*A/N That was a reeeeeeeaaally long time to be stuck on a cliff hanger... Good news is you get a long exciting chapter! Bad news is it's another cliff hanger... sorrynotsorry \_(ツ)/

Buuuuuuut I'm already working on the next segment. So maybe it won't take me a year to update this time. Hopefully. Possibly... Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I wrote the first draft of it in 2017, which feels like a lifetime ago. I'm glad I finally get to share it.

Chapter 20

"Chat, you have to listen to me!" Marinette protested as he bounded across the rooftops with her cradled in his arms protectively. "You can't fight Spindra with me in the way. I'll find somewhere to hide and I'll be fine, just go!"

"No chance, Princess." Chat quipped with a smirk. "I'm not letting you out of my sight." Marinette bit back a groan. "Besides, Ladybug will show up any minute to deal with the akuma."

Sure she will.

Chat dropped deftly into a secluded alleyway, tucked her beside a dumpster and positioned himself in front of her protectively. "You can't expect me to just abandon you here and run off. Protecting damsels in distress is part of the hero gig." He winked back at her with that stupid cocky grin if his, and this time she let the groan escape her throat.

"Damsel in distress..." she muttered under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "I don't need you to babysit me, Chat. Especially when you should be stopping Spindra from destroying Paris."

"As much as I admire your spunk, Princess, you're not getting rid of me that easily." He said over his shoulder as he continued to watch and listen.

Why does he have to be so infuriatingly stubborn? She internally fumed.

"I'm fine, Chat! Would you please just g-"

"I'm not leaving you, Marinette!" He spun to face her, firmly gripping her shoulders. His jaw was set with determination, but his eyes were tender. Marinette stared at him with wide eyes.

"You... you remember my name." She said barely above a whisper.

Confusion flitted across his features. She could see the conflict in his eyes as he struggled to form a response. In that moment, any lingering doubts in her mind evaporated. Alya was right. She had to be. He knew her.

A blood curdling scream, followed by a thunderous crash snapped them back to reality. Spindra was wreaking all manor of havoc and the only person who could stop it was being held hostage by her self-proclaimed savior. Chat wouldn't be able to hide her forever, and he obviously wasn't going to take his eyes off of her long enough for her to somehow sneak away and transform. With a deep fortifying breath, she set her jaw. It was time.

"We need to move." Chat started to stand but Marinette placed her hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "What are you-?"

"I need you to listen to me, chaton." She cut him off. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you." she placed a hand gently on his cheek, her heart constricting at the sight of his wound, and his eyes grew wide in confusion. "But you're not leaving me much of a choice here." She stood and took a steadying breath, her eyes closed in an attempt to still her suddenly manic nerves. "Tikki, spots on."

Chat's heart stopped.

He gaped in disbelief as a mask materialized across Marinette's face. Ladybug's face. He had never actually seen what it looked like to transform before. He had felt the rush of magic hundreds of times, but had never seen it happen. He could barely believe his eyes as he watched the pink light flow across her body, transforming her clothes into the crimson suit that was forever burned into his memory.

She opened her eyes warily and they found his. She looked so uncertain. So hopeful. So… Marinette. How had he not seen it before? He knew he should say something, anything.

"Y-you." Was all he could choke out in a breathy whisper.

"There's no time, chaton. Spindra has done enough damage already. We have to stop her." She said in rushed, but authoritative voice. Chat remained frozen. "I need you with me on this, chaton." She knelt down and took his face in her hands once more. His head was swimming, struggling to focus, and her proximity was not working in his favor. "I need my partner." She pleaded.

Shaking himself out of his swirling thoughts, he nodded and slowly stood with her. "Let's go catch an akuma."

She grabbed his hand and they ran into battle, as they had done a thousand times before.

~~~

It wasn't difficult to find their target, especially since their target was also tracking them.

"Give me the girl!" Spindra barked at them as they landed in unison.

Ladybug shot a quick glance at Chat, expecting one of his usual sarcastic comebacks, but he was uncharacteristically silent. She risked taking her eyes off the enemy to momentarily study her partner. His entire demeanor was off, from his sloppy battle stance to the distracted haze in his eyes as they flitted around, unable to focus. His head was definitely not in this.

This is bad. This is really bad.

"I don't think so." Ladybug countered their enemy, readying her yoyo as she searched Spindra for the akuma. "I know better than to play with spiders."

Spindra pulled a sewing pin from the cushion strapped to her wrist, her eyes sparkling dangerously as it somehow increased exponentially in size. "Spiders never play with their food." She replied condescendingly as a wicked smirk spread across her lips. "Once I finish you, little bug," She brought the pin to her lips and slid her tongue down the length of it, leaving a viscous goo dripping from the tip. "I'll track down that miserable little wretch. When I'm done with her there will be nothing left to save." She spat through clenched teeth.

"Over my dead body." Chat growled in a low voice, his hands shaking with fury.

"With pleasure." Spindra sneered as she drew her arm back.

With a flick of her wrist, Spindra unleashed a volley of deadly spikes aimed directly at Chat. He was slow to react. Had Ladybug not used her yoyo to throw off Spindra's aim, more than one of the pins that now cracked the sidewalk inches from him would have sunk deep into his flesh.

"Chat," Ladybug called as Spindra wrestled her arm out of the yoyo's hold. "the akuma has to be in that pin cushion."

He caught Ladybug's eye and nodded just before she was enveloped in a binding cocoon of silk and slammed against the ground. She let out a yelp of pain and his mind flashed back to the sight of Marinette struggling pointlessly against the restraints. He couldn't lose her. If anything happened to her it would be like losing her twice. Panic began to rise. He couldn't lose her.

He rushed toward his partner, claws outstretched, and shredded the silk cocoon. Pulling Ladybug to her feet, he searched her over.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, desperation clear in his voice.

"I'm fine, kit- look out!" She shoved him hard, launching him backward.

As he struggled to catch his footing, he barely caught the glint of metal whizzing past him. A wicked cackle tore through the air and dread hit him like a wave. Ladybug's cry of pain pierced his ears and he sprang instinctively toward the sound, reaching her just as she collapsed into him.

"I can't feel my leg." She breathed weakly, and Chat looked down to see the gleaming metal buried in her thigh. "K-kitty..."

He quickly yanked the pin out and threw it aside, cursing under his breath. She was getting paler by the second. He could practically feel the life draining from her.

"Wait here, Milady." He said, gently lowering her. "I'll bring the akuma to you." She barely managed to nod her head before her eyes rolled back and her body went limp.

Fire burning in his veins, Chat stood and faced Spindra. A wicked smirk spread across her lips and he charged with a guttural roar, unleashing his fury in full force. He swung his baton again and again in a blind rage, forcing his enemy backward. Green electricity crackled across his baton, booming like thunder with each blow.

The glint in Spindra's eyes shifted into sheer panic as Chat landed blow after thunderous blow, pummeling her into submission, until she collapsed in a crumpled, bloody heap. Kicking her backward, Chat placed his boot firmly on her neck.

"What did you do to her?" He growled down at his prisoner, eyes alight with green electricity.

"P-poison." Spindra choked out as she clawed at the boot on her throat.

"Save her." Chat demanded through clenched teeth, pressing down a little harder and jabbing his electric baton against her side like a cattle prod.

"C-c-can't."

Releasing a frustrated grunt, Chat ripped the pin cushion from her wrist and called for his cataclysm. Spindra's eyes widened in horror and she let out a strangled shriek as the swirling black ball of destruction came rushing down toward her. Chat slammed his hand down on the concrete just beside her, releasing a wave of destructive energy that buried her in rubble, leaving only her head exposed.

"Stay put." Chat commanded through gritted teeth and returned to the pale, seemingly lifeless body of the woman he loved. The emerald tendrils of energy flickered out as he carefully lifted her into his arms, her head lolling to the side.

"I'm sorry, Milady." He whispered, clutching her limp form as hot tears spilled down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry."