"NO! ADRIEN!" I scream. I reach up for his hand, and it slips past mine. He's too far away to reach. "NO! ADRIEN!" I scream louder.

"It's just an illusion, Marinette" Cat Noir says as he pulls me up into an open spot in the tower.

"No" I sob.

"Marinette - " Cat Noir starts, but I cut him off. He puts an arm around my waist from behind me as he pulls me up.

"Let me go! You can still save him! Save him" I beg him.

"It's not real" he denies. I refuse to believe him. It seemed so real. I can't bear it. I look down and close my eyes.

"...A - Adrien..." I sob more. Tears start to fall out of my eyes and down the Eiffel Tower. Cat Noir pulls me up more, and I sit on my knees. Looking down, I put my hands on my face and start silently crying, even more, sobbing even more. "Adrien" I repeat. I feel Cat Noir's hand on my shoulder.

"Marinette?" But I don't let him finish. I slap his hand away from me and sit with my legs held up against my chest.

"Why didn't you save him?" I scream, accusing him. "You should've saved him... Not me" I want my life to end. To bring Adrien back. Why couldn't Cat Noir save Adrien instead of me? I don't understand why I'm more important to him than Adrien. "Adrien... I'm so sorry" I sob again. I feel Cat Noir's hands on me again.

"Marinette? Look at me. Please," he begs. I slap his hand again.

"Leave me alone, Cat Noir" I turn away from him.

"Marinette, listen," says murmurs. I feel his hand on my chin. "I know that wasn't the real Adrien..." he pauses, and I hear a soft 'WHOOSH!'. "Because I'm right here..." he lifts my chin, and I feel his smooth skin. "Hi, Marinette" I feel a shock run through me as I see Adrien right in front of me. This isn't real. I know it. I can feel it. "Surprise?" he rubs the back of his neck, and I feel my tears rush to his hand. I grab his wrist and push him away.

"STOP!" I yell and then I make my voice quieter but still a quiet shout "Go away! I'm sick of illusions" I turn away from his shocked face and close my eyes. I feel more tears rush down my face like waterfalls. My knees are drenched in them, but I take no notice as I screw up my face to let them fall more quickly.

"But, Marinette. I'm not an illusion" he denies "Please, open your eyes... It's ok, I promise..." I can't bring myself to do it. I need help, but I can't help but feel like he is an illusion. I feel his hand on my back, and I slowly open my eyes. "Now, I know you're scared, but please, look down..." he instructs me. As much as I don't want to, I look down the Eiffel Tower. "Do you see Adrien down there?" he asks softly.

"N - no" I answer back. I'm still sorrowful, and the tears just keep coming.

"That's because it was a fake" he explains "But me..." he grabs my hand and places it against his chest. "I'm the real deal... See?" I feel his heart pumping softly in his chest, and I instantly feel stupid for my decisions. "Would I lie to you, Bugaboo?" he asks teasingly and smiles. Feeling stupid and dumb, I fling myself at him and fold my arms around his neck. I feel him squeeze me tightly in return. He then pushes me away gently. "Well! Now that we've cleared that up, I'll be right back. I've got a bug to catch..." he winks "And some earrings to retrieve" he brushes my cheek and a tear away. "Stay here, M'lady" he kisses the top of my head. "Plagg claws out" he transforms and jumps away. I feel my face getting hotter and redder by the minute. I think of how he saved me all those times to different akumatized villains like Timebreaker and Dark Cupid. I think of how he fell out of the freezer when Lady Wi-Fi locked him in there and how I held him on my lap, worried about him. I think of how he made that smile when I told him we couldn't stay stuck in the bubble together forever and how he saved me from the time bubbles. I think of how I saved him from the lightning hitting him and him landing on top of me. I think of how he leaned in closer to me when I suggested a different way of getting us out of the cube cage. And then I think of something I would never think of us doing. Something that he would never volunteer to do unless he knew I was Ladybug. I think of that time when he sacrificed himself to Dark Cupid, and I had to kiss him to save him. If I had have known then that he is Adrien, I bet the kiss would've been longer. I'm shocked to the point where I collapse onto my back and stay there. Cat Noir comes back and gives me my earrings.

"Tikki spots on" I yell, and I transform. Because I know how much of a pain Fantasy Vision can be, I decide to use my Lucky Charm just in case. "Lucky Charm" I yell, and I throw my yo-yo up in the air. A small mirror falls from the sky, and I catch it. "A mirror? What am I supposed to do with this?" I ask myself.

"We'll find out, " Cat Noir says, putting a hand on my shoulder. I know, and we jump up to the top of the tower.

A few moments later...

I shine the mirror in between the sun and Fantasy Vision. It blinds her, and I take her pin. It looks like some flower. Maybe there's a different group of Miraculous? Or maybe it's just something Hawkmoth or Lavender decided to make up. I crush it beneath my foot, and an Akuma flies out.

"Time to de-civilize" I yell as I spin my yo-yo. I catch the Akuma in my yo-yo as if it was a butterfly net. "Gotcha!" I stand up straight and tap the top of my yo-yo. It opens up and lets the butterfly out. "Bye, bye, little butterfly" a white butterfly flies out. "Miraculous Ladybug" I yell as I throw the mirror up in the air. Ladybugs fly around everywhere and clean up the damage, including fixing the lavender pin. They disappear, and I look over at Cat Noir.

"Pound it," we both say at the same time as we fist bump. I help Lavender up.

"I'm sorry you got Akuma apologize for what I couldn't stop."

"Oh nevermind," she says disgusted "Chloè was right... We'll never be friends" Chloè? Why was she listening to Chloè? Before I could ask, she runs off. I hang my head.

"Well... you wanna talk somewhere?" Cat Noir asks. I nod. We go to my house and sit on the balcony. I change back to Marinette and he changes back to Adrien after me.

"What a day, huh? Definitely not how I would imagine it would go... Right, Marinette?" he asks my opinion. I keep quiet, still unable to get rid of the guilt I feel deep inside me. I could only hope it's not going to be permanent. "Hey... A - are you disappointed it was me?" I look at him and his face looks sad. How could he think that way? Who doesn't like him? But then again... Who would've thought that Cat Noir was Adrien? They just seem so different. I suddenly feel shocked by his words.

"Really? Disappointed? Why would I be disappointed? It just turns out that my partner, all this time, was this incredible nice, smart, handsome boy who I had the biggest crush on at school and is just so perfect and god now I'm rambling" I say really quickly. I don't even think about what comes out of my mouth until after I say it. Immediately after I say this, I wish I had've thought about my words more carefully. I feel really embarrassed and stupid and clumsy, like I always am. "And me? I just... I messed up so bad. I caused an akuma. I gave up my Miraculous. I nearly got myself killed" I blame myself "Under the mask, I'm just this rash, careless, clumsy girl..." I hang my head "I'm probably not the Ladybug you expected"

"Hmm," Adrien says thoughtfully. "Brave? Check. Witty? Check. Amazing? Check. Righteous? Check. Selfless? Check. Beautiful? Oh boy, check. Talented? Check. Kind? Check,"

"What are you doing?" I ask curiously because I am really curious to know what he's doing.

"Curious? Check," he winks "Adorable freckles? Definitely, check. I'm describing Ladybug, using the exact same words I would use to describe you, Marinette. Because you see..." he puts one hand on my shoulder and one lightly under my chin. "With or without that mask, it's just the same person underneath. It's this incredibly kind hearted, beautiful, smart girl. Whether she wears a red suit or a white, flower-printed shirt," He rubs the back of his neck, still with one hand on my shoulder. "And well, I'm just here wondering if she also likes the boy in the black leather get up with the cat puns..."

"Adrien..." I smile at him. Suddenly, Tikki appears out of nowhere.

"Well, of course, she does," Tikki says a-matter-of-factly "She has your face plastered all over her bedroom walls"

"Tikki," I yell at her "You don't just go and say things like that" she giggles and I immediately feel embarrassed. "Yeah, uh, about that um... there's some magazine clippings but... that - that's - " Adrien starts laughing and I feel hurt by the way he laughs.

"No, no, no! I'm not laughing at you, Marinette," he apologizes "It's just... here" he pulls me in towards him. "I'll tell you a little secret, okay?" I nod. "I have ladybug action figures" he whispers

"You mean dolls?" I hear someone else whisper. Before I can ask, Adrien's answering the voice.

"No, action figures. There's a difference. Shut up, Plagg," he whispers and a snicker comes from nowhere, but I ignore it.

"What? Really?" I say excitedly.

"Yep," he assures me "Including, the very rare, limited edition articulated one with the spinning LED yo-yo"

"What? No way. I don't think even Chloè or Alya have that one," I giggle. I hear him say something, but I couldn't make it out because he's so quiet. He puts his hand on top of mine.

"Marinette," he says softly "I'm glad it was you" he smiles at me and I smile back. My heart is thumping in my chest. I have no idea what's going to happen next, but he pulls me forward and wraps my arms around him. He presses his lips against mine and kisses me. I kiss him back, hoping he can't hear my heart trying to force its way out of my chest.