Chapter One

Ladybug looked around anxiously for a way to cover up the screen. Chat's Miraculous was timing out, and there was no way she could let all of Paris find out his identity. She quickly taped a pizza box over the large screen, effectively blocking Prime Queen's view of them.

"Uh—Ladybug!" Chat's voice came out wobbly, lacking that flirty flair it usually had.

She closed her eyes and turned around, reaching out a hand. "It's okay Chat. I'm not looking."

"No!" she heard him yell. "Behind you!" She tried to duck, but felt arms wrapped around her small form. Fearing Prime Queen's grasp, Ladybug struggled against the chilly, taut arm muscles that surrounded her shoulders, only to hear Chat's faint mumble. "It's okay, m'lady." He sounded in pain.

"Chat?" she cried. "Chat! Are you hurt?"

"I..I'll be fine." He definitely didn't sound like it.

"Chat, if you're hurt—"

"TIME'S UP, LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR! As soon as I break through this barrier, I'm going to reveal your identities!" Prime Queen's annoying voice broke through the moment.

"Chat? Can you cover yourself up?" He must be freezing without his warm suit, she thought.

"Yes." She heard the rustle of a trash bag from one of the containers in the freezer they were trapped in. "You can open your eyes, now." Her lashes flew open, and she tried to fight the urge to look in the direction of his voice, but she couldn't stop herself. She saw the toes of his orange tennis shoes, but, thankfully, everything else was covered, because at that exact moment, Prime Queen leapt through the screen. The villain's eyes were also drawn to Chat Noir's trash bag in the corner. Sensing what she was going to do, Ladybug jumped on Prime Queen's back before she could hurt Chat. Ladybug struggled to contain Prime Queen, wrestling the surprisingly strong villain's arms behind her back. Unfortunately, her own transformation was about to run out.

Desperately, she searched the room for a resource. Once again, her eyes landed on Chat. "Chat! Use the bag! I'll close my eyes. Bug's honor." She shut her eyes gently, eyebrows knitting together as she was yanked about by Prime Queen. She pushed Prime Queen against the wall to keep her from seeing Chat's civilian form. She heard the rustle of the trash bag and then Prime Queen was fully encased in the bag. Ladybug purified the akuma and shoved Nadja Chamack out of the freezer, eyes still closed, forgetting Chat for a moment—that is, until she heard his groan of pain. She shut the door, telling Chat to close his eyes. She de-transformed and let Tikki eat before transforming again and looking for Chat, who was nowhere to be found. She figured he was hiding, so she closed her eyes again.

"Chat! What happened?" She felt around, trying to find him without looking.

"I'm…not sure. When she punched through the computer screen, I got in the way, and it feels like I've been stabbed," he added, leaning against the wall and watching her feel around for him. He weakly reached out his hand to cover hers, pushing it back down to her side.

"Do you need to go to the doctor?" she asked, her features twisted up in worry. He almost laughed, bitterly. At least she cares about me when I'm hurt.

"No, no doctor." He groaned, pushing away from the wall and walking closer to her. "I'm fine."

Her eyebrows lowered. "I don't believe you. Can you transform again?"

Plagg had been eating the potatoes from a drawer in the freezer. "Yes. Plagg, claws out!" She listened as he transformed back into Chat Noir. "You can open your eyes now, m'lady." Her eyes fluttered open, and she backed up when she saw how close he was. "Miss me?" He said, but his voice lacked enthusiasm, and his eyes squinted in pain.

"Chat…turn around," she said. She looked at the open wound on his back. How had Prime Queen done this? Why didn't saying "Miraculous Ladybug" fix this? "You need to go to a doctor."

"I can't. Can't reveal my identity." he muttered.

He also couldn't go home like this; Ladybug knew that much. He leaned back, unable to hold up his own weight. She caught him with her hands just above his elbows, silently making her decision. "I know where you can go. I have a friend that can help you." He nodded in response, eyes shutting as he passed out. She pulled him over her shoulders, careful to avoid touching his wound, and set out for her home.

By the time Ladybug reached the Dupain-Cheng bakery, it was past midnight. She landed on the roof with a thud, laying the semi-conscious Chat Noir on a lounge chair. Looking into the window, she pretended to see a sleeping Marinette in her bed. "She's asleep," Ladybug said. "But she shouldn't take too long to come help you. I'll go in and get her." Chat nodded, head lolling off to one side of the chair.

A few moments later, Marinette rushed back out to the roof, sans the Ladybug outfit, with a first aid kit in hand. "Ladybug told me you were hurt. Show me the wound." He rolled over on his stomach and watched her assess the damage as if for the first time. His eyes opened a little wider when he realized it was his classmate Marinette who was taking care of him.

He tried to sit up. "Where's Ladybug?" He looked around wildly while Marinette laid him back down gently.

"Shhhh," she said. "She had to leave; her transformation was running out."

"Of course," he muttered. "She cares more about not knowing each other's identities than she does about making sure I'm okay."

Marinette wiped the thankfully shallow wound a little too roughly, causing Chat to whimper. "She was very worried…" Marinette muttered. She's still worried.

He laughed weakly. "Yeah, right. I'm sure she was crying and begged you to come help me."

Tears sprung to Marinette's eyes at Chat's words. She really had been crying when she dropped Chat off on the roof. "I'm serious. She said she would come back in a little while to check on you."

"Why bother? She clearly doesn't care." He looked down at the roof.

"How could you say that, Chat Noir? Ladybug obviously cares for you a lot. She saves you often." Marinette finished fixing the wound but pretended to keep working on it so she could talk to Chat a little longer.

"She doesn't save me; she saves Paris. Besides, even if she was saving me, it's hard to believe she cares at all after today." He rolled over when Marinette's hands fell to her sides. Glancing at her but unable to meet her eyes, he stood and leaned over the railing.

Marinette followed, looking out over Paris next to him. "What happened today?" she asked softly, though she thought she already knew.

"I…she rejected me, twice. In a harsh way," he said, wincing. "I thought I loved her, but this…she's been rather cruel about my feelings lately."

"Well, maybe she just doesn't think they're real…like, maybe she thinks you're just a flirt?" Marinette said, feeling the blush on her face.

"I only flirt with her. How could she not know that? Besides, telling jokes all the time is just who I am. I guess she doesn't like the real me."

Now it was Marinette's turn to wince. "Have you tried talking to Ladybug about all this? I'm sure she'll understand if you explain everything to her."

"For what? Just so she can reject me again? No thanks, I can take a hint." His eyes became more downcast.

"Chat—"

"Thanks for stitching me up, Marinette." He flashed a sad smile her way. "You're a really good friend." Marinette looked up at him through her lashes, astonished at how similar he sounded to her crush, Adrien. "Can I stop by again sometime?"

"I…" She thought about it. She wouldn't mind losing sleep to fix Chat Noir's relationship with Ladybug. After all, it would directly help her anyway. "Sure. Anytime, Chat. Just be sure to knock on my window first, okay?" He nodded before leaping off into the night, holding his side and dreading patrol the next night.

Chat Noir was there first for patrol. Legs hanging off the edge of the tall building, he looked down at the brightly lit city. The "City of Love" looked ugly to him now that he had no love of his own. Not only had he been rejected by Ladybug, but also his father; Gabriel had yelled at him the night before for coming home so late. He assumed the teen had sneaked out, so he grounded Adrien and took his phone, computer, and kept him from going anywhere all day. The only chance he got to leave was when his father left at six for his plane to Spain, where he was meeting with some other major fashion company for the next month and a half. Though Nathalie and the Gorilla were supposed to keep an eye on Adrien, he easily slipped out the window as Chat Noir and found his way to the rooftop where he and Ladybug always started patrol. When he tried to stand so they could get this over with, his Lady placed a hand on his shoulder and sat down next to him.

Nothing was said for a little while, but then he looked at her. She was shaking, tears running down her face in a way that was so unlike her that it startled him. "L-Ladybug?"

Immediately she threw her arms around him, full-on sobbing. He didn't respond, hands hanging limply by his sides. "Why? Why?"

Conflicted, he gently looped his arms around her. "Why what?"

The lack of a "m'lady" or "bugaboo" didn't escape her notice. "Why did you let yourself get hurt like that?"

But he took it the wrong way; instead of hearing her concern, he heard an accusation. "I was saving you. Don't worry, I won't let it happen again," he spat, pulling his arms away.

She pulled back, blinking. "C-Chat?"

He stood up. "Let's finish patrol."

She numbly followed him across the rooftops as he made it nearly impossible for her to keep up. When they made it back to the first rooftop, he didn't finish with his signature bow or asking for a kiss. Instead, he turned and jumped off, leaving her by herself without so much as a goodbye.