This chapter is so lonnnnnngggggggg.

Nothing graphic.

—

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. I'm Nadja Chamack, you're watching TVi news at six. It's been two weeks since the capture of famed Superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir, and Paris is abuzz with news, rumors, and theories. Tonight, I'll be sitting down with the friends and family of the two heroes, to find out what they are really like beneath the mask."

She turned in her chair, "but first, in a stunning twist, Edward Savauge walks free! On the top of the most wanted lists in six countries, Savauge was arrested after a fight with Ladybug and Chat Noir. At the scene, Ladybug told police that Savauge threatened and had his men open fire on 25-year-old Charles Exavier. The trial was set to take place at the end of the month, but Savauge was released yesterday, on the grounds of lack of evidence. No witnesses were able to take the stand, as Ladybug and Chat Noir are being held as captives, and the six men that were with Savauge the night of the murder have been pronounced dead from cranial trauma sustained by Chat Noir and Ladybug during the altercation."

The shot changed to Minster of the Interior, Arthur Vanderguard, at a press conference. "Talking with M. Savauge, we have ruled out his involvement with Salo and the capture of Ladybug and Chat Noir. He has agreed to cooperate with us to find them, so that they can be rescued."

The shot changed back to Nadja. "Though Savauge has stated publicly he is willing to cooperate with investigators, he hasn't followed up on that promise, a move that has critics questioning the Minister's choice."

A still shot of the Le Grand Paris came up on the screen behind Nadja. "Paris Police Department has finally released the name of the body found murdered in the Le Grand Paris hotel. Detective Joseph Bertony was shot point blank in the head five days ago. The night of the murder, officers were alerted by hotel staff that there was a fire on the balcony of the hotel room, and the occupant was not responding to staff at the door. When the officers broke down the door, they found Detective Bertony's body on the floor, and all of his belongings burning on the balcony. There was no sign of forced entry, and the security tapes were wiped clean the night of the murder. Detective Bertony was the lead investigator on the Ladybug and Chat Noir case. This marks the fourth investigator linked with the case that has been killed off duty."

The shot again changed to the Minister of Interior at the Press Conference. "My officers assume the risk of bodily harm and losing their life when they join the force. But they don't expect to be in danger when they go home to be with their wives and children. Being assigned to the task force of looking for M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, is a death sentence. We unfortunately have not made any headway in the investigation, despite all that has been broadcasted. We believe that Detective Bertony had a lead, but all information with him in his hotel room was reduced to ash on the balcony. Because of the nature of these murders, I will be launching an inside investigation among the police in Paris, conducted by an outside attorney. Mayor Bourgeois has approved the city's plan for a comprehensive, independent, transparent investigation of the task force members' misconduct. As much as we owe to Ladybug and Chat Noir, we can't afford to lose anyone else to these terrorists. This investigation will most likely further disrupt our work on the Ladybug and Chat Noir case.

"While this investigation goes on, I ask that everyone stop watching the stream on 'make ladybug suffer dot com'. Giving Salo and her men attention is only fueling their torment of the victims. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be safer if we stop watching.

"To the families of M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, I am truly sorry."

Nadja was back on the screen. "Mayor Bourgeois was unavailable for comment. Though the police urge everyone to stop watching and paying attention to the capture, other Parisians have a different opinion. One such case is President of the Adrien Agreste Fan club, Wayhem Marot."

The shot changed to outside of Tom and Sabine's Bakery, where there were heaps of flowers, gifts, and balloons strewn everywhere. Wayhem was in front of the camera, a lit candle in hand. "I'm the same age as Adrien. We're friends. There's not much I can do, but I have to do something, you know? So I organized this candlelight vigil for Adrien and Marinette, outside her parent's bakery. I have a voice, and I know how much my generation can change through social media. We can make ourselves heard. Someone out there has to know something, right? I started using the hashtag #freeAdrienette on Instagram, and it's taken off. Everyone is using it! The more we can get people talking, the better!"

There were various shots of different kids taking pictures with the bakery and their gifts that they left. Nadja was speaking over the footage. "Classmates, friends, family, akuma victims, and just plain strangers. People from all walks of life have showed up to pay respects to the heroes of our city. There's been people praying together, singing hymns, and just sharing stories, all in the hopes that their words will reach Marinette and Adrien wherever they are."

The shot came back to Nadja in the studio. "Several churches are offering counseling and support in wake of the traumatic footage. You can find the full list on our website."

There was a cut to Jagged Stone, playing the keyboard on a houseboat parked in the Seine. Nadja dubbed over the footage. "It's not just teens getting vocal. Rock legend and long time fan of Ladybug and Chat Noir, Jagged Stone, has been the biggest proponent of turning up the heat on Salo."

"I love Marinette," said Jagged. "She's designed two of my album covers and these wicked sweet glasses I wear every time I'm in France. She's just the sweetest girl with the best 'can do' attitude. She was the reason I decided to participate in that reality show where I tried to bake at her parents bakery. She always has good ideas! And Adrien! He's one cool dude! I met him a few times, because of his career, and despite being a sheltered rich boy, he's very humble and generous. As for Ladybug and Chat Noir, I really love them. They've saved my hide several times, and always in the most rock and roll ways!"

"Jagged Stone and Kitty Section, a young band Adrien and Marinette are both affiliated with, will be performing next week at a benefit concert under the Eiffel Tower. Entry is free, but they will be taking donations for M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's recovery."

"I hope everyone comes. I sat down with some of their friends and planned the perfect set list, just for them. We also have some really radical surprises in store!" Said Jagged.

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "That concert will be happening next week on Thursday, at 7 pm."

The image changed to a protest outside of the TVi news station. "Among the chorus of voices shouting to save Ladybug and Chat Noir, there's a group singing a different tune. For the last two days, protesters have gathered in front of our news station, and they have a completely different take on the situation."

A protestor came up on the screen, holding a sign that said, 'This isn't art, it's torture porn.' "We know the truth. This broadcast is completely fake. It's a performance piece created to incite emotion. But it's gone too far, and it needs to stop."

Nadja's voice again dubbed over the footage. "This is an opinion held by a lot of people, who are becoming more and more vocal as the stream goes on. One such opponent is long time friend and fellow model to Adrien, Lila Rossi."

Lila came up on the screen, standing with the protestors outside the station. She was teary-eyed and delicately dabbed her cheek with a napkin. "It sickens me. Adrien isn't actually Chat Noir, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn't Ladybug. You see, Adrien and I…well, I see no point in keeping it a secret anymore, we were dating. Under the radar, of course, he's not allowed to date. And then he told me that he came up with this idea of a performance piece and asked if I wanted to play the role of Ladybug. I said no, absolutely not, and so he broke up with me. I think the whole wedding bit was really just a ploy to make me jealous and have me crawl back to him. But now I know that he's just sick and wants attention. Marinette has been that way since I met her. She's always tried to get attention and lied to do so. I think we should all stop giving it to them and turn off the stream."

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "Though Rossi's relationship with Adrien Agreste is unconfirmed by Adrien himself, friends and classmates of the two have been vocal on social media, saying things like," a screen shot came up. "'Lila is a liar and attention hog. Don't take attention away from where it should be. #saveAdrienette' And, 'Adrien and Marinette are Ladybug and Chat Noir in and out of the masks. That much should be obvious! #saveAdrienette'.

"If Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are not the real Ladybug and Chat Noir, the real heroes have decided to stay silent. When we come back from the break, I'll be sitting down with some of the people that know Mlle. Dupain-Cheng and M. Agreste the best."

—

Commercial Break

—

"Welcome back to TVi news. I'm Nadja Chamack. Earlier this week, I had the privilege to sit down with some of the most important people in Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste's lives. I wanted to know the truth, and in the wake of Ladybug and Chat Noir's identity reveal, there's more fiction than fact.

"The first guest I interviewed was my own daughter, Manon Chamack. Marinette babysat her once or twice a week, for the last three years, during the entire duration of her being Ladybug. Because Manon is so young and such a fan, I haven't told her exactly what is happening to Marinette and M. Agreste. Please keep this in mind as you watch the interview."

The shot changed to a previous recording, of Manon sitting in a comfy arm chair, facing Nadja.

"Hi Manon, thank you for letting me interview you."

"Of course mommy! I love being interviewed! What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about your babysitter, Marinette."

"Marinette? She's the best! What do you want to know?"

"What words would you use to describe Marinette?"

Manon rested a finger on her chin in thought. "Um…pink."

"Pink?" Laughed Nadja.

"Yeah! She loves pink! Her whole room is pink!"

"Alright! What about her personality? How does she act?"

"Goofy!"

"Goofy? How so?"

"Well, she tries really hard to be serious, but then she trips over her feet or drops stuff or says her words all backwards! It's really funny! Especially when she gets around this blonde boy from her school!" Manon covered her mouth. "Whoops! That's a secret!"

Nadja smiled. "That's alright Manon. Would you say that Marinette is responsible?"

"Mmmm, most of the time."

"Not all the time?"

"No, 'cause sometimes she has to leave me with someone else while she goes and does something. She's kind of scatter-brained."

"What would you say if I told you that Marinette is actually Ladybug?"

Manon jumped up on the chair. "I knew it!"

That was actually surprising. "You did?"

"Yeah! She made me these Chat Noir and Ladybug dolls! They're at her house right now, so I can't show you, but whenever we play with them, she always knows exactly how Ladybug and Chat Noir act! That, and she's really smart! She always knows what to do!"

"You really like her then?"

"Of course! When is she coming back from vacation? I really miss her!"

Nadja gave her a little smile. "Hopefully soon. Thank you so talking with me, Manon."

"You're welcome, Mommy! Can I go play now?"

"Yes, go on ahead."

Manon beamed and skipped off stage.

Nadja turned to face the camera.

"Our next guests are close and personal friends of both Adrien and Marinette, as well as Chat Noir and Ladybug. One of them even claims to be the foremost Ladybug expert. Nino Lahiffe and Alya Cesaire."

Nino and Alya came from backstage, hand in hand, and sat in the chairs across from Nadja.

"Thank you for having us, Nadja." Alya said.

"Oh, well thank you for being willing to speak! I really wanted to get both of you here because, as a mom, there's just some things you hide from your parents."

Alya and Nino both nodded at that.

"Now, I don't want you to get them in trouble, but if your willing to share…"

"Ask away!" Said Nino, with a little too much gusto.

Nadja smiled. "How would you describe your relationship with Marinette and Adrien, as them, not in the masks?"

Alya spoke first. "Marinette is my best friend. I'd like to say I'm hers too…but I think Chat really gets that title…and before they were captured, there was some drama at school, and I wasn't being a very good friend. So as of right now, she might not think too fondly of me."

"I see. We'll come back to that drama, though. What about Adrien?"

She laughed. "I have a love-hate relationship with Adrien. He sits in front of me in class, so we talk quite a bit, but he's kind of oblivious. So whenever Marinette tried to get her to notice him, he would consistently put her in the friend zone. I can't be mad at him for that though. He's way too nice."

"Fascinating! So Marinette had a crush on Adrien?"

"Yes. It seemed like everyone knew it except for him. We even had bets over it."

Nadja laughed at that. "And you Nino?"

"Adrien's my best bud, hands down, uncontested. Before he came to school, I didn't really have any friends. Then he sat next to me and we hit it off pretty quickly. He's the best."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were akumatized over him, right?"

"Yep! I wanted to throw him a birthday party, so I went to his dad to ask. Mr. Agreste is pretty strict, so he turned me down, and I got super angry, and pow! The Bubbler was born! I'm not really proud of it, but I definitely think there's worse reasons to be akumatized."

"Of course there are." Nadja offered with a smile. "And how would you describe your relationship with Marinette?"

"Well, she's…we're a quad, the four of us. Since Alya and I are dating, we usually do things as a group. And 90% of the time, Alya tries to turn it into a double date."

"Hey! Don't throw me under the bus!"

"Just sayin'! Anyways…I've known Marinette since kindergarten. But we only really became friends when Alya and Adrien came to school." Then he laughed. "Actually, I used to have a major crush on her."

Nadja honed in on this juicy detail. "Oh you did, did you?"

"Sure did! I asked Adrien about it, and he convinced me to ask her out on a date to the zoo. I was beyond nervous, so Adrien sat in the bushes with a mic, while I had an earpiece in."

Nadja out right laughed. "That's adorable! How did it end?"

"Well, before I could mention I had a crush, there was an akuma attack. Marinette and I got separated, but soon Ladybug came on the scene, and pushed Alya and I into an empty cage for several hours. After that, well…I realized I had more in common with Alya than Marinette. I think it worked out okay."

"That is just the most precious story! I love hearing about them as normal teens! So, Ladybug is responsible for setting you two up?"

"Absolutely!" Giggled Alya. "And she knows it. I talk about how grateful I am to Marinette all the time."

"Precious!" Nadja smiled. "Now, you also run the Ladyblog, correct?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me a little more about that?"

"It started the day Ladybug debuted. Stoneheart appeared and my first instinct was, 'A supervillain? There must be a superhero too!' And so I took off after him. I always loved superheroes, and the chance to be Lois Lane was just too strong. So I was the first person to get footage of Ladybug and Chat Noir in action. I made a blog around it and made sure to chase every akuma I could, just to catch a glimpse of them."

"You still hold the privilege of the longest interview with Ladybug to date, correct?"

"That's right. Now that I know who she is, I know exactly how that happened. I mean, I know it's because she trusted me, but up until that interview, Ladybug had been kind of personally closed off. She didn't stick around after battles for more than a few minutes, and she didn't give any reporters any clues to what she was like. Until she made it a priority to say hi to me, specifically. I had footage of her coming up and talking to me that I recorded on my phone. Right after I took it, I went to show Marinette, and she accidentally deleted it! Luckily, I had backed it up, but she didn't know that. But, she gave me a private interview as an apology."

"So you are pretty close to her in both aspects of her life."

"Yep! I've even gotten to help her a few times, because I'm there. I mean, it's also gotten me in trouble. But it keeps things exciting."

"I bet! And you, Nino? Are you close with Chat Noir too?"

"Uh…not really. I mean, he's really cool and I'm always ready to help, but I'm not as gung-ho on superheroes as Alya is. Don't get me wrong, I love them! I just…kind of lament being dragged around town during an akuma attack."

"Kinda scary, right?"

"Exactly. I don't like getting caught in the crossfire of akumas."

"That's understandable." Nadja said with a nod. "So, in your opinion, Alya…what do you think prevented you from noticing Ladybug was Marinette? I watched your blog plenty of times and you made some major break throughs. You're probably the person that got the closest to ever figuring out who she was. What about Marinette ruled her out as a suspect?"

Alya laughed. "She's so clumsy! I love her to death, but oh my god, the amount of times she'd trip on nothing or fall down the stairs was no joke. Nino and I actually had an inside joke that she was only tripping to get closer to Adrien, because nearly every time she fell, he was there to catch her."

"Kind of like their superhero dynamic too?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Do you think they knew who each other were?"

"No, they didn't." Alya said confidently.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, Marinette could barely talk to Adrien, and she'd get really shy around him. But out on the field, she was constantly rebuffing his flirting. I don't think either was an act."

"And likewise," added Nino. "Adrien is friendly with Marinette, but never flirted with her, but when they're Ladybug and Chat Noir, he's almost irritating with how corny he is. That never changed the whole time they've known each other."

"I see! How funny is it that they were crushing on each other, and didn't even know it was the other?"

"It's so ironic, and only something like this would Marinette." Alya laughed, but her smile started to fade. "I just…wish we could have found this out some other way. I just hope that this means when they get out, they can just depend on each other and be happy."

Nadja offered a soft smile. "Yes, I think they have more than earned a lifetime of happiness after this." She glanced at her notes. "So, you said that Marinette is clumsy, and shy behind the mask. I'm sure there's much more to her, right?"

"Oh of course! Those are just some of her less-Ladybug qualities. She's also extremely creative! She's been recognized by Audrey Bourgeois and Gabriel Agreste for her fashion work. And she'd even designed stuff for Jagged Stone!"

"Manon mentioned some dolls that she made too," added Nadja.

"Yeah! They look like something you'd buy in store! And her creativity wasn't just a 'Marinette' trait. She also had these crazy ridiculous plans that she pulled off with her Lucky Charm. I think that's why she was such a good Ladybug, because she was able to drum up these surprise solutions that Hawkmoth never saw coming."

"That is something I've always appreciated about Ladybug," Nadja said, "I always found myself asking 'how in the world will they win this time?'" She shifted in her seat. "I'd love to just keep gushing about Marinette, but I'd like to know more about Adrien. Nino, did you ever suspect Adrien might be Chat Noir?"

"Oh, dozens of times," he chuckled.

"What!" Cried Alya, "And you never told me?!"

"I was never sure! And you never would have believed me, anyways."

"Why? What tipped you off?" Asked Nadja, leaning closer.

"That guy loves cat puns way too much."

Alya looked at him blankly. "Really? That was the clue?"

"Okay, hear me out. Adrien, being a famous model, was always putting his best foot forward. He is extremely polite, well mannered, and very smart. Top of our class across the board, all around stellar guy. But one on one, he's a huge dork."

"Tell me more."

"Well, I don't want to get too deep into it on national television, but like I said, he loves his puns. He's also a huge video game and anime nerd. He spent most of his life homeschooled, so he consumed a lot of media. His reference game is on point."

"I think that explains some of his more theatrical performances as Chat Noir."

"Exactly. I swear he has way too much fun with his job. Oh! And, he is not shy about his massive crush on Ladybug. When I found that out, I kind of regretted it, because he would go on and on about her beauty and elegance, and how smart and amazing she was. It was disgusting."

"So he's as romantic in real life as he is as Chat Noir?"

"No no, it's way more subdued. He only talks about Ladybug in private. And to all his other girl friends, he's just super nice. Like Marinette, he really liked her."

"But not, like-like, right?"

"I always thought he was in denial, because he would get this soft look around her, and always compliment her. She was special to him, for sure."

Nadja rested her hand on her heart. "I'm sorry, I just keep getting swept up in the romance of it all. I'm a hard core LadyNoir shipper."

"Me too!" Cried Alya. "Oh my gosh! Marinette hated it when I talked about LadyNoir, and now I know why! Whenever someone would go, 'oh they're destined to be together' she'd go, 'platonically?' I think she was the only one in our class that wasn't a LadyNoir shipper."

"Oh that's hilarious! That poor girl had to listen to people talk about her love life all the time, but couldn't do a thing about it. Meanwhile, Adrien was doing the same thing, and loving every minute of it."

"We were probably adding fuel to his fire."

"Okay okay okay," said Nadja, still giggling. "Now, earlier, you said there was drama going on at school. Are you comfortable talking about that?"

"Oh…yeah. You know, this thing happened right before they went missing, so it helps put them in context. So…" Alya thought back to that day, which already felt like a year ago, even though it was only a couple of weeks. "I won't mention any names. But the same day Ladybug and Chat Noir caught that drug dealer, a classmate of ours shared that she had seen Marinette taking pictures of Adrien while he was in the locker room."

Nadja's expression was doubtful. "That doesn't sound like Marinette."

"You're right, it doesn't. But the person who said this hadn't given us a reason to not believe her, and so we did. Adrien was the only one who stood up for her, but he wouldn't have known. Up until that point, he was oblivious to how she felt about him, so he had no reason to believe she would do such a thing."

"But you thought otherwise?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Marinette is a very…strong person. Morally upstanding and strong sense of justice. But they always say you do crazy things when you're in love. I, and everyone else in class, thought this was something like that. Adrien went through her phone, and found no photos, and I should have believed her at that point…but I didn't. Adrien talked to Nino, and tried to get him to understand that both he and Marinette were aware that this person had a problem with lying. I chose not to believe it…until I was faced with the truth that Marinette was Ladybug. Then I felt like an idiot. More than just falling for a very obvious lie, but also for not using my journalistic integrity to investigate the situation and get proof. That's something I'd like to apologize on public television for."

Nadja gestured at the camera.

Alya turned at looked right in the lens, pretending it was the eyes of her best friend. "Marinette, and Adrien, I am so sorry. I was a bad friend, and I could have helped ease unnecessary suffering, but I listened to my head, and not my guts. I'm sorry for everything, and I will do whatever it takes to regain your trust."

"Same for me, dudes." Said Nino. "Adrien shouldn't have had to convince me of anything. I should have just known. I'm sorry."

Nadja hummed with a small smile. "That felt really genuine. I hope they see that."

"I hope so too." Alya stated, rubbing her wrist over her cheek.

"Well, thank you, again, for talking with me. I know this must be difficult talking about them right now."

Alya sighed. "It hurts, but I want people to know that they were—are even more amazing in real life as they are as superheroes."

"I believe it! When we come back, I'll be talking to the parents of the Ladybug and Chat Noir. We'll learn a little more about their upbringing and what they did in their free time."

—

Commercial Break

—

"Welcome back. Tonight I'm sitting down with friends and family of Ladybug and Chat Noir. My next guests are the parents of Marinette Dupain-Cheng, also known as Ladybug, Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng."

The couple came out from backstage, and shook hands with Nadja before sitting down.

"Thank you, both of you, for coming here to talk with me. I know this is a really hard time for your family."

"It is," said Sabine, "But, when we saw some of the things being said about Marinette, we couldn't just sit silently anymore. Someone sent me an article that claimed that she was a drug addict that had been to rehab several times…and that's just not true."

"Well, that's why I asked you here. I only want the truth."

"Thank you, Nadja."

"Of course, Sabine." She glanced down to her notes. "Now, the big question that's on everyone's minds: did you know that Marinette was Ladybug?"

They both shook their heads. "No idea. There were days when I would see Ladybug on the news, and my heart would clench, because she looked so much like Marinette, and I would have this thought like, what if that was my baby girl?" Sabine swallowed. "But that's as close as it got. I'm sure other mothers had thoughts like that."

"It wasn't that big of a surprise," added Tom. "Marinette is the class president, she's always been very vocal about justice and doing what is right. When she started having unexplained absences from class, we asked her what was wrong and she just shrugged and said 'I don't know.' She couldn't tell us she was Ladybug, but she also didn't want to lie. I think that speaks strongly to her character."

"Did you ever interact with her as Ladybug?"

"A few times," answered Sabine. "There was a time were Jagged Stone came to our bakery for a reality show. While there, his assistant was akumatized and trapped all of us in our house. We really had some one on one time with Ladybug and Chat Noir then."

"Can you tell me a little more about Marinette's childhood?"

"Oh I love talking about baby Marinette!" Gushed Sabine, "she was just the most precious and adorable thing! Very shy. She did not like people very much. But she was definitely a girly-girl. She's always loved pink, and making things. From a young age, we taught her all about baking, and she picked it up quickly. She's not perfect, but she's got macaroons down pat! She's an avid gardener too, having her own roses and spices growing up on her balcony."

"It's been mentioned a few times that she's very creative, can you elaborate on that?"

"She absolutely loves fashion. Ever since she was a little girl, she loved designing dresses out of tissue paper for her dolls. I think it really started after watching 'Sleeping Beauty' and watching the fairies making the dress that turns pink and blue throughout the film. After that, I saw her paying special attention to the clothes others were wearing, and she stared drawing them out more and more. A few years ago, she designed a derby hat that won a contest run by Gabriel Agreste, and even Audrey Bourgeois was impressed by it—" She suddenly stopped, and smiled a little wistfully. "Madame Bourgeois offered her an internship in New York, and we all encouraged her to pursue it, and I thought, surely this was her big break. She was ready to go…but at the last minute, she decided to stay in Paris, saying she would miss her friends and family too much. But I realize she really stayed because of her sense of duty. She had to give up her dream of fashion, because of Ladybug."

"She was really dedicated to Paris. Hopefully, she can still pursue that dream."

"She'll find a way. We'll find a way to help her do so. I know she'd want to get in on her merit too, she wouldn't want anyone giving her special treatment because of her being Ladybug or what's happened to her."

"You mentioned that someone sent you an article about her being a drug addict. There have been other rumors like that going around, that she's a delinquent and gets weekly detentions. Is there any sort of merit to those?"

"I want to say no. She's a good kid, and she gets excellent grades. But because of her absences, she has gotten a handful of detentions. I don't think that's her fault at all, of course. Her duties as Ladybug do come first. But she's never done drugs, never committed any crimes, never even fought with us. She's a really good kid, and I'm so proud of her."

"You would say you had a good relationship, then?"

"Absolutely," confirmed Tom. "We make time to spend together as a family, whether it's preparing a meal, or playing video games. She shared everything with us…which is why I think hiding Ladybug was so hard for her."

"Well, it's all out in the open now, so you can work on healing when she comes home."

"Yeah," said Sabine, softly. "We just want her home."

"One last question: what was your reaction to the reveal?"

Tom spoke, "I was angry at first. For the smallest, fleeting second, it was directed at Marinette, for lying, but then I realized that was completely unfair to her, and…I've just been angry with Salo ever since."

"For me," began Sabine. "I was just horrified. My baby was putting herself in danger almost everyday, for the people of Paris. She doesn't need that responsibility. She's just a kid. She does an amazing job, but she doesn't deserve this."

Nadja nodded in agreement. "Thank you for speaking with me today."

"Thank you for having us Nadja," Sabine stated as she stood. Together, her and Tom went backstage, as Nadja spoke to the camera. "Next, we have Adrien Agreste's father, fashion mongol Gabriel Agreste, joining me. Despite his fame and influence, Gabriel has been relatively silent on the reveal of Chat Noir's identity. He has graciously agreed to speak with me tonight."

Gabriel came out, looking as stoic as ever in a black suit with a green tie. He shook Nadja's hand briefly, and sat, one leg crossed over the other.

"Thank you for joining me this evening."

"Thank you for having me, Nadja. I am grateful that you decided to interview us instead of pulling information from social media."

"If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's getting the truth. Now, you saw all the questions I had for you ahead of time, so you know what I'm going to ask. Did you have any idea that Adrien was Chat Noir?"

"Yes, I had suspected it." He said easily. "As my son, he only wears the clothes I design, but he always wore a silver ring, and I never knew where it came from. There were times where he would be places he wasn't supposed to be. Little things really, things that most people wouldn't notice. In the case where his bodyguard was akumatized, Chat Noir and someone who looked a lot like Adrien were in the same place at the same time, so I chalked up all these circumstances as coincidence. So, when it came out, I was…shocked, but it really didn't last long. I really don't believe there's anyone more capable of wielding a Miraculous than Adrien. The shock just came that he had been kidnapped by some…random thug."

"I think anyone would find that shocking. Adrien is pretty well known here in Paris. He's been known as a teenage heartthrob both as himself and as Chat. He's done plenty of interviews as both too. But, his persona is pretty vastly different between one side compared to the other. Which one would you say is the 'real' Adrien?"

Gabriel tapped his fingers on his leg. "I'm not sure if I'm the best judge of that. Loss does something to a person…the last few years, after I lost my wife, I…" he sighed, having a hard time admitting this out loud. "I wasn't always there. I threw myself into my work. When…when Adrien was little, he was a wild child. He would run and dart and scream and just be completely out of control. As he got older, he calmed down, especially in public. When you are in the limelight as much as we are, you learn to hold yourself to a certain code of conduct, in order to reflect positively on the brand. Watching Chat Noir is like watching that same little boy running around. Adrien is good, kind, helpful, and hardworking. He's positive and cares a lot about his friends and family. This is true no matter what he's wearing. That's the real Adrien."

"I'm interested to know what Adrien does in his free time."

"Adrien…doesn't have a lot of free time. He's very involved in his studies and extracurricular activities. He does fencing, piano, and Chinese. And that's on top of school and modeling. But he does enjoy reading and playing video games."

"My, he certainly is busy! Do you think he'll continue to model?"

Gabriel winced. "Probably not. If he really wants to, I'll allow him to. I wanted him to get involved with the brand somehow, so that he'd get work experience. He didn't enjoy designing at all, but he took to modeling fairly quickly. It was something I wanted him to do. But once he's free, he's only doing what he wants. He's more than earned it."

"I'm curious to know, how do you feel about the wedding that happened?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng has always impressed me. By her talent and skill, and her strong character. I don't think there's a more fitting Ladybug, and I'm happy that they could have each other for support in this…terrible time."

"Will you try to contest it?"

"No. If they want to be married, then they'll be married. Who am I to stand in their way?"

"A common question that people are asking is: why didn't you pay the ransom at the beginning?"

Gabriel sighed, looking down, then he collected himself and spoke calmly, almost emotionlessly. "That was the hardest decision I had to make. But for the good of Paris, I refused. Adrien was right, if I gave them millions, what else would they have done? Before he spoke, I was ready to pay any amount of money to get him back…but I wanted to respect his wishes."

"I don't think anyone could have made that decision. If anyone faults you for it, they clearly don't understand where you were coming from."

"I expect others to be angry about my choice, but it's something I feel awful about on my own, and I choose not to listen to them."

"One last question, M. Agreste. Are you personally doing something to look for and rescue them?"

He nodded. "I am. I can't say what, obviously, but I can see that the authorities are having trouble on their own. So I am using my own resources."

"Thank you for your honesty and being willing to speak with me this evening."

"It was my pleasure."

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "That interview was conducted a few days ago. The families have yet to speak out about Savauge's release, or the protests outside the station. I'm Nadja Chamack, TVi news."