Once in a Lifetime, Chapter 4: All Together Now

Marinette Dupain-Cheng ran.

She ran as if the devil himself was at her heels... instead of six or seven blocks directly ahead of her.

Several trains of thought competed to reach her conscious mind at once...

You have no powers; what do you think you are running there to do? He's going to KILL YOU.

You couldn't beat him AS LADYBUG. The new Ladybug and Chat Noir couldn't beat him TOGETHER.

You're still recovering. You're still hurt. You're still not thinking straight.

Your head is pounding just from running, and you're not even halfway there yet. Sit down before you fall down.

Your mother and father would be screaming at you if they'd seen you leave the house like this... let alone towards a SUPERVILLAIN FIGHT.

Do you know which dress they should bury you in after you get there? If you make it there? Do you think you'll get to say anything before Blastwave takes one look at you, laughs, and blasts you halfway to Brussels?

What ARE you doing, Marinette?

She did hear them, faintly, but none of them registered. A wall blocked them off, with a picture on it of Chat Noir - her sweet, caring, protective Chat Noir - at the mercy of the villain that had nearly killed her. And of a brave young woman wearing her costume, trying her best, standing in her shoes and about to suffer her fate.

And behind that wall, there was a single, solitary, simple thought:

RUN, MARINETTE!

Adrien opened his eyes, slowly. He was in a dark place, unfamiliar to him, lying on what felt like an old sofa. His head felt like he'd been tumbling in a clothes dryer for the last three hours.

What in the world just...

He looked around him, slowly. Why am I half-blind? He reached up to feel his face, half expecting to find a blindfold or his mask off-center. My Chat form has fantastic night vision...

...what!

It finally clicked in his brain that he didn't feel leather and claws when he touched his face; he felt skin on skin.

A fast grope confirmed it; he wasn't Chat Noir, he was himself. How? I never said "Claws in..."

He reached down to check his hands, and gasped loudly; his Miraculous was gone!

"NO!" he yelped, leaping to his feet... a bit too quickly. Dizzy, he sank back down. Not good. SO not good. Did Blastwave take it from me? Did Hawkmoth capture me? Am I in, like, a dungeon of his or something?

Think, Adrien, think. First off, who even HAS dungeons any more? And even if he did, I doubt that he'd keep sofas in them for the comfort of his guests.

He fumbled in the very dim light and managed to find his phone. At least that's something, he thought. Not like I have Ladybug's number... either of them... but I can at least use it as a makeshift flashlight -

LADYBUG! Is she -

He waved his phone in all directions around him. "LADYBUG!" he hissed, quietly. "Are you here?" There was no sign of her in the room, as far as he could tell. Wherever she was - if he HAD managed to save her by diving in front of her - he had no way to find out if she still had her own Miraculous, if she was all right, if she was conscious, if she was...

STOP IT! he ordered himself. You took the full force and you're far from dead. You did what you could to protect her. And maybe my ring just came off my finger, like that time against Lady Wifi...

Adrien got down on his hands and knees and started searching the floor around him, hoping for a miracle in the form of a silver ring.

Hawkmoth looked on, feeling a bit apprenhensive. It's the same thing as last time, he thought. Raw force is a potent weapon against these heroes... but not very productive in its end result. He reached out through his telepathic connection with his villain du jour.

Blastwave felt the energy signature pulse around his face. "Blastwave!" Hawkmoth said. "You are succeeding where many others have failed against Ladybug and Chat Noir. But your victories and destruction are pointless unless you can recover their Miraculouses! Where are the heroes now?"

"Beats me," he shrugged. "I caught the cat full-on; he and his girlfriend went flying in the direction I'm heading. Looks like they went flying through the front of La Samaritaine."

"Remain focused on the Miraculouses. Do your best to leave the civilians unharmed, if you would. The heroes are the only opponents that matter. Once you have their Miraculouses, nothing on this continent can stop you."

"You feeling squeamish, Boss?" chuckled Blastwave.

Yes. "Not at all," Hawkmoth scoffed. "I prefer to think of it as... conservation of effort. Waste not, want not. Targeting nobodies gains nothing. And failing to recover those Miraculouses will return you to nothing. Are we clear?"

"Yeah, I gotcha," grumbled the villain. "Jewelry first, fun second. At least the jewelry shouldn't take long."

"I am REALLY not sure about this strategy..." worried Tikki, from Carol's purse.

"Nor I," Carol replied. "But I don't know what else to do! Blastwave is hunting Chat and Ladybug and their Miraculouses, right? So..."

"So," Tikki repeated. "So now what are you planning on doing?"

"Blastwave doesn't know ME. Or... Adrien." She shook her head in utter disbelief. "To think that BOTH of them were...!"

"You can't dwell on that now," chided Tikki. "In fact, I'd prefer that you could forget it entirely, but that's not very likely."

"True," Carol agreed. "So, at least in theory, even if Blastwave finds Adrien in there, he has no reason to target him and he won't find Adrien's Miraculous. And, with a little luck, I can walk right out the front door, find you something to eat, and regroup. Somehow."

"And if you're not lucky...?" Tikki whimpered. "You could barely stand his attack WITH the costume. Without it..."

"Do I have a choice?" she replied. "You're out of gas, Tikki. Chat sacrificed himself for me; I can't let that go for nothing, or let him get hurt further. If Blastwave found Chat unconscious, what might he do to him? So it's just you and me... and this inexplicable airhorn."

"Hang onto that," ordered Tikki. "Lucky Charm never fails, though it doesn't always make sense at first glance. And please, please, please, whatever you do... don't even think about using both of those at the same time! The interaction of the magic could be so devastating that... just DON'T, okay?

"Got it," smiled Carol. "Now, let's get you undercover, and pray that I can keep a straight face..."

She steeled herself, rose to her feet, did her best to put a shocked and scared expression on her face, and scurried towards the front of the store.

Marinette's legs were rubber, but she persisted.

Two more blocks... I need to start being very careful. I don't know exactly where Blastwave is...

She could already see signs of a superfight in the buildings and street around her. Reluctantly, she stumbled over to a nearby bench and sat down, collecting her breath for a moment or two

No sign of Chat Noir yet. Or... Carol. But I have no idea what Carol looks like, detransformed!

Her head was pounding from the exertion. "Take it easy," the doctor said. Uh-huh. I'll get right on that, right after this supervillain.

She reasoned it out. I don't know Carol on sight... but Carol knows me. So the best thing I can do is to stay out in plain sight, if I want her to find me...

...and then I have no idea what to do next.

Blastwave arrived at the front of the semi-demolished La Samaritaine department store, admiring his handiwork. "Yoo-hoo!" he called. "Ladybug, Ladybug, fly away home!"

The handful of people remaining in the store watched in terror as Blastwave strode down the middle aisle of the store, arms extended, ready to attack. "If any of you have seen Ladybug or Chat Noir... either tell me, or you won't like what happens next," he threatened, staring down the store patrons.

A middle-aged man on the left curled into a little ball, screaming, "I haven't seen them! I was in hiding! PLEASE don't hurt me..."

"Anyone ELSE?" snarled Blastwave, scanning the aisles with his arms extended menacingly.

A young red-headed woman called out to him from the other side of the store. "Mr... Villain? Ladybug and Chat Noir were here, but he was out cold. She dragged him out that back door towards the alley, looking for better cover."

"You sure about that?" Blastwave's gauntlet glowed ominously.

"Oui," she said, her voice shaky, cowering before him. "Please, let us go..."

He debated for a moment, then muttered, "Jewelry first, fun second," and lowered his gauntlet. "If you're lying, I'll remember you..." he yelled as he stomped off towards the rear exit.

On the other side of the store's rear wall, a door was cracked open just a hair, enabling Adrien to peer out.

That's... What is SHE doing here? thought Adrien. I know she was bluffing just now. Could... SHE couldn't be the new Ladybug, could she?

He tried to think through the clues, but in his dazed state he didn't get far. I don't know, but she's the only lead I have right now, and the only person I recognize around here. She must've been the one who got me to safety... and maybe SHE knows where my ring went! I have to follow her, make sure she'll be all right...

Adrien slipped out through the door, watching the redhead and the other store patrons scattering out the front exit. Whoa! he thought, feeling the room spin a bit as he attempted to follow them. Or maybe she can make sure I'm all right.

Marinette followed the path of devastation with practiced eyes. Looks like they had a fight around here, then... oh, boy. That has to be where he launched them!

She crept towards the department store, her legs rebelling against every step. What am I DOING? she thought. If that villain comes out, what am I going to -

A group of people came running out. Most of them scattered randomly, in a panic. One of them, a redheaded woman, seemed more focused than the others...

Wait! I know her! THAT'S...

...and, suddenly, puzzle pieces snapped together in Marinette's mind.

"Hey!" Marinette called, standing up and waving to her, and was relieved when the young woman ran over and joined Marinette behind the bench she was using for cover.

"Marinette?! What are you DOING here?" the woman asked, stunned to see her there. "Did you RUN here, in your condition? This is INCREDIBLY dangerous! You..."

"Oh, I know exactly what Blastwave can do," said Marinette, grinning. "And I think you do, too. We're both awfully calm for normal people facing down a supervillain, aren't we?"

The redhead smiled, sheepishly. "Uh-huh. It would be miraculous if we got out of here in one piece."

"Carol?" Marinette whispered, hopefully.

"Guilty as charged..." smiled Caline Bustier, teacher, mentor, and now part-time superhero-in-training.

"Oh, my GOSH!" Marinette beamed, pulling her teacher into a hug. "I have SO MANY things I want to say to you! But we have to get out of this first..." Her smiling face quickly shifted to a calculating one. "Tikki, are you here?"

Tikki floated out of Caline's purse, saying, "No more need for secrets now. I'm here, but I'm hungry. Do you..."

"Say no more," smiled Marinette, reaching into her own purse for her macaron stash. "That should help get you back up as Ladybug shortly, Ms. Bustier..."

"Call me Caline. I think we're past that today, Marinette," she said. "Wait... get ME back up as Ladybug?"

"Who else?" Marinette asked. "I'm still shaky, and my head feels like a bongo drum after running here. Chat is... wait. Where IS Chat Noir?" she added, with increasing alarm.

Caline averted her eyes. "Do you want the good or the bad news first?"

She saw Marinette on the verge of a scream and calmed her, quickly. "Good news, obviously. He was okay when I left him; woozy, but okay. I got him into a break room in that store and laid him out on a sofa there... he took a nasty shot, but he remained Chat the whole time, so that helped protect him. I managed to bluff Blastwave into going the other way."

Marinette added all of that up and didn't entirely like the result. "Okay... so if he was just shaken up... where is Chat now?"

Caline extended her hand and opened it, slowly, showing a silver ring in her palm.

"Right here."

"WHAAAAAT?"

"Keep your voice down, Marinette!" warned Tikki. "Blastwave was headed straight for where they were hiding, Chat couldn't walk, and Blastwave is after the Miraculouses, not normal people... so, Carol... wait, I can say it now, Caline took his Miraculous off his finger. It should remove Chat as a target; he had to stay put where he was hiding, and we couldn't let it be taken."

"He is... wait." Caline stopped herself. "I have to watch what I say here. Marinette, do YOU know who's under Chat's mask?"

She shook her head, negatively. "I've avoided knowing that, for many reasons. Though NOW that I need to protect him..."

So Ladybug and Chat Noir have sat next to each other in my class all this time... and don't know each other's identities? This IS a strange world we live in, Caline thought. And Marinette has SUCH a crush on him, too! I wonder if I should try to help, once all this is done...

"How are you going to protect him, Marinette, if you can't transform?" asked Tikki, gently. "We have to think this through."

"I know how much you care for him in both his identities, Marinette," added Caline. "It's obvious. But the best way to protect him is to..."

Marinette froze. "So you not only saw him, untransformed... but you know him? Who he really is?" Is he in our school? Is he in our CLASS?

Tikki chattered, "This is NOT the TIME for this," with a mouthful of macaron bits. Both women ignored her completely.

Caline cringed. Oh, did I just screw up like I think I did?

"Marinette... I do. But like I told Chat when he found out I knew YOU... don't make assumptions. I know an awful lot of people, and he might look different with and without the mask, just like I did." She smiled at Tikki. "It took some adjustment time for me when I had Tikki shrink me down a little bit as Ladybug, for example; I wanted to TRY to pass for someone your age, and not give away that I was your fill-in. Perhaps... Chat does the same."

"Perhaps... or maybe he's been right under my nose this whole time..."

"THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!" yelled Tikki. "I understand how crazy this is, but we need to protect these people and stop Blastwave!" She turned to Marinette and said, "I'm sorry for yelling, but I need both of you to focus. Chat Noir is out there, without his Miraculous. Mylene and Ivan were here today, and they're in danger, too. I think I MIGHT'VE even seen Adrien running for cover."

"ADRIEN is here?" Marinette's eyes glazed and a whole new set of emotions splashed over her. "I mean... not that... Adrien's just..." she stammered.

Caline had to laugh. "Marinette, you don't have to hide that, either. Do you really think _I_ don't know how you feel about Adrien? I watch you two all week long." She gave Tikki a raised eyebrow, as if to ask, That was a little dangerous to mention, wasn't it?

Tikki shrugged, subtly. I know what works.

"All RIGHT," Marinette grumbled, gathering her resolve. "Add that to the pile of things we need to talk about later. Right now we have two Miraculouses, one person who can actually use one, a defenseless Chat Noir in hiding, a lot of civilians, and a villain that we don't know how to stop. We have to make sense of some of this." She held her head, enduring the painful headache she had. "You still have the Lucky Charm you created, Caline?"

"I do," she replied, pulling out the spotted red airhorn. "I haven't had the heart to use it yet, because I have no idea how or why."

"May I see it?" she asked, borrowing it from Caline. She closed her eyes and thought hard...

"Anything?" Caline asked.

"I... might have an idea, but not all the pieces are in place for it, I think," muttered Marinette. "I've never done this out of costume before."

"That shouldn't change anything, Marinette," Tikki said, causing both Marinette and Caline to turn in her direction. "There's a reason Caline couldn't make connections with it like you do - that's not a superpower from the Miraculous. That's your creativity, Marinette. That's all you."

"It... is?" Marinette looked stunned.

"Ladybug's powers boost her physically - strength, speed, agility, durability. But the person inside doesn't change."

"Wow! That never even occurred to me..."

A loud crash from a block or two over ended the discussion. "I think he figured out my bluff," Caline said. "Tikki, are you charged up?"

"I'm ready," she said, gulping down the last bite.

"Are you sure that you want to go through with this, Caline?" asked Marinette. "You've seen what he can do, up close. I wouldn't blame you one bit."

"You're not ready. I know you're not. Today, this is up to me," she replied. "I need to protect you and everyone else."

"Protecting me isn't worth throwing your life away. Be careful," Marinette begged. "I'm just a schoolgirl."

"I told you before... Marinettes are always important in this world. They have so much love to give." Caline hugged her, then handed her the airhorn and Chat's ring. "Hold onto these for now. If you can find a way to use either of them, I trust your judgment, but for now I need to get between you and him. Good luck, mon petit héros..."

"Tikki," Caline called out, "Spots on!"

Blastwave came storming out into the main intersection, firing both barrels to get everyone's attention, then shouting, "Listen up, everyone! I'm only saying this once. I'm tired of playing hide-and-seek, and when you have cannons like THESE, you don't have to. So here's the deal... either Ladybug and Chat Noir come out NOW and give up their Miraculouses, or I start tearing these buildings down and I don't care who's in them. What happens to them is up to you, so either stop hiding right now, or... ten... nine... eight..."

A voice called out from across the street, "I'm done hiding," and Ladybug stepped out defiantly. "I'm done being afraid of you. And YOU'RE done hurting people today."

Adrien watched with wide eyes from his vantage point at the front of the demolished department store. She may be new at this... whoever she is... but she's as brave as my lady.

"As for my Miraculous... take it if you can," she said, setting her yo-yo spinning.

I have to help her! thought Adrien. But... how can I, without my ring?

Across the street, behind Ladybug, he saw a head pop up from behind a bench, with dark hair and eyes he could tell were bright and blue even from that distance. He recognized her instantly... and from the way she reacted when she saw him looking at her, the feeling was mutual.

What is MARINETTE doing here?

What is ADRIEN doing here?

Marinette did her best not to scream. GET OVER HERE! she mouthed at him, watching him say what looked to be the same thing at the same time.

Marinette stood up and prepared to run, as did Adrien, then both ducked down when they saw the other was coming. They glared at each other, keeping a wary eye on the supervillain who was uncomfortably close to both.

Adrien pulled out his phone and texted Marinette:

[Adrien] stay there! coming over

[Marinette] be careful!

Once he was sure that he was steady enough, he moved up the street away from Blastwave, crossed as nonchalantly as he could, then doubled back and ducked behind the bench with Marinette.

"What are you DOING here, Adrien?" she asked, in a panic. "You're HURT! I can see that! Are you okay? What can I do?"

"What are YOU doing here, Marinette?" he retorted. "You've BEEN hurt! How did you end up here in the middle of a supervillain fight? This guy is SO dangerous!"

"I know! But..." The two stared at each other, quietly. "How about we hold off with explanations for now, since neither of us seems to have one?" Marinette murmured, and got a reluctant nod back from Adrien.

"I'm... trying to help Ladybug!" ventured Marinette, after a moment. "She's... someone I know."

"I think we both do! I can't believe it, but I think it's true," Adrien replied. "What can we do?"

"For one... she gave me this." Marinette held up the red spotted airhorn. "I'm trying to figure out what to do with it for her. Nothing's coming to her."

Adrien closed his eyes, concentrated for a moment... then said "Me, either. How would that possibly stop this villain?"

He looked closer, not sure that Marinette had heard him. "...Marinette?" he asked.

"Shhhh," she shushed him, her own eyes half-closed.

I heard what Tikki said, but I can hardly believe it. Is it possible that _I_ can do this? Think, Marinette, THINK!

She scanned the area... looking at both Ladybug and Blastwave...

...and had a sudden epiphany. That's it! She pictured the airhorn, then Blastwave's hands, then Ladybug's yo-yo in rapid succession.

"I've... figured it out!" she said, wide-eyed. "How DID I figure it out?" she asked no one in particular.

"Great!" Adrien's smile was huge. "Tell me what to do, and I'll run this over to Ladybug..."

"No, you won't," Marinette snapped. "For one, I can see that you're barely walking, let along running. For another... it's not for Ladybug to use."

"It isn't?"

"No... she's going to need help, from someone fast and agile. And that's neither of us right now, unless..." Marinette opened her other hand, showing off a silver ring in her palm.

A tiny black cat poofed into existence next to it, looked at both of them, and floated a short distance away scratching his head.

"Well, ain't THIS a fine mess?" Plagg muttered...

"So, where's your buddy?" Blastwave taunted, he and Ladybug circling each other warily. "Or did I break him, too? You heroes are pretty fragile."

"Right now, I don't need his help," Ladybug said, sternly. "I have everything I need right here."

"You and what army?" he snickered.

"Paris stands behind me," she declared. "Their faith is all I need."

"That and a euro'll get you a cup of coffee... and a skull fracture," he laughed, blasting at her.

"You should be so lucky," she countered, dodging smoothly. Inside, she wasn't so sure. That last blast was close. He's faster than he looks. Marinette, anything coming to you? A little help here?

Both Adrien and Marinette looked at Plagg with pleading eyes and did their best to act surprised.

Marinette recoiled slightly, as if afraid, and shook her head 'no' as slightly as she could. I know who you are; Tikki's told me all about you. And you know who I am. But PLEASE don't tell him yet! she thought.

Adrien let his jaw drop and his eyes widen. Buddy, we've covered for my secret identity enough times, PLEASE work with me here!

Plagg looked them both over, did some mental math, and chuckled. "I, um, uh, I am the GREAT AND MIGHTY PLAGG! Who dares summon me?" he intoned, regally.

Both kids gave him a what face.

"Okay, okay! It was worth the try," he snickered. "I am the spirit of the Cat Miraculous. If one of you puts on that ring and says 'Claws out,' I'll help you save the day."

Adrien reached for the ring, trying to grab it out of Marinette's hand, but she snatched it away. "Come on, Marinette! You know you can't do this! You're still injured!" His eyes were sincere. "Let me protect you, this once."

"I can't let you do that, Adrien," she replied. "You're shakier than I am right now; I can see that. And someone whom I... really need to protect... is out there somewhere, and I'm going to be there for him like he always is for me. If I do this right, I can do it in two or three moves... and that's about what I've got left in me." And if I do this wrong... I loved you very, very much, Adrien.

"Marinette, PLEASE!" I can't say 'I have so much more experience than you at this' but how else can I convince you?

He looked at Plagg, desperately, who gave him an I don't know, kid, I got nothin' shrug in return.

"I mean this so sincerely," Adrien said, moving slowly closer to Marinette until he could reach out and touch her shoulders, gently. She looked up at him with big, soft eyes. "If anything happened to you... and I had a chance to protect you, and didn't... I don't know what I'd do."

"I know exactly how that feels," she breathed, "and that's why I have to do this now, before I let you stop me..."

In one smooth motion, she thrust the ring onto her finger and called "Plagg... CLAWS OUT!"

A white flash made Adrien step back, both from awe and a little fear. When it cleared, Marinette wore a slightly feminine version of his own costume, her dark hair cascading out, her cat-eyes wide with astonishment. "This is..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Whoa," he mumbled.

She winked at him. "I'll let you take a picture, later. If there is a later." She thought quickly. "I'm going to signal to Ladybug what I need her to do. Once I move, can you make a noise or something to distract him? But then GET DOWN to the ground and take cover. Be safe, Adrien. I... need you."

With the airhorn in one hand, she readied the baton, pushed a button on it, and catapulted herself behind Blastwave.

Ladybug backflipped away from another blast, but caught enough of it to rattle her. She saw something flash briefly, off to Blastwave's far left, but couldn't spare a moment to figure out what it was.

"End of the line," shouted Blastwave, raising both arms for a full-force blast. "Somebody warm up Ladybug #3!"

A loud noise from the side distracted both of them, and Blastwave felt something hit him in the chest. "What the heck?" he snarled, seeing a soda bottle fall to the ground. He looked over and saw a blonde schoolboy kicking at a metal trash can, pulling objects from it and hurling them at the villain.

"Hey, Ugly!" Adrien yelled, readying another projectile. The moment he moves, I need to tuck-and-roll, he thought. If he hits me straight-on, I'm dead right here.

Ladybug caught a glimpse of a black blur behind Blastwave. The figure clasped its hands on its ears, then made a lasso gesture.

But if that's Adrien over there... then how can Chat be... OH!

Ladybug nodded, curtly, then swiped at Blastwave with her yo-yo. "Leave him alone!" she called out, regaining his attention.

In one swift motion, the new-and-improved Chat Noir leaped onto Blastwave's back, blew the airhorn as loud as she could right at the back of his head, then grabbed for his goggles and flipped away!

"AUUUUUUGH!" Blastwave bellowed in pain and surprise, putting both of hands up to cover his ears. "You're DEAD, whoever you are!"

Only going to get one shot at this... Ladybug thought. She hurled her yo-yo with all her might...

...wrapping it around his head several times and pinning his wrists to the side of his skull!

"HEY!" Blastwave shouted, struggling, unable to get his hands and arms free, his palms pressed tightly against his head.

"HAH!" Ladybug called, triumphantly. "Go ahead and blast, now! If you don't mind turning your own skull into blancmange."

"It might be an improvement!" laughed Chat Noir. She took her baton and smashed the goggles, quickly...

...and was relieved to see a purple Akuma flutter forth.

"And THAT is all for you," smiled Ladybug, capturing it with a well-aimed toss. "Au revoir, petit papillon!"

Chat Noir sank to her knees in exhaustion and relief. Ladybug ran over quickly to check on her. "That was AMAZING, young lady!" she whispered. "And foolhardy!"

"And necessary," Chat grinned, watching Adrien approach. She flipped the airhorn over to Ladybug and asked, "Would you do the honors?"

"Certainly. MIRACULOUS... LADYBUG!" she called out, hurling it skyward... and, slowly but surely, the magic repaired both the site of this fight and the previous one.

Ladybug reached out and hugged both of them. "Shall we go somewhere a little more private, and sort this out?" With their assent, she picked up Adrien and she and Chat headed for a nearby rooftop.

Now, how am I going to do this? she wondered. Marinette knows that I'm Ladybug, I know that SHE'S the real Ladybug, but Adrien doesn't know either one. I know that Adrien's Chat Noir, but Marinette doesn't, even though she has his Miraculous and SHE'S Chat Noir now. And they're looking at each other like neither one can believe what's going on! Which is good, because neither can I.

"All right... this is going to be QUITE the secret identity dance, I can tell," Ladybug grinned. "Adrien, do you know who our lovely Chat is?"

"I do," he laughed. "I was right there when she transformed. Plus, I'd know that face anywhere."

Marinette demonstrated how nicely the color red blended with Chat's black leather. "Claws in," she said, reverting back to Marinette. She took a deep breath and emerged with a huge smile. "I feel... a whole lot better!" she gasped.

"Me too, actually," said Adrien.

"I was hoping you would," said Ladybug. "You suffered injuries in an Akuma villain fight, so Miraculous Ladybug reversed whatever it could! May I, dear?"

Marinette handed the ring back to Ladybug with a grin. "Make sure this gets back to its proper owner... and that he comes to see me soon," she beamed.

"I have a feeling that he won't stay away long," Ladybug laughed. "I will get both of these Miraculouses back to their proper owners as soon as possible. I think I've had enough excitement for one lifetime. Now, as for you..." she said, turning to Adrien... "Do I have to tell you how brave that was, distracting Blastwave the way you did?"

"You and Marinette needed my help. How could I not?" Marinette gave Ladybug a look, clearly shouting out And THAT'S why I'm in love with this boy.

"I was going to do this anyway... but you've more than earned the right to know, Adrien. Spots off!"

A white flash covered her... and Adrien and Marinette's teacher stood before them, with a big smile and a tear in her eye.

"So now I've been an Akumatized villain... and I've helped defeat an Akumatized villain. All things considered, I don't know which was scarier," she said, kneeling down for another group hug. "But everything I've experienced with you two amazing young people... I wouldn't trade any of that for the world."

"Does this mean we don't have to ask for hall passes any more to use the bathroom in your class?" asked Adrien, wryly.

"Don't push your luck," Caline grinned.

Caline transformed back to Ladybug one last time - it's either that, or leave them on a roof, she thought, amused - and dropped off Marinette at her balcony first. "I'll be back," she whispered in Marinette's ear.

"I know," Marinette whispered back. "Do what you have to do; you know where I'll be."

On the way across the city to the Agreste mansion, trying not to feel strange about being nestled in his attractive teacher WHO WAS ALSO LADYBUG's arms, Adrien had his own questions. "Ms. Bustier... I certainly assume that my secret is safe with you," he ventured. "As yours is with me."

"Absolutely," she replied. "Not that I plan on repeating this experience any time soon. This has been the strangest week of my life."

"A little bit fun, in between the terrifying bits?" smiled Adrien.

"Yes, actually! The strength, the soaring above the city, the feeling of... freedom! I'm sure that it's addictive," she noted, "but at the same time, the responsibility that comes with it! I am humbled knowing that a young man... even one as gifted as you... would ever take that on."

"Kind of like you, it wasn't something I chose... it fell into my lap," he answered. "And, kind of like you... it wasn't something I felt I could refuse."

"It remains remarkable. As are you, Adrien Agreste," Caline smiled. "If there is ever anything I can do to assist you or Ladybug... do not hesitate to ask. I am doubly in your debt."

"About Ladybug..." Adrien asked, curiosity overcoming him. "Is she... someone my own age, someone that you know?"

"Adrien! I am surprised at you!" lectured Caline, but with a grin. "You learned the secret identities of both Ladybug and Chat Noir today and you're STILL hungry for more!"

Adrien laughed out loud at that. "Fair enough, even if neither one was the original! If... my lady is ever ready, she'll tell me."

"Hey," Ladybug said, causing Adrien to meet her gaze. "She adores you, in her own way. You can trust me on that."

"As Ladybug, or as herself?" he asked. "As Chat, or as MYSELF?"

Ladybug let a smile serve as her enigmatic answer.

She dropped Adrien off outside of his front gate, slipping him his ring. "When we need to talk, please come and see me. And thank you so very much, Adrien! I couldn't have done any of this without you."

"The feeling is mutual."

They shared one more hug, then Ladybug swung off for what she assumed would be the last time. I have one more stop to make before I hang up my spots.

Marinette ran downstairs, throwing herself into the arms of her mother. "Mom! Look! I am feeling so much better now!"

Sabine was delighted. "I saw that Blastwave was defeated on the news. So Ladybug's magic undid what he did to you?"

"It feels like it! That fuzziness in my head is gone now." She did a little twirl to show off her regained energy and cheer. "Thank goodness!"

She felt her mom shaking a little bit. "I was so scared for you... I know you weren't hurt badly, but to have you hurt at ALL! I kept picturing how much worse it could have been..."

"It's okay, Mom. Paris has some amazing heroes watching over it." Marinette smiled a knowing smile. "Even if they are sometimes full of surprises."

Marinette's father came in from downstairs and shared in the good news. "Oh! You just had someone stop by asking for you, Marinette!" Tom said.

"I did?"

"Yes... one of your teachers came by, and dropped off a package for you. She asked me to make extra sure that you got it, as soon as possible."

"Oh, yeah," evaded Marinette, "that must've been Ms. Bustier! I called and asked about some materials for a group project we have coming up. Now that I'll be back in school on Monday, I'll want to get right on that."

"No more vacation, hmmm?" her father grinned.

"You could say that," Marinette replied.

Marinette ran upstairs with her mystery package, a small box wrapped nicely in white paper. She opened it up and found a small jewelry box and a sheet of paper.

When she opened the jewelry box, two familiar earrings gleamed at her. As she returned them to her ears, she said, "Welcome home, Tikki," to her Kwami as she rematerialized.

"Good to be home, Marinette," Tikki said, flying close for a hug. "I've missed you so much."

Marinette unfolded the sheet of paper, and immediately got emotional. Tikki floated over it to see what was on it, and read:

Please come and meet me as soon as you can. We have so much to talk about!

To the most remarkable young woman I have ever known,

my favorite student,

and now and forever... my hero.

- Caline

~fin~

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to all for enjoying the ride; I'm glad everyone seemed to enjoy it. A hat tip to Amnaelypse on AO3 for being the first to correctly guess our Mystery Ladybug. (And the only, unless I missed a comment somewhere!)

I tried to steadily eliminate candidates along the way. After Chapter 1, Sabine and those too young to fit the description (Manon, Alya's sisters) were out, for obvious reasons. Chapter 2 knocked out Alya (at the hospital at the same time as Ladybug) and Chloe (c'mon, REALLY?). Chapter 3 knocked out Nadja (interviewed Ladybug on the scene), Nathalie (clearly not her, from the dialogue) and Mylène (personally rescued by Ladybug).

Others that seemed out of place but weren't impossible included Kagami ("Hand-to-hand combat isn't my forte"), Alya's mother and Ms. Mendeleiev (not exactly 'young women'), and many of Marinette's friends ("curvier?" Not hardly, though as noted repeatedly, Tikki _did_ make minor physical modifications to Our Heroine), which left Sabrina, Rose, Juleka, Alix, and Caline among the major female contenders who I know have been on screen in canon so far. I was hoping it wouldn't be TOO obvious.

Sabrina was a common guess, and actually a very good one the more I thought about it! But Sabrina has more of a love-hate relationship with Marinette than an "I've always been impressed by you" kind of respect.

A few other clues that were dropped about her identity, however subtly - none of which were meant to be conclusive, but to add to the pool of suspicion very slightly:

* A protective nature - the kind of person that would run to help a fallen person, or, let's say, try to drive an Akuma away from a student.

* Her knowledge of Marinette's personality and caring nature.

* "Young woman" covered both someone Marinette's age and a grown-up but certainly youthful-looking teacher. Certainly a lot younger than, say, Mrs. Mendeleiev.

* A very healthy respect for both Marinette and Ladybug.

* I'm pretty sure that "Caline" is pronounced with a soft C, not a K sound... "ce-LEEN," not "KAY-lean." But in either case, "Carol" was the first common name sharing her first two letters that came to mind.

* A concern for her relationship with Marinette and how they would perceive each other, which certainly suits a teacher/student relationship.

* A need for some physical tweaking to be able to pass for a costumed 14-year-old. And even then, she was 'curvier' like a grown woman would be, as Nino certainly noticed.

* A need to cover her hair... though, honestly, giving away her hair color or style would easily identify almost anyone in the cast.

* A predilection for dropping the occasional French into her speech... as a French literature teacher might be prone to do.

* A fighting and movement style that is a little slower and more elegant than a young person's rapid-fire bursts.

* "I'm no martial artist, but I do appreciate their kind of discipline"... says someone who led meditation classes to help prevent akumatizations.

* "Then someone else I really look up to reminded me, 'If we wish to change the world, we must all learn to love each other.'" said Marinette... quoting Caline.

* "Many [of Marinette's visitors in the hospital] were friends from school - even a couple of her teachers." Yes, Caline visited that first day.

* She knew Mylène and Ivan on sight, and was instantly protective of Mylène to the point of disregarding her own welfare.

* "To think that BOTH of them were...!" Were what? Were... her students.

* General speech and logic patterns - I tried to write her as someone slightly older and more mature than, say, Chloe.

People are welcome to tear all of the above apart in the comments, of course, but it was meant to be Ms. Bustier from day one.

Thanks for reading!

- DFC