Pigella, Rooster Bold, and Caprikid arrived right behind Carapace, and also looked shocked at the scene before them. Ladybug dropped her arms to her side, but Chat Noir kept his arm securely wrapped around Ladybug's waist, as if not wanting to let her go, fearing she would suddenly disappear.

"Sorry, we took so long," Rooster Bold apologized. We ran into some trouble recharging the kwamis, and then there were so many people panicking about the coffee shops exploding and the disaster caused by Sole Crusher. Lot's of damage control!"

"NO! Oh no! I...I didn't get a lucky charm!" Ladybug's body shook in dread and regret. "I can't fix any of this!"

"You're not the only one who can do a few repairs." Rooster Bold winked.

"Oh, you should have seen Rooster!" Pigella squealed enthusiastically, as soon as he retransformed he summoned the power to reverse damage. He kept recharging, till the Ladybug kwami's impact on the cafe's was stopped."

"I couldn't have done it without you encouraging everyone in Paris to work together to help each other!" Rooster Bold smiled down at her.

"What about Carapace shielding those people from the debris that was falling after Sole Crusher came through!" Caprikid added.

"Sole Crusher! What about the people she stepped on before she came here?! I can't bring them back!" Ladybug said breathlessly.

"Don't worry Dude...er...Ladybug," Carapace shook his head, putting his hands up in front of him. "Zoe's sister Chloe was ranting and raving just outside the stadium about the whole thing. I guess Chloe told Zoe that she had convinced her mother to send her back to New York, and Zoe had been infected by Hawkmoth right there. Hawkmoth's conditions must have been that he get your miraculous' first before anything else, because Sole Crusher tackled the arena itself, trying to get at your miraculous and ignoring everyone else on the street."

Chat Noir and Ladybug let out a breath of relief together.

"So, no one was hurt?" Ladybug asked hopefully.

"Well, there were some injuries...burns from the explosions of coffee, or blunt force trauma from falling debris, but at least nothing lethal," Caprikid said.

Ladybug dropped her head, and Chat Noir moved his arm to grip her shoulder in a reassuring squeeze. She pulled away and ran her fingers through her hair. "I could've prevented all of this! Now it is too late, and everything is a mess!"

A groan behind them brought them back to earth. Zoe sat up, holding her head, and looked around dumbfounded by the superheroes standing nearby. Pigella crouched next to her, and took her hand in hers. "Don't worry, you are going to be okay!" Pigella cheerfully encouraged her, patting her hand.

"What happened?" Zoe asked, looking around at the partially destroyed stadium.

"Hawkmoth took advantage of your emotions," Chat Noir replied sympathetically.

"I'm so sorry!" Zoe looked around at the miraculous team, that she had frequently been part of. She hated to think that she could have hurt one of her miraculous partners who had so often had her back.

"It was not your fault. It was beyond your control," Ladybug kneeled next to Zoe and Pigella.

"Good advice," Chat Noir said meaningfully, looking softly at Ladybug.

"At least Your kwami is under control again Ladybug!" Roster Bold broke into the silence that started to form between them.

"Not quite," Ladybug gave a strained smile toward him. "I still feel the after effects of Tikki's caffeine binge, and I feel weak from her immense expelling of power...But transforming was a risk I had to take." She looked over at Chat Noir, who shared a look with her. "Thank you all for your help! If it hadn't been for each one of you, this could have been so much more devastating."

"But wait! We're not all here yet!" Caprikid pointed out. "Where is Mari...I mean, there is Multimouse's kwami over there, but where is Multimouse? I didn't see her after we left!"

"Oh, she's had a pretty full day. " Chat Noir interjected, while Ladybug's mouth snapped tight, and her shoulder's stiffened.

"Uh...yeah...what if I meet you all at our regular spots to return the miraculous', and then I'll go check on Multimouse...just to make sure she's okay," Ladybug pulled at her ponytail, and Chat Noir couldn't help the grin pulling at the corners of his lips.

Carapace watched them both, thinking that Chat Noir looked a little like the cat the got the canary. He wished Rena Rouge was here, she would definitely been able to read more into what ever was going on between Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"I'll take Zoe home!" Pigella piped up, and beamed at Zoe.

"Oh, no, you don't have to. I'll be fine," Zoe pulled her arms around herself, and dug her toe into the turf.

"Gift!" Pigella chirped, and used her power to show Zoe her friends coming around her, and embracing her in a group hug.

Zoe's eyes shone, and she smiled at Pigella. "Thanks!" she sniffed, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I needed that!"

The heroes gathered around Zoe and recreated Pigella's vision, putting their arms together around Zoe. "I can't believe I'm this lucky...I mean to have friends like you all! When Chloe said I was going to be sent away I was so afraid of loosing you all!" Zoe smiled through misty eyes.

"No matter where you go, your friends will be there for you...but we'll do everything in our power to help you stay!" Ladybug held out her fist to Zoe.

"Pound it!" all the heroes bumped their fists against Ladybug's.

"One things for sure, we are all going to have to get help to put Paris back together!" Caprikid commented looking up at the broken stadium.

"I'll call the Mayor later and see how we can coordinate to help with repairs," Ladybug sighed.

"It'll be okay," Chat Noir put his arm on her shoulder. "We're in this together!"

Ladybug smiled up at Chat Noir, and the others waved as they sprinted off to their rendezvous points to meet Ladybug...all except Pigella, who first took Zoe by the hand and headed out.

"Chat Noir, about what you saw...I...I..." Ladybug started to rush into a nervous ramble.

"We'll talk tonight Princess, I promise," Chat Noir scooped up her hand and brushed a kiss on her gloved hand. "Afterall, now I know where to find you!" he smiled, and then vaulted away beaming from ear to ear.

Ladybug smiled to herself, and bit her lip, before swinging herself to meet up with the other holders to retrieve the miraculous jewels. Once she had finally got the last one from Pigella, she dragged herself exhaustedly back home. As soon as she scrambled up to her balcony, she breathed out "Tikki, Spots off!"

Tikki half floated, have crawled into Marinette's hand, and panted. Marinette, pulled herself through the hatch, and passed her emergency stash of macaroons to Tikki. Tikki barely had the strength to nibble a corner. "Oh, Tikki! I pushed you too soon! You were not ready!" Marinette tenderly stroked the round spot on her forehead.

"We couldn't let Hawkmoth get Chat Noir or Plagg!" Tikki wheezed, and clenched her eyes.

"Oh Tikki, are you going to be okay?" Marinette asked in a worried voice.

The other kwamis looked up over Marinette's shoulders in concern.

"It...it's not that...I...I'm just so sorry...what I did...all for a stupid craving...I didn't think I would loose myself like that again!" Tikki looked up at Marinette and the other kwamis sorrowfully.

"Don't think about that right now. It has been a crazy day! For now you just need to rest and regain your strength. I think we've all had enough excitement for today, and I certainly hope Hawkmoth has as well!" Marinette picked up Tikki, and placed her on her pillow.

"Hawkmoth!" Tikki chirped in a panic. "What if he tries to akumatize Chat Noir, and finds out who you are! Oh Marinette, it is all my fault!"

"Enough of that!" Marinette chided, tucking her kwami back in against the fluffy pillow, and shooing away the other kwamis. "We'll find a way through this together, like we always do. I'm...I'm actually really glad Chat Noir knows now!"

"You are?" Tikki asked in surprise.

"Well...for the longest time the secret of our identities drove such a wedge between us. It was so much of a burden to keep on trying to hide who I was from Chat Noir...especially the closer we got. I wanted to tell him the other night so that he wouldn't pull away from me, but he didn't want to know...then suddenly in the moment this afternoon...I wasn't thinking of what my reveal could mean for me...all I could think of was saving him."

"You do love him afterall," Tikki whispered.

"I...I...do," Marinette stared in realization back at Tikki.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thank you so much for reading my story so far! A special shout out and thank you to Liventmenow and kalisfandomstories1004 this week for leaving such encouraging reviews! It means so much to me to hear from you, and know that you're enjoying this story.

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