*happy sigh*

It feels soooo good to finally be back and publishing content again, and I want to thank all of you for your patience, it's truly appreciated. I've managed to get through all of my personal issues and I'm now better than ever! I've got to say how great it feels to finally being back to feeling good rather than the people who feel the need to hold me back.

This next chapter was kinda too easy for me to write, and so it's from a very personal place that it's written. I really hope you enjoy it, and thank you so so much for your support, it's amazing to know I have y'all.

Enjoy! xx

From the perspective of MARINETTE...

The single hardest part of dreaming, is you have to wake up at some point.

The single hardest part of dreaming about someone you love, is you have to wake up without them.

Adrien haunts my dreams, his presence is everywhere, his words echoing around every corner as I stand in the middle of it all, trying to wake up and break the nightmare.

The problem is that the dream is amazing. The other problem is that I'm happy he's there.

In that dream, before I wake up and remember, I'm dreaming of Adrien, and his deep green eyes. Too soon however, the dream changes from a pleasant dream to a nightmare. All of a sudden, I'm being bombarded with memories: the purple van with the purple and black speckled butterfly on it; the same butterflies that used to chase me through my dreams years ago, and then finally something that I don't remember. Some sort of symbol, a round symbol with a butterfly like shape in the middle. Almost like a logo. I'm so desperate to escape the dream but there is a pull that makes me stay there. With a blinding flash of light, the logo disappears and the light morphs it into a single word.

Hawkmoth

What it means, I have no idea, but it gives me no time think, because it disappears, morphing into a purple and black butterfly. The butterfly flies swiftly at me, viciously swooping dangerously close to me. I scream, jolting up from my sleep with a start. I begin to pant, the shock of the dream making my heart race. I can't help thinking about the meaning of that word.

'Hawkmoth'.

I don't recall hearing it anywhere, so I've no idea what it means. It sounds to me like some sort of animal, maybe? But I'm still not sure.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I get up from my position on the cold dirty floor and walk sleepily over to the small window on my door. Looking as far up and down as I can see from my position, I try to work out if I'm in the same corridor or not. Judging by the unfamiliar corridor outside, I gather that I'm not.

Everything feels so strange, and my whole body is aching as though it hasn't been used in ages. It makes me wonder just how long I was asleep for. But at least I can move now, which is an improvement from yesterday. Anything is an improvement from yesterday actually. You could say yesterday wasn't my best day, so I'm determined that today will be better. I sigh, bracing myself for the thinking that I'm about to do. Because I know that I'm going to have to face my thoughts at some point, so it might as well be right now. It's time for me to face the past, realise that I can't do anything to change it, and focus on getting over it to move on and make things better on my own.

Because that's the way that it has to be.

It really is.

I'm not even sad or angry at him. Ok, so I'm maybe still a little bit hurt, but that's okay. At least it will drive me to forget about him.

We had a good past, most of the time. I can reminisce, but I can't stay living in those memories, and instead make more that will leave me proud that I didn't depend on him. After all, life isn't meant to be travelled backwards, it's meant to be used to excel forwards. I've got to prove it to myself that I don't need him, and I can make it on my own, because I don't depend on a boy for happiness. No. I can be happy on my own, and I'm all I need. Things are going to happen whether I like them or not, and it's my choice to decide whether or not I let them affect me.

And I choose no.

I'll get through this. I'll leave him behind, maybe not forgiving but trying to forget.

Because I'm Marinette.

And I'm going to get through this.

I comb my fingers through my hair, trying to brush out any tangles that sleeping has given. Sleeping it off was a good idea, and now I can think a lot more clearly with a calmer less emotional head.

I move over to the corner of the room, just like I would have if I was back in my other cell. I relax into the corner and survey the new room for what I think is the first proper time.

Something catches my eye. I'm not sure what it is through all of the rubble, but it looks like... no, it couldn't be. I crawl forward on my knees, brushing bits of dirt and rubble aside to try and read whatever it is that has been inscribed onto the floor. Upon a closer look I see what it is.

Words.

Sentences.

Burnt into the floor in-

No.

No way.

This is, well, it's impossible. Surely it couldn't be from Adrien? Urgh, I curse myself for thinking of him straight away, but in reality, it's the only logical option. Although for someone who claims he wants nothing to do with me, he certainly seems pretty desperate. I read the message in my head.

M, i Will fix THis, i Have to. i lOve you, oK? A

I scoff at the message. Does he really think it will be that easy for me to forgive him? One message filled with a promise of love and a solution and then I'm back on his side? What about everything else? All of those other confusing signals. He can't ignore me, then kiss me, then lie to me, then deceive me, and then send a message to me like this. He can be so... infuriating! So many mixed signals and sending me on a rollercoaster of emotions just to leave me hurt and wondering what any of it meant. Even though I know that I shouldn't. He clearly thinks that he knows what he wants, but really, I don't think that he does. He has no idea what it is he wants, and I can't just sit around here and wait for him to figure it out and then just be there when he's convinced himself he's got his head in the right place.

I'm so frustrated. Things will never be easy for me. But, all emotions aside, I remind myself that I'm not going let it confuse me, and I'll just have to forget about it and pretend it's not there. Although, it does have me curious. He couldn't do that before, when I was cooped up with him. His power was reckless and unpredictable. So I wonder what changed. It makes me think though. If he has other uses for his power, then what's to say that I don't? I mean, I've never tested the possibilities of what I can do because I've always been so terrified by my powers, but maybe whilst I'm in this place for having them I might as well embrace them.

If they think I'm a mutant with weird and crazy abilities.

Then that's exactly what I'll be.

Why not?

After minutes of attempting different things, I fall back to the floor in annoyance. So, it turns out that I can't write with my magic, but maybe..

I have a new idea. Gathering up lots of the pieces of the rubble in my hands, I put them all down in a little pile in front of me. Making myself comfortable in a relaxed position cross-legged on the floor, I pick up as many as I can hold in my left hand, and put my right hand over the top of it. Now that I have used my magic more, I find that it is getting more and more easy to access the magic that I need, which is a good thing. Because I've noticed my powers aren't exactly very harmful to other people. Just freaky to those without them. So I don't even struggle to get it to work, I just hold my hands over the pile of rubble and relax myself, so that I'm not even thinking anymore. A calming sensation washes over me as I feel the warmth if the light seeping from my hands. I focus on the objects in my hands, and imagine them coming together, forming one object, focusing on what I want them to become. To my surprise, they begin to move under my fingers, moulding together. I'm so shocked that it actually worked so well. I eventually stop and remove my right hand from over the top of them to see what the result is. I gasp in delight. I have managed to form one chunk of solid wood. It's cut in a pristine little wedge shape. I'm still in disbelief that I managed to do it, and I'm so proud of myself too.

It is great and everything, but I'm not exactly sure what it's going to do to help me escape. I was hoping for something more... well, helpful. Frustrated again, I throw it to the other side of the cell, where it lands on the floor with a bump.

Resting my head in my hands, I wrack my brain for some sort of plan to escape. Trying desperately to ignore the little flickering spark of hope for Adrien and I that is beginning to stir from the embers of my disappointment.

Not long afterwards, the door flies open, making me jump. I glare at Lila as she struts into the room. I flash her an obviously fake smile, but irritatingly she returns it with a cheerful greeting.

"Good morning! How are we today?" she asks brightly. It makes me want to throw up hearing the sickly sweetness of her voice.

"Actually-" I begin.

"No, I'm kidding, I really don't care," Lila interjects with a snarky tone, "are you more recharged today?"

"Yeah, I-"

"Gotcha again!" Lila laughs, pointing at me before smiling, "still don't care."

Oh, I hate this girl.

"Fine. Why are you here then?" I snap, unable to hide the irritation in my voice.

Lila pouts, hands on her hips.

"Oh, you're no fun," she huffs, still mocking me, "but ok. I thought you might like to know your precious Adrien is on our side now. He doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. He told me himself."

Lila smiles triumphantly, but now I'm even more confused. The message, the message said something different. Why can't this just be over with? I'm slowly becoming more and more doubtful.

"What h-he doesn't?" I say, voice faltering.

"Nope!" Lila relies brightly, " he even accompanied me to the research room to find out more about our plans for you."

"He did?" I reply, now unsure.

Something doesn't add up. There's something off, that doesn't quite make sense. With the message and then Adrien suddenly being against me but then finding out about what my fate is going to be, not caring about his own. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was planning something, but then again, I've no idea what to believe coming from him anymore. So, I decide not to believe anything from anyone until I've sorted out my own judgement.

"Why would he do that? I don't understand. He wouldn't... he wouldn't get involved with that. You're lying!"

"I'm afraid I'm not, not this time anyway. He was really into it. Asking all sorts of questions about what we were doing and what would happen to you. So, I hate to break your heart, but you're wrong," she boats, leaning on the door frame and inspecting her nails.

I think it's clicked. I think I might know what he's doing. Maybe. Well, I'm not exactly sure what, but I know that he has something planned, the thought of what scares me slightly. Especially since I don't know whose side he is on right now. If he's on my side, I think the message might have something to do with it. That would explain it anyway.

Maybe he wants me to find the room, that's why Lila is so pleased about it. Because they both know that this room is important. I think there's something in there he wants me to find out. That's his plan! I make a silent promise to myself to find a way into that room. And for now, I need to act as if I'm just as clueless. I fold my arms indignantly.

"Was that it?" I ask rudely.

Lila's smile falters, as if she's not sure how this next move will play out.

"No, you'll be glad to hear it's not it at all. You have a visitor," she announces, watching my reaction with beady eyes.

I freeze. A visitor? Are we even allowed visitors? Even if we are, who would want to see me? I search Lila's face, looking for any sign as to who it could be. Adrien? Has he come to see me? My breath catches, cursing myself for hoping it's him. Or maybe it's someone else who I left behind. My heart twinges. My parents? Alya? Nino? My two dearest friends from Paris. Heart racing, I watch as the visitor enters the room.

I gasp.

It's none of them.

In fact, it's the last person I expected to walk in here.

"Hi Marinette."

I'm in utter disbelief.

"What are you doing here?!"