Author's note: This is meant to showcase some of the things that Viperion has seen that nobody else has. I do not own any rights to the show, but am totally claiming dibs on the akumas and abandoned timelines that I write about! This story isn't about romance, but about friendship.

In a move reminiscent of something he had done with Ladybug hundreds of times, Chat Noir watched Tom Dupain curl his body around that of his wife, and hurl themselves out of the window, just as the akuma threw a fireball that blew out the entire lower level. The upper stories teetered momentarily before collapsing down into the bakery.

The five heroes stood in the street watching helplessly, having arrived too late to do anything other than observe the fireball ripping through their favorite boulangerie. Carapace was the first to react, rushing to the Dupain-Chengs' side, checking them for injuries, attempting to get the civilians out of the destruction zone, and to the waiting first responders.

"Marinette!" The strangled cry that echoed around the mostly empty street was grief stricken and desperate, the audible representation of someone's world shattering. "Seco-" Viperion started to use his power, but Ladybug slapped a hand across his mouth, silencing him before he could continue.

"It wouldn't help. You only activated it as we rounded the corner, and we couldn't get here in time. Besides, you don't even know if she was in there, and there is no guarantee we could get her out. I will put everything back to normal in the end. Please." She looked away from the heartbreak she saw in his eyes, but at his nod, removed her hand from his mouth and squeezed his bicep comfortingly. "Marinette will be unharmed, I promise."

Viperion had been joining them more often, once giving Chloe the Bee Miraculous and allowing her to become Queen Bee put her in danger as Hawkmoth was watching her closely. The fact that Viperion could reset time, and give them a second chance, when they would otherwise have been defeated, was incredibly valuable.

Chat realized that Luka must truly care about Marinette. He had been present when the Snake Miraculous had been entrusted into the young man's care, but that thought was pushed back into the recesses of his mind as one of the most destructive akumas he had ever witnessed threw a fireball into another building, adjacent to his school.

Carapace was jogging back after seeing the Dupain-Chengs to safety. Chat glanced over at him then at Rena Rouge, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since they turned onto the street. Ladybug was calming the normally implacable Viperion, muttering something too low for even his exceptional hearing to pick up. He wondered if they all had some connection to Marinette, and idly wondered if Ladybug shouldn't give his designer friend another chance with a miraculous one day. It seemed like everyone he knew was getting a miraculous, and he felt Marinette deserved one too. Shaking his blonde mane, he pushed that thought down, too, turning to face the problem at hand.

When he reached them, Carapace reported, "The bakers have a daughter who had arrived home from school about half an hour ago. She had been planning on going to the park to sketch. They were not sure as to whether she had left or not, because they were busy, and didn't notice her leave, but that isn't unusual."

Viperion became agitated again, but a few words from Ladybug calmed him down. Looking around at the group, Chat noted that everyone appeared a little more on edge than normal, with the exception of Ladybug herself, who only appeared more determined than ever.

The miraculous team followed the akuma down the street, taking to the rooftops. They huddled together, watching as the akuma roared it's way down the boulevard. Rena's sharp eyes spotted a broken locket wrapped around one of the akuma's wrists, the ends clenched tightly in a fist.

The team fought viciously and silently, even Chat failed to make any puns, only Ladybug was her normal, calm self, fighting deliberately and unhurriedly. Almost before the Miraculous Ladybugs had disappeared, four of the heroes were sprinting back towards the bakery. Knowing that she could never beat them back to her room undetected, Ladybug instead hustled to where her parents were, transforming in a nearby alley and rushing over to them, claiming she'd been in the park.

Together, the three Dupain-Chengs walked back to the bakery where four frantic superheroes were bursting out of the front door. Waving to them, Tom Dupain wrapped one arm around his daughter, the other around his wife, and called out to the Miraculous holders, offering them refreshments. Chat opened his mouth to respond, but various beeps cut him off. Marinette patted her father's arm. "Maybe we should grab them some bags to go."

Swiftly, they moved into the bakery, throwing a handful of treats into to-go boxes, Marinette making sure that Chat Noir was the recipient of several cheese danishes. They watched as the heroes of Paris headed out and split up, nobody finding the need to comment on the fact that Ladybug had not stuck around, having been the first one to use her superpower.

Claiming homework, Marinette snagged a cookie and headed up to her room, passing the cookie to Tikki, once she was out of sight of her parents. Passing through her room and up to her rooftop patio, she checked with the little red kwami to make sure she'd digested her snack, then called for her transformation. Leaping over the railing and swinging over to the school where Nino and Alya were waiting for her underneath the stairs, she thanked the pair for their help and stashed their miraculous in her yoyo. With a smile and a wave she left them to retrieve the last piece of jewelry.

Swinging over to the Seine where the Couffaine's houseboat was moored, she caught up with Luka in his room, slipping in through the same porthole she had supposedly escaped from as Marinette on the first day they had met. He nodded at her in greeting, looking up from his guitar and held out the miraculous, without maintaining eye contact.

Ladybug put her hand on Luka's arm, encouraging him to look at her. "What's wrong, Luka?"

Luka shook his head, and looked away, but not quickly enough for Ladybug to miss the single tear that trickled down his cheek. "What's the matter? Can I help?"

Sighing deeply, Luka shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ladybug. I don't think that I am cut out to be Viperion. All the memories that I have that nobody else does. It is too much, sometimes. I've lived so many of the worst case scenarios. Nobody else knows, or has seen how bad it has become. I'm not sure I can deal with this knowledge on my own."

Eyes shimmering, Ladybug covered his larger hands with her gloved ones. "I am so sorry. I never even thought about how you would feel about that. Please, tell me what is weighing on your heart. I should not have left you to carry this burden alone."

"Thank You, Ladybug. I'm not sure that I can continue, but it would help to talk about it. Can we talk now, or…"

Silently, she asked for permission, and receiving it, she settled down on the bed next to him, leaning back against the wall, close enough to be comforting, but far enough for him to have his own space. She smiled at him. "Whenever you are ready, Luka, I am here for you."

She patted his leg, and he caught her hand in his, turning it over, studying the spots, just thinking. After a few minutes, Luka took a deep breath and began to talk about all the things he'd seen.