Hello everyone! A little late again but I've been very down last week and during the weekend. I was on the verge of a huge breakdown so I needed time to for myself and my family so I haven't been able to publish anything on Sunday. Hope you'll like this chapter anyway. Y'all have a Miraculous day!

JEREMIAH: Hi! You got it right. Of course they'll have their happy ending. I can't write sad ending anyway. I hope you'll enjoy this story too. This is less angsty than Final Coutdown. This one is more about hurt/comfort. Yes, one week 'il Kuro Neko. I'm a bit nervous lol. Have a good reading.

CURLYMAY: Hello! I'm glad that you like the fact I'm using French History. I kinda wanted use it since a while and when I eventually thought about it, this is how the story was built around their overdose and them seeking for help from famous people. I never watched Dr Who, but some of my friends likes it a lot. I didn't know it was a little similar with the Tardis, but I'm happy then, since Alya looks like a fan of Dr Who. Haha. Hope you'll like this chapter too. Good reading.

CHAPTER 3: Crisis

The return back to the present had been quite shaking. It was hard to believe that they had learned absolutely nothing to help them through Jeanne d'Arc—peace to her soul.

They were back to the same point: at a standstill.

Marinette massaged her temples and sighed: she was exhausted. They had returned in the middle of the night. The time travel and the three hours of sleep she had, hadn't helped to relieve her headache at all.

Fortunately, it was the winter holidays so she didn't need to get ready for university, though she'd promised to help her parents at the boulangerie.

She took a painkiller with some water and eventually she went downstairs to the shop. She slipped behind the counter in order to allow her mother to get back to the kitchen with her father.

A few hours passed by before Marinette took her lunch break. She ate quickly, drank tea, took another painkiller and she got back to work. Tying her apron, she walked up inside the boulangerie and noticed out of the corner of her eye a pair of sneakers on the other side of the register: a customer.

"Bonjour, what can I do for you?" she asked, tightening the knot she'd just made and raising her head toward… Adrien.

Her eyes widened as a gasp fell from her slightly parted lips.

"Hi, Marinette. Uh, can I…borrow you from your parents? Just…a few minutes, I promise."

She gulped, her jaw clenching. "It depends, are you gonna yell at me like the other day or throw me into the Seine like you did with Luka?" she glared at him, arms crossed over her chest.

Adrien's hand reached for the back of his neck. She frowned, registering the familiarity of his gesture before nodding with a shy smile. "Sorry, it wasn't fair of me, Adrien."

"It's okay. I deserve it." He lowered his head, glancing sadly at his shoes.

Marinette's heart felt like a stone in her stomach: she hated seeing her friends feeling bad.

"Maman, papa..." Marinette popped her head through the kitchen's door. "Is it okay If I'm out for a few minutes with Adrien?" she asked. "I'll be quick."

"With Adrien!" Monsieur Dupain repeated. Of course ma chérie, take all the time you need!" His father winked at her.

Her shoulders slumped and she let out a deep sigh: her parents would never let her live this—her crush—down. Despite the enhancement of her friendship with Adrien and the disappearance of her stuttering, as well as her clumsiness, she was still just a friend with him. Not because she was still afraid to confess her feelings—okay maybe a bit—, not because he was in a relationship—astonishingly, Mr. Handsome was still single—, no, it wasn't because of her nor him. What was truthfully standing in their way, was a cat. Not a stray, not even an animal at all, but a cat-cladded superhero who happened to be her wonderful and charming —because he looked too gorgeous in black leather for his own good and her own sanity—partner. Her partner who had sneaked his way straight to her heart without her even realizing it, or when she had realized it, it was too late, he was already home.

So, she couldn't gather her heart to make a choice. How could you choose between macarons and chouquettes? Or between sunrise and sunset? You couldn't. That's it. She couldn't choose between Adrien and Chat Noir. She couldn't give one of them only half of her heart. She rather chose to not choose.

Obviously, she couldn't tell that to anyone, not even her parents—except Alya. So she just accepted that everybody teased her about the fact that she was still single at 18.

"—inette?" she heard in the distance.

Adrien! He was still waiting for her and there she was, ruminating about her mixed feelings.

"Sorry. I'm coming!" She squealed and she hurried to get back in the shop.

Marinette was untying her apron when she heard heavy steps behind her. Oh no, everything but that, she thought.

"Here are some macarons, take them, you'll have a snack to share together while talking."

Her father opened the box, proudly showing them his creation: red heart shaped macarons.

He did it. Again, she groaned to herself.

She took the box from his hands and replaced it with her apron. "Thanks papa," she replied, giving him a stern look before dragging Adrien outside the boulangerie.

They headed to the park near her home, both of them staying silent until they reached their destination. They sat on a bench and Marinette opened the box full of macarons.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened on the boat yesterday," Adrien whispered. "I shouldn't have blamed you like that for tripping and spilling soda all over my clothes. It was just an accident."

"Well, I should have been more careful since there were electrical cables everywhere on the floor…" she noted, handing him the box.

Adrien took a macaron and smiled.

"You don't have to apologize because you're clumsy, Marinette. Besides… I think it's rather… cute," he said and she tried hard not to blush. "I've been rough with you and that's not okay," he grumbled, swallowing his macaron.

"And I've been rough with you too. I'm sorry to have told you that you were a selfish rich kid." Just thinking back at it made her want to dig a hole and bury her shame in it forever.

"I had it coming… My reaction was disproportionate. I had hardly slept, I was tired and... It was just a really bad day. Of course, that doesn't excuse my behavior with you, Nino or even Luka," his voice cracked on the last name.

Marinette pursed her lips, hesitating between comforting Adrien, or avoiding the subject and getting back to work in order to stay safe in case her Miraculous illness chose to speak for her.

She took a deep breath and put her hand over Adrien's shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"You acted in the heat of the moment without thinking twice and yes, it was stupid," she blurted out, before she saw Adrien's eyes widen and realized what she'd just said. "Er, I mean… It was stupid but… It happens. We all have our bad days… Just... Next time, try to control your impulses a bit more and not throw someone in the Seine. Okay?"

"I'll try to remember that," he chuckled, but it sounded more like a nervous laugh or a forced one to Marinette's ears.

"I need to get back to help my parents… Take care of yourself, Adrien…" she exclaimed, pressing her lips against his cheek. "And don't ever again act like a brainless jerk," she added while getting up. "Er…" Her eyes grew wide. It was starting to get complicated. "Igottagobye!" she spoke in one breath, as she quickly fled away.

"I don't know if she forgave me or if she still thinks I'm a fool," Adrien muttered, his hand pressed against the burn that her kiss had left on his cheek.

He stared emptily at the corner of the street where she'd just disappeared.

"I'd say that she still thinks you're an idiot but that she forgave you because she can't resist you," a little voice coming from his jacket answered. "Like I can't resist a good Camembert even if it doesn't stink enough," he sneered.

"Plagg! Marinette's just a friend. I already told you: she doesn't see me that way," Adrien corrected his Kwami.

"Yeah, just a friend… Like Ladybug," Plagg whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Good. You better shut your big sneaky mouth or I swear it's your cheese that I'm gonna throw away in the Seine." Adrien's voice was barely a murmur because they were in public, though it was still stern and harsh. "Let's go back to the Manor now before someone notices I sneaked out."

He found a quiet and clear spot in an alley and transformed then, he propelled himself toward the cold and austere Manor.

Adrien soon reached it and after a quick check around, he jumped through his bathroom's window.

He came back to his room just in time. He could already feel a wave of warmth spreading down his spine and he knew it was the cue of a severe crisis. Not that this had happened often before. But for the past week, this happened each day and with a new intensity—like the day before, when he pushed Luka over the edge of the boat. It was out of control.

It was sneaking inside of him like a venom spreading in his veins. The heat, the anger, the jealousy, the eagerness, the selfishness and much more negative emotions, suddenly engulfed him in a downfall that seemed bottomless.

His heart hummed fast against his ribcage, echoing through his skull and ears, leaving him completely breathless as he rushed into the Italian shower.

"Plagg, claws in!" he quickly exclaimed as he twisted the water controller to turn on the temperature at its coldest.

Adrien let out a high-pitched whimper when the cold water hit him and his Kwami echoed him.

"AAAAAARGH!" Plagg screamed, quickly flying out of sight and cursing. "I'm gonna catch pneumonia! I'm not paid enough for this!" he groaned somewhere in the bathroom.

Adrien's mind couldn't really focus on the Kwami cat's complaints. The boy was breathing quickly and heavily due to the intensity of the Miraculous' side effects. He lowered his head, the cold shower running down his hair, his face and neck, sneaking inside his clothes and soaking them completely. Hands flat against the tiles, he let the drops fall over him, hoping they will carry away the pain and the anxiety he felt.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying not to swallow the water pouring down his mouth.

Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale,... He repeated to himself.

After a few long minutes, Adrien regained control of his emotions. He could still feel his hands shake and some bitterness twist his guts, but the peak of the crisis seemed far behind him now.

Eventually, he went out of the shower, throwing his wet clothes in the sink and wrapping his naked, cold and trembling body in a smooth towel.

When he finally felt warm enough, he got rid of the soft bath towel and took some dry underwear from his closet.

He quickly put on a pair of Gabriel branded boxers and slipped under the downy blanket of his bed, letting the warmth engulf him as he let out a sigh of relief. His fencing class was only two hours away. It meant he could take a little rest before going to his training and then meet Ladybug later in the evening for their appointment.

Yeah. This sounded like a great idea.

When Chat Noir reached the place of their rendez-vous, Ladybug was already there. But something was weird and felt utterly wrong in the way she was crouched over herself, head buried between her knees and back against a chimney.

"M'Lady?" he inquired, slowly stepping closer to her, his hand reaching out.

Ladybug raised her head. Her jaws were clenched, her features stern and her eyes were shining with anger.

"Back off, don't touch me!" she shouted, pulling her arm away from him with a sharp movement.

No doubt: she was in the middle of a crisis.

He took a deep breath and slid down the chimney, taking a seat next to her.

"I had a big crisis this afternoon too."

"You, you, you! You always bring everything to you!" she yelled, while standing up abruptly.

The hero's resolution didn't fail in spite of his partner's resentment. He was himself finally feeling a moment of calm and he intended to make Ladybug enjoy it as well.

"Shh, Buguinette, I'm here for you. We're going to get through this. You can get through this," he whispered, standing up in turn to try to approach her again.

"Don't call me BUGUINETTE!" she protested by turning back away from him.

Chat Noir clenched his fists and with a determined step, he snuck up behind his partner, his arms wrapped around her waist as he pressed her back firmly against his chest. "You'll always be my Buguinette, whatever you say, whatever you do."

"Let me go!" she shouted while struggling.

But that just made him tighten even more his grip around her body. "No! I got you and I will always have you. Please, calm down, I don't want Shadowmoth to take advantage of you. Please," he begged.

He laid his head on her shoulder and rubbed his nose against the skin of her neck, squeezing her with all his might as she tried firmly to get away from his grip.

"Please, please, please," he repeated like a broken record. "I know you can do it. You will do it," he encouraged her in a trembling and pleading voice.

Suddenly, she put an end to the cursing words and threats that she was vociferating against him. Her abrupt movements also stopped, and turned into tremors and jolts: the cries had been replaced by tears.

Ladybug suddenly swiveled in his arms, cradling her face against his muscular chest and letting the dam collapse, her sobs flowing freely.

"I...am... Sorry…" she hiccupped, each of her words punctuated by a choked sob.

"Shht, it's okay, I'm here," he murmured, drawing circles on her back.

He rested his chin on the top of her head and gently cradled her in his arms to soothe her cries. And he had to calm them down quickly, if he didn't want to see an Akuma or an Amok—or both—, show up any second and use his Lady's vulnerability.

"I'm... sorry... am... partner... horrible…" She continued to sob half-heartedly.

"You are the perfect partner. I love everything that makes you who you are," he reassured her, in a soft voice.

Chat Noir felt totally helpless. After his comforting words, his partner's tears had doubled and he wondered what he could have said to make the situation, which was now becoming really critical, even worse.

"M'Lady, please, I'm not mad at you," he insisted. "Calm down and look at me. I beg you."

She stirred slightly against his body and the next moment, two sapphires glistening with tears that were still flowing, finally looked up at him.

While he could read the pain and sorrow that still shook her, his attention drifted for a moment to a small and purplish shadow, twirling only a few feet away from them.

Without thinking twice, Chat Noir took Ladybug's face between his hands, letting his thumbs gently rub her damp skin as his lips hastily pressed against hers.

It was a one-way play. There was no way back. Either he had crossed a line, in which case, Ladybug would end up akumatized. Or, the years spent declaring his love for her would have been enough to dig a place, even a tiny one, in her heart, and thus, he would manage to soothe her.

He had nothing to lose now except one of the two most powerful Miraculous in the world. In a final burst of hesitation and concern, he moved his fingers over her ears, ready to snatch her jewel to keep it safe, but also to protect his partner's identity.

But as his claws brushed against her earrings, after a few seconds where his partner had remained static, probably in shock, her lips began to move slowly against his. She hadn't pushed him away, on the contrary, she was responding to his kiss.

His hands fell back on Ladybug's shoulders and for a few more short seconds he surrendered to the soft, sweet, warm sensation of her lips against his.

It remained a contact as light as a feather, experimental and shy. When they separated, they were not out of breath, however the heart of the feline seemed momentarily completely out of his chest, beating frantically.

"I... uh... There was an Akuma," he managed to say, his mouth dry. "I…forgive me Ladybug."

To be continued…

See you this week-end for chapter 4. Bug out and Miraculous kisses y'all!

Also, feel free to leave a review. I'll be glad to hear your opinions.