Jean Luc was pacing his room, his anxiety building. He hoped she would come. He needed her to come. But he was afraid that, all things considering, it was much more likely that she wouldn't come. He was hoping everything would go according to plan. But he was afraid that, again, it was much more likely that things would turn sour; and it definitely could, at a moment's notice.

All at once, he heard a soft tapping on the skylight. He nearly upended a stack of papers on the desk in his haste to let her in.

"L-ladybug!" He stuttered, not being able to help shooting her a wide grin that lit up his whole face. "You came!"

She merely nodded. Her expression was guarded, her eyes darting around as though expecting trouble. His grin faded, and he schooled his expression into one of forced calm.

"Please, have a seat," he invited, gesturing toward the chaise while he scooted his usual computer desk chair closer so they could face each other. "Do you want anything to eat, or drink? I can go grab-"

"Thanks, but I'm fine," she interrupted him. "So…?"

Apparently Ladybug had had enough of pleasantries and was ready to get down to business. He sat stalk-straight in his chair, his back stiff. He was hoping they'd be able to talk normally for a bit first, as he hadn't exactly figured out how to break this to her gently. Anyway, where should he start? His mind swirled, thoughts moving in and out of his conscious thought process at an alarming rate, until…

"Chat Noir!" He blurted suddenly. "I saw- I saw Chat Noir. In…in my head. The other day."

"What?!" Ladybug gasped, looking as though someone had hit her over the head with an anvil. He grimaced. That definitely hadn't been what he'd wanted to lead with. He took a deep breath, and after that, the words just spilled out.

"I saw the day he met you," he said nervously. "You were around fourteen or fifteen years old probably. You fell out of the sky and landed on him, wrapping you both up in your yo-yo string. And he said something like -"

"-nice of you to drop in," they finished together, Ladybug in a whisper.

"Oh…my…" Ladybug was pacing, holding her head in her hands and rubbing her forehead worriedly. Ordinarily, the familiarity of her gesture would have made him smile since it gave him more evidence to link Ladybug to Marinette, but as it was, he could only watch in concern at her stress. Jean Luc wanted to reach out to her, but he wasn't sure it would help. After all, he was the cause of all this.

"There's something else," he continued. His heart, already beating rapidly, felt like it was now attempting to burst free of his chest. Ladybug's eyes flickered to him, willing him to continue.

"I- I'm Chat Noir," he said in a voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "The one from before."

"What?" Ladybug asked, at him in shock. He didn't look up for a moment as he slowly took off his glasses and his brown contacts, finally meeting her eyes with his true emerald green ones. She gasped. Her eyes darted quickly about; he recognized her expression of looking for an escape route, the same one Marinette had used that day with her parents. She was going to run again, he realized. On impulse, he quickly seized her hand, grasping it tightly just as she began to move away. Thank goodness for cat-like reflexes, he thought wryly.

"Ladybug, please. Promise you'll let me explain," he begged. He held his breath as she stared at him intensely, then nodded. He breathed a sigh of relief, making as if to release her hand, but she held onto it even more tightly, as though to reassure herself this was real. Jean Luc made himself comfortable on the floor before he gestured for her to sit down, and after a moment, she did, settling into a crosslegged position across from him still clinging to his hand. She still looked terrified.

Slowly and carefully, he explained everything he could remember since he woke that day next to the Seine. He pulled out his phone and searched the picture of himself he'd seen on the billboard that day, showing her how he'd realized everyone in Paris would know who he was, except for himself. He explained how he'd disguised himself and gotten a job, hoping to blend in long enough to find out who he was and what had happened to him without interference.

When he'd finished telling his (admittedly short) life history, he found Ladybug still gaping at him. He didn't say anything at first, but his curiosity overcame him when she snatched his phone, comparing the photo and his face until she saw what she was looking for. Her shocked expression became, if it was possible, even more pronounced.

"What?" He asked. Ladybug just shook her head, her jaw all but dragging on the floor. Finally, she found her voice.

"You- You're not just a model," she said, looking awestruck. "Your name is really Adrien Agreste, and you're only one of the most famous fashion models in all of Paris!"

Jean Luc- Adrien- just sat there in shock, staring at Ladybug. He, the nobody kid who'd been hiding away and working in a bakery for months, was a famous fashion model! One of the most famous, if what Ladybug said was true. And Chat Noir.

It was so hard to sort through his head right now, he thought vaguely. Everything was happening so fast. And then, all intelligent thought ceased as Ladybug launched herself at him in a hug, landing on top of him as she knocked him onto his back. She squeezed him tightly, and it was then that he noticed she was sobbing into his chest. He rubbed her back, lying still so as not to startle her.

"It's alright, Milady," he said softly. "It's alright." He knew in his head that he should probably be uncomfortable about her proximity since he couldn't remember knowing Ladybug for real, but his instincts were telling him that it was alright; that this was right. Her tears finally slowed, but she made no move to shift from his embrace.

"I-I thought you were dead," she whispered finally against his neck. He shivered a little at her warm breath on his skin. He pushed himself up again into a sitting position- it wasn't that difficult, even with her on top of him; she was extremely light- gathering her into his chest. A smirk spread over his features as she squeaked in surprise, throwing her arms around his neck as he moved.

"You'll have to try harder than that to be rid of me, Milady," he whispered back. "I'm not going anywhere."

He stared down at her, his heart full of happiness, just enjoying the feeling of her closeness. As he did so, he could see it on her face as something crossed her mind. Her blazing eyes narrowed and she pushed herself out of his lap.

"You stupid cat!," she cried, punching his arm. His eyes widened in surprise and shock as his hand involuntarily flew to cover the spot. From somewhere in the room, he thought he could hear Plagg snicker.

"Ouch! What the-?"

"You can't just throw yourself in the line of fire!" she continued. "You can't do that! You- you nearly got yourself killed, and -"

"Milady," he said calmly, putting his hands on her shoulders. Her shoulders drooped, and all at once, it was as if the fire had gone from her soul. A single tear dripped down her face as she gazed at the floor. He tilted her chin up to look at him, gently wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"Hey. It's a little unfair to scold me when I don't actually remember what you're talking about, don't you think?" He asked with a small smile. "Though, I can't bring myself to feel sorry for saving you. I saw the fan vids. You're the one who makes everything right again, after all. That's what I'm there for- to protect you so that you can save Paris."

"I just…I don't want you to get hurt. Again. Because of me." Ladybug sighed, looking down as she twisted a pigtail awkwardly.

Her mind began racing. She couldn't let him do that again. She couldn't lose him. She didn't want to live without him. She wasn't sure if she could, anyway.

"Hey," He cut off her internal rambling, reaching out to run his hands along her upper arms in a comforting gesture, trying to get her to meet his eyes. "Don't worry, Milady. We'll figure it out. Us against the world."

Another memory swirled into focus.

Teenage Adrien was in what looked to be a sewer pipe, Plagg floating next to him, eating a piece of cheese.

"Do you think there's any hope, Chat?" Ladybug's voice sounded afraid from around the corner. They must have both been letting their kwamis recharge. "We failed! Everyone in Paris is a slave to Hawkmoth, and we're the only ones left! We're going to be massively outnumbered."

Adrien turned to the wall, putting a hand to it as though to reach out to her. "Then, let's go back to what's always worked- you and me against the world, Milady! Like it's always been!"

His mind refocused on the present, where Ladybug was searching his face again, as though still looking for reassurance that he and her Chat were one and the same.

"Chat said that before, you know," she said finally, a shaky smile shining through.

Adrien nodded, running a hand through his brunette-dyed hair. "I know. I- I think more of my memories are coming back," he admitted. "I saw that day in the sewers. We were hiding from an Hawkmoth's minions- hiding from all of Paris, to be precise."

Ladybug smiled. "That's great news," she said. "A-about your memories. Have you had any since the other day? When I was here last?"

He shook his head, looking troubled..

"All of the ones so far though seem to center on you, though," he mused, before realizing what he'd said. "Not…not that that's a bad thing," he tried to cover for himself. "It probably shows how big a part of my life you were since before…well, before I can remember." Ladybug turned red. "Just…I still don't have any memories of my family."

Ladybug turned her gaze on him. "Well, I know that your father is basically the most famous fashion designer in the world, but not much else." She sat quietly for a moment, then he could practically see the lightbulb ignite in her head. "I'm sure that, now that we know your real name, we can just search you on the Internet. It won't be that hard, there's got to be tons of stuff about you. Come on!" She moved to the computer desk chair, deftly typing in the password to Marinette's workstation without a second thought.

Yet another piece of evidence, Adrien thought happily.

Opening the web browser, they quickly found what they were looking for- Adrien Agreste had his own wiki page. Ladybug quickly scanned the screen, resting her chin in her hand as she propped her elbow on the table. Adrien peered over her shoulder, his emerald eyes bright with curiosity.

"Says here that you have been modeling for Agreste Fashions for almost fifteen years, since you turned ten," she stated, still skimming. "You were homeschooled… Oh! You won several national competitions for fencing- guess that explains your swordsmanship the other day. You got an MBA from ESCP four years ago…wow! You graduated early!" She remarked in surprise. "You've helped in diplomatic negotiations with the Chinese ambassadors a few times due to your mastery of the language…that's impressive." All of these points had pictures attached, proving their authenticity.

She continued reading silently, suddenly gazing at him in concern. He'd been mesmerized by the photos, so he hadn't caught up to where she was reading.

"What?" He asked, feeling a little alarmed.

"It…it says your mother, Emilie Agreste, disappeared. About ten years ago, now," she said quietly. "Your father, Gabriel, has been rarely seen in public since that time. And you apparently don't have any brothers or sisters."

Adrien frowned. The picture being painted of his past life was definitely not a happy one. Homeschooled? Losing his mother? Modeling since he was young for his father, who never left the house? It all sounded…amazingly lonely.

Ladybug continued. "You're not known to be dating anyone at this time, though sources say you were dating Chloe Bourgeious a few years ago. You know, the ex-mayor's daughter," she said, making a face.

Apparently, Ladybug and Chloe did not get along.

Finishing the article, Ladybug closed the wiki, instead opening other news stories relating to Adrien. "Here's something- your father officially named you a missing person about a month after that battle where you lost your memories. I wonder why it took him so long?" She wondered aloud. "Now that we're mentioning this, I sort of remember that. It was all over school that Adrien Agreste was missing." She looked thoughtful. "The theories ranged from kidnapping for ransom, to suicide, to you eloping with some girl your father would never approve of and going off grid," she rambled, blushing a little. "I was a little…preoccupied, though, so I was not really paying much attention."

She kept searching, pulling up a tabloid article. "This one is speculating that you had a fight with your father, just a week or so before your memories were wiped," she said. "Apparently, you publicly quit modeling and, quote, 'stormed from the building'." She grimaced at the article. "Not sure how much truth there is here- it is a tabloid, after all- but they may have actually been close. It would explain why your father didn't report you missing sooner- he may have expected you not to contact him for quite some time if you'd had a row."

Suddenly, another memory jumped to the forefront.

"Adrien, you must find a date for the fashion gala next week," his father commanded, looking down his nose at his son. The man had white blond hair and cold, gray eyes. His clothes were immaculate as usual. He was speaking to Adrien over a video call. Adrien was out at a photoshoot at the studio, waiting his turn to be fitted one last time before the photos were taken.

"As the face of Agreste Fashions, it is your duty to set an example. At your age, it isn't proper for you to turn up to the event without a lady on your arm," he was saying.

Adrien's green eyes narrowed. "But Father, I still don't know anyone well enough to want to ask them for a date. Something that is entirely not my decision, I might add" he protested. "You know that, if I had my way, I'd have been out meeting people, going to school and university classes on campus like everyone else. I would have had the opportunity to at least know some people that way."

His father was unwilling to back down. "Adrien. You will find yourself a date, or I will find one for you. And my choice will be Miss Bourgeious."

Adrien bit back a groan. "Father, you know that didn't go well last time," he tried to reason with him. "Chloe thought she owned me for months after the last time you had me ask her out." He'd just be trading one controlling person in his life for another, if he hooked up with Chloe.

"Then, perhaps Miss Rossi," his father retorted, undeterred. Adrien was stunned.

"Lila?" He said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. The girl had hung herself all over him repeatedly at modeling gigs. She was one of his father's top female models, so they often got paired together for photoshoots. Nothing he tried worked; he'd asked her to stop, physically tried to remove her from his person, and tried telling his father, but to no avail. She would just make up an excuse to be touching him, sitting close to him, running her hand up his arm, or whatever else he happened to complain about. For some reason, everyone always believed her over him, no matter what he said. "Lila is…manipulative, Father. I don't think that would ever work out."

But his father appeared to be tuning him out. Uh oh, he thought. That was never good.

"Now that I think on it again, I believe Miss Bourgeious to be the best option," he said finally. "She's a fashionable young lady, and she's always liked you very much. Not to mention, she has what it takes to be intimately connected with a prominent fashion house. And while Miss Rossi is…familiar…she lacks a certain degree of…" Gabriel trailed off, searching for words.

"Class?" Adrien suggested, inwardly grinning. "Decorum?"

"Precisely." Gabriel stroked his chin thoughtfully. "No, Adrien, I've changed my mind. You will take Miss Bourgeious to the fashion gala, and then afterwards, you will get to know her better. She will be a perfect life partner for you."

Adrien gaped at him, not even bothering to try to be dignified about it. "You've got to be kit- kidding me!" He burst out.

It took all his self control not to smack himself. He'd just addressed his father extremely casually, so he was probably already going be in for a reprimand. But heaven forbid he use a cat pun in front of his father- the man would probably flat-out disown him. He mentally commanded Chat Noir to stay far away from the situation. Adrien had to be the one to deal with this.

"Why would I be? It's a prudent match for both of you."

"Except that she's a witch," Adrien muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. Gabriel narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"What was that?"

"Nothing…" Adrien took a deep breath in an attempt to keep his temper. "Father, please reconsider. Chloe and I would never be happy together. It would be a total ca- a total disaster!" Dammit! He thought. Chat! What did I just say?!

"Enough, Adrien," Gabriel cut him off. "You will be seriously dating Miss Bourgeious, beginning right after the gala. That is final."

Adrien's expression turned hard and cold, matching Gabriel's in every aspect. A cold fire burned in his eyes. He couldn't very well tell his father that he was in love with Ladybug, but he couldn't just sit by and let his father set him up with Chloe, of all people.

"No." Adrien said quietly. "I will not." He glared at the screen bearing his father's face. "I don't love Chloe. Or Lila, for that matter. I will not be asking either of them to the gala. I will not become anyone's life partner. And I will not be here for work tomorrow. Or ever. Again."

And with that, he disconnected the call, gathered his things, and marched out of the building, still wearing his half-finished photoshoot costume.

Ladybug watched in concern as Adrien staggered to the chaise, sitting down heavily.

"Another memory?" She asked anxiously as he shakily ran a hand through his hair. When he nodded, she approached him slowly, taking a seat beside him.

"My father," he said in explanation. "He- he tried to force me to start a relationship with Chloe Bourgeious. A- a long-term romantic partnership," he said. Ladybug looked scandalized. "That's why we fought. He insisted, I refused." He looked slightly ashamed of himself. "Honestly, the accounts of quote, 'storming from the building' were pretty spot-on."

Ladybug stared into the distance. "Your father tried to…essentially…arrange your marriage?" She asked, looking thunderstruck. "To that…that…witch? What kind of parent does something like that? What are we, living in the 1100's?"

Adrien let out a strangled laugh, and it was only then that she realized she'd said all of that out loud. Her face turned as bright red as her suit, coving her gaping mouth with her hands.

"Oh, crap! I'm sorry, I…" She stopped in confusion as he started to laugh. Not that weird, strangled sound he'd made earlier, but a real, genuine laugh. She realized had never heard Chat really laugh before, not in all the years she'd known him. It was a bright, infectious sound, and Ladybug found she quite loved hearing it. After a moment, she joined him. Once they'd gotten a hold of themselves, he grinned at her.

"Thanks, Ladybug. I really needed that," he said with a sigh, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers in hers. She blushed again. "And no, I don't mind what you said. It was better than what I was thinking, anyway," he chuckled again. Then he smirked at her, leaning in closer, his emerald eyes sparkling with mirth. "Between you and me, the best part of that incident was when I almost slipped up and started talking like Chat Noir in front of my father." Ladybug's eyes widened in horror.

"You didn't," she breathed. Everyone in the fashion world knew how scary Gabriel Agreste was when he was angry. He nodded mischievously.

"Almost. It was a close call. He starts in with this, 'you will take Miss Bourgeious as your life partner,' and the Chat Noir in my head yells out, 'You've got to be kitten me'!"

Ladybug snorted with laughter again, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, it gets better. He keeps on listing off reasons why it would be a profitable match, and then when I tried to protest, the Chat part of my head chimes in with, 'It would be a total cat-astrophe!' I was lucky to get out of there with my hide intact!"

"And here I was, just getting used having to not having to listen to the cat puns all the time…" she sighed in fake annoyance.

"Aww, Milady, you know you missed me," he smirked at her, squeezing her hand. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

"You have no idea how much," she said seriously, leaning into his chest contentedly.