Princess Justice blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. "I beg your pardon?" she asked, not sure if she had heard him correctly. She knew he was in love with Ladybug, but to ask such a question at a time like this? It was utterly insane.

"Do you love me?" Cat Noir asked. His green eyes gleamed. "You can't tell a lie, so now I'll know for certain."

"Why would I have lied to you before?" Princess Justice shook her head. "I'm not in the habit of lying all the time, unlike Lila."

Cat Noir shrugged and smirked. "If you weren't lying, then you won't mind answering the question." He tilted his head, seeming a lot like a cat, though she supposed that was the point.

"Well, of course I—" Princess Justice started, but the words caught in her throat. "I don't—" she tried again, but found herself unable to finish the sentence.

"You don't what?" Cat Noir asked, an eyebrow raised as he waited for her response. His lips were frozen in a half smirk as if he was scared of how she would answer.

Princess Justice stared at the floor, her eyes wide as her stomach churned within her. Why couldn't she say she didn't love him? Of course she knew why—it was a lie. But when had it become a lie? How could she not have known she was lying to herself?

"I do love you," she whispered, and the words stung worse than she could ever admit. They flowed from her throat easily, confirming her worst fears. They were the truth.

"Sorry, what did you just say?" Cat Noir asked, looking just as shocked as she was.

"I love you, okay?" Princess Justice clenched her fist. "I didn't know it—but it must be true." She stared out over the city, almost on the verge of tears.

Cat Noir grabbed at her hands, but she retreated from him, not ready to face reality. "It's not important." She shook her head. "We need to take care of Hawk Moth."

Cat Noir stared at her with narrowed eyes, and for a moment Princess Justice was afraid he would press the issue, but he straightened and smiled instead. "Okay, Princess. We'll talk about it later." He scratched his head and perched on the railing, the breeze lifting his blond hair from his forehead.

Princess Justice breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he did have some self restraint. "Did you hear the plan?" she asked, her heart beginning to slow its rhythm.

"I did. I always listen when you speak," he said, his tail twitching.

She pursed her lips, wishing for once he would stop flirting. How could she love him when she found him so annoying? "Good. Any questions?"

"Just one." He jumped off the railing and gripped his miraculous, the flirting gleam in his eyes now turned cold. "Who is Hawk Moth?"

Smiling, Princess Justice nodded in approval. This was the sort of attitude she needed from her partner. "Gabriel Agreste."

Cat Noir's mouth gaped open, and he stumbled backward as if shot.

"I know, it surprised me too." She shrugged. "Apparently Lila was working with him to drive me away from Adrien, his son." She scowled and clenched her fists at the thought of the blond-haired model. It was horrible that his father has stooped so low.

"Adrien," Cat Noir mumbled. "I can't believe . . ." He turned his head away, but not before Princess Justice saw the tears glinting in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked, unsure as to why he would be so upset. But then again, she didn't understand anything Cat did.

"But why?" Cat Noir gasped, his hands clenching the railing tightly. "Why would he want to drive you away from me?"

"I don't know, but that's why Lila lied—" Princess Justice stopped, her mind finally processing what he had said. "Sorry, what?"

"This whole time, I was fighting my father?" Cat Noir's body began to shake, and rage crept into his tone. "But why? He has everything he could've ever wanted. Why does he want our miraculouses?"

Princess Justice's mouth popped open. "Wait . . . Adrien?" She shook her head, not willing to admit what had been staring her in the face for months.

Cat Noir looked at her, and she saw he was crying. "My own father," he mumbled. "I don't understand . . ." He shook his head and curved his back, as if trying to keep himself from exploding.

Princess Justice stared at his back, which shook violently. Was that why she couldn't say that she didn't love him? Was it truly because, underneath that mask, he was Adrien? But that didn't make much sense, because she hadn't known he was Adrien.

She didn't want to think about what that might mean.

"Adrien, it's not your fault," she said, taking his hand. She had been worried how Adrien would respond when he found out his father was Hawk Moth, but she hadn't realized he was Cat Noir. If she had known, she would've done things differently.

"Oh, I know," Cat Noir snarled under his breath. "But his downfall will be my doing."

"What do you mean?" Princess Justice's eyebrows raised, but she kept a hold of his hand.

Cat Noir slammed his hand against the rail, causing it to shake like mad. "When we find him, I will make him pay for everything he's done to me, to you, and to Paris." He gritted his teeth, his tail trashing furiously. "And best of all, I'll find out why."

Princess Justice sighed and pulled Cat Noir close to her, and he faced her at the movement, his face red from his anger and his cat ears flat against his skull.

"I'm sorry, Adrien. I didn't mean for you to find out this way." Princess Justice stared at him for a moment until his eyes finally met hers. "For what it's worth, I do love you, the real you." She poked him in the chest. "I always have."

"You mean . . . the guy you were in love with was me? Adrien?" Cat Noir's eyes widened, and his tail stilled as his ears perked. He wasn't thinking about his father anymore. Good.

Princess Justice nodded and smiled softly. "Who knew you were right in front of me the entire time." She leaned forward, and his lips opened with shock.

"Wow," he whispered before he closed his eyes and leaned forward.

Right before their lips met, Princess Justice paused, fighting tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered before she slipped his miraculous off his finger and darted back, watching as Cat Noir de-transformed into Adrien Agreste before her eyes.

Adrien looked down at his hands in confusion before lurching toward Princess Justice, but she jumped backward to avoid him. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "Give me back my miraculous!"

"I'm sorry, I can't do that." Princess Justice placed the ring over her finger instead. "You aren't thinking clearly."

"Of course I'm not thinking clearly." Adrien clenched his fists. "I need to face my father; why would you deny me that?"

"Because, Adrien, in the past your rash decisions have put us both in danger." Princess Justice hated to admit it, but it was true. "I don't want you to get hurt. You can face your father after I take his miraculous."

"Mari, don't do this," Adrien warned. "The power of all those miraculouses will be too much! You need me." He held out his hand.

"I do need you, Adrien," Princess Justice admitted. "But you're too important to me to risk."

Adrien started forward again, but Princess Justice opened her mouth and shouted, "Plagg, Tikki, Trixx, Wayzz, unify!"

The power of the miraculouses swelled over her, and Princess Justice screamed.