Chat's feet slammed hard on the rooftop, catching Ladybug in his arms as she fell out behind him. "Oof! Whoa!" He stumbled a few feet, then caught himself. "Whew! That was close."

"Aww...!" Ladybug looked at her back. "I never got to figure out how to use those things...!"

Chat grinned, then saw the portals of Warpster's doing in the distance. "Come on, my lady. Paris needs our help."

Ladybug grinned, then jumped after him across the rooftops. "What are we gonna tell our parents when they ask where we've been?" She asked.

Chat grinned. "I've got a plan. Let's focus on freeing that man, first."

"Right...we're back to only using our powers once."

"That's disappointing..." Chat sighed. "I liked being able to rust whatever I wanted...!"

The two came to a stop, Chat pulling out his pole before jumping up, tapping Warpster's shoulder with the pole, and landing again. "Warpster! Miss us?"

Warpster growled. "I thought I got rid of you two! No matter, I'll take you out now!"

"Don't get tied up again, Chat Noir...!" Ladybug groaned, then she jumped up, dodging the ticket roll whip hitting where her feet had just been.

"I resent that remark...!" He jumped to dodge a portal forming under his feet, swinging his pole and knocking the ticket roll from Warpster's hand. "My lady!"

Ladybug caught the roll, ripping it in half and exposing the akuma. "No more evildoing for you, little akuma...Time to de-evillize!"
She swung her yoyo, catching the akuma inside it. "Gotcha!"
"Bye-bye, little butterfly." She waved as it flew off.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

All around them, the portals closed, damaged buildings were repaired, and Warpster turned back to his normal self. "Ack! I hate heights!" He wailed.

Ladybug and Chat pounded fists, then Chat gave a whimper as he fell to his knees. "Ugh...!"

"Chat Noir?" Ladybug bent down to him. "What's wrong?"

"I must be feeling the effects of the time shift...I'll be okay." He forced himself up onto his feet. "Come on, it's time to put phase two in motion...!"
______________________________________

'Phase two' wound up being transforming back to civilian form, going to the police, and telling them they'd been held hostage in an old building- after being dropped there through one of Warpster's portals that they were tossed into- before being rescued by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

They did so, and by the time they reached the station, Marinette was feeling the effects of the time shift as well. Both trudged up to the doors and stumbled in. "Excuse me...!" Adrian whimpered, "I'd like to report some found kids...us?"

Roger, who'd been akumatized once himself, stood up quickly. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrian Agreste?" He asked.

"Y-Yes, sir...!" Marinette replied.

Officers quickly went to contacting their parents, and providing the teens with blankets and hot drinks.

Marinette's limbs ached, and her hands trembled as they told their fabricated tale, taking turns inputting terrified details they made sure to remember for later.

It had been late when they got there, so even though the bakery was nearby, the clock nearly read midnight when the doors opened, and Marinette's parents rushed in. "Marinette!"

Marinette put her cup down, accepting her parents' tight hugs as a few tears of her own escaped down her cheeks. "Mom...dad...!"

"Oh, let me look at you...!" Her mother looked her daughter over. "Anything broken? Bruised?"

"I'm okay, mom..." She smiled. "I'm just so glad to be back with you guys...!"

She could see Adrian's sad expression in his eyes, but he smiled at her reunion just the same.

The hugs and kisses went for another few minutes, then Marinette prepared to go home. She smiled to Adrian, "see you later..." She whispered.

Adrian nodded, sitting down to continue waiting for his ride.

Marinette followed her parents out the door, making sure to stay close to them. "I really missed you guys..."

"Hey...isn't that boy the one you're-"

"Hup hup hup! Let's not worry about that now!" She hugged her dad. "Let's just...focus on getting home. I missed my bed too...!"

Her parents laughed, though they both knew the truth behind her interruption...
______________________________________

Adrian had worked the whole thing out in his head.

His father's secretary, Natalie, would show up at the station, give him a quick 'I'm glad you're alright, sir' and then he'd go home in his limo, like nothing ever happened.

That was what he expected...but sometimes, good luck can creep up on even the most unlucky of people.

He looked at the floor as he heard the door open, clutching the blanket around his shoulders.
But then came a voice and tone he'd never expected.

"Adrian...!"

Adrian looked up, finding that it was not his father's secretary, but his father himself. His hair was slightly unkempt, and he had dark circles forming under his eyes like he hadn't slept in days. "...Father...!?"

Gabriel Agreste's eyes glistened with tears. "'Father...' So formal...when did that start?" He bent down to his son's eye level. "When I stop being...a dad?"

"I...I don't know?" Adrian answered, though he wasn't sure if his father asking him, or himself.

Mr. Agreste shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Adrian...I was so focused on the loss of your mom, I...I practically forgot I still had you. I...locked you out, and I am so...sorry for that. I'm sorry it took you going missing too for me to realize what I still had..."

Adrian hadn't realized he was crying until the tears splashed onto his hands.
He wiped them away. "I forgive you...!" He whispered. "I'm not mad...I just missed you...!"

"Alright...let's get you home to bed."

Bed... At 12:57 AM, there was no word more soothing and beautiful. Except maybe...

Home.