Ladybug dropped onto the rooftop balcony of the Dupain-Cheng bakery and detransformed. Exhausted, Marinette fell into the lounge chair she kept on her balcony; however, it was already occupied.

"Did Chloe get off okay?"

Marinette snuggled deeper into the warmth of her favorite pillow- her boyfriend. "Yeah. We made sure the GPS would take her the quickest and safest way home. I offered to walk with her, but she said that letting her borrow the clothes was more than enough help for the night."

The teens sat in comfortable silence, happy to merely be in each other's company. Adrien rested his head atop Marinette's.

"Hey- this may be asking a lot… but would you feel comfortable telling me what you saw when Sandboy attacked? I just, I don't want you to bear it alone…" Adrien felt the girl relax further into him.

"It's not that it's hard to talk about, Adrien." Marinette sighed. "I know that what I saw isn't real and it's not what anybody thinks. What I saw just nags at the back of my mind sometimes. I can handle it." The boy gently turned Marinette's head until she was facing him.

"But what you saw meant a great deal to you. The dream sand brought out peoples' worst nightmares." He caressed her face; she leaned into his gentle touch. "You were able to bring me back from the brink when I saw what I feared most. Do you remember what you told me during that movie night all those months ago? 'You don't always have to be strong. That's why I'm here.'"

Instead of answering, Marinette returned her gaze over the early morning bustle of the city. Being almost four in the morning, she knew her father would be up soon to begin the baking for the Saturday morning rush. "Fine. I'll tell you." She wrapped his arm around her waist for emotional support.

"I was bed when Tikki and I were woken up by a rustling in the main room below my loft area. Peering down, we saw Master Fu. If he needs to get in touch with us, he usually sends Wayzz; we knew something serious must have happened. After jumping down, we felt that something was… off. Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Queen Bee appeared out of thin air behind Master Fu. Everyone's eyes were just blank..." Marinette shuddered. "Master Fu said that he had given me my Miraculous because he thought I could handle the responsibility. He said that he was mistaken. Hearing Tikki scream, I turned to see other people in costumes I didn't recognize walk out of the shadows. One of them had Tikki in his hand, squirming to get free."

Adrien rubbed her arm, hearing her sniff. "In a really deep and creepy voice, Master said that maybe he needed to pick a new Ladybug…" Adrien felt her body tense as she clenched her teeth. "And then, SHE walked into MY room wearing MY costume! Augh! Just the thought of it makes my blood boil!"

Marinette shot out of his grasp, moving to grip the railing along the balcony. Adrien joined her, not missing the angry tears in her eyes. He checked the surrounding area for a possible akuma.

"Who did you see?"

"Lila." The boy was surprised to hear his normally sweet-tempered girlfriend spit anyone's name with such venom. "My nightmare was that I'm not worthy of being Ladybug anymore. We've had a lot of close calls lately. What if my Miraculous… what if Tikki is given to someone like that!" She threw herself into his chest, barely containing the tears.

He tightened his grip around her waist. "I still don't fully understand what went down between you and Lila; that's a story for another day." Adrien pressed his forehead to hers. "I do know that you were chosen for who you are. And maybe we have had some close calls lately. That's not on you, though. We've simply become so awesome that Hawkmoth has gotten desperate enough to create akumas with more power." He smiled as she snickered. "Please don't give up hope, mi'Lady. If I had to battle you because you were attacked by an akuma… it's not something I even want to think about."

Marinette smiled, surprising Adrien by quickly kissing his nose. "Then I'll just have to remember that love always conquers hate!"

"That's my girl." As they shared a warm embrace, Adrien let out a massive yawn.

"It's after four in the morning, Kitty. Papa's probably already baking for the day. You need to get home before anyone notices you're gone." Marinette gently pushed him away. She giggled as he clung to her, pouting.

"Very well, Bugaboo, if I must go… Plagg, CLAWS OUT!"

The sleeping kwami was rudely awakened from his spot next to Tikki. "Huh? What about my dream cheese! Tikki HELP MEEEEEEE!" A groggy Tikki snickered before falling back asleep. Chat Noir leapt atop the railing, purring as Marinette flicked the bell around his neck.

"Text me when you get home safe, okay?"

"Yes mam!" He saluted, falling backwards off the railing.

Knowing he only did that to get a reaction out of her, Marinette still threw herself against the railing. From the streets launched a cackling cat catapulted by his staff.