She was down but she was not out. Ladybug had been here before, laying on the ground by the river after her enemy flung her aside. She should have been more careful. She should have calculated the angle better.

She didn't have time to worry about the 'should haves' though. The enemy was going to return and now was her chance to use her-
"Lucky Charm!"

As the magical yo-yo flung into the air, their enemy burst through a cloud of blue smoke and swiped at the string with their blade. Ladybug shrieked, trying to yank it back in time but the string severed and the loose yo-yo went soaring above the river. Then, with a nauseating plop! It fell into the water, disappearing into the deep. A thundercloud loomed over the Eiffel Tower as though the entire city itself were suddenly struck by the same gloomy forebode that settled in Ladybug's fragile heart.

"Bugaboo?"

She was already dreading what would come next from her feline friend, who watched the incident from her side.

"What exactly happens if it, you know, breaks?"
"Not now, Cat Noir, look out!"

Ladybug dived beneath the safety of the bridge with her partner. They tumbled into the shadows where they huddled on guard, watching for the villain to reappear. Blue and black dust remained in the spot from which they leapt.

"We can't fight them if we can't get a hold of them!"
"And what do you suggest we do about that Milady?"

"I'm not sure," Ladybug hesitated. All of her heroic answers were sinking to the bottom of the river. She pinned her back to the wall and hoped that her speckled vision would come. Instead, Cat Noir entered her view.

"Cat Noir," she whined. "I'm trying to think this through and you're not helping me!"
"I'm sorry if I'm rushing you but we need an option before we're turned into dust! I'm not ready to become kitty litter!"

"Without my Lucky Charm I can't do anything, Cat Noir!"

Cat Noir took her by the chin to turn her face toward his and gave her an honest yet stern glare.

"You can do anything," he told her, "you're Ladybug."

"Cat Noir," Ladybug's voice trickled under the bridge like dripping water, a sweet somber sound. She wasn't sure if those words were enough to break her from this funk, but it did remind her that she had something more valuable than her powers alone. It was her courage, her confidence, and her ability to know when the problem was greater than herself.

"Do you think you can hold them off, Cat Noir?" She whispered.

"Me?" Cat Noir asked as he popped his head out from under the bridge, which he quickly regretted as a ball of dust came whirling at his face. He ducked to avoid it.

"Anything for you Milady but please, please, please hurry," he begged.

Ladybug reassured him with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder to which he smiled at her.

"I promise," she said.

Without her yo-yo she would have to travel by another means: on foot. Or, as she inspected her surroundings, she realized that she could swim there, if there was an adequate distraction to muse their villain.

"Cat Noir, I need you to distract them," she said, "Go on top of the bridge and do your thing."

"My thing? Am I just your cat toy Milady?" Cat Noir hesitated and pointed out at the open river.

"You expect me to distract something I can't even see?"

He groaned when she tilted her head in a hopeful nod. Then, he grabbed his pole from his belt and held it readily in both hands.

"Thanks, Cat Noir," she thanked him with a kiss on the cheek.

"You're the best."

Cat Noir's confidence had been recharged by her little peck so he gave her one last wink before jumping out from under the bridge. He stood atop the stone ledge above their hiding place, extended the pole and waved it like a baseball bat at the balls of dust that spiraled toward him.

"Come on," he taunted. "Is that all you've got? I've played baseball before you know. How about a curveball or a fast ball? Kitty wants to play!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes as she tiptoed from their spot. It would be faster if she could make it by foot since she lost her breathing device to the river. She crept along the river's edge while Cat Noir played with the villain. When she felt safe enough to run, she turned her back on the scene and dashed toward the one place she knew would have the answers she lacked.

"Ladybug!" Cat Noir shouted.

The villain spotted her from afar and chased at her heels while her back was turned. Cat Noir followed alongside the street, calling to her as he ran. She didn't hear him, she didn't hear the villain as their carved blade rose above her. Cat Noir threw his pole to the ground.

Ladybug began to turn as the blade dove toward her ear, a stream of black and blue dust trailing behind it.

Cat Noir vaulted from his spot.

She shut her eyes and threw her arms up to defend her identity.

"Honestly Milady, you thought I wouldn't come to your rescue?"

Ladybug opened her eyes and found Cat Noir standing, with his arms out, in front of her. His head was turned to her, a painful smile spread across his face.

"C-cat Noir," she breathed. "You-"
"N-no time to talk, run!"
"But Cat-"
"I said run!"

Ladybug began to run but her heart was heavy with guilt. The blade had struck through his side and that hand would be ready to swipe his ring the minute she left. She couldn't let them win, not like this. She returned to his aid, scooping him up by the arms and using him as a temporary shield as she escaped to the bridge where she could lay him safely on the ground. Blood seeped through his costume, pooling onto the cobblestone beneath him.

"I-I guess he made his point," Cat Noir chuckled breathlessly. Ladybug couldn't even retaliate with her usual sarcastic remark, not while she was staring at her suffering partner. She took his hand in her own.

"I can't leave you here now," she pleaded with him, knowing that he would resist her, which he did. He pushed her hand toward her chest.

"I've been defeated before," he reminded her. "I'll be fine. I trust you to make everything okay in the end."

"And what if I can't?" She mumbled worriedly.

"Then that would kind of suck wouldn't it?" He teased. "And this would be a lot more painful."

Ladybug shook her head at his attempt to lessen the impact of their grave situation.

"If they get your miraculous-" she started.

"They won't."

Cat Noir suspended his shaky hands as he took a hold of the ring between his fingers.

"No!"
Ladybug placed her hand over his to stop him. They couldn't know who each other was, it would only make this more dangerous.

"Cat Noir be reasonable. We can't know our secret identities. What if-"
"What if what Milady?"

Cat Noir's tired eyes convinced her to lesson her grip. Neon green light circled around his ring finger as he slid the miraculous off. Ladybug moved to stop him but he gave her a charming smile to calm her nerves.

"I'll need you to keep it safe. We don't want," he paused for a breath. "We don't want Hawkmoth getting a hold of it a-and... and you're the only one I trust t-...to keep it safe."

Ladybug cupped her hands to receive his miraculous despite the unease pumping through her veins. Cat Noir dropped the ring in her hands. The green light spread across his figure but when Adrien opened his tired eyes, Ladybug had gone, leaving a trail of dusty footprints on the cobblestone.

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