Soon Ladybug and Cat Noir were jumping across the rooftops again. Ladybug suggested they investigate their lead later that evening, or even the next day, but Cat Noir rejected her suggestion. He insisted they go immediately, and his determined look told Ladybug he would not be swayed. She felt he needed more time to process the situation, but he was refusing, and there was no way to force him.
Soon they landed on a rooftop across from the Agreste mansion. Cat Noir was staring at the building with a hard expression, but Ladybug was only watching him, seeing his pained expression, her heart bleeding for the pain he was suffering. He tried to act brave, but the grim frown plastered on his face and the sadness in his eyes betrayed his feelings. She wanted to comfort him, somehow, to help him with this situation, but she didn't even know how to try.
Then there was the unspoken concern that she carried with her, one more grave than Nathalie being Mayura. She wasn't certain Cat Noir had considered it by now, but it was all she could think about. She hated to bring it up, to make the pain worse, but it was better she mention it now to ease the pain later, if she was right. And she was usually right.
"Cat Noir," Ladybug said gently, watching her partner with growing concern, "I know you don't want to hear this, but…" she bit her lip, not wanting to continue, but knowing she must, "Master Fu's theory has always been that the peacock miraculous, spell book, and butterfly miraculous were together. That's what led me to suspect your f-father that time." She watched Cat Noir's reaction, but so far he remained unflinching, not even turning to meet her gaze. "If Nathalie does have the peacock miraculous, and we know the spell book is in your father's possession, then we have to… consider the fact that… he has the butterfly miraculous as well."
Ladybug was forced to remember that day she first suggested Gabriel Agreste as Hawk Moth. She couldn't understand at the time Cat Noir's disturbing reaction to that accusation, but now she understood all too well. She couldn't bring herself to say outright that she again suspected Gabriel of being Hawk Moth, yet she grew more certain of it the more she considered the possibility.
"I… know," Cat Noir answered hesitantly, still not meeting Ladybug's eyes, "I've thought about that already." He looked down for a moment, his shoulders drooping as the sadness seemed to overwhelm him. "After we fought Slither, I heard him shouting at Nathalie about something. I think he must've been warning her not to use the miraculous. That means he knows, and that means he might be…" He let his sentence hang in the air, unable to bring himself to complete it. Watching his expression, it seemed he was as certain of it as Ladybug was.
"I'm… so sorry," Ladybug reached a hand up to Cat Noir's shoulder, trying to comfort him, though nothing she could say would be sufficient, "I… I don't know what to say." Despite herself, she felt tears starting to form.
"Don't," Cat Noir shook his head, "Just… Let's talk to Nathalie first. Let's get to the bottom of this."