Epiphany

Stomping away from the Trocadero after Marinette had run off with Adrien following, Lila found herself clenching her teeth and hands so hard it made her jaw hurt, with little crescent moon marks appearing in her palms. 'How dare that Japanese cow accuse me of touching Adrien inappropriately?!' She was so incensed at the humiliation of being outed by Kagami, that the Italian never noticed how she had not been targeted by Hawkmoth.

Heat flowed up Lila's neck to warm her ears, while she stormed off toward the one place she knew she could gain satisfaction. When she arrived at the mansion's front gate, Lila slammed her fist down on the call button. The small hatch above and to the side opened, to reveal the camera. "This is not the time for a visit, Miss Rossi." Nathalie's voice announced through the speaker.

Glaring up at the camera, she snarled "Let! Me! In!"

"Lila…" Nathalie started to argue, only to be interrupted.

"Unless you want me to tell Adrien who hired me to ruin that Dupain-Cheng witch's life, you will open this gate now, Nathalie!" Lila ordered. When the gates did not open, and there was no response, she added in a sickeningly sweet tone, "I wonder how Adrien would react to his father and you trying to hurt one of his "friends" like that?"

The gates swung open, and she stormed up to the mansion where Nathalie stood in the open doorway, unphased by the teenager. "Mr. Agreste isn't here at the moment, he's dealing with other matters right now." Glaring at the teenager, she started to write on her tablet with a stylus. "I can pencil you in for…"

Nathalie never finished as Lila pushed past the woman. "Gabriel Agreste owes me!" she snarled. "I have done everything he's asked, and now I want something from him!"

Glaring at the young woman, she scowled. "No!" she said sharply, "You have failed to do what he's asked, and he has been dealing with the fallout from that decision since. His son's still friends with the Dupain-Cheng girl, he still disobeys his father's wishes, and the photographers have had words with Mr. Agreste about your constant refusal to take direction." Nathalie looked straight at Lila, daring her to deny the accusations.

"I have done what Gabriel Agreste has asked!" Lila growled, scowling with disdain at Nathalie, "Now I expect to be given what he has promised!"

"You have done nothing, little girl!" Nathalie glowered, her voice going low with obvious threat. "All you have done is shown that Adrien is adamant at sticking to people you have said were bad influences." She then pulled up something on her tablet. "While you were claiming that Miss Dupain-Cheng was a bad influence, I have interviewed all of her friends and family."

"Wh-What?!" Lila stammered, her scowl disappearing as her eyes widened in horror.

"I intend to tell Mr. Agreste that you have lied to him," Nathalie continued and tapped the screen casually with her stylus, "that you have played him for a fool, and that he should cut all ties with you effective immediately."

"That is a mistake!" Lila snarled.

"Only you think so." Nathalie countered blankly. "Now, you will…" they heard something outside the door, "wait here." Walking past the young woman, the pair witnessed Ladybug and Chat Noir call Hawkmoth out. When he landed, Nathalie turned to Lila. "Back up. Don't let them see you." She then reached into her jacket pocket and produced her Miraculous. Clipping it onto her blouse, she dropped the tablet and stylus as she rushed out of the open doorway.

Blood pounded in Lila's ears as she watched the fight from the interior of the foyer. Her body went rigid as Nathalie transformed into Mayura, and the pair fought off Ladybug and Chat Noir. Olive green eyes widened in shock as Marinette's mother fought against the assistant of Gabriel Agreste. 'This is incredible!' Gritting her teeth, part of her wanted to go out and help, but she knew there would be no chance of getting an Akuma now.

Within a matter of minutes the teen superheroes took down Hawkmoth, and the baker's wife took down Mayura. Lila's mind was spinning as the pair were taken away, and the news media took statements. She watched as Ladybug smugly told the news that Paris was finally safe. How she wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smile off of her face. After watching Ladybug thank the baker's wife, Sabine, for assisting with taking down Nathalie, Lila felt sick to her stomach.

Staying where she was, Lila watched as the two heroes linked hands with the baker's wife, only for her mouth dropped open as Ladybug released her transformation. "Of course!" she breathed. "It all makes sense now!" Clenching her teeth, she glowered at the teen as her mother embraced her. Hate filled her heart just before Chat Noir stepped forward, calling out to release his own transformation. "A-Adrien… I-It… can't be!" she breathed, shocked by this turn of events.

It was.

Lila watched as Marinette's mother wrapped him up in a hug as well, her mind going a thousand miles an hour about how she could swing this in her favor. Plans and schemes flitted across her mind, but in each scenario she found the same exact problems as the previous one. 'There's no way. At least, not yet.' A plan formed in her mind, one that would need patience, timing, and a partner. 'Don't worry, Mr. Agreste, you won't be in jail long,' her mind purred as she gave a sly, evil smile.

When everyone had gone, Lila snuck out of the house, following the teens from blocks away. 'I have to be patient. If I know Marinette, she probably has the rest of the Miraculous in her home.' Peeking around the school, she watched intently as the pair dealt with Kagami right next to the bakery, and then helped each other inside. All of her previous schemes and plans returned to the Italian's head with a vengeance as she watched the Japanese girl break down into wracking sobs. 'Perfect!'


Nino gawked at Alya. "What do you mean you think you know why he did it?"

Rubbing at her forehead, Alya sighed. "For the longest time Ladybug-" she shook her head, "Marinette, has been wondering why Hawkmoth has been after their Miraculous. She has brainstormed ideas since the "Heroes' Day" incident."

"I remember that!" Nino commented, "Wasn't that when he called himself Scarlet Moth?"

"Yeah, but it was something he said that stuck with her." Alya remarked, while tapping her finger thoughtfully against her chin. "He said that his wish could have been beneficial to everyone." Looking at Nino, she could practically see the gears in his head turning. "What if his wish was to make it so that nobody had super-powers?"

"He would be normal too." Nino answered as he held his girlfriend close, his own thoughts swirling in his mind. "We wouldn't have the Miraculous, or super-heroes like Majestia and Night Owl. Those people would just be someone's imaginary characters in comic books and cartoons."

Alya nodded. "I know."

"Okay, so we got the basics of his wish down, but you said you think you know "why" not what he would've wished for."

Biting her lower lip, she nodded. "What if he wished the Miraculous weren't active five years ago?" Her hazel eyes widened as she looked up at Nino, as he rubbed his chin.

"Um… okay… not sure how that makes any sense…"

"We just watched the video of Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie being carted away." Alya willed her boyfriend's brain to keep up with her own train of thought. "If he found the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous, and one accidentally killed his wife… wouldn't a wish that it never happened change that?"

"Potentially~," Nino drew out, rubbing at his head while trying to make sense of Alya's theory, "all this postulating is making my brain hurt!"

"I know." Alya sighed, "A person could go crazy thinking about all of this." Wrapping her boyfriend up in a hug, she closed her eyes. "Nino… I need your phone."

"You're not going to yell at Marinette, are you?" Nino asked skeptically, a hint of amusement lingering on his face. He knew his girlfriend well.

Alya thought about lying to her boyfriend, about telling him she was still angry at her best friend for not letting her in on the secret for the longest time. She was still hurt that Marinette had to lose her Miraculous in order for her to figure out who the hero of Paris really was. As for Adrien, she'd had suspicions for months about him, and was secretly pleased that they turned out to be the superhero duo. 'Two ships, one sail.' She mused silently with a hint of smugness, 'I knew they were made for each other.' Peering up at him, she smiled. "No. I think I'm over the shock of it all." Tapping the icon of her best friend, Alya listened as the phone rang.


Marinette sat on her chaise, looking down at the Miracle Box. The ovoid container was now complete, save for the Ladybug earrings, and the black cat ring. She didn't have the heart to remove Adrien's after he'd nearly cried himself to sleep, and she, personally, didn't want to say goodbye to Tikki. Both of their Kwami had been part of their lives for over a year, and now, the prospects of putting up the jewels caused her no end of trepidation.

'I wonder if this is the feeling Frodo felt when he was about to cast the ring into the fires of Mount Doom?' She wondered, her hand going instinctively to push hair behind her ear, only for her fingers to brush the jewel. The sudden buzzing of her phone caused the young girl to jump before she scrambled over to her desk, falling on her face right in front of where the phone sat. Rubbing her sore cheek, she reached up clumsily, her fingertips tapped the desk a couple of times before finding her phone and pulled it down. "Hello, Nino."

"Hey, girl." Sitting up at the sound of Alya's voice, she blinked.

"Alya? What are you doing with Nino's phone?" she asked.

"I'm just borrowing it until I can get mine repairedI kind ofdropped it when I was recording the fight at the Notre Dame cathedral." Marinette could hear the softness of her best friend's voice, which already had her on alert, but what Alya said next caused her mouth to drop open, "Ladybug."

Gripping her head with one hand, she felt her body tremble and her heart beat wildly against her ribs . "A-A-Alya, I can explain…"

"It's called a "secret" identity for a reason," Alya explained before Marinette could get the words out, "I understand, buteverything elseAdrien being Chat Noir, his father being Hawkmoth, and Gabriel's assistant being Mayura." She could hear her best friend grimacing at the prospects. "I justI can't believe it all."

"Neither can we." Marinette looked up at her mezzanine, and the sleeping form in her bed. "Adrien is… I don't even know what's going on in his head." The bluenette sighed as her heart ached at the turmoil he was bound to go through when he woke up again. Standing from her seated position, she lightly stepped up to see the sleeping form in her bed, her heart warmed by the sight of that golden hair on her pillow. It was then that she determined that there was something alluring about having a boy under her covers, his scent all over her pillow. It was only when Alya spoke again that the hazy spell of longing was broken.

"Yeah." Alya breathed. "Imagine being all alone in that big house now. He must be going crazy."

"Um… well… actually…" Marinette chewed on her lower lip, nervously toying with the hem of her top.

There was silence for a few breaths before she heard Alya ask "Actuallywhat?"

"He's… um… staying over tonight…" Marinette felt herself smile in spite of the serious happenings earlier.

"Staying over?" Alya repeated. "Your parents have put him up in the spare bedroom?"

'Come on Alyaplease~ don't make me say it!' Marinette could feel her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped animal, as her nervous energy caused her to step down from the ladder, and pace randomly. "A-Actually… I kind of… have him… here."

"In your room?" the lilt in Ayla's voice was more hopeful than questioning.

"Y-Yeah…"

"In your bed?" she could now hear the hopeful joy in Alya's voice, and nodded with a coy smile spreading her lips.

"Mmhmm" he hummed, only for her best friend to squeal so loud the phone started to produce feedback. "Alya! Quiet! He's asleep right now." Marinette hissed in pain, gingerly bringing the device close to her ear after the sudden outburst caused her to handle it like a hot potato.

"Girl! Are you going to-" Alya started to ask, only for Marinette to interrupt.

"No!" she hissed indignantly. "Listen, he's had a really horrible night, and I don't want to do anything to him while he's feeling like that!" She whisper-shouted. "We've had too much happen, and I'm not going to jeopardize our relationship!"

"Relationship?" Alya stressed the word, the smirk on her face was evident in her tone. "Have you two finally become a couple?"

"He… We… haven't really discussed it, but…" Marinette sighed with resignation. Really, this conversation needed to happen with Adrien, but Alya was already quizzing her. "Considering everything that's happened, I can only assume that he wants to be more than just a friend." Marinette answered with a happy sigh.

"Actually," Adrien's voice filtered from the top of the mezzanine, causing her to jump and give out a little squeak in surprise. "I want you to be my girlfriend, and when we're old enough, my fiance, then my wife."

His whole demeanor was too matter of fact for Marinette to truly react. 'Did he really just say that?' Her eyes wide and lips parted in pleasant surprise.

Adrien then spoke up, smirking at his new girlfriend in her adorably stunned state. "Hi, Alya. Say "Hello" to Nino for me, and get off the phone, I need my lady for some much needed cuddle time."

Marinette blushed scarlet as she smiled at the phone. "I'll talk to you later, Alya!" and hung up before the other girl could say anything. Tossing her phone onto the desk, the not so secret hero scrambled up to the bed. "I'm sorry for waking you…" she started to apologize.

Holding her close, Adrien shook his head. "It was Alya's squeal that did it," he then kissed Marinette tenderly on the lips, "and I'm glad she did. My dreams were starting to get… bad." He pursed his lips and averted his gaze, not wanting to think too much about how his sleep had been plagued by his father's sneering face.

"I'm sorry, kitty." she snuggled against him. "Do you want me to cuddle you as we sleep?"

Adrien nodded slowly. "Please…"

Situating themselves, Marinette kept the sheet between them with her on top of it while Adrien was underneath, and the pair were covered over by the duvet. Nuzzling against his neck, she gave his pulse a gentle kiss while her hands held onto his abdomen. Laying there for only a couple of minutes, she breathed out "I… I was stunned by what you said…"

Reaching up, he gently took her hand in his. "About my ideas for the future?" Heat filled her cheeks as she hummed in acknowledgment. "I seem to remember you having our children already figured out." He felt her clutch at his chest, imagining her bashfully biting her bottom lip, as he continued in a wistful voice. "But how about I name our hamster?"

"Oh… um… o-okay…"

"I want a name that perfectly encapsulates our relationship, so… how about…" he turned his head to see Marinette looking at him expectantly from behind, "Destiny?"

Wrapping him up in a hug, she felt her heart swell. "I love you…" she managed to get out before being pulled down in a passionate kiss that seemed to last an eternity. Once they had settled comfortably in each other's loving embrace, the pair drifted off into a fitful sleep.

As expected, their dreams slipped into the realm of nightmares once or twice as they slept. However, the sensation of having someone warm to cling to when those dreams became dark, managed to banish away much of the fear. In the morning, Marinette found out that her Kwami was just as much a morning person as Adrien, and she was more akin to Plagg by her desire to sleep longer. Finding an understanding between herself and the tiny God of Destruction, they both grimaced as their other halves chatted enthusiastically, undeterred by the pillow which was aimed at them both.

Over the course of the next couple of months, the teens would have their work cut out for them trying to rebuild Adrien's life from his shattered childhood. Both were determined to make right by the young man, and thankfully, with a support network that included a pair of Kwami, they weren't exactly going it alone.


We're back with another story, and this one promises to be a little on the interesting side.

Lila now knows who Marinette and Adrien are, and seems determined to help Gabriel Agreste. To what end? What can her motives be? and what does all this have to do with Kagami? You'll have to read more to find out...

As for some criticisms we've received levied that Lady Rhi and I have characterized Kagami Tsurugi falsely; to that I remind each of you of the episode "Oni-Chan" in which Kagami showed that although she loves Adrien, it is a very possessive/jealous love that caused her to act out violently for a simple picture of him getting a kiss on the cheek. At which point, she destroyed a tree with her Kendo Shinai (training sword) for such effrontery. Her being Akumatised afterward was a simple plot device, but I still consider that initial scene to be more telling about the relationship between the pair than anything else.

The second reason why I focused on our favorite swords-woman potentially attacking Marinette was because she's had it drilled into her head "friends will betray you" by her mother... It is a mantra she has refused to believe (and denied with her very being) when she joined the "friendship game", so her "best friend" potentially swooping in to take Adrien away just proved her mother correct. Kagami may be a lady of propriety, breeding, and control, but she is still a teenager with hormones that will become more emotional as puberty rears it's chaotic head, and that only makes her more unstable when she doesn't have control, or when slighted.

This is not a slight on her character, simply because I love her characterization, but we brought the psychology of it all out as a way to make her more human, and relatable.

^_^ Thank you for reading, we love you all! =^_^=