The following morning, Felix walks to Marinette's house. Still bearing his cousin's persona, he walks in the bakery and greets her parents with a smile and a wave. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng."
"Ah, Adrien!" Sabine runs over and hugs him. "You're back! You're back. You had no idea how worried me and Tom were."
Felix glances back at her father, a tall, towering man with a big mustache. His giant hand pats down on his shoulder. "Son, it's good to have you home."
Marinette's parents care this much about Adrien? Even more so than his own father? Felix clears his throat. "I'm here to see Marinette."
Sabine smiles. "We expected as much. She's been going crazy missing you. She should be up in her room."
Felix steps past her parents and walks upstairs, dropping the perfect boy act when he enters her bedroom. He's met with different shades of pink and freezes. "Wow, that is a lot of pink."
"So..." Marinette walks over. "What did you find?"
Felix glances at Adrien before looking back at Marinette. "Uncle Gabriel is definitely Shadowmoth. Well, not anymore. I guess you could say he'll be going by Hawk Moth again."
"What are you talking about?" She asks.
He doesn't answer.
Adrien speaks up. "Felix. What are you talking about?"
Marinette gasps and her eyes widen. "You got the peacock miraculous from him, didn't you?"
Felix hesitates for a second and nods.
She smiles. "You're good, Felix!" She extends her hand. "Okay, I can take it back now."
"No." Felix steps back. "I can't."
"What?"
Adrien glares at his cousin. "Are you double crossing us?"
"No, I'm not," Felix swears. "But I can't give up the peacock miraculous. I can't."
"I am the guardian, Felix!" Marinette shouts, standing her ground. "I'm in charge of all the miraculous. I won't have any trouble taking it from you, by force if I have to."
"If I give this back to you, I could die!"
Marinette and Adrien share a look
"Die? I don't understand," His cousin whispers.
Felix shakes his head. "I-I'm not like you, Marinette. I found out a few years ago."
"Found out what?" Adrien asks.
"I am... a sentimonster."
Their eyes widen.
Adrien crosses his arms. "You're messing with us, right?"
Felix glares at him. "No, I am not, cousin. And you are one, too."
"What? No! I can't be." Adrien looks away, frowning. That... doesn't make sense."
"Now you know how I feel."
Adrien steps back and sits on the chaise. He stares at his hands and whispers, "I'm not... real?"
Marinette shakes her head. "No, you are real, Adrien. I don't care what anyone says. You're real to me." She kneels down in front of him and grabs his hand. "You have your thoughts and your memories and your love. That's what makes you human."
"Marinette." Felix tightens his grip on the brooch. "As long as I have the peacock miraculous, Adrien and I are safe. I can't risk anything happening to us."
She looks over. "I'm the guardian, Felix. I can take care of this."
"Sorry if I'm not quick to trust you, Marinette," He snaps. "Not when my life is on the line."
Marinette stands with a sigh. "Fine. You can keep it... for now, until we figure out what to do. Now we just have to defeat Hawk Moth and take back the butterfly miraculous."
"There's one more thing," Felix adds, taking in a deep breath. "The basement..."
"What about the basement?" Adrien asks. "Did you find something else?"
He fights back a cruel laugh. "You could say that."
Marinette shrugs. "Well? What is it?"
Felix stares at Adrien with a sad frown.
***
Adrien's sobbing now, head lowered in shame, and Marinette sits beside hugging him. Felix explained everything. His mother's body in the basement, how she's been there all this time, and how his father convinced everyone she went missing.
"It's going to be okay," She whispers to him, although she doesn't entirely believe herself.
Plagg and Tikki rest on Adrien's shoulders and hug him. "I'm sorry, kid."
"I'm sorry, too," The red bug whispers, kissing his cheek.
Adrien smiles. "Thank you."
Felix watches his cousin's interaction with the kwamis. Adrien really does get along with everyone. He wonders if the kwami in the peacock miraculous would like him. He attaches the brooch behind his tie.
There's a ball of light as a kwami appears, a tiny peacock. She blinks and stretches. "Hello, my name is Duusu! You must be my new holder!" She greets cheerfully.
"Yes, I am." He glances at Marinette. "My name is Felix."
"Felix?" The kwami questions. Her eyes widen. "Oh, you must be Adrien's cousin! Wow, you two look alike." She giggles and looks around the room, screaming when she sees the other two kwamis. "Plagg! Tikki! Is that really you?
The three kwamis share a hug, excited, and start rambling on to each other.
"Now that the peacock miraculous is fixed, I shouldn't get sick." Felix looks at Adrien and adds, "That's how Aunt Emelie fell into her coma. She got weak from using this miraculous when it was damaged."
"Nathalie's been sick, too," Adrien points out. "She's always coughing and can barely stand, just like Mom was before..." His eyes widen. "Nathalie is Mayura. She's been working with my father."
Marinette stands up and starts pacing back and forth in her room. "We don't have any more time to lose, guys. We have to defeat Hawk Moth now. We already have two advantages: the peacock miraculous and we know his secret identity."
Adrien sighs. "Except my father knows I'm back and that I'm Catastrophe. No element of surprise."
Marinette rests a hand on his shoulder and smiles. "Then it's time to bring back my partner back."
Adrien's eyes brighten as he grins.
"While Catastrophe is good company, I want my one and only Cat Noir."
Felix rolls his eyes. "Gross. Do you two always have to be so romantic?"
"Why? Does it gross you out, Felix?" Adrien teases.
Marinette smirks. "Are you going to combust and explode if we kiss?"
The two lean in and laugh with a kiss. Felix rolls his eyes again and frowns. I'm starting to enjoy their company. It's a shame I'll be gone soon.
Marinette shakes her head. "Anyway, back to the plan. The basement in Mr. Agreste's house must be Hawk Moth's lair. A good perk in knowing our enemy's identity." She realizes what she said and looks at Adrien. "I-I didn't mean that, Adrien. I'm sorry."
Adrien shakes his head. "No. No more feeling sorry for him. No more excuses. My father made his choice and now he has to live with it. Yes, he is our enemy, and we'll defeat him and save Paris."
"We're going to need the element of surprise. Should we ambush in the middle of the night?" Marinette asks, finger on chin.
Felix steps back, eyeing the trap door.
Marinette turns and looks at him. "Felix, what do you think?"
"Element of surprise is good," He agrees. "It's our best bet of catching him off guard. He's sneaky, though, and you have to be careful."
"Don't you mean 'we'?" Adrien corrects.
He nods. "Yes, we. Sorry, I'm used to working alone."
Marinette smiles. "Now you have us."
Felix smiles back. "Yes, I do." As the pair continues talking, he steps back towards her desk and whispers, "All you have is each other now."
"Since your father knows you're back, he'll most likely assume you'd got your miraculous back, too," Marinette explains, crossing her arms. "We have to prepare for any traps he'll plan. We can't fall for anything and overall, we mustn't let our emotions control us."
"Too bad you can't make us those protective magical charms to keep us invulnerable from akuma attacks," Adrien suggests, snorting.
Marinette and Tikki share a look
"Well, I can make you one."
Adrien raises an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about? I was never akumatized." He's worried about the look on Marinette's face and frowns. "Right? That's something I'd remembered."
"Not if the timeline was erased..." She shyly answers.
Adrien's eyes widen. "So, I have been akumatized?!" His breathing quickens and he starts pacing the room. "But I... I don't understand."
I have to tell Adrien everything now. He deserves to know the truth finally. "Tikki, spots on." Once she transforms into Ladybug, she reaches into her yo-yo and creates a magical charm, white with five blue spots. She grabs Adrien's hand and gives it to him. "Last year, Bunnyx found me and brought me to a different timeline. A timeline where you were akumatized into Cat Blanc. Your hair and suit were white as snow and your eyes... your eyes were a bright, striking evil blue. Beautiful, hurt eyes that still haunt my nightmares."
"Marinette..."
"Your power was too strong. You destroyed everything." She takes the charm and clasps it around his neck. As long as he's wearing this, Hawk Moth can't akumatize him when he—inevitably—breaks down. "And you destroyed everyone, including your father... and me."
Adrien's eyes widen with tears. "Wait, you mean I... I killed you?"
Ladybug nods.
"I killed you?" Adrien repeats, lips shaking as he sobs harder, and he turns away from his partner, ashamed to look at her any longer. How could she still love him after everything he did? "I-I'm so sorry, Marinette."
"But it's okay now!" She grabs his hand and forces his attention back on her. "I fixed everything. I found Cat Blanc's akuma and saved him."
"You said you're still having nightmares, right?" He whispers, eyes bright with tears. "That means even if that timeline doesn't exist anymore, I am still hurting you."
"Adrien..." Ladybug cups his face, using her thumbs to wipe away his tears. "Yes, Cat Blanc was—is—terrifying and it's why I kept my distance, refused myself to fall in love with you sooner. I was afraid of it happening again, but I'm not anymore. I trust you."
Adrien smiles and holds the magical charm. "I trust you, too."
"Felix, I'm sorry I can't make you one—Felix?" Ladybug turns around, but he isn't there anymore. She sees the trap door open, and her eyes widen. "Where's Felix?"
Adrien stands up. "What? He's gone?"
Ladybug walks over and closes the trap door. "I don't understand. Why would Felix leave?"
"Wait, there's something on your desk." He walks over and picks up a note. "It's for us... from Felix."
Ladybug walks over and reads over his shoulder.
Adrien and Marinette-
I'm sorry. I had to go. You'll have to face Hawk Moth on your own. Being here in Paris—near my uncle—is too much for me. My leaving will protect myself and Adrien and as long as I'm in hiding where no one can find me, our lives won't be in danger anymore. I won't be returning to London, so don't try to find me. You won't. I'm sorry I couldn't give a proper goodbye. It's better if I'm gone, on my own. Marinette- forgive me for taking the peacock miraculous. Adrien- kick your father's ass, for both of us. Please watch over my mother and let her know I'm safe. She worries too much.
Soon To Be Forgotten,
-Felix
Adrien's heart sinks. Felix left? Sure, they didn't get along before, but they do now. Why did Felix have to run? Why couldn't he stay and explain why he had to go?
"I don't believe it," Ladybug whispers. "Felix took the peacock miraculous and left!"
"We were finally getting along..." Adrien whispers with a frown.
She looks up at him. "I'm sorry. When we defeat Hawk Moth, we can go and find Felix—"
"No." Adrien shakes his head. "It won't matter. If Felix wants to stay hidden, he will. It could take years to find him."
"Then..." Ladybug grabs his hand. "Then we have to do this together. Us against the world."
Adrien looks over. "As always."