I still own nothing! No Miraculous gifts have shown up at my house over the past few days. This is the final chapter. The final reveal (What? You knew it was coming!) Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first story. (I'm working on more already!)

The next morning, when Adrien awoke, he went to call for Plagg, only to realize that he wasn't alone. Glancing around, his hospital room, he saw Marinette curled up, fast asleep in the chair next to his bed. He wasn't sure if he remembered or imagined her calling her parents the night before, softly telling them that she didn't want him to be alone. She was frowning slightly, even in sleep, and Adrien's heart swelled, thinking about what great friends he had, making sure that he wouldn't wake on his own in an unfamiliar setting. Stretching experimentally, Adrien realized that he was healing quickly, even without the miraculous cure. Plagg must have had some hand in it, because his arm and his ribs had settled into a dull ache, and he could move without too much pain.

His movements must have disturbed Marinette, because she muttered that it was too early, and shifted position in her chair. At Adrien's low chuckle, however, her eyes flew open and a red blush stained her cheeks. "Y-y-you're awake!" she gasped.

"So are you", he noted.

Marinette's blush deepened, but she steeled herself. This was CHAT. Her kitty. She should NOT be stuttering around him. He'd never let her live it down. Taking a fortifying breath, she met Adrien's eyes. "How are you feeling? Do you need any painkillers? Should I find you a nurse? Do you need a drink? Breakfast?"

Adrien smiled at her. "I'm fine, thank you for being here. It's nice to wake up to a familiar face."

Marinette's eyes flew wide, and her blush returned. He realized what he'd said, and started blushing himself. "I meant having company -a friend- when I'm in a strange place. Not being alone." He hastened to add, shaking his head.

To his surprise, Marinette burst out laughing. "I couldn't let you stay here on your own. It is always better to have a friend. Nino and Alya will be here in a while. I'm expected to be somewhere soon. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?"

"I'll be fine. Will you be coming back with Nino and Alya?"

Marinette looked at the floor for a few moments before squaring her shoulders to respond. "You will see me later" she said, softly, sounding almost sad. She moved the last couple of croissants within his reach, gave him a shy little wave, then slipped from the room.

Left on his own for a few hours, Adrien exchanged texts with many of his classmates, and even spent a few minutes talking on the phone with Chloe, reassuring them all that he was fine, and would be back to normal soon. Lunchtime came and brought Alya and Nino to his room. Alya had overheard the nurses talking about a celebrity guest visiting the hospital, talking to all the kids, signing autographs and taking selfies, and that his floor was next up. Half an hour or so later, a knock came on Adrien's door, and Ladybug stepped in, escorted by a pair of beaming nurses. Throwing an apologetic look at Nino and Alya, and completely unable to meet Adrien's eyes, which didn't waver from her face, she sat on the bed, and awkwardly posed for pictures. Before she was whisked on to the next room, she turned to Alya. "You're the one that runs the Ladyblog, right? I know your friend probably won't want pictures of him like this up on the blog," she smiled sweetly at Adrien, "do you want to take a picture, just me and you?"

As they were posing for the picture, Alya felt a piece of paper being slipped into her hand. After Ladybug, and more importantly, her escorts, had left, Alya unfolded the paper, and read it to her friends. "Keep the window open. I'll be back as soon as I can. I know whose room this is, and I'm sorry."

The three friends looked at each other. How had she figured it out? Was it because she knew Rena Rouge and Carapace's identities? She did know them, so she would also know that Alya and Nino were friends with Adrien, and that it wouldn't be odd for them to visit him. After all, the whole class knew that he was injured, and the three of them already suspected that Ladybug was affiliated with their school.

The afternoon wore on, and Ladybug finished her visits, swinging away from the front entrance to the hospital, only to circle back, once she was out of sight, swinging back to tap on a certain open window. Ladybug lowered herself in, offering the room a weak smiled, before closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath. Ladybug looked her unmasked partner in the eyes for the first time since she learned his who he was. Tentatively, she reached for his good hand and squeezed it. "I am so very, truly sorry. I have talked to Master Fu a few times, and while I want to talk over what happened, there are some things I need to do first. Nino told me that you three talked yesterday, and that you all know each other's identities. That you are able to be there for each other is wonderful, and I am glad you were all friends to begin with. I made your excuses for not visiting the kids, today, Chaton. They believe you are taking care of a very important, top secret mission, that could only be entrusted to you. If there was a way that I could have talked to you before I came to your room, I would have."

None of the others had moved during her speech, although Adrien had flinched when she called him Chaton, even though he knew she'd worked it out.

Hoarsely he asked, "How did you know?"

"Nino told me." Nino spluttered, but she held up her hands and continued, "and Plagg confirmed it." She smiled tiredly, "I bribed him with cheese."

At the mention of his name and cheese in the same sentence, Plagg zipped out of his hiding place and over to Ladybug. "What did you bring me?"

A genuine smiled played at her lips. "Later, Plagg. You know this suit has no pockets", she told him, scratching lightly around his ears.

He purred lightly, and noticing Adrien's somewhat slack jawed stare, he hastily pulled away and grumped at them. "Fine. I guess I'll have to wait then."

"I will tell you the whole story, but there is something I need to do, first."

Ladybug gathered herself and turned to face the part-time superheroes, holding out two hexagonal wooden boxes. "Alya Cesare, here is the miraculous of the fox, which grants the power of illusion, and Nino Lafiffe, here is the miraculous of the turtle, which grants the power of protection. You will use them for the greater good. You will retain them until Chat Noir has recovered completely." With this, she shot a look at Adrien, "And has been cleared for FULL athletic activity BY HIS DOCTORS." She emphasized the last bit, but seeing Adrien's sheepish look, she knew he'd been planning on clearing himself. Turning back to Alya and Nino, Ladybug continued, "Once he is released, you must return the miraculous to me, can I trust you?"

Both friends quickly agreed, Alya fastening the fox necklace around her neck, and Nino placing his miraculous about his wrist. Trixx and Wayzz appeared, warmly greeting their chosen wielders, before zipping off to talk with Plagg.

"Queen Bee also has her miraculous. She was not part of the reveals, and as I am unsure whether she can actually keep quiet about your identities, especially with how she feels about your civilian selves." She glanced at Adrien as he winced, knowing that, while Chloe was enamored with Adrien, she was less fond of Chat Noir, and a sudden switch in her treatment of him would be highly suspicious.

Ladybug continued, "I have informed her that Chat Noir had to be out of town for an undetermined amount of time on a personal matter, which is what I think we should tell any reporters, should they ask.

Alya immediately volunteered to put the word out on the Ladyblog,

"Thank you, Alya." Ladybug sat down in the chair closest to Adrien and held his good hand in both of hers. She told them what had happened, why she had left Chat Noir with Nino (Alya had been pretty much spot-on in her assumptions) and all that she had learned about her miraculous cure from Master Fu. She explained that things never could truly go back to being the same again, no matter how much she might wish it. When she finished, she looked up at Alya, "Actually, I would appreciate it if you could put all this on the Ladyblog, too. I need for people to know that if things are not put back to normal, it is not because I don't care, or that I wouldn't fix things one hundred percent if I could. If this has been happening the entire time, I'm surprised that it has not caused anyone to become akumatized."

Alya immediately agreed, saying that she would write something up, and run it past Ladybug to make sure that she had all the facts straight.

There was a comfortable silence, and the friends all digested the new information they had been given, and what it could mean for the future. Nino was the first to break the silence, hesitating, but then saying, "Ladybug. I've been thinking everything over, and I'm sure that I never told you that my man Adrien here was Cat Noir I was very careful when we spoke to never mention his name to you. I gave no personal details other than the fact that I did know him in real life, but you knew, even before you showed up at the hospital today, didn't you?"

Adrien's eyes shot to Nino's, then over to Ladybug. She scrubbed her hands over her face, then looked at each of her friends in turn, her blue eyes finally coming to rest on Adrien's green ones. She drew her knees up to her chest before squeezing her eyes tight shut, and resting her head on her knees. In a slightly muffled voice, she said, "I'm so sorry. Please don't be disappointed in me. I know that I'm not the hero you wanted, nor the hero you deserve. I never wanted to have to lie to everyone so much." Then, even more softly, "Tikki… spots off."

When the light of her detransformation faded, the three friends stared at the fourth member of their close-knit circle of friends, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who had yet to raise her head to look at them.

Once again, it was Nino who broke the silence, "Guess you were right. I am the one who told you who Chat Noir was. Although I didn't know I was telling you when I told you." He chuckled, nervously. "But, whoa. We should have known it. I don't know anyone more Ladybug than you, Marinette." He looked sheepish, "I guess that's because you ARE you…uh… I'm gonna stop talking now…" he trailed off, blushing slightly.

Alya just launched herself at her best friend, doing her best to muffle the excited noises that she was making as she realized that her best friend was also her superhero idol. Marinette all but disappeared beneath Alya. "This explains SO MUCH!" Alya cried, laughing. Alya babbled on happily about all the things that suddenly made sense: Marinette's lateness, disappearances, seeming inside knowledge of Akuma battles, and, of course, all the times she staunchly defended and jokingly blew off Chat Noir. She did, after all, know him better than anyone.

Marinette relaxed. These were her friends. They wouldn't hate her for her lies and evasions. They had their own secrets to keep, after all, and understood the need to keep hers. Throughout Alya's enthusiastic ramblings, Marinette's eyes kept coming back to Adrien's. He had yet to utter a word, but simply watched her, smiling softly.

As Alya wound down, Nino stood. "Well, babe, I think it's time for us to get going."

"What! You want to leave NOW?" She looked at Nino, incredulously. He just glanced over at their two friends. Alya looked at Marinette, who was watching Adrien, and then at Adrien, whose eyes were locked onto Marinette. "Oh, um, yeah, we should go. Call me girl… you owe me so many interviews!"

Her statement went unanswered, and the two slipped out of the room, joined by their kwamis, but unnoticed by their friends. After a few more minutes of silent staring, Marinette cleared her throat. "Hello, Kitty."

Adrien's brain finally jumpstarted after what he had seen. "Hi, Bugaboo", he said, his smile growing huge. "Puur-haps if I knew this is what it took for you to tell me who you were, I would have done it long ago."

Marinette just covered her face with her hands and groaned. They talked and joked the rest of the day.

The next morning found them curled together in Adrien's hospital bed, Marinette's head on his good shoulder, arms protectively wrapped around her partner.