Ladybug waited with the two of them for Adrien's limo to arrive. Police cars went past, she assumed on the way to the hideout. It gave her something to look at instead of how Chloe was hanging onto Adrien – and how he was letting her. The Darling of Paris didn't remember anything from when she was akumatised, but she definitely remembered why. Ladybug's inner Marinette wanted to scream and rip Adrien out of the girl's clinging grasp, but in all fairness she'd earnt the right to cling even if she didn't know it. If what she'd said earlier about Hawkmoth's deal was true, she'd been far more brave and selfless than Marinette had ever expected of her. And without her they might not have found Adrien in time. So instead of trying to separate them, Ladybug pulled out her yoyo. Mayor Bourgeois answered on the first ring, and insisted he'd have a car around to collect Chloe from Adrien's home immediately. When the limo arrived, Ladybug ushered her charges into the care of Adrien's scary bodyguard and bugged out.
A cookie, a panicked conversation with Tikki about how Adrien was never going to love anybody but Chloe ever again and a long drink of water later, Ladybug waited for Chat Noir on the rooftops. Patrol should have started a while ago, but she was late. Chat Noir must have started without her. She pulled out her yoyo and rang him. It took a lot longer than normal for him to answer, but he did.
"Hey, Bug?"
"Whereabouts are you? I was late to patrol and missed you."
"Uhhh... actually I'm not on patrol yet. I was late too. I'm just heading out now."
"I'm at the usual place. See you soon."
Chat Noir touched down as lightly as he could, one rooftop away. She sat with her back to him, watching the city lights. She was almost the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
The most beautiful was also her, just an hour earlier, looking into his eyes on a city street as his mind came back to him and he realised how close he'd come – they'd come – to complete disaster.
He jumped the last rooftop and sat down beside her. Uncharacteristically, he couldn't think of anything to say. His two identities were all tangled up right now, and just a little scared.
Without looking at him, she said "Where were you?"
He paused. He wanted so much to tell her, to thank her, to ask her to hold him while he shook in delayed fear. But instead he took a breath and said "Civilian stuff. I almost couldn't come out tonight at all. I'm only here because I've convinced them that I take half an hour to have a shower."
"I thought I could count on you to be there."
Chat said nothing. There was nothing he could have said that didn't give away his identity.
"One of my friends almost died today." And in that, he heard how much she was shaking, and just put his arms around her anyway. But wait... one of her friends? Who was she talking about? He couldn't know Ladybug in his civilian life, could he? Did he?
No. She had to be talking about Chloe. Because everyone knew who Chloe was.
Though she'd said "friend", and people didn't usually say that about Chloe.
So he said "You mean Chloe Bourgeois".
She drew in a half-breath, and for a moment he thought she was going to glare at him. But then she subsided, and looked back out at the lights. "..y..y..Yeah, Chloe. Definitely Chloe. How'd you know?"
"It was on the news just as I was coming out. It's why I came out". A lie, but she couldn't know that. He continued "I was worried about you. I never want you to fight alone if I can be there to fight with you."
"You weren't here before."
There was only one thing he could say to that.
"I'm here now".
She suddenly pulled away from his arms and gave him an almost teasing look. A challenging look. The look she'd give him sometimes before they raced across the rooftops. If there was a slight edge of aching fear still in it, he pretended he didn't notice. Better that than admit he saw it because he shared it.
"Good", she said. "Kitty, I have a barrel for you to touch." And she leapt off and away.
As Chat Noir leapt to follow, he laughed. It was perfect. "I'd love to."