AN: I hope you all enjoyed the double chapter last time! Here's another slightly-longer-than-usual chapter to begin bringing together all the loose ends! Just a few chapters left in this story!

Chapter 10: Backs to the Wall—The First Steps Back to Normal

Marinette sat on the ground behind the chimney as Tikki ate a macaroon nearby. On just the other side of the chimney, Cat Noir and his kwami, Plagg, were doing a similar ritual. It always felt weird to sit, untransformed, on opposite sides of a structure and know that her partner was there, in his civilian form. Like always, they were so close to each other and, yet, so far apart; today proved to Marinette the importance of continuing to keep their identities secret from each other. Cat Noir had been compromised by the akuma (but, luckily, it seemed that Hawk Moth still also did not know who Cat Noir was in his civilian life, since he'd been akumatized before releasing his transformation) and this fight would've turned out much worse, Marinette knew, if her partner had known Ladybug's civilian identity. It would've been the fight against Cat Blanc all over again and that wasn't something that Marinette wanted ever again.

As Marinette watched Tikki eat the macaroon, she realized that there was a pattern in the times when she'd sat back-to-back like this with Cat Noir, a structure of some sort—usually underground, like in a subway—between them to conceal their secret civilian identities. It always seemed to be that they would find themselves this way after a significant event that threatened to break up the strong partnership that they'd built up together.

The first time that Marinette could remember was on Heroes Day when Hawk Moth had become Scarlet Moth and released many akumas all at once. On that day, Ladybug had created a plan that brought together all of her chosen temporary Miraculous Holders. She'd thought the plan was pretty solid, but Ladybug had underestimated the ability of Scarlet Moth to release a continual stream of akuma and, one-by-one, her temporary Miraculous Holder companions had fallen, akumatized into prior supervillains, forcing Ladybug and Cat Noir to retreat underground. Behind the cover of the tunnel, Marinette cried and confessed her insecurities to Cat Noir. Even at her lowest that day, she'd been surprised that her wonderful partner had known exactly what to say then, reminding her that maybe they didn't need the others to defeat Scarlet Moth; it had always been them against the world and that was what had always worked. As it turned out, Cat Noir had been right that day. Together, they, as the superhero duo they'd always been, had defeated Scarlet Moth.

The second time that Marinette could remember was in New York. Again, they'd retreated to the sewers, hiding between tunnels. That second time, Marinette was certain, had been even worse. Like today, the trust between her and Cat Noir had broken. She hadn't expected to see Cat Noir in New York; he'd promised to stay behind and protect Paris. Ladybug hadn't understood why he'd broken his promise. Because of his broken promise, Paris had fallen under attack by a sentimonster, leaving part of the city destroyed and unable to be magically fixed; the sentimonster had disappeared before Ladybug and Cat Noir could fly back to Paris and cast the Miraculous Cure. Again, Ladybug had broken down, but that time she didn't have Cat Noir to offer comfort. He was fighting his own internal battle. They'd just come off of a battle with an akumatized American supervillain. The villain, Technolizer, as he'd called himself, had pulled a trick move on Cat Noir sending him flying toward Ladybug. If the android superhero, Uncanny Valley, hadn't placed herself between Ladybug and Cat Noir, he would've ended up using his Cataclysm on his partner! Luckily, the Miraculous Cure had fixed everything and Uncanny Valley was fine, but the American superhero adult team hadn't been pleased and demanded they each hand over their Miraculous. Ladybug had almost lost Cat Noir then, down in the sewer. He'd renounced Plagg and left his ring on the ground. She'd thought that would be the end of the Bug and Cat team, but somehow Uncanny Valley had found Cat Noir and convinced him to come back and save New York. From then on, Ladybug had silently vowed to always be there for her partner; she couldn't bear the thought of him ever permanently renouncing his Miraculous!

Their partnership hadn't crumbled that day, hadn't crashed and burned; Marinette promised herself that it wouldn't on this day either! Once her partner was ready, they'd sit down and talk this out, figure out how to move on from this and begin to build their trust in each other back up once again.

Marinette looked over at Tikki. Her kwami had finished eating the macaroon and gave Marinette a small smile. "Tikki, spots on!" Marinette called out, transforming back into Ladybug once again.

Ladybug still didn't hear any sounds from the opposite side of the chimney. A part of her wondered ever so briefly if Cat Noir had actually left and gone home. She knew that Cat Noir was feeling really down right now about all that had happened today. However, he'd promised that they would talk. It wasn't like Cat Noir to break a promise.

"Cat Noir?" Ladybug called softly to her partner. He didn't respond. She resisted the urge to ask him if he was okay. That would've been a stupid question. Of course he wasn't okay! Right now, he was feeling hurt, like he'd betrayed her. Ladybug hoped that Cat Noir would take this opportunity to sit with her and discuss what happened. No matter what, she wanted her partner to be happy and Ladybug couldn't deny that she missed the gentle comfort between them. "Cat Noir?" Ladybug tried again. Like before, he didn't speak—that is, if he was, in fact, still there. "I'm ready to talk when you are, Cat Noir, if you're still here," Ladybug continued. "I'll be waiting over on the edge of the roof. Join me when you're ready."

"I'll be over in a little bit, Ladybug," Cat Noir finally spoke. "Please don't leave."

His voice sounded so broken, so unlike his norm which radiated confidence and cockiness. Ladybug had rarely ever heard him sound so down, the last time being in New York.

"I won't, Cat Noir. I'll be here whenever you are ready. Take your time."

Ladybug walked silently over to the roof's edge and sat down, letting her legs dangle over. She kept her back to the spot where Cat Noir was still hidden. As she waited, Ladybug couldn't help but to feel a bit relieved, glad that Cat Noir hadn't just silently left her here all alone. No matter how long it took for him to feel ready to sit down and talk with her, Ladybug would wait. He was hurting but willing to make the effort to mend their broken friendship. Cat Noir, Ladybug believed, had always been the stronger between the two of them. Despite all he'd been through today, Ladybug knew that he would claw (oh, he would like that pun!) his way back to normal, no matter how long that might take.

Ladybug swung her legs back and forth as she looked out over the city of Paris. It was probably about late afternoon or early evening by now. Her parents would probably be getting ready to close the bakery soon and they were probably going to start wondering where she was, if they hadn't already. She'd probably just tell them that she'd gone to Alya's place after school and forgotten to call to update them on her plans. Luckily, her parents trusted her and would rarely ever fact-check what she would tell them. Even if they did manage to catch her in a lie this time, Ladybug wouldn't care. Right now, it was way more important to be here for Cat Noir and pick him back up after this darkest moment in his life. There was no way, in good conscience, that Ladybug could leave him to fend for himself right now, not when he needed a friend so badly! If Marinette told her parents that she'd come home late because she wanted to console a friend who was feeling down, they'd definitely understand.

Leaning back on her hands, Ladybug looked out over the blue sky that covered the rooftops of Paris. Without thinking about it, she started to hum a familiar tune. It was the song that Cat Noir had made up some time ago. She would hear him softly sing it sometimes when he thought that he was alone. It was just one single simple line, but those lyrics had become a comfort song for him. Of course, the lyrics that Cat Noir had created didn't work for Ladybug. She wasn't a little Kitty waiting for his lady. Then, a new set of lyrics came to Ladybug and she softly sang, "Little lady on a roof...all alone without her Kitty..." Now she understood why Cat Noir sang this comfort song every so often. It did help her to feel less lonely (even though she wasn't actually alone; Cat Noir was still here).

"Not bad, Bugaboo," a soft voice spoke up from behind Ladybug and she found herself smiling at the sound. Though his voice was still rather flat, Cat Noir had come out to join her.

Ladybug looked back over her shoulder to take in the sight of her partner. He was transformed once again, looking just as he had this whole time. It was almost crazy to think about how, this time, when he was akumatized, Ladybug had been unable to spot any visual differences in his appearance. Usually the people that Hawk Moth akumatized would end up looking ridiculously absurd! Cat Noir, though, had looked the same as always and she hadn't noticed right away that he'd been akumatized. In fact, Ladybug had been reminded of when they'd fought Copycat. The akumatized Theo Barber had so flawlessly looked like Cat Noir that he'd almost fooled even Ladybug into believing that he really was her partner. Then, when the two, Cat Noir and Copycat, had fought each other, Ladybug's eyes hadn't been able to keep up fast enough to keep track of which one was her partner and which one was the imitation. Back then, her partner had been so happy, even despite the stress of being wrongly accused of stealing the Mona Lisa from the Louvre.

Now, that happiness, those smirks and smiles that Ladybug had come to expect to be on her partner's face, was gone. Instead, it seemed that Cat Noir just looked tired, like the aftermath of today's ordeal, the process of starting to piece everything together, had aged him. Ladybug hoped their conversation wouldn't take too long. She wanted Cat Noir to return home and rest up; his family was probably worried about him.

Cat Noir gave a small smile, but it lacked his usual personality; it didn't reach his eyes. He stood behind Ladybug, wringing his hands together. Was he nervous? This was all so unlike him!

Ladybug smiled back, hoping that would help Cat Noir to relax a little bit. She gestured gently for him to come join her over at the edge of the roof. He did and walked over slowly to take a seat beside her, letting his legs also dangle over the edge.

"So, can we talk about what happened?" Ladybug asked tentatively.

Y'know…even though there wasn't as much actual action in this chapter, not like the last few, I really like this one. It's interesting to hear Marinette think about the times when the partnership between her and Cat Noir was shaken, but how their trust in each other was never broken. It warms my heart, but I love them both so much!

Well, this experience has broken Cat Noir mentally and emotionally, so these final chapters we'll see more quiet action, but the story is still not over yet! Hope you'll come back again next time!

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