A.n.- Hey ya'll. Here's the next chapter. I'll be at Disney this weekend so I figured why not post early.

"You call yourself a model? Looks like you're just sanding there to me." Sandboy's eyes snapped to his balcony where Chat perched on the handrail.

"You have interfered for the last time." A sudden blast of sand shot towards him which Chat dodged easily.

"Something wrong Sandy? You seem tired, maybe you should sleep it off." He allowed the witty comment to roll off his tongue. Being able to spit off puns was potentially almost too much of a guilty pleasure for him, the ability to say whatever he wanted without being restricted by a list of do's and don'ts by his father. "Is that all you got? I don't know what I was so worried about," one day Chat knew his taunts would get him in trouble, but today couldn't be that day. Ladybug was out of commission, and he had no clue how to beat this guy. First, he had to lure him away from Mari. "If you want me, you gotta come get me sandpoke." He jumped from the balcony avoiding yet another blast and made his way towards the guest house in the back.

The location was picked more out of strategy than anything else. Not to mention, it would give Adrien peace of mind if he could lure Sandboy further away but here he had home field advantage. After he slipped away from his conversation with Marinette that morning in the gazebo, he went to work gathering the supplies he would need to lay his trap.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty, it's time for your cat nap." Adrien hid behind some crates stacked to the ceiling.

"That wasn't original at all, I'm disappointed in you." Good thing he learned how to throw his voice a year ago. Otherwise, he would have given away his position. His throat constricted as he watched some boxes get demolished.

"What's stopping me from filling this whole room and having you suffocate slowly?"

"If that's your idea of romance, I'm questioning why she ever picked you in the first place, to each their own. Who am I to judge?" He used his staff and tripped him from behind. It seemed like the angrier he got, the worse his accuracy got. Bingo. "How you managed to woo her, I'm curious."

"She loves me," he growled. It only a split second, but he saw it, he was getting slower with throwing punches and labored breaths. He had to jump into action quickly.

"She loves all of Paris, not the best reason to start a marriage if you ask me. If it were, I would have married her a long time ago." He leaned in and took a running start, he used the force to slam his body shoving Sandboy just enough to hit the bookshelf containing numerous containers of tar that he had set up. In efforts to stabilize himself he grabbed the only thing he could, the bookcase trapped him to the floor and the tar pooled beneath him oozing through every sand grain it came in contact with.

"Looks like you're tarred up. Now if you excuse me, I have a bride to see about a wedding; seems like she's marrying the wrong man." Chat smirked watching as Sandboy jerked up to find the bookcase only sunk him further into the tar. Maybe his last jab took it too far, but the thought of anyone using Adrien Agreste to trick his lady caused his blood burn.

Marinette.

He needed to check on her, after all, she thought she was marrying the man of her dreams (a thought he didn't linger on too long just enough to stroke his ego). Maybe this time he would convince her to get as far away from this place as they could. Only then would they be able to figure out how to be free of this dream.

"What is this place?" Nino couldn't help the comment as it tumbled from his mouth. When the Kwami dude led him through alleyways until they reach a door, for a second Nino thought he might die. The second he walked in all of his anxiety stripped away like he took off a coat. The smell spices and herbs greeted his senses full force, but he welcomed it as peace flooded his system. He didn't know how to describe it, he felt safe.

"Nino, I've been expecting you." The man's voice caught him by surprise. Despite the greeting, the man didn't turn from his workstation.

"No offense Dude, but who are you?" He took a step forward, but the turtle flew into his face sporting a grin.

"This is Master Fu, he's the guardian of the miraculous."

"Miraculous?" He parroted softly, the information soaking in. His gaze turned until he saw the bodies lying on the table. "Are they?" Nino couldn't even voice the thought for fear it might be true. What would Paris do if their beloved superheroes were dead? Hawkmoth would have control and-

His thought process halted when Ladybug started thrashing around, and an echo of no's chorused her lips. Nino's body tensed as he looked on in terror. Master Fu rushed to her side with a cold cloth and began to dab her forehead gently. Ladybug's movement subsided despite how shallow and uneven her breaths became.

"They are in trouble and need your help."

"My help?" He couldn't have heard correctly. Fighting an Akuma once with the two at his side, but right now they looked indisposed which meant he was fighting alone. "I think you have the wrong guy."

"We are running out of time. What was going on in your dream?"

"What does that have to do with anything."

"It's everything." Master Fu pushed. "What happened?"

"Well I arrived at Adrien's house with Alya for Marinette's wedding, but something with Adrien was off. I thought I was paranoid, but it only grew. Then I-" he paused as the memory flashed before him. "Marinette and Alya are in trouble, it's not Adrien."

"There will be time to help Marinette. Did she seem distant or give any signs that she knew it wasn't Adrien?"

"I-I don't know. It went by so fast, and I only saw her for a second."

"There's hope yet, but for you to help your friends. If you help me and follow my instructions exactly."

Marinette barely was able to grasp her best friend's hand with the amount of shaking and yet, she couldn't will her feet to move out of danger. This couldn't be happening, Adrien couldn't be the monster she witnessed. The guy she was in love with emulated kindness and goodness, not whatever stone hearted act she witnessed.

"You call yourself a model? Looks like you're just sanding there to me." Even though she couldn't see inside the room, the insult belonged to Chat. And a series of emotions flooded her system.

First, relief, if he was here, it meant he would do everything to protect them. She hadn't been sure if he would come back given their fight the previous night. It was one thing to need shelter from the outside, another to be willing to talk again, let alone go to battle.

Then Plagg's words echoed through her mind with the second wave of emotion, worry. He tacked on another battle where he fought without her putting his life in danger once again. Even if Tikki were in 100% health, she doubted that she could escape or even fight properly with her head spinning. If she went now, she might be putting him in more danger.

Alya managed to move first and dragged her back to the bridal suite and locked the door swiftly.

"What just happened?" Alya had found her voice first, shaky, but still breathed undertones of strength.

"I don't know," Marinette replied still at a loss for words. She couldn't even begin to describe what they saw.

"Marinette!" Alya called for answers a second-time urgency dripping.

"I said I don't know!" She hushed whispered not to draw attention. Her head pounded, and her legs caved causing her to collide to the bed. Was Nino dead? It would be easier if she didn't she wiped the whole encounter from her mind, but it wasn't that easy. His screams filled the house and would haunt her nightmares for months to come.

The only thing that brought her out of her mind was Alya throwing a suitcase on the bed next to her. "What are you doing?" She stuttered bewildered at her actions.

"We can't stay here. It's not safe."

"But"-

"No buts! Did you not see what he did to Nino?" She couldn't imagine a situation where Adrien would hurt her, but then again, Nino was his best friend.

"Where would we even go?" She had no contacts outside the city, and if he were as dangerous as he appeared, then she wouldn't want to put anyone she loved in harm's way.

"We can figure it out after we leave, but we need to get out of here as soon as possible before"- A sudden knock on the door struck the wind out of her lungs to the point where she needed to gasp to regain oxygen. The two girls looked to each other for cues of how to proceed, but Marinette took a couple steps towards the door.

"Who is it?" Her voice wavered in fear, who can blame her after what she saw?

"It's me, Princess," Marinette never felt relief flood her system faster as she jerked open the door and pulled him inside. Her arms immediately wrapped her arms around his torso and breathed in his scent. Nothing could go wrong, he was here. Her lips kept mumbling an apology again and again, but that it made her feel any better.

"You don't have to apologize." He murmured back into her ear. It didn't take much for him to melt into the embrace and hold her tighter. His Lady, Marinette, needed him and he was too eager to oblige. "I'm here, everything will be ok," He cooed.

Marinette pushed against him abruptly the color draining from her face. He must not know-
"Chat," even saying his name brought forth the courage she needed. "You were right about Adrien. He's under Hawkmoth's control and- something happened to Nino!" Normally her Ladybug instincts would have kicked into overdrive by now, her world landed on its head not even 20 minutes ago.

"Bugaboo," the second he said her nickname her eyes snapped to his green ones.

"Breathe." She followed orders even though her head raced a mile a minute. He knew. With no shred of spandex appeared on her body, but somehow, he knew.

"Alya?" Marinette tore away from his touch to face her best friend. "Could you give us a moment?" As much as Marinette wanted to keep her here, there were conversations that she wasn't privileged to yet.

"But what if Adrien returns?" Alya objected. Marinette had to see her point, they were weaker apart, but before she could reply, Chat stepped in.

"I wouldn't worry about him," he cleared his throat. "I made sure he was tied up. I think I bought us at least 20 minutes."

Alya nodded but stopped short of the doorway. "If you hear my screams, I expect you to be at my room in no less than 30 seconds."

"Chat's honor," he crossed his heart. The promise was enough to ease her through the door towards her room. When he turned he was instantly captivated by the searching blue-bell eyes he had fallen in love with.

"How long?" Her question caused his heart to drum inside his chest. In reality, he had the knowledge for all of a day, but it felt like he had known for subconsciously for years.

"A day," the whisper barely made a dent in the tense room.

"How?" He closed his eyes and braces himself because she wouldn't like his answer.

"When you shoved me into the closet I gained suspicions when I saw Tikki. But you confirmed it when you said that I was jealous of you and Adrien." If he was truly honest that whole night was a blur, but his answer lined up enough in the truth for it not to matter.
He closed his eyes and let out an exhale of his own, it didn't feel right holding back from her. "But you also confessed your secret to me this morning."

"Chat, what are you"- No time to be a coward, he reminded himself.

"Claws in."

Marinette was sure that all the air got sucked out of her lungs watching the green light engulf his body. The only thing keeping her standing had to be the softness in his eyes. It had to be him, out of everyone in Paris, her partner was Adrien Agreste.

Adrien, the selfless, kind, caring man that sat in front of her every day at school. The guy who had launched hundreds of ads campaigns with grace and composure, but despite the fame he was given, he still valued his friends and family more. Adrien only got more impressive when she thought about his actions both in battle. He laid down his life for her so many times without a second's hesitation. He was so far out of her league even with the cat puns in consideration.

"Milady?" His voice cut through her thoughts. "I know I wasn't the person you pictured behind the mask, and I understand. I wouldn't have been who I picked-" Marinette closed the gap between them grasping either side of his face and crashed her lips on his. He froze mostly out of shock but then melted into her touch. Her hands inched up into his blonde locks and tugged earning a grunt. When the need for oxygen became more of a need than continuing Marinette pulled back.

"I wouldn't have any other person be my partner," she whispered. This whole time she had made the excuse that she was going to marry Adrien- "Wait, if your Adrien, then how?" Her voice faded out not sure how else to ask the question.

"He's an imposter." It made more sense than she was going insane. What other explanation was there to the vast difference in reaction to the same man. "While he's gone I need to as far from here as possible." Marinette's eyes glanced over to the open suitcase and clothes sprawled over her bed. A pit in her stomach twisted, everyone wanted her to run away, but Ladybug wouldn't. Even if she was scared out of her mind, standing her ground was her only option.
"No." Her answer hung in the air. Hawkmoth couldn't be allowed to win. "I'm staying, I'm not letting you fight this battle alone."

"But what about Tikki-if she's not fit for fighting-" he was shushed instantly when her hand cupped his face.

"Then I guess we'll figure it out together. We talk with Tikki and Plagg and see what our options are, but you need to trust me." Adrien guided her hand down to leave a ghost of a kiss in the inside of her palm.

"I do."

"Marinette, I have everything we need-get away from her!" Alya's voice rang out through the room. The two froze in their intimate moment, and Adrien's face drained as he realized exactly who she thought he was. "What did you do with Chat Noir?" Venom laced with her voice and for a moment Adrien was convinced that she scared him more than Hawkmoth himself.

Thankfully, Marinette stepped in for him. "Alya, it's ok. He's on our side." Despite her best efforts, her best friend didn't seem convinced. New plan, catch Alya up to speed, create a plan, defeat Sandboy.

Marinette tucked her legs under her while her wedding dress took up the rest of the bench. How she managed to convince Chat that she could do this part of the plan alone was beyond her, but she could still feel his presence near in case she needed him.
Adrien. The whole time it had been Adrien. He had been there flirting, cracking jokes, and risking his life for her on a daily basis. Anger rose throughout her chest, but not towards him, but rather at herself. The only reason Chat dove head first into dangerous situations was because she let him.

Because he loves you, her mind added.

She always knew that he loved her, she wished she realized how much sooner, it would have saved them both heartaches. Maybe that's their luck came into play, they tiptoed around each other for years, but in the end, they would always have each other. Even though time was wasted, they would have enough because when she was around him time slowed to compensate.

"What are you doing here, my love? The wedding is about to start." Her gaze flickered up until they met a pair of green eyes. Her body tended out of gut instinct, the knowledge that someone used Adrien's image to trick her caused her blood to boil. She may have fallen for the warm green eyes in the past, but no more. "Is something wrong?" He reached out, and his fingertips brushed the edges of her arm; nothing, she felt nothing.

"I can't marry you." She forced herself to match his gaze.

"But sweetie, it's our wedding day. Don't you remember, you wanted to stay with me forever? Come on," his hand sought hers, but she jerked it away before he formed his grip.

"I don't love you." The words stifled the air between the two and Adrien's eyes widened. "I love someone else. He goes by the name Chat Noir, he is the kindest, most self-sacrificing, loving partner I know and more of a man than you will ever be." Marinette stood up allowing the anger to flow through her, "I see right through your game, and I will never love you." She slammed her heel to the ground with the last word, and the ground began to shake.

"What have you done?" Adrien stumbled a couple steps, and his appearance started to shift. Gone was the perfect copycat of Adrien Agreste, instead now fused with another face; Marinette could only guess it had to be the victim of the Akuma attack. His features hardened as he narrowed his focus. "Fine," he sneered. "If I can't have you, no one can. I'll find that cat and skin it alive."

Marinette's ticked up into a smirk, undaunted. She knew this was coming, she couldn't back down or let fear invade her. "Over my dead body. Tikki, spots on."

A.N.- I hate to leave it there, but next chapter is the last chapter! Can't believe it's already here. For those invested in A Moment in Time, I'm working on it. Like 3.6 k left to write because the chapter decided to be super long. Sometime early next week, I promise.