Then There Was You

Chapter 19

"But, I thought I was out of the Miraculous team? Why are you bringing Pollen back to me?" Chloé stared dumbfounded at the box in Chat's hand. She was surprised enough when the cat hero turned up on her doorstep, but she never considered for a moment that she would be once again entrusted with a Miraculous.

"Things have changed Chloé. Ladybug says she trusts you, and under the circumstances, I do too." Chloé looked at Chat suspiciously.

"What's changed?" She asked cautiously. Chat shifted on his feet a little avoiding eye contact.

"We know who Hawkmoth is." He said flatly, trying not to betray himself yet. Chloé's eyes widened as she raised a hand to her mouth in shock.

"Where is Ladybug now?"

"Getting Rena Rouge and Carapace." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ladybug wants you to be part of our team again Chloé. You understand Queen Bee better than anyone and we don't have time to teach someone else, and we don't want to. The reasons will be made clearer tonight, but for now I need you to get reacquainted with Pollen and come with me?" Chloé took the box from Chat's hand.

"I don't know." She said with a sarcastic smile while rubbing her chin. "Going off into the dark of night with a mysterious black cat. Can I trust you Kitty?" Chat looked at her with a deadpan expression.

"Only m'lady is allowed to call me Kitty, it's Mr Noir to you, Queen Bee." Chloé saw the playful smile at the corners of his mouth. Opening the miraculous box she shielded her eyes from the bright yellow light.

"Greetings my Queen." Pollen said before flying into Chloé's cheek.

"I missed you too Pollen." She said, hugging her Kwami before looking back at Chat. "I won't let Ladybug down again, I promise. Pollen buzz on."

Chat Noir and Queen Bee raced across the rooftops towards the apartment. Chloé revelled in the exhilaration of feeling the wind rush through her hair as she threw her spinning top and swung across the building. She thought this was something she would never get to experience again, and laughed out loud in her excitement. A free unadulterated laugh that Adrien hadn't heard from her in a long time. Like him when he first met Plagg, Chloé felt free of the restraints of her mother, of being the daughter of the mayor, of the expectations society held for her. She was Queen Bee, and she mattered. Chat couldn't help but smile as he watched her. He knew Chloé deserved this chance and she would always stand by him. He just wished the circumstances had been different.

In the side street of the apartment block they scaled up the fire escape to enter the building through the back way. Inside the apartment, Ladybug was already there with Rena Rouge and Carapace, who stared unbelieving at the sight of Queen Bee walking in.

"Chloé?" Rena asked in surprise. Queen Bee nodded her head. Ladybug put her hand on Rena's shoulder.

"I believe Chloé has earned her right to be a miraculous holder again, and when we explain what has happened, I think you will know why." Rena looked suspiciously back at Chloé, but decided to trust Ladybug's judgement.

Ladybug walked back over to Chat and took one of his hands in hers. She looked up into his eyes and could see he was scared about this. Even though this was their closest friends, he couldn't be sure how they would feel about the truth. "It will be okay Chaton, trust me." She whispered, her confidence helping him to relax before turning back to her assembled team. "When we face Hawkmoth, there will be no way to hide who he is, so we have decided that as a team we should know each other's identities. You are our most trusted friends, more than you think, and we are going to need each other when the fight is won." Rena and Carapace looked at each other confused. "Our kwamis should be part of this conversation too so Chloé, since we all know who you are, would you mind going first." Chloé dropped her transformation, holding her hand out for Pollen before taking a seat.