held it below a window that Mr Agreste had smashed open. People from the other tours joined them in stretching the tarp to catch the tourists and final students from the building."

"Fire crews arrived on the scene minutes later and extinguished the fire. Preventing the fire from spreading to other buildings nearby. We would like to thank these five students for their selfless deeds during that time."

Marinette was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the audience applaud. Her mind had gone back to the fire. She relived those minutes as they waited for the tarp to be stretched below so they could jump down. One of the tourists had had the bookcase bang against their leg as it fell and had trouble walking. Marinette remembers looking from the tourists leg, to Adrien to the doorway billowing smoke and back and forth between them. Once the tarp was stretched they helped the tourists out and Marinette looked back to see flames cross the wall across from the doorway. She vaguely remembered Adrien grabbing her saying it was her turn to jump. He'd be right behind her.

Marinette then felt air underneath her and looked up at Adrien's face as she fell. As she had bounced she noticed Adrien look back into the room. Hands quickly pulled her from the tarp and it was barely pulled taunt again as Adrien tumbled out the window. Marinette started to shiver at the memory.

Adrien had been listening to the chief of the fire department thanking them for their help. He heard a small gasp and a sniffle from Marinette. He glanced down at her before looking back at the crowd. 'Is she remembering the fire?' he wondered.

Out of all the moments, the only one that scared him then was when he heard something bang down the hall. Marinette had just gone out the window when he heard it. He turned to look and saw a blast of flames go past the door. He instinctively backed away and his foot caught on something and he started to fall backwards out the window.

As he fell he worried that Marinette might still be below him. That she hadn't gotten out of the way and he would fall on her, hurting her, possibly crushing her. Then in a rush he felt himself being caught in the tarp and being suspended for a moment as everyone held on. He was quickly lowered to the ground as he had come down hard and they couldn't hold him. His back hit the ground hard, but he would survive. As he lay there in shock Marinette rushed to his side. She had leaned over him looking into his eyes.

"You're alright," she whispered to him before lowering herself and holding him as she could as he lay there. He placed his arms around her and squeezed. He heard her sob and held tighter for a moment. Hands helped him and Marinette up.

He pulled himself from his memories and noticed that the chief had finished his speech and was placing a medal around Juleka's neck. He glanced at Marinette again and noticed she was facing the crowd but had a glimmer of tears in her eyes.

Adrien slowly moved his hand towards hers and gently intertwined their pinkies. He felt her partially pull away then tighten her pinky around his. The fire chief moved in front of him and Adrien leaned forward to allow the chief to place the medal around his neck.

"Thank you." The chief intoned. Adrien nodded his head and held out the hand not holding Marinette's for a handshake.

The fire chief reached to a tray and picked up the last medal. He moved in front of Marinette to place the medal around her neck. She leaned forward when he noticed her and Adrien's hands holding each other by the pinkies. He smiled to himself.

"Thank you." He intoned. He then held out his off hand to Marinette so she wouldn't have to let go of Adrien. She smiled and shook his hand.

The chief turned to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen. Let's give a big round of applause to the 5 civilian heros." He stepped back and started clapping, the whole group soon joined him.

The 5 students blushed and bowed.