Ch4

Gabriel Agreste sat in his study observing a video of his latest fight with Nathalie. He frowned as he watched the image of Ladybug and Cat Noir defeat his akuma.

"Nathalie you see it too right?" he asked folding his arms.

Nathalie nodded, "That is a female. In the past Cat Noir was a male."

"What is going on with them?" he said frowning at the screen. "Did the old Cat Noir get replaced or is this some kind of ruse?"

"I'm not sure sir," Nathalie said looking at the image. "It could be either it is best we stay diligent though. Even if Ladybug is the leader of the two it doesn't me we should let our guard down."

He nodded, "Ladybug will fail eventually we just have to be careful." Closing the image he picked up his coffee and took a few drinks from his mug. "How is Adrien doing in London?"

As much as he liked having to not worry about his son being hurt by one of his akuma attacks he still didn't like the fact that he was away from him with his aunt who despised his guts. He didn't like it when others influenced his son, and that woman could always put ideas into his head.

Nathalie took out her phone, "His aunt said he finally got out of bed so I believe he is making improvements."

Taking off his glasses he sighed and rubbed his face, "I didn't know he was suffering so much inside. As a father I want to protect him but I am doing all of this for our family." He looked up at the picture of his wife on his desk. "When she is back it will all be normal again."

Nathalie nodded, "Adrien is still a child. At one point or another, he would've broken."

"He swam through the flooded city," he said shaking his head. The memory of it still haunted him, his son could've gotten hurt. I won't forgive myself if he gets hurt. Our family will be complete again one way or another.

He sighed and rested on his chair, "Anyway with him out of the city I don't have to worry anymore about him getting hurt here in Paris anymore."

Nathalie nodded, "It is. I still recommend you see him if you can, as his father you should try to support him through these tough times."

"I'll do my best to make the time," he said rubbing his eyes before putting on his glasses. "I just hope his aunt and cousin don't poison him with anything negative about me."

He clenched his fists, his wife's sister never cared for him and was always a thorn in his side. Felix on the other hand, something was not right about that boy and he did not trust him to be around his son. Just bear it for now when he gets back I'll be sure to snuff out any ideas they put into his head.

"Don't worry sir just give Adrien some time to grieve and recover and he'll be back here soon," Nathalie said.

He nodded. "Good. Has anyone been asking about him? Perhaps from his school?"

"His friend Chloe has but I have said nothing about him," Nathalia said. "A few other classmates have tried to get information by coming here but I sent them away, one girl was pretty distraught."

"Well keep the lid on this shut," he said firmly. "I don't want any paparazzi peeping into our family. As soon as he is better we can start his photo shoots again."

"Yes sir," Nathalie said.

He nodded, "Good. Now then I say we plan to take out Ladybug once and for all."

Marinette sat in her room her head in her hands and she forced her body to work. "Don't worry Marinette you're doing alright," Tikki said. "Alya is doing alright as Cat Noir."

"It isn't the same though," she said shaking her head. Alya didn't keep the cat miraculous with her, in part because she hoped the old Cat Noir would return and also because she didn't want to risk her getting hurt by Hawkmoth. "I just wish he would come back so we talk or something."

Tikki avoided her gaze, "Well maybe he will come back in the future. Let's just focus on who we can rely on when trouble comes."

"A lot of my friends are helping us," she said. Nino with the turtle miraculous became Carapace and she had given the fox miraculous to Nathaniel to become the fox hero Kitsu. Still while Alya is an ok Cat Noir she still has to work out the kinks. "You don't think Hawkmoth noticed that the old Cat Noir is gone do you?"

"I hope not," Tikki said frowning at her desk. "It would cause him to investigate into why and it may lead to Alya."

"True," she mumbled rubbing her head. She looked up at the posters of Adrien on the wall and felt her heart saddened. "If he only he could come back too."

No one had heard anything from Adrien, even Chloe hadn't gotten any information and she did her best to get along with her rival in case she had some news from him. Why did he have to leave? She grabbed a tissue and cleaned her eyes before the tears began to form. I would've told him my feelings and we would've lived happily ever after.

If she wanted Cat Noir back she wanted Adrien back one hundred times more. He was everything to her, ever since he came into her life she couldn't focus on anything else but him.

"It's alright Marinette I'm Adrien is safe and will come back soon," Tikki said calmly though her voice didn't sound so sure.

"I just wish I knew what happened," she said softly. "How could he just leave me and the class without saying anything?"

She shook her head and wiped the tears in her eyes. "It must have been really serious for him to be moved out at the last minute. But I just wish he could've let me or anyone know why."

"Maybe he couldn't," Tikki said softly. "It might have been really serious or maybe some family affair."

She sighed, "Well I just hope we get some news from him soon. Tomorrow is Heroes Day, hopefully she could distract herself from Cat Noir and Adrien leaving. They both meant a lot to me, especially Adrien. I just wish they would come back.

Before going to her bed she grabbed her phone one last time and texted her feelings to Adrien. She poured her heart out in her message wishing him the best. If you read it please know how much you mean to me. It was a small glimmer of hope she had, perhaps if he knew of her feelings he would return home.

Pouring out her feelings she texted Adrien about how much he meant to her and how much she wanted him in her life. Please come back give me some sign you are ok.

The next day at school she did her best to get herself excited for Heroes Day but it just reminded her of Cat Noir and how he vanished from her life. Adrien too, why did they both have to leave me?

As soon as she entered the school she noticed a clamor among the student, many were glued to their phones their tense. "What's going on?" She asked Alya who looked like she had just witnessed something horrible.

"Look!" Her best friend said showing her the video that was playing.

Her eyes widened as she saw Ladybug fight the old Cat Noir. What how is this possible? "You tried to silence me didn't you!" Cat Noir yelled pointing an accusatory finger at Ladybug.

"You tried to silence and replace me but I won't have it!" Cat Noir yelled before turning and pointing to the people filming the fight. "People of Paris let it be known that Ladybug is a villain! She is trying to kill and replace me with someone more compliant!"

No no she stared in horror at the screen as people around her began to murmur.

"I won't let that happen!" Cat Noir declared pointing a finger at Ladybug I'll defeat you and my replacement and keep Paris safe! Cataclysm!"

She watched in horror as Cat Noir charged at Ladybug with his cataclysm. Cat Noir swung his arm but Ladybug easily avoided it, grabbed his hand, and forced the cataclysm onto Cat Noir. The feline superhero yelled in pain cursing Ladybug before disappearing.

"No this fake what is going on,' she said shaking her head. Her heart raced in her chest as she stumbled back.

"Marinette I don't know what's going on either but I don't think it was Ladybug," Alya said putting her phone away. "I don't know what's going on but Ladybug bug wouldn't kill someone like that."

"Yeah I know," she said softly as the bell rang for class.

She couldn't help but hear the rumors. "I told you that Cat Noir was replaced he must have tried to fight back," someone whispered. "Everyone in Paris is wondering what happened to him, why he was replaced I guess we know why now."

"Yeah I guess even Ladybug had a dark side," another person said. "Cat Noir was always free spirited I guess she needed to exert her authority. Maybe she wanted his miraculous for herself?"

She wanted to scream at these rumors, to tell them that they weren't true. How can they think these things? The fact that they were accusing her of making Cat Noir disappear was a knife in the gut.

Calm down I'll get to the bottom of this later. Yet despite her best efforts, she could hardly focus on the lesson that entire day. As soon as the final bell ran she quickly left school and headed home. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

As soon as she got home she headed to her room and locked the door. "Tikki spots on!" After the transformation was complete she quickly leapt out of her room and into the city.

However, as she flew through the city she was greeted by the sight of various akumas and people screaming. "Great just great," she said as she dodged a flying car.

She quickly hid and dodged the akuma, running to Master Fu's location. "Master Fu we have a problem," she said as she entered his house.

"Ah Marinette a pleasure to see you," Master Fu said with a smile. "I take it you need help again?"

She nodded, "A lot of Akumas appeared. I believe we will need all the help we can get."

"Ok then," Master Fu said as he took out the box that held the miraculouses. "Marinette Dupain Chang choose wisely."

Taking a deep breath she took the miraculouses she knew that she would need along with the cat miraculous. Plagg came out and glared at her, "I saw the TV you might as well have done that to him when you chose to do what you did. Treating him like you did you should be ashamed of yourself."

Plagg's words hit like daggers to her heart. "I know I'm sorry," she said softly.

"If you didn't love him that's fine but you should've treated him better," Plagg said before glaring at Master Fu. "Both of you."

"Enough Plagg we have more important things to worry about," Master Fu said. Plagg shot Master Fu a glare before going into the ring.

"I'll be right back I promise," she said before leaping through the window.

She quickly arrived at Alya's place and knocked on her window. "I need your help again."

"Ladybug what's going on?" Alya asked. "What was that about Cat Noir? I know you wouldn't do it but everyone is talking."

She flinched at her friend's tone. "I know. It was an illusion by Hawkmoth, please I need your help"

Extending her hand she revealed the Cat miraculous. "Will you help me Alya?"

Alya nodded, "Of I will."

As soon as Alya transformed she delivered the other two miraculouses to Nino and Nathaniel. "Alright everyone lets do this, Hawkmoth is planning something big today," she said.

Nathaniel nodded, "We can see that there are all kinds of Akuma running around." As Kitsu Nathaniel wore an orange jumpsuit and visor and had fox ears on. "If I may ask what did happen to the other Cat Noir?"

There was silence as Alya and Nino avoided her gaze. "Um it's complicated he is dealing with personal issues," she said quickly. "Come on we can't dwell on it we have to save Paris now."

Nino nodded, "Yeah. Everyone in Paris talks about it but not in a bad way of course."

"Yes I know it isn't easy but trust me Cat Noir will come when he is ready but right now we have to focus on the task at hand. This Cat Noir is more than capable of fighting," she said gesturing to Alya. "Trust me we need to work together now more than ever."

Nathaniel and Nino nodded. "So what's the plan?" Alaya asked.

"We have to be careful of whatever Hawkmoth is planning. He usually doesn't do this amount of Akumas," She said. "Lets be care and quickly work to get rid of them." Everyone nodded in agreement, and with that, they went to defend Paris.

Adrien was eating lunch when his aunt came. "Adrien come look at the TV. Paris is under attack!"

His stomach turned as he forced himself to swallow what he was eating. Great hopefully no one gets hurt. When arrived at the living room he saw that his aunt and cousin were already seated in front of the TV.

"Looks like Ladybug has quite the crew," his aunt said as he sat down next to his cousin.

He said nothing, only watching the screen as four heroes fought off a large akuma. She has so many allies helping her. He wanted to laugh in amusement, and maybe cry at the injustice. I imagine she knows their identities too.

Clenching his fists his body tensed up as he glared at the screen. Good for her, I'm glad she has people who she can trust. Taking a deep breath he blinked his eyes to prevent tears from forming. I have her everything but she still treated me like a second class hero.

"Are you alright?" Felix asked.

"Y-Yeah just hope everyone is safe," he said softly. Ladybug and her allies were now battling against Hawkmoth.

Well I chose this didn't I? I gave up being Cat Noir. The bitterness began to swell inside of him. I gave her my all yet it wasn't enough for her.

His body shook, and his knuckles turned white as he watched Hawkmoth retreat, a large monster some kind of akuma probably came and provided the villain with an escape path.

"People of Paris I will always defend you!" Ladybug declared as the camera focused on her. "Hawkmoth wherever you are you will not prevail, me and my allies will defend Paris to the last breath! We trust each other and will not fall for your tricks."

He chuckled in his head. Well you never trusted me. Getting up he got up and left the room as tears began to fall down his face.

Slamming the door to his room shut he sat on his bed and let the tears fall down his face. I gave my all to her and she never gave me anything. Yet she trusts other people? I bet they knew whoever she was visiting and shared her confidence. Why couldn't I have been one of them? Why did she treat me in such a way?

Shaking his head anger began to swell inside of him. I did nothing to earn her distrust, I always did my best to help her but she never trusted me. I was always an accessory to her. The bitter feelings and resentment at being treated as a second class hero were boiling over, he was sick of being treated like someone expendable. I want people who can trust me, who truly see me as a friend and partner.

The door opened and closed as his cousin entered. "Are you alright?" Felix asked sitting down next to him his cousin's gaze betraying no emotion as always.

"Fine," he muttered.

Felix frowned. "You aren't, stop lying."

He avoided his cousin's gaze instead gripping his head in his hand. "I'm just sick of it," he said softly tears falling down his face as all the resentment and anger at being kept in the dark began to boil up. "I did everything right but wasn't good enough. I couldn't be trusted with anything."

"Adrien my mom and I can't help you if you don't tell us what is wrong," Felix said placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's really wrong? Why are you so upset at Ladybug?"

He froze, he never mentioned Ladybug to his cousin but Felix was sharp. "What do you mean?"

"It's obvious you don't like her," Felix said. "Did she do something to you?"

He looked up at his cousin, Felix's gaze was its usual frown but his eyes did betray a bit of concern. It was then he decided on something, an idea he would never have normally done. At that moment he was tired of everything and he needed to get it off of his chest. Swallowing the lump in his throat he looked his cousin in the eyes, "I was Cat Noir."

The words came out softly, he couldn't believe he said them. He kept his identity a secret from everyone yet here he was telling it to Felix. Of course, they were close when they were young, but despite growing apart they still did have a history. Besides they were family and so far his cousin and aunt were the only ones to bother to care for him.

Felix's eyes widened, his gaze unreadable, yet the next thing he knew Felix wrapped his arms around him. "It's alright Adrien I won't tell anyone," His cousin said softly. For once there was a small hint of sincerity in his cousin's words. It may have been the gravity of the situation or maybe his cousin saw some benefit in this but he was glad for the comfort Felix was giving him.

His heart raced in his chest as he hugged his cousin back. "Thank you." It was as if a weight had been lifted off of his chest and for a moment it was like their younger days when it was them against the world