"Curse their magic!"

Domino made sure not to flinch as HawkMoth slammed his palm against the window of the observing room. The blimp had been carried away by the force of Ladybug's power, right into the highest clouds and out of view. Their weapons were offline, and they had no way of contacting the others.

Dianne…

"This is what Nooroo tried to warn us about," he seemed to cling to the window, "their true powers are awakening. My energy has been depleted for now. We'll retreat until I've truly grown accustomed to using her dark energy."

"Where will we retreat, HawkMoth?"

He turned back to her and, stepping closer, placed her hands on her arms. "I have not been home in a long time. I think it's time we," he leaned into her ear,

"took the next step."


"Unbelievable," Alya couldn't keep her jaw from dropping as she and others watched the police take Monsieur Mime and Monsieur Pigeon into custody, "for the first time since they've arrived, they're actually being arrested!"

The Chief of police stepped up to Ladybug and Chat Noir in those early morning hours and saluted. "You've done this city a great favour. But…wasn't there another figure with you?"

"Oh, him?" Chat glanced around to find Mercury had already left. "Yeah, he's out…secret operative. For now."

Gosh that sounded lame.

Parisians crowded around them as journalists fired question after question their way.

"Where did you come from?"

"Where has HawkMoth gone to?"

"Will he return?"

"What's become of Kid Mime?"

"Uh," Ladybug turned to Alya, who was holding up her phone, "…well…"

Chat Noir nudged her. "You've got this."

"…Yeah. I do." She approached Alya, who began filming. "We are Ladybug and Chat Noir, the protectors of Paris. We've sent Kid Mime out to gather Intel on HawkMoth, but in his place we promise to keep you safe."

Alya smiled. "How did you ever stop those beams?"

She winked back. "A magician never reveals their secrets."

She took her yo-yo and whipped it out towards the Eiffel Tower. Grabbing Chat Noir she nodded to Alya before flying out of the crowd, who cheered behind them. They landed on one of the highest beams and stood in each other's arms.

"…We should check in on Kid Mime and Master Fu at some point."

"We have plenty of time for that, m'lady."

"…"

"…"

Ladybug moved away and brushed loose hairs from her face. "Well…I guess we're finished for now."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

Chat waved his arms around, grinning. "For saving Paris, of course! Without that final move I would've been toast, and those beams could've destroyed everything!"

"But without your tactics I could've never used it."

"But you were so...u-uh, y-your mask!"

Ladybug felt the edges of the eye mask to find it beginning to disintegrate into light pink sparkles. "Oh, man! We've been transformed too long! Your claws are going, too!"

She covered the one eye as Chat watched the tips of his claws disappear. "We should go now, before our identities are revealed."

"Yeah, don't want that happening."

She began to run across the beam, but took one last glance back. "Chat Noir?"

His ears twitched. "Yes, Ladybug?"

She gave a big smile. "You're an alright partner."

"…You, too. Times a billion."


"Edmund, Edmund, Edm-ow!"

Ed's eyes were torn from the window as he saw Marinette stumble in, kneeing the edge of the other bed. "Marinette? What are you doing here so early? It's not even three yet."

"I heard about the fighting and wanted to make sure you were okay," she rubbed her knee and waddled over to sit down next to him, "are you okay? Is everything still in one place? Uh, except for whatever's broken. Nothing broke during the fight, right?"

"Relax, Mari. I've been up waiting to hear the news. I'm guessing everything ended soon after those mysterious beams vanished?"

"Paris is saved," Alya popped her head in, "thanks to Ladybug, Chat Noir and their "Secret operative" defeating HawkMoth's goons. I've got video of her from just a few minutes ago. Wanna see?"

"I sure would!" Marinette hopped up beside Edmund, accidentally whacking his broken leg. "Oops, sorry, Ed!"

He winced but gave her a smile. "It's fine."

Alya stepped over and showed them her short interview of Ladybug.

This is so cool, Marinette thought to herself as Alya explained camera work, I wonder if Chat Noir's secret identity is watching the interview right now.


"Denzel?"

He sat on his bed, reading a comic book in his pajamas. "Sorry, mom, I couldn't sleep with all the noise outside."

"Noise? Honey, Paris was nearly destroyed while you were reading your superhero junk. Come outside and see the clear night sky!"

"Coming."

She shut the door, and he tossed the comic away. Breathing a sigh of relief he laid back, glancing out his bedroom window.

Now THAT was a marathon.


Felix slipped through his bedroom window and onto his bed as Plagg hobbled to his desk. "Man, was that a long night. Promise me you won't force me out there without so little camembert next time, okay?"

"Understood." He grabbed the remote to his small television screen on the opposite wall of his bed. Turning it on he saw the news focused on one thing only that morning: the heroics of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"You'd better get used to that," Plagg reminded him, "since you never got true love's kiss to break the spell on the ring. You're still stuck playing the cat hero until Ladybug falls deeply in love with you."

He examined his ring. "…I want to break the spell, so I can choose when and where to wear it…but I can't leave all the work to Ladybug, either."

"What will you do?"

He watched as Ladybug walked up to Alya, her blue eyes beaming with pride and wonder.

"…I'll find a way to make her happy."

Time to get settled back into their normal-er, mostly regular lives. I love when things come together in the end. There's only two more chapters after this, so thank you for reading, and I can't wait to post the next one! If any of you are wondering where Dianne is, too...well...let's just say her family's got a pressing engagement come the next chapter. So...

Until the next chapter!