Masked Permanently

One Down

"She was your partner today. I asked her to return the earrings when she finished up so then Tikki and I could decide whether or not they were compatible as a team or now, but it looks like the attack is over and she hasn't been out," Nathalie explained, looking a bit frantic.

"Oh, that was Kagami? I thought she seemed a bit familiar. And by the way, how in the world did you get around to replacing Ladybug so quickly? I thought you would've filled in until we figured something out," Adrien replied, feeling slightly grumpy.

"Tikki told me that Marinette actually wanted Kagami to be your partner because she thought she'd protect you with her defense skills," Nathalie pointed out.

"Ladybug made me promise to give you the earrings when she disappeared," Adrien argued.

"Probably so I could pawn them off to the next person she trusted to be a good enough partner for you, otherwise I'm sure Tikki wouldn't have mentioned it," she reasoned, "Marinette just wanted you safe, Adrien."

The blonde boy went silent, unsure what else to say. The love of his life wanted him to replace her, a trustworthy friend and partner, right after she'd die.

"Let me know if you see Kagami. I'll be working on your father's paperwork in his office," Nathalie decided to leave him time to think and take it in.

He nodded in response, turning back around to think some more.

* * *

Gabriel stood in his office, staring at the box in disbelief. The earrings were now in his possession.

How could they come to him so easily? The miraculous that was most difficult to obtain was now in his possession. Taking the other miraculous would be a piece of cake.

Without Ladybug, Chat Noir was nearly defenseless, Gabriel thought. All he had to do was akumatized someone to impersonate the old Ladybug, then send her to persuade Chat Noir to give up his miraculous.

He knew just the person he could trust, but first he had to upset her.

"Sir?" Nathalie knocked at his office door. Gabriel quickly shoved the miraculous into a drawer.

"Come in," he spoke seriously.

The woman opened the door, and stepped in before closing it. "I'm going to return to my paperwork," she informed him, "It's nearly finished."

Gabriel held his hands behind his back and let out a scowl. "Nathalie, why weren't you working on it when I came in here? I didn't hire you to take breaks whenever you want."

"I was just checking up on Adrien," she informed him, trying not to appear irritated.

"I did not hire you to babysit my teenage son either, so I do not expect you to skip out on your paperwork," Gabriel said seriously, pushing a neatly stacked pile of papers on the floor as he walked by.

She took a deep breath in through her nose and closed her eyes before nodding. "Yes, Sir," she spoke through gritted teeth. He was really grating down on her patience, and she was doing her best not to summon in her old Lady Luck to flip him over a table, mostly for Adrien's sake.

"I don't want to have to fire you, but it may come to that if you keep messing around," he told her, not even making eye contact.