-present-

The escort parked the SUV and got out, leaving the car still running. A valet driver ran over to collect the keys. Adrien sighed and got out to follow the large man into his building. He couldn't confront him out in the open and he wasn't sure what he was up against.

If he needed the power of the miraculous, he very well couldn't make his grand reappearance here and now outside his own apartment.

The two silently rode the elevator up to the top floor penthouse apartment. An agent had selected his new place before Adrien was even back in Paris from the states so he didn't get a chance to protest the lavish waste that it was. It had been fully furnished and felt like the loneliest place in the city. Since he'd been back, he'd kept himself busy with night life and entertaining Chloe. As hard as she was to deal with, she was a good distraction. The time spent with her was time he wasn't moping about Ladybug and the good old days.

"Pack your bag and I'll wait here, Mr. Agreste." The man said as the elevator doors let them off into the entry way of his apartment. "I'll give you 10 minutes."

"That won't be necessary, I'm afraid I won't be able to make the flight. There's an emergency and my friends need me. I'm asking you nicely, please don't make this difficult." Adrien took a step to face the broad man. He was now blocking the elevator with his arms folded in front of his chest. He was not as tall as Adrien but was a solid, wide man who could probably hold his ground.

"Your father has given me permission to use force if necessary. You will be on a plane departing Paris at 7:00. Getting your belongings was just a courtesy."

No bodyguard had ever threatened him so directly. Who was this man and why did he work for his father? Adrien decided he didn't need his miraculous. He would take care of this as Adrien Agreste.

Adrien undid his watch and unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt. "Don't say I didn't ask nicely."

Marinette's phone buzzed, another missed call from Nino. Alya must be in trouble. Marinette tucked her hair into her hood and continued walking back to the park. She couldn't transform in broad daylight. Ladybug couldn't be seen. Not yet.

Marinette reached the park and scanned the area, nothing out of the ordinary. She checked the restrooms but no Alya. She would check the path Alya would take home from here. Maybe she had stepping in somewhere to lay low. As Marinette went past shops and people window shopping she couldn't help but feel like she was being followed. Each time she looked over her shoulder there was no one close enough paying her any mind.

Marinette heard a crash down an ally between two buildings up ahead. She quicken her pace to the alley and as soon as she turned into it, darkness enveloped her. Everything was pitch black.

Marinette shuffled forward into the darkness with her arms outstretched. "Alya?!" Marinette called.

"Your friend is safe with me, for now." A familiar voice said in the darkness, echoing all around her.

"Let her go, Hawkmoth. She has nothing to do with this. Please, let me see her!"

Marinette continued forward in the unwavering blackness, how was he doing this? This was an illusion, she realized. That meant he had Alya's miraculous!

"I got what I wanted from your friend, Rena Rouge. I'll return her unharmed, in exchange for Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

"What? How do you expect me to manage that? They've been gone for years. I can't do that!" Marinette scrambled to come up with an alternative. He had her best friend hostage, what else could she do?

"Yes they have been gone for years, ever since our run-in, Marinette Dupan-Cheng. Marinette who is best friends with Rena Rouge as it turns out. Curious that Ladybug and Chat Noir would go silent following our encounter, unless I got too close to them. Unless I've actually found Ladybug herself."

"You're wrong Hawkmoth! Please let Alya go!" Marinette knew this day would come. He would piece it together, he probably had back then but wanted to catch her in the act.

"After your show tomorrow I expect those miraculous in my hands or I will turn Alya into an even greater akumatized victim than you were. I've had a long time to plan my return." He paused.

"And my son is no longer in Paris, so you can save that threat. You made a mistake when you decided to get close to him. I warned you I would return."

Hawkmoth then materialized in front of her glowing white. He wore a white suit and mask and the fox pendent hung from neck.

"If you want to see your friend again, unharmed, you will not attempt contact my son. You will go through with the show as planned and at the end of the night, I'll have what I deserve. The power of the miraculous in my hands at last!"

With a flash of light, the alley way was returned to normal. Completely empty except a defeated Marinette.

Adrien stepped off the elevator, winded from his altercation but mostly unscathed. He couldn't say the same for the 'escort' that was laying face down in his apartment, knocked unconscious. Adrien quickly made his way to the valet who was surprised to see him back so soon. Adrien nodded in his direction and the valet scurried off to bring the SUV around. Adrien checked his phone to see if there was any update from Nino. No bars.

Adrien dialed Nino but instead was met with an error message from the provider. Disconnected.

Adrien yelled out in frustration and pretend-tossed his phone in frustration, but then slipped it back into his pocket. His father had cancelled his service. What was really going on? Why was he keeping him from the show? Or wait... was it Marinette that his father was keeping him from? He recalled their angry expressions when he had found them in the conference room. Something else had happened between them that neither his father or Marinette were telling him.

The valet pulled around and quickly hopped out leaving the car running. "Was there anything else I could assist with, Mr. Agreste? Water? Mint? Need me to check the tire pressure before you go?" He said out of breath.

"Yeah actually there is something, can I have your phone?" Adrien pulled out his wallet and handed the valet the cash he had. The valet took the stack with his mouth hung open and handed over his phone without breaking eye contact with the money he now held.

"Yes sir, Mr. Agreste."

As Marinette reached the venue her phone buzzed in the pocket of her borrowed hoodie. Tikki who had been nestled in the same pocket gave a startled yelp. An unknown number, probably a scam call. She got multiple calls like it a day, no matter how many times she blocked the numbers, they'd call back from a new one. She ended the call and entered the venue.

The music had been cut off and only a few people remained setting up last minute details. It looked like everything was ready for tomorrow. The day of her show, the day of Hawk Moth's return to Paris. The designers' desks had been moved from the venue floor and her garments were now hanging up backstage in her section. A red headed young intern was there adding labels to the hangers looking frantic.

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng! Thank goodness you are alright, no one knew where you went. There was a tear in the satin dress for Camille during her fitting and I tried to sew it back up but it's satin! I may have made it worse, I am so very sorry. Please, please don't report me to the company. This is my first show I've gotten to work!"

Marinette could care less about the dress, or the tear, or the show that was supposed to have gotten her the international recognition she had been dreaming of. It all felt so minuscule now. All she could do was give a small smile to the intern. "I can take care of it, no harm done."

The intern dabbed her eye and thanked Marinette profusely. She then hurried off before Marinette could change her mind. Marinette found an open desk and chair and sat in the empty room, holding back tears. Another buzz came from her hoodie pocket. She pulled out her phone to a text from the same unknown number.

Princess, I hope this is still your number. Please call me when you can, something is very wrong.

- Chat

Marinette stared at the text dumbfounded. Was this real? How? And why now? Would Hawk Moth be able to see this message? Was this a trap? So many thoughts flooded her mind at once. " Tikki! Are you seeing this? How do I know if it's really him?" Marinette whispered.

Tikki peaked her tiny head out of the side of the sweatshirt and read the message. "Chat Noir? Plagg? Wait! I can go and find Plagg! I'll search him out and let you know if it's really him!" she exclaimed. "I can ask for their help and warn them that Hawk Moth has returned! We can set a trap for him, Marinette!"

Tikki zipped around excitedly but Marinette did not move from her spot. Would she really involve Chat Noir again? The image of Chat Noir laying unconscious on the ground with hair wrapped around his neck flashed in Marinette's mind. It was her mistake then and her mistake now, selfishly spending time with Adrien, that put them here. She had already gotten Alya kidnapped! Did she really want to risk Tikki and Plagg and Chat getting roped in too? "Tikki, I don't want to put him at risk, the same goes for you and Plagg. I've made so many bad choices."

Tikki hugged Marinette's cheek. "Marinette, I hate to say it but we don't have any other options. We have to put a stop to Hawk Moth once and for all. We have to save Alya and what better way than a good ol' LadyBug and Chat Noir team up? It's never let us down before. You guys complete each other!"

Marinette considered it. She was never going to hand over Tikki to Hawkmoth and she couldn't fight him as just Marinette. Having Chat Noir by her side again could be the answer to her problems.

"Okay Tikki, go find Plagg and Chat Noir. If it really is him, tell them to meet me tonight. I'll be... I'll be at a hotel by the river. Hotel Duo. I don't trust any of our old spots, it has to be somewhere new where I can easily make an escape without being followed in or out. I'll be in disguise but you'll know me."

Tikki nodded excitedly, ready to fly off in search of her friend that she hadn't seen in so long.

"Tikki, promise me you will be extra careful. It could be a trap, don't rush in unless you are sure it is safe."

"Don't worry Marinette, I can handle this! Hotel Duo, I will see you there tonight with Chat Noir!" She flew off in a flash of red leaving Marinette an anxious mess. There was nothing else she could do now. Except there was one thing. She pulled out her phone and dialed Nino.

"Good god almighty! Marinette! Are you alright?! Is Alya with you!? Is she okay?!" Nino exclaimed into her ear. Marinette looked around to make sure she was still alone.

"Listen Nino, I don't have much time to explain. Listen carefully to me. Hawk Moth has returned and he has Alya, but don't freak out! I have a plan."

Adrien didn't know where to go first. Back to the venue to find Marinette, or maybe back to her apartment? Maybe she was at Alya's? No, Nino had said they weren't there and he was already out searching for them. He checked the message he sent from the valet's phone. It had been read, but no response. It was getting close to sunset now and the flight his father had planned for him would be taking off.

His father, he thought. That's where he needed to go to find answers. Adrien decided the only way he was going to get to the bottom of what was going on was to go home.

As Adrien stepped into the front entry way of their manor he was met by his father standing stoically at the top of the stairs. The expression on his face was clear, he was furious to see Adrien here and not on the plane as he had instructed.

"Father, I -" Adrien started but was cut off by a sudden blackness surrounding him. All the light was swallowed up and Adrien could only hear his father's voice echoing around him.

"You should not have disobeyed me, Adrien. This is for your own good, I cannot have you getting in the way again."

~Author Note~

Hi there!
Thank you for reading so far. I took a long hiatus but am back with more fun ideas for this story. Please leave a review and let me know if you are enjoying it so far. :)