Omg I skipped a chapter! I was so curious as to why I have 37 chapters on Ao3 and just 36 here on ff when I know that I post at the same time. Now I figured out why! Chapter 32 was missing! Chapter 32 is now posted and it should be entitled "Watch".

•••

Anaya screeched at the silence of the night. She didn't care if the other tributes heard her. She didn't even care if someone would kill her then and there. She just needed to get all the pain and frustrations out. She didn't care about anything but the death of an ally.

They didn't see it coming. They weren't aware that they were being led to a trap. A trap that ended the life of one of them. She was lucky that she survived but was unlucky to have known this sweet little girl only for her to die because of a trap.

The fifteen year old wiped the blood away from the thirteen year old's forehead. For a sweet little girl, she deserved better. Manon didn't even hurt anyone inside the arena and she shouldn't end this way.

Anaya heard the cannon and flinched at the sound of it. It was the sound of the bitter truth. It was the sound that woke her up and slapped her across the face saying that Manon was dead.

But now there were two of them left inside the arena and she was sure she'd emerge as the Victor.

She promised Manon and she was going to win this.

•••

Marinette nearly fainted when Tikki and Plagg told her about Manon. She was very glad when she found out that the girl belonged to the top five, even cheering with the others when she got in the top three. Anaya and Manon were in the top and she couldn't be happier.

Of course there was ths fact that Manon didn't listen to her when she said that they shouldn't have allies but it was Anaya. Anaya was a sweet little girl who grew up in a nice and friendly environment. Anaya was like Alya's little twin, looking like her and acting like her. Anaya idolized her older sister, maybe that was what pushed her to volunteer for a friend just like what Alya did. Anaya was thd kind kid Marinette looked after while Alya hunted so there was a bit of an attachment to her and now that she knew everything that Anaya had done for Manon, she couldn't be prouder of her best friend's little sister.

"The body's coming this noon," Tikki stated, "can you do it or should I?"

"No, no, I can do it, I promise," she replied, "just, just give me some time to process this."

I can do this. I can do this.

But she can't. Marinette curled up and let the dam break. It was painful for her. She felt like she lost two of her children. It was her first year of being a trainer and she'd failed and she'd failed hard.

•••

Once she gathered what she could of herself, Marinette went to visit the morgue where Manon was. Marinette gripped the cold metal Manon was on, feeling her heart break. Now she wished that she laid down there back when she was younger so she didn't have to worry about this. She didn't have to have recurring nightmares of the people in the arena with her. She wouldn't remember anything and be stressed. She would rest and darn it she wanted that so badly right now.

"I'm so proud of you," she said through tears, hiccups, and heavy ragged breaths, "I'm happy for you that you get to rest but I don't but trust me on this, no one is going to have to follow."

"No one else has to die!" She yelled, slamming her fists on the table

She fell to her knees, still holding onto the makeshift bed, "I was too late! Too damn late!"

•••

Chloé frowned, trying her best not to cry in front of everyone right then and there. She stood up abruptly then left the room, sauntering back to her bedroom. She slammed the door shut, leaning her back on the door for support. She wanted nothing but to be alone at that moment. She didn't need comfort, she needed silence and the repulsive lie that her husband wasn't cheating on her.

A friend told had just told her that she spotted Adrien with a bouquet of flowers. Chloé would've thought that the flowers were for her but they were irises–she hated irises. Adrien wouldn't have gotten it for her so there muat be someone.

The news only went worse when he was spotted somewhere having dinner with the same woman with a child that looked too much like him.

Was he really cheating on her? How dare he! Chloé swore revenge to everything that other woman had.

But she frowned, realizing one thing–Adrien was one of those things she had. Chloé didn't have Adrien for a few years, he never was hers to begin with.

She slid down and sat on the floor, letting it all out. She let the agony and pain through screams and tears. Her head and heart ached so much from the news. She'd lost Adrien and she was sure that she can't have him back anymore. If the rumors were true, that woman and Adrien had a child and they didn't. She lost from the start.

She evaluated herself. Was she ugly? Did she never show Adrien of her love? Was there something she did wrong? No, no, and no. So what did the other woman have that she didn't? All is fair in love and war but she couldn't help but admit that it wasn't. The other woman had the upper hand in all of it and, even through numerous efforts, Chloé was always losing. Everyday she lost. Every single hour she didn't have him, she lost.

And she's been losing for the past seven years.

•••

Adrien was excited to see Marinette. She'd told him that she wanted to see him try, that meant that there was still a possibility that they could get together, albeit it being really small.

He was aware of her plans about overthrowing Andre and he was more than happy to help. He was going to get that position that was basically given to him then he'd pass it over to Marinette since, technically, he should have an heir, easy.

So, to say that Adrien was excited to tell her of his plan was just the tip of the ice berg. He was ecstatic to announce it to her and maybe then she wouldn't have to work so hard and, if the conditions were dire and he couldn't give the presidency to her, he would just proclaim that there shouldn't be the Hunger Games anymore.

And now, with a bouquet of white flowers in his hand, he entered the one room he knew she was stuck in. Four pairs of eyes turned to her and he wasn't glad when he saw the one pair of blue eyes he loved the most was swollen red.

"What happened?" He asked, placing the flowers on the table and approaching her

"None of your business," Marinette replied then curled herself, back facing him

He looked over to Tikki and Plagg but they just frowned. They knew too well what to do and what not to do when Marinette was pissed off and sad and telling the cause of it to the person she's angry at was one of them.

Meanwhile Louis, who was all so oblivious by the hidden language in their stares, stood up and walked over to his father.

"Mama's sad because Manon died," he explained, sitting between his parents, "That Manon won't be back."

"Oh,"

Adrien frowned as well, placing a hand on her back which she pushed away.

"I'm really sorry I couldn't do anything for her," he spoke in a low voice, "but I have good news for you."

"Save it," she replied

"But you're gonna like this, trust me," Adrien stated

Marinette turned to him and glared.

"Andre's giving me the presidency and I plan on giving it to you after so, you know, you can stop the games," he explained

"You'd do that?" She furrowed her brows, "But what about Chloé? Won't she get mad? You're gonna get in trouble with your plan."

"It's to repay everything I did wrong," he responded, "I'm never going to be the great president everyone wants so I want someone to take care of what should matter."

"They're happy now!" Louis exclaimed, a huge grin on his face, "Now all you need is a hug!"

The two looked at each other for a while, waiting for the other if they are to make a move or not. Finally, Adrien sighed before standing up and wrapping his arms around Marinette. The woman, not taken aback the least bit, returned the hug, clenching his shirt as she turned her hands to fists. She buried her face in his neck, missing the contact.

After everything that had happened, after all they've been through, it was clear to her that she was the only one who changed. It was still Adrien, only he got married but he was still the same Adrien Agreste whom she loved so dearly.

She missed his scent and the way his hair would fall so perfectly. She missed running her hands through his golden locks and feeling so calm like nothing was absolutely wrong. She missed the way he cared for her and the way he cherished every moment he had to be with her. She missed that he treated her as if she was everything he ever had.

And maybe she could get it back.

He was still here, he was still waiting, he was still loving. Maybe she did have more chances than she'd ever thought.

The door opened abruptly. She guessed that it was just the three giving them the privacy they needed to talk but thought otherwise when she felt Adrien being pulled away harshly from her and a loud skin to skin slap that followed.

She looked up and saw a raging blonde standing next to Adrien, glaring daggers at both of them.

"You!" She yelled, hands visibly shaking, "How dare you cheat on me?!"

"Chloé, Chlo, calm down, let's take this outside." Adrien grabbed her arms so she wouldn't hurt anyone else

"Calm down? You're cheating on me and you expect me to calm down?!" Chloé pulled her arms away from him

She turned towards Marinette then grabbed her hair, pulling it harshly.

"Chloé stop!" He pulled her away from the dark haired girl

"Who are you, huh? What do you have that I don't? Why don't you get someone who's not taken?!" Chloé's voice was filled his rage and her pulling Marinette's hair wasn't saying otherwise

Adrien had successfully pulled the blonde away from Marinette. Chloé started sobbing uncontrollably as her limbs went weak. He had a strong hold on her to not let her fall. The emotional outbursts Chloé just showed them that something was wrong.

"This isn't right," Marinette whispered, "I'm sorry, Chloé."

"Mari, what are you-."

"Chloé's hurting, Adrien," she interrupted

Chloé may have been the first one to steal Adrien from Marinette but she didn't deserve it. What would petty revenge even do? It would just add fuel to the fire and Marinette was trying to keep the fire as low as possible. This cannot blow off in the news; it would just overpower the news that Ladybug was back and she couldn't afford another appearance just to instill it in the nation's minds. But that wasn't the point. The point was Chloé was hurting after all. Maybe she did care for Adrien as much as Marinette did to him.

"I hate you," Chloé spoke softly, "I hate the two of you. I hate you so much. I hope you die and rot in hell."

Adrien stared at Marinette who was getting confused and frustrated with all that was happening. He knew that whatever she said, she meant it and that was the problem.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, "I'm never going to see him again, I promise,"

"Marinette, please,"

Marinette shook her head no, "Like I said, I still love you." She sighed, "But I was right. It isn't enough."