A/N: I apologize for the long delay in posting. Between real life and the fact that I'm finally having to move past the original outline (that is, the original one-shot story), I've had difficulty writing. I don't see this story being much longer, though.

Chapter 9

While Ladybug and the rest of the Miraculous heroes were on stage fielding questions from the audience, Chat Noir excused himself to the green room to meet with Hawkmoth. This was certainly a strange situation. And if his hunch about who Hawkmoth is was correct… Chat didn't want to think about it.

As Hawkmoth followed Chat Noir into the green room, he suddenly held out his hand.

"Take this. I want to show you and Ladybug that I'm serious, and if everything you've said is correct then I don't need it any more."

Stunned, Chat took the peacock miraculous from Hawkmoth's outstretched hand. Looking closely at the hopefully soon-to-be-former villain, he said, "You know that by letting us examine your wife, your identity will be revealed."

"That doesn't matter. All I care about is my family." The purple-suited man looked deep into Chat Noir's eyes. "I just want my family to be whole. Emilie was my heart, and without her I don't… I don't know how to live any more." Blinking a tear from his eye he continued, "And my son needs his mother."

Taking a chance, Chat said, "And his father." At Hawkmoth's questioning look, Chat continued. "I'm going to take a wild guess here that while you've been terrorizing Paris with your akumas, you've pretty much ignored your son."

"Not at all."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely. In fact, I know where he is supposed to be at all times." Though now that he thought about it, Adrien does have a tendency to sneak out…

"Do you keep him isolated from the world?"

"I'm protecting him from the world!"

"Is he so overscheduled he can rarely do normal childhood things like go to a movie, or hang out with his friends? What about study dates or sleepovers, can he do those?"

"He has responsibilities."

"And with all of these responsibilities, can he be human? Let me ask you this, Hawkmoth… when was the last time you did anything together, just the two of you… without your son prompting it first?"

"I… I… oh, god, I have been neglecting him." Hawkmoth was stunned at the revelation. "Adrien," he whispered as he hung his head.

Now Chat Noir was almost certain who the supervillain was. Even if he was wrong, speaking his mind like this is something he'd wanted to do for a long time. So he continued. "You need to remember that he lost his mother at the same time you lost your wife. He needed you to support him, not ignore him. He needed you to grieve with him, or if she didn't disappear or die then to explain to him what the hell happened to her! Do you know how hard it is to feel like you've lost both parents when one of them is still around, though you never see him unless he's criticizing you?" Adrien realized he had started to yell, and had to take several breaths to calm down.

"Sorry, this is hitting a little close to home. And I really shouldn't say any more. Secret identities and all that." After calming down, he pasted on his model-worthy stoic face and continued. "So, Hawkmoth, where and when do you want to meet us so we can examine your wife's magical coma?"

"As the address will give away my identity, I ask that you keep it confidential - at least until you've examined her."

"That can probably happen. Ladybug will definitely need to know, though if you like I'll try to keep the knowledge from the other heroes."

"The fewer people who know, the better. I want my son as far away from this as possible."

"He may not have a choice." Chat muttered. Gathering his courage once more, he asked, "The address?"

"Agreste manor. You know where that is, I assume?"

Chat Noir's eyes started tearing up. With a hitch in his voice, he answered the supervillain. "Intimately… Father."

"Adrien?!" Chat nodded. "No. Oh, no, no, no! Oh, son. I wanted to keep you as far away from this mess as possible, and I've been fighting you this whole time?" Gabriel thought about some of the things he'd done to Chat Noir and paled.

Sniffing, Adrien continued. "I thought I heard you whisper my name when Ladybug mentioned you might lose a family member. I was hoping I was wrong. I don't know whether to cry, or scream, or laugh at the irony. Maybe all of it at once." Drying his tears, he asked the question that had been burning in his mind ever since he suspected Hawkmoth's identity. "Is confronting Ladybug and I today the only reason you came with me to the convention?"

"While requesting Ladybug's help was my main reason for deciding to attend, I must admit that I've been having fun with my son today. I saw him in a new light, and have enjoyed getting to know the young man he's become a little better. I just hope he can forgive me."

Adrien suddenly hugged his father. "Me, too."

The two masked individuals didn't know how long they'd been like that before they heard a feminine voice say, "Well, this is unexpected."