15: Unmasking

The moonlight casts a familiar shadow through the window of my room. My head turned to the side and I saw Cat looking at me.

Just one look and he already read my silent message.

He skillfully opened the window without a sound and was in my room.

"Felino," I whispered, a fresh set of tears already forming. Cat ran towards me and he hugged me. I hugged him as fiercely as I could, burying my head in his shoulder.

The pain in my lungs didn't matter, I rather feel his warmth that overrides anything else that I could possibly feel.

"I was so scared," I admitted as I tried to keep quiet.

There is a guard outside my room, to keep me 'safe'. But with Cat here, I finally felt truly safe. I just need him, not an army to make me feel protected from all harm.

"I was too," He whispers as he squeezes me back, before letting me go. "How are you feeling?" His thumb was wiping away my tears as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

"...I don't know, but better with you here," I answered honestly. "Did you get hurt?"

He shook his head, "They didn't even touch me."

I sighed in relief as I looked into his eyes. And I didn't like what I saw. "What happened?"

Cat closed his eyes, but he grabbed my hands and held it close to him, "I went to the Embassy and I overheard about what could have happened."

I shuddered.

It was Walker that gave me the truth.

There was a group of human traffickers that were targeting American women in France. As tourists, they wouldn't be marked as 'missing' until it would be too late for authorities to trace a trail.

They would kidnap them, test their blood, and then harvest their organs to the black market. If not, they would be sold to sex traffickers.

It was scary that they got Americans' information so easily as they infiltrated the Embassies.

And the only reason why they even knew what was happening was because a man reported his mistress's disappearance. They traveled separately, and got separated rooms, in separate hotels. Those killers thought that the woman was alone and didn't have contact with someone else.

Which is why they targeted me.

In my public file, it shows that I live alone.

An 'easy' target.

They could have taken me earlier, but they saw that I wasn't an easy target.

Instead they tracked another unfortunate woman who was visiting Paris for the fifth time. Who already showed that she had a predictable schedule. And that she was very much alone.

That could have been me, months ago.

"Thank you for saving my life," I told him instead. "I'm alive, because of you."

Cat simply hugged me again, "I'm glad. I don't want to think otherwise."

We stayed like that for a while, before I broke it.

"What else did you find out?"

"...That you are in a type of Program." My heart skipped a few beeps that the monitor recorded. "What does that mean, Jolene?"

I looked at him. My hands started to get clammy and my forehead started to feel sweaty.

Vaguely, the heart monitor was beeping faster.

"That- that is something I can't tell you," I answer, my throat feeling dry. "Please don't ask me more. Just- please don't ask." I put my hands over my heart and I feel myself rocking. "Don't ask. Don't ask."

"Jolene? Jolene!" Cat grabbed my shoulders, but I slapped them away and I grabbed fistfuls of my hair and I continued to rock back and forth.

"Don't ask. Don't ask," I repeat. My ribs hurt. It hurts so much that I'm crying for another reason.

The door clicked and I heard the window opening and Cat leaving.

The police guard came and started shouting.

I winced. I hate loud noise now. I want it quiet. Quiet!

"Jolene, please calm down. You just had a nightmare. You're hurting yourself," I hear someone say as they put their hands on me, but I slap them away.

"Don't ask! Don't ask!" I shouted and before I knew it I felt some strong hands were holding me down.

I kept shouting until I felt drowsy and I succumbed to the bliss of sleep.

There was a knock on my door before they opened it.

It was one of the nurses.

"You have a visitor," She smiles at me and soon she steps aside to reveal Adrien. In his hands he has a sketchbook and colored pens. "Do you want him in?"

I nod slowly before looking back at the food in front of me.

My spoon played around the soup that they gave me. I ate a spoonful, before realizing that I didn't have much of an appetite.

"Jolene?" He speaks as he sets the things on the table. I looked at him again, my eyes turning glassy.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't want you to see that."

"Hey, it's- you're fine. I'm sorry that I mentioned it. I should have been more… cautious." He sighs. "Are you feeling… better?"

I gave him a small smile, "I'm just tired."

"And you haven't eaten," He observes as he then stood up and took the spoon away from me. "I'll feed you."

I move my head away, "I'm not hungry."

Then I saw something black in front of me. My vision focused and I saw Plagg.

"Please eat," He says.

How can I say no to him?

So I faced Adrien and I saw that he had a spoonful of soup ready. I opened my mouth just big enough to let him feed me.

When I finished the soup, Adrien put the spoon away and sat down next to me. Plagg was sitting on my knee.

"...I have autism," I suddenly say as I look down at my hands. After what happened, I believed that he deserves to know why I reacted like that. I was aware I had a breakdown, but there was nothing that I could do to stop that reaction. "It's not… I have high-functioning autism. It means that I can be like everyone else, it's just that I can have difficulties in social interactions or miss some social cues."

I still didn't look at him. "I understand if what happened last night scared you. And you don't want to do anything with me-"

"Jolene."

I shut up and looked at him and what I saw surprised me. He was smiling, it was a little one, but he was smiling.

"I'm not going to leave you."

I started crying again, but I was smiling.

"I'm happy," I said between tears.

"And I'm sorry for last night. I didn't mean for that to happen," Adrien says as he helps me wipe some tears.

I nod, "It's okay. I'm just glad to have finally told you this."

I've only told this to a handful of friends back in America. And the only reason is that they met my sister.

She was an autistic savant.

She hated eye contact with strangers. She wouldn't speak to them or let them near her.

If she feels threatened or scared, she would scream and throw herself on the ground or lash at people by throwing punches or anything that was in reach.

But two things calmed her down the most.

One was Sandy, her service dog. It would keep her focused and considerably more calm.

Two, was music. She was a prodigy.

She learned how to play instruments much faster than I ever could. She played like a professional within a month or weeks. Playing music was her passion.

Her favorite was the violin. The same violin that I have safe under my bed.

But no matter how difficult she was to handle, I still loved her.

And I know she loved me. In her own way.

She didn't speak much, but she did love to sing.

She would mindlessly sing songs that popped in her head when it was just the two of us.

It's not hard why I love music so much.

She made music beautiful. The same way Dad did for us.

I felt like a cheap imitator compared to them, until they made me realize that I made it beautiful too. Though, my twin did have to literally slap it into me. (She still had trouble communicating her feelings with regular speech, but I understood she meant well.)

She helped in so many ways that I wished I could have done the same for her.

"I'm glad that you trust me. I promise I won't say a word," Adrien promises as he crosses his heart. Plagg mimicking beside him.

"I don't know what autism is, but I don't care. You are still my friend," Plagg says with a smile.

I smiled back at him, "Thank you."

Adrien told me a little more about those men. He overheard that they are under constant surveillance and it was very unlikely that they will leave.

However…

"You are going to testify, aren't you?" He asks.

I nod, "They already know who I am."

It's not that different from last time. However, those men that killed my family had missing information. They didn't know about a twin. They didn't know about the hidden cameras.

"What's going to happen?" Adrien asks.

And so I told him that tomorrow will be the first day of trial. I'm being prepared to answer the questions and to be very strong in my conviction.

"How are you going to do that?"

I looked down at the sketchbook and took a black pen, "I'm going to sketch everything that I remembered."

"You're really brave, you know," Plagg suddenly says. "Your eyes are terrified."

Well, if my eyes didn't betray me, then my shaking hand would have been another indicator. "Sometimes, you just don't have a choice, but be brave," I answered honestly as I looked at them. "I always believed in doing the right thing."

Adrien smiled and grabbed my hand, "That's my girl."

I felt myself blushing and I looked down at the paper to start drawing the shape of a face.

"How was… school?" I ask instead. He didn't mean to say that I'm 'his' girl. That honor goes to Ladybug. He meant it in a platonic way. We are just friends.

I shouldn't think there was any romantic implication that sentence had.

"Somehow Chandler already informed the school before I arrived that you were in an accident and that you are recovering in the hospital.

"Nino was already set on going to see you, but Chandler was very specific that no visitors were allowed… yet."

I stopped drawing the shape of the eyebrows.

"That implies that I'm going to stay…" I say slowly as I look at them. "I'm going to stay in Paris. I'm not going to be transferred."

They both looked confused.

"You were going to leave?"

"Yes, no, I mean, it was a possibility for my safety," I rambled as I looked at the window that overlooked a small portion of the city. "I just- no one has told me much about the consequences of telling the truth."

However, before they could say anything I went back to sketching, feeling a little bit lighter. Chandler wouldn't lie like that. If he said 'yet' that means that they could see me again.

"Is there any homework for me? I would like a distraction. Oh and notes. I don't want to be left behind."

Adrien or Plagg didn't mention anything else about what has happened to me. Instead we focused on things that were happy. Less traumatizing.

But when he had to leave for his fencing classes, I felt so alone again.

I looked down at the beginnings of a sketch and resigned that I had to relieve everything again. But at my own pace and this time reminding myself that I have something to look forward to.

When this nightmare is over, I have Adrien and Plagg and Nino and friends to see again.

I have a life to return.

I have a life with loving friends.

The trials were hard to sit through. I didn't have to be there the whole time, just for testifying.

However, I just had to be there.

It was not just for me.

It was for all those other women that I represented. They deserved to see justice being served to their killers.

I believe in ghosts, and the afterlife. So I truly believe I need to be there for them so that they could Rest In Peace.

Chandler had to help me to sit at the stand. I had to be pushed around a wheelchair to prevent aggravating my ribs if I used crutches to move around.

The doctor suggested a week more before I start attempting to use those things.

The defense attorney was mean, but I couldn't hate him. He was just doing his role. Just like I was doing mine.

I had submitted my sketches beforehand to the judge to show that I clearly remembered my attackers, my would be killers.

I drew what I saw, including the van and the crowbar that they hit me with.

The jury found them guilty and have been sent to prison for life.

However, there was a new piece of information that one of them had said that turned my blood ice cold.

He was being held by police, he wasn't struggling much, but he was looking directly at me.

"Your name isn't Jolene Baudelaire," He smirks. "And I wonder how much Los Calibre 32 would pay to know your location."

"Take him away!" Walker shouts and then he starts shouting at other people.

I felt like he kicked me in the ribs again.

"Jolene, sweetie, don't listen to him," Chandler says soothingly as he gets in front of me. "He's lying, okay? He, nor anyone else in his group, had access to contact those people, okay? You are perfectly safe here, okay?"

I numbly nod, "Can we leave now?"

Chandler nodded and he soon pushed me out.

That man knew my real identity. He probably told it to the rest of his group. Chandler is the type of guy to think positive.

I'm not inclined to in this type of situation.

Chandler helped me to the car to get me to the hospital.

However, before we could leave, Kathy came in and sat on the other side of the back seat. She twisted her body so she could fully face me.

"Hey," She starts, "We are going to investigate their bluff. True or not, Los Calibre does not have any contact with Europe, but we promise to investigate and update our information hub on them."

I relaxed.

Kathy is more rational. She promised that she is going to have people investigate.

"It sounded like a bluff, huh?" I said to myself.

The 32 would want me alive so that they could hurt me themselves.

These men had every intention to kill me.

I licked my pointer finger so that I could turn the page of the novel that I was enjoying. Reading about heroes my age sounds really appealing at the moment.

There was a knocking on my door, but it wasn't just any type of knock.

It had a rhythm.

I smiled and I dog-eared my page and closed the book. I looked up and saw Nino, with Adrien, and most of class.

"Hello," They greeted as they came in.

"Hi," I waved back, "I'm so happy to see you."

"I'm happy to see that you're getting well," Nino grins as he makes himself welcome as he sits at the edge of the bed and hands me the giant card in his hand.

It was around the size of my forearm and I already knew that they all contributed.

In front it said 'Get Well Soon' and that calligraphy could only be Marinette's handiwork.

I opened it and I smiled fondly. They all wrote their little something about wishing me well, and how much they missed me in school. Even the teachers wrote in it too.

It was really sweet of them.

"You are getting well, right? Are you getting out here soon?" Rose asks, her voice laced with concern.

I nod with a soft smile, "Yeah. Everything is healing nicely. Just waiting for the ribs to be better before letting me out of their careful supervision."

"What happened to you?" Alix asks with a small frown. "You look like someone beat you up."

The tone was somber and I knew that I couldn't exactly lie, but I wasn't going to tell the truth either.

"You don't have to tell us, Jolene," Alya says as she sits on the other side of the bed.

I looked at Adrien and he didn't say anything.

The choice was mine.

"Just promise me that you all won't say it again, or even bring it up?" I ask them.

"I promise my lips are sealed," Nino says as he zips his lips and throws away the key.

Everyone did the same thing and I gave them a small smile. But then I frowned.

Taking a long deep breath, I exhaled slowly and looked at them.

"I was… attacked by a group of men," I answered.

They all looked horrified, Adrien walked to be right next to me and held my hand and squeezed it comfortably.

"I screamed and I got help right in time," My voice was starting to get a little shaky. I looked at Adrien and he already knew what I wanted to ask. He gave me a subtle nod. "Cat Noir actually saved me. He saved my life."

"Whoa… that's intense," Nino breathes out as he fixes his cap. "Are you okay? Did Cat Noir get the bad guys?"

I nodded with a smile, "Yeah. They are in jail now and can't hurt anyone anymore."

They all started to ask vague questions. But they were respectful when they saw I was starting to get uncomfortable.

"Hey, I would like to write this on the Ladyblog, to let people know that Cat Noir saved you. Do you give me permission?"

Immediately I shook my head and my heart monitor was beeping faster.

"No. I trust you to never say a word to anyone else. Including writing it."

Alya put her hands up in surrender, "Alright. I'll respect your decision."

I sighed in relief, my heart going back to normal.

"Do you know when you are going back to school?" Max asks, thankfully changing to a better topic.

"I'll be able to leave the hospital the day after tomorrow. I'll be able to use the crutches, but the doctor recommends that I stay at home for another week and then go to school," I sighed. "I'm already so bored."

They all laughed at me and I pouted.

"Hey, it's true," I added, which made them laugh even more.

"We can visit you after school and give you our notes, right guys?" Mylène asks as she turns her head to them. They all nod and I smile gratefully at them.

"Yeah, and we can bring entertainment," Kim smirks. "I hope you have a big TV and a microwave. We can all see a movie at your place."

I laughed nervously. "Um… sure? Sounds like a fun thing to do for Friday night," I offered.

Everyone was pitching in ideas and I just commented here and there about things. Talking to my friends like normal.

It made me relax and I didn't realize I was falling asleep.

"Shhh, she's sleeping," I heard Juleka whisper.

"I believe it's best that she has all the rest she can get. I'm sure she needs it," Max says.

"We'll visit her again tomorrow," Nathaniel says.

I tried really hard to open my eyes and apologize. So I moved my head up and opened my eyes half way, but then I felt someone gently pulling me down and pushed my hair back.

"I'm not tired…" I mumbled as I tried to swat the person away, but my arm barely touched their arm and just rested on it.

"Just sleep, Jolene, it's alright," I heard Adrien whisper before I felt the sheets being pulled up and the weight of the book besides me gone.

Then I felt a warm pressure on top of my head and then I was out in La La Land.

Being discharged from the hospital was a relief.

I was back in my apartment and I felt content that things are somewhat starting back to normal.

Chandler said that there is going to be a little more police patrols around here for a couple of weeks before things settle down for the better.

Though the thing that made me somewhat nervous was that Kathy was going to be living with me for that time.

"You mentioned that your friends are coming over," She states as she looks over my apartment. "Just make sure they leave before dinner."

"Actually," I start, "They mentioned that on Friday we could have a movie night…"

Kathy smiled wryly, "Well, that is a special reason to say a little bit over, but other than that, don't ask them to stay over more than necessary. Just for everyone's safety."

I nodded at her and soon, she helped move some things around, which included Plagg's house to my room.

She looked at it curiously, but didn't say anything more about it.

I texted Adrien that Aunt Kathy was staying at my apartment for a couple of weeks. Indirectly warning him that Felino can't visit for a while.

Once I was fully settled, Kathy went back to work and promised to be back for dinner. And absolutely forbid me from making dinner, she was going to order take out.

"You better not move around, just take it easy," She reminds me. "Okay? See you later," She waves before closing the door behind her.

I would really like to take a nap, but I had something to do as Sea Queen.

I've been bombarded with messages of concern with my lack of activity so I think it's best to clear up that I will be unable to upload my usual content for a while.

I received a text message from Nathaniel asking if he could call me.

I looked at the time and it was lunch time.

So I called him and he picked up rather quickly.

"Jolene, so are you really going to stop making animation videos?" He asks.

"Not forever," I say, "It's until I get better." I'm pretty sure I mentioned that detail in my video a few hours ago.

"I understand, but have you ever considered making a MAP?"

A multiple animator project? That sounded a bit stressful for me. I would have to make an announcement and then communicate with them. Then I would have to make sure they finish their projects on time and if anyone drops out then I would have to either find a replacement or have to jump in myself-

"Not at this moment. I don't want that type of stress right now," I answered. "But maybe some other time when I feel better. And you will be the first to know. You can even reserve your spot with me first."

There was some silence on the other end and I thought that I got it wrong and he didn't want to be involved. But then I heard an excited yell that made me jump and hit my knee against my desk.

Why do I scare easily?

"Yes, yes! I would love that! Thank you!" He almost shouts to the phone. "You take care and take it easy."

"Will do," I answered with a smile. Then I got a notification that I'm receiving another call. "I got to hang up, someone else is calling."

"Okay, bye." He hung up and then I saw that the person calling me is Adrien.

I answered, "Adrien?"

"The whole class saw the new Sea Queen's video. Many were starting to connect the dots between you and her."

I groaned, "Did you hear any of them wanting to come visit me after school or something?"

"So far… everyone?"

I sighed, "Might as well let the cat out of the bag."

Adrien laughs and I laugh too. Sometimes I can be as cheesy as him.

"I guess you will have to wait and see… and also act surprised," I tell him.

"Alright little lady," He chuckled and soon we hung up.

I slump on my chair and look at my closet, where my red wig is hiding.

Sometimes, things don't always go as planned, but that's why we improvise.

Adrien called ahead that they were all visiting me.

I told him that I was ready.

So when I opened the door, while balancing on crutches, most of them gasped.

I was wearing Sea Queen's wig and I had on my shades, but I was wearing my usual clothes.

"Hey, come on in," I told them as I moved towards the couch.

"Jolene, you're Sea Queen!" Rose breaks the silence with a squeal.

I nodded and I changed my voice to the one I use for Sea Queen, "I do like my privacy."

"Girl," Alya says with a smile, "I should have seen that coming. Your art styles are basically identical."

I took off my wig and my sunglasses and smiled at them shyly. "I did plan to tell you all, one at a time, but might as well come clean now."

Thankfully, everyone was supportive and we all hung out a little bit.

Mostly they were all telling me what I had missed and that Ms. Bustier and my other teachers were going to give me time to catch up on all of my missed assignments. That was a huge relief.

Soon they left one by one, leaving only Nino and Adrien.

"Yo, are you up for a movie or something?" Nino asks with a grin.

"Maybe later, right now I want to do the homework. That way if I'm stuck I can ask you guys," I answered sheepishly.

Yeah… I think I'm going to need help with my science homework.

"That's cool too," Nino says.

"I have juice and water in the fridge," I say as I was about to stand up, but Adrien stopped me.

"Oh no, you stay there and I'll do it," He says as he walks towards the kitchen.

"And I have a box of cookies too!" I holler.

Nino and I helped each other while Adrien helped us both when it came to some of the math problems.

By the time we finished homework, I was pretty tired.

"Let me help you to your room," Adrien says as he suddenly picks me up bridal style.

I held tightly, but then relaxed.

"Oh, can I see your room?" Nino asks.

"Yeah," I say with a smile as Adrien leads the way.

Adrien places me in my bed and from my spot I saw Nino roaming around looking at everything.

"Your room is so… colorful. In a good way," He grins. Then gently moves my glass windpipes, their tinkling sound making me smile, "This is cool."

"Thanks," I told him and before I could tell him some facts about my paintings a large yawn interrupted me.

I blushed, "Sorry."

"It's about time we leave, right Nino?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna go ahead and start packing my things. See you tomorrow Jolene," He waves before leaving my room.

Adrien sits right beside me and grabs my hand.

Plagg came flying out and I smiled at him.

"Glad to see that you are doing better," He smiles as he nuzzles my cheek.

I scratched his chin before melting into my bed, "Glad to feel better."

They said their farewells, Adrien assuring me that he will lock the door before leaving.

I mainly doze for a while, my mind hazily thinking about Adrien and just how happy he makes me feel.

I'm just sad that we will not have our nights together anymore for a while. But once I'm able to move on my own, we'll be fine again.

And maybe… I'll be able to hint at my feelings and figure out if he feels anything for me.

I can dream, right?

AN: Thank you starrat and Shadowing for reviewing. I really enjoy reading your reviews.

And also big thanks to laurenalyse24, MerariU, grapejuice101 and mustafa0malik12345 for following and/or favoriting this story. You guys are amazing.

Just a little heads up there's one more original chapter before going back to the series plot.

Also as I just found out that the series had a Wiki about the timeline... but that doesn't matter to me. (Okay, maybe a little.) I used my own little head cannon about what episode takes place when and around what time of the year.

I've asked before if anyone was interested on how I think the timeline goes, here's what I personally think makes sense.

Late August

Origins Part 1 & 2, Stormy Weather (for that fact that Cat says that it's summer in the English dub)

September

Mr. Pigeon, The Bubbler, Timebreaker, Copycat, Lady WiFi

October

The Pharaoh, The Evillustrator, Rogercop, Horrificator (come on, it's perfect to be near Halloween)

Skip November

December

Christmas Special

Skip January

February

Dark Cupid, The Puppeteer

March

Pixelator, Darkblade, Gamer, The Mime

April

Kung Food, Guitar Villain, Refleka, Simon Says

May

Princess Fragrance, Animan, Antibug, Volpina

These are just my head cannons, not CANNON! Just saying...

And I've skipped episodes just for the fact that Jolene wouldn't have made difference if I added her there. Or made sense if suddenly, say, helps to babysit and/or hang out with Marinette when they are not that close of friends.

Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk, everyone. XP

But seriously, thank you for reading this far.