Come just as you are to me, don't need apologies.
Know that you are worthy.
I'll take your bad days with your good.
Walk through the storm, I would.
I do it all because I love you.
I love you.

Katy Perry, Unconditionally

Princess Justice was now standing on the roof of the school, her earrings in her clenched fist, carefully watching the few people she had put on trial below. She didn't know what was going to happen if the sword decided that they were guilty. Would they die?

Somewhere far inside, Marinette panicked. What was going to happen to these poor innocents? Which, by the way, didn't include Lila. She didn't want the girl to die, of course, but she just couldn't bring herself to truly feel sorry about her… ahh, unfortunate situation.

Princess Justice, on the other hand, didn't care about any of them. At all.

She used to be like Atlas, holding the world on her shoulders and letting the weight of it all crushed her down. She used to bow to it, bow to everyone. She used to do everything that was expected of her. She used to be who they wanted her to be. They wanted her to live for them? Yes, of course. They wanted her to fight for them? Sure, no problem. They wanted her to die for them? Fine, she would.

Well, not anymore. Never again.

Now, it was their turn. They would learn what it was like to be hurt. They would learn what true fear was. They would learn what it was like to be her. They would learn that the world was far heavier than they thought.

They would pay for everything.

"Ahhh, isn't it just absolutely paw-some to be here, just the two of us, Princess?"

Chat Noir watched her turn around slowly, a small smile on her lips.

"Finally. You got me waiting."

Things were absolutely shitty right now, but Chat had to admit that Marinette was ridiculously stunning as Princess Justice.

She was wearing a long purple and gold Greek-style dress which was fitting tightly around her body, showing off curves Adrien never knew she had. The dress had a slit on each side that showed off her long legs and her gold high heels, shoes he couldn't believe she would be able to fight in. Like, c'mon, it was Marinette. Marinette! The girl who could barely walk without falling!

A crown of amethyst was resting on top of her head, perfectly contrasting with the darkness of her hair, which was now much longer, stopping a little under her waist and flying around her, even without any wind. The heavy makeup around her eyes made them seem even bluer, and the pink on her lips and cheeks made her look so healthy, so alive. And suddenly Adrien realized, guilt eating him alive, that Marinette hadn't looked healthy and alive in a long time.

Neither had Ladybug.

No, he thought, now's not the time to think about that.

Princess Justice also had a bunch of gold accessories. Necklaces, bracelets, a huge sword. But the little gold purse around her, the only thing that reminded Adrien of his friend, told him everything he needed to know.

The akuma was in there, no doubt. Now he just had to wait for his Lady, and...

"She's not coming," Marinette, no, Princess Justice, said in a singsong voice.

"Who is not coming, Princess?"

"Your Lady."

It took him a second before understanding what she meant and then, not quite believing it yet, his eyes dropped to her clenched fist.

How the HELL…

"You're just a little too late," she continued, eyeing him like she was the cat and he was a mouse, which, honestly, felt kinda weird. "You couldn't save her in time."

A break and then, so low Chat almost missed it, "I guess no one could."

"It's impossible…" he muttered, refusing to admit that this was real, that Ladybug had lost and was now... Where? And most importantly, in what shape? Was she alright? Was she hurt? He knew his Lady, she never would've given her earrings willingly. Never in a million years.

The memory of one particular night a few months ago came back to him. They were out patrolling, technically, but instead, they were just sitting on the Eiffel Tower, looking at the city and the stars. It was peaceful. Those were his favourite nights.

"Are you afraid, sometimes?" he had suddenly asked, not daring to look at her.

"Of what? The height?"

"No. Well, I don't know. Of everything. Hawk Moth. Life. Death."

She hadn't responded immediately. "Yeah. All the time. I don't know what it's like anymore to not be scared, to be honest."

Chat had nodded, relieved to know that he wasn't alone, that she understood him.

"If things were to turn badly... No, listen to me, please, Bugaboo."

She had sighed but didn't try to interrupt him again.

"If things were to turn badly, I don't want you to ever feel guilty. I've always known what I was getting myself into. You need to know that this is the best decision I've ever made. You're my best friend, and I wouldn't trade this life for any other."

"I can't lose you, Minou," she had answered, trying hard not to cry. "Please. I can't ever lose you. You can't leave me. You're too important to me. But... It's the same for me. I wouldn't trade this, trade us, for anything."

She had rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel the tears she couldn't contain anymore dropping on him. He embraced her with one arm and they remained in this position for several minutes, completely silent. After a while, she had whispered; "Promise me something."

"Anything."

She had straightened up to look him straight in the eye, dead serious.

"No matter what happens, if we have to go down, we'll go down fighting."

He had no hesitation. "I promise."

Yes, he was sure of it. She never would've given her earrings without a fight.

Oh gosh, where was she? How was she?

"It's impossible," Chat Noir repeated, his mind conjuring horrible visions of his Lady broken and in pain, somewhere all alone.

"Is it? It wasn't that hard, really. Kinda felt like she didn't even try."

"Where is she?" he asked, fighting with himself to stay calm and not panic. Plus, how was he supposed to save his friend without Ladybug's power?

No, for now, he had to stay calm and focus. He could do it. Ladybug believed in him, now was the time for Adrien to believe in himself.

"Far, far away from here. Never to be seen again."

"You're lying."

"I'm not, Kitty. I hate lies."

She paused for a second, looking at him up and down in a way that made Chat feel uneasy.

"You know, I've been thinking," she then said. "Marinette's situation was… Uncomfortable. She was in so much pain and no one knew it. No one cared."

"That's not true."

"Stop lying and listen to me!" she yelled at him before taking a deep breath and laughing. "See what you make me do? I don't wanna scream. I wanna talk. You need to understand that this," she opened her arms, "is the best possible outcome for me. I can have my revenge and get what I want."

"And what is it that you want?"

"Well, your miraculous, for starters."

"Yeaaaah, no, not happening. C'mon princess, isn't one good enough for you?"

"It's not for me, but we both know it, don't we, Kitty?"

"Purr-haps you could now tell me what you want. Not Hawk Moth. You. Maybe we could… negotiate?"

She smiled in a very non-Marinette way. "You."

"What, me?" Chat asked, confused.

"I want you. A princess needs a prince, don't you think?"

He stared at her, in shock. She couldn't be serious…

"I won't have to be alone anymore," Princess Justice explained. "You would rule by my side, and no one could stop us. You and I against the world, as always. I know that you understand how I feel. I'm pretty sure that you feel the same way, don't you? Isn't it tiresome to always lie? To be constantly under everyone's spotlight? And everyone's saying so much shit, especially Lila, and they don't understand, they can't understand and I cannot live like this anymore. Can you?"

She kept on talking, telling him about all of the benefits of him giving up his miraculous and becoming her prince, telling him that he couldn't leave her, but Chat had stopped listening. Instead, he was looking at the red little kwami that was floating right behind Princess Justice. Ladybug's kwami, which he knew thanks to Plagg was named Tikki, was staring at him with profound sadness written on her face. She floated to him and Princess Justice, completely absorbed in her monologue, didn't even notice.

"I can purify the akuma," Tikki said to him, hiding behind his shoulders.

"Is Ladybug alright?" he asked, low enough so that Princess Justice couldn't hear.

"No," Tikki replied after a moment of hesitation, eyes fixed on Princess Justice. "Not at all."

He wondered how no one else heard his heart breaking, right there and then.

"So, what do you think?" Princess Justice suddenly asked, startling him.

"Uhhh... Although your paw-prosition is very… sweet, I think I'll have to pass on the offer."

"That's unfortunate."

"But, what if instead, you gave me this," he pointed at her bag, "I take care of it, and then we can both go eat some ice cream and talk. I'm sure André would be happy to see you."

"I don't want to talk with you. Besides, how are you going to take care of it without Ladybug, huh?"

He could tell by the smug look on her face that Princess Justice was certain she had won.

"I have my ways."

"Sure you do. Ah, it's a shame, really. I didn't want to fight you."

"Well then… don't?"

She smiled. "Don't be silly, Chaton."

Chat was surprised at how fast she came for him. One second she was over there, the next she was almost right on top of him. He barely had time to move, her sword swinging where he and Tikki were one second prior. They danced like this for a while, her trying to attack him and Chat jumping as far away as possible every time. It was the weirdest fight Chat had ever been in. It was as though Princess Justice didn't really want to hurt him, either. She was always slowing down at the last moment, seeming to know that he was going to avoid her hit and seemed panicked when the sword passed a little too close to him. Chat Noir wasn't fighting much, loathing the idea of injuring her, and he had the impression, - no, he knew - that she was doing the same.

He just wasn't entirely sure why.

"You're no fun," Princess Justice complained from the other side of the roof.

"Chat Noir," Tikki whispered to him, "you have to do something."

"I'm trying!" he replied in the same tone.

"Who are you talking to?" Princess Justice asked.

"Marinette needs you to help her," Tikki continued. "Talk to Marinette."

"Isn't that what I've been doing for the past thirty minutes?" he snapped.

"Talk to her, Chat Noir. To her."

"Who are you talking to?" Princess Justice repeated. "Oh, no, don't tell me, I know. She's sweet, isn't she? But perhaps a little bit clueless. She should know that all of this is for nothing."

Talk to her, talk to her, talk to… Oh.

"Marinette, listen to me-"

"I AM NOT MARINETTE ANYMORE," she interrupted him, screaming and pointing her double-edged sword at him, but not attacking. "Marinette was weak. She was powerless and so, so eager to please. Always wanting to do the right thing, to save the day. To put what she wanted aside so everyone else would be happy," she laughed without humour. "I fought so hard, Chat. So hard!"

Chat Noir didn't miss how she had suddenly stopped talking about herself in the third person.

"I know you did. I don't doubt it, not even for one second."

"And for what? Nothing!"

The butterfly masked suddenly appeared on her face.

"How about you shut up for once, Hawk Moth..." he mumbled.

"Marinette was everything that I'm not," Princess Justice concluded as soon as the butterfly disappeared. "Not anymore."

"You're hurt, that's what you are," Chat told her, hands in the air. For the first time in forever, he didn't feel like joking around as he tried to not let the truth he had long denied overwhelmed him. Things were so much worse than he had thought. How could he be so blind? "But I can help you get through it. I know that you're still inside. You aren't that kind of person, Marinette," he said, insisting on her name. "You are kind and loved by so many people. You are a ray of sunshine in everyone's life," he paused, hesitated, and then, "You are the bravest person I've ever met."

"What about Ladybug?" she taunted him.

"I stand by what I said."

"It doesn't matter. None of what you said is true."

"It is. I bet that pretty sword of yours can tell it. That's why nothing's happening even though you're pointing it at me, isn't it?"

"I have no one," she whispered, her sword dropping slightly and her voice sounding so much more like Marinette's, and not like this sombre and somehow theatrical voice that she had had seconds prior.

"Now the sword should be doing its thing because of you, Princess. I thought you said you hate lies?"

"I'm not lying!"

Aaaand, the voice was back.

"Now let's stop talking, Kitty, and just give me your miraculous. I already have Ladybug's, and we both know you're not gonna win this fight."

"Oh, really? Paw-don me, but why's that?"

She simply smiled at him and if Chat still had doubts before, they were now all gone.

"I've defeated Ladybug before you even arrived here," she half-lied. She did somehow defeated Ladybug by becoming Princess Justice. "Beating you will be a piece of cake, Chaton."

There was a moment of silence, both of them glaring at each other.

"I don't wanna fight you," Chat finally said, standing a little bit taller, voice deeper. "I told you once I would never fight you. It's with you, never against."

"Good. Just give me your miraculous then."

"We both know I can't do that, I already told you."

"Well, then-"

"What about you parents, Marinette?" he interrupted.

"I told you to stop calling me-"

"What about your friend, the girl from the Ladyblog… Alya, is it? What about her?"

"Don't-"

"What about the others? What about Luka?"

"Luka and I-"

"He still cares about you. Everyone does," he said, coming closer and closer to her with each word.

"No, no, that's not true-"

"You know deep down that I'm telling you the truth. You're not alone. We can help you, let us help you."

"No, no, no, no," she cried, holding her head in her hands.

"What about Adrien?"

That finally got her to pause and look at him.

"He's your friend too, right?" he asked her, his heart beating faster than it ever did before.

"Stop, please, just stop..."

She wasn't even sure who she was begging. Since he had started attacking her with his words, Hawk Moth had been screaming in her ears nonstop to attack, to take his miraculous, to do something.

Gosh, it was all just too much.

Please, she thought as she suddenly started feeling like she was drowning, stop...

"Marinette, let us help you. You don't have to fight this battle alone. We can help you."

"STOP!"

"Look at me, Marinette. Look at me."

"No!"

"You didn't lose, okay? You haven't lost the fight. Not yet."

"Please..."

"What about me?"

They were barely a few inches apart now. Chat could see the tears streaming down Princess Justice's face, the blue of her eyes somehow even more brilliant now. She looked devastated and confused, her sword hanging loosely by her side.

He got himself ready for the final blow, knowing that it was the only way to bring her back.

His voice low, barely above a whisper so only she would hear and not Hawk Moth, he asked: "What about me, M'Lady?"

Marinette broke down.