With a grunt, Chat Noir landed on all fours on top of an apartment complex. Across the street stood one of the largest mansions in all of Paris—the place where he grew up and that was once his prison, surrounded by eleven-foot black fencing lined with security cameras that did a pretty darn good job at keeping everything in... and everything out. With the knowledge that his father would never change, looking at the place only caused his heart to race. Somewhere inside, his poor daughter was experiencing the same suffocating feeling he felt every day of his life.

With a father like Gabriel, Adrien naturally had doubts about being a father himself. After he found out about Emma, he couldn't help but worry about if he would be a good father. He often wondered if he would ever (accidentally) treat his daughter the same way his father treated him, or if he would ever be good at parenting when he had no ideal example of how to do so.

But he knew one thing for certain. He would never make his daughter feel trapped.

Which is why they needed to get her out as soon as possible.

However, although he was urgent to do so, Chat Noir had doubts about Ladybug's plan. He wanted to put complete trust in her plan—which was already being put into action—but he still had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something simply didn't feel right to him, and he was tempted to voice those thoughts aloud to Ladybug.

But he also felt he had no right to interject in her plans. Ladybug continued being a superhero after he left, and she continued fighting Hawkmoth without him. Every single plan that she had concocted to defeat him (which worked each time) had been made without his input. What if she didn't appreciate his input now?

The zip of her yo-yo sounded before Ladybug landed gracefully beside him. He didn't even acknowledge her like he normally would because he was too deep into his thoughts.

And, of course, Ladybug noticed. "Something on your mind?"

His shoulders tensed slightly. Exhaling, he turned to look at her. He didn't have to say anything though, because the worried look in his eye was all she needed to see in order for her expression to soften. "It's okay," she assured him softly as if she understood what was going on in his mind. "We're going to get her back—"

"I know." He ran a hand over his face. He felt a bit guilty for interrupting her, and for being a bit snappy while doing so, but he couldn't concentrate. He needed to get all of this off of his chest, even if she hated him afterward for trying to alter her plan. "That's not what's bothering me right now."

He felt Ladybug place a hand on his shoulder. "I told you to be open with me if you have something on your mind, so tell me what's on your mind."

Chat Noir exhaled through his nose. Deciding to take her up on that offer, he opened his mouth to reply, only to get nothing out when Rena Rouge and Carapace landed a moment later, robbing him of his lady's attention.

"The illusion is set," Alya announced to the group.

"And I did a sweep around the place like you asked," Carapace said to Ladybug. "But there wasn't anything out of the ordinary."

Chat Noir couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. Of course there wasn't. His father's greatest talent was having everyone believe just how ordinary he was.

Despite how discreet he was trying to be, his eye roll didn't go unnoticed. "Is there something you want to say, Adrien?" Rena questioned sarcastically. With an unamused expression directed at him and arms folded across her chest, it was obvious she had no interest in gaining an actual answer.

Chat Noir offered her a deadpanned look. "Not to you."

Her nose wrinkled at that, clearly unappreciative of his equally sarcastic reply.

"Let's not argue." Carapace quickly interjected, his gaze entirely set on the feline. "Getting Emma out of there is more important right now—"

"I'm not the one who's looking for an argument." Adrien whirled around on his heel to face Nino with an evident frown. "So, instead of looking at me like I'm the problem, why don't you tell your wife to back off."

Carapace flinched back slightly because of his words, but Adrien couldn't find it in himself to care in that moment. Since the two of them had discovered his identity, they'd done nothing but scrutinize him. Alya had been plenty vocal about how she felt regarding the matter... but Nino's lack of interjection to defend him from his wife's unnecessary brutality and his overall silence spoke volumes.

"Chat Noir—" Ladybug stepped forward to place a hand on his shoulder but he quickly shrugged it off.

"That's right." Chat Noir lifted his chin, scoffing, "Call off your wife... or tell me why you haven't bothered standing up for me at all... right here and right now."

"Dude, what the hell are you talking about?" Irritated, Nino furrowed his brows and raised his hands, as if to show he held no ill will towards his friend. "I literally defended you that one time when she said—"

"One time, Nino, and she hadn't stopped since. Why are you staying silent about this?"

"What the hell is your problem, Adrien?" Rena reacted next and stepped forward with fists clenched at her sides, but considering he was so much taller and towered over her, Chat Noir was nowhere near intimidated by her supposed 'threatening' stance.

"You." Adrien's hardened gaze snapped to her. "You are my problem. Ever since you found out Marinette is Ladybug, you haven't stopped ridiculing me or making me feel like shit. Marinette somehow comes clean to you (hours ago, might I add) and you're mad at me for it? How does that work exactly?"

"I have reason to believe that the only reason Marinette even kept that a secret from us is because of you!" Alya accused with a finger pointed at him.

"What?" Chat Noir couldn't help but laugh at that. "That's absurd—"

"Alya, that is not true—!" Marinette tried to interject.

"So then why would you keep it a secret from us?" Nino asked, his voice sounding calmer than Alya's, but the question was directed at Marinette as if he believed Alya's accusations.

Ladybug let out a laugh, but there was no humor behind it. Adrien knew that type of laughter all too well. It resembled her disbelief—disbelief that their friends were accusing her (and him) of such madness when they couldn't possibly understand the depth of responsibility that came with being a superhero.

"Are you both serious right now?" Ladybug asked him, appalled. "Do you really think Adrien is what influenced me to keep my identity a secret from you?"

Nino didn't respond, instead choosing to avert his gaze in guilt. Alya, however, seemed confident in her reasoning. "Why else would you not tell us... or at least me? I'm your best friend—"

"And that's exactly why I didn't tell you." Ladybug quickly cut her off. "Knowing someone's secret identity can be dangerous for both you and for me. What if Hawkmoth were to akumatize you and you came clean about my identity? What if Hawkmoth used you as a bargaining chip to get to me? What if Hawkmoth hurt you to hurt me?"

Alya stayed quiet at that, and it was evident that the guilt for assuming such was starting to gnaw at her, but Adrien didn't think that was enough. Stepping forward, he added, "Besides, I don't have a say in what Marinette does with her secret identity. How could I have anyway when I just found out she was Ladybug right before you did?"

"I was talking about Chat Noir having an influence." Alya's eyes narrowed at him.

"That still doesn't make any sense because you both already knew who Chat Noir was!"

"That's because we found out. It's not like you came and told us." Nino argued.

"Of course I didn't tell you! For the same exact reasons!"

Alya folded her arms across her chest, huffing. Nino merely kept his eyes narrowed at Chat Noir, who returned that same look without even blinking.

Ladybug sighed a bit frustratedly, "We don't have time for this right now. We need to focus on rescuing Emma."

Marinette was right, of course. Chat Noir forced himself to swallow down his anger. Right now, rescuing his daughter was more important to him than arguing with his friends. He'd blown his top earlier, he'd admit it, but it wasn't going to happen again.

He nodded as he kept his gaze downcast. "Right... sorry for blowing my top."

"You better be sorry—"

"Alya." Marinette instantly cut off her best friend with one of the sternest tones he'd ever heard her use. Her expression spoke volumes. She was done. "Enough."

Those two simple words were all it took for Alya to avert her gaze, looking ashamed. Adrien didn't comment on that or even tease her for it either. Despite his annoyance at her behavior, he couldn't deny that he felt a bit bad for her. He only hoped that when Emma was saved, they could resolve their differences for the sake of their friendships and their family.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Ladybug moved across the roof away from them. Nino had wrapped an arm around Alya's shoulders and was saying something that he couldn't hear, so he figured it wasn't meant for his ears. He moved away from them to join Ladybug, who was now standing near the edge of the roof with one leg hiked up on the low barrier, her elbow resting on her knee.

Her eyes were zeroed in on his father's mansion, simply waiting for their illusion to begin.

Chat Noir carefully cleared his throat. "Is it bad that I have a really bad feeling about this?"

She didn't respond. Instead, her gaze hardened, and he hoped it was because she was angry at his father and not at him for voicing his concerns.

He turned to follow her line of sight. To the outside world, it seemed like anyone who lived in that mansion had to be privileged. It was an elaborate facade—the definition of a false paradise. It was only proof that happiness couldn't possibly come from money alone. He should know. He had everything money could buy and yet he had been so unhappy.

He sighed, sounding defeated. He needed to tell her what was clouding his mind, even if she disagreed. "Marinette, something about all of this just isn't sitting right with me."

Ladybug acknowledged him then, her head slightly turning to catch his gaze out of the corner of her eye. He took that as a good sign when he realized her expression was neutral... but she chose to remain silent... and that's because she was waiting for him to elaborate.

So, he did. "I don't like that Alya and Nino are being included in this..." He admitted timidly. Ladybug instantly let out a sigh at that—a very frustrated sigh, he realized. He quickly rushed to debunk what she might be thinking, not wanting any misunderstandings to occur between them. "And it has nothing to do with the fact that we're in a disagreement right now. I just... don't think they have enough experience to be going up against Hawkmoth."

"I agree that they don't have enough experience," Ladybug's lips had pulled down into a frown. "But what other choice do we have? I need them for my plan."

"Alya is helping from afar with her illusions." He pointed out matter-of-factly, which was a big help, especially when they were trying to fool Hawkmoth. "I just don't understand why she has to be on the ground too, or why Nino needs to be there."

"I'm going to need Nino's shelter."

"Couldn't you have just unified Tikki and Wayzz then?"

Ladybug sharply turned to face him fully, shock evident in her features. Apparently, she hadn't expected him to be aware of the possibility of a holder wielding more than one miraculous at a time.

He simply shrugged, flashing her a brief, sheepish smile. "Plagg might've told me a thing or two about the Grimoire while I was away."

Her gaze wandered forward again, transfixed on his childhood home. Her lips were pressed together into a thin line as she considered his words. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, side-by-side, simply letting the midday breeze rush through their bangs. Involuntarily, he scooted closer, allowing their shoulders to touch.

The familiarity of it all—of being here with her again above the city. It was the best feeling. He felt at home here. He felt complete. Saving the city with her had been one of the best aspects of his life. Soaring from one rooftop to another had been such a thrill. When he was away, although he kept Plagg with him, he never had a chance to be free like that in the States. Everything had always been about work and money, especially when his father had loomed over his shoulder through it all, criticizing and critiquing every decision he ever made.

He breathed in deeply, cherishing the fresh breeze and smells of pastries from a nearby bakery. It didn't smell half as good as the pastries from the Dupain-Cheng's, but it still reminded him of home.

After a long while, Ladybug broke the silence with a sigh. "What is this really about?"

Her question was unexpected... and confusing. He tilted his head at her and raised a quizzical brow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... why are you bringing this up? Is this really because you don't want to see Alya and Nino get hurt? I know you say it has nothing to do with the fact that you guys are fighting—"

"It doesn't." His tone sounded firmer than he intended. In fact, it almost sounded like he was offended. And perhaps he was. Why did she have to assume the worst?

She sent him a knowing look... and that's when he realized it: she didn't believe him. "Then what is it? You don't like my plan? You want it to be how it used to be—us against the world—?"

"What?" He found himself chuckling. That memory of words they'd recited to each other as teenagers hadn't illuded him. When he was away, he often thought about those days, wishing they could someday be rekindled, but that wasn't his goal here today. Did she really think this was all about jealousy? That he just wanted it to be them—a duo defeating Hawkmoth? Two parents saving their daughter as a team? Them alone getting that recognition together?

This was just about saving their daughter from his wretched father and making sure no one he cared about got hurt in the process. He didn't care how they accomplished that, he just wanted to make sure they succeeded.

"—because, right now, my biggest concern is not rekindling the past—"

"What do you think my priorities are right now?" He interrupted her with a serious question, curious to see what she thought about the matter. "Do you think this is a joke to me or that I'm looking to put my own selfish interests before my daughter?"

Ladybug furrowed her brows slightly. "I didn't say that—"

"Then what are you trying to say? Because I can't figure out whether you believe me or not."

Ladybug let out a heavy sigh as she searched his eyes. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but he wasn't about to hide his emotions from her. Not this time, at least. His intentions were genuine, and he made sure to lay them out so that she could browse through them.

"I'm sorry..." she apologized after a moment of silence. "I believe you. I'm—I just need to work on trusting you more... is all."

That pained his heart despite her words being valid. The number of times he broke her trust in the past was devastating. It would be difficult for her to trust him again (if she ever could) and he would have to be patient with that process.

"But I'm not going to change the plan." Her eyes held determination without a hint of possible consideration for his concerns. "I don't mean to sound harsh, but I've been making these plans on my own for a long time. I just need you to follow it, okay?"

Sighing, Chat Noir averted his gaze and shrugged. "Yeah... I get it."

He should've known better. Of course she didn't want his input. Why did he even think he had a right to insert an opinion after being gone for so long?

She must've sensed how her words came off because she placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "I don't mean it like that. I value your opinion, Chat Noir, but I just don't think it's needed right now."

Double ouch.

She gasped, realizing her next mishap. "I mean... I didn't mean it like that either—!"

"I'm not really sure what you mean right now," He shrugged her hand off of his shoulder and kept his gaze locked on his childhood home below. "But if you think this is the best course of action, who am I to question it, right?"

"Chat Noir—"

Whatever had been on the tip of her tongue abruptly faded when their illusion came into view—a fake Ladybug and Chat Noir bounding across the rooftops in absolute fury, heading straight for the Agreste estate without any rational thinking. Adrien knew it had been wise not to make such a brash decision themselves, but Adrien also knew his father wasn't a fool. He had a feeling his father was expecting them to play smart, not emotional.

But Chat Noir decided to hold his tongue that time, not divulging into his worrisome thoughts. He supposed Ladybug preferred it that way. And speaking of Ladybug—he could feel her gaze on him, and a quick glance out of the corner of his eye confirmed he stood corrected. Her eyes held remorse in her stare, and she furrowed her brows when she realized his forehead was crinkled in thought.

He didn't give her a chance to ask him what was on his mind at that time. Instead, he whipped out his baton, and said, "Let's just get this over with."

"Chat—"

"Are we ready?" Rena Rouge asked as she came up beside Ladybug. Carapace also joined them, standing beside his wife so that he didn't have to stand anywhere near him. Adrien didn't take it personally. In fact, for once, he was thankful for their interruption.

Chat Noir extended his baton and turned to face the mansion, readying to launch himself. His hate-filled gaze was set on his father's estate as he sneered, "Let's go get our daughter back."

Then, he launched himself. He heard Ladybug's yo-yo whip out a moment later, followed by the grunts of Alya and Nino as they too launched themselves off of the building. Despite Chat Noir's determination, a strange feeling remained in the pit of his stomach, strong enough to where he knew it shouldn't be ignored.

He spared a brief glance over his shoulder at his friends. Neither of them were looking at him, but their gazes held determination and anger. They were angry, rightfully so, but a part of Chat worried that their anger would channel in ways that would work against them.

He watched from a distance as his illusion snuck inside the mansion with Ladybug's. With their illusions able to do so that easily, his father must have expected them to make that move.

But then... was his father also expecting them to play smart?

His stomach was still in knots, leaving him to believe that his father knew way more than they were anticipating he knew. But he kept his mouth shut and followed his lady's plan, which was to sneak into the estate using the underground tunnels of the sewers.

They quietly made their way through the tunnels in a line, him being at the very end. Chat Noir had purposely stayed back, hoping his nerves would calm some as they neared closer to his old home. But no matter how hard he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart, it grew worse.

He let out a shuddered breath. Somehow, even though it was faint, it echoed throughout the tunnels, sending a chill down his spine. He glanced up, unfortunately catching Ladybug's eye. She had heard the sound, and of course, had turned to inspect it. Their eyes connected for just a second, and during that short period of time, she had the audacity to shoot him a look that said she was sorry for him. Whether that apology was meant for her words earlier or the fact that he was being forced to revisit old hauntings, he wasn't sure. But he didn't like it.

He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at her.

Eventually, they reached the staircase that would lead into the basement of his old home—a dark and gloomy room Adrien had never been allowed in. Then again, he never knew there was a way to get in considering he could never find a door or a trapdoor. The only reason he knew it even existed was because of the small windows that could be seen from the outside of the house from his mother's garden. His father had claimed they never used it, and that whatever was down there consisted of cobwebs and mice.

Adrien believed him at the time. Now, he was about to find out if his father had lied about that too.

Ladybug carefully climbed up the metal ladder first. With slow, calculated movements, she lifted the iron plate and peeked inside.

Her hushed yet audible WOAH had his ears perking up in interest.

"What is it?" He shoved his way past Nino and Alya, curiously eager to know what she had seen. Clearly, it wasn't just cobwebs and mice with a reaction like that. "What do you see?"

He didn't get an answer. Ladybug stayed incredibly still. She didn't even look down at them, instead keeping her eyes fixated on whatever she had seen. Growing incredibly impatient with her silence, he climbed up the ladder, ignoring Nino and Alya's hushed whispers for him to wait his turn, and came up behind her, sticking his head up over hers.

What he saw only confirmed his uneasy stomach was worth listening to.

The basement that his father had claimed was never used was gigantic. An elevator could be seen in the back center of the whole room, confirming there was a way to get inside from inside the house. Adrien concluded it had to be hidden. Never in his life had he seen an elevator in his house.

And that wasn't the only thing. A long, metal bridge stretched all the way from the elevator to the other side of the room where a metal platform had been built. On that platform, a variation of plants had grown. White butterflies fluttered all around those plants. In the center of it all, a white, rectangular object sat. He couldn't make out what it was from that distance.

"What is this place?" Ladybug breathed out in a whisper.

Overwhelmed, Chat Noir couldn't help but let out a bitter chuckle. His head fell forward, his forehead finding rest on her shoulder. Much to her credit, Ladybug didn't react. She didn't gasp, she didn't even flinch. Instead, she let him rest his forehead on her as if she understood just how overwhelmed he felt.

"I don't know." His voice sounded hoarse, and his mouth felt dry. "I didn't even know this existed."

He felt her move slightly, and then her fingers delicately threaded through his hair. He relaxed instantly, his uneasiness subsiding for just a second. They stayed like that for a short while, as if nothing else in the world mattered. The bit of tension that lingered on between them had been forgotten. At that moment, he didn't want to be separated from her again.

Instinctively, his hand came around her waist. In nothing but innocence, he pulled her closer to him, simply wanting her to be as close as possible.

That was when his lady sighed, and her head rubs ceased. "Then let's go find out."

The moment was ruined as fast as it came. As if snapped out of his reverie, he quickly pulled away, realizing how inappropriate his actions may have been. He quickly climbed up into the room before Ladybug could get another word out. Standing to his feet, he took another look around the entire room. It was mostly dark, but a large window at the front of the basement, which sat behind the metal platform and plants, let in most of the light from the sun.

He leaned his head back, taking in what was above. The entire room seemed to be coated in metal. Above him, there were strips of light, indicating his habit made a habit of coming down into the basement at night.

That would make sense... considering Adrien was usually always sleeping and would've never have noticed his father slipping away into some secret room.

Ladybug pulled herself out of the hole, standing beside him. She too took in her surroundings, truly astonished by what they had discovered.

Next, Alya emerged. Nino popped up beside her, gaping at the secret room in absolute awe.

"Are those... akumas?" Alya pointed across the room to where the white butterflies remained hovering around the greenery.

"Purified ones, yeah," Ladybug confirmed in a whisper. She started making careful, quiet steps towards the bridge, and he quickly followed close behind her, just as eager to uncover what truly lay down here.

Slowly, they made their way across the bridge. Chat Noir chanced a glance over the railing, where he found a channel of water running like a shallow river. A part of him found it fastening that his father could have built such a magnificent room.

The other part of him knew something dangerous and dark lied underneath here as well.

Ladybug remained ahead of him walking incredibly slow. Eventually, they made it to the platform. The white butterflies instantly greeted them, hovering all around them. Adrien found himself softly chuckling when several of them landed in his hair while others preferred his arms. He turned to face Ladybug, ready to make some sort of joke about how they all loved him.

That is... until he saw Ladybug standing incredibly still, looking at the white, rectangular object in horror.

Slowly, as the butterflies fluttered off of him one by one, he made his way over to her and stood beside her. When he too chanced a look at what that rectangular object was, his eyes blew wide in horror, and he stumbled back with a petrified gasp.

The white, rectangular object was a casket, and inside that casket, was his mother.

Emilie Agreste, who had been pronounced missing since he was a little boy after her strange disappearance, was lying in that casket with her arms folded properly over her body. She was wearing nice clothes and her hair was done. She looked like she was at peace.

Chat Noir couldn't take it. He turned on his heel and ran for the bridge, bracing himself on the railing as he vomited into the water.

"Oh my god." He heard Alya breathe in absolute horror.

"What the hell?" Nino, however, sounded enraged. He was probably angry at the fact that Gabriel Agreste had been keeping his wife down in a cellar claiming she had left their family voluntarily, when in reality, she was here. That's what Adrien had been led to believe his whole life, after all.

Chat Noir started to tremble. His mind was racing, his heartbeat was getting faster, his breaths were short, and his hands were starting to shake. Bracing himself against the railing, he realized his vision was slowly turning black. How could his mother be here? How long had she been in here? All this time, while he thought she had left them, had she been underneath him all this time? Had his father been keeping her here?

How long had his mother been underneath him without him knowing?

Had she been there since the day she so-called 'left'?

Adrien felt his legs give out beneath him. But before he could hit the ground, two arms caught him beneath his armpits and offered him a softer landing. Ladybug had rushed to his side, and now she was embracing him, allowing him to fall into her arms as they collapsed onto the floor together.

Chat Noir started crying right then and there. He let out all of his emotions, falling into Ladybug's arms and soaking in whatever comfort his lady could give him. Ladybug wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly, using one hand to stroke his head as she tried to comfort him with not only her presence but with her words. He held onto her as if she were his lifeboat, sobbing uncontrollably onto her shoulder.

"Wait... hold on... s-she's not dead!" Alya suddenly exclaimed, her voice bouncing off the walls in a joyous echo. "Look, Adrien! She's alive!"

Adrien instantly lifted his head from his lady's shoulder, his eyes glossed over in fresh tears. Ladybug helped him stand on wobbly feet, but as soon as he was up, he was tearing himself out of her arms and sprinting to the best of his ability over to where Alya stood in front of the casket. Alya was smiling as she wordlessly pointed inside. His eyes followed, desperate to see what sign of life Alya had spotted.

And then he saw it. His mother's chest rose and fell back down. She was breathing.

A watery grin broke out on his lips, followed by a disbelieved chuckle. He leaned his head back, letting out a series of relieved laughter.

His mother was alive. She wasn't dead.

His friends celebrated along with him. They all surrounded him, pulling him into a ginormous hug. Alya patted his back and Nino tousled his hair, supporting him in this wonderous discovery, but Marinette's touch was what kept him rooted. Amongst their group hug, his teary eyes met hers, and he found that she too was crying on his behalf. But she was smiling, truly happy for him, and he couldn't help but return that smile.

"I can't believe it." He breathed out, truly astonished. "My mother is alive."

"Of course she's alive."

The four friends immediately separated, their gazes snapping towards the new voice in the room. Hawkmoth himself had descended down the elevator and was walking across the bridge, making his way over towards them. With every step he took, his staff thumped against the metal, sending a chill down his spine each time.

"Your little trick with the illusions was... clever, I'll give you that." Hawkmoth's laughter reverberated off the walls. "But I knew you two wouldn't come barreling in here blinded by emotion."

Chat's gloved hand instinctively reached for his baton which was strapped to his lower back. The sound of Ladybug unraveling her yo-yo sounded next.

"Where is Emma?" Chat Noir gritted out the question with so much hatred for his father.

Hawkmoth hummed, seemingly amused. "That's the first thing you want to know? You have nothing to ask regarding your mother, whom you've just discovered is still alive?"

"Where. is. our. daughter?!"

Another amused hum echoed through the large room. Hawkmoth's sinister smile widened. "Or perhaps you would come in here blinded by emotion." His dastardly laughter sent another chill down their spines. 

Shaking his head in amusement, Hawkmoth flicked his staff, and the room began to shake as he summoned another casket to rise out of the platform. Inside, Emma lay on her back, but she was awake, breathing heavily and frantically looking around.

Chat Noir whipped around to face his father. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why would you put her in there?!"

"She can breathe just fine." Hawkmoth had now reached them, standing as proper as ever with his hands leaned against his staff. "Those are life support machines. They are perfectly safe. You should know me well enough to know that I would never intend to hurt a child."

"I don't know you at all." Chat Noir spat. "You're unpredictable, and at this point, I think you would do anything to get what you want."

Hawkmoth clicked his tongue. "Perhaps you're right. Maybe I will do whatever is necessary to get what I want. But before I resort to drastic measures..." The villain extended out a hand, his palm upward. "I should allow you to choose an easier option by handing me your miraculous."

"You can kiss my ass."

"I am giving you the option to walk away with your daughter if you choose to give me your miraculous." Hawkmoth's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "I would strongly advise that you reconsider."

"You're not getting our miraculous, and you're not keeping our daughter." Ladybug's yo-yo was now spinning on her finger, waiting for the chance to spring into action.

Hawkmoth's emotionless expression slowly morphed into a devilish grin. With a shrug, his hand rejoined the other atop his staff. "Don't you want to know what happened to your mother, son? I could tell you everything you want to know... if you give me your miraculous."

Nino's worried gaze fell on him. "Don't listen to him, Adrien! He's lying—!"

"I know he's lying!" Chat Noir snapped, not even bothering to spare his best friend an eye roll over his shoulder. "I'm not an idiot!"

Hawkmoth's amused expression instantly dissolved, revealing his hidden anger. "If you won't give it to me..." he suddenly swung his staff over his head and slammed it down on the ground, causing a loud bang of metal to sound throughout the room. "Then I'll take it from you."

"Come and get it." Chat Noir snapped his baton out in front of him, challenging his father.

With that, Hawkmoth lunged forward with his staff high above his head. Chat Noir quickly dodged and rolled underneath his father, snapping back on his heels and extending his baton, sending him flying forward with the end of it. Hawkmoth fell face-first into the ground but that didn't keep him down for long. He stood and twisted on his heel, slamming Chat Noir into the railing with a whip of his staff.

Ladybug extended her yo-yo and swung. It wrapped around Hawkmoth's leg, and she tugged, causing him to fall backward. However, she wasn't prepared for Hawkmoth to twist around and yank on his leg, sending her flying towards him. With a greedy hand extended, he intended to snatch the earrings right off of her.

Thankfully, Carapace called out for his superpower. His shelter encased Ladybug just as she slammed into Hawkmoth, sending the villain stomach-first over the railing. With a loud yelp, Hawkmoth fell with a splash into the water.

The four heroes leaned over the railing, only finding bubbles atop the dark water.

"Well then..." Alya was the one to break the silence between them. "That was fairly easy."

Chat Noir would've thought so too... if it wasn't for the uneasy feeling still residing in the pit of his stomach. His head whipped around urgently as he tried to search for what his intuition was trying to warn him of. As his friends moved away from the railing, intending to free Emma, Chat remained rooted in his spot.

There was no way this could be it. Something was missing.

Adrien knew his father well enough to know that he was a prepared man. Gabriel didn't have just one approach to a situation... he had several. If one way didn't work according to plan, he always had a backup plan.

Simply falling into the water wouldn't be Gabriel's end. His father didn't give up that easily.

Chat Noir leaned over the railing again. The bubbles from earlier had completely vanished. To most it would've seemed Hawkmoth had drowned... but Chat Noir knew better. His father hadn't drowned...

...his father had escaped.

"Guys..." Adrien slowly turned around on his heel, still trying to figure out where to pinpoint the danger. "We need to get out of here."

Ladybug briefly spared a glance over her shoulder at him. Her gaze held disinterest in his idea, but she was frightened. He could tell by the way she was fumbling with the casket Emma was trapped in, desperately trying to pry it open. "First we need to get Emma out of here... and possibly your mother too."

"I know, but—"

"Adrien, I know this place makes you uncomfortable, but I am not leaving this building without Emma. Now come over here and cataclysm this thing!"

"I wasn't suggesting that! It's just that—!"

He didn't get the chance to complete his concern. A loud BOOM suddenly sounded, and the room shook as if they were experiencing an earthquake. His friends, all surrounding Emma's casket, braced themselves against it. Adrien held onto the railing, watching in horror as large cracks suddenly shot through the floors and ceilings, separating the metal underneath him and creating crevasses so deep it was impossible to see the bottom of them. Above him, the ceiling suddenly began to give way, large pieces of metal and concrete showing no mercy as gravity pulled them down.

So... that had been his father's plan. He intended to crush them all and retrieve their miraculous from the debris.

Did his father not have any remorse? Did he intend to finally end his wife's life too?

Or did he have faith in the fact that her machine would protect her?

With all the fear he had trapped within him, Adrien's frightened eyes darted to Marinette, Emma's casket, his mother's casket, and his friends. Above them all, a large piece of the ceiling had snapped, descending at full speed.

Abandoning his baton, he started sprinting. He cried out his cataclysm and extended his hand.

But he wasn't close enough... and the ceiling was coming down.

"WATCH OUT!" He desperately cried out.

But it was no use. The ceiling caved in on top of them all, intending to bury them beneath debris.

That was the last thing Chat Noir remembered before he was crushed by pieces of the ceiling himself, his world slowly turning black.

_______________________________

The fighting scene wasn't extravagant... or very long... but the battle isn't over yet. Tune in for chapter 19 on (11/25/2022) where Chat Noir emerges from the debris and searches for his family and friends. Hawkmoth re-emerges and intends to take his miraculous, but Adrien isn't about to give up so easily, not without a fight.

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