Hi everyone and welcome back! I hope you've all been having a lovely week. It's a perfect, beautiful rainy day to be writing a chapter for this story. Once again thank you so much for the awesome reviews. They really help me out. Also thank you to everyone who has followed this story or added it to their favourites. I really appreciate all of your support.

Chapter 10: Unhinged Desires

The cool night breeze blew gently through Chat Noir's hair as he stared up at the large full moon above him. The city of Paris was laid out before him, quiet and deserted with nothing but a few lights from buildings to illuminate the city in a dull, yellow glow. The Eiffel Tower's sparkle was just about visible near the horizon as he remained perched on a tall building, Notre Dame's silhouette standing tall just to his left. The river Seine flowed as black as night below.

Despite the eerie darkness and silence, Chat Noir felt content, so much so that he leaned back, resting against his hands, enjoying the presence of his lady beside him. Ladybug said nothing, maintaining the silence of the night as she stared up at the moon.

Chat Noir couldn't resist turning to look at her. His eyes scanned every inch of her perfect body, always unable to keep his eyes away from her for extended periods of time. It was like Ladybug was his sun. Too dangerous to look at, but too powerful and bright to resist. Now that he was looking at her, there was no looking away. Once again he had fallen victim to her strong gravitational pull, for he was a mere humble planet. A dull rock, forever circling her and basking in her light and warmth. Depending on her for life. She was his everything. She was what brought his world to life.

Unable to resist her pull, he shuffled slightly closer towards her to a point where their shoulders were touching. A pleasant shiver travelled from Chat's shoulder to his brain and to his heart, making it beat faster in his chest. He continued to watch her looking at the moon. A small smile teased her features, her eyes closing, and her cheeks turned pink as she sensed him staring at her.

Chat didn't care that he had been caught though. His eyes continued to drink in every inch of her being, yearning to reach out and touch her. Clenching his hands into fists under his weight, Chat Noir forced off the urge, terrified of scaring her away. Ladybug wasn't exactly the best when it came to emotions and demonstrations of affections.

"What are you thinking of?" Chat asked softly, sensing the gears turning in her head.

Ladybug sighed. "Just how I don't want this night to end. It's so beautiful out tonight."

"Yes it is." Chat smiled at her, still not taking his eyes off her.

Ladybug giggled. "You're not even paying attention to the night."

"Why would I want to when you're sat there?"

A delicate blush coated Ladybug's cheeks as she bit her lip and continued to look away. Chat Noir didn't like that. He wanted to see her beautiful blue eyes. He longed for them to look at him the way she looked at him. Desiring nothing more, Chat reached out and gently cupped one of her cheeks with his hand, slowly bring her face around to look at him.

Ladybug relented, still biting her lip, which had Chat craving to know what her lips tasted like. Did she taste just as sweet as she smelled? Chat needed to know. His whole body and ached and longed for her.

Ladybug's blue eyes twinkled slightly in the moonlight, her facial expression giving very little away as always. In that moment, Chat Noir wished he was Adrien, so he could feel her soft skin beneath his bare hand.

Ladybug licked her lips slightly, bringing his attention back down to them. His burning desire could not be controlled any longer. Completely losing control, Chat Noir found himself slowly leaning down towards her as if his body was on autopilot; he was a slave to his instincts. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to just lean in. He was slightly spurred on by the fact that Ladybug did not lean away. She remained frozen and unmoving next to him. Her eyes fluttered slightly, and a slight dent formed between her eyes in uncertainty.

Still, Chat Noir leaned closer, their lips tantalisingly close as he became completely engulfed in her intoxicating scent.

Whatever ounce of control Chat Noir had left became lost as he drowned in her sweet scent. With one last gasp, he closed the last inch of teasing distance between them, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was slow and unsure first as Chat Noir tested her. Ladybug responded to the kiss gently and innocently at first, seemingly unsure of what to do. Chat took the lead, moving his lips slowly against hers before reluctantly pulling away, licking his lips in the hopes of a taste. Ladybug did indeed seem to taste as good as she smelled, and it had Chat Noir instantly craving more and more and more. He wanted it all, for always and forever.

Surprisingly, and much to his internal delight, Ladybug seemed to automatically lean forward, silently begging him for more. Chat Noir was more than happy to oblige. With a wild urgency, Chat Noir pressed his lips against Ladybug's once again, this time more confidently and fiercely. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, pinning her body against his. A shiver went down his spine as Ladybug's fingers entangled themselves in his messy blond hair. Their lips moulded perfectly together, and soon, Chat Noir couldn't resist tracing his tongue along them, desperate to taste her some more.

Ladybug whimpered at his actions, and Chat Noir was worried he had gone too far when Ladybug slowly opened her mouth slightly, deepening the kiss and allowing him to explore some more. Kissing Ladybug was better than anything Chat Noir had ever imagined. He explored her mouth hungrily, their tongues blissfully dancing together, unable to get enough of each other.

Much too soon, they needed to break apart for air. They both pulled apart, maintaining only a few inches between them, making sure they weren't kept apart for too long as they panted, their chests brushing each other's as they did so.

Once they had enough air, their lips desperately clashed again and they were free to passionately explore each other's mouths again. Chat Noir moved one hand up to grip her hair, pushing her face even more against his own as he desperately tried to taste every inch of her. She was a drug that he just couldn't get enough of, longing for the high that the smell of her, the taste of her, the feel of her brought him.

Ladybug pulled back, gasping for air, but Chat Noir refused to be parted from her. He trailed kisses down from her lips down to her neck before nibbling and suckling at her delectable skin. He knew it would leave marks, but he didn't care. Chat wanted the world to know. Wanted Ladybug to proudly sport the marks he had given her, proclaiming to the whole world that she was his and he was hers. At this new sensation, Ladybug's back arch slightly and she gasped.

"Chat…" she moaned breathlessly while trembling beneath him.

Chat Noir moved from her neck and back to her lips. Time seemed to stand still. He wasn't sure how long they had been in passionate embrace with each other. Minutes. Hours. Days. He didn't care though. Chat Noir could spend an eternity like this, exploring his lady's body, tasting and worshiping every inch of her. He slowly moved his hand down, tracing every inch of her hourglass waist.

But then something made him stop.

Despite his leather suit he could just about feel something warm staining his hands as he traced her body.

Startled, he broke away from the kiss and glanced down at his hand. Red liquid dripped between his fingers, the little droplets staining the roof beneath them.

Blood.

Where had it come from? Panicked, Chat looked back at his lady's waist. Her suit was torn and covered in blood. Shards of glass protruded from her skin, piercing her skin like sharp blades. Blood poured from these wounds, but that wasn't the only thing that had Chat Noir gasping in horror. Patches of Ladybug's skin appeared to be missing as if someone had attempted to skin her alive. Red muscle was exposed and bleeding out onto the roof and onto his suit, drenching him in hot, red blood. Her skin was gruesomely blistered, the yellow blotches standing out in nothing but an ocean of crimson blood.

His heart leaping into his mouth, and deep feeling of terror forming in his gut, Chat Noir looked up to his lady's face, scared and horrified over what was going on. Marinette's bright blue eyes stared back at him, a grimace visible on her face, twisting from one emotion to the next in a concoction of anger, disgust and pain. Chat Noir stared at her, his eyes wide in horror as Marinette leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"You did this to me," she whispered as the bells of Notre Dame chimed.

"Adrien, wake up!"

"GAH!" Adrien cried out as he was startled awake, sitting bolt upright in the chair he had fallen asleep on.

The living room of the Agreste mansion was dark around him, all of the curtains drawn to keep the outside world away from him. Plagg hovered over him, glaring at him before he began floating slowly away.

"Someone's at the door," Plagg explained flatly before zooming off, likely to hide with a stash of cheese.

As his kwami disappeared, the doorbell rang again, this time slightly more aggressively. Adrien frowned, wondering if he should just ignore it and hope that they would go away. He laid back down, allowing his eyes to flutter closed again, feeling completely and utterly exhausted. He reached into his jean pocket and clung onto Ladybug's ribbon, tears burning in his eyes as memories of his dream came flooding back to him.

It had just been a dream.

Ladybug wasn't alive. She wasn't kissing him. She had never loved him like that. She hadn't been given a chance to develop those feelings. And it was all thanks to him. Adrien moaned in pain at that thought. He would never get to feel those sweet lips against his own now. He would never feel her touch again. Now all that he had left was the never ending pain.

The doorbell rang again. Clearly this person wasn't going to give up. With a huff, Adrien reluctantly got to his feet before stumbling as a dizzying sensation overcame him. His vision turned red, and purple veins were visible in the corners of his eyes. Adrien groaned and closed his eyes before opening them again. The sensation finally disappeared, and his vision went back to normal.

That was weird.

However, Adrien thought little of it as he trudged his way to the security system. The doorbell rang loudly again causing Adrien to growl. Why couldn't people just leave him alone?!

Switching on the outside camera, Adrien sighed when he realised it was only Nino. His best friend looked pretty desperate to see him, jumping around outside, trying to get a better look over the fence. Adrien stared at the microphone next to him, debating for a few seconds before he reluctantly switched it on.

"What do you want, Nino?" Adrien asked miserably.

"Ah, Adrien, I knew you were in there, dude. I came by this morning, but you didn't answer," Nino explained quickly.

"I was asleep," Adrien lied, Marinette's face beginning to intoxicate his mind once again.

Adrien twitched at the thought of her, the unhinged desires within him begging him to just transform now and go and see her. Every second he was away from her was torturous agony, not knowing whether she was safe or not. She had told him to go away, and like a fool, he had listened to her command. It was like he completely lacked free will whenever he was around her, losing what was left of his mind, desperate to keep her safe.

He had no idea what he had been thinking when he tried to steal her away. Being away from her allowed him to clear his head slightly. In that moment, it was like he was looking at Ladybug again, and that time, he was determined to keep her safe and make sure nothing happened to her. Where he would have taken her, he didn't know. He just knew that he had to get away with her. To be by her side. Being around her made him feel both better and worse at the same time. She unlocked something within him. Something that had long been stashed away and forgotten about.

"Dude…?" Nino's voice rescued Adrien from the depths of his own mind.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said, can I come in, man? I've got some important news," Nino practically begged.

Adrien sighed before opening the gates. He watched on the screen as Nino practically ran towards the front door. Adrien made sure the gates closed behind his friend before heaving himself up and heading towards the front door. He opened it, allowing a now nervous looking Nino inside. Adrien watched as Nino looked around the mansion, concern on his features, before he nervously looked at Adrien.

"Hey, Adrien, are you okay?" Nino asked slowly.

Adrien felt himself twitching again slightly as his mind once again became distracted by thoughts of Marinette. Was she safe? Had she been released from the hospital yet? Were her parents looking after her properly? Had she gotten his little note?

At that thought, Adrien's eyes became drawn towards the ink pen on the cabinet next to the main entrance. The pen he had snapped in half after writing that one word on the piece of paper. He had meant that word. He was sorry that for some reason, Marinette had become an obsession of his lately. He wasn't sure why. But no matter how sorry he was over the whole thing, especially since him stalking her that day had led to her getting injured, he knew he would never be able to stop.

Adrien had little to no energy left to fight the madness within him. He was gripping onto that ledge only by one finger now. Soon it would be too late. Adrien would be gone. At least at the moment he had some semblance of control. But that wouldn't last much longer. What did he want with Marinette? Adrien wasn't sure. He just knew that his instincts and subconscious were crying out for her. He had to be near her.

"Adrien!" Nino snapped a finger in front of Adrien's face, looking more and more panicked.

Adrien shook his head. "Sorry, what were we talking about?"

"I asked if you were okay?" Nino repeated, narrowing his eyes as he examined his best friend's pale face.

"I'm fine," Adrien lied again.

He knew he looked like a wreck, and he knew he wasn't fooling anyone. No longer did he make any effort with his appearance like his father had forced him to do all his life. He just wore simple clothes that felt comfortable. He also only ate when Plagg finally decided to force feed him, so Adrien knew he must have lost an unhealthy amount of weight over the years. In fact, he wasn't even sure when the last time he showered was. Usually he only did it when Plagg or Nino made a complaint.

The days were such a blur. Every day he would just lay in bed or lounge around on the couch, nothing in the world interested him any longer. It was like he was surrounded by a thick mist that permanently shrouded his world in darkness. Ladybug had been his sun, and she was no longer there to illuminate his world and provide warmth. He had lost the ability to support life.

But with Marinette…he could almost feel some of that warmth again. Adrien was now a rogue planet, starting to feel the gravitational pull of a new sun: Marinette. She was slowly breathing some semblance of life back into him. Maybe that was why he was so desperate to protect her. He had already lost one sun, Adrien certainly wasn't going to allow himself to lose another.

But what did he feel for Marinette? A dangerous obsession was the obvious answer. But she was just a friend and always had been. He had never really looked twice at her. She was just a quiet, shy girl who used to sit behind him in class. Adrien almost felt guilty. Obsessing over this girl for seemingly no reason. He felt like he was betraying…

Squinting his eyes shut to force the tears back, Adrien turned away from Nino. He opened his eyes again, staring at the large mirror in the main hall of the mansion before his eyes widened in horror. Standing behind him in the mirror, was the reflection of Ladybug. She stared at Adrien through the reflection, her eyes angry and betrayed as she watched him, as if she had read his thoughts.

Screaming, Adrien twisted back around to see nothing but the terrified face of Nino. No sign of Ladybug. Adrien stopped screaming, gasping for air instead as he turned back to look in the mirror, sweat dripping down his forehead as he reached into his pocket to cling to the ribbon again.

Ladybug was gone.

"Ummm…" Nino squeaked, "that didn't look or sound okay to me, Adrien."

"I –" Adrien gasped, his eyes still wide as he looked around the room for any sign of Ladybug. "I just thought I saw something."

"Right," Nino replied, sounding slightly spooked as he looked at Adrien as if he had suddenly grown an extra head. "Maybe it's best if you sit down. You look a little ill today."

"Yeah…sit." Adrien continued to look around the room, though he tried to be more subtle about it this time, afraid that Nino would start asking questions.

Trying to keep as calm as possible while he internally screamed, Adrien followed Nino back into the living room, both of them collapsing onto the couch.

Nino gave Adrien one last wary look before he cleared his throat to speak. "Did you hear about Chat Noir yesterday?"

"No, what?" Adrien lied, trying to look as innocent as possible while his hands twitched in his lap. Adrien clasped them and unclasped them in a desperate attempt to hide the tremors and twitching from Nino.

"He came out during the day!" Nino exclaimed. "Alya was shopping nearby when it happened, but luckily she's okay…Marinette on the other hand…remember her?"

Adrien gulped and nodded. The mention of Marinette had him twitching even more. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying desperately to contain the feelings bubbling up in his chest again. Need to see her, need to see her, need to see her, his insane, obsessive subconscious kept screaming at him, begging and pleading to get its fix of the girl.

No!

Adrien desperately fought it back, determined not to slip in front of Nino. Then Nino would figure out everything and it would be game over. His miraculous would be taken and he would likely be thrown into the same mental hospital as his father, never to see Marinette again.

Keep it together, Adrien begged himself.

"Yeah." Adrien tried to sound as normal as possible. "I remember her."

"Well she got caught in the stampede," Nino explained, "someone must have hit her head in the process and knocked her unconscious. Apparently some random citizen carried her all the way to hospital. I wish I knew who that guy was so I could thank him. Even though I don't see her much now, Marinette is still a dear friend to me."

Adrien's mouth twitched into a smirk, but he fought it off before frowning in confusion. "How come you don't see much of Marinette now, I always thought you, her and Alya were close?"

"Yeah, we were, still are I guess." Nino sighed. "It's just Marinette hasn't been herself these last few years. She went away for a while and no one knew where she went. She just said she had stayed with some family in China, but then her story changed to her being on a fashion course. When she got back, her hair had been cut short and…she had just completely changed. She wouldn't speak to anyone and wouldn't want to hang out anymore. When she wasn't in school, she just locked herself in her room. Alya and I have tried to help, but…nothing seemed to work. I think she might be depressed or something."

"What happened to cause her to change?" Adrien certainly was curious to find out why the once sweet and innocent Marinette had turned into a cynical, damaged shell of her former self. Maybe now was finally his chance as Nino still ventured into the outside world unlike Adrien.

"We don't know, that's what has us all so confused." Nino frowned. "I wish we did know because then maybe we could help her. Marinette's like a sister to me now and I hate seeing her in so much pain."

Adrien frowned as well. It must have been something big and bad for Marinette to keep it a secret from her closest friends. Marinette had never really struck Adrien as a big secret keeper. From what he could remember, Marinette had always worn her heart on her sleeve and never really kept her problems to herself. She was always grateful for the help of a friend, and if she had a problem, she fixed it. It was something Adrien had always admired about her. Her confidence, her will power, her desire to always do the right thing. It had always reminded him of…his lady.

"I'm sorry for barging in," Nino apologised, "I've just been so stressed trying to be there for Alya. She was in bits when she found out what happened to Marinette, and I know you have your own issues to deal with and I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," Adrien reassured him, "it distracts me from my own problems."

Memories of a broken Marinette when she was in hospital began pounding on the inside of his skull. The way she had clung onto him…in a way, Chat Noir had liked that. Being a pillar of comfort for her felt nice. Making her feel better almost made him feel better.

Almost.

Soon enough, Marinette had quickly retreated back into herself after having given Chat Noir an accidental glimpse of what was going on inside herself. Her pain, as she lay sobbing and quivering in his arms, had reminded him of how he felt every day.

Shaking his head, Adrien repressed a groan as once again the insane side of him began begging and pleading once again to see Marinette; he needed to see that she was okay. What if she was crying on her own right now and he wasn't there for her?

Losing control of his body for a split second, Adrien stood up, ready to summon Plagg to transform him, but he managed to stop himself just in time. He looked down to see Nino looking up at him in confusion before slowly standing up as well.

"Sorry." Adrien placed a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes, willing himself to try and get a grip. "I thought I saw something again."

"It's okay, I need to get going anyway," Nino said, "I just wanted to come and see if you were okay and to tell you the news about what happened earlier today."

"Thanks." Adrien held back a sigh of relief at the fact that Nino was leaving.

He deeply cared for Nino, but he just didn't have any energy left in him to maintain friendships anymore. He appreciated that Nino still cared enough to come and check on him, but Adrien felt like Nino was fighting a losing battle at this point. There was nothing anyone could do for Adrien now. Unless they owned a magic wand they would wave and make these last four years disappear and change what happened that night. But Adrien would never be so lucky. This was the never ending nightmare he found himself tormented by.

Feeling slightly guilty over being a terrible friend, Adrien followed Nino towards the front door. As the door opened, Nino stopped as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and checked it, smiling when he read whatever message he had received.

"That's awesome news! Marinette has been discharged from hospital."

That caught Adrien's immediate attention. He tried to make sure to try and act as normal as possible, while on the inside, his stomach was doing excited flips, while the other half of him that he kept buried and hidden away from Nino began begging once again to go and see Marinette. The news that she had been discharged was music to his ears. It meant that she was getting better.

Nino turned back to say goodbye to Adrien before he froze as he caught sight of something on Adrien's black sweatshirt.

"What's that?" Nino asked before his eyes widened. "Is that blood?!"

Adrien looked down and sure enough there was what looked like a dark bloodstain just beneath his shoulder. Marinette's blood. Feeling sick at the thought, Adrien quickly searched through his brain for an excuse.

"I-I cut myself a few days ago, I didn't even noticed it had stained," Adrien lied.

"That looks like a lot of blood for a simple cut. Are you sure you're okay?" Nino asked, not looking convinced as he narrowed his eyes at the stain.

"It's fine. Nothing to worry about." Adrien forced a smile.

Though Nino remained unconvinced, he checked the time on his phone and gasped before quickly giving Adrien a rushed goodbye. Adrien stood at the door, watching as his friend left, once again making sure the gates closed behind him and sealed him away from the world once again. No one could see Adrien. The son of the man – the villain – who had been terrorising Paris for years, akumatizing their loved ones and using them for his own means.

He was deeply ashamed, sickened at the thought of his father's actions. His father had been the one to deliver the fatal blow on Ladybug. The fatal blow that led to her hurtling out of the window to her death below. His own father had murdered the love of his life in cold blood. And Adrien had let it happen.

With tears forming in his eyes, Adrien once again glanced down at the blood stain on his shoulder. He then glanced down at his hands, blood also staining his black, leather gloves. It stained almost every inch of his body, dripping down his suit and onto the ground beneath him. Smoke choked the air around him, but Chat Noir breathed none of it in as he stood there, unable to breathe over what he had just done.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. His father had gotten what was coming to him. His priority now was finding Ladybug. He needed to make sure she was safe. He needed to explain everything to her. He just hoped it wasn't too late for her to listen. This whole plan had been a huge mistake.

Stepping out from the mansion, the whole building almost completely burnt to the ground, Chat Noir watched as the firefighters kept fighting the blaze that was now mostly extinguished. Small flames still danced off the charred remains of the ground. The air around him felt hot and dry, while the smoke filled his lungs causing Chat Noir to cough. He was vaguely aware of some police officers running into the house behind him as his eyes scanned the area. Ladybug had to be around here somewhere. Maybe she was helping the emergency services? Or worse, what if she was injured from her fall?

Chat Noir was about to take off running when he heard a commotion behind him. Hoping to see Ladybug, Chat Noir twisted around, but instead was only met by the sight of the police restraining a very badly beaten Hawkmoth. The villain was covered in blood, his face starting to swell slightly from the scratches and punches that Chat Noir had landed on him. He was being dragged towards a police van, his hands bound by handcuffs. Hawkmoth's grey eyes scanned the area before they finally landed on his son.

"Chat Noir, please!" he begged. "Help me! I'm sorry! I'll help you find Ladybug, I promise! I can't lose you as well!" His cries were full of pain and anguish. "We can still do this! We can still get Emilie back!"

Chat Noir watched, hatred burning in his eyes as his father was forced into the police van, still trying to break free and crying out to him.

"Please!" Hawkmoth cried. "I love you! I did this for us!"

"Save your crazy ramblings and get in the van!" one of the police officers ordered.

Heart squeezing painfully in his chest, Chat Noir took a step backwards, tears finally breaking free and cascading down his cheeks as he watched his father, the only family he had left be loaded into the back of the van. He was no true father. What kind of father would do everything that he had? All those years of emotional neglect came toppling down on top of Chat Noir, almost making him stumble slightly as he continued to slowly walk backwards, his own father's blood still dripping down his suit.

Ladybug. He needed to find Ladybug. She was his family now. She was all that he had left. She was his everything. At that thought, Chat Noir gave his father one last icy glare before turning on his heel and sprinting towards the other side of the mansion.

"NO! NOOOO! ADRIEN! ADRRIIEEEN!" His father's sobs echoed through the air.

Chat Noir choked back his own sobs, biting his lip, instead forcing himself to focus on finding Ladybug. She had to be around here somewhere. A few firefighters were still putting out flames in the area as Chat Noir stared up at the smashed window Ladybug had been pushed through. Shards of glass were scattered across the ground and there was blood everywhere.

Chat Noir stumbled and nearly fainted at the sight.

Please…no…

Please don't let that be Ladybug's blood!

Chat Noir's breath started coming out in gasps as his eyes scanned the area. There was no sign of her. A firefighter walked past him, and Chat Noir quickly grabbed his shoulder to get his attention. The firefighter stopped and turned to Chat Noir with a concerned look on his face.

"You shouldn't be here, Chat Noir, it's not safe." The firefighter's voice was muffled under his oxygen mask.

"Have you seen Ladybug here?" Chat demanded, ignoring the firefighter's advice.

"No, I seriously doubt anyone's been here," The firefighter explained. "This is where the worst of the fire was. If Ladybug was here, there'd be nothing left of her but charred remains. I haven't seen any sign of her anywhere."

The firefighter walked off, and Chat Noir found himself slowly collapsing into a crouched position like someone had just punched him in the stomach. He stared at the area where Ladybug had fallen with wide eyes. He could feel bile rising up in his throat, and right now, Chat Noir was wishing the flames were still there so that they could engulf him in their hell where he belonged.

This was all his fault. Had…had Ladybug managed to get out? She didn't have her yo-yo. Hawkmoth had taken it from her and mocked her with it as she was sent crashing out of the window. She would have had nothing to save herself with.

That's when Chat Noir noticed something fluttering in the slight breeze on the ground. There, situated in the middle of a pool of blood was a sign that Chat Noir had hoped not to see. Slowly, he reached down and picked it up, cradling the bloodstained, ribbon in his hands. The red ribbon that Ladybug wore in her hair to keep her twin pigtails in place.

"NOOOOOO!" Adrien screamed as he clawed at the ground beneath him, digging his nails into the threshold of the front door to his mansion.

Tears streamed down his face at those haunting memories that continued to torment him. He was vaguely aware of hearing Plagg fly down and ask if he was alright, but Adrien couldn't bring himself to respond.

The sun set over the city, shrouding him in darkness. All he could think about was that night. How he had failed to protect her. She was gone and it was all his fault. She was never coming back. That thought always felt like dry swallowing a huge pill and sent his head spinning.

No no no no no!

He couldn't let that happen again. He couldn't fail Marinette like he had failed Ladybug. He needed to see her! More than anything he needed to set eyes on her beautiful face. Only the sight of Marinette would soothe him.

"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien ordered.

His kwami flew into the ring, and soon, Chat Noir was leaping through the streets of Pairs. Only this time, he had a goal in mind. She was all he could think about. She was totally and completely consuming his every thought. The insane side of him, the side that was spilling over and winning control over his body, purred at the thought of seeing his princess again. There was just something about being in Marinette's presence that made him feel…almost whole again. He needed that. He needed more if it!

Finally, Chat Noir came to a stop as he landed on the roof of the bakery. Her light was the only light in the house that was on, which seemed like a normal occurrence. Would she still be awake? Sliding down the roof, Chat Noir decided to find out. He peered in through her window. Her room was quiet and still with no sign of her.

That's when he looked up towards her bed, sighing with relief at the sight of a small form sleeping in her bed. A few strands of black hair were visible beneath the pink covers as Marinette tossed and turned in her sleep, kicking the covers off her in the process. She was sweating, though that was to be expected. Chat Noir frowned as he noticed she was sleeping with a thick jumper on that was likely the cause of her disturbed sleep.

Just seeing her like this wasn't enough though. Chat Noir needed to be near her, drinking in every inch of her features, protecting her from harm. He climbed back up the roof and onto her balcony before heading towards the door that led down into her bedroom. Chat tried the door gently at first, frowning as he realised it was locked. He wasn't about to let this thin piece of wood separate him from his princess.

With a grunt, Chat Noir pulled on the door with much more force, snapping the weak, old thing off its hinges before smirking and climbing down into her room. He carefully and quietly placed the door back in place, blocking the night air from Marinette's room once again.

Marinette stirred slightly in her sleep as the door clicked back into place. She turned onto her back and mumbled something in her sleep that Chat Noir couldn't quite understand. Maybe something about fixing something that was broken.

Chat Noir slowly crawled over her body, allowing himself to hover over her, watching her as she slept. Her face was scrunched up in discomfort, and beads of sweat dripped down from her forehead causing her bangs to stick to her skin. Her face was slightly flushed as both her hands rested next to either side of her head, her fingers occasionally twitching.

Even in sleep it seemed she couldn't find peace. Chat Noir related to that a great deal.

He smiled down at her, his eyes hungrily tracing and memorising every inch of her face. She was beyond beautiful. She was absolutely breath-taking.

Unable to resist, Chat Noir rested all his weight on one hand while he brought the other hand up to gently and tenderly stroke her cheek with his finger. At this sensation, Marinette seemed to relax slightly in her sleep. Her expression softened, and she mumbled something else that was incoherent.

Feeling bolder, Chat cupped her cheek with his hand. It felt exactly as Ladybug's cheek had felt in his dream. It was the same size, shape and everything. Her scent engulfed him, the sweet smell intoxicating him and driving him wild.

Marinette leaned into his touch, a small smile forming on her face as she unconsciously nuzzled herself into Chat Noir's hand. Chat Noir couldn't help but smirk at that. She was behaving like she was drawn to him, just as he was drawn to her.

As he smirked, Chat Noir made the mistake of inhaling her scent again, breathing it in deeply through his nose, closing his eyes blissfully as he felt a fire deep within him ignite itself. He had to know if that was how she tasted. If she tasted as delectable and as addictive as she smelled.

Drunk on her scent, a sweet smell that was so comforting and familiar to him, Chat Noir smiled and leaned down before capturing Marinette's lips with his own.

These chapters just keep getting longer and longer. Oh well, you guys seem to like that. I kept swapping and changing ideas for this chapter. I completely abandoned my original plan, thinking that this direction would work better, so I hope it's paid off and that you guys enjoyed this chapter. Don't know why I bother making story plans. I rarely stick to them ahaha. Also I hope there's not too many glaring typos, the editing process on this chapter was a little on the rushed side.

Anyway, feel free to let me know your thoughts on this chapter and the story so far. It really helps me out. I'll see you guys soon.