To say that Chat Noir was scared was an understatement. He was scared out of his suit – nearly.

Chat scrambled behind a box to hide. "M-Mama- I-I mean, Madame Cheng." His heart clogged his throat as Plagg yelled at him for being so careless as to being caught.

"Come on out, I'm not calling the authorities on you."

"Can you trust her?" Chat tsked.

"What sort of question is that, of course I can!" He muttered. The light illuminated the room and he flinched.

"Come on out kitten." Chat shrunk against his box and stood hesitantly. He turned and his eyes met with hers and she smiled softly. "Come on out." She motioned him over and he stepped out from behind the boxes, making his way to her.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion." His ears drooped and his tail dragged. "I promise, I haven't stolen anything." She had her arms crossed against her chest and she looked up at him. She rose a hand up and Chat flinched. Sabine didn't move for a second, before continuing and putting her hand between Chat's ears.

"You're too well-mannered to steal." She rubbed his head and Chat visibly relaxed.

"Y-You... You're not mad?" Chat asked. Sabine shook her head.

"What's there to be mad about? You yourself said that you haven't stolen anything." She lowered her hand. "And I'm sure that a thief doesn't return to the same house twice a week, weekly."

"I'm sorry." He hung his head. She chuckled.

"Are you hungry?" She motioned to a plate of pastries he hadn't noticed before. As if on cue, his stomach growled. A pink tint covered his cheeks. All these late nights always made him go to bed hungry. "Have some food." Chat nodded sheepishly and took a chocolate bread from the platter.

Ever since they first went to Dupain-Cheng's bakery the first time, they never came back. He missed their food and he had to contain himself from eating everything. Chat limited himself to just a chocolate bread and a muffin. While he silently ate, Sabine wandered off to where Chat had been hiding, picking up the scrapbook on the floor.

"My old scrapbook. Why would you be interested in this old piece of junk?" Sabine spoke fondly, flipping through the first couple pages.

"They're not junk!" Chat quickly swallowed what food he had in his mouth, coming closer to Sabine. "These are important, loving memories." Chat looked over her shoulder as she flipped through. She continued flipping through the pages, stopping before the last page.

"Memories..." She repeated almost mindlessly. Her fingers found the corner of the page and she wanted to flip it to the next page, but she closed it instead, holding the book to her chest. She turned, looking Chat up and down. "You're the model boy, aren't you?" Chat stiffened.

"W-What! N-No, I'm not that model boy!" Chat stammered, laughing nervously. She rose an eyebrow and walked around him, looking him over.

"Your shoulders are broad." She stepped in front of him, looking at his face. "Although your mask hides your cheekbones and your hair is a little messy, you're nearly identical." Chat gaped for words, until he hung his head in defeat.

"H-How... How did you know?" Sabine smiled.

"Call it a 'mother's instinct'." Not only seconds after she said that, her expression turned into one of pain.

"I thought you said you didn't have any children." She looked up at him, nearly in tears.

"I don't." She crumpled to the ground and Chat grew frantic. He quickly knelt down to her and he held her close. It was as if he was holding Marinette, except Sabine was a bit more fuller.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to bring it up." He never wanted to make anyone cry. She hugged him back, wiping away her tears.

"The last photograph. I was expecting, a baby girl." She sniffled, the two of them having shuffled into a position where Chat was leaning on her shoulder, hugging her waist. She patted him softly. "I dreamt, of a beautiful girl with blue hair and the brightest blue eyes that lit up the sky. She was clumsy at times, but she was an honest and brave girl. It felt like a dream that dragged on for years. Then I woke up one morning and that's all it was, a dream. I got a false positive." She whispered.

"A false positive?"

"I woke up in the hospital. Weeks had passed by and... I was never pregnant." Chat handed her a handkerchief from one of his pockets. She dabbed the tears away, her voice still soft.

"I'm sorry." Chat hugged her tighter and she chuckled weakly.

"When you and your friends came, the girl that was with you, she..." Her voice trailed off. "I feel like that's my lost child."

"Marinette." Sabine sucked in a sharp breath.

"That's the name we had chosen." She barely managed to say and started to sob.

Adrien's heart churned. Despite the wiping of memories of everyone in this new world, she still had distant memories of her real life. Dreams of her real life that became surreal memories.

"I'd seen her on magazines before, under the Agreste line and head of fashion. When you and your friends came, I knew it was her. She's my lost child, I just don't understand how this all happened." She spoke between sobs.

There was anger. Papillon ruined a family, for his own benefit. Not all magic is perfect and its flaw was affecting this family. His family. If it hadn't been for Sabine holding onto Chat, he probably would have stalked off and punched something. What gave that man the right to hurt all these people?

"I-I'm sorry." She blotted her swollen eyes, sniffing.

"Don't apologize." He rubbed her back comfortingly. Fury bubbled in his chest, but he tried to keep it to a minimum.

"It's time to go." Chat let out a sigh, helping Sabine stand.

"I don't know what's happening either, but Mama, I will fix it." Her eyes widened slightly at the name and her eyes went down to the ring that started to beep. "I have to go now." He gave her one more hung, giving her a gentle squeeze. When they separated, Sabine held onto his hand, looking down at his ring.

"Adrien, isn't it?" He nodded. "If you ever find yourself in trouble and you can't make it back home, come to us. The Dupain-Cheng home is also your home. I don't know how such a sweet boy like you became Paris' most wanted, but we can save that story for another day."

"Thank you, Madame Cheng." She shook her head.

"Mama is fine." She let Chat go, turning the light off. "Be careful out there dear." Chat nodded, heading back home.

As soon as Chat arrived in his bedroom, his transformation wore off. Plagg swirled out of the ring, floating in front of Adrien, looking at him carefully.

"Are you okay?" Plagg asked while Adrien began to shoo him away.

"Yes, I'm fine." Plagg floated after him as Adrien went to his bed. He could sense that something wasn't fine at all. Dark clouds were gathering over Adrien's heart and Plagg was getting increasingly worried.

"Listen kid, don't think too much of it. The old man said he was going to find the other miraculous bearer and we will fix it." Adrien picked up a pillow and threw it onto the bed harshly, to let out frustration. Plagg flinched.

"Yeah Plagg, when will that be? It's been weeks. I'm getting used to my girlfriend being my sister. Are you getting used to Tikki being gone too?" Adrien spat.

"Don't go there Adrien! Don't you realize what you're saying?" Plagg barked and Adrien blinked, taking in the offensive stance Plagg picked up. His fangs were barred and his tail was fluffed. Adrien looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry, Plagg, I shouldn't-"

"Go to Marinette." He interrupted him with a snap.

"W-Wait, right now, as Chat?" Plagg gave a sarcastic laugh.

"I'm not transforming with you anymore." Plagg wandered up to loft, hiding between the books. Adrien went up and tried to find him, to apologize, but to no luck. Of course he'd have no luck.

With a sigh, he retreated out of his room and knocked gently on Marinette's door. He stepped inside quietly, finding Marinette sitting groggily up from her bed. "Chat?" Adrien froze, startled by being called his other name.

"N-No." He rubbed the back of his neck and he shuffled closer. She shifted in her bed sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Adrien?" He nodded.

"Hey Mari, can I come in?" She gave a sleepy nod, patting the bed. Adrien came closer and she opened up the blankets for him. He climbed in, joining in on her blanket cocoon. She pulled the blankets over him, wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling into his neck. Adrien wrapped an arm behind her, rubbing her back.

"Can't sleep?" She asked softly Adrien put his chin over her head, sighing slightly.

"Yeah, I guess." Marinette hummed sleepily, nuzzling into his neck.

"You're so warm." Adrien blinked slowly, having forgotten how touchy Half Asleep Marinette was.

"Marinette?" She hummed questionably. "What do you think of that Chat Noir guy?" She groaned annoyingly.

"He's annoying as an black leather wearing criminal cat can be." She remained silent for a bit, before sighing. "But he's not too bad. He's actually really sweet?"

"Are you questioning his sweetness?" Adrien asked. Marinette shrugged.

"No, he's really sweet. I don't know how that guy is a criminal." Adrien was about to speak but Marinette stopped him. "But just because someone does bad things doesn't mean they're a bad person."

"Oh yeah?" So she listened to his words.

"I don't think he's bad. Actually... I kind of like him." Adrien looked down at her. "At first I didn't like him, I dreaded him visiting, but I grew used to him. I kind of like him. Adrien hummed.

"Does my sister have a crush?" He mused while she sighed.

"My red strings may be attached to him, but that does not mean that I have a crush." She had that look on her face, the same one Chloé would get when she tries to deny something. Adrien chuckled, rubbing her back.

"Alright, alright. Time for bed." He wouldn't tease her any further.

"Don't tell Papa that Chat Noir is visiting me." She looked up at Adrien. "And I'm sorry I mistook you for him." Adrien shushed her, kissing her forehead.

"I won't tell. Go to bed."

"Why are you so okay with this guy coming into my room? Aren't you supposed to be getting all defensive and stuff?"

"It's because I'm Chat Noir." Marinette snorted.

"Yeah, okay. Good night, Adrien."

"Good night, Marinette."

The next morning, Marinette was surprised to find Adrien in her bed.

"What, when did you come into my bed? I don't remember." She yawned, despite Adrien having had the best sleep he's had since the beginning of this world. "Did I say anything weird?"

"Oh yeah, we had a full blown conversation on some obese black cat." Marinette froze and Adrien kept walking, laughing.

It was another ordinary day, until there was a large flashing light came from the park. They were going back to school from lunch at Le Grand Paris and the car skidded to a stop.

"Alya, wait!" Nino called. Adrien looked at Nino questionably.

"What's going on?" Nino sighed, looking back at Adrien.

"She does this all the time." He groaned.

"Whenever there's an akuma attack, she's always one of the firsts to get to the scene to try and get Chat Noir." Chloé continued.

"It's always unsafe, I was kind of glad that there hasn't been an attack in forever." Nino mumbled.

"I'm kind of curious. You wanna join?" Marinette asked Chloé.

"Sure, why not?" The girls climbed out of the car and headed towards the car, before the boys could say anything.

"Are the girls always so rash?" Adrien asked. Nino sighed, his shoulders sagging.

" Those three are the worst." He climbed out and they started to head to the park. Adrien saw a blur of light pink and another bright flash. There was a wave of glitter that flew towards him and Adrien pulled Nino aside.

"Careful. Why don't you stay here and I'll try to get them?" Nino nodded.

"I'll try grabbing Alya's attention." Nino pulled out a pen from his pocket and started to scribble on his arm. Adrien took this as a cue to find someplace to transform.

Adrien got closer, trying to see who the akumatized victim was. Adrien squinted, avoiding any glitter in his eyes. "It's a child." A little girl, maybe a little over four or five years old, wearing genie garb.

"Shimmer, Shine and Sparkle! I wish for more glitter!" Black, curly ringlets pulled into a tall ponytail, a golden genie lamp hung off her waist. "That must be where the akuma is hiding." Adrien mumbled.

"Good luck." He heard a grumble.

"Plagg, how am I supposed to deal with an akuma without Ladybug? How will we purify-"

"You don't. Chat Noir can't do much to an akuma."

"What if I use cataclysm?"

"That's the stupidest idea ever kid."

"Well, I can't sit here and do nothing! I have to help that little girl!" Plagg stared at his boy. Plagg was still very upset that Adrien said all the things he did last night, but spending time with Marinette cleared his heart. It made Plagg slightly hopeful.

With a long sigh, Plagg gave in. "Very well." Adrien smiled.

"Plagg, transform me!"

Clad in his black leather, Chat Noir jumped onto a tree branch and onto a building, trying to get closer. Without Ladybug, there was no way that there would be cleaning magic. Any damage done was to be left behind. Chat hummed.

"The only way to deal with a child is to let it tire out or treat it's tantrum. Letting them tire themselves out is out of the question." He jumped from his building, using his baton to extend onto the merry-go-round in the park. Stepping onto the roof, Chat faced the child.

"Hey little genie in training!" The girl perked and she turned, her hair hitting her in the face.

"Chat N-N-Nuwow!" Any composure that Chat had vanished when he heard the girl toddler talk his name. "it's not funny!" She huffed.

"I-I'm sorry little lady." Chat laughed and the little girl got angrier, clapping her hands together.

"I wish to trap Chat Nuwow!" There was a cloud of glitter that blocked his view and he shielded his eyes. Whenever the cloud dispersed, he found himself in a large bird cage that had white and blue striped bars. "Papillon, I got him!" The girl jumped in the air, Chat smelling sweetness in the air. He knocked on the bars, hearing how hollow they were.

"Sorry little lady, but you don't' have me." With a kick, the bars broke. He picked up a piece of the broken bar, sniffing it. "It's candy. Try again." The little girl stomped.

"You're gonna tease Sparkle?" She continued stomping. "You're a meanie, Chat Nuwow!"

"Alex, stop this!" The little genie stopped mid-air and they both turned their attentions to a woman standing on the ground below. She looked like an older version of the child, her hair pulled into a lower ponytail.

"My name isn't Alex, maman, it's Sparkle!" The little girl shouted. Sparkle clapped her hands together and poised them towards her mama. "I wish for glitter bombs!" In a quick motion, Chat jumped off the roof of the merry-go-round and to the woman, whisking her off just in time. The place where she had just been standing was covered in an explosion of glitter.

Chat rolled, holding the woman close. Once they stopped rolling, he helped her up. "Are you alright?" He asked, dusting her off. He didn't let how she took several scared steps away get to him, continuing to dust herself off.

"U-Um, yes, thank you!" She finished dusting herself off, looking back at her child's clearing glitter bombs. "Alex.." She sighed softly.

"That's your baby, huh?" She nodded slowly.

"I never thought she would attack me." She snuffed. Chat unzipped on of his pockets, handing her a handkerchief. She accepted it hesitantly.

"What caused her to get akumatized?" He asked, scanning the are of the three missing girls.

"We were at the store and she wanted a toy. Usually, I'm able to get away with telling her that we can get it at a later date, but she threw a tantrum this time. It's the first time she's thrown a tantrum like this and before I knew it, she had changed." Her voice was weak now, more tears streaming down her cheeks. "Did this happen because I'm a bad mother?" Chat took her hand gently.

"You're a wonderful mother and the fact that Papillon took advantage of a child like that is heartless." She taped at her eyes.

"You really think so?" She looked at him. Chat nodded, showing her a soft smile.

"I know so." He rose her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly. "What was the toy she wanted?"

"I-It was a little white tiger plush from a children's show." Chat looked into his baton, pulling up a small photo of the stuff tiger.

"Is this the one?" She nodded.

"That's it." Chat gave a nod, looking back at Sparkle, then back at her mama. "Stay here and don't try to approach her again, okay?" She blushed at his care and nodded. With that, Chat left the scene, making his way to the nearest toy store.

"What are you doing?" Plagg asked.

"Ladybug isn't here to make the akuma purified, so the best I can do is dilute the darkness around her heart right?" Plagg hummed nonchalantly, but he was so proud of his kid.

Once they entered the toy store, he was greeted less than kindly. Many people scattered in a panic, the clerk crying for him to take whatever he wanted.

"I'll be back to pay for this!" He called back as he ran out.

He headed back to the park, where he continued to hear more glitter bomb explosions. Somehow, she was still contained to the park and the glitter bombs didn't really do much damage.

"Hey Sparkle, over here!" Chat turned to the source of the voice and his heart fell to his stomach. Marinette was waving the little genie back into the park. Without thinking, Chat tucked the tiger plush into his belt and dashed for Marinette, picking her up and extending themselves out of the park and to a nearby roof.

"Are you an idiot? What are you doing, using yourself as bait!" He asked as he set her down.

"You left and you didn't come back!" She pushed his shoulder in anger. "And instead of calling me an idiot, you should be thanking me! I kept her in the park for you!" Chat wasn't going to deny that, but he wasn't going to admit to thanking her.

"You're so reckless."

"You're one to talk." She scoffed.

"I have a suit, I can do this. You don't and you should mind your own business."

"I can't fight the need of trying to help!" She shouted at him. Chat stared into her blue eyes that glittered with anger.

"We will talk about this tonight. Don't you dare think about putting yourself out there again." Without waiting for a response, Chat bounded back to the park.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come out, come out, wherever you are." Sparkle called.

"Little miss genie in training!" Chat called out. The little pink genie whirled to her name.

"Caught ya!" She rushed to him.

"Look what maman got for you!" Chat pulled the white tiger plush from behind him and she skidded to a stop, staring at the plush.

"Maman... she got this for me?" She was still floating, but she lowered, her feet touching the ground. Chat knelt so he could be at her eye level.

"Yeah, she said she's sorry she made you cry and that she loves you." Sparkle looked up at Chat with big, watery brown eyes.

"R-Really?" Her tiny hand trembled as she reached for the plush.

"Yeah, all she wants is for you to be happy." Chat handed her the plush and she hugged it to her chest, her bottom lip pouting.

"Maman... I'm so sorry, maman." I looked towards the general direction of where her mother was hiding, beckoning her to come. She came hesitantly, but knelt down when Chat gave her a nod of encouragement.

"Alex, baby?" The little genie looked up with a gasp.

"Maman!" The little girl jumped into her mother's arm, the two crying. "Maman, I'm so sorry, maman..."

"Oh my baby, it's okay."

"I love you maman." A purple light engulfed Alex, Sparkle's transformation dropping and a black akuma fluttering out of the genie lamp that was attached to her belt. Chat watched it flutter off into the sky, wanting to crush it.

"Thank you so much, Chat Noir." He turned his attention back to Alex and her mama, seeing her in her mother's arms as she hummed a nursery tune to the sleepy Alex.

"It's my pleasure. I'm sorry about all of this. Be safe, okay?" She smiled and she ushered Chat to come closer, pecking him on the cheek. Chat blinked.

"Maybe black cats aren't so unlucky after all." She smiled and Chat could feel a blush on his cheeks.

"Bye bye, Chat Nuwow." Alex waved sleepily, holding her tiger plush close. Chat waved, smiling softly.

"Bye bye Alex. Behave for your mama, won't you?" She nodded sleepily, hugging her mama.

Once they left, Chat picked up whatever he could from the mess of the candy bird cage and then went back to the toy store, giving the clerk enough money for the plush.

Once Adrien made it back to where he'd transformed, he found Marinette, Chloé and Alya looking over Alya's phone. "Nino flipped out, but it was totally worth it." She giggled, looking at the red scribbles on her arm.

"Oh really?" They jumped, turning to look at Adrien. "You know how careless that was, running off into an akuma attack? That Chat Noir guy could have hurt you!" He pretended to be upset.

"Hurt us?" Alya scoffed. "No way. Did you not see how he helped Sparkle's mom, or Marinette and Sparkle too?"

"I'm pretty sure he stole that bear." Chloé hummed.

"Tiger." Marinette corrected.

"Stolen or paid for, this is a major development guys! Chat Noir, is he really a villain?"