Ladybug swung past buildings towards Master Fu's place. She needed to talk to him. Only he would understand what she was going through. She landed on a nearby building and saw a silhouette in the distance on the balcony. She watched a flame flicker, causing a black spotted maroon glove to spark up. She worried that it was an akumatized victim and she swung her yo-yo out with a determined expression. She lost her hold with her yo-yo and flailed her arms, as she fell onto the dark silhouette.

Warm hands held her by her upper arms. Their eyes were wide with shock, as they peered into each other's eyes. Ladybug suddenly blushed and got up off of him. "I-I'm sorry. Who are you?"

Chat stood up and brushed his leather jacket off. "I'm Chat Bordeaux."

"Chat-Bordeaux?" Ladybug let the name play on her lips and her heart broke. How could Master Fu replace him so easily? Replace her kitty so easily.

Chat pulled the hood more over his face to hide more. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I needed to talk to-" Ladybug thought for a moment with tear filled eyes. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. You wouldn't understand." She pushed past him and opened the trap door, before she dropped down into Master Fu's house.

Chat Bordeaux stood there in silence. Understanding what she was feeling. "I understand m'lady. More than you know." Chat sighed and dropped down inside of the house.

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Ladybug sat back on her heels and held a warm cup of tea in her hands.

"I don't know how much longer I can be Ladybug. How could you replace him so easily, Master?" Ladybug peered up at Master Fu with broken eyes. "H-how c-could you do that? He hasn't been gone that- that long."

"Ladybug. I didn't intend for you to run into him so soon. I told him he needed time. That Plagg needed time." Master Fu turned to face her.

"What do you mean?" Ladybug raised an eyebrow, confused.

Chat watched from behind a wall, before wincing and disappearing into the back of the house. He didn't want to relive what trapped him in the first place. He had spent months running from the memory. He didn't want to hear about it anymore.

Master Fu sighed. "He really should be telling you this when he's ready. Not me." He peered over to take note that Chat Bordeaux had left the room. "Just trust him like you would trust Chat Noir. Protect him. He needs it. You'll learn soon enough." Master Fu slowly nodded toward her.

Ladybug worried her bottom lip and tangled her fingers together in thought. "But- why would you replace him?"

"A Ladybug needs her Chat. You both complete one piece. Just trust him." Master Fu nodded to where he had gone. "His room is just back there. I suggest you get to know your new partner. I know it hurts, but with time you will heal. And so will he. He needs you right now."

Ladybug groaned and reluctantly walked into Chat Bordeaux's bedroom.

She leaned on the doorframe and looked at him with her arms across her chest. "So, your the new Ch-cha-" It was hard to say her old partner's name. No matter how many times she said it, it was never easy.

"Guess so." Chat shrugged and bounced a ball off of a wall, as he sat on his bed.

"Do you… ever detransform or… are you that way because I'm here?" Ladybug worried her bottom lip.

"I don't detransform. Kind of… trapped? Is that the right word?" Chat tapped his chin in thought, before he nodded with a confident expression. "Yeah, trapped."

Something about it reminded her of the boy she had been in love with for many years and her heart grew heavy again.

She fell to her knees and began to fall apart. Chat perked up, on the bed, and he hurried over to her. He yanked her up from the ground by her hands and peered into her eyes. "Are you okay, m'l- I mean, Ladybug?"

Ladybug just nodded. "Y-yeah. I- I'm just- I lost my kitty." She whispered the last few words and her voice broke.

Chat internally cringed at her words, but put a smile on just for her. "I'm sorry to hear that. I heard he was an amazing hero. I hope to be, as good as, he was. I'm still training, but... one day, I hope to be good enough to be by your side."

Ladybug's eyes widened at his words and she got lost in his warm smile and bright jade eyes. "I-" She was at a loss for words.

Chat smirked at her and took her hand. He turned her hand with her palm up and placed his ball into her hand. "Go ahead. Throw it, as hard as, you can. I don't mind."

Ladybug suddenly smiled at him. She faced the far wall and threw it, as hard as, she could. It bounced off and Chat caught it in one hand without looking.

He smiled over at her. "Feel better?"

Ladybug worried her bottom lip and smiled at him. For once she forgot about Adrien or Chat Noir. "A little." She sniffed and he threw the ball across the room, before running to the window. "Come on." He opened the window and held his hand out to her, before he gestured in a come hither fashion with it.

Ladybug looked behind her, before she slowly took his hand. She didn't know if she could trust him yet. She didn't even know who he was beneath the mask. Why was she supposed to trust this person? Why would he help her? Why would she help him? She was so confused, but something in her soul told her to follow him.

She smiled and clasped his hand in hers. He gave her a smirk, before leaping from the window with her. Chat yanked his staff from his back and extended it, as she let go of his hand and swung her yo-yo out. She followed him through the city, as the stars shined above them. The cool night air brushed past her cheeks and she felt alive again. If only for a moment.

"Where are you going?" Ladybug called out in front of her, as she followed the maroon and black cat.

Chat peered behind him, as he landed on the next rooftop. "You'll see." He smirked at her over his shoulder and took off running, before leaping to the next roof.

He landed on the Eiffel Tower and she landed behind him. She nearly tripped and he caught her by her upper arms.

"You really are a clumsy bug." Chat Bordeaux chuckled at her, as he steadied her.

"Why are we here?" Ladybug caught her breath.

Chat smirked at her. "I like to come here to think. Sometimes scream." He sat down on the edge and let his feet dangle below him, while he leaned back on his palms.

Ladybug looked over at him with a weirded out expression. "Scream?"

Chat blushed and hid in his hood more. "It helps." He shrugged feeling like an idiot for admitting that to her.

"No one looks over at you like you're insane?" Ladybug brought her knees to her chest.

"I mean… it doesn't really matter to me, what people think of me." Chat shrugged and peered up at the stars.

Ladybug worried her bottom lip and rested her chin on her folded arms. "He used to say that. That he didn't care what people thought about him. He ju-just did what he wanted. When he wanted. I guess that's what made him such a good distraction for akumas, yet it annoyed me to pieces." Tears began to well up in her eyes and she sniffed.

Chat smiled warmly over at her and suddenly yelled out at the sky, as if he was cursing something for existing.

Ladybug flinched and looked over at him with concerned blue eyes.

He smiled at her. "Try it. You'll feel better. I promise." He nudged her with his shoulder.

Ladybug sighed and took a deep breath, before letting out a loud scream. She felt everything that was bottled up inside of her ignite and explode with her voice. She let the tears fall from her eyes, as she slowly got quieter.

Chat worried his bottom lip, as he watched her shoulders shake. Her voice cracked into a sob, as she fell apart beside him.

"Your kitty meant a lot to you, didn't he?" Chat brought his knee to his chest and he rested his arm around it with a sigh. He looked over at her with saddened forest hued eyes.

Ladybug just nodded, as her body trembled. She couldn't speak.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug. I wish I could bring him back for you. I know how hard it must be to lose someone that you had for so long." Chat sighed and looked up at the stars. "I'm sure he misses you too."

Ladybug shook, as she cried harder at his words. She tried to take deep breaths, before she stood up. "I should go. Thank you Ch-Chat...B-Bor-"

"Bordeaux." Chat smiled up at her.

"Bordeaux." Ladybug nodded with a forced smile, before she flung her yo-yo out and took off back towards Alya's place.

Chat sighed and leaned back onto his palms again. He let tears fall from his eyes, as Adrien came through for a brief moment. Panic filled his chest and his breathing picked up. He clutched his chest, as it tightened up and he tried to control his anxiety. He didn't want to remember. Didn't want to think about it. He pushed Adrien back into the ring and cleared his throat, before leaping off of the tower and back to Master Fu's place.

Song I Wrote To:

Lost in Paradise by Amy Lee

Alone Together by Fall Out Boy