''Why are you so mad at me, huh?'' Adrien whispered to his left side, where Plagg grumpily floated, if that was even a thing. How else could the teen describe the way the kwami moved alongside him, his frown so deep the two people they had passed by so far flinched at the sight.

''You know why'' Answered the cat, not even bothering to lower his voice. Adrien worried for a second Marinette would heard their little exchange, but he worried in vain. The girl walking a few steps ahead was in her own world for the moment. And with good reason, they were a couple blocks away from the hospital where her parents were.

''I don't, actually'' He said, honestly. Sure, he knew something about their enemy Marinette didn't, not yet, but that wasn't enough of a reason for Plagg to be this upset… right? It wasn't even a groundbreaking piece of information!

''I can't believe I have to explain this to you, you're not a kid anymore!'' glowered the kwami, and Adrien stopped in his tracks, offended.

''What?! You have NEVER explained shit to me, Plagg! If anything you usually avoid doing it!''

''I knew very early on that you don't like listening!''

''This argument is pointless, just tell me'' Adrien crossed his arms, and resumed his walking before Marinette noticed.

''Tsk'' Was all the kwami said, then proceeded to ignore him the rest of the trip to the hospital.

Adrien was confused as ever, but he decided he'd rather worry about his girlfriend that day than about his grumpy kwami. He didn't even get what the problem was, he was going to tell her later anyways!

The sight of the hospital's entrance put a sudden stop to the teen's inner thoughts. He saw as Marinette hesitated before going in, and he could almost read her mind, in that moment. She was probably thinking of turning away and forgetting this ever happened until they saved everyone. Seeing her making the next step towards the doors prompted a relieved sigh from the blond. He didn't want to be the one to convince her about going anyways, that argument was full of landmines. He didn't think they would lose against Gianna, that wasn't a real possibility in his head. He truly believed in his Lady, after all. What he doubted was the aftermath. Would everyone really recover if they destroyed the cursed miraculous the woman possessed? No one had an answer to that. And Adrien didn't want to be the one to remind Marinette that day that this might as well be the norm with her and her parents moving on, that they might never recover. And he knew it would weight on her if they didn't, and she avoided visiting them like she almost did, just now.

Those grim thoughts followed him as they entered the place. There was a bunch of people Adrien didn't expect to fill the halls of a hospital, well, at least not while in duty: Soldiers. Then he remembered this was the place were the judges family was, too. He thought it was unlikely for Lady Vendetta to go for the second time against the same people, and soldiers wouldn't do much against her anyways, but then noticed the two that started following them after Marinette talked to an administrator about where were they going. They were waiting for them.

As they reached the room, Adrien saw Marinette's hesitation once again in front of the door, and this time he decided to help her by placing a hand on her shoulder. She immediately turned and, with glassy eyes, told him:

''I- I'll go in alone, ok?''

Adrien wasn't sure what the correct answer to that was, but he decided to respect his girlfriend wishes in the end. Maybe he should have obstinately followed her in, but she also deserved a moment alone with her parents.

Besides, that gave him the perfect chance to talk to their followers.

''So'' He merely said, arms crossed, expression serious. The two soldiers looked at each other in a brief, silent conversation, then back at Adrien.

''So'' One of them said, copying his tone.

''Why are you following two teenagers into a hospital?'' Adrien hated that he had to ask the obvious, but the men obviously needed the prompting or nothing would happen before Marinette got out. One of the soldiers laughed, the other merely smiled.

''We all know you are not just a teenager, Chat Noir'' Said the one that laughed once he was finished doing so. Adrien lifted an eyebrow.

''Still a hospital, you put my...friend, more nervous than she already was'' He had lost some of the lying habits he built during his year running away, but his tone was still convincing. No one on the public eye knew where he had been staying, or his relationship with Marinette. According to Alya, to the most intrusive of their fans, Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng only went together to the gala and that was it. And, glamour aside, it was kind of understandable no one connected the dots yet, their brief time together before Lila's final attack last year was spent mostly in private. No public announcements, no media.

''Your friend needs as much protection as possible, you know that, right?'' It was obvious to anyone listening in that the soldier was keeping information to himself too, but Adrien didn't care.

''Sorry if I'm doubting your ability to protect anyone from Gianna Rossi'' The teen put as much sarcasm in his voice as he could, but then he saw the men's confused look. The one he was talking with scoffed.

''She's not the only danger around here'' And that was it, that sentence along with the stare Adrien got from both soldiers, that wary look of someone facing a ticking bomb. They were protecting Marinette from HIM.

The teen felt his heart clench a bit. He didn't think people would still be treating him like a threat, much less soldiers under the government they were trying to make amends with that same week. Adrien saw Plagg from the corner of his eye, not bothering to hide his presence but not intervening with the exchange either. Usually, the little cat would be the first to defend him in a situation like this, but Adrien supposed he couldn't count on that every single time. Besides, he had a piece of mind to share anyways.

''I know you two are not the ones I should be telling this to, but I'll do it anyways'' His voice was serious but not angry. He wasn't really angry, so there wasn't anything to control anyways. ''I'm a walking target since people know my identity, but so is Chloe Bourgeois. I have powers that destroy things, but so does that weapon you two carry. So I understand why you guys are here, but honestly? You're out of your league. That gun might hurt me, or even Ladybug, if we don't watch out, but Gianna Rossi is not playing around, and neither am I. You probably only see a kid playing with fire, but I'll tell you what I see''

The men frowned, and one of them rolled his eyes, but they were listening, at least.

''I see two possible new victims that I might fail to save yet again, and I also see a bunch of scared people in a hospital. They are probably stressed enough by the reasons they come here, they don't need to see a bunch of guns just because you guys think you can do something about me or Gianna Rossi'' He finished his little speech and, although he felt a lot better, the men just shrugged and walked away.

''You're right kid, we are not the ones you should be telling that to''

Adrien sighed, feeling a bit like an idiot but not regretting a thing. If they wanted to arrest him, they could have done it without filling the place with soldiers. He was probably missing something, a legit reason for them to be there, but he wasn't in the mood to think about it yet.

''Well I, for once, am happy to hear you complaining'' A voice said behind him.

''Plagg? You're done being mad at me for no good reason?'' He offered the kwami a little smile, and to Adrien's eyes, Plagg didn't look as frustrated as before, but the little cat insisted on at least looking the part, if half assedly.

''Hmm''

''Whatever'' Adrien rolled his eyes.

In that moment, Marinette came out of the room. She moved slowly and was no longer crying, but she didn't look at him as she started to walk away, towards the exit of the hall.

Adrien followed her in silence, giving her the space she probably needed. They continued like that until they were alone once again. Adrien gave a little nod to the same soldiers that were guarding them minutes ago, and saw with some satisfaction as some of them were leaving already. Marinette probably hadn't even noticed them, deep in her thoughts as she was.

''Mari'' He said, stopping her from walking away by grabbing her hand gently.

She stared at his hand for a good moment, and then Adrien realized she wasn't just numb or in the middle of her grief. She was looking at his ring.

''Can I ask you something?'' She said, her voice not as tiny or broken as he thought she would sound, considering the circumstances.

Adrien thought his role that day would be that of a shoulder to cry on, basically, as his lady saw the reality of the situation for the first time. It was one thing knowing that your parents were in a permanent coma, another to see them like that. But what the teen saw in Marinette's eyes as she asked him that question wasn't just grief. It was desperation, and he knew exactly what was he there for. He smiled, unable to stop his eyes from getting wet.

''No'' He said, gently.

Marinette frowned slightly, opening her mouth, though nothing came for a good while. Then her anger finally overcame her shock, and she started yelling, still not letting go of his hand.

''I need it!'' she tightened her hold on his hand. Behind her, Adrien spotted Tikki looming sadly, avoiding his gaze altogether. ''I- You know that is the only way to bring them back! I need that wish, Adrien!''

He had seen his lady mad plenty of times, but he realized at that moment that this was the first time he saw Marinette mad, at HIM.

''No'' He said once again, then pulled with that same hand she was squishing desperately, and hugged the girl with the other one. Marinette started shaking immediately at the contact. Adrien sighed, relieved, then continued speaking softly. ''You're in pain, and you're in all your right to be feeling the way you do'' He tightened the embrace. ''But we have a villain to defeat, and I can't do it alone, My lady'' He hated how pathetic his 'reassurance' sounded, but deep down he believed that's what Marinette needed to hear. That she wasn't helpless. That she wasn't his father.

''I'm not going to try and convince you that everything will be back to normal, like it always did in the past'' He continued, tears flowing freely now. ''And I know that hurts you more than anyone, specially now'' Marinette sniffed, but he felt her whole body relax a bit as he spoke. She let go of his ringed hand and corresponded the hug fully. ''All I can promise you, is that I'll be here for you. We're partners, and if… and if we end up using that wish, it'll be the two of us''

Once he was done talking, Adrien started patting Marinette's back as she continued crying for a little longer. Her sobs where almost silent, but he knew when she was done when she finally stopped shaking. He looked up from over her shoulder and saw Plagg and Tikki smiling at him. He returned it, although not without some hesitation. He had no idea what those two were thinking, in that moment.

Marinette was the first to let go of the embrace, she cleaned her face as best she could then she looked up to him.

''Thank you'' There were a bunch of unspoken gratitudes in her eyes a she said that, but he didn't need her to voice them. That's what he was there for, and he knew he didn't need to tell her that, either. Then Plagg interrupted their little moment by clearing his throat.

''Oh… umm, I have something to tell you, Marinette, though I don't know if right now is the best time'' He made sure his tone on that last bit was clearly directed at his kwami, Adrien stared at the little god with a frown. But then he saw that Tikki was nodding at him, too. Alright, then.

''What is it?'' Asked the heroine, after another little sniff.

''I umm. I realized a couple things about the revenge miraculous… and it's connection to me'' Adrien knew he would tell Marinette this at one point, but he realized he never planned on the when. It kind of made sense for Plagg to be pushing him so much, but still, the timing was weird. This was her moment, not his.

''What do you mean?''

So he explained the easier part first: About the ghost he saw while he was transformed into Destruction that night at the gala. They all knew about her existence, but no one but him and Plagg knew that she had been visible to him for a moment.

''You think using those forms might be the key to defeat her?'' She asked, now full on Ladybug mode.

''I'm sure of it, but… '' He looked over at Plagg and Tikki. ''Are we even ready for that? don't we need to be full adults for it to not have consequences?'' The two kwamis shrugged in a way that told Adrien and Marinette that they were keeping things to themselves once again, but in that half assed way that also indicated they would learn the truth soon. Alright, then.

Adrien sighed. ''And the reason I'm sure is because.. Well I lost control of destruction in the same room that miraculous was created, later on…'' Marinette frowned at him when he said that. Adrien started to doubt his conclusion about that the more he spoke, but he went out with it anyways. ''Her powers are very similar to mine, just a twisted version, so''

Plagg was looking mad again, as he and Tikki hovered over them while they talked. Adrien briefly wondered how no one had approached them yet, and realized it was snowing. Well that explained some things. His gaze returned to Marinette's face, expecting to see her take the news of him being connected to that sinful miraculous, but instead of there being a thoughtful look, she was frowning, confused.

''Adrien, Lila moved houses'' She simply stated, and he felt like the biggest idiot in the world.

''Wha-''

''And more importantly, are you… blaming yourself for Revenge's existence? Because if you are I swear'' She started to sound like the old Ladybug for a moment, but there was a undertone of real worry on her voice, too.

''What? no! I'm not blaming myself! I'm past that stuff already! I was saying that because, well, if our powers are similar Destruction might not work with her, or something, I don't know I'm not Luka! I'm not good at theorizing abo-'' His word vomit got interrupted by not just Marinette laughing, but Plagg too. Tikki was the only one blessedly not mocking him in that moment. He could almost feel the snowflakes melting as they touched his probably very red face.

''I made a mistake, alright? Plagg you've been all the spectrum of emotions today, hold yourself together'' He tried to defend himself, but Plagg continued laughing and he sounded… happy?

''My stupid cat'' Marinette said simply, and hugged him again. They were both shaking like in their previous embrace, but this time it was due to the cold. Standing in the snow without moving would do that to anyone, specially out of their superhero suits.

''I'm… confused'' He looked over at Plagg, searching for answers, but he had to wait until the kwami stopped mocking him first. So Tikki intervened.

''He's just happy, Adrien'' Informed the red kwami, smiling as she floated back to Marinette's coat. Plagg kept cackling behind them as they started to walk back to Simon's apartment.

''He's been so weird today''

''Well, he thought that you were… regressing, back to your old habit of blaming yourself. He couldn't tell you why he wanted for you to talk to Marinette about your supposed connection to Revenge because he wasn't sure if you were or not'' Explained Tikki. Marinette seemed a bit confused at first, but caught on quickly.

''Because… we need Destruction'' Commented the aspiring designer, thoughtful. ''Does that mean…?'' She asked, and Tikki nodded.

''That I'm ready to use it?'' Adrien wanted to be sure.

''Yes you idiot! Now that we know you just forgot about Lila moving places and you were NOT sulking and avoiding to talk to Marinette because you were blaming yourself'' There was still some teasing in Plagg's voice, but he sounded genuinely happy when he said that.

The kwami joined Tikki under Marinette's coat, which Adrien couldn't blame him for. It was a lot fluffier than his. Then he continued.

''You were right on one thing, you dumb kitten. The pure form of Destruction, which I'm certain you can use now without permanent consequences, is the key to undo whatever that Ghost did to create that wicked miraculous once and for all''

Marinette's gaze shifted a bit at that, and Adrien grabbed her hand, reading her mind once again.

''I'll be your secret weapon, the hidden nuke, if you will, my Lady. But we need you, and your plans, to make this work'' Adrien could see the gears shifting on his girlfriend's head. She nodded, determination clear on her face.

''It's time we start moving, kitty''