AN: And the conversation continued… Don't worry, it will end this chapter. I promise, no "New Discoveries - part IV"!

AN: I am so late with this chapter. I just can't justify myself. So I will just apologize. Busy real-life, no time to write, etc. However, I promise – I will finish this story. Please just have a bit of patience with me.

As a compensation you are getting a longer and much loaded chapter. I worked hard on this one and I really hope you will like it.

AN: This chapter contains a small spoiler to Oni-Chan


"The fact he didn't help you expose her doesn't mean he did nothing to support you!" Could she really be that blind to his actions? "Maybe he didn't think that exposing her was the right course of actions?" He looked at her pleading her to understand. "I am sure he did the best he could to support you while following his own beliefs about the right way to deal with the situation."

She paused for a second. He anxiously waited for her response. After what, to Adrien, felt like forever, she gave him an unreadable look. "You are right," Ladybug finally, answered.

He was confused. He was right? What does that mean? Did she agree with him now? Did he make her understand?

"That was exactly what I thought at that time," Ladybug continued, relaxing her stand. "As I told you, he is somewhat famous. In addition, his father kept him isolated from other people most of his life. So obviously, his life experience and tools to deal with social problems are quite different than most people."

Well, he couldn't argue with that. "So…" He stated hesitatingly.

"I wasn't finished," ladybug cut him. A bit of stress returning to her stance showing she was annoyed by his interruption. "As I was saying – obviously, as a famous person, he is used to newspapers spreading lies about him. Unfortunately, he failed to understand the difference between the situations and tried to use his experience in dealing with tabloids, in order to deal with Li—X". She took a breath to recover from her almost slip. "However, that was the wrong way to deal with the situation." She finished.

Adrien relaxed a bit once he could see she wasn't really angry at him, at least not with Chat him. "Why?" he asked. He honestly thought it was a good plan at that time. Yet, he has known she was a much better planner than him, and he was curious to understand her reasoning.

"The situations are completely different!" She looked a bit shocked, as if not understanding how he didn't understand it himself. "Do you really need me to list the differences?" She asked in a mucking tone.

Chat nodded his head. As she said, he was isolated, maybe he chose the wrong path, but he wanted to understand why. This way, maybe, he could learn for the future. Also, he still needed to understand how he had done her wrong. He had to make Marinette forgive him.

"OK." She breathed out, and looked concentrated toward the floor, obviously organizing her thoughts. "I'll start with the obvious – most people don't believe what they read in the tabloids, they knew most of it is false information." She lifted her head and gave him a smirk "Just like how they claim to know things about the two of us." He smiled back at her remembering some of the more scandalized stuff that was written about him, as both Chat and Adrien.

"And even if some people choose to believe these lies – they are usually strangers that don't know the subject of the article personally. This isn't the case with X. She is a girl that lies to people about their friends, and they believe her. Making her lies much more devastating" She watched him from the side, trying to judge his reaction. However, Chat kept his model smile on. So she moved on. "So unlike tabloid lies, her lies actually hurt people." He winced on that one, remembering his own words to Marinette in the past.

"My second point is about the effectiveness of fighting the lies. It is pointless to fight the tabloid lies." He perk-up hearing this point, he knew she would understand it is pointless to fight it. "Since they don't care about their reputation, they work on quantity, not quality. If one person will stop believing them and buying them – they have 10 new people instead, so they don't care. At most they can republish themselves under a new name, fooling people to believe it is a new journal. Also, if you will fight one lie today – tomorrow they will make another – it is an endless pointless fight."

"So, what you are saying…" He started, only to be cut in the middle of his sentence.

"Again, I didn't finish!" She glared at him. He sat down, she obviously wasn't going to stop till she will finish, so he might as well just sit and listen, after all, he was the one asking for her answer.

When she was satisfied with his quiet listening, she stood there, just in front of him and continued while swagging her hands as if to strengthen her points. "And just as in my first point – this isn't the case with X." He wanted to argue with her, but bitten his lips and waited instead, he knew she will explain herself shortly.

"X is only one person, with a very limited audience, any person that stop trusting her is one less person to manipulate. She can't republish herself or get new people to manipulate that easily. In addition, the only reason others believe her lies is because she has a clear record – a good reputation. If people will start questioning her – they will question all of her stories, demanding proofs and making it impossible for her to continue." She took a break to breathe. And Chat was speechless. That point never occurred to him!

He never thought about how very easy it was to actually stop Lila. She said so many things they could easily prove to be false, and then people would stop believing her.

"What I am saying," Ladybug continued, tearing Adrien from his inner thoughts. "X could have been easily stopped, and her lies cause actual pain and hurt. It was obvious from the start, and this is why I wanted to stop her when it just started."

She knew. Ladybug, Marinette, knew it would end badly, so why didn't she…? "So why didn't you?" He asked, a bit breathless from understanding how badly he misjudged the situation.

"He asked me not to." She answered immediately. "I knew it was a terrible idea. One I would probably come to regret. However, he was so concerned about her feeling, and despite knowing he failed to understand how much it will hurt other people… " she sighed. "Let's just say – he asked, and I couldn't refuse his request."

Adrien wanted to hit himself. It was all his fault. All this pain and suffering Marinette had to go through, almost getting Akumatized! All the pain his other friends are going through right now, and it was all because of his terrible advice. What was he even thinking giving her advice about social stuff when he was so inexperienced?! He really should learn to shut up.

Something was probably showing on his face, since Ladybug sat next to him and hold his hand tightly. "No. I am not angry at him for that." She announced, making him wonder if she can read him that easily. "He made a bad call. It can happen to all of us. His heart was in the right place. And this is the important thing."

He swallowed slowly and waited. He wanted to be certain she said all she wanted before he would ask the question its answer he was dreading. "So…" He trailed for a few seconds, gaining his facade back. "If his heart is in the right place, and it is all that matter, "he took one last breath, shielding himself. "Why are you giving up on him?"

She sat there for a few seconds, face down, lost in thought, almost as if she was reliving a memory. A very disturbing memory if her body language was any indication. She let go of his hand and snuggle into herself. She folded her legs underneath her body, wrapped her hands around herself and took a deep breath before she turned her face back to him. He felt bad for making her suffer again and was terrified to hear her answer. However, he had to know.

"As I said, that was exactly what I thought at that time," her eyes started wandering around, as if she was searching for an Akuma. "I thought it was very noble of him to 'take the high road'." Adrien flinched hearing these words, he regretted them so much right now. Thankfully, it seems Ladybug didn't notice. Marinette was in her own world of memories at that moment.

"I knew it would end badly, but I admired his innocent belief in people. Even someone like X…" She hesitated for a second before adding in an unsecured voice "Or his father..." That burned even more. Mostly, because he knew she was right. His father was terrible, but a small piece of him couldn't let go of the hope that deep down his father does care about him, and will one-day change for the better. He tilted his head to his right, trying to stay focused on her words.

She sighed again. "When he told me that as long as the two of us know the truth it is enough…" She trailed. "… I was flattered. I really was. To know he thought so highly of me … I thought I was special to him. That he put the two of us into a group against all the others. Like we are some kind of a team." We are, he wanted to tell her. Just you and me vs. the universe, he said in his head. She shook her head with regret. Almost as if contradicting his inner thoughts.

"But then something else happened." She regained her composure, as if putting all the bad memories behind her and moving forward. He wanted so badly to be able to do the same. He wanted so badly to hug her. Yet, he has remained seated next to her. Staying quiet in fear of what will leave his mouth if he will just attempt to speak.

"X pulled a new trick, and that got two of the people he cares about in his household in troubles and one of his friends Akumatized. I won't disclose which one for obvious reasons." Kagami he realized immediately. Ladybug was talking about Kagami been Akumatized into Oni-Chan.

"You should have seen his reaction to that." She glared at one of the near commercial billboards that were showing a picture of his civilian alter-ego in the distance. "Mister 'higher road' my ass." There was hurt and anger in her eyes. "When the people he really cared about got hurt, he told the girl off and warned her that she will pay if she hurt the people he cares about."

She nodded her head and looked into the distance. Her hands clanked so hard he was sure her fingers were probably white under her gloves. "So when she hurts me, I should take the high road, but when she hurts his friends she gets a harsh warning and the 'don't mess with me' treatment."

She turned her head toward him, challenging him with her look "Now please explain to me how he did the best he could to support me, and how important I am to him."

Adrien felt all the air knocked out if his lungs. This was terrible. Her reasoning was logical. As an outsider, he would have agreed with her conclusions. However, in the inside, he knew he never meant it like that. He really messed-up this time, and he had no idea how to fix it.

Marinette misinterpreted his silence and continued, "As I said, I wasn't that important to him, so he didn't put up the effort. It was painful and hurt a lot, but eventually I had to accept it. I couldn't force him to see me as something he doesn't want me to be. And I deserve better than holding the torch just to get a few crumbs here and there, so it was time to move on." She stopped and sadly chuckle for a few seconds as a new thought ran into her head. "Who am I kidding? It was time to move on a long time ago."

Adrien turned his face toward her. "Maybe you misinterpreted his reaction?" He had to at least try to fix it.

"How?" She was genuinely curious to hear his answer. There was hope in her eyes. As if she was hoping he will give her a new insight. A new, less painful meaning to all that she experienced. "What else could he meant"

"Maybe he knew how strong you are, and knew you won't let yourself get Akumatized over someone that insignificant such as X. He knew how smart, generous, and patience you are and knew your good-heart…"

"Just stop right here Chat!" She cut him off again, swagging her hands to sign him to stop. There was pain in her eyes now. He wanted to slam his head on a brick wall. How did he hurt her again? Why can't he say the right things just one time?!

"What you are saying is that he knew I won't get Akumatized, and that I will forgive people, so It was OK for me to get hurt?!" The look on her face spoke volumes. Her body was shaking. She stood up, putting distance between them and wrapping her hands around her body. Almost as if she was trying to put a physical distance between herself and his words.

"So basically, he knows me so well, but doesn't care about how I am feeling, and how painful situations are to me, as long as I don't get Akumatized and the status-quo is kept…" she shuddered as she spoke, and Adrien felt as if ice was starting to cover his heart. When she put it like that… OMG, how did he never realized any of the things she told him today? Maybe she was right, maybe he was that oblivious.

"Chat, did you even listen to what you just said?" She shuddered again. "Thanks for the idea, but I prefer to think he just doesn't notice me at all, then thinking of him as a total jerk. I have enough of that with X." He couldn't argue with that. He also preferred her to think of him as an oblivious fool than a jerk.

He sat there miserably, not knowing what to say. He was losing her, but he had no idea how to prevent that from happening or how to fix the situation. Every new idea that popped into his head just seemed as a way to make things worse.

"You knew, " Ladybug frightened him from his depressed state of mind. "You didn't give me the most obvious reason as to why this boy should have told me to leave X alone." She had a small, sad smile on her face, and he knew what she wanted him to ask. He also knew he wouldn't like the answer. However, he had to maintain his façade. Chat Noir was always a curious kitty. And besides, it wasn't as if this night can get anyway worse right? So he asked.

"Um, really? So M'lady... " He turned his head up toward her and looked right into her blue deep eyes. He gave her his most brighten false model smile and asked. "What claw-full reason did I miss?"

She gave him her pierce look and answered with a sad tone, "He should have said that I don't need to bother worrying about the lies she was spreading about me, since my real friends will never believe them. That my real friends will always listen to my version too."

He was grateful he was already sitting. It would have hurt less if she would actually punch him. What was he supposed to say now? As Chat, talking with Ladybug, he knew his answer was that maybe her so-called friends weren't really real friends. However, he was also Adrien talking to Marinette, and he just couldn't tell her that Alya, Nino, Alix, Max, Kim, Rose and everyone else weren't her friends. He couldn't tell her he wasn't her friend. True, they made a terrible mistake, but he wanted desperately that she will give them one more chance. Yet, she has still been waiting for a response.

He got back on his feet. He felt he must stand up. "Um..." He started, not really knowing what to say. "M-maybe t-they…" He trailed away again stuttering.

"The mighty Cat Noir finally out of words?!" She teased him. "Don't worry, Chat, I am not asking you to find an excuse for their non-friendly attitude. I already know that this is my fault." She concluded with a gloomy face.

His eye widened in shock. Her fault?! "Why is it your fault?" He tried, but could still hear the anger in his own voice. His hands clanked. He hated that she blamed herself for it. He already felt bad enough as it was.

"Ho, I have always known it was my fault, but only today I realized why." She made a 'wait' symbol with her hands, gesturing him to wait till she will finish talking. "If one of your friends wrong you – you can think he is a jerk. If two chosen to cross you – You think they aligned against you. However, when all of your friends" She was using her fingers to make a quotation mark on the word friends. "turn against you – you must take personal responsibility." She turned and walked to the railing and lean on it, watching Paris night lights with wonder in her eyes.

He couldn't argue with her logic, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand what she did that could have caused it. Then her words clicked something in his mind. He cleared his throat. "You said you realized the reason today, was that the realization you had on that school's roof?"

"Yes." She turned a small smile toward him, and then turned back to look at the night lights. "Well, actually more in the classroom, when the teacher thanked me and said they will try to fix things with Marinette."

He didn't like where that conversation was going. He could clearly remember Ladybug's response to Miss Bustier about Marinette not wanting to fix things. And now, knowing who was behind Ladybug's mask he was terrified that she still meant that.

"The reason why I have no real friends," she continued, "is because I forgot what real friendship is all about." She turned back to look at him at that. Noticing his confused stare, she sighed and moved closer to him.

She sat down and pet the floor next to her for him to sit too. He sat next to her and let her lay her head on his shoulder. It felt so good to have her sitting there with him. And yet, so surreal considering the topic of their conversation.

"I was never a popular student," she continued bravely. "Till last year, I never even tried to have real friends." She sighed again. "I know it might be hard to believe it, but I was highly insecure and consistently bullied by another student in my class." Chloe, he thought. No wonder she was so suspicion of him in their first meeting as Adrien and Marinette. After all, he was classified as Chloe's close friend.

She carried on unaware of Adrien's inner trembles. "At the beginning of this year, a new girl joined my class. An amazing girl that wouldn't let my insecurity to push her away. We clicked immediately." Alya, he realized. Marinette took a deep breath and composed herself. "And I guess for a while we were real friends, best friends even. However, at the same time we were chosen to be the city's heroes and that was both a huge blessing and huge curse for my friendships."

"Of course," He cut her out here. He completely understood her. "It is hard to maintain a friendship when you need to sometimes disappear and you can't even explain why. However, why was it a blessing?"

"Well, that was part of it," Ladybug answered, "but not what I meant. Please let me explain it in my way. OK?"

He nodded and sat quietly smelling her shampoo and trying to understand how come he never realized before that Ladybug and Marinette smell exactly the same.

"The blessing was that it was a huge boost to my self-esteem. I started to believe in myself, and suddenly discovered it was easy to make new friends and hangout with people. The curse was that it made me forget the real meaning of friendship. I forgot that friendship is a two ways street."

She stopped for air. Adrien stilled. She finally was telling him everything. He was eager to understand.

"Becoming Ladybug made me feel that I always have to do better, be better, consistently strive for better. As Ladybug I had to be perfect. I couldn't be petty, jealous, angry or mean. I always had to smile, be happy and generous." She shook her head trying to organized her thought. "And unfortunately, I started to behave like that without the mask as well."

She lifted her head from his shoulder and wiped her eyes. Only then it hit him that she was crying. Adrien put his arms around her petite frame and hug her strongly. Trying to make her understand he was there for her. She relaxed into his embrace and continued talking.

"As a superhero, your relationships with non-heroes aren't equal. They can't be equal. You don't expect them to pay you back for your help, by helping you. You are the one with the power, and they are powerless. However, real friendship it always about giving and getting back equally. Of course you don't give and receive the same things, but you give and receive love equality. You help your friend in one thing, and he is helping you in another. This is the basis of it all."

She sighed again, still tearing. He wiped her tears this time and put his hand on her head, guiding it to lay back on his shoulder while using his other hand to tighten her body to his own in a fierce hug.

She had leaned in for a few seconds before she regained talking.

"But that was my mistake. Trying to be better all the time, I tried to give whatever I could to my friends. Yet, at the same time, I wasn't expecting them to give me back anything, just like I never expected to get anything in return for saving Paris. Even when they actually did something back, I had been always so overwhelmed and thankful. I practically taught them that they are entitled to get whatever they want from me and give nothing in return. I have hidden all the anger, fear and hurt away. All the imperfect feeling I wasn't supposed to have as Ladybug..."

She moved away from him and lifted her head. Her eyes were bright with sadness, but determined as well.

"I started to behave like Ladybug toward my friends too... toward anyone in my life actually." a sad laughter escaped her lips surprising both of them. "He... that boy…"

"The one you liked?" He hated to use past tense, but he couldn't escape the truth. Not while she so bravely confessed all her pain to him.

"Yes," Marinette answered. "He even called me their everyday L-Superhero" she changed the phrasing in the last minute, probably still afraid of exposing her identity. He remembered calling her that. It was such a beautiful afternoon; he yearned to be able to go back to these naïve times.

Chat smirked and raised his left eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes," she smirked back. "I thought it was funny at that time." She confessed to his mortification. "Still, looking at it now, I understand he was right. I was their everyday superhero. I gave, and saved, and expected nothing in return. I wasn't their friend at that time. I am not their friend anymore..." She trailed.

"But I am sure they don't think so," He answered, he really didn't want this idea to be her final conclusion.

"You are right; they don't think so." She answered back. "However, that doesn't change the fact that this is how they are behaving. And it doesn't change the fact that neither of them know me anymore. Heck, I am not sure I know myself anymore." She took a big breath and stood up.

"I guess I needed to let everything out as Ladybug in order to understand." She paused for a second and continued. "I am not Ladybug! Yes, Ladybug is a part of me, but a very small part of me. A part that must be perfect at all time. However, I am not Ladybug. I don't wear the mask all the time, and no one knows who I am" He held himself from correcting her. Now wasn't the time.

"Which means," she continued, unaware of Adrien hesitation, "that I don't have to be perfect all the time! I thought I had to. I tried to be. And it was exhausting." He knew exactly how she felt. He could totally relate.

"I was so busy being perfect all the time that I lost myself. I am so used to do what other people want, that I am not sure what I want anymore. Worse, it took so much out of me that I left myself exposed to Akumas! And eventually, when I broke down, I did it as Ladybug – the one time I really do have to be perfect – I blow it all." She lowered her head in shame.

"No, you had every right," He stated. He won't let her feel Ashamed for it.

"That is right. I had every right, but Ladybug didn't." She sighed and shook her head. "This is why I wanted us to have this talk," She looked back to him, so serious, and still he could see her affection and care toward him in her eyes. Almost as if she knew how painful this conversation was to him as well.

He stood up and went to stand next to her keeping only a small distance between them. He didn't know if he did it since she needed the closeness, or since he needed it, but at that moment it wasn't really important. He stood there and waited, letting her decide when was she willing to move on with the conversation.

"That evening we met, and you offer me to use the mask as a gateway," She said looking directly into his eyes, " You said you are facing a similar situation. That you are hiding your true self unless you are Chat."

He nodded quietly, not trusting his voice.

"Don't you think it is ironic that we are only our true selves, while we are wearing our masks? How terrible it is to discover that both of us wear metaphorical masks all the times? That only when we wear a real mask we allowed ourselves to reveal our true nature?"

"Well, at least we have that." Chat answered gloomily. "We can be truthful with one another." He offered her a fragile smile.

"No." Her voice was strong now, determined. "I am sorry, Chat. But this isn't good enough for me anymore. I don't know what is going on in your life, or what price you will have to pay to be your true self, so I am not judging you for your choices. However, I know the price I am paying right now for living behind a mask, and I can't keep on paying it. I won't."

He breathed out sharply. What did she mean by that? Was she going to give up being Ladybug? "What are you saying M'lady?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I am saying that Ladybug will remain the perfect superhero she must be. When the mask will be on – it will be on. However, when the mask will go off – I will be me. The real me. The not perfect, sometimes angry, sad, hurt, petty me. I will be the me that demand a friendship to be a two-way road, like it is supposed to be, and people that won't respect that – have no place in my life anymore." She smiled now, regaining her normal, few months ago, smile.

"Heck," she continued. "I think it is even my duty to do that. As Ladybug, I must maintain myself and protect myself too. So from now on I am going to demand what I deserve. And my past so called friends are more than welcome to stick with X, I don't really need them. I will probably be better off not wasting my energy on them." Adrien winced at that one, but couldn't argue.

"Fuck the high road. Now I am taking the me-comes-first road", that burned. Yet, Chat stood still. He just has to hold on for just a little bit more before he will allow himself to break down. Just not in front of her. He won't be able to explain it to her without revealing himself, and that wasn't an option ATM.

"So..." His voice was a bit harsh, so he cleared his throat and tried again. "So what are you going to do?"

"Tomorrow," She answered eagerly, as if just waiting for him to question her, "I will go to school as me. They will probably all be shocked, but I don't care. I will do what will feel good to me, without worrying if that might upset someone or get him Akumatized. Akumas are Ladybug's problem, and Ladybug will take care of them if needed. But they shouldn't dictate all my life." She smiles toward him again and gestured with her hands.

"Tomorrow," she continued. "I won't rethink everything 10 times just to make sure I keep everyone happy. If they aren't happy – it is their problem."

She looked at him. "Tomorrow it will be about me. Finding out what makes me happy. It will be about learning to know myself again." She sadly smiled looking at him. "It isn't healthy to hide so much in our civilians' life. The Ladybug and Chat Noir's masks are there for a reason. It defends us. Not just from Hawk Moth, but also from the universe having irrational expectations from us in our civilian lives, just because we are also superheroes. This is why the heroes need to be perfect, while the real us are free to be our flawed selves."

He looked at her considering her words. It was obvious she put a lot of thought into it. And it sounded about right. Yet, how was he supposed to explain to her his condition with his father? The fact he just couldn't be himself as Adrien? He lowered his head in shame. He wasn't that strong. He wasn't willing to pay the price of going against his father. He had composed himself quickly before she will notice his distress.

"I am worrying about you Chaton," she continued when it was clear he wasn't going to say anything. "This isn't healthy for you. I just wish I could help you. I wish I could set you free to be yourself."

"But you are." He said eventually. "You are the only person I am allowed to be myself with." He gave her his best smile, the real one. "As long as we have our talks and I can be myself around you – I know I will be OK for now."

Ladybug gave him a sad look and sighed. "You can always be yourself with me Chaton, and I will always be myself with you. Deal?"

"Deal! Pound it?" he offered his fist and she happily pound while giggling. It was such a beautiful Marinette giggling.

"OK, so I guess I will go home now. I need to get some sleep before my big transformation tomorrow." She looked at him judging his reaction to her pun.

He gave her a small smile. "A nice start, but you really need to work on the delivering," he smirked.

"Good night Chat," She smiled back.

"Good night M'lady" He dramatically bowed and watch her yoyo away.


Adrien entered his room through his window. He couldn't stop thinking about everything he learned about his lady this evening. His lady – his Marinette. Could he really call her 'his' anymore? That thought hit him hard.

He could feel his entire body trembling. He forced himself to fall on his bed and release his transformation through his clinching teeth. He then proceeded to lay there trembling and holding himself, trying to prevent himself from completely falling apart.

Plagg hovered next to him, uncharacteristically quiet for a few minutes, just watching him.

"OK kid. I get it. You had a rough night with many hard to digest revolutions."

"I lost her," Adrien couldn't prevent himself from sobbing anymore. He snuggled into himself and bended his head toward his stomach. He could feel the tears on his face, and his entire body was shaking.

"No." Plagg shook his head slowly. "You never had her. She never loved you. You said it yourself – you aren't Adrien. She fell in love with a mask. Just like you never loved her. You fell in love with her mask. You don't really know each other."

Adrien lifted his head and stared at Plagg shocked. "Is... Is n-now that t-time you offer c-cheese instead of g-girls again?" He asked, surprised and having a sneaking suspicion, trying to hold his sobs.

"If only you would have listened," Plagg snorted and wagged his hands. "No. Not this time." He hovered closer to Adrien and stroke his left cheek while explaining.

"You are actually not in such a bad place, kid" He tried to explain. "She is angry at you. However, she doesn't hate you. So, now that she isn't delusions by your false mask – she might actually get to know the real you. If you let her, of course. It is up to you." Adrien was still shocked that Plagg was actually giving him advices that didn't include cheese in them.

"She also said she will be the real her from now on, so you can take that opportunity to get to know her better." Adrien listened closely to Plagg's words it was rare for him to actually be so useful. "Maybe eventually, this will even strengthen your friendship. Since, let's face it, as Adrien and Marinette you aren't really close." Plagg actually had a point here. Adrien felt a bit better. However, he still felt like his world was coming to an end.

"So this is how this is going to happen," Plagg stated. "I am giving you an hour to grieve. In the next hour you are going to cry and sob and shout for as hard as you want. I will stay near you on Akuma watch and will cataclysm every Akuma that will try to get to you." He gave Adrien a meaningful look.

"However, once this hour is over - this is it. You must stop with this grieving. You will have one more hour to plan how it is you are going to fix everything. Now, I know planning is not really your strong side, and you prefer Ladybug to do that, but you don't really have a choice here. So find a way to fix things between the two of you and rebuild your relationship as civilians." There was a hard look in Plagg eyes. That wasn't an advice, Adrien suddenly understood, that was an order. He must find a way to fix it.

"And then go to sleep." Plagg continued. "Knowing Ladybug – we are going to have a day full of surprises tomorrow." He whimpered a little. "Tiki and her chosen, always so hyperactive."

Plagg was right. He needed to find a plan, and he must sleep. However, first he couldn't hold himself up anymore. He heard a noise that sounded like a wounded animal. It took him a second to realize he was the one making that sound, he was crumbling. This day was long and hard. One of the hardest days in his life. Probably only rivaled by the day he lost his mother.

He will make a plan, and he will sleep. But now he needed to cry.


AN: we are nearing the end...

I really hope you like the story & will appreciate your feedback.