There was a muffled sound.

He could hear it, faintly, in the distance.

Were they bells? Yes, bells. Bells that seemed to bing! and bong!

And the voice? So familiar. Saying his name over and over.

Adrien. Adrien. ADRIEN!

The voice came closer, a foul stench in the air surrounding him. The bells turned into a thunderous BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

He turned his head into the pillow, his face twisting into frown. All he could see was fog surrounding him. Something hit his face and then a bright light made him open his eyes and he sat up in suspense, waking up.

"LADYBUG?!"

He looked around in a panic, but saw no one. He was in his room, safe and sound, with the mid-morning sun shining through the large windows. The bells he had heard was his alarm clock, triggered prematurely. He sighed and turned it off, relieved that it was all a bad dream. However, the smell in the air still lingered. Adrien thought for a moment before realizing what the smell was: Camembert.

"Plagg?!"

He flung the sheets off of the bed and searched around for the little black troublemaker.

"Plagg, this isn't funny!"

"What's wrong with trying to wake you up?"

Adrien looked up to his small library above and trekked up the spiral staircase. Plagg was sitting on the edge of the small loft-space with a piece of stinky, ripe camembert and a happy twinkle in his eyes.

"The problem is not waking me up, it's how you do it. Did you really have to shove that piece of cheese in my face?"

"Didn't seem to really bother you that much. You sounded like you were preoccupied with a nightmare."

"I wasn't having a nightmare until you tried to wake me up."

Plagg stuffed his mouth and spoke with a muffle,

"Aren't you forgetting what today is? It's THE big day!"

"Big day? What big…..oh. OH! It can't be today!"

He rushed back down the stairs and quickly went to his computer where a large countdown on the screen said:

00:00:03 WEEKS/DAYS/HOURS UNTIL BIG DAY.

He started to panic again, scrolling through his phone to look at what people were saying. He was excited, but nervous. This day had been coming for a while. It was probably the most important one in his entire life. A new beginning. A new life.

Marinette woke up early, at 4:30, with enough time to watch the sun come up. She stood on her balcony that overlooked the city. Tikki floated beside her, yawning.

"Marinette, why this early? You didn't have to wake up before the sun."

"But I did, Tikki. It's an important day. A special day."

Tikki hugged Marinette's cheek, somewhat a little sadly.

"Don't be sad, we're not going to part ways, Tikki. Think of it this way, we're just heading down a new road. You'll still be by my side, no matter what."

There was a look of sadness in Marinette's eyes too. Even though this was a new beginning, it was leaving behind a life she had come to love. But ten years of this? She couldn't be Ladybug forever.

"Marinette?"

She turned and saw her parents standing there, Tikki had hid when she heard them come up.

"Oh, Papa…Mom…good morning."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to see the sunrise today. Seemed like a good day to do it."

Her parents smiled at her. Even after ten years, she never told them. Never accidentally confessed who she was. I'll stay at home as long as you need me. That was her promise to them after her graduation from high school, six years ago. Her parents knew she wanted to continue with fashion. She was lucky people were available in Paris to guide her. But, this next step she wanted to take? That was more important now.

He was more important now.

"Do I look okay?"

"Who cares how you look now? You're gonna be transformed when you go out."

Adrien let out a frustrated sigh.

"You're NOT helping. I have to at least FEEL like I look good. After today, things will be different for us."

Plagg had to admit, it WAS going to be different.

"You look fine, just like you always do. Just relax and get going! Ladybug is probably already waiting for you."

Adrien looked at himself in the mirror: here he was, ten years of being Chat Noir. Ten years of partnership with Ladybug. Ten years of falling in love over and over and over again. At age 25, he admitted to himself that he missed the days back at Collége Franҫoise Dupont when he felt he had really first started his life. He missed hanging out with Nino and the classes and teachers and after school activities. He even missed the Gorilla and Nathalie escorting him around. And even a tiny part of him missed Chloé's never-ending shenanigans. But what he would really miss was the freedom being Chat Noir gave him. Of course, he was free now in his personal life too. His father's retirement at an early age meant that he was the only one who could run the fashion empire his father had built.

He looked over at an old picture of himself, from those days. Other than getting taller and a little more muscular, he was the same old Adrien. The same Adrien who knew he had to take the next step.

She was more important now.

Marinette looked at Tikki, smiling with tears in her eyes,

"Well Tikki, last time we're doing this."

"I trust you, Marinette. I know you'll still keep me around."

With a small pat to her head, Marinette let Tikki float out of her hands.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Her transformation was activated and for the last time, she used her yo-yo to jump around and over the rooftops of Paris.

Adrien watched Plagg down one last slice of cheese.

"Oh, don't start crying."

"I was not gonna start crying, Plagg. I was waiting for you to finish so we could do this."

"One last time."

Plagg took a breath,

"Y'know, you're probably one of the better cats I've had to work with. Honest."

"Thanks for the compliment. And thanks for being there. You ready?"

Plagg nodded.

"Plagg, claws out!"

The transformation was activated and soon, Chat Noir was standing there, in front of the mirror. He stretched and gave himself a wink before jumping out the open window and towards the Eiffel Tower.