"I'm not sure how to start this meeting." Max admitted once the team had met back up at headquarters. "That was..unexpected."

"So whoever has the butterfly and whoever has the peacock are probably not the same person." Myléne stated, feeding Mullo a cheese cube as she spoke.

"I think that's safe to assume, but if that's the case, then I think we might have a new ally. That sentimonster definitely came to help us."

"Or whoever has the peacock just hates Lila." Alix looked up from the book she was reading and Fluff peeked over the spine to look at the other holders.

"That could be anybody." Kim pointed out with a laugh. "She lost a lot of friends after lycèe."

"Do you think we should try to contact the new peacock holder? See if they'll join the team?" Adrien asked from his spot next to Marinette, his hand clasped in hers. At his words, Marinette ripped her hand from his.

"No! We definitely should not do that. We'd..we'd be exposing ourselves. They could trap us, catch us unaware..or or-"

"Well obviously we'd meet as our hero selves and only reveal once we were sure of everything." Adrien frowned, eyebrows knitting together. He had figured Marinette was just feeling guilty about not recovering the peacock when they defeated Monarch, but now he wasn't so sure. "Is something wrong, M'lady?"

"I think I need to step out." Marinette stood and crossed to the door, letting herself out into the hallway. When the door clicked shut behind her, Nino leaned over the table on his elbows as he eyed his girlfriend.

"Something is definitely up with her. Any ideas?"

"Not really." Alya frowned. "I don't know if she's just feeling guilty or nervous or what..but she's been so off lately." They glanced across the table at Adrien who was staring at his now empty hand as if it'd bitten him.

"He doesn't know either." Nino mused. "You don't think she's shutting down again, do you?"

"I hope not." Alya fought to keep those bad memories of Marinette out of her head. "She's seeing Myléne now. She's been better. Still distant and security obsessed, but better. Especially this past week. I'd hate to see it all go down the drain."

"I think I'm going to go check on Marinette." Adrien suddenly stood, disappearing out into the hall almost as quickly as Marinette had.

"Do you think we upset him?" Alya frowned, watching as the door swung closed.

"I hope not. But even if we did, it's the truth. Marinette spiraled after Monarch was defeated. She didn't eat for weeks after Amelie and Natalie turned up dead. She was constantly up in Max's office tied to those security cameras, not sleeping..I mean, she tried to kill herself, Alya. If she's shutting down again someone needs to be talking about it, to keep an eye on her..I know it's harder for him. He was there when it happened and he caught her, I get it. But he has to realize that Marinette is sick and she needs our help. We can't just ignore it. She's..she's.." His voice cracked a bit on his last word and Alya gently reached across the table to take his hand.

"I know what you mean. We'll figure it out. We'll help her. We also do."

———

Adrien glanced down at the lower floor, scanning the rooms around him as he descended the staircase. Had Marinette decided to leave? He had just made it to the bottom of the staircase when he heard her.

"Marinette?" He called out to the sobbing woman as he pinpointed which room the sound was coming from. "It's just me. Can I come in?" Marinette went silent for a moment before she murmured her consent. Swinging the door open, Adrien found Marinette curled up in a bean bag, knees up to her chest as she shook with the tears. "Marinette, I-" Adrien sighed, rubbing his face in frustration. "I don't know how to help you. I want to help you. But I feel like you're pushing us all away again. And I don't want that to happen. Not now. Not after this week. Not after my confession and our kiss..I can't..please, just tell me what's bothering you so I can fix it."

"You can't fix it." Marinette answered with a whimper. "You can't fix me."

"Oh, Marinette, my love." Adrien bent down next to her and gently brushed her hair out of her face. "You don't need to be fixed. The only thing that needs to be fixed is whatever is making you cry right now. Whatever's making you pull away, in battle and in team meetings. That's what I want to fix. Not you. Not ever you."

"But it is me. You don't understand, Adrien. I have to tell you something. I should have told you a long time ago but I-"

Adrien's phone interrupted her sentence and Marinette ground her words to a halt at her parent's wince.

"Sorry." Looking down at the phone and checking the caller ID, his facial features pinched into a frown. Why would he be calling now? He never called. "Sorry, Bug. But I should probably take this. I'm not sure what it's about but could be important. You mind?"

"No. No. It's fine." Marinette waved him off.

"You sure? What about-"

"No big deal. I'll tell you another time." Marinette took a deep breath and tried to shake off the jittery feeling as Adrien stood, pressing the phone to his ear.

"What is it, Felix?"

Marinette's blood ran cold.

———

"Cousin." Felix answered as he collected his bag from the baggage claim. "I'm in Paris and I require a meeting with you."

"Oh, uh- okay?" Shuffling and a quick 'I'll see you later' could be heard from Adrien's side of the call and Felix frowned.

"Have I called at a bad time? Who is there with you?" Felix began his trek towards the exit, brisk steps guiding him there much faster than those around him.

"Just Marinette. She's left now. It's not a problem, I'll catch back up with her later. Why a meeting?"

"Hm." Felix stepped out onto the street and glanced around with a searching gaze. Marinette; Someone else he would have to speak with. "It's too much to discuss over the phone, really. Meet me at that café mother took us to when we visited in our last year of lycée? The one with the private rooms. Twenty minutes." Felix ended the call and headed toward the cafe, briefcase in hand.

Was he ready to ruin Adrien's life? Any other day for any other reason he would've said yes, but this..it was so much bigger than family rivalry. And if Adrien didn't believe him-

"Voi Ei!" A voice apologized as a body bumped into his, knocking the briefcase out of his hand. Felix righted himself, hands instinctively going out to stop the other person from falling into him. "I'm so sorry!" The voice apologized again, this time in French as small hands hurried to collect the case from the ground and offer it back to him. Felix glanced at the girl, barely registering her dark black hair and brown almond shaped eyes as he took the case from her.

"Thanks."

"I'm so sorry, it was an, how do you say it? My steps were not meant to meet yours?"

"An accident." Felix supplied as Adrien came around the corner.

"I'm sorry. My French isn't very good. I'm new here" The girl glanced to Felix's side as Adrien approached, curiosity written across his features.

"You're fine. I'm fine. It's fine." Felix brushed her off, turning to his cousin. "I see you made it on time." Turning back to the girl, Felix gave a curt nod before disappearing into the cafe. Adrien followed with a smirk.

"She was cute."

"I didn't notice." Felix paused. "And I thought you were with Marinette."

"I am. At least, I think I am. But I meant she'd be cute with you."

"I came to discuss important things with you, not women."

"Don't ever let Alya hear you say that. She'll kill you."

Felix rolled his eyes. This was going to take a lot longer than he had hoped.

———

"I want to talk. About what happened..with Strike Back." Felix began, fingers clutching his metal straw as he slid it into his drink.

"What about it?" Adrien asked, jaw unconsciously clenching.

"First of all, I should say that I know that you're Chat Noir."

"What!" Adrien nearly spat out his drink but hurried to choke it all down, coughing as he tried to wrap his brain around those words.

"I've known since collége. You needed to know that I know in order for us to have this conversation. Look, what I did back then, tricking Ladybug..I had a good reason, okay?"

"What reason could you possible have-"

"I apologize for working with Gabriel, but I had to have the peacock miraculous." Felix took a sip of his drink and sighed, he was already developing a headache.

"You needed it so badly that you worked with a terrorist for it." Adrien spat, anger building. "You risked all of our lives. You risked my father getting ahold of my miraculous…or ladybugs. You risked the entire world. For what? Power?"

"I knew you and Ladybug could handle it. It was a risk, but I had to know I was safe. I had to know you were safe."

"What are you talking about, Felix? If you aren't just going to come right out and say it I might as well leave." Adrien stood and began to gather his things, anger sitting painfully in his chest. Felix had ruined everything. He'd been selfish and now he was trying to lie to gain his favor and-

"Adrien!" Felix called, his voice sharp. "I had to make sure he couldn't control us any longer. You don't understand."

"I'm sick and tired of being told I don't understand when no one will take the time to even inform me in the first place! What Felix? What don't I understand? What rational could you possible have that would make one of the worst moments of my, and my partner's, lives any better? Any less of a crime-"

"We're both Sentimonsters, Adrien. I did what I had to in order to keep us both out of his control."

———

Myléne walked into her office that night, bleary eyed but determined to finish her paperwork for the week so that her anniversary would be distraction free. Swinging the door open and stepping into the dark room, the small woman nearly had a heart attack when she saw the figure lying on her office floor.

"Marinette?" Myléne asked, worry compounding as she flipped the switch on the wall. Light flooded the room and Marinette groaned from her spot on the floor, body shaking from the cold. "Marinette, what are you doing here? Where's your purse? Where's Tikki?"

"I'm over here." Tikki whimpered from the desk, tiny body curled in a ball. "I wanted to come get you but I was too afraid to leave her in case…"

"Don't worry, Tikki. She's safe now." Myléne assured. "Marinette?" The girl was silent. "Has she been responsive? Is she injured?"

"Occasionally. No, she's..she's okay."

"Don't worry. She's gonna be alright." Myléne slipped into the floor next to Marinette and gently began patting her back. "Marinette, can you tell me your 5 W's and an H?"

"What's the point?" Marinette murmured through the carpet. "I'm..I'm going to die anyway."

"No you're not. You're going to be just fine. You're safe here."

"Even if I'm a criminal?" Marinette countered, face still buried into the carpet.

"You know my policy." Myléne assured. "Everything here is confidential unless you or others are in danger."

"I'm a danger." Marinette groaned, sobs building back up again.

"Marinette, take a breath. What's going on? Why are you here so late?"

"Oh, Myléne!" Marinette cried, looking up at her friend. "I didn't know where to go. I was afraid if I went home he'd find me and..I don't know what to do!"

"Who would find you? Marinette, are you in danger? Is someone looking for you?"

"I don't know. I don't know if he's coming for me..or the miraculous or Adrien…I'm scared. I'm so scared."

"Okay, I understand. It's okay to be scared. But I'm not sure I follow the situation. Can you start from the beginning? I want to help."

"I lied, Myléne. I didn't tell you the truth. I didn't tell anyone the truth. I- I'm going to-" Marinette almost immediately began to heave and Myléne hurried to grab the trash can, watching with sympathy as Marinette emptied the contents of her stomach into the can.

"Marinette, this is causing a spiral. Maybe we should focus on calm now and come back to the conversation once you've had some time to-"

"I don't have time!" Marinette cried, voice laced with panic as she stood. "Myléne, I have to tell you the truth. Before he comes for me..but you have to tell Adrien...you have to tell him."

"Tell him..?"

"That I'm sorry."

"For what, Marinette? You've done nothing wrong."

"I did it." Marinette confessed, hands shaking as she took a step for the door, ready to run. Myléne shifted, noting her friend's stance.

"Did what, Mari?"

"I killed Amelie Graham De Vanilly."

And then Marinette was gone, the door slammed shut behind her.