"But, I thought I was out of the Miraculous team? Why are you bringing Pollen back to me?" Chloé stared dumbfounded at the box in Chat's hand. She was surprised enough when the cat hero turned up on her doorstep, but she never considered for a moment that she would be once again entrusted with a Miraculous.
"Things have changed Chloé. Ladybug says she trusts you, and under the circumstances, I do too." Chloé looked at Chat suspiciously.
"What's changed?" She asked cautiously. Chat shifted on his feet a little avoiding eye contact.
"We know who Hawkmoth is." He said flatly, trying not to betray himself yet. Chloé's eyes widened as she raised a hand to her mouth in shock.
"Where is Ladybug now?"
"Getting Rena Rouge and Carapace." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ladybug wants you to be part of our team again Chloé. You understand Queen Bee better than anyone and we don't have time to teach someone else, and we don't want to. The reasons will be made clearer tonight, but for now I need you to get reacquainted with Pollen and come with me?" Chloé took the box from Chat's hand
"I don't know." She said with a sarcastic smile while rubbing her chin. "Going off into the dark of night with a mysterious black cat. Can I trust you Kitty?" Chat looked at her with a deadpan expression.
"Only m'lady is allowed to call me Kitty, it's Mr. Noir to you, Queen Bee." Chloé saw the playful smile at the corners of his mouth. Opening the miraculous box she shielded her eyes from the bright yellow light.
"Greetings my Queen." Pollen said before flying into Chloe's cheek.
"I missed you too Pollen." She said, hugging her Kwami before looking back at Chat. "I won't let Ladybug down again, I promise. Pollen buzz on."
Chat Noir and Queen Bee raced across the rooftops towards the apartment. Chloé revelled in the exhilaration of feeling the wind rush through her hair as she threw her spinning top and swung across the building. She thought this was something she would never get to experience again, and laughed out loud in her excitement. A free unadulterated laugh that Adrien hadn't heard from her in a long time. Like him when he first met Plagg, Chloé felt free of the restraints of her mother, of being the daughter of the mayor, of the expectations society held for her. She was Queen Bee, and she mattered. Chat couldn't help but smile as he watched her. He knew Chloé deserved this chance and she would always stand by him. He just wished the circumstances had been different.
In the side street of the apartment block they scaled up the fire escape to enter the building through the back way. Inside the apartment, Ladybug was already there with Rena Rouge and Carapace, who stared unbelieving at the sight of Queen Bee walking in.
"Chloé?" Rena asked in surprise. Queen Bee nodded her head. Ladybug put her hand on Rena's shoulder.
"I believe Chloé has earned her right to be a miraculous holder again, and when we explain what has happened, I think you will know why." Rena looked suspiciously back at Chloé, but decided to trust Ladybug's judgement.
Ladybug walked back over to Chat and took one of his hands in hers. She looked up into his eyes and could see he was scared about this. Even though this was their closest friends, he couldn't be sure how they would feel about the truth. "It will be okay Chaton, trust me." She whispered, her confidence helping him to relax before turning back to her assembled team. "When we face Hawkmoth, there will be no way to hide who he is, so we have decided that as a team we should know each other's identities. You are our most trusted friends, more than you think, and we are going to need each other when the fight is won." Rena and Carapace looked at each other confused. "Our kwamis should be part of this conversation too so Chloé, since we all know who you are, would you mind going first." Chloé dropped her transformation, holding her hand out for Pollen before taking a seat.
"Rena and Carapace, you of course know who each other is, so if you please." Ladybug directed. They too dropped their transformations.
"Alya and Nino, you can't be serious!" Chloé gasped. Alya put her hands on her hips.
"What? At least we were given our Miraculous, you just pinched yours." Alya spat out sarcastically. Chloé stood up, Pollen floating over to join Trixx and Wayzz.
"I didn't pinch it, I found it." She retorted, folding her arms. "Who do you think you are Foxy? Ladybug asked me to be here." Alya stepped forward towards Chloé.
"Alya, babe…" Nino tried to interject, but she pushed past him.
"I can't imagine why. At least I didn't betray her trust in me." Alya said, getting up into Chloe's face.
"That was years ago Alya. Things were complicated and I have apologised for that. I don't know why Ladybug would trust you any better, you've been prying into her personal business and trying to figure out her identity for years, Miss Ladyblogger." Chloé poked Alya in the chest, the latters nostrils flaring out. "At least I didn't broadcast her private moments with Chat for the whole of Paris to see, forcing them to have to disclose their relationship so you could get more hits on your blog." Chloé glared. Ladybug saw Chat close his eyes, turning his head as his ears flattened on top.
"Well at least I didn't expose my Kwami for the whole of Paris to see, you could have put all the heroes in danger." Alya yelled back giving Chloé a shove in the shoulder. Chloé got her back up and started walking towards Alya with her chest out.
"Girls please, this is not the time for this." Ladybug interjected, stepping between the two. "There are far more bigger issues at stake then this petty squabbling. It doesn't matter who did what when, right now I need both of you to leave your egos and past bickering at the door and focus." Alya and Chloé stepped away from each other and Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief. "Before Chat and I reveal ourselves, there is another member joining our team. Now, please don't freak out because she is risking more than you can possibly imagine by joining with us." The team watched as Ladybug walked over to open the bedroom door. There was a collective gasp as Mayura stepped forward looking nervous and subdued. Nino instinctively took a protective step in front of Alya, which the blogger frowned at. Ladybug gave a nod and Mayura took a deep breath.
"Duusu, fall my feathers." There was a moment of silence once the transformation fell, neither Alya, Nino or Chloé quite able to process what they knew had to be true.
"Nathalie...no." Chloé whispered under her breath.
"Wait a minute." Alya said stepping forward in front of Nino, the wheels turning in her head as she pointed to Nathalie. "If you're Mayura does that mean…oh my God he is isn't he?" Chloé shared a look with Alya before desperately searching between Ladybug and Chat Noir, the realisation of who Hawkmoth was dawning on the team members.
"Where's Adrien? He didn't hurt him did he? Where is he?" She asked, grabbing Nathalie by the arm, panic setting in.
"It's alright Chloé, he's safe." Nathalie said, patting Chloé's hand, "I would never let anything happen to him. Believe me, this was never what I wanted." She looked to the two heroes. Ladybug knew it was time and took Chat by both hands.
"Are you ready Kitty?" She said softly. Chat was aware of all the eyes on him, but he kept his focus just on her eyes, those bluebell eyes he fell in love with.
"Ready when you are Princess." He said with a smile. Alya looked at Nino who was shaking his head. They'd heard that nickname used before, but not by Chat to Ladybug.
"Spots off."
"Claws in."
In a moment, Adrien felt himself tackled in a hug from Chloé. "Oh my God Adrikins, I was so worried?" Adrien brought his arms around her as Alya and Nino came over. The shock at the fact that Adrien was Chat Noir temporarily was replaced by relief that he was alright.
"I should have known it was you two." Alya said, shaking her head. "When did you know?" Marientte looked up at Adrien, who still had an arm around Chloé's shoulders.
"The day after we got together." She said with a warm smile. "Somehow we both just knew and it all came out."
"Bro, no wonder you didn't wait around before popping the question. Your girlfriend was freakin' Ladybug." Alya whipped her head around at her boyfriend. "What? You know I love you babe, but it's Ladybug." He said, scratching his head under his cap. Alya just rolled her eyes and focused back on Adrien.
"What the hell happened Adrien? What made your dad go crazy like this? I mean Hawkmoth isn't exactly the act of a sane person." Adrien nodded and suggested everyone sit down.
Adrien and Marinette told their friends everything that had happened, Nathalie making tea before joining them. She knew that the others held some suspicion about her, and she didn't blame them, although both Adrien and Marinette explained how she had come to change sides. Alya and Nino offered all their support to their best friends, asking questions and comforting Adrien as he struggled to tell all the details, but Chloé sat balling her fists and gritting her teeth as Adrien told about his mother's fate and his father attacking him.
"Let me at the arsehole." She raged, standing up and pacing around the apartment.
"Sit down Queenie, getting all hot headed over it isn't going to help." Alya shided, Chloé just glared at her.
"How can you be so calm at a time like this? We need to get into that mansion and kick the bastard's sorry arse into tomorrow." She was getting exasperated. "I thought you said Marinette was your best friend and you just sit there while Gabriel is threatening to turn her into a vegetable like Adrien's mother!" Adrien flinched when she said that, tightening his grip on Marinette's hands. Chloé stilled and dropped her shoulders. "Oh, oh I'm sorry Adrien, I...that was so insensitive, I'm so sorry." Adrien stood up, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"I appreciate how you feel Chloé, and it means a lot to me that you're here and willing to support me, truthfully I wasn't sure what you guys were going to think of me in all this." Everyone jumped in with affirmations of support and reassurance that no one thought any of this was his fault. He smiled at his friends, his own family, and he felt so grateful for them. "Thank you everyone, really, you all mean the world to me, but we have to follow Ladybug's plan in this. She's the team leader and you have to trust her, just like I do." He smiled over at Marinette. Chloé looked over at the bluenette too and her head became clouded in confusion. She could maybe understand Adrien being Chat Noir, after all, she was very well aware of that dorky side of him, but Marinette? She internally cringed. Sure she had a better relationship with her now, especially after spending time together in London, but when she thought about all the nasty things she had said to her in the past...
"Marinette." Chloé said quietly. "I...I don't know why you asked me...I mean…after everything I've done..." Marientte stood up and came over to her, as Adrien put an arm around Chloé's shoulders.
"People deserve a second chance Chloé, and as far as I'm concerned, you are our Queen Bee. You are the one with experience and your venom will be vital to the plan. I know we have had our differences, but I also know you would be here for Adrien just like Nino and Alya and Nathalie. I needed a team I could trust with the truth, and I believe in you Chloé Bourgeois." Chloé remembered when Marientte had said those same words to her during her dress fitting. Of course, she told herself, it was Ladybug telling her, it was Marinette's way to let her know that Ladybug had forgiven her.
"Chloé." Alya stood up, twiddling her hands around. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. That was uncalled for. We are here for Ladybug and Chat Noir, who also happen to be our best friends." She held a hand out to the socialite. "Truce?" She asked. Chloé looked at the hand extended towards her before looking over at Adrien who nodded to her with a soft smile. Chloé looked back at Alya's hand before extending her own.
"Truce." Chloé reaffirmed. "Okay Marinette." She said. "How are we going to take down Hawkmoth? The man is practically invincible."
"He thinks he is invincible." Nathalie interjected. "He thinks he can't be touched, but it's that massive ego that will be his downfall."
Early the next morning, Mayura rang Gabriel to say she had found Adrien. Putting Chat on the phone, the young man pleaded forgiveness from his father, saying he just wanted to spend one more night with Marientte before they went through with the plan. Gabriel muttered under his breath, but accepted the boy's apology. "Where is Marinette?" He asked sharply.
"She's on her way. I asked her over for breakfast and Nathalie and I are on our way back." Ladybug nodded encouragingly as he spoke. They were perched on a rooftop across from the mansion. All looked quiet and peaceful from the outside.
"Very well. I will wait for you down below. Once we have Marinette in hand, we will execute our plans to capture Ladybug and Chat Noir." He hung up the phone abruptly, cutting Chat off. Moments later, Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee arrived on the roof. Ladybug acknowledged their arrival.
"Okay, Gabriel has taken the first bait. He thinks Adrien is giving me up to him. Mayura, did you get in contact with the Gorilla?" Mayura nodded.
"Yes, the back hidden passage to the lair is open. Here is a map of the passageway. He will wait until we are in the lair before contacting the police, but will ensure they don't enter until you give the word." Ladybug nodded, turning to the others.
"We have to get the Miraculous away from Gabriel before the police can take him. Chances are he may be transformed when we confront him, so be ready. You all know what you have to do?" They all affirmed they were prepared and ready and dispersed to where they needed to be. A breeze had begun to pick up as they stood on the roof. Ladybug looked back at Chat who had been talking to Mayura. He came over to her, wrapping her up in a tight hug. He felt her tremble slightly in his embrace. "Chat I'm scared." She whispered to him, her voice threatening to crack.
"I know, I am too Bug, but we have this. I know we will get through to the other side." He pulled back just enough to see her face, gently running his hand down her cheek. "I love you." He said, kissing her softly on the lips.
"I love you too. Be careful Chaton." She said, hugging him again.
"Of course, you know me." Ladybug started to laugh.
"That's what worries me Kitty." He bent down into a bow, kissing the back of her hand.
"I'll see you soon." He smiled with a wink, before taking off with Mayura.
Adrien steadily walked through the lair towards the lit up sarcophagus. Hawkmoth was standing alone, turning when he heard the approaching footsteps. "Well I hope your night was worth it Adrien." He quipped sarcastically. Adrien made no response and Hawkmoth just eyed him with a level of contempt. "So where is she?"
"Nathalie is waiting for her and will bring her when she arrives." The villain patted him on the shoulder.
"Good boy. I'm glad to see that you have come to an understanding. You won't miss that girl once your mother is back. You can return to modelling and be the perfect young man I raised you to be. After Nathalie comes we will give you the Peacock Miraculous and set up a trap for Ladybug and Chat Noir."
"Yes Sir." Adrien responded quietly. Moments later Natalie entered the lair with Marientte, the girl's hands tied in front of her. Nathalie shoved Marientte down onto her knees. Hawkmoth's laugh reverberated off the walls of the lair.
"Yes, it is all now within my grasp." He cried, balling his fist in the air. "Adrien, it is time for you to take your place by my side. You and Nathalie will lure Ladybug out into the open, use the Peacock Miraculous to capture her, then once we have our hands on her she will be our bait to capture that stupid imbecile Chat Noir."
"Yeah, I don't think so." Hawkmoth whirled around to where the voice in the dark had come from. He could just see Chat Noir leaning up against the wall, partly obscured by shadows. "No one puts their hands on m'lady except for me." He said, twirling his staff in his hand.
"And you have to catch me first." A second voice echoed through the void. Hawkmoth whirled around to the other side to see Ladybug walking forward, her yo-yo in hand.
Hawkmoth ran to grab Marientte, but as soon as he touched her, she evaporated into thin air.
"What is this?" He yelled, looking at Nathalie, her expression emotionless looking straight ahead. He started to reach out towards her when another voice called out.
"Reality." Nathalie vanished and the walls around him wavered as Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee stepped forward. It had been an illusion.
"What do you think you are going to do?" Hawkmoth stepped back, realising he was surrounded.
"This ends now Gabriel Agreste. We know who you are and the police are on their way. Hand over your Miraculous to us, no one needs to get hurt here." Ladybug pleaded. Hawkmoth laughed cruelly.
"Do you think you can just walk in here and make demands of me?" He pulled his rapier out of his cane. "If you want my Miraculous, Ladybug, you come and get it before I take yours off your stone cold body."
Hawkmoth lunged forward towards Ladybug, but the move was blocked by Chat's staff. "You don't get to threaten her like that, not while I'm here." Chat and Hawkmoth engaged in one on one combat, Chat having to keep his raging anger in check. Hawkmoth had threatened his Lady on both sides of the mask, but being a hero wasn't about seeking revenge. Chat fell back on the ground as Hawkmoth began getting the upper hand. Rena Rouge ran in, attacking from behind with her flute. Hawkmoth whirled around, kicking her and throwing her off, causing Rena to hit her head as she crashed to the ground. "Rena!" Carapace ran to her aid. Ladybug attempted to wrap Hawkmoth in her yo-yo, but threw it too wide. Hawkmoth now fixed his attention back on Ladybug, determining she was the weakness of the group. Take out the leader and he can bring Chat Noir to his knees. Ladybug deflected the attack with her spinning yo-yo, Queen Bee making an attempt on Hawkmoth, but it was deflected as well. Chat once again stepped in, using all his fencing skills to keep the villain from escaping.
"Cataclysm." Chat summoned, destroying the bridge and forcing Hawkmoth back towards the sarcophagus and Adrien.
"Lucky Charm." Ladybug called, a bee figurine landing in her hand. Looking around with her Ladybug vision she saw Hawkmoth, Adrien and Queen Bee's venom.
"Queen Bee, you need to keep back from the fight. I need you ready with your venom when I tell you too."
"Oh come on Ladybug, let me kick his low life arse first." She complained, throwing her top at Hawkmoth's head, making contact. She first pumped the air.
"Stick with the plan, remember." Ladybug reiterated. Reluctantly, Queen Bee fell back towards where Adrien was. She placed her hand in the sarcophagus, and a great sadness hit her as she did. She remembered Emilie well. Adrien's mother had always been kind to her, especially when her own mother had left her when she was younger for New York, and her heart broke for her dear friend. Not only was his mother trapped like this under the same roof this whole time, but now he was fighting against his own father, the person who should have loved him most.
Hawkmoth recoiled from the hit to the head from Queen Bee's top, deflecting another attempt by Ladybug to catch him in her yo-yo. Realising he was becoming trapped he slammed a hand to a concealed button on the wall. Several hidden doors opened, but the weapons inside didn't engage. Unbeknown to him, the Gorilla had already disengaged the hidden weapons that Nathalie had told him about when he opened the catacomb passageway.
"Did you seriously think we wouldn't have thought of that you idiot." Queen Bee called out jeeringly. Hawkmoth gritted his teeth as Carapace helped Rena get back onto her feet. His back up weapons were out of commission, but he still had one more card to play.
Charging back in, he once again took on Chat Noir. Chat was growing fatigued at the relentless attacks and the emotional toll it was taking. He had to try and separate in his mind that it was his father under this guise. "Is that the best you can do?" He taunted, trying not to let his exhaustion show. Carapace and Rena Rouge also charged back in, Ladybug and Queen Bee hanging back waiting for their chance. Queen Bee was getting antsy, wanting to extract her own vengeance. Hawkmoth landed a heavy blow to Chat's head with his rapier, causing the cat hero to crumble to the ground.
"Chat!" Ladybug screamed. Queen Bee charged back in when Carapace called 'shelter', protecting Chat, himself and Rena from a follow up attack. Rena cradling Chat's head in her lap.
Ladybug began to panic, this battle had not been going the way she had envisioned but she had to get Hawkmoth where she needed him. "Quick, Queen Bee, get to Adrien!" Ladybug called, Queen Bee looked at her confused before following Ladybug and charging towards where Adrien was near the sarcophagus. Hawkmoth whirled around, grabbing the blonde up from off the ground, holding the blade of the rapier to his son's neck. Ladybug and Queen Bee stopped a few paces away from them. Ladybug held her hands up towards Hawkmoth.
"Hawkmoth, please think about what you are doing. You are threatening the life of your son. You still had your company, you have people who wanted to love you, your son found someone to share his life with and is happy, isn't it enough Gabriel? Wasn't any of it enough?" Hawkmoth looked to where the other heroes were protected by shelter before looking back at Ladybug and Queen Bee.
"It won't bring back Emilie. It won't undo that mistake. If I can't make a wish to bring back Emilie, then I will channel all my hate for you." He snarled. "Bring me Marinette, give me your Miraculous or you force my hand. I'd rather destroy the world than see you win Ladybug." He pulled the rapier closer to Adrien's throat.
"This isn't about winning or losing Gabriel, this is about what is right and wrong. It's not too late." She pleaded. It was only at this point that Hawkmoth noticed that his son was not struggling against him.
"Adrien." He demanded. "Adrien, look at me." There was no reaction, not a sound except for the steady sound of heeled shoes echoing throughout the chamber. Hawkmoth looked up to see Mayura approaching him, carrying in her hand the lucky charm bracelet Marinette had given to Adrien all those years ago.
"Nathalie." Hawkmoth said in surprise before snarling between his teeth. "You betrayed me."
"No Gabriel, you betrayed us." She clicked her fingers and the Adrien Hawkmoth was holding, evaporated from existence, a single purple feather turned to white before floating away from the charm in her hand. Hawkmoth stood stunned, it was a sentimonster and he had been played.
"Where is my son?" He demanded. Mayura looked at him with disgust.
"Duusu, fall my feathers." She said, letting her transformation go. She wanted Gabriel to see her as she really was.
"Your son?" She questioned, "I think you forfeited that right a long time ago. I thought I loved you Gabriel. I thought I would be willing to do anything for you, but I won't sacrifice Adrien's happiness and I won't sacrifice Marientte. You can't hurt them anymore." Before he realised it, he became aware of Ladybug's yo-yo wrapping around him.
"Quick, Queen Bee now." She called.
"Venom." Queen bee yelled, plunging the tip of her top into Hawkmoth's chest. The villain fell to the ground paralysed. Ladybug reached over, grabbing the pin of the Butterfly. Hawkmoth was no more, and only a crumpled and defeated Gabriel sat in his place.
Carapace dropped his shelter and Ladybug raced to Chat, whose head was still being cradled by Rena Rouge. They held each other for a moment. "I thought I was going to lose you." She cried into his ear. Chat ran his hand soothingly up and down her back. Rena Rouge left Chat to Ladybug, crashing Carapace into an embrace, falling to the ground together while Queen Bee stood by Nathalie who had run the Gorilla to let the police come.
"Let me heal you Chat." She said, helping him to stand. "Miraculous Ladybug." Throwing her lucky charm into the air, they held hands, foreheads resting against each other as the ladybugs swarmed restoring the damaged lair and healing the wounds of the heroes.
Gabriel eyed the distracted heroes as the ladybugs swarmed, his paralysed state now reversed, he began moving ever so slightly towards the sarcophagus. Nathalie had started to move towards Ladybug and Chat Noir who were still holding each other. In a swift move he picked up a glass vase that adorned one side of the sarcophagus, throwing it at Queen Bee and knocking her to the ground. In what felt like slow motion Chat looked up to see Gabriel pick up a large broken shard and dart towards them. He pulled Ladybug tighter to him, turning so that his back would take the brunt of the blow. Instead of the sharp pain though, he heard an ungodly sound.
"Nathalie." Screamed Queen Bee as she threw her top to restrain Gabriel again, but it was too late. Nathalie had charged in to block Gabriel's attack and had taken the full force of the deadly weapon. At that moment the police, led by Adrien's bodyguard, entered the chamber. Chat raced over to Nathalie, laying her head in his lap.
"Queen Bee, take him to the police and call an ambulance." Queen Bee nodded, yanking as hard as she could on the binds around Gabriel while the police cuffed him.
"Rena, some privacy please." Ladybug instructed, the fox hero asking the police to exit the chamber for the privacy of the heroes. Ladybug crouched down beside Chat and Nathalie, Carapace trying to hold at bay the flow of blood from her side.
"They're gone." Rena said, returning to the scene.
"Claws in." Chat said, Ladybug also dropped her transformation. "Nathalie please hang in there, help is on the way, just hold on." Nathalie reached a hand up to touch Adrien's face, her own growing more pale as the minutes ticked by.
"I'm sorry Adrien, I...I should have done more...I should have tried to save him." Adrien stroked her hair and tried to smile.
"Don't try to talk Nathalie, you'll be fine, everything is fine." Adrien was trying to be strong, but Marientte could hear his voice cracking. She put her arm around him, the other holding Nathalie's hand. This wasn't fair, nothing right now was fair. Nathalie had sacrificed everything for Adrien, even herself.
"Can't you do something?" Rena asked Marientte, but she slowly shook her head.
"I'd already thrown my Miraculous Ladybugs. Besides, this wasn't done by Miraculous damage. There's nothing I can do." Her voice was weak as the tears started streaming down her cheeks. She looked over at Carapace, his hand soaked in the blood he was trying so hard to stem. Queen Bee ran back into the room, dropping her transformation and diving to the ground near Nathalie's feet, distress clear on her face.
"It's alright Marientte, maybe this was the price that had to be paid." Nathalie said, her voice wavering. Adrien shook his head.
"Don't talk like that Nathalie, you don't deserve this." Adrien was becoming more desperate, but Nathalie just smiled at him softly.
"I loved you Adrien, I just want you to know that." Adrien leaned down pressing a kiss into her forehead.
"I love you too Nathalie. You have to hold on, you still have so much more life to live, with us, with your family." A tear ran down Nathalie's cheek. For so long, all she had wanted was that they might have been a family. All those years Gabriel wasted. She looked back up into those bright green eyes she had watched grow up before her.
"You're free now Adrien, go and live your life with Marinette. I couldn't ask for more than that." Nathalie's eyes became more heavy until she couldn't keep them open any longer.
"Nathalie...Nathalie." Adrien called, but there was no response. The five heroes were huddled around one another as the chamber became silent, heads bent. Nathalie's arm dropped from her side, the lucky charm bracelet rolling out of her hand.