5- Shared Secrets

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Heartbreaker picks up Marinette and jumps through the roof, racing across the city towards the Eiffel Tower. They reach the platform and he sets her down. "I don't want to bind you. Can you promise to stay here?"

"Where are you going?"

"Can't exactly use you as bait without a broadcast."

"The news station?"

Heartbreaker climbs on the railing, glancing back at Marinette. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He jumps.

The kwamis fly out of the purse.

"This is bad, Marinette!" Tikki shouts, panicking. "This is really, really bad!"

"Don't you think I know that, Tikki?" She snaps.

"No, Marinette," Plagg adds. "It's worse than what you think!"

"How could it be worse? Because we don't have Cat Noir? How does Heartbreaker even know Ladybug—I have the other miraculous?"

Plagg and Tikki share a look.

"Hey, I saw that!" Marinette says, pointing a finger at them. "You're hiding something from me. Spill."

"It's our powers, Marinette," Tikki reminds her.

"Some secrets we can't share, even if we want to."

Marinette crosses her arms. "Does it have something to do with Cat Noir and his secret identify?"

They nod.

"And Cat Noir disappearing the same time Adrien gets akumatized?"

They nod again.

Marinette thinks for a second and her eyes widen. "Adrien is Cat Noir, isn't he?"

Plagg and Tikki share another look, confirming her suspicions.

"Oh no!" She shouts, pacing back and forth. "This is a disaster!"

Tikki flies over. "Calm down! We have to think of a plan!"

"A plan?" She repeats, laughing. "I can't even think straight right now! How can I come up with a plan? Adrien is Cat Noir! Cat Noir is Adrien! How am I supposed to defeat Heartbreaker—who is Adrien—when I need Cat Noir to fight him—who is also Adrien!"

"I don't know," Plagg whispers, flying back in her purse with Tikki. "But you better figure it out fast 'cause Heartbreaker's coming back."

"What?"

Heartbreaker lands back on the platform, a camera in his hand. "Ready for your closeup?" He jokes. Marinette doesn't laugh and he clears his throat. "Sorry. Not the right time, right? I get it."

Marinette stares at him with wide eyes. She couldn't believe Adrien is Cat Noir. Of course Adrien would get akumatized when she needed Cat Noir. Maybe she could use this new discovery to her advantage, though if she reveals she's Ladybug, Heartbreaker could take the miraculous and leave her stranded, or worse—turn her to stone.

Heartbreaker zaps the camera with his power and turns the camera towards himself. "There we go." He clears his throat again. "Ladybug, I am Heartbreaker! I believe it's time we finally met. Why don't you meet me at the Eiffel Tower? Don't be late. You wouldn't want to keep our biggest fan waiting." He aims the camera on Marinette and steps closer to her. "Her safety lies in your hands, bug. Hurry before it's too late." He turns off the camera and throws it and Marinette flinches as it breaks. He notices the sad look on her face. "I was lying about the last part. Your safety isn't in danger or anything. I just had to say that to get Ladybug to come."

"What if she doesn't?"

Heartbreaker stares closely at her. "No faith in her, huh?"

"I'm serious, Adr—Heartbreaker."

He steps closer until their faces are inches apart. "Any faith in that cat of yours?"

Marinette holds her breath. She didn't know what to do yet. "So, we're just going to wait for Ladybug to show up?"

"If we must." Heartbreaker leans against the railing, bored, and sighs. "She's usually on time for these things."

"How long are you giving her to show up?"

"An hour."

Scared, she asks, "And then what?"

Heartbreaker looks over. She's afraid to hear his answer. "Then I'll go and search the streets of Paris for her. If she doesn't show up in one hour, everyone in this city will turn to stone."

Marinette turns away, quiet. She has one hour to decide. One hour to make the choice of keeping her identify safe, or expose herself to save Paris and the boy she loves.

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