Surprise!

Ladybug knew this day would come, sooner or later they would have to face Hawkmoth in a grand battle style.

She just didn't think it'd be like this. They had no real plan for this type of situation, not to mention she and Chat were running on few hours of sleep and coffee in their veins.

"Are they really saying 'hail ScarletMoth?'" she winced "that's terrifying."

"Ladybug! Chat Noir! I can feel your close presence!" Scarletmoth called out to them and again, wasn't the idea that she had been taken down? He really was smart and dumb. Or too full of his own ego.

"Penny for your thoughts LB?"

"We don't have a plan for this kind of situation, we are not that prepared for this."

"I know," Chat said "but we've already fought them all and won, and there are four of us this time" he smiled at Rena and Carapace.

Ladybug smiled. She had thought of bringing Luka, as Second Chance would have been a great asset, but had to hold back in that choice, the snake was way too powerful for it to land in Scarletmoth's hands.

"Alright then," Ladybug stood her ground "Hawkmoth!" because she was so not calling him Scarletmoth "I hope you enjoyed Volpina's illusion because the real Ladybug will never hand you over her Miraculous!"

"And we've got a better idea. You're gonna give us YOUR Miraculous!"

Ladybug smiled at him while Rena and Carapace also called out at Hawkmoth. She felt new confidence overflow her. They were going to succeed and win.

They only had to get through Hawkmoth first. And yes, it was way more difficult but Chat was right that they had faced many of the akumas before, so releasing them was way faster now.

"We make a pretty cool team" Chat smiled when Ladybug cleansed Kagami's akuma.

"Not bad, but it's not over yet."

So far, they had gotten Alix's brother, Rose, Kagami, Mylene's dad, but to try and guess how many people had been akumatized was a problem, especially when some she remembered were very, very dangerous.

"Lucky charm!" she called out, only for a tennis racket to fall on her hands. Well, never say she didn't know how to come with a plan.

"Get ready, I'm gonna need all of you!"

The piercing whistle sound of arrows caught her attention, making her turn to see the people they had just saved looking back with anger.

"Hawk Moth is using Dark Cupid to create all the negative emotions he needs!"

Great, the one akuma she had no desire to ever face again.

The battle was getting even tougher, with so many red butterflies hovering above them.

There was so much going on she didn't see the moment Rena jumped towards an arrow that was aimed at Carapace.

"No!" she turned to try and purify any butterfly getting towards her.

"Rena Rouge!" Ladybug had to try "don't let negative emotions take over or you might get akumatized too!"

And to see an akumatized miraculous was the worst outcome she could think of.

It wasn't enough. So many butterflies around, Ladybug had to contain her despair at seeing her best friend turning into an akuma, with Carapace following almost immediately.

"I think it's a great time to use that lucky charm!" Chat called out, but with her friends taken it was useless in her hands.

"I can't do anything with it now!"

They were back-to-back, trying to deflect attacks and projectiles, the situation turning bleak but they couldn't let their emotions take over.

"Pretty cataclysmic situation, don't you think?"

"That's it! Beneath us Chat!"

Chat grinned and summoned his cataclysm to give them a chance to escape in the sewer system.

It wasn't until they were at one end that their transformations finally wore off.

"You ok?" Adrien held Marinette's hand, his other already pulling out a piece of cheese for Plagg.

"Hawkmoth has never re-akumatized so many people in one go, something's changed here."

"You don't think he figured out the Grimoire, do you?"

Marinette bit her lip. It was a possibility, but from what they had studied, the butterfly miraculous didn't have alone the power to control that many people.

"No, there has to be something else in the works here..."

"Perhaps..." Adrien gasped "what if, and this is a wild assumption, he's using another akuma to power up?"

"Like a support akuma?"

"It could be," Adrien said "someone close like...Nathalie perhaps?"

"You think your father's assistant knows about him being a supervillain?"

Adrien shrugged.

"Might as well, why else would she allow Lila of all people do what she likes?"

It made sense. And with Lila still around, as Volpina nonetheless, things were getting worse and worse against them. It was such a good thing she didn't get Viperion for this or then they would really have been doomed.

"Do you think he's not redeemable?" Adrien suddenly asked.

"I… don't know there" Marinette looked down "we can try to talk him out of it, but it's going to be tough."

"I know" Adrien sighed "trust me, I'm not looking forward to that confrontation but, I'll be by your side to win."

"You still think we can win?"

Adrien held her hand even tighter so she could look up at him, since when had he outgrown her? The Adrien she had met all those years ago had definitely grown, and she couldn't imagine the pain he was fighting inside him with having to face his own father. Yet here he was, cheering her up.

"As you said, we can't lose hope" Adrien kissed her hand "people are relying on us."

"Just the two of us? It'll be difficult."

"You and me against the world my lady" he smiled at her.

"Did you get that from an anime?" she smiled.

"No, it's a Chat original" Adrien smiled back, when a growl from the other side caught their attention.

They looked at the other side and gave each a glance to their kwamis.

"You like water rides?"

"I like the idea of a really long bath afterward" she smiled and pulled out the water power macaroon for Tikki, both taking a leap towards the water.

"Tikki, power up!"

"Plagg, power up!"

So now they had to deal with Syren and Animan, in sewer water.

"It's gonna take a lot of time to de-akumatize all his villains one by one," Chat said while pulling Ondine with her, Ladybug taking Alya's dad. It was a good thing their weapons worked as oxygen masks, of sorts.

"Which is exactly why we have to take Hawkmoth directly,"

They managed to escape the freezing of another akuma, as well as more projectiles and knights against him.

"You know what you said about hope?" Ladybug smiled at Chat and turned to Hawkmoth, where she knew the drones were still filming "time to show everyone that the real Ladybug is back!"

She unleashed hundreds of purified butterflies around, hoping that the citizens would see she was alive, well and not giving up. The more people that had hope over fear the better for them.

"Nice plan," Chat grinned just as more akumas came their way.

"At least it's not like zombies" Chat said while dodging another laser.

"Any miraculous ideas for now?"

"Besides running and surviving?" she said as they found a barricade of cars, jumping to see...

Dozens of civilians armed with mops and other things ready to face the red akumas.

"Are you ok?" her own grandmother asked while offering a hand and Ladybug was so relieved to see not only her but her parents, Luka, Alya's mom, and sisters, a lot of people doing ok.

"We'll slow them down; you go save the world"

"You're all great!"

"Thank you!" Chat called, both running towards the rooftops. They had to get to Hawkmoth fast.

It was so different to see people helping them out, their hope in them too strong to let them be akumatized, but they had to hurry and reach Hawkmoth at the Eiffel tower.

"It's down to the three of us Hawkmoth!" she spun her yo-yo at the old man, Chat ready with his Cataclysm on one hand.

"Lucky charm!" Ladybug called, a very shiny hexagonal box falling in her hand.

"It's a sign Hawkmoth" she couldn't help but grin "a sign that your Miraculous will wind up inside this box!"

"Are you sure you're not making a serious mistake?"

Oh great, both thought almost at the same time, here comes the villain monologue.

"How do you know the wish I was planning to make with your miraculous wouldn't have been beneficial to everyone?"

Ladybug spared Chat a glance. They knew what he meant, of course, they did, but that wasn't the solution.

"If you were to make a wish, there'd be a price to pay."

And to think that price would be losing one of them was too much. She was not going to let him get away with that.

"Why don't you tell us your wish Hawkmoth?" Chat gritted his teeth.

"Give me your Miraculous and you'll find out," he grinned "unlike you, I'm not afraid to use these powers."

Ladybug frowned; something was off here. It almost felt, a little too easy.

"Since you're so good," Hawkmoth continued to talk "why did you never bother to change the world for the better?"

"We are changing the world for the better every day! By our actions," she gritted her teeth "not by just wishing it at the expense of innocent citizens."

"Whatever your wish, no doubt it'll bring more chaos" Chat frowned, both walking over towards him.

Ladybug remembered Adrien's question at the sewers and took a deep breath.

"It's not too late," she said, her tone a little softer "you can fight for good you know, with us."

It would have worked, had it not been for the reflection of the box showing her that Hawkmoth was right behind them. Of course, they had forgotten about Volpina.

"Watch out!" Ladybug pushed Chat aside, just as they cleansed Dark Cupid.

"You're such a coward Hawkmoth!"

"There's no hiding this time!" Chat pulled his baton.

This was it then, the confrontation between them against Hawkmoth.

Even if they were two against one, he was way older and stronger, but their drive was strong and they were not going to let him win.

"Now!" Ladybug managed to grab the cane and toss it to Chat, who destroyed it without a second. Soon enough all the crimson around dissipated, the several akumas fading away and leaving them a purple suit Hawkmoth in front of them.

"Alright kids," Hawkmoth turned to them "watch what a man who's got nothing to lose can do."

Ladybug tried not to look at Chat, fully aware that those words had hurt way more than the kick he had received from Hawkmoth's foot.

If she had to define it in one word, the fight was brutal. Hawkmoth didn't hold back against them, not caring for one bit they were teenagers, or even his own son as he kept attacking until they were on the ground.

"You're still so immature, thinking you can beat me-agh!"

Ladybug looked up just in time to see a green shield whacking him on the head, her smile widening at the sight of Rena and Carapace. The tides were turning in their favor and Ladybug was done with that old man at this point.

She made a huge net around them with her yo-yo, trapping them in a cage-like place on the tower.

"You're caught in our net Hawkmoth,"

"You're not going anywhere!" Chat clenched his fist and threw one solid punch at his face, knocking him over.

"Wow," Carapace looked at him "that was wild."

Ladybug didn't say anything, instead, she moved closer to take the brooch from Hawkmoth's suit, as the transformation wore off and revealed the person they had suspected all along.

"W-what?!" Rena and Carapace were shocked "Gabriel Agreste?"

"Think you two can hold him off for a moment?" Ladybug turned to the other two "you haven't used your miraculous yet unlike us-"

"Y-yes!" Rena said as Carapace looked around for some rope "we'll wait right here."

"Also," she looked up and threw her yo-yo at a beam, grinning when she pulled back Lila to them "keep an eye on this one too."

"What a coincidence to find you here Lila" Rena said, "I'm sure you have a very good explanation."

Ladybug nodded at them and tossed her lucky charm to clean the entire city before turning to Chat so they could move away from the place.

They didn't have enough time to talk, or for Adrien to let out his emotions from what had happened, but Marinette found it enough to give him a tight hug and the promise that she was not going to leave his side no matter what.

"You are my partner, in good and bad," she practically squeezed him.

"If I didn't know any better, sounds like a marriage proposal to me," Adrien laughed a little.

"Let's put a pin on that when we are legal adults" she smiled back "you ready?"

"Yes," Adrien turned to Plagg "let's do this."

It was a sort of swift move from thereon. To call the proper authorities, to getting Rena and Carapace to a safe place to transform back, to the arrest of Gabriel Agreste and the investigation behind his reasoning. Ladybug made sure that Adrien was there, acting shocked to see his father as the one behind everything, to clear him from any connection to Hawkmoth. There was going to be time for them to talk, but for now Adrien just wanted the day to be over.

It still made him glad to see that Lila hadn't been able to sneak away from them, with her mother arriving at the scene and discovering that Lila had lied to the school and said she was out of the country, to hear she had actively worked with Hawkmoth to cause havoc in the city.

He would take small victories at that point.

And he was so glad Chloe stepped in to offer him a room for him alone at her father's hotel while things sorted out, as his house was going to be a crime scene for investigation a good while.

It was way late at night when he finally slumped on the bed, dressed up in a Ladybug-themed pajama set that Marinette had given him as a joke gift a few months ago, but he was comfortable in it, with not having to wear anything from his house.

"Knock, knock"

Speak of her, he smiled and sat up to see Ladybug on the balcony. Adrien moved and opened the glass door for her, the cool air of the city a refreshment on his face.

"How are you feeling?" she asked once inside the room, her transformation fading as she sat on the bed next to him.

"Beat, tired, but I can't seem to fall asleep" Adrien sighed "what a day."

"Indeed," Marinette let him rest his head on her lap, her hand patting his hair "I'm sorry you have to go through this."

"Thanks, princess" he smiled at her "but I'm glad I was able to prepare for it, at least a little."

They remained in silence for a while, Marinette petting his head and Adrien sighing in content under her touch. The next day they'd have to act like regular civilians, with Marinette doubling her efforts to protect Adrien from any possible lashing at him. But at that moment, they were just two tired superheroes taking a well-deserved break.

"You know we have to go with Master Fu soon, right?" Adrien opened his eyes to look at her "to give the Miraculous…"

"Yes," Marinette looked at the window "at least three out of five."

Adrien blinked and sat up to look at her. Did she mean…?

"After all," Marinette smiled at him "I don't think we should retire Ladybug and Chat Noir too soon, don't you think?"

Adrien didn't think twice. He pulled her face to kiss her.

Yeah, I had time (also I'm stuck on the other thing). Plus, I kind of hate waiting with myself. But I will take my time with the epilogue since that's... not episode canon? I'm taking a scene from the Mayura episode, the rest will be all me.

And I kind of want to write a new thing involving ships with Marinette (pure fun, crack taken seriously type)

Thanks for reading!