You've been struggling to make things right-

that's how a superhero learns to fly.

•ml•

It was quiet. That's the first thing Ladybug noted as she sat on the ground, eyes closed, face turned upwards. It was finally quiet. Four years of screams, four years of war between two sides, and now it was over.

Her eyes reopened once she felt sunlight kiss her skin, the warmth spreading through her body like a healing light, enlightening her in the most beautiful way.

The girl opened her mouth, taking a breath, gasping, and then the world started spinning again.

A laugh left her, a sound of peace that flew through the healing city that was her home. It was followed by another, and another, and another. God, her body ached but she didn't care. Ladybug shook her head and fell forward, hands clutching at the warm stones beneath her, wet from the rain that had previously fallen.

As her laughter subsided and went over to ragged breaths, the girl finally realized.

It was over. Truly, finally, over.

At the sound of quiet talking and the first paramedics roaming the once more repaired streets for people who had hidden when the fight began, Ladybug shot up, ignoring the pain that still ran through her veins like poison, toxic and real, and looked around.

There she stood, in front of the Eiffel Tower where it all began. But alone.

She wasn't supposed to be alone.

"Chat?"

Ladybug winced at the sound of her voice, hurt and small and vulnerable. She hadn't seen her partner in hours. The whole city had been in trouble and even though they had agreed on staying together, once Hawkmoth had been revealed, he couldn't stay. Chat needed to go. Ladybug wouldn't let him fight his own father, even as he told her he would.

So she had sent him away, asked him to fight off some of the newly made akumas on the other side of Paris because all of their friends had been akumatized again. Alya, Nino, Alix, Chloe, Ivan. Everyone. And while she knew it would be hard on him, fighting the people he loved… Fighting against friends and fighting against your only family left was still a difference.

Ladybug turned around, watching the clouds fade around her, watching people hug and kiss, and never had she felt so alone.

"Chat Noir, I swear if I don't find you. I s- swear to god." Ladybug mumbled, pulling out her yoyo to call him. She had done this so many times but never had she been this terrified.

'Answer. Adrien, answer me.'

Of course he didn't. Ladybug didn't have time to panic as someone landed behind her, a quiet groan of pain signaling the persons arrival. Then, a chuckle.

"You looking for me, Bugaboo?"

Ladybug inhaled sharply, her lungs screaming in protest and turned around at his voice, real and vivid, and let her weapon fall to the ground. It was fogotten the moment it hit the ground, laying by her feet.

Beautiful was the first thing she thought at seeing him standing there even if he was hurt and with scratches all over his face, but he stood and smiled his warm, tender smile that he only ever showed her. And his eyes were still sparkling, full of passion and love. Slowly, he spread his arms, head tilted slightly to the right. "Sorry, I had to save Paris."

Ladybug felt as if her legs would break as soon as she started to move. The pain was numbing, burning in her bones like fire. But she needed to risk it, she needed to go, had to hold her Adrien.

So she ran, every inch of her skin on fire, and for a little moment, she was fourteen again, seeing Chat for the first time after their reveal, whispering his name under her breath before launching herself at him. The boy caught her, not even stumbling as his girlfriend flew at him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders in a tight hold.

Once she settled against him and felt his heartbeat against her chest, Ladybug couldn't hold back her sobs, sobs of relieve, sobs of gratitude, sobs of love.

"Oh, my god. We did it, Chat, we made it."

His hand ventured from the small of her back to the back of her head, pressing her face into his neck and gently kissing the top of her head. He didn't answer, simply nodded, and held her tighter to him.

More people began to show, running all over the place, laughing with their loved ones. But it all barely registered in the heroes minds. This moment, however beautiful and historic, would soon be merely a memory of a day in their lives. What would stay with them forever was this, the way Chat began to laugh and how he picked her up to spin her around and how she joined in with the laughter, her hands cradling his face oh so gently.

The fog cleared, the city was filled with laughter and light, and Paris heroes kissed in a mix of tears and smiles.

All would be good in the city of love. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day Paris would stand tall, full of light and love, and healed.

And it began with Gabriel Agreste, who was driven to prison in front of the heroes eyes, now Adrien and Marinette, where the latter wrapped her arms around the former in a tight hold. Adrine simply shook his head as the officer asked him if he had something left to say. "No", he whispered, "I don't talk to strangers, sorry."

It continued with Marinette who finally told their tale to her family and closest frineds, never letting go of Adrien's hand.

And once they were alone, Marinette and Adrien basked in the feeling of being free, of being in love without fears and danger. Their eyes met, Adrien sitting on their bed with Plagg on his shoulder and Marinette leaning against the closed door, Tikki fast asleep in her hands.

The smile that lit up their faces right then was love, it was home.

It was miraculous.