~AN: I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. I knew how I wanted this work to end, but I do not enjoy writing fight scenes, and they are unfortunately inevitable here. The two songs in the previous chapter are Alive by Sia but I used Daughtry's cover when I listened to it, and Breaking Inside by Shinedown featuring Lizzy Hale. I only have two chapters left planned, but it may be extended to three depending on the final chapter. Enjoy reading!~

Marinette ran through the streets of Paris. When she arrived at the park, she bent over as her lungs recuperated.

She spotted the person she was looking for, waving at her from the sidewalk.

"Alix," Marinette said, walking up to her.

"What's up, Marinette," Alix said, clutching the side of her skateboard.

"I need to talk to you. Privately," she said, praying Alix would listen.

Alix shrugged. "Sure," she said, leading Marinette down an empty alleyway.

Marinette took a deep breath, going over the decision in her mind. Nodding to herself, she turned to her friend.

"Alix Kubdel, I entrust you with the miraculous of the rabbit," Marinette said, watching as her eyes widened and fixated on the box in Marinette's hand.

"No way," Alix said, looking from the box to Marinette and back, "I'd have never guessed."

"Your miraculous has the ability to travel through time and fix past mistakes. You are to use it if my plan goes wrong," Marinette said, putting the box in Alix's hands.

She opened it, revealing the watch and Fluff with it.

Alix nodded, putting the watch in her pocket. "You can trust me."

"I know," Marinette said, smiling even though it didn't reach her eyes.

Meanwhile, the plan was already in motion.

Zoe paced back and forth in front of her sister's bedroom.

Ladybug's counting on you, she thought, standing tall as she opened the door.

Chloe's closet remained half-open, her favorite shoes on the pedestal beside of it. Zoe took the silver heels, running and hiding in her room.

Twenty minutes passed before Zoe heard the telltale scream of her bratty sister followed by a slamming of the door.

Twenty seconds, Zoe thought, clenching her fists.

"You did not just take my favorite shoes, Not-sister," Chloe said, screeching more than talking.

"Last time I checked, you offered them to me," Zoe said, smirking. "And while we're talking about what's yours and what's mine, this is not yours."

Zoe ripped the charm Ladybug gave Chloe off her sister's neck, walking out of the room and leaving her Chloe seething.

She locked herself in the bathroom and waited.

When the telltale screams and crashes reverberated around the tiny room, Zoe nodded, smiling as she called upon her transformation and swung out of the hotel to meet with the others.

Alya and Nino waited at his empty house, both on their phones when the akuma alert sounded. They looked at each other, embracing before transforming and running to their respective meeting spots.

Adrien hid behind the doorway as he watched his father disappear into his office. His eyes narrowed as he waited for the akuma alert. Minutes later, his phone buzzed.

"You ready for this, Kid," Plagg asked, looking up at his holder from Adrien's jacket pocket.

Adrien shook his head. "No. But I'll never be. It's time to suit up before the others get here. Claws out."

Adrien turned into Cat Noir just as Pegasus's portal opened, revealing Ladybug, Pegasus, Carapace, Pigella, Viperion, and Panthera.

"Everyone else fighting the akuma," Cat asked, looking at his lady.

Ladybug nodded. "Just as planned. Rena Rouge has her illusion of us running too. He shouldn't suspect anything."

"Viperion, don't start your timer until we are in the lair. Give us as much time as possible."

Viperion nodded, and Ladybug turned her attention to Carapace.

"You're our way of communicating with the other team. Make sure to keep us updated."

"You got it, Dudette," Carapace said, touching the ear which housed the earpiece, a matching one in Rena Rouge's ear.

"Pegasus, it may get crazy on either side. It's your job to transport members back and forth if needed."

"Mere child's play," Pegasus said, crossing his arms.

"Okay, LB, let's end this," Cat said, taking her hand and squeezing it. Ladybug nodded, hoping her smile didn't betray the turmoil of emotions inside.

The group of young heroes crossed the hallway, hands linked to Panthera who walked backwards. They made it to Gabriel's office without issue, shutting the door before anyone noticed.

The group gathered around Emilie's portrait as Ladybug pressed the buttons hidden within it. The platform lowered with the heroes on it, each holding their breath as they prepared to face the person behind it all. Viperion started his timer and Panthera used her power on herself, hoping to be the one to take the brooch off of her father.

Shadowmoth faced the window, his back to his opponents. The group looked at their leader, waiting for instruction. Ladybug looked at Cat Noir and nodded.

"Gabriel Agreste," Ladybug said, "Or should I say Shadowmoth?"

"That's not possible," he said, looking from the window to his intruders. "You're supposed to be on the battlefield."

"Another one of Rena's grand illusions, I'm afraid," Cat Noir said, his voice lacking the usual humor.

"Mistress of Madness," Shadowmoth said, the purple outline appearing on his face, "It's a set-up. Come..."

"Not sure you'd want to do that, Shadowmoth," Cat Noir said, the tiniest smile gracing his face.

"If you lead your akuma here, you'll expose yourself," Ladybug said.

"There's a 99.999% chance local Parisians will suspect Gabriel Agreste as Shadowmoth if we are found in an underground lair in his house," Pegasus said, pushing his glasses up on his face.

"They could suspect Adrien," Shadowmoth said through gritted teeth.

"Not when he's at a photoshoot," Ladybug said, showing a video on her phone of the model.

It took some convincing without sacrificing Cat's identity, but Rena eventually believed it was necessary to create the additional illusion.

As the group conversed with their greatest enemy, Panthera creeped around the room, biding her time. As the miraculous beeped, she cursed. Shadowmoth guarded his miraculous well, even when he didn't mean to.

I've gotta grab it soon, Panthera thought, frowning as she thought of the implications.

Dammit, Panthera thought, going in but only wrapping her clawed hand around one of them.

"Oh, no you don't, Cassandra," he said, pulling his sword out of the cane and slashing her arm.

"Shit," Panthera said, kicking the villain in the side as she turned visible and de-transformed.

"Close but no cigar, dear daughter," Shadowmoth said, his smile so big that it disfigured his other features.

"Daughter," the group except Cat Noir gasped. Cat merely cringed, pulling her back into the fold.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Cassandra said, wincing as she clutched her side. Her other hand opened, revealing the peacock miraculous.

She handed the miraculous to Ladybug. If she noticed the look Ladybug gave Cat Noir, she ignored it.

"I don't know how you discovered my identity, but I'm sure Cassandra had something to do with it when she infiltrated my house. However, I did some digging on her myself. Emilie kept her fair share of secrets from the both of us, didn't she," Shadowmoth, now transformed back into simply Hawkmoth, said.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Cassandra said.

"Oh, I believe I do. Especially when you didn't even know her," Hawkmoth said, smirking.

Cassandra tried to avoid looking at Cat, but she relaxed when she felt the familiar gloved hand on her shoulder.

"For instance, she never wanted a daughter in the first place. That's the real reason she gave you up. Getting rid of the miraculous was just a bonus," Hawkmoth said, the lies flowing out of his mouth perfectly.

"That's not true," Cassandra said, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, isn't it? She told me you died. She never looked for you, she didn't want me to find you. Quite a few people were paid off to that effect, I found out. Even your own brother brushed you off when he learned the truth, didn't he?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Cat said, wincing.

"Why don't you ask her yourself, Cassandra," Hawkmoth said, hitting a button on the wall. The lights turned on, and Cassandra followed them with her eyes settling on the same glass sarcophagus.

"Join me, Cassandra, and you can have your answers. We can bring her back together. If I'm wrong, you'll have proof. You'll have your mother," Hawkmoth said.

"Chloe was deakumatized. What's going on over there" Rena Rouge said through the earpiece.

In that same moment, a black and purple butterfly floated in through the open window.

"Akuma," Carapace said, but he was too late.

The akuma entered Cassandra's miraculous, the outline appearing on her face as father and daughter struggled for control.

"No," Cat and Ladybug said, surrounding her.

"You can fight it, Cassandra. You know he's lying," Ladybug said, looking at Cat.

"I can't," Cassandra screamed, tears flowing freely.

"You're my sister, and I love you. Mother loved you. Please don't do this," Cat whispered, putting his forehead against hers.

"I'm sorry," Cassandra said, and the purple mist enveloped her.