"Ready?" Mister Bug asked, holding Lady Noir's hand as Rena reappeared on the rooftop. Lady Noir nodded slightly, chewing on her top lip.

"Okay. I've got a cookie for Tikki and cheese for Plagg. You guys good to go?"

"Thanks, Rena." Mister Bug took the food and handed the cookie to Lady Noir, who eyed it apprehensively. "It's going to be okay, bug. I know you can do it. On three, M'lady. One…two…three. Tikki, spots off."

"Plagg, claws in."

As the green and pink light washed over them, Marinette's eyes stayed glued to her partner, watching in awe as he turned into Adrien Agreste right before her eyes. He sent her a quick wink and she smiled before the pain could set in. When it did, she found herself in Adrien's arms rather than the ground and she curled into his warm embrace as their kwami recharged.

"Good to go, Marinette!" Tikki called, prompting Marinette to whisper her transformation phrase and turn into Ladybug once more. As the suit fell into place and the pain disappeared, Ladybug took a quick breath.

"See? You did it. Easy as pie." Adrien smiled. "Now try detransforming. Let's see if Tikki's magic did the trick."

"What if it didn't work?" Ladybug whispered into Adrien's shoulder, too afraid to try.

"There's only one way to know. If it didn't work and you're still in pain, you'll just transform back. I brought an extra cookie for Tikki." Rena assured, sharing a quick glance with Chat. If Tikki's magic didn't work..

"You can do this. I know you can." Chat kissed the top of Ladybug's head and squeezed her hand with his. Ladybug mumbled something indecipherable and Chat's head tilted to the side as he tried to piece it together. "What?"

"Chat you- you're chat. You're Adrien!" Ladybug stuttered, face turning redder by the second.

"Oh geez. It's just now clicking in her brain." Rena rolled her eyes. "Marinette, get yourself together and detransform already."

"No no. Wait a second. M'lady, do you have a crush on me?"

"What! No!" Ladybug denied, shaking her head at a nearly inhuman speed as her fingers began to dig into his arm.

"Wait!" Adrien smiled wider than they'd ever seen him before as his eyes practically sparkled with possibilities. "Hello little lady. I'm Buttercup." He teased, kissing her hand. Ladybug groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Chat.." She looked up into his eyes as Rena gagged in the background.

"Can you guys not? I mean, at least, not while I'm standing right here?"

"Payback for all the PDA with Nino." Ladybug shot back, hands going to her hips.

"Okay, okay. Can we just see if you're better now!" Plagg half asked, half demanded as his tiny tail lashed behind him.

"You never cared about me this much." Adrien pointed out, hand going to cover his heart. "It wounds me."

"Yeah yeah, you know I love you, kid."

"Okay. I can do this." Ladybug began, hands already fidgeting. "If it doesn't work..I just have to hold it together until Tikki can recharge. I can do that."

"It's going to work." Adrien promised, hand on her shoulder. "You're going to be just fine." He turned to Rena. "Ready?"

"Ready." Rena held a cookie at the ready, preparing for the sight of Marinette crumbling in pain once more.

"Tikki, spots off."

Tikki appeared, hastily making her way to the provided cookie and chomping down as fast as she could.

Marinette stood, eyes squinted closed and hands balled into fists.

"Marinette?" Adrien questioned, squeezing her shoulder gently. "You alright?" Bluebell eyes popped open at his words and she smiled, relief washing over her features.

"I feel great."

~•••••~

"This just in, an Akuma has appeared near Collége Françoise DuPont. Clara is at the scene. Clara?"

"That's right, Nadja. The Akuma has been rampaging through town towards the school. So far there has been minimal damage but we are still being encouraged to stay out of the way of the monster. School officials are working to evacuate or shelter the children inside the school as the heroes have yet to arrive."

"Do you think we'll see Ladybug today?"

"I can't say." Clara shook her head, holding tightly to her microphone. "All of Paris prays for Ladybug's safe return, but Mayor Bourgeois has begun funeral preparations in the wake of her disappearance."

"We've got to go." Adrien whispered to Marinette, taking her hand to distract her from the monitor in the shelter. The other students gathered around, watching and waiting anxiously for the heroes to appear and take care of the Akuma.

"I-I can't." Marinette mumbled, face turning deathly pale as she tore her hand from his.

"Bug? I thought the pain was gone. Are you still hurting?"

"No, I-"

"What's the hold up?" Alya whispered, leaning over to get closer to her friends. "Don't you guys need to use the bathroom or something?"

"There's an Akuma. I think they can hold it, babe." Nino laughed, shaking his head as he turned back to the monitor. Alya sighed, rolling her eyes. Nino was lucky he was cute, because he didn't have much of a brain to back it up some days.

"Marinette, what's up?" Alya rephrased the question, shaking her friend by the shoulder gently. "You've gotta go."

"Ms. Bustier! Marinette's going to be sick. I'm going to walk her to the restroom!" Adrien called, taking Marinette's hand and leading her away from the group. Ms. Bustier watched after them with a knowing nod, confident that Ladybug would be making a reappearance soon. "Marinette," Adrien began once they were alone. "We've got to go. We can't let the attack go on much longer. You've got to transform."

"I can't. What if I mess up? If I miss another cue..if I-" die again. The words got caught up in her throat and Adrien swallowed, trying hard to bring his own to the surface.

"I'll protect you. I will never let that happen to you again. I promise, my love." Adrien kissed the top of her head and held her hand. "We won't go until you're ready…but Paris needs you to be ready soon."

"Go get Alya."

"What?"

"Go get Alya. Please."

Adrien disappeared down the hallway and was back with Alya at his side in minutes.

"Girl, you need to go. I understand the hesitation, I do. But Paris needs you."

"No. I can't. I can't do it. I'm too scared. I need you to take Tikki. Please."

"Marinette, I-"

"Please, Alya."

Alya and Adrien shared a worried glance and Alya nodded. "Okay. Okay. I'll handle it."

Marinette gave the earrings over quickly and Tikki sighed as she was forced to yet another holder.

"Tikki, spots on."

"Plagg, claws out."

~•••••~

"Chat Noir! Scarabella! Please! A minute of your time?" Clara called, running after the heroes. "The viewers want to know," She motioned to the camera. "Did ladybug…did she die?"

"Um…yeah. She did." Chat Noir answered, voice breaking as he remembered the events of that day.

"But the ladybugs brought her back, right? She's back to her old self and we'll see her soon?" Clara looked at him expectantly as he thought back to Marinette's terrified face in the akuma shelter.

"No. Not exactly."

~•••••~

"She wasn't there. They sent in Scarabella." Gabriel announced to Natalie as he re-emerged into the atelier from his lair. "Why is she hiding? We know she's alive."

"I suspect either she's still recuperating…or she's too terrified to come back."

"But the ladybugs-"

"When you hurt people it can't always just be undone at the end of the day. The physical may be gone, but the mental…it stays."

"Natalie," Gabriel sighed, eyes closing as he took a breath. "I think it's time I have a meeting with Ladybug and Chat Noir."

"Would you like to do that before or after the funeral they've prepared for tomorrow?"

"Best get it over with."

"Just what I was thinking, Sir."