Chapter Six: Close to Her

Forming back into Chat Noir, Adrien made his way to Marinettes home. Luckily, he had been there several times before. He wanted to do this first. Before he followed Maria's warnings and checked the names of the missing people. Though, even as he grew close to her home, his heart began to race much faster than before. The bakery at the bottom of the house that was normally so busy in the mornings had been taped off by the police. The windows were shattered and the door was mangled. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and Chat took deep breaths to steady his heartbeat.

There were police stationed outside the home, but they were only there to make sure no one crossed the police line. So Chat didn't have much of a problem scaling the back of the house to get to the roof. He peeked over the edge to make sure the cops weren't aware of him and quickly climbed down to Marinettes balcony. He could hear his own heartbeat as it pounded in his chest, crouching down on the balcony, he could see drops of dried blood, already documented by the police by the looks of the evidence plaques beside them. His hands shook and he held his breath, staring down at the blood and shattered glass that was scattered around it.

Slowly and carefully, Chat slipped through the broken doors, just barely able to avoid cutting his face on the glass shards that remained attached to the door. Once inside, he stood silently in the middle of the room. If Ladybug was truly Marinette, he was more worried about her than ever. The blood on the balcony seemed to lead into the room, trailing all the way to her bedroom door and pooling at the entrance of the doorway. The large blood stain didn't look like enough to kill anyone, but Chat was quickly losing whatever reason her had left. Whatever happened to Ladybug after she left him in the alley, it wasn't good. Even if Marinette wasn't Ladybug, this scene was alarming.

"Marinette…" Adrien began under his breath, scanning the room as best he could, trying to ignore the nauseated feeling forming in his gut. Besides the blood, there were strange scratches against the ground, and he couldn't tell if they were defensive or not. The room had been ransacked, clothes, papers, and furniture were all scattered about. As he tried to steady his mind, Adrien took off his ring, returning Plagg to his Kwami form.

"This place is a mess!" Plagg exclaimed once he had returned. "Did they fight here?"

"Hopefully not…" Adrien replied absently, "…but you might be able to look in places I can't reach. So…I'll stay here…but can you go downstairs and check things out?"

"I'm on it!" Plagg answered with a salute before flying out of the room.

This was good. Adrien wasn't confident he could search the first floor without being seen by the police, but Plagg was so small, they wouldn't see him so easily.
Though he was trying hard to keep his imagination from running wild, his head was swimming. He was genuinely scared. Not only for the Ladybug he had come to love, but for his friend Marinette. Ladybug or not, she must have been hurt. Was she one of the murder victims?

Adrien was beginning to feel lightheaded and all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat. His mind was racing with terrible images and he didn't realize that he was backing up until something on the floor caught his heel, sending him falling to his back against the floor.

With a groan, he sat up and spotted the item he tripped over at his feet. It was a small pink diary with bloody finger prints smeared across the cover. He quickly reached over to snatch it up, but caught a glimpse of something else when he looked forward. He had been so absorbed in the horrible scene of blood and chaos, that he clearly hadn't noticed the decorated posters on her walls. A few posters from ads and magazine cut-outs of himself lined Marinettes wall. Surely these weren't here the last time he visited. Another large pit formed in his stomach. He had been so blind before. No matter how dense he knew he could be, there was no way to misread this, was there?

He held the small diary tightly in his hands as he stood up, staring intently at the posters on the wall. Marinettes face came to mind. He recalled every interaction with her and it only made him feel even worse. When he thought she was Ladybug, it was only then that Adrien began to truly take notice. Why did it take so much trouble for him to see what was right next to him all along? This girl, this honest, kind, clumsy, creative, and nervous young girl; she'd been right next to him the whole time. It was true that she acted differently when she was ladybug, but that was just one part of her, wasn't it? Just like Chat Noir was just another part of him as well. He cursed himself again and again. She was there the whole time and he was always looking past her, searching for a girl who was always just standing right in front of him. He was never mean to Marinette, they were friends after all, but he wondered now if his ignorance over her actions had ever hurt her.

There was too much going on. Too much to think about. Marinette, Ladybug, Maria and her murderous sister, the victims he still didn't know about. Even if he was trusted with a Miraculous, he felt overwhelmed and his confidence was steadily fading.

"What is that?" Plagg asked, chewing on some brie he found downstairs in the kitchen.

"H-huh?! What?" Adrien began, shaken only now from his overlapping thoughts. He looked down at the Kwami who had gestured at the diary in Adriens hand.
"Oh. …it's…a diary," answered Adrien distantly. "Did you find anything downstairs?"

"Not much different from up here. Everything is overturned and it looks like there was a struggle. Though, I'm sure whatever actual clues there were, the police must have taken them. Do you think these people were attacked by the same woman?"

"Well it can't be a coincidence…" replied Adrien as he held the diary in both hands now, staring down at the blood smeared cover. We can check the papers for more information."

Plagg couldn't help but notice how desponded his partner sounded. This must have been quite the shock to the boy. The Kwami floated up to settle on Adriens shoulder and placed his tiny hand against his friends' cheek.
"I'm sure they're okay," he began, in an attempt to reassure Adrien. "If Marinette is Ladybug, I'm sure she was able to get away and save everyone. She always does."

"…What if they were…the murder victims that were mentioned on the news? Maria said…to follow the victims trail…"

Plagg inhaled and floated in front of Adriens face, looking him in the eyes with an even stare.
"Adrien, I know this looks bad, but this isn't the time to get shaken. We have to keep going. Ladybug needs you. These people need you. Ladybug is strong and capable, but she needs her partner, Chat Noir. So you need to pull yourself together!"

Adrien listened to Plaggs words and though he was rather unnerved, Plagg was right. He had to push through his own fears. He had to keep hope alive. Ladybug was indeed, strong and capable. Wherever she was, she was surely safe. He had to believe that. Gripping the diary in his hands, he did his best to smile for Plagg.
"You're right. …go and get some more cheese if you can find it. We're going to need a lot of energy."

Plagg nodded his head and flew out of the room once more, leaving Adrien alone in the room again.
The young man took a few deep breaths and scanned the room quietly. The blood, the broken furniture, it was truly foreboding, but it didn't mean that there was no hope.

"Where would you go, Marinette…?" Adrien asked aloud in the empty room as he glanced down at the diary in his hands now.

As he waited in silence, he was startled suddenly when Marinettes computer turned on by itself. It had opened to a site where one could read the news. Adrien was hesitant to approach it at first, but quickly reminded himself how precious each moment was right now. He made his way to the computer and however strange it may have been that it turned on without help, Adrien didn't have the luxury to care. If he had been thinking straight, he would have searched the computer on his own. His worry for Ladybug was clouding his judgment and he knew that, but he couldn't help it. After losing his mother, he couldn't stand the thought of losing someone else he loved.

He tried to clear his mind of his panic while scanning the information on the computer.

Couple Murdered in Dead of Night and young girl goes missing.

Last night, the Paris police responded to the frantic calls of concerned citizens. When they responded to the calls, the police were surprised to find that a couple had been killed. Tom Dupain and his wife, Sabine Cheng, were found dead in their home after what appeared to be a botched burglary attempt. We have not yet been told just how they met their untimely end, but their daughter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is still missing. The police are offering a reward for any information regarding the young girls whereabouts.
The girl was last seen at her school by her classmates. Any information could help the police find the girl and would be of great help.

Adrien stared at the screen in horror. Marinette's parents had been killed. He had only met them a few times, but they seemed like such kind people. He felt sick to his stomach, but he continued on, reading the next news summary.

Another Murder shocks Paris

Just hours after the terrible murder of a local married couple, the Police responded to a panicked call from Marlena Cesaire, frantically begging for an ambulance. Her Daughter, Alya Cesaire, had been found in her bedroom, seemingly murdered while she slept the night before. Time of death has not yet been determined, but Police speculate that the murder was carried out just hours after the Dupain-Cheng couple had met their end. This is the third murder victim in Paris and the Police are asking anyone for information as the culprit is still unknown.

Adrien Agreste, Found Injured.

The popular young model, Adrien Agreste, was found this morning, gravely injured. He was quickly rushed to the hospital where he is currently recouping. When asked for comment, his father refused to speak to the press and his secretary asked the public for privacy in respect for the family. The police have not commented yet on whether or not this attack is connected with any of the murders currently upsetting the city, but they urge caution to the public and ask that anyone with information come forward.

Ladybug and Chat Noir, absent in wake of Paris Crisis

As Paris panics and citizens fear for their lives, the Heroes of our city have all but vanished. With three murdered and one injured, it appears our local saviors are nowhere to be found. The crime fighting team has often helped the Paris Police Force in their efforts to keep Paris safe, but as people are found murdered and hurt, they have not yet made an appearance. One can only wonder where and when the two will show up again, but social media buzzes with pleas for their return.

All these news summaries, they were from the same day. So much had happened while he was sleeping in the hospital. Marinette's parents and Ayla had been killed? The news didn't mention that Marinette was the connection between them. Surely, they didn't want the murderer to think they had any clues at all. The only relief he received from all of this, was that Marinette was only reported missing. She was still out there. Still, he honestly hoped she didn't know any of this. She was all alone. Her parents were gone now. He still had his father, but he knew what it felt like to lose a parent, but she had just lost both of them and her best friend all at once. At school, Marinette and Ayla were always together.

He recalled what Maria told him about her sister. That she hated Ladybug and blamed her for something. Was this her revenge? Though Adrien felt like throwing up, he took a few more deep breaths to try and regain a little composure. Things were getting worse with every moment that passed by, but if Ladybug was still out there fighting, he would do the same. They had to press on. Only once this was all over, they could properly grieve. At least then, he would be there for Marinette. She wouldn't be truly alone. He wasn't going to allow that.

Plagg came flying back into the room with an unsteady stack of cheese in his arms, "find anything?"

"Nothing good. …but yes. That woman seems to be after the people Marinette cares about. Anyone close to her," answered Adrien, turning away from the computer and taking the cheese from Plagg.
"You may have been right, we shouldn't have left the hospital, it may have been our only chance…"

"Chance? For what?"

"To get the jump on that woman. She's going after the people that Marinette cares about…so if I'm right, the woman will come for Adrien Agreste next. She'll come for me."

Plagg gasped lightly, "Maybe we can still get you back in time!"

Adrien shook his head, "No," he began evenly, "I have to remain missing, but maybe…we can get just one step ahead of her now. I have a plan, but we will have to hurry."

Plagg nodded his head at once and without another word, Adrien transformed back into Chat Noir. He gathered up the cheese for Plagg and the small pink diary before heading back for the roof to get his bag. If he could pull this off, maybe this could be over by tonight. He had to catch that woman. He had to put an end to all this before anyone else got hurt. Before Marinette's world was completely broken.

A/N: Sorry. I know this chapter update is a day late, but I got in very late last night and I completely passed out.

I'm sure some of you may hate me now. Especially since these murders were only mentioned in small News updates, but there will be more detail in the coming chapters. Still, Chat has a lead now and Ladybugs still out there. Though, Adrien thinks he can catch the mysterious murderer now. Keep your fingers crossed. Perhaps he will be successful.

Thank you for reading and I hope you will continue to follow and review.
I'll see you all in the next Update!