To Lyger 0: Not in the legend I know. The original legend involves Saint Martha.

To Guest: Or at least a saint, lol!

"Think we can do it?"

Águila Altíssimo glanced down and raised an eyebrow, humming contemplatively. He and Lupa Gris had taken a few moments together in the peace of the grotto while the rest of the American Miraculous team gathered in the main part of the cavern, alongside their allies from Brazil, Panama, and Mexico. The Heroes of Paris, along with those who had come from Portugal, England, Germany, Russia, and Japan, had collected on the main level of the Mansion, with the United Heroes on their own in the atelier. They hadn't seen the Lynchpin-ions since the planning meeting had broken up, but the Prior had assured them that the Lynchpin-ions would be in place as soon as the Tarasque moved. As it was, Pegasus' drones were flying around the Tarasque's head almost constantly, taking readings and monitoring its activity. But it still had yet to act. And no one knew what to make of that.

As far as Águila Altíssimo was concerned, that just meant a little more time for them to prepare for the struggle ahead.

Águila Altíssimo placed his hand on Lupa Gris's opposite shoulder and pulled her into a hug, resting his other hand on her baby bump. The baby kicked back, and he smiled. "This little guy sure thinks we can!"

Lupa Gris chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder, and placed one of her hands over his. "He's going to be a fighter, just like his father."

"That he will," Águila Altíssimo agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Him and Marco together – the two of them could easily take over the world!"

Lupa Gris quirked an eyebrow. "Marco could do that on his own right now!"

Águila Altíssimo laughed, nodding in concession. "I hope that Geoff and Garcelle can keep up with him!"

"I hope that he calms down a little before the baby arrives," she replied. "It won't be fun having to chase two overactive toddlers around the Temple."

Águila Altíssimo shrugged. "We'll figure it out," he assured her, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Together, we can accomplish just about anything."

"Even parenting?"

"Even parenting."

Lupa Gris let out a breath, an uneasy smile on her lips. "You know," she began, "the two of us should have a leg up when it comes to fighting this Tarasque monster. After all, we already have experience wrangling a troublemaker of mythical proportions!"

Águila Altíssimo smiled, holding her close and running his fingers through her hair. When he had arrived at the American Miraculous Temple, he had thought himself to be all alone in the world. Even after his first couple years there, he still had struggled to open up, to allow others in. but Julia had been the exception, the only one he could get close to other than Atsaa. Through her, he had become close with the rest of their team, but she would always be his closest friend, his guiding light, the one who owned his heart. And if he had to fight a monster ripped from the pages of mythology, there was no one else he would want at his side.

The baby kicked again, harder this time.

He grimaced. Although maybe not under the circumstances.

Lupa Gris let out a heavy sigh. "I tried calling Joey again," she told him quietly. "His people have been watching the news, so they do know what's happening."

"Are they going to come and help?"

Lupa Gris pursed her lips. "I don't know." Her shoulders slumped. "It sounded like he wanted to… but if Ladybug isn't going to at least try to meet him halfway…"

"Yeah." Águila Altíssimo frowned. After everything that had happened, he couldn't exactly blame Joey for being upset with Ladybug. If she had yelled at him like that when they had first met, perhaps he, also, would have turned his back on her and this whole team-up idea. But here they were, standing in the Heroes of Paris Headquarters – standing with them. Whatever today brought, they were in it for the long haul.

Lupa Gris shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

Águila Altíssimo eyed her with concern. "Do you need to sit down, mi amor?"

She furrowed her brows momentarily but shook her head. "I'm okay. Though I'll be glad when this little one is finally born."

He hummed, hugging her tightly. "I still think it would be best if you stay back here where it's safe, to make sure that the little one has a chance to be born."

Lupa Gris pulled away and glared at him. "I've told you: I need to be close to the action. You are not going to hide me away, just because I'm pregnant! It's not like I can do any good back here – Pegasus and Impératrice Pourpre and Doorman can operate just fine from here, but I need to be near the other miraculous users if they're going to benefit from my Howl." Águila Altíssimo opened his mouth to argue, and she placed a finger over his lips. "I won't be reckless, and I will stay where I'm safe. But I will at least be close enough to give you a boost if you need it."

Águila Altíssimo chuckled. "You do that just by being you," he told her, taking her gloved hands in his and holding them up to his lips. "Just knowing I'm coming home to you boosts me!"

She gave him a deadpan look. "Flattery won't change my mind on this."

He swallowed hard, his stomach clenching. "If I could change your mind, you wouldn't be the woman I love," he admitted. "But if anything happens, you are going to protect yourself and our hijo, and get yourself to safety." He pressed a kiss to her lips. "I cannot lose you, mi amor."

Holding the kiss for a moment longer, she pulled away, sighed heavily, and nodded. "But the same goes for you, too," she warned him, eyes narrowed fiercely. "I'm not doing the single parent thing!"

"Of course," he assured her, pulling her into a tight hug, awkward though the baby made it, inhaling the scent of her hair and drawing strength and confidence from that. Finally, he took her hand to lead her out of the grotto, where the rest of their team was waiting for them in the butterfly garden with Os Guardas, Los Héroes de Panamá, and Las Heroínas. Dan and Onça Feroz stood near the front of the group, in the middle of a conversation with O Brasileiro, Caridad, and Estrella, but they stopped talking and turned to look as Águila Altíssimo and Lupa Gris appeared. Águila Altíssimo grinned. "With all of these fine heroes backing us up, that Monster will stand no chance against us!"

Lupa Gris raised an eyebrow and squeezed his hand before clearing her throat. Águila Altíssimo's jaw clenched: he had never been good at public speaking; that had always been Julia's thing. But it's what was expected of them. Upstairs, Ladybug would be doing the same thing for the Heroes of Paris and their European allies. "We only have a few minutes," Lupa Gris told the others. "We don't know how this fight is going to go, but I know that if we work together and trust each other, we can stop this thing and protect our friends in Paris. The poison that this Monster is spewing from its mouth, we've seen what it can do. And it doesn't look like it's going to stop as long as the Tarasque is still alive. If we don't stop it here and now, who knows when the poison will spread across the Ocean to our own homes, just as it is in Paris? The most important thing for us to do is to look out for each other and look out for the civilians of Paris. The police are clearing the area out, but not everyone has evacuated yet, and we still don't know where the Tarasque will go. Stick together, and pay attention to your team leaders."

Águila Altíssimo nodded. "We have four things we're trying to do. Keeping civilians out of the way is our number one priority –Dan's group, plus Os Guardas and Las Heroínas are responsible for that."

Caridad let out a breath, exuding a calm aura. "I am gratified that that is our primary objective."

Águila Altíssimo nodded to her and turned to Espina. "I will get you and Halomá to a perch close to the Tarasque. Target the weak spots. If we are going to separate the Beasts again, that's the way we're going to do it. To do so, we need to stop the Tarasque in place – Alpac-Man, Perez-Oso, that's where you come in. We're going to have to try everything, and see what works. Even though Alpack-ify didn't work on the Lion alone, maybe with everything else we're throwing at it, it will do something now. Last up, everyone who can fly – Estrella, Sabianjeira – you're with me and Coyotemaria. We need to keep the Tarasque distracted until the group on the ground is able to immobilize it."

Lupa Gris squeezed his hand. "I know that no one really expected to be here, fighting a mythological monster in Europe, but these are our friends, and they need our help. Stick together, and we can get through this."

As she finished speaking, Doorman stuck his head out the lab door on the far side of the floor. "Everyone else is moving into position," he called. "Are you ready?"

Lupa Gris shared a look with Águila Altíssimo and nodded. "I guess it's time."

Águila Altíssimo looked around the room at all the assembled heroes. Most were members of his own team, many of whom he had helped to recruit and train: Ayilon, Waktiman, Sombra, Coquette, Fin… Others had been part of the team almost as long as he had: Sunnguvuk, Velocimonio, Coyotemaria… And then there were those like Espina who had helped to train him. All of them were here because of him – because of him and Julia and the decision they had made to throw in with the Heroes of Paris. All of their teammates trusted them to guide and lead.

Interspersed among the miraculous heroes were their new allies, who had jumped at the opportunity to work with the American Miraculous Team and hadn't hesitated to follow them to Paris. Even just a year ago, the idea of teaming up with non-miraculous users had seemed almost laughable. The United Heroez, after all, rarely cooperated with the American Miraculous Team. But now? After seeing the Heroes of Paris – miraculous and non-miraculous heroes all working together – he was grateful for whatever circumstance had brought these people together to help him and his team.

While everyone else made their way through the shimmering pink doorway that Doorman had opened, Águila Altíssimo grabbed Dan's shoulder and pulled him off to the side. Dan cocked his head in surprise. "Can I trust you?" Águila Altíssimo asked.

Dan furrowed his brows. "Of course."

"Keep an eye on Julia, will you?" Águila Altíssimo let out a breath. "Make sure she stays safe."

Dan clasped him by the forearm and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "I will."