The hospitals wall clock ticked really loudly.

Marinette affirmed this for herself as it ticked infuriatingly against her skull. She didn't know if it was due to the uncomfortable silence of the waiting room or because her brain unconsciously clung onto something to concentrate on.

Either way it was getting stupidly annoying and if someone doesn't walk in right now, so help her, she was going to smash it over her knee.

"If you glare any harder, I'm afraid it might make cracks." Thomas said, entering the room. Marinette slumped forward and pouted. "How much longer do I have to wait here? It feels like it's been ages." She wined, throwing her hands over her head in exasperation.

"Oh, wow, well then you look pretty good for your age. Science has done wonders with the aging process, I must say." Marinette wasn't looking but she knew Thomas was smirking. She groaned against her arms, muffling the sound. "This is no time for jokes. Just how much longer do I have to wait? It's been, like, two hours-"

"Thirty minutes."

Marinette threw up her arms, "Like I said! Two hours. Come on, I get fidgety when I don't have anything to do. I'm so bored and you're not giving me anything to work with." Thomas shook his head and pinched the bridge of his noise. "You know, you're pretty bossy for a teenager."

"I've been told. Now cough up the info. I'm running on fumes here." Marinette shifted in her chair, making herself comfortable.

"Alright. Alright. You're the boss," he grinned, "So, according to his personal doctor, Adrien will be given the okay to be released in a few days. For now, given his fragile psychological state and the extent of his injuries, they wish to keep a tight watch on him just in case." Marinette's shoulders dropped, a frown forming. "Well, that seems…reasonable, I guess." She was disheartened and both of them knew it but there was nothing either of them could do.

Thomas cleared his throat, regaining her attention. "There is also one other reason, though I'm not sure if you would like to hear it." Marinette straightened, alarm bells ringing louder than the infernal ticking of the clock. "What is it?" she couldn't help the distress in her voice. Thomas's eyes flicked to the floor, settling on observing a small crack in the linoleum. "I'm not sure if you would be alright if I divulged it, are you absolutely sure this is what you want?" Marinette would have scoffed but that felt entirely too rude to Thomas so she held it back. Instead she nodded her head, fixing him with an intense gaze. "I'm not little girl. I can handle it. Now tell me what else is there?"

Thomas was once again baffled this girl he had not met even three hours ago. There was more to Marinette than she led on.

"Alright. One of the other reasons for Adrien's extended stay is because we just got back the results of the rape kit. You see, if we get a match on someone, the usual follow up is an arrest of the perpetrator. Cut and dry; case over, you know. We did get the identity of the man- or really I should say boy, he was no older than 16 but that's where things got difficult." Marinette held back the bile congregating in the back of her throat. Whatever was coming, she was sure she wasn't going to want to hear. Still, she listened.

"We got everything about him, and boy was there a lot. His name, his address, his criminal history, hell, even his blood type!" Thomas brought a hand up to his mouth, cheeks flushing a light pink. "Sorry, heck. Forgot your age."

"My age doesn't matter! Just finish!" Marinette urged. Thomas dropped the hand to his side, "Yes. Sorry, excuse me. His track record was smeared with delinquencies from theft to mugging, and some cases of assault. But the odd thing about all this is that the police put some of their best men on the case and they've come up with nothing. It usually takes only a few hours to bust someone with this much dirt on them but it's like he vanished into thin air. Almost like he's blending in with the shadows, you know?" Thomas continued on but his voice was a rush of water flowing over her.

Shadows? There's no way, right? She purified the akuma, she saw it's pristine white form flutter away harmlessly. The boy was released from its corruption and yet it sounded like he was completely unaffected. She couldn't have…failed?

"-inette! Marinette!"

"What!" Marinette yelled, baring canines at the nurse. This wasn't making any sense; nothing was making any sense. Could Halkmoth akumatize someone more than once?

"Are you even listening to me anymore?" Thomas jutted his hip out, leaning his weight on his left leg. He quirked an eyebrow at her, seemingly waiting for an answer.

"Yes. Yes. Of course I'm listening. Just lost a bit in thought. Just…just give me a sec, okay?" Thoughts and worries were swarming Marinette from all directions. She needed to get a grip or else she was going to be carried away in the frenzy. She decided the best grounder was, unfortunately, the clock. Focusing on the steady mechanical tick tick tick made her calmer despite the hateful words and glares she sent it earlier. It was a landline that she held desperately onto, clinging for dear life. It served its purpose, giving Marinette the time to reflect on the newly acquired information.

Stalker was still in the picture. Despite her de-akumatization he had managed to gain back control of his powers through some sort of means. The obvious conclusion would have to be Halkmoth. Meaning that he could not only duplicate and akuma but also reuse one entirely. That could mean that it would be only a matter of time before Alya or Nino or anyone else that had been under his control would be used again. This was vital information, a clue to the extent of Hawkmoth's true power. But something seemed off. It irked her; despite everything Halkmoth has done, it doesn't seem his style to use the same akuma again, especially one that lost. She hated to admit it, but this doesn't seem like it was Hawkmoth's doing. But if it wasn't him then who?

Marinette's thoughts were abruptly cut off when she heard the static of a T.V go off. Thomas and her turned startled to the small dinky television set up in the corner of the room. The static stayed on screen for a moment before settling on a pixelated image of a dark figure. Dread pooled in Marinette's stomach. Thomas moved to turn off the T.V but it wouldn't shut off.

"That's odd." He smacked the remote. "I could have sworn I just changed these batteries a day ago. It should be working." Thomas continued to finick with the remote as Marinette stared at the figure in the T.V. The image was getting clearer now and she could make out some features. Tan skin…grey eyes…oh no. Marinette felt her heart clench as the image cleared and the person was as clear as day to her.

"Hello, Paris!" Stalker strung out the "hello" rolling the l's with manic glee. "Did you miss me? Because I sure didn't miss you. Sorry for the sudden disruption of your Sunday morning cartoons but I've got breaking news!" Stalker swivelled unnaturally in a full circle and Marinette guessed he was on a rolling chair. Stalker seemed to have swung himself a little too far though as he hooked his hands under the few of the screen and scooted closer, almost like a child. Marinette felt like puking at this "innocent" façade he was trying to pull.

"Turns out, you're oh so valiant and just Ladybug couldn't live up to her "hero status", what a poor insignificant bug." Stalker wiped a fake tear from his eye, sniffling a bit. "So, I'm here to make an offer. Ladybug… I know you're listening." Marinette's stomach flipped. "I'd like to make a deal with you. Our last fight didn't go so well for me, I'll admit, but this time's going to be different. I'm not as naïve as I was before so I've crafted a plan this time, an expertly crafted on if I do say so myself." There was a smugness in his voice that made Marinette want to choke him through the screen and throw him over the Eiffel Tower. Her fists squeezed into tight fists at the thought.

"You see, I came wholly unprepared last time, I underestimated you, Ladybug. But insects are still insects so squashing one is really the same as squashing a thousand, right?" Stalker grinned. Suddenly the image swung left and Marinette couldn't help the gasp that left her. Ten people were hung by their wrists by wispy shadows and held 3 inches above the floor. All of them seemed to be unconscious but distressed as if they were having a nightmare. Something lodged in Marinette's throat when she noticed one of the captives looked familiar. There, in her jeans and flannel shirt was Alya, completely incapacitated and at the mercy of Stalker. "That…scum." Marinette hissed under her breath.

"These ten lovely people will be my bargain for this evening. Within 24 hours, I will kill every one of them, one my one, in the most agonizing fashion imaginable unless you and my dear Chaton come to my location. I will be sending shadows to guide you two and only you two to me and if I sense even one more person, the deal is off." Stalker walked towards the captives, and held one's head in his hand. "Oh, and I don't think I need to tell you what happens next." He squeezed harder and the captive shifted in pain. Marinette watched as a small trickle of blood ran down their face. The threat was clear, come alone or risk the death of everyone one of those people.

Alya…

She couldn't risk it. But it wasn't just her who he wanted. In fact, she doubted he even cared that much about her; she was collateral in the grand scheme of his plan. She knew what he wanted and she was reluctant to give it to him.

"I have very little time left and parting is really such a sweet sorrow. I'll be awaiting your arrival, Ladybug." His smirk grew as he licked his lips, "And see you soon Mon Minou, we've been apart far too long. I've missed you oh so much. I simply cannot wait to taste you again. Come to me, my Kitten, I'll be eagerly awaiting your arrival."

The screen cut to black sending the whole room into silence.

Tick, Tick, Tick

Marinette punched the clock, a spider web of cracks left in its wake.