Alya would have never imagined that her best friend was Ladybug. Sure, she did have some moments of suspicion, and she did almost catch her transforming several times during the past year, but to actually hear it from Marinette's mouth, just those little words, that was something else.

"And I… I'm Ladybug," Marinette had said, and Alya's eyes widened in surprise. At that moment, she didn't care about her scoop, she didn't care about anything else. Marinette was clearly hurting, has been hurting for a much longer time than she had known, and Alya understood. She had her suspicions ever since Prime Queen, when Marinette had left her watching Manon while she sprinted off as Ladybug to make it to the interview.

Thinking back to it, though, Alya had her first suspicion during the Pharaoh akuma, when Marinette lost her history textbook and didn't have it in class the next day. Alya was almost ready to facepalm. And today, just before the akumatization happened, Alya had seen a bright pink light as Marinette crouched on her bed, asking confusedly what the girls were doing in her room without her permission. It must've freaked her out, knowing that someone had been in her room while she wasn't there, free to snoop around. No wonder Marinette felt the need to cut off the friendship at the spot, believing that it was the best way to protect her secret.

Her best friend. She sat right next to her in class, but she'd always assumed that a large part of her strange excuses was centered around Adrien, as she always tried to impress him one way or another.

Adrien… Alya knew from Nino that the guy had the biggest crush on Ladybug… on Marinette, she now realized. And the girl next to her had no idea. Alya had known that Marinette couldn't measure up to Ladybug, despite how cool, how caring and how many celebrities she knew, but this, this was a whole new level of crazy.

Wordlessly, Alya hugged Marinette close as the other girl sobbed. It was no wonder she broke up with Luka. Why she thought that she couldn't have any friends or a boyfriend. She had been under such stress as Ladybug, and now, Alya realized, as the guardian of the Miraculous as well. That's what Ladybug - Marinette had told her. She said she was the guardian now. Alya's eyes scanned Marinette's room, and suddenly she knew why the dark-haired girl had been so overprotective towards the dollhouse. It must've been housing the kwamis and miraculous. Alya didn't know how it looked like, but a secret of this measure was big, like, super big. And it was obviously crushing Marinette under the weight. Her friend needed help, she needed support, and Alya would be here to provide it. She had heard rumours about Ladybug being agitated lately, being stressed during and after akuma attacks, and she hadn't been able to score any interviews as she always seemed to be on edge and hurriedly left the fight scene every time. She also had a crappy phone camera video of Ladybug and Chat Noir leaving the movies, more specifically Romeo and Juliet, a very romantic movie. Ladybug had seemed downright crazy in the footage, and now Alya knew why. Chat Noir didn't know.

He tried his best to keep Ladybug happy and occupied, but he didn't know. And he definitely didn't expect her reaction at the movies.

Alya let Marinette bury her head in her shoulder, sobbing quietly, while the dark-skinned girl looked out for any akumas. Having Marinette this vulnerable wasn't a good thing. She had to help her, one way or another.

Getting over a breakup had never been anything easy, but if someone could move on and be strong, it was Marinette. Right now, she was heartbroken, but with a good support system, she would get better. But, a good support system started and ended with trust.

"I think you should tell Chat Noir," Alya spoke quietly, wincing when Marinette looked at her with teary eyes. She shook her head slightly.

"I can't, Alya," she whispered half-heartedly, looking to the ground, the tears flowing down her cheeks. It was then when Tikki flew out of her hiding spot, cuddling Marinette's cheek. The kwami had assumed that since Alya knew now, she could let her presence be known.

Marinette softly cuddled her kwami, neither of the girls commenting on it. There would be plenty of space to introduce each other later, right now, Marinette was hurting and she needed comfort.

"He must have so many things on his plate too, keeping a secret like this isn't a piece of cake," she sobbed. She felt as if she couldn't tell him anything, for the sake of keeping their identities secret and also not to overwhelm him.

"I know girl, but you got all the guardian stuff as well," Alya reasoned. "And, you know, I remember one footage of him telling you that if you need to talk, he's always there for you. Why not go to him?" Of course, she was referring to the moment after Ladybug and Chat Noir stormed from the cinema, and their brief talk that's been caught by another random civilian, and Ladybug has been acting more Marinette-like with every moment.

Marinette managed a weak smile.

"It's not that easy, Alya," she said, raising her arms to cradle Tikki in them. "We don't know each other's identities."

The aspiring journalist shook her head.

"I'm not saying to tell him everything, Marinette," she retorted. "I think he has a pretty good idea that something is wrong. Say, why not go get some ice cream now and figure out what you can or can't tell him?" she asked, an idea of how to cheer her up forming in her head. And getting ice cream was the perfect medicine.

Marinette looked up, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, and mustered a smile. She might have been alone for so long now, but that period of complete loneliness was ending. She had Alya on her side. Chat Noir had always supported her. And she did have all of her friends, even if they didn't know what she had to go through every day.

She was never alone. And she wouldn't be now, ever.

"Alright, Alya," she said, standing up and entwining her hand with her best friend's. "Let's let this mess sorted out."

Hand in hand, the two girls descended downstairs, towards a brighter day.