Marinette stood alone in the rain, looking out over a shadowed graveyard. The grave to her left read "Emilie Agreste: Beloved Mother." Beside it another bore the family name "Dupain-Cheng." Master Fu and Marianne beyond theirs. Walking down the line, she read more and more names: Ivan and Mylène, Nino, Alya, Chloe, Kagami, Luka… all her friends. Fallen in battle, fighting beside her. Dead because they had trusted her and she had let them down. Tears stung Marinette's face, blown away by a wind that made the fog swirl around her, though it never disappeared. Other gravestones appeared from the mist: Pablo and Julia, Felix, Mira… On and on the graveyard stretched, an unending line of death. Some civilians who had died from the mysterious illness or from the destruction; others heroes who had been killed by the Beasts themselves. How many had died already? How many more would die for her?

Finally she came to the end, to the last grave marker, the words etched on it shrouded in darkness. She didn't want to look, but she couldn't help herself. For one sickening moment, the fog cleared and the haunting moonlight illuminated two words etched in the cold stone.

"Adrien Agreste."

Marinette felt a firm hand shake her shoulder. "Excuse me… Marinette?"

"Mmmmm…" She groaned, clenching her eyes closed against the pinpricks of light that barely penetrated her eyelids. Her limbs felt stiff. Her head ached. Her shoulders and back were sore from sitting still while leaning forward in an uncomfortable position. Something soft and warm was under her cheek and arms. She could feel a hand on her head, another on top of her hand. A third hand shook her by the shoulder again, more insistently this time. Slowly she forced herself to sit up and open her eyes, rubbing them and blinking dumbly to try to return herself to alertness.

She was sitting on a stiff-backed wooden chair next to the bed in Emilie's suite. Tikki, Plagg, and Duusu were all curled up together on the nightstand in a messy nest of old shirts and food wrappers. Marinette's stiff neck protested angrily as she tried to turn it. She had fallen asleep with her head on the bed, pillowed on her arms, and her back and neck were not forgiving her for her poor posture. Emilie had not awoken when Marinette had; she had fallen asleep while running her fingers through Marinette's hair, and as Marinette sat up, her hand fell limply to the bed. Gently, Marinette took Emilie's hand and placed it on her stomach before reaching up to brush Emilie's hair out of her face. Beside Marinette, Adrien stirred with a moan and pulled his hand out of hers, though his eyes remained closed. She frowned: he needed his rest. The last several days came back to her in a rush. Emilie's fever had started about a week ago, and it still hadn't broken; her coughing spells had increased in frequency as the days dragged on, to the point that her only relief came when she slept – and even then she only slept fitfully. Dr. Ouazani was still staying at the Mansion with them under the quarantine conditions, but despite Adrien having given him carte blanche to test any treatment, none had shown promise. Emilie still remained weak. The only theory Dr. Ouazani had proposed was that her years in a magically-induced coma had left her more susceptible to this seemingly-magical illness. Unfortunately, nothing made a difference.

Because she was sleeping so poorly – because he was so worried about her – Adrien had taken to sleeping in Emilie's room to keep her company. Despite his halfhearted protests that she needed her sleep, Marinette had joined him.

The only "bright" moment had come a couple nights ago. Kagami had stopped in for a movie night, trying to get their minds off of Emilie's illness… only for her cousin's late-night emergency call to disturb all of them from their drowsing. After that they had spent most of the night in Japan, first with the Nihon Hiro Chimu and then trying to smooth things out with the local police. While they had been away, Emilie had had a spell with her breathing; only Clara's intervention had helped her pull out of it and return to breathing normally. Since then, neither Adrien nor Marinette had left her room.

Looking down at Emilie's flushed face, her hair matted down by sweat, Marinette's heart broke. She sniffled, swallowing hard. After watching Emilie for a year in that coma, looking as though she had simply fallen asleep, after they had woken her up, after she and Emilie had started to become close, after Emilie had begun treating her like a daughter… to see her like this…

"I apologize for waking you," the same robotic voice continued. She looked up to find Turing looking down at her, his robotic eyes glowing a dim white and providing the only light in the room. No longer the hovering box, Turing now stood approximately as tall as Marinette herself, with a slight build and a head roughly the same size and shape as his previous robotic body had been, though more rounded in a manner reminiscent of a human head. Marinette stared up at him expressionlessly, eyeing him carefully. Turing let out a low sound like a hum. "There has been a change…"

Suddenly on high alert, Marinette moaned, rubbing her forehead to work out the headache that had taken root just behind her eyes. Twisting her head in either direction to stretch her neck, she pushed out her back and yawned, trying to force away all traces of exhaustion. She took Adrien's hand and squeezed, pressing her lips to his temple. Finally he stirred, yawning noisily and blinking as he woke. Eyebrows furrowed in concentration, Marinette turned to Turing. "What's happening?"

"Master Fu…" responded Turing hesitantly. "His breathing–"

Without waiting for the rest of the robot's explanation, Marinette gasped, her eyes wide, and rushed for the door, dragging Adrien after her by the hand. Adrien stumbled once and nearly lost his footing, but Marinette couldn't slow down. Behind them, Emilie shifted slightly in her bed, coughing weakly. Marinette froze in the doorway, torn between going and staying. Tikki and Plagg had woken up, along with Duusu, who fluttered around the room in agitation.

Duusu's tail feathers waved behind him. "Oh dear, oh dear," he fretted. "You–you should go; I'll stay with Miss Emilie."

Marinette's stomach clenched. "Come and get us right away if anything happens, okay?" she asked. Duusu nodded firmly, and Marinette dashed out of the room.

Down the corridor they ran, across the atrium, and down the guest wing, Turing following behind them. Marinette had walked every centimeter of this mansion so many times that she could find her way around without any trouble, even now when it was pitch dark in the dead of night. She sensed more than saw Tikki and Plagg flying beside them as they hurried through the silent house, the only sound the clomping of Turing's metal feet behind them. A thin sliver of light seeped under the door to Master Fu and Marianne's room near the middle of the guest hallway. As quietly as she could, Marinette pushed the door open to find two people inside, standing over the two beds.

Dr. Ouazani looked up first, a breathing mask covering the bottom half of his face, and pulled a stethoscope away from Master Fu's chest. The doctor's eyes were cast down and drawn, the bags underneath them attesting to his long, sleepless nights. He gave them an evaluating look and shook his head. "I am sorry: there is nothing more I can do."

At the other bed, Clara wiped perspiration from Marianne's forehead, a shimmery bubble covering her mouth and nose. Marianne's breathing appeared shallow and ragged. Clara placed her hand on Marianne's chest and closed her eyes. Her hand glowed a soft white, and Marianne's chest rose and fell normally. Then Clara took her hand away, and Marianne gasped for breath once more.

Marinette froze in place, staring into the room, which had a faint smell of disinfectant hanging in the air. Her heart felt sick. She was only vaguely aware of Adrien's hands on her waist, holding her up, pressing her back against his chest. She couldn't look away from Master Fu's face.

Master Fu's eyes opened a crack, and he looked up at them. The sharpness and alertness that Marinette had grown accustomed to seeing in them was there for one moment, but disappeared in the next. Both Wayzz and Kheaa were curled up on his pillow on either side of his head. He tried to lift his head from the pillow to look at Adrien and Marinette, but gave up after a moment and fell back. Weakly he beckoned them toward him.

Dr. Ouazani held out a hand to them in warning. "I don't think–" He paused and shook his head in frustration. "Oh, what do I even know anymore?" He sighed, shrugging helplessly. "Who knows what's safe?"

Timidly, Marinette stumbled forward to stop next to Master Fu's bed, Adrien's hands on her sides supporting most of her weight. Turing stayed at the door, his arms folded in front of his chest. Together, Tikki and Plagg dropped down to sit on the pillow with Wayzz. Marinette felt a lump forming in her throat. For the first time since she had known him, Master Fu looked frail and old – every day of his 178 years.

"How–how are you feeling, Master?" Adrien asked, coughing to clear his throat.

Master Fu let out a breath, slowly pulling in air to replace it. "So very tired… after fighting for so long…" He hummed. "Perhaps a long rest is in order."

Marinette sniffled. "But, Master–"

Ponderously he chuckled. "I do not know if I have ever truly deserved that title, my child," he told her. "Oh, I have tried my best, but I have made so many mistakes."

"But–but–" Marinette gave him an incredulous look. "If it weren't for you–"

Adrien wrapped his arms around her tightly. "If it weren't for you, Master, I would never have found my Lady. And if it weren't for you, my Mom would still be in a coma."

Master Fu nodded slowly. He smiled. "I have known many miraculous users over the years – chosen a fair number of them as well," he mused. "But none of them were half so special as the two of you." Tears welled in the corners of his eyes. "I suppose it is fitting that the last two I chose were the best of all… I am so very proud of you, of what you have accomplished. You have repaired so many of my mistakes. I–I–"

Marinette leaned closer.

Master Fu swallowed and looked past her at Adrien. "I only ask that you forgive me, Cat Noir," he whispered. "I should never have treated you so poorly. I trusted you with Plagg; I should have trusted you with the truth from the beginning. I thought I was being cautious; I was only being unfair."

Adrien froze. Marinette nudged him gently with her elbow, and he sniffed, placing his hand over Master Fu's. "I–" Jerkily he nodded.

"That is all I can ask of you," Master Fu whispered, coughing. Wayzz dabbed his cheek with a tissue. Master Fu smiled at him. "Thank you, old friend." With a force of effort, he reached up to cup his hand around both Wayzz and Kheaa and told them, "I do not deserve such faithful companions as you both have been."

Kheaa patted Master Fu's thumb. "No; thank you," he squeaked. "After having been lost for so long, I am grateful to have had a holder once more, and one who returned me to so many more of my brothers and sisters."

Master Fu sighed, reaching out his other hand and placing it on Marianne's bed. "After so long…" He drew in another labored breath, his eyes closing.

Marinette knelt by his bed, placing her forehead on his arm. "Please, Master–" she sobbed. Adrien placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "There must be something we can do." Turing to Tikki, desperately she begged, "Can't you–?"

Tikki put her paws on Marinette's hand and shook her head. "I'm sorry." Her lips trembled, and she sniffled. "This illness–it fouls my power…"

Marinette turned to Dr. Ouazani. "Isn't there anything you can do? Some–some treatment, or–"

Slowly, regretfully, Dr. Ouazani shook his head. "I am sorry, but there is nothing more to try. We have already tried everything. I have no idea if there is anything else that we could have tried – but it would have to be magic if it were going to make any sort of difference with this illness."

Master Fu's eyes opened slightly and he chuckled. "Do not fear, Ladybug," he whispered. "After such long labor and searching… I found worthy successors. You are both far greater guardians – heroes – than I ever was…" His eyes closed, and a rattling breath escaped from his mouth. With a burnt-orange flicker and a gasp, Kheaa was sucked back into the miraculous.

Clara pressed her fingers against Master Fu's wrist and frowned sympathetically as she removed the Narwhal Miraculous, placing it carefully in the wooden box next to his bed.

Marinette burst into tears, heedless of Adrien wrapping his arms around her and holding her close as she fell to the floor.