Chapter 22 - The Wish

Nathalie is a good fighter, no doubt. Ladybug was fighting her with hand to hand combat and they were pretty evenly matched even though Ladybug was using a miraculous. Ladybug didn't want to admit it but she is, well, enjoying the fight. She had the upper hand but it wasn't too easy either. However, Ladybug had to stay focused. Chat Noir was still fighting Hawkmoth and she was still worried about him. So far, Chat hadn't gotten hurt but she didn't want to take her chances.

Ladybug started making harder punches and took all the opportunities she had to get good hits in. She could tell this was slowing Nathalie down and kept going. Gradually, Nathalie was basically only avoiding Ladybug's hits, being too tired to attack back. For the last hit, Ladybug took her yoyo from where it was tied around her waist and tied together Nathalie's legs. Nathalie had lost her balance and fallen down. As soon as Nathalie was on the floor, Ladybug took back her yoyo and jumped next to Chat Noir. Nathalie didn't even attempt to get up again, she was too tired.

Chat Noir and Ladybug were facing Hawkmoth together. They looked at each other, then turned towards Hawkmoth and stepped closer, ready to counter any attacks he might attempt. He was ready too, facing them with a smirk, almost as if he thought he'd win. Ladybug was determined to wipe that grin right off his face. She started swinging her yoyo, and took a step forward. Hawkmoth held his blade up higher and started swinging it towards the two heroes of Paris. Before Hawkmoth's weapon could reach Ladybug, Chat Noir jumped in front of her, parrying Hawkmoth's hit with his staff. They kept going in that way, slashing and dodging each other's hits. Ladybug, however much she wanted to help her partner, had decided to go check the three heroes inside the bubble Carapace had created. She felt responsible for them, so she walked over and knocked on the green sphere.

"Hey guys, are you all ok?" Ladybug quietly asked.

Carapace, the only one of them who was still transformed answered, "Yes, we're ok. Queen Bee… well Chloé, I guess, just got kicked pretty hard in the stomach but otherwise we're ok."

"Good," Ladybug walked over to where Chloé who was sitting almost normally again but her expression was still mildly strained. "Hey Chloé."

She looked up at her slowly, "Hey Ladybug."

"Where does it hurt?"

Chloé pointed towards her stomach, "Here."

"Ok, Alya could you come help?" Ladybug looked at her.

Alya walked over to them, "Yeah sure."

"Great." Ladybug thanked her and started instructing her. "Chloé you should take off your jacket then lie down."

Chloé did as she was told.

"Now Alya," She continued, "Could you place the jacket under her feet so they are elevated?"

"Ok," Alya took the jacket Chloé had put next to her and placed it under Chloé's feet so they would be higher up.

"Good, now we just need something like a blanket to keep her warm." Ladybug started looking around for something but nothing came to her.

"She can take my jacket, it's loose so it won't be tight on her." Alya took off her jacket and placed it over Chloé.

"Thank you Alya." Ladybug smiled at her friend's thoughtfulness. "Just keep checking on her breathing and pulse, if anything changes you should probably get Chloé to a doctor, so transform and take her with you," Ladybug looked at Carapace, "I'd rather you went with them too. Ok?"

Alya nodded reluctantly, not wanting to leave the fight scene.

"Thank you," Ladybug smiled and started walking over to where Mayura was still lying tiredly on the floor, looking as if she wanted to get up but being tired to actually be able to do anything.

"Hello Ladybug," Nathalie greeted her.

Ladybug observed her. She figured Nathalie wouldn't be much of a threat anymore, she was obviously tired.

"So how did you find out?" Nathalie was looking at her with an expression which was almost curious but more likely irritated.

"I told you, we got tipped off by someone." Ladybug was in no mood to explain the complicated situation they were in.

Nathalie kept pressing, "By who?"

"I don't think I'll tell you."

Ladybug having decided that Nathalie doesn't pose a threat anymore started walking back to where Chat Noir and Hawkmoth's fight was getting more intense. She jumped in with her yoyo, trying to break up the fight. Ladybug could tell the combat was getting more and more dangerous.

"Cataclysm!" Chat had shouted for his power and was holding the chaotic black matter in his hand.

Ladybug ran to him, "Chat don't!"

Chat turned around to look at her. Hawkmoth took the opportunity of Chat Noir's distraction and struck with his sword. The blade cut along Chat's right upper arm. Chat realised what was happening and jumped away.

Ladybug's eyes widened, "Oh Chat! I'm so sorry!"

"Don't worry it's fine," He tried to wave her away but winced when he used his arm. He still had the cataclysm in it and he turned back to face Hawkmoth. He started running towards him but Ladybug held him back by grabbing his other arm.

"Chat," She whispered, "You don't want to do this."

He looked at her, fire in his eyes, "How would you know what I want."

"Chat, don't," She was pleading with him now, "You know who he is."

"So what if I do," His demeanor didn't change.

"Chat, you're not a killer."

He looked so pitiful. "I don't know what to do."

"Let me handle this, ok?" Ladybug stroked his hair gently and walked away from him slowly, towards Hawkmoth.

"Why don't you kill me Ladybug? Your little pet could have, why didn't you let him?" Hawkmoth stood before her, questioning.

"We are not killers. We work for the good, unlike you." Ladybug stood her ground.

"Oh really? How do you know the wish I want to make isn't good?" Hawkmoth smirked.

"Because even if it is, there will still be a price to pay," Ladybug continued, "Some things happen for a reason."

Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes, "Fine, if you won't believe my word for it I'll show you." He turned around and started walking on the cat walk. He didn't stop until he reached the other side where white butterflies were resting on flowers. Hawkmoth went straight towards the white tube standing in the middle of the garden like plat form. "Come on Ladybug, I'll tell you what my wish is," He looked at Chat Noir who was still standing behind Ladybug. "The cat can come along too."

Chat hesitated, looking at Ladybug. She nodded slowly and Chat walked over to where Ladybug was standing. Together they walked down the cat walk, towards where the other platform stood. Hawkmoth watched them attentively.

When they got there Hawkmoth pressed a button on the side of the sliver tube and the outside of it opened revealing a glass case and inside Emilie Agreste.

Ladybug held her hands in front of her mouth, shocked. Chat's eyes grew, first with pain then with anger. He turned towards Hawkmoth, his hand stretched out, the cataclysm still in it but Ladybug held him back. She grabbed his arm gently and he dropped it. However, his eyes stayed on Hawkmoth, full of fury.

"What did you do to her!?" He shouted at him.

Hawkmoth remained quiet and kept looking at Emilie. He then looked up and started explaining.

"This is my wife Emilie. From your expressions I can tell that you know her." Hawkmoth looked pointedly at Chat Noir, "You ask what I did to her? Nothing." He looked thoughtfully over to the stained glass window.

"You see, her family owned this book. They had it in their possession for almost a century. They used it as a story book, using the pictures as ideas and they just ignored the weird writing that they couldn't decipher. They had no idea of its value!" His voice turned angry, "They thought it was nothing, just a fantasy book which they could use to entertain their children!" He took a breath, "But I knew. I knew what we could learn of this book. Of the powerful objects called miraculous!"

Ladybug started catching up, understanding what he was talking about. She let him continue, curious if his story now.

"So when Emilie showed it to me I told her, I told her of the wonders these objects could give us and I told her where I thought we could get one, a miraculous for ourselves. Imagine! Two people that weren't told anything about miraculouses, getting ones. We would be heroes! So we went to where I knew there used to be a monastery that held the miraculous boxes. We went to Tibet, telling our friends that we were going on a trip to Asia and them, being completely clueless, didn't think anything of it," He had started looking excited, eagerness in his eyes. "When we got there we went to visit the site of where the monastery was and we found two miraculouses, of the main miraculous box. The butterfly miraculous and the the peacock miraculous," He smiled. "We were so happy. We went home and started experimenting with them. Everything was going perfectly," His face turned dark. "Then Emilie got sick. We thought it was nothing to worry about but she was always getting more faint and dizzy. One day I got up and after waiting downstairs for her to get up she never did. I went to check on her and she was liked this," He signed towards the tube. "It was never supposed to be like this, but since this is a problem made by a miraculous it is only to be solved by one."

Hawkmoth lunged towards Ladybug who was still looking at Emilie, thoughtful. But Chat Noir was faster, jumping in front of Hawkmoth and parrying his hit towards Ladybug. They started fighting again, more fiercely than ever. Ladybug shook out of her stance and started trying to help fighting Hawkmoth but Chat Noir shoved her out of the way.

Ladybug, surprised, looked at him, "Chat?" Her voice was so quiet she thought he might have not heard her.

He kept fighting, whether he didn't hear her or whether he was ignoring her, Ladybug didn't know.

Hawkmoth was making hits that were more dangerous but Chat Noir was fighting back harder than ever. They fought and they fought. Ladybug could tell that it was getting harder for Chat Noir to fight because of his injured arm.

Ladybug went to intervene. Even if Chat didn't want her help she knew he needed it. So, she walked over to where they were fighting, her yoyo spinning in her hand. She told him, "Let me help you, Chat."

"No!" Chat tried shoving her away again. He kept fighting Hawkmoth, and every now and then he would take a swipe with his hand that still held his Cataclysm.

"Chat! Stop!" Ladybug was shouting to him, "You don't want to hurt him!"

This caught Hawkmoth's attention, "Why wouldn't he want to hurt me? I've hurt so many people!"

"So you admit it!" Chat Noir lunged at Hawkmoth with his hand outstretched.

"Chat! Don't!" Ladybug threw her yoyo and caught Chat Noir, dragging him over to him.

"Ladybug! Why did you do that!" Chat was furious.

"Yes, why did you?" Hawkmoth intervened, "You keep trying to protect me from your overly angry cat. Not that I need it."

"Because…" Ladybug was stuttering, "Because-"

"Don't you tell him!" Chat shouted, "He doesn't need to know! And even if he did, he wouldn't care!"

"Wouldn't care about what?" Hawkmoth was getting more and more confused about their fight.

Then Alya, Chloé and Carapace were still watching the fight, also confused.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Alya pondered. "They must know something that no one else does."

Chloé and Carapace nodded slowly, not taking their eyes off the fight.

"Wait!" Chloé pointed at Chat Noir, "His ring! He's about to detransform!"

Just when she said it, Chat Noir's ring released its last warning beep and he started detransforming.

Hawkmoth seemed satisfied, as if that had been his plan all along and Ladybug looked at him worriedly.

Chat's eyes widened with panic and he looked at Ladybug pleading her for help with his eyes. Ladybug shakes her head gently.

When the detransformation was finished everyone but Ladybug gasped.

Hawkmoth looked the most shocked.

"Adrien?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Adrien turned two face him, "Yes it's me father," He started shouting, "You think all of this is worth it! Leaving me to mourn alone! I gave you your space because I thought you were grieving."

"But I wa-"

Adrien interrupted Hawkmoth and kept shouting, "I did everything you told me to do; Piano lessons, fencing lessons, chinese lessons, photoshoots. You didn't even let me go to school for most of my life because it was too "dangerous". Yeah, it's dangerous and I know why now. Because of you!"

Hawkmoth regained his ability to speak and started talking to Adrien.

"Can't you see I've done all of this for you?"

"For me?" Adrien sounded incredulous. "Hurting my friends and me for your selfish desires, is for me?!"

"You know it's the only way!"

"Well if that's the only way," Adrien responded, "Then don't do it!"

"But don't you want her back? Don't you miss her?" Hawkmoth asked him gently.

"Of course I miss her! But that doesn't mean I would hurt people just to get her back!"

"But Adrien," Hawkmoth continued, "Give me your miraculous now and if your friend gives me her earrings we can bring her back and it won't hurt anyone."

While Hawkmoth was talking, Adrien looked at his ring and fiddled with it.

Plagg looked up at Adrien, "You can't!"

Adrien turned to him, "Why can't I?! I haven't had a real family for half of my life! In this way, everything could be okay again!"

"Kid…" Plagg looked at him sadly.

"Adrien…" While the two had been arguing, Ladybug had walked towards Adrien. She now looked at him gently. "You know that if we make a wish there's always a price to pay. If we bring Emilie back to life someone else would have to d-die…"

Ladybug gently turned him by the shoulder and gave him a hug. She stroked his back as he started sobbing, hugging her tight.

She whispered quietly to him, "I'm sorry Chaton."

The three heroes inside the bubble were looking at each other, shocked.

Nino was giving furious glares at Hawkmoth. "How dare he…" He was so angry he couldn't even finish his sentence.

Alya was holding her hand in front of her mouth. The shock of Chat Noir revealing his identity was starting to wear off and she started calculating.

"Wait… If Chat Noir is Adrien and Chat Noir and Ladybug are dating… If Adrien isn't a cheater, which he would never be, Ladybug is- Ladybug is-"

"Marinette!"

Chloé held her hand on her mouth. She hoped Hawkmoth hadn't heard her, though he probably already knows…

Hawkmoth stared at the hugging heroes.

"You can't be serious Adrien," Hawkmoth looked at him. "You can't trust what she says! She's probably just saying that because she doesn't care about your happiness!"

"Don't you dare say that!"

It was Ladybug's turn to be indignant. She ran towards him, her spinning yoyo in front of her. He fought back with his cane. She jumped out of his way and shouted, "Lucky charm!"

Into her hand fell a familiar red and black polka dotted box. Ladybug frowned at it, since it was the exact same lucky charm as the when they had to defeat Scarlet Moth. She then looked up at Hawkmoth and expectantly held out the box.

"You want me to give you my miraculous?"

Ladybug looked at him incredulously. "Obviously. We've already got the peacock miraculous and now it's your turn to give us the butterfly miraculous."

Hawkmoth looked around, almost nervous from the all glares angled at him. He searched until he found Adrien who was crouching on the floor, his expression was a mixture between sorrow and anger. The gash on his arm that Hawkmoth had previously made was still bleeding and his shirt was turning red from the blood.

"I-I…" Hawkmoth wasn't sure what to say.

Ladybug kept her glare on him. Hawkmoth looked down, defeated. He placed his hand and slowly lifted his hand to where the butterfly pin was. He closed his eyes and-

"Ladybug watch out!" Nathalie had shouted to the heroine, pointing towards Hawkmoth's hand which was behind his back.

Ladybug saw this and used her yoyo to grab his hand, pulling it forwards revealing that he was holding his blade. Ladybug kept his arm extended and carefully walked forwards grabbing the sword from his hand.

Defenseless, Hawkmoth slowly started walking backwards as Ladybug kept walking closer to him. When Hawkmoth reached the railing behind him Ladybug swung her yoyo and, using it, ripped the butterfly pin off his chest. There was a purple flash and then there was just Gabriel Agreste.

Adrien let out a sob.

"Nooroo!" Plagg had seen him and waved to him, not wanting to leave Adrien.

Nooroo waved back and was greeted by Pollen, Trixx and Wayzz from the now three detransformed heroes who were also slowly walking across the cat walk to the other platform where they were standing.

Ladybug placed the butterfly miraculous inside the box and placed that inside her yoyo. She also walked over to Chloé who handed her the peacock miraculous.

Nino had walked over to where Adrien was sitting, a few tears falling down his cheeks. Nino hugged his best friend as he cried. Alya and Chloé walked over to Ladybug.

"So, what do we do with them?" Alya whispered to Ladybug.

"I'm not sure," Ladybug whispered back, "Should we bring him to the police station? What would the charges be against him?"

"Well first of all," Chloé spoke up, "He has been mentally harming everyone in Paris, making them suppress their feelings. And now, he basically just abused his son, considering the fact that he is Gabriel Agreste and he hurt Chat Noir who is Adrien. Also, he didn't just hurt Adrien but he also hurt us so I'm pretty sure that's enough to send him to jail for a while," She took a breath, "I'm not sure about Nathalie though. I mean she was assisting him a lot but she has helped us. Without her, you might be have been very hurt."

Ladybug slowly nodded along with what Chloé was saying while Alya looked at her, stunned.

"How do you know all that?" Alya was gaping at her.

Chloé looked at her. "Well, I am very interested in being a lawyer so I should know about this stuff."

"O-ok…"

Ladybug smiled at them, "Alright you guys, I've got some food for your kwamis," She reached into her yoyo and took out three cookies and a piece of Camembert which she threw to Plagg who caught it and ate it immediately. The other three kwamis came to get the cookies from Ladybug.

"Are you ready?" Ladybug looked at Alya, Chloé and Nino, who had stood up and walked over to them.

"Yes," They said together.

The three heroes transformed. Alya and Chloé went over to where Gabriel was standing and grabbed him. They brought him over to where the elevator tube was and went up together.

Meanwhile, Ladybug walked over to Nathalie and talked to her.

"What did you know about Hawkmoth?"

"Well," Nathalie answered, "I knew who he was and I knew why he was doing all this. I wanted to help him because I knew it would mean that Emilie came back. Emilie was my best friend and I could tell how much her absence affected Gabriel. But mainly it was because I saw how much Adrien missed her. If it would mean making them happy I would do anything."

Ladybug nodded along to what she was saying. "Would you come to court as a witness? I mean, we know that Mr. Agreste will have to be set in a trial. It would be really helpful if you could help us."

Nathalie looked at her sadly, then looked at Adrien who was slowly starting to get up with Nino's help. She looked up at Ladybug and whispered, "Of course I'll help."

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A/N: Well they defeated them didn't they? Good thing or bad thing?

I'm really excited for the summer holidays (in one week) since I can travel again! Are you guys going anywhere?

I'll make sure that just because I'm traveling the chapters won't take forever to upload. See you next chapter!