Author's Notes: Before you read this chapter - I decided to redo Chapter 1 so make sure to read that, then come back here.

P.S. I still, sadly, do not own Miraculous Ladybug. However, any chance I could somehow buy it for a cent if I'm broke? No? Good talk.

- Chapter 2 -

Marinette

My eyes flutter open to a dim setting, where it's almost pitch black. I don't know where I am, I don't know what happened. I try to sit up, and feel a sharp tug on my wrist. Chains. I'm in chains. Wherever I am, it's certainly not a place I want to be in. I blink, trying to bring things into focus, and that's when I realize - I'm Marinette. I don't have the Ladybug costume on. "Tikki?" I call out hesitantly.

I get no response. Starting to panic, I call out a little louder. "Tikki?!"

"You'll find your dear Kwami is no longer of your concern," a cold voice says. "After all, we can't have you escaping, now can we."

I look up, and let out a startled yelp. The Akuma is right above me. I quickly pale.

"Not so powerful now, huh, Ladybug," he sneers, looking down at me. I take a deep breath, and straighten myself. "Yeah, I'm Ladybug. You got me. Now, where is Tikki?!"

He looks at me coldly, before finally saying, "All in good time my dear Marinette. For now, I don't need her - and neither do you. You, Marinette, are going to help me get Chat Noir's miraculous. After all, Hawkmoth expects two miraculouses, and I intend to deliver"

"I would never help you," I spit out.

He just looks mockingly at me, before saying, "You don't have to do anything - you being here is enough. Soon enough, people will come looking for their beloved hero. Chat Noir will come looking for you, Ladybug."

I stare up at him in horror, realizing he's right - Chat would do that for me. Instead, I don't respond, and look away.

"I'll take that as a yes."

When I don't respond, he raises an eyebrow. "Giving me the silent treatment, eh? I see how it is. I will be seeing you shortly."

I feel tears slip down my cheeks as he walks out.

Adrien

It's been three days since Ladybug disappeared, and since Marinette disappeared. Every time I think about what that could mean, and if they could be… GAH. A splitting headache erupts, just like it does everytime I try to think about who Ladybug is. I sigh, and lay down my head as I continue to tune out our teacher. Everyone in class has been worried about Marinette - an official Missing Person notice was released by the police this morning - and I just can't stop thinking about her. Or Ladybug. At the moment, though, I'm thinking of Mari. Her sweet smile, always going out of her way to help people, how selfless she was. I feel anger bubble up as I think about whoever could have done this to her, and then feel everything come crashing down as I think about what if… well… there's always two reasons someone is MIA… No. I'm not going there.

I'm shaken out of my thoughts by Nino, and he gestures towards the teacher. "Yes, Miss?"

"I said, what is an asymptote?"

"A line that continually approaches a given curve but doesn't meet it at any finite distance," I reply, annoyed.

She gives me an odd look, before nodding and continuing. I sigh, before burying my head back in my arms.

"Thinking of Marinette?" Nino whisper-questions me.

I just sigh again, and bury in farther. He takes that yes, and gently squeezes my shoulder. "She's going to be ok, after all, Chat Noir is going to save her!" Nino says confidently.

I wince. I know that he meant to cheer me up… but that just hurt even more. After all, it's my job to save her, and yet here I am going to school instead when I already know all the stuff they're teaching. I'm conflicted as I debate the pro's and con's of ditching school. Obviously my father would be disappointed, but I no longer really care. I need to find her!

"Ma'am, may I be excused?" I ask suddenly, interrupting our teacher.

She gives me a knowing look, and says "Yes, take as long as you need."

I flush with embarrassment, but shrug it off. After all, my teacher basically just gave me permission to ditch. I quickly gather my stuff and leave before she can change her mind.

As soon as I'm in a quiet place, I shout, "Plagg, Claws Out!"

I let out a frustrated growl. I've been searching for hours, yet I can't find anything. I'm starting to lose hope. Just then, I hear another scream. It's Marinette's.

"MARINETTE!" I shout, and take off running, desperate to reach her, ignoring my feeling it's a trap. Trap or not, I will always, always go for Marinette. I can't lose her - she's too important to me.

As I find myself back at the warehouse where Ladybug disappeared, I blink in confusion. Wait. Does that mean… does HAWKMOTH have Marinette?! I start to panic, but bat it away. I need to focus. I start looking for somewhere to sneak in, like Ladybug had said to do. I find a window a few stories up, and jump to it. I wiggle it, and to my relief it opens with little resistance, though it does creak ever so slightly. I silently drop to the floor, my ears perking up as I hear Mari quietly crying in the distance, and I follow the sound without hesitation. As I slip through the shadows, I'm acutely aware every little detail as my senses heighten. I quickly realize that to find her, I'll need to be up higher. I leap up to the rafters, taking care as to not make a sound, and scan the building with my nightvision. I perk up as I find Marinette, and start creeping around the rafters so I can be above her.

I scan the room she's in - no windows, one door, almost pitch black with one dingy light hanging from the ceiling. I feel a growl rising in my through, but push it back as to not make my presence known to any unwanted person. However, after looking close, I realize she's alone. I creep over to the room the door connects to and find that it, too, is empty.

I quietly drop from the rafters into the room Marinette is in, and bite back a cry of rage as I take in her state. She's chained to the wall, hands locked behind her, her head drooping. She looks utterly defeated. Suddenly, she looks up, and her eyes widen as she sees me. I quickly put a finger to my lips, gesturing for her to stay quiet. I had expected her to be relieved, to be happy someone has finally come for her but instead, she just looks desperately at me with tears in her eyes.

As I take in her expression, I realize she's utterly terrified.

Chapter 2 End

Author's Notes Continued: PHEW. Ok so… that got dark fast. Now that Hawkmoth knows Ladybug's identity, what will happen? And where is the Akuma? Find out next chapter ;3