When the day was finally over, Marinette walked alone back home. She hadn't spoken to Adrien again the rest of the day. The fact that he was Cat Noir was a fact that she hadn't fully digested, but the more she thought about it, the more it bothered her. Cat Noir was a great partner, but she hated his attitude most of the time. How could that be Adrien?

Adrien always seemed so reserved, so compassionate. Cat Noir was rambunctious and self-centered. They're such opposites, Marinette sighed as she entered the bakery, they can't be the same person. She passed her parents with a brief greeting, not really hearing them respond as she ascended the stairs.

Maybe Cat Noir is the real Adrien, she wondered, the side of him he wants to be when his identity is hidden. Did I ever love that side of him? Was I starting to, or was that just because I was depressed about Adrien?

She absentmindedly climbed up into her room and sat hard in her desk chair, staring up at the ceiling. Tikki flew out of her purse and hovered beside her.

"You've known the whole time, haven't you?" Marinette asked the kwami, not in an accusatory tone, but frustrated.

"Not the whole time," Tikki sighed, "but ever since Dark Owl trapped you."

"I wish you could've told me," Marinette buried her face in her hands, "that would've been a much better way to find out."

"Marinette, you know your identities were supposed to be a secret," Tikki reminded her.

"Yeah, but what about after he knew?" Marinette was growing upset, though she knew it was irrational, "You could've told me… then we'd both know, and…" Marinette trailed off, uncertain where she was going with this line of reasoning, just trying to work through some of her frustration.

Before Tikki had a chance to answer, her phone buzzed. She glanced at it and saw she had a text. From Adrien. She almost felt like ignoring it, though she wasn't sure why, but she read it anyway.

'We need to talk' was all it said. As Marinette contemplated her answer, another text came that said, 'Not about us. About work.'

Adrien finally got a moment to himself when he climbed into his car for the drive home. He tried to imagine how Marinette was feeling, considering everything he put her through recently. He was starting to realize that he was so caught up with what he wanted, he never stopped to consider her desires. How could I have been so selfish? he wondered as he entered his home.

So caught up in his own thoughts, he hardly noticed his father walking slowly down the hallway, away from Nathalie's room. His gaze was downcast, extremely concerned about something. Adrien saw him walking by as he reached his room.

"Father?" Adrien looked at him, worried, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Adrien," his father looked up suddenly, as though just noticing him, "It's Nathalie. I'm afraid her condition has worsened." With that, he continued as his way, lost in his own thoughts. Adrien gave a concerned glance over towards Nathalie's room, wondering if he should pay her a visit. Strange that her condition worsened so suddenly, he considered, hand still on his door, just like it did…

A thought struck him, a disturbing one. Quickly he entered his room and shut the door behind him, trying to think clearly. We fought Mayura today, he reminded himself, and the last time her condition worsened was the last time we fought Mayura, and she first got sick… after Heroes' Day!

"Plagg!" Adrien said aloud, walking away from the door, "Can using a miraculous make someone sick?"

"I dunno," Plagg shrugged as he flew out from his hiding place, "Why would you think that?"

"Because, Nathalie…" Adrien shook his head. The notion was ridiculous. He knew people didn't get sick from using a miraculous, he had been using his for months without a problem. But still, it was too much of a coincidence, he couldn't just ignore it. After the last time Mayura appeared, Adrien remembered suddenly, father was upset at Nathalie about something, which means… maybe he…

"What's the matter?" Plagg asked, genuine concern in his voice as Adrien pulled out his phone. Not knowing what else to do, he sent Marinette a quick message saying, 'We need to talk'. After a moment, realizing that, with the day's events, she might interpret that the wrong way, he added quickly, 'Not about us. About work.'