Chapter | Twelve

Paris wasn't always peaceful, it hadn't been for a few years since Hawkmoth appeared, but this was another level of chaos that an akuma couldn't cause if it tried. In fact there had been no sign of Hawkmoth for the past few days, and Alya knew why.

The night that Ladybug and Chat Noir started to trend throughout all social media platforms and news outlets, it brought all sorts of attention to them in the city. Alya knew she saw the CIA and FBI here. She knew that people would be drawn here, and suddenly Hawkmoth was not the biggest enemy. She could bet her miraculous that Hawkmoth was radio silent so no one could track him, and that this was scaring him too.

There was no doubt in her mind that the miraculous would be sought and seized at a moment's notice. It was a surprise to her when Paris was all over the news, because this whole time she assumed the world knew about Paris and the heroes. She took it as everyone in the world being more captivated by the Avengers and other world issues going on.

She was wrong.

Her first instinct had been to call Nino about this, but she couldn't. It had been a few rough weeks since he broke up with her, and a lot of things had happened since. She wasn't sure exactly when she noticed it, but things had shifted. Adrien was friends with Chloe now, and the two were strangely close. The class had become more mellowed out, and Lila had been quiet. No new story had been heard. Then there was Nino, who often kept too himself or visited the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

She was seeing more clearly now, and now she saw how much Nino was beating himself up being a bad friend. Alya knew she wasn't there for Marinette, and she knew she was a shitty friend. She could only imagine the self guilt Nino inflicted on himself. It was no excuse on her part though, she made her bad choices in believing the wrong person. She had to see the consequences through, and if this was her punishment by losing Nino- then it was her due to pay.

Still Alya couldn't help but stand in front of one of the local coffee shops to watch the news that was playing. She was still processing how the whole world knew now, and they were circling like vultures. Where was their Mayor? No officials were speaking publicly, and apparently the governments didn't want to talk to Andre Bourgeois at all. They were calling for Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"It's odd, isn't?"

Alya turned her head to look at Kagami, surprised that the fencer girl was even speaking to her. They never had anything in common to speak on, let alone a mutual friend besides Adrien. In that moment, Alya wasn't sure why Kagami was speaking to her and that made her go on edge.

"That the whole world is watching Paris?" Alya raised an eyebrow, "I guess at some point the truth comes out and people have to see it clearly."

Kagami never looked Alya's way, "Are you?"

"Am I what?" Alya asked, lips turning to frown.

"Seeing clearly." Kagami said it simply, as it were obvious. "Has the truth come out yet for you to see clearly?"

Alya took in a sharp breath, "What exactly are you getting at? Is this about Marinette and Lila?"

Kagami knew that things were changing, and that also meant people. She had already noticed the change in both Chloe and Adrien, how the two were thick as thieves. Chloe had honestly grown as a person, grown into someone who was trying to rectify her wrongs and make a change that was impactful. Adrien was less guilt ridden, seeming to have gotten his head out of his ass and was trying to make a change as well. He seemed to understand his wrongs, and how he was fixing it she wasn't sure.

Luka was changing as well, and Kagami worried about his path. Luka was always a happy go lucky type of guy, and after his recent akuma scene he was more reserved about his feelings. She also knew and understood that Luka was in love with Marinette, and as much as it hurt him she was smitten with someone else she knew he was also happy someone was there in Marinette's corner. Kagami fully believed he had been more hurt that Marinette just didn't let them in her corner, but she wouldn't expect Marinette to outright tell them the truth either. She hadn't been ready then, and probably still wasn't.

"Chloe and Adrien see the truth clearly like me and Luka. Nino is close, but are you?" Kagami hummed, taking a step back. "There's change in the air Alya, and it's coming fast. Open your eyes and see everything as a whole. Then maybe you'll stop hesitating to mend broken bonds."

Nino Laffie was a wild card, because he unsocialized with everyone who didn't Marinette dirty. His guilt nearly swallowed him whole, and every now and then when Kagami would leave fencing practice and walked past the Dupain-Cheng bakery she'd catch Nino helping the two in the middle of a rush. It was a redeemable action, one that Marinette would probably take to heart when it came to her parents.

Alya couldn't even get in a sentence as Kagami walked away, because quite frankly she didn't know what to say or what the hell Kagami was going on about. There was something there that agreed with Kagami, but it was like grasping at straws. It was there but out of reach, and only caused Alya to sigh at being lost.

She really needed to get her life back together.


Chloe knew her father dug a hole that he couldn't get himself out of, and she had front rows seats to watch him fall from grace. She honestly thought she knew her father, that she knew him better than anyone else but when she looked at him now all she saw was a stranger. She didn't know this man who cheated and let people pay him off. Andre was a fake, a face for the people he worked for. He kept them safe and out of jail, and in return they paid to keep him in office where no one else could touch him.

It was sickening, the fact that he allowed someone to pay him off to hide Paris. She knew deep down that the person who did that was Hawkmoth, because the reality of it was clear. If the world knew about Paris, Hawkmoth, Ladybug, Chat Noir and the miraculous before then they would have came rushing in with the Avengers. The very people who stopped an alien invasion could easily have defeated Hawkmoth.

Besides he was a man who hid in the shadows and created akumas through people going through it. With the help of advanced technology that these other people had surely it would have been simple to find Hawkmoth. This could all be over like that, and Chloe knew that scared whoever the hell Hawkmoth was.

Then there was Marinette.

Chloe and Adrien tried to talk about what they should do and say, where realistically it was what Chloe should do and say to her. They still weren't sure how Marinette would be towards Adrien, if there would be any steep indifference there. Chloe wasn't sure how Marinette would even react to Adrien being Chat Noir or that Chloe knew this beforehand. The last thing Chloe wanted was to drive a wedge in there slightly less fragile friendship that was barely building the trust up.

It didn't really make things better when a man named Thaddeus Ross was breathing down her father's neck to make a public statement and agree withe Sokovia Accords. Yet Chloe knew that Marinette, herself and Adrien would have to sign their names in agreement. Something told her they wouldn't take their hero personas names, and so that was off the table.

The general public was demanding a statement too, from Ladybug herself. Chloe wasn't sure how to feel about that, since Honey Bee and Chat Noir were here more the past few months. Yet she also understood that the citizens wanted answers. They wanted to know why Ladybug had left for a while, where the world wanted a statement and submissiveness to the governments. It was time to talk to Marinette, to get her to at least make a statement to the people of Paris.

Which led Chloe to this exact conversation she was having with Marinette.

"I know I need to do something, anything, but I don't know what to even say."

Chloe saw the defeated look in Marinette's eyes, the hint of sadness and knew there was more bothering Marinette than just this situation Tony Stark caused. It was a look Chloe used to see when Marinette messed up around Adrien in class. A sort of disappointed look, but not exactly.

"What else is bothering you Mari?"

Marinette took a deep breath, "I like it here in New York, enough that I want to stay."

It was news to Chloe that Marinette wanted to stay in America, but at the same time it wasn't a surprise to the blonde. Marinette got away from the bullshit here, she was living a dream career and also made new friends. Yet at the same time she left Chloe and unknowingly Adrien here to deal with everything, and a selfish part of Chloe whispered that it wasn't fair.

"You need to come back, even for an appearance for the press. They want to hear a statement from you, and that's probably because you haven't been here. The people are wondering where you went, asking if you abandoned the city. What if Thaddeus Ross has Tony Stark use technology that exposes our identities? Or if he sends the Avengers here to deal with us? You saw how they handled Wanda Maximoff after her incident in Lagos? They see potential threats with us Marinette!"

"Tony Stark won't do that." She was so sure that it caused Chloe to worry.

"What do you mean he won't? What makes you so sure?"

"He already knows my identity Bee... there's somethings I should have told you before hand in full." Marinette's blue eyes told Chloe all she needed to know, and that was no matter what Marinette would keep things to herself. Things big like whatever she was about to say, "I have been training here in New York, with a man name Stephen Strange who knows about the miraculous. It's because of him I met Tony Stark officially after this all blew up, and he has been sworn to secrecy. He doesn't know your and Chat's identities. We do however, now have a person that can look into those bank statements your father has and see who's behind them. We might finally have a lead."

Chloe could only hear Marinette, no believing that she was just okay with this all. There was no freaking out like she or Adrien were sure she would do. She wasn't a panicked mess, no Marinette was calm and collected.

"You know you have a team here Mari, that you aren't alone. I don't get why you make these choices without telling us first or even telling us at all. All these months you've been training with someone, who knows your identity and about the kwami's. Chat Noir and I have been here trying to keep up, but realistically we need you as well. Here at home."

"Why are you so upset Chloe?" Marinette questions softly, "We are a step closer to finishing this fight."

"Because Mari! You aren't the only one who was depressed or going through things!" Chloe said it before she could take it back, "I didn't mean it like that. You're just accepting this like it didn't happen, like the world doesn't know now of the miraculous. You're doing things without us, but come to us when you need help. You want to finish this so you can stay away from Paris right?"

"Then how did you mean it? I like it here, and I'm happy. I'm sorry if I make it about me, I never intended to do that." Marinette voice was soft, but her blue eyes were hard of no emotions and Chloe knew she struck a nerve, "I had a panic attack at Peter's house when I first found out, ran out on him because i can't tell him anything truthfully. I have been accepting this is happening because I can't just cure the issue away Chloe! At some point I have to start think about how a guardian would act to protect the kwami's. This is a contingency plan-"

"That you made without your team." Chloe cuts her off softly, "That's my point right there Mari. We aren't involved with nothing you do anymore, but I do know we are the ones here in Paris dealing with it all. I'm glad you're making friends and are happy, but I'm your friend too and we need help here."

Marinette only nodded her head, "You're right. I'll be there later on to give my statement."

"Mari-"

"No you're right, I'll be back in Paris later."

"Are you staying?" Chloe gently asked, feeling back at lashing out.

"I have a meeting in the morning in New York."

Then Marinette ended the face time call.


Steve Rogers knew he had seen a lot in his life, been through a lot too. He thought he had seen it all, but apparently Tony Stark had to once again prove him wrong. Watching the news seemed like watching a movie. He'd seen and fought aliens, but never magic super heroes. They weren't enhanced, the Ladyblog on the heroes had already cleared that question. They had magic artifacts, and Tony unleashed the world onto these kids. Steve would stand by these young heroes being kids because they looked no older than seventeen, and even then that was pushing it.

Now all eyes were on them, wondering if they were to be trusted or not. After Lagos with Wanda, the world was more hesitant to trust unknowns. If they were a wild card, any sort of variant, then they would be dealt with like a threat. Steve didn't want that to happen to these kids that needed guidance, because it was clear they had none while a man was playing emotional terrorist. God, he would have never thought this would be a situation in Paris at all.

"Ladybug! She's here!"

Steve watched as the young heroine swung onto the scene, reminding him of Peter Parker. Tony had a knack for finding this bug themed heroes apparently. Yet the girl that stood there infront of the camera, where photo flashes kept going off and questions were being spat out like rapid fire was tired. Her blue eyes remind him of Wanda's, greif and the weight of the world on her shoulders. She was trying to find her place while being someone else she wasn't truly.

"Where have you been Ladybug?"

"Why did you leave Chat Noir alone with a new hero?"

"Are the other heroes coming back?"

"Are you leaving again?

"Will you be signing the Sokovia Accords?"

Steve saw a resolve harden in her eyes then, as her body posture became more straighter at the last question. Her eyes swept over her audience, glancing up were Steve was sure her time was watching from a far. It was right then and there he knew this girl grew up too fast. Her eyes turned back to the camera, then glanced down to the podium she landed behind. Steve was sure of which document was right in front of her, because it would be no surprise for Thaddeus Ross to try to force a teenagers hand.

"The Sokovia Accords regulate activities of enhanced individuals, specifically for those who worked for the late S.H.I.E.L.D. organization or for private organizations like the Avengers Operative. My partners and I are neither of the two, we do not involve ourselves with world peace or any international threats. We only handle our own here in Paris. Given that it was an Avenger who exposed Paris for all to see, opening the possibility of new threats to us, our city, and our people we will proceed to handle our situation our way. We plan to stay here in Paris, where outside help will not be needed nor asked for. I advise now that Paris should not have any outsiders visiting. We do not welcome you here to our city until the threat has been neutralized. We will not be signing anything."

She said nothing else as she picked up the accord copy she had and threw it aside. Steve would admit, he was impressed with the poise she held as she swung away unrattled and knew that Thaddeus would be less than happy with this new turn of events.


This will probably be the shortest chapter in this story. I thought it would have been longer, but here we are. Sorry it was so short, but I hope it was still enjoyable!

I will admit that the new Black Widow movie has sparked the new ideas for this story, so I'm excited for the upcoming chapters! This story is now set after Black Widow but before Infinity War in the time line.

Please let me know how you liked this chapter and which character interactions you'd like to see more of. And yes, we will have a Peter and Marinette scene next chapter!

Thank you for the continuous support!