Falling

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Just as Cat Noir was breaking the item that the akuma had taken over, the akumatized villain in a final effort to defeat them, shoved Ladybug off the top of the building they were currently on top of. Ladybug screamed as she began to fall, and Cat Noir dropped the now broken bracelet that had been akumatized, his eyes wide. A purple and black butterfly flew out, and Ladybug thought fast. She quickly swung her yoyo and caught the akuma in her yoyo, purifying it. Then quickly called out "Miraculous Ladybug!" and threw her lucky charm up into the air.

"Ladybug!" She heard Cat Noir scream as she watched everything around her turn back to normal. She looked and saw Cat Noir coming after her to catch her before she hit the ground, but she knew he wouldn't be fast enough. She smiled sadly at him and braced herself for the impact she knew was coming.

She landed hard on her back with a grunt, and then her head slammed into the pavement. She heard gasps from the crowd that had gathered to watch them fight the akuma, but she paid no attention to them. She was still awake, but she was dizzy and her eyes felt heavy.

"Ladybug!" She heard Chat's voice, but he sounded far away. She felt someone kneel down beside her and hold her head in their hands. "Come on, m'lady. Stay with me!"

She opened her eyes slowly and looked up to see a panic filled Cat Noir looking back down at her.

"Ch-chat." She said, finding it hard to breathe. "I-I can't b-breathe."

"Hold on, m'lady. I've got you. Stay with me." He said. She felt him put one arm under her knees and the other under her back and he lifted her up, beginning to carry her bridal style. She hissed in pain at the sudden movement, and she heard him mutter an apology.

"Everybody move!" Cat Noir yelled. "Get out of the way!"

The crowd parted and made a path for him to run through. They watched as he ran away and in the direction of the nearest hospital.

Ladybug clung to Cat Noir as tightly as she could and laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"Don't you dare close your eyes, Ladybug!" His voice startled her and she reopened her eyes. "Stay with me."

"Chat, I-I'm t-tired." She told him, her breathing labored.

"I know, m'lady, but you can't fall asleep, okay?" He told her. "If you fall asleep, there's a chance you won't wake up, so I need you to keep your eyes open for me. Please? We're almost to the hospital, and they're going to take good care of you."

Ladybug's chest rose and fell in quick, rapid motions and Cat Noir wasn't sure if the erratic heartbeat he was feeling was hers or his own.

Cat Noir finally made it to the hospital and ran into the emergency room entrance.

"I need some help over here!"

Doctors rushed around Ladybug in a private room far away from other patients and Cat Noir was off to the side pacing while watching them work.

"Chat." She heard her say his name. He quickly went up to her and one of the nurses moved out of the way. She held her shaking hand out, indicating she wanted him to hold it. He didn't hesitate and took her hand in his own. She started to lift her head and motioned for him to lower his head so she could whisper into his ear. He did as such and she began to speak.

"I'm about to transform back." Was all she could manage to say, and as if on cue, her earrings flashed. Cat Noir's eyes widened as he realized what that meant.

He needed to get the doctors out.

"Everybody out." He told them, but they protested.

"She has severe, blunt force trauma to the back of her head. She could have a serious concussion or worse, we need to get her up to CT." One of the doctors said.

"I'm also concerned that she may have several broken ribs, so she needs to be x-rayed." Another one said.

"Yeah? Well, she's about to transform back and she doesn't want anybody knowing her identity. So, if you could all please get the hell out of here and find something the resembles a mask I would be very much appreciated." Cat Noir told them, not wasting any time beating around the bush. The doctors paused and looked at him.

"Go! Now!" He hollered and they all rushed out of the room, one of them saying they would go find something that would work as a mask and another handing him a hospital gown to put her in before leaving. Cat Noir was about to turn around so he didn't see her change back, but she grabbed his wrist and he turned back to her.

"Chat..." She started. "I need you...to see me."

"What?" He asked. "No. I can't know your identity."

Ladybug shook her head, and winced when she felt pain shoot through her.

"You need to know who I am..." She said. "So that if I don't make it-"

"Don't talk like that, you're going to live." He told her. "You hear me? You can't die."

She ignored him. "I-I need you to know...who I am...so that if I don't make it, you can f-find m-my parents." She told him. "And t-tell them what happened."

"Ladybug..." He whispered, desperation in his voice.

"P-p-please, Chat?" She pleaded with him. "C-can you do that...for me?"

He was hesitant, and Ladybug's earrings flashed again. Whenever he thought about how he would find out his lady's identity, this was not one of the scenarios that he would play out in his head.

Still, he knew she had a point. He needed to know who she was, so that way if she did die - because sadly that was a possibility - he would be able to find her family and tell them why their daughter wouldn't be coming home. Or at least coming home alive.

So, with sad eyes and a heavy heart, Cat Noir nodded.

"Yes, m'lady." He told her. "I can do that." She smiled at him, though it looked more like a grimace and she nodded.

"Tha-Thank you." She told him and he just smiled sadly at her as tears pricked his eyes.

As her earrings flashed for the final times, signaling she was out of time, Ladybug began to de-transform.

Cat Noir looked away for a moment, the burst of pink and white light being too bright for his eyes. He was hesitant about looking back. He knew he had to though, so he slowly turned back around to face who he had fighting akuma's with for the past three years and his eyes widened.

There, looking back at him with big, scared eyes, was none other than the shy, clumsy, friendly girl who sat behind him in class everyday.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

A/N: So I was just laying in bed like twenty minutes ago and the idea for this popped into my head so I decided to write it before I forgot it. This is going to be a two-shot so there will be a second chapter. Stay tuned!