Ladybug, Adrien and Chloe stood there on the street, just looking at each other. Finally Chloe broke the silence. "We should call the police and tell them where to find the guy". Ladybug nodded. "I'll do that in just a minute. But first... what's your game in this?" It came out harsher than she intended, but she was angry. She'd almost died. Adrien had almost died. And Chloe was an akuma. Who had also almost died.

Chloe just smiled. "You needed bait to find Adrien. I volunteered." In a more typical tone of voice she added "You can show me your gratitude later".

The purple mask flickered over her face, and she said in annoyance "I know, I know". Then she looked at Adrien and added "OK, I had some help."

He took a step back, startled. "You're... akumatised. But you look the same."

"It was a small thing. None of the usual drama." The mask flickered. "Yes, I said drama. About you. Live with it." She refocused on the other two teens, who seemed stunned that she would talk to Hawkmoth like that, even knowing that she talked like that to everybody. "Just a small power – to unlock or open anything that was closed. No more. And nothing that anyone would notice. Including a kidnapper looking for a rich brat."

"So you've been under Hawkmoth's control all this time? Not that I'm complaining, but why would he want to free me?"

"No, and I don't know. He can't control anyone or what they do with the powers he gives them. I think what Le Père Fouettard was doing was too much even for him. And", she added wryly, "it was done so quietly only Ladybug showed up, and that because I sent her a message. Chat Noir doesn't seem to have heard about it at all. I can't imagine Hawkmoth was happy about not getting his whateverthingy that he keeps trying to get from them."

Ladybug spoke in surprise. "So volunteering yourself – that wasn't Hawkmoth? You did that?"

"Yes", the blonde girl admitted. "It was the best thing I could think of. What with all the attention I attract, of course. Nobody could steal me away without anyone noticing." She tossed her hair at the idea.

"You'll be a hero, Chloe," Adrien said, with a genuine smile for his friend. Ladybug had to agree, credit where credit was due. But the girl blanched.

"No! You can't tell anyone about this!"

"Why not?" Adrien and Ladybug asked at the same moment, then glanced at each other.

"Well for starters, in a few minutes I won't remember any of it. But while I do remember, there's something I should tell you. Hawkmoth can only akumatise you if you accept his deal. If you reject it, he can't take you over."

Adrien was the first to realise what this meant. "So... if we tell everyone that you rescued me, sooner or later they'll realise it's because you made a deal with him."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Exactly. And you know I can't have that in my reputation. Again."

Ladybug still looked puzzled, but Adrien completely understood.

"Can I ask what deal you did make with him?" he asked diffidently. "You haven't demanded Ladybug's miraculous once."

"He wanted you freed. I did too. That was our deal." She looked away at the night as she said it.

"Wanted him... freed?" Ladybug repeated, stunned.

Adrien hesitated, then closed the gap between him and Chloe, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Thank you", he said into her neck. "Thank you".

"So then..." Ladybug asked cautiously, "what about your akuma? Do you give it back to him? Do we take it from you?"

The blonde girl looked at her nails, almost contemplatively. "You don't need to worry about that", she said. "Does anyone have nail scissors?"

"You don't?" asked Ladybug. "I thought you always carried that sort of thing."

"I left them at home. I didn't want to risk anyone using them on me until I'd got Adrien freed."

Adrien shrugged. "I don't have any on me, either." He looked at Ladybug. "And you don't have pockets." Ladybug rolled her eyes, but nodded. "So where are we, exactly?" he asked.

A short walk later, they were back outside the warehouse holding the stage sets for the photoshoots. Chloe touched the door, and it opened. Ladybug went in first, and found something to hold the door open with so it didn't lock behind them. Then Adrien led them to the make-up room, and they hunted through racks of beauty equipment until they found a pair of nail scissors. Chloe took them from Ladybug's hands. "I'll do the honours," she said.

"You can remove the akuma yourself?"

"Of course, if I want to."

A purple mask flickered across her face, just for a moment, and they weren't sure who she spoke to next.

"Honestly, I'm grateful for this magic but I don't want to keep it. I know I'm in a bit of a gilded cage, but that's the price you pay for power. Escaping's your thing, Adrien. I don't need to get out of it."

Adrien was kind enough not to say that he could see she was lying.

Chloe took the scissors and set them to one long nail. "Thanks for coming when I asked, Ladybug". She gave a much softer smile than usual, then cut down.

Half of a fake nail fell to the floor, and a little butterfly fluttered out. It was nearly the colour of moonlight. Adrien's jaw dropped. Ladybug startled. There was nothing to purify.

Then a screech hit them like a sonic wall.

"WHAT AM I DOING?! WHAT'S HAPPENED TO MY NAIL?!"