Seconds and Decades

Author's Note: I wholeheartedly blame Icarus for this story...

Ep: Look, between the three of you, I've had to go to Costco three times this month to restock my Kleenex supplies. At this pace, I'll be a majority shareholder by New Year's Day.

MR *silently holds out a roll of toilet paper*

Lyra: Pass it over.

Reveal: Adrien and Marinette

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The triumphant shout was accompanied by a swarm of the regenerative insects.

5 seconds to fix everything. 4:55 remaining. Crap.

"Pound it!" The duo called out in celebratory fashion.

2 seconds to celebrate. 4:53 remaining. Crap

She approached the young man, still clutching his action figure. "Hey, are you going to be ok?" He looked at her, his eyes wide. "what just happened?"

2 minutes 12 seconds to comfort the victim. 2:41 remaining. Crap.

And with that she was off. Ladybug felt her feet pound against the pavement. She listened to the sound, using it to ignore the burning in her lungs. Not 3 minutes ago she was running from a monster. Now she had to run again, this time to evade her 'friend'.

And it was all because the old man had finally gone senile.

She recalled the fateful afternoon that she and Chat Noir had met with Master Fu, allowing herself to be immersed in the moment that had just happened a few days prior.

The sun was shining, and Fu had come out of his kitchen, a tray of steaming tea in his hands.

"You two may have been wondering why I called you both here. The truth is, I had forgotten your birthdays a little while back. But I can now say with certainty that you are both at least 18 years old," Fu declared.

"Master," She interrupted,"should you really be telling u-"

Fu gave her a knowing look that instantly brought her to silence. "It's true, I have been quite insistent that your identities remain hidden, even from one another. But now that you are both adults, I think you'll be able to handle the responsibility… when you two are ready. What I mean to say is that if you two chose to share your true selves, or happen upon that information by chance, there will be no punishment so long as you can both handle that responsibility. "

37 seconds to have a flashback. 2:04 remaining. Crap.

Ladybug hadn't realized that she had slowed down while she recalled the events, but Chat's calls alerted her to her own delayed pace.

"Ladybug, you don't need to run off anymore. And definitely not any faster. Come back!"

She shook her head, even if he couldn't see her, then raced into an alleyway, only then realizing that this was a dead end. a second realization compounded on the first- Chat's voice was getting closer. There was no way Marinette would reveal her identity. She couldn't. Even the idea of anyone knowing made her sick. She had to hide.

19 seconds to find a hiding place. 1:45 remaining. Crap.

Ladybug dove into an open dumpster as Chat neared, holding her breath, both out of fear and to avoid the odor that was surrounding her.

"Ladybug, please. We've kept this a secret for over 5 years," Chat whined as he walked through the alley, glancing behind the large bin. He seemed to lurk there until Ladybug was nearly out of breath.

"I guess she lost me," he said dejectedly, cutting into Marinette's heart, even though she saw him as the villain of that moment.

1 minute 36 seconds of hiding. 9 seconds remaining. Crap.

Ladybug waited in silence until she transformed, then crawled out of the dumpster.

"Tikki, we made it, she whispered, sneaking out of the alley.

The Kwami disappeared as a voice called out to her.

"Marinette, were you in that alley?"

She froze, unable to look Chat in the eye.

"Um, noooo… uh… "she said, glancing at his feet. To her surprise were tennis shoes rather than black boots. She looked up and nearly fell over when she saw the blond.

"A-adrien!"

He beamed proudly, preparing to make a declaration of love. Though he had planned to have some fun with the reveal first.

"Yeah. Hey. By the way, Ladybug, have you seen Marinette? Chat is looking for her… I mean, switch that first part, unless you secretly are Ladybug?" He said, adding a sneaky wink.

To his astonishment, Marinette burst into tears.

The words tumbled out of Adrien's mouth reflexively, as if some primordial feelings had awoken inside of him.

"What's wrong? Are you ok? Tell me how to fix things, and I'll do it."

"I-I can't. It's a secret, and I can't tell anyone about it, and it's eating me from the inside!" She screamed.

Adrien pulled her close, letting the warm tears soak into his shirt.

"Just tell me what you can, and even if you can't tell me 99% of what's going on, I swear I'll make the 1% better. I'll do anything. Anything," he whispered into her ear, his voice trembling.

Marinette sniffled, then looked up into his green eyes. She couldn't help but notice a deep sense of adoration within them.

"Well, I'm part of a...a group of sorts. We work on some pretty confidential projects, and it's so secretive that the members of the group don't even know each other."

If Adrien hadn't known exactly what she was talking about, he probably would've assumed she was in some secret fashion designer thinktank. He couldn't help but admire her ability to share the truth with him without giving anything away.

"One of the senior partners in this group is getting really pushy about finding out my name. To him it probably feels like a Cinderella story. You know, find the girl who fits the glass slipper?"

Adrien looked at her in hurt surprise. "But he's not your Prince Charming, he's your Gaston, ready to hunt you down and claim you as his, at any cost?"

Marinette shook her head. "No. It's not that. I don't hate Cha- Chad. But, it hurts. And I don't know how I'll be able to face him, knowing he is secretly searching for my identity. I-I think I have to quit the tea-"

She pressed her face into his shoulder, using the fabric to suppress the gut wrenching sob that tore Adrien's very soul in half.

"Don't quit Mari. Please. I bet things will work out for you. I know they will," Adrien pleaded.

"But, I-I can't. I won't ever be able to look him in the eye again. I can't trust him. And-and what if I get someone hurt because of my feelings?"

Adrien hid the anguish of a person being ripped into a million pieces in a confident mask.

"Marinette, I need you to do me a favor. Swear to me that you'll do it," Adrien begged, as a plan came together in his mind.

She nodded into his shoulder, which gave him reason to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Marinette. Stick to your secret group for just a few more days. If it doesn't get better after that, than you can quit, but can you hold on for just a little longer?"

She nodded once more, this time more hesitantly.

Adrien felt his breath catch in his lungs as he dared to execute the first phase of his plan.

"Uhm…" he gasped, suddenly aware of what he was doing and how this would likely blow up in his face,"and there is something else…"

"Hmm?" Marinette grumbled into his chest.

The adorableness of it all made Adrien smile. Yes, this was his Ladybug, his Marinette. And he would do anything for her, even pay the price he knew would crush him. But before that, he had to make his first move.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" He forced, hoping that he didn't sound too desperate.

"What?" Marinette asked as she finally looked up.

"Um, like I mean… I really care about you Marinette. And maybe I'm wrong, but I could maybe see a future for us. And I never want you to feel like you are stuck, alone, and forced to bottle up your emotions. I want to be there for you."

"I'm going to pass out. I'm getting lightheaded, and I am definitely passing out if she doesn't say something now," Adrien thought.

"Ok. I'll be your girlfriend," she cooed into his ear.

Adrien couldn't have been happier, even though he knew he would likely be saying goodbye to Plagg for good. All was well.

A few hours had gone by since the tear filled conversation. Adrien had spent the time with his new girlfriend, announcing their new relationship to their parents. Tom had crushed Adrien in a fatherly bear hug, while Sabine had smiled at him like she was trying to tell her son she was proud of him.

A short trip brought the pair to Agreste mansion, and a short talk with Nathalie got them an equally short meeting with Gabriel. As she walked the couple to Mr. Agreste's office, Adrien could've sworn he heard her mutter "finally" under her breath.

The talk was surprisingly positive ending with Gabriel saying "I would have preferred that you found yourself an influential girl, Adrien. But I suppose a girl who is going to change the world of fashion is nearly as good as one who can right now."

And finally Adrien ended up alone in his room, telling Plagg his plan, and why it was absolutely necessary. The Kwami had argued, but ultimately agreed that for the first time in Chat Noir's career, he had thought a plan out before he acted. And so the pair enjoyed camembert as they silently watched the sun set.

It was nearly midnight when Ladybug reached the rooftop where Chat had texted her to meet.

"Chat, if you think I'll tell you my identity, you're wrong. In...fact… well.. nevermind for now, I'll tell you in a couple da-"

She stopped as she looked at the empty rooftop. As she turned to leave, she saw a twinkle next to her. By her feet lay a rolled up sheet of paper, held together by a glistening piece of metal.

She picked it up, and nearly dropped the shining metal as Plagg emerged from it. He sniffled, pulling back a tear, then laughed as if nothing had happened, then looked at Ladybug. "Got any camembert?"

She looked at the kwami in confusion. "Plagg, why did Chat leave his miraculous?"

The black cat returned to his zomber state. "Maybe you should read the letter… and Marinette, he reaaaaally loves you."

Ladybug unrolled the paper and began to read.

"My Lady,

I realized that today I crossed a line. I went too far, because I decided it was ok, and at the same time, I think I hurt you. I know that I damaged our trust.

At the time, I felt like it was a game, but now when allow my mind to drift, all I can see is the fear saturating your eyes.

I know I hurt you, and that I damaged our trust, and I know that it could prove deadly to some poor Parisian. For that reason, I am officially turning over my ring to you. (Perhaps Viperion would make a good replacement).

I feel the need to clarify one thing to you though. I'm not retracting the way I feel about you, nor am I abandoning Paris. If you ever need me, I'll be at your side.

After all, when a cat develops a bond, it's not easily broken.

Love,

Chat Noir"

That night Marinette cried herself to sleep, sure that she would never see Chat Noir again.

Yet, as the hours turned to days Marinette moved on. She never forgot about Chat Noir, but she learned to seize happiness for herself.

She seized it on the day six months later when Adrien proposed (against the will of his father who said "19 is too young to get married"). It was supposed to be a beautiful proposal with Adrien kneeling at the dancefloor and asking her to take him forever, but ended up being at the emergency room's wait room after a clumsy 2 inch heel broke Adrien's little toe.

And she seized it a year and a half later when their first child was born. And again a year after that, and a third time 19 months after the second child.

It was 5 years after the wedding that Marinette nervously, yet proudly accepted the miraculous box from Master Fu.

Over a decade later, she claimed the joy in her life when she tearfully bid her oldest son goodbye as he headed off to University.

A few years later she proudly filled her heart with happiness as her only daughter married the boy of her dreams and lifelong best friend, Alex Lahiffe.

Marinette, 3 years afterward, found true warmth in her soul when her company took off after she had been told time and time again that someone who had been out of the fashion community for so long (especially to raise a family) could never find a way back in.

And now, Marinette at 47 years old found solace in the warmth of her bed, nestled up next to her wonderful (and incredibly exothermic) husband…

Until the nightmare hit.

Marinette woke with a scream, sending Adrien falling off of the bed.

"Mari, what's wrong?" He bellowed.

Marinette looked at the man she loved, the father of her children, and soon-to-be grandfather of her first grandchild, desperately wishing that she could tell him about her secret double life, why the neighbor girl would always show up at their house "collecting money for a school fundraiser" (always in the middle of an akuma attack), or why she never let anyone open her chest full of "expensive fabrics".

But even if she couldn't really tell him, Marinette realized that maybe in a little way she could share her secret fears. After all, that is what had brought them together.

"Adrien, I know this will sound weird," she began in the pitch black of the night," but do you remember the group I told you about some 30 odd years ago? The one I almost quit?"

Adrien smiled in the darkness. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, I just had a nightmare that my old partner died without ever finding who I was. And it scared me a little, because finally, after 3 decades I'm ready to tell him who I am. But now I don't have any way to get ahold of him. There is no way for me to thank him for his friendship, or let him know how my life turned out."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure Mari. I don't think Chat gave up on you so easily. After all, when a cat develops a bond, it's not easily broken," he said.

Marinette could almost hear her old partner's smile in the words. "Chat?"

"Yes, My Lady?"

"I love you."

"I love you too," Adrien replied.

And he knew it was true. Because no matter what, whether it was seconds after discovering her identity or decades later, he would always be there for his Marinette.