CHAPTER NINETEEN:
LETTING GO
A shooting star streaked across the night sky. Cat Noir took it as a sign of good luck.
He was so tired, yet so giddy and alive. All that dancing had awakened him, and now he was afraid he would go floating off into the cosmos. But Marinette's hand in his kept him tethered to the earth.
They sat down together on the low balcony railing, sighing from the cool air caressing their skin.
Marinette brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, glancing down at her shoes. "I have a confession to make," she said with a grin.
Cat Noir's ears twitched. "Oh?"
"That was the first time in my life I've ever danced with someone."
He smiled at her. "Well, I must say, Milady – you're quite a natural."
Marinette giggled. "Not as good as you," she pointed out. "I guess having cat-like feet has its merits."
Cat Noir tapped his feet against the stone floor. "Oh, I can dance a pretty mean jig, too. Except the tail always gets in the way."
She laughed again, and he joined her. Gods, how he loved this.
They stopped and took in the evening landscape before them. The castle gardens was a diorama of tall shadows and calm, mirror-like fountains. Beyond the castle gates, the forest stood still and quiet – no howls or rustling of branches to be heard. A thin veil of spring mist covered the countryside, all the way up to the mountains. And above it all, the moon shined like a lustrous pearl, bathing everything in its cool, serenading light.
Cat Noir looked back at Marinette, who was now watching him with a warm smile. The moonlight made her porcelain skin glow, and her eyes illuminated like two sapphires. Cat Noir smiled back. "I love it when you look at me like that," he said.
"Like what?"
"Like I'm not something to be feared." He grazed a bit of the railing with a claw. "Like I'm not a monster."
Her hand slipped into his, and their eyes met again.
"That's because you're not," Marinette said earnestly. "You're a good person, Cat. Any decent person would see that." She gazed at the world beyond the woods. "The only problem is there's not a lot of decent people in the world… and too many bad opinions going around."
He shrugged. "That's okay. Your opinion is all that matters to me."
Marinette's cheeks turned a shade darker, but the smile remained.
Okay, Cat. Now's your chance. Don't screw it up. "Hey… Marinette?"
"Yes?"
Cat Noir took a deep breath before continuing, caressing both her hands in his while the stars above bore witness. "Do you think… it's foolish for a creature like me… to believe that… I could ever be with a girl like you?"
Marinette blinked with confusion, then realization, and then awkwardness. "Before I answer that," she said, "tell me what you mean by a "girl like me"."
He understood why she would ask such a question. He hadn't prepared an answer, but apparently, he didn't need to. "I mean… a girl who can be kind to anyone, even if they don't deserve it. A girl who remains strong and fierce whenever she has something to say." Cat Noir offered a knowing smile. "A girl who finds happiness in the things she loves… and friendship in the most unexpected places."
Marinette's eyes appeared to turn glossy as she stared at him, but Cat Noir couldn't tell in the dim lighting. When she spoke, it was almost too soft to hear. "Then… you don't think I'm… you know… odd?"
Cat Noir grinned. "Willful? Yes. Stubborn? Definitely. But odd?" He shook his head. "If it makes any difference, you're the most normal person I've ever met."
Now, Marinette was smiling again, only this time, her eyes were rimmed with tears. Cat Noir reached over and gently brushed them away with his finger.
"Then…" She chuckled and wiped her own eyes. "I don't think it's foolish for you to want to be with me at all."
Cat Noir's heart leapt at that, and his ears perked up. "Really?" he asked. "Then… you think you could be happy here? With me?"
"Yes," Marinette said without hesitation. But then, her smile faded and she looked away.
It made that flame of hope flaring up inside of Cat Noir sputter. "What is it?" he asked, concerned.
Marinette sighed and turned back to him. "I can't lie to you, Kitty – I miss my family. I miss my friends. As much as I enjoy being here with you…" She hung her head down with shame. "… I can't ignore that longing for them. Seeing them in the mirror eases that pain, a little. But… it's just not the same."
Cat Noir felt his own shame curdling inside him like nausea, and his ears flattened.
Of course Marinette would feel that way. He felt the same about his mother, and she was right here in this castle. He couldn't imagine being miles away from a loved one.
"Marinette," Cat Noir said, "I know you've been using the mirror to talk to your friends…"
She snapped her head back up with surprise.
"… and I want you to know that I'm okay with that," Cat Noir added quickly. "If talking to them, hearing their voices, makes you happy… then what kind of a friend would I be if I took that happiness away from you?"
"Friend?" Stupid cat. Why did I say that? Now she probably thinks I don't have feelings for her! Stupid, stupid!
Marinette let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," she said. Then, her eyes lit up with a bright idea. "Would you like to meet them?"
"Huh?" Cat Noir spine locked. Did she just say… meet her friends? Like, face-to-face?
Marinette slid off the railing and tugged on his hands. "Come on," she urged, smiling. "It'll be fun. Trust me."
"Fun" wasn't exactly the word Cat Noir would have chosen… but he did trust his lady. So, he followed her back inside.
Heck, he'd follow her to the ends of the earth, and he would never complain.
In the glowing candlelight of her bedchamber, Marinette held up the magic mirror for both her and Cat Noir to see. "Don't worry," she assured him when his brow creased. "I've told Alya all about you, and she's the toughest girl I know. She'll like you."
He chuckled uneasily. "If you say so, Milady. Hold on – is my hair sticking out?"
Marinette giggled. "No more than usual, Kitty. Just relax." With that settled, she gazed into the mirror and said, "I want to speak to Alya."
The dark glass swirled and showed the inside of Alya's room in The Sleeping Fox. To Marinette's delight, her best friend was sitting on the edge of her bed, twiddling her hands in her lap. She looked worried.
That made Marinette's spirits dwindle. Alya Césaire – worried?
Before Marinette could call her name, Alya glanced up at the mirror… and shot to her feet the moment she saw her friend. "Marinette! Oh, thank god… I was worried you wouldn't get back to me in time."
In time? "Alya, are you alright?" Marinette asked, suddenly nervous. "What's going on?"
Beside her, Cat Noir stirred with disquiet.
Alya leaned closer to the mirror, her amber eyes dull with dread. "It's… It's your father, Marinette," she choked out. "He's sick. Very sick. The doctors… they're worried. And when they worry… well, it's not good."
Marinette's heart almost stopped cold. "W-What?" She pulled herself together. "How? When?"
"About two days ago," Alya answered. "No one knows how it happened. Mr. Dupain just… keeled over all of a sudden. Your mother's taking care of him, and she's sent for another physician from Paris to come help. But… we don't know how long it'll be, and he seems to be getting worse."
Marinette shook her head, and it was becoming difficult to breathe. "Is he… dying?" she dared to ask.
For once, Alya had nothing to say. She just gazed away from her friend's face.
Somehow, that was answer enough. Marinette gripped the mirror handle harder and said sharply, "Show me my father."
The image of Alya vanished, and a different face appeared. The face of Tom Dupain.
But it wasn't the happy, hearty Tom Dupain that Marinette remembered and loved. Her father's face was glistening with sweat and sickly-pale, almost white, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He let out a phlegmy cough, and a small hand pressed a cloth to his forehead. Her mother's hand, Marinette realized. Tom moaned in his sleep and coughed again, harder this time.
"Papa…" Marinette gasped. Her hands shook, and the mirror with it. "Oh no…"
"Is it true?" Cat Noir asked, speaking for the first time through that whole conversation. "Is he really…?"
Marinette let out a haggard breath, her vision tearing up. "I don't know." She shook her head fiercely. "I don't know, Cat! All I know is that he's sick, and he's in pain! And… I don't know what to do!" She clutched the mirror to her chest, choking on a shuddering sob. "I don't know what to do…" she whispered. Her eyes betrayed her, and now she was choking on her own tears.
An endless, agonizing minute passed.
Until finally…
"Then… you should go to him."
Marinette opened her eyes, her grief put on hold by Cat Noir's bold statement. She turned to face him, utterly confused. "What… What did you say?"
Cat Noir had his back to her. He clenched his fists, unclenched them. Then, he turned around, his green eyes dimming with regret. "I said… you should go to your father," he clarified gently. "He needs you, now more than ever."
Marinette blinked, clearing her vision. "But… the deal…"
"I rescind the deal," Cat Noir said, and those words made all the candles in the room flicker on a phantom wind. "You are no longer bound to remain here. No more punishments, no more bargains. You can leave the castle now."
Marinette could hardly believe what she was hearing. He was allowing her to go back home? Truly?
But then… "I suppose," she said, "I'd have to come back. Sometime."
Cat Noir smiled and shook his head. "No, Marinette," he said, placing his hands on her thin shoulders. "I never should have forced you to stay here. I know that now. You deserve better than this. Your family deserves better." His eyes became as hard and sharp as emeralds, yet warm as the sun's rays. "You're no longer a prisoner. You're not obligated to come back. You're free."
Free.
The word clanged through Marinette's bones like a bell. "Free…" she breathed.
"Yes," Cat Noir said. "So, go. Go be with your family. There's no time to lose."
She nodded absentmindedly, her newfound joy crashing over her like an onslaught of water. Free! She was free! She was finally going home! To Papa, and Maman, and Alya and Nino!
Marinette finally smiled, and then she quickly gazed into the mirror again. "Alya…"
Her friend's face popped up again. "Marinette! Where'd you –?"
"I'll explain later. Just sit tight until I get back."
"Get back?" Alya gaped at her incredulously. "Say what now?"
Marinette almost giggled. "I'm coming home, Alya. I'll be there soon, all right? Just hang on until I get there. Okay?"
Alya seemed to be torn between confusion and understanding, but she nodded all the same. "Yeah. Sure thing, Marinette. See you soon."
Marinette lowered the mirror just as the vision faded, and then she looked back at Cat Noir.
He was staring down at the floor now, his face devoid of any emotion save for one: sadness. But when he caught Marinette looking at him, he drew up a small smile.
It made Marinette pause. "Are… Are you going to be okay?" she asked him. "What about the curse?"
Cat Noir waved an idle hand. "Aww… Don't worry about me," he said in a tone that was anything but convincing. "Cats have nine lives, remember? I'll figure it out."
Marinette wanted to say more… but Papa needed her. Cat Noir was right – there was no time to waste.
She extended the magic mirror to him.
He sighed and curled her fingers back around the handle. "Take it with you," he insisted, eyeing her mischievously. "Just in case you find yourself missing this handsome face."
Marinette smiled, knowing the real reason why he wanted her to keep the mirror. It made her heart bleed for him. To be so alone in this castle… could she really leave him?
Cat Noir had given her so many things. The mirror, the textile room, a good life in this castle. Now, he was giving her the greatest gift of all. No, not a gift – her own gods-given right. And she couldn't turn it down.
Without a word of warning, Marinette threw her arms around Cat Noir's neck and gave him a good, hard squeeze.
He embraced her back, holding her so softly and yet so fiercely as though he never wanted to let go. His breath warmed her neck, and she locked that feeling away in her memory.
"Thank you," Marinette whispered, her voice almost breaking. "I'll never forget you, Cat Noir."
He continued to hold her. Then, he said, "Adrien."
She pulled away from him, her eyebrows raising. "What?"
Her feline friend smiled. "Adrien," he repeated. "That's my real name. Cat Noir is… just a mask I used to hide myself. But I won't hide anymore… least of all from you."
Adrien…
The name was spell of its own. A dark yet vibrant cadenza. A soft ribbon trailing on a shifting breeze.
Marinette beamed and pressed a hand to her friend's cheek. "Thank you for understanding… Adrien."
He closed his eyes and sighed into her touch. "I'll never forget you, Milady," he said, his voice quivering. "No matter where you go, you will never leave me."
Marinette lowered her hand reluctantly. And as she backed away, she took in Cat Noir's… no, Adrien's face one last time. Those glowing eyes that were so sad yet so resolute. That faltering smile that refused to drop.
One second. Two seconds. Three. Four.
She had stayed long enough. She had to leave now, before either of them regretted it.
Carrying the mirror in one hand and lifting the skirt of her red dress in the other, Marinette swept out of her chamber like a ladybug taking flight.
Once the last traces of her had vanished, Adrien finally let the mask slip off and sank to the floor against one of the bed posts.
He knew he had done the right thing. Nothing would ever change his mind about that.
So why did it hurt so much? Why did his heart feel like it was going to crack in two?
Too much. This was too much for him to take.
Adrien gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the ground. He needed to get out. He needed air. He needed…
He needed to run.
Adrien stole out into the hallway. No one was around to see him. Then, he stomped over to one of the large windows, unclicked the latch, and practically threw it open. Adrien peered out below to see an outer bridge several feet below. A risky height for a human being to fall from… but not for him.
Adrien slipped out of his emerald-green tailcoat and flung it onto the floor. Then, he braced himself against the threshold… and jumped.
Limbs flailing, eyes adjusting to the sudden darkness, wind billowing past his ears… Yes, this is what he needed!
He curled in and rolled as he landed on the bridge. Then, he pounced back up to his feet and just ran. His long, muscular legs propelled him forward. Even when he came to the end of the bridge, Adrien didn't stop. He flipped over the battlements and fell until he skidded along an angled rooftop. He leapt off again and somersaulted onto another one… then another…
Until finally, he came to the walled pathway leading to the western courtyard.
Adrien ran nimbly along the edge like a skilled acrobat, and then flipped and landed on his hands and feet on the soft grass.
He ran past all the statues; ignored the frightened faces of all those people he had doomed. He didn't stop until he came to the one statue he needed to see.
Adrien panted as he approached his mother, forever frozen in place with her arm reaching out to him. The candles at her feet still burned – compliments of the fairies' magic – and the roses Adrien had laid out for her remained in full bloom. She hadn't changed a bit.
But no… It still hadn't gone away. The pain in his chest. Running had not helped. Gazing at his mother's beautiful face had not helped.
Adrien knew it wouldn't. He was only kidding himself. He just… didn't know what else to do.
He gripped the queen's outstretched hand. "I'm sorry, Mother," he rasped, his throat constricting. "I tried. I really did. But now she's gone. I let her go free." He wiped his nose on the sleeve of his white dress shirt. "I'm just sorry I couldn't do the same for you."
His mother's face stared over him, unblinking. If she could move, would she had smiled at him, or burst into tears like her son was about to do? Would she be proud, or disappointed? Guess now I'll never know, Adrien thought.
A voice disturbed him from behind. "Aha! There you are, Romeo!"
Adrien sighed. As happy as he was to have Plagg with him right now, the meeting was bittersweet.
"Well, kid, I will admit – I had my doubts about all this lovey-dovey stuff," Plagg went on casually, oblivious to his friend's distress. "But, in my defense, I never truly doubted. I was just… you know, a little concerned. But who cares now, eh? You scored big time with Marinette, and that's all that matters." He flew up beside Adrien. "Sooooo… spill the beans. Did you tell her how you feel? How did she take it? What did you say? C'mon, kid – don't leave me hanging. Talk to me!"
Adrien blinked, his eyes widening for a moment. He stared down at the bright orange candles. Then, despite the agony roiling inside him, he found himself smiling. "I let her go, Plagg," he said.
"You… what now?" The black-cat fairy frowned at him. "Let her go… You mean, back to her room?"
Adrien shook his head. "No, Plagg. I let her go. I set her free."
There was nothing but the quiet chatter of crickets in the courtyard.
Then…
"You what?!" Plagg gasped, his paws shooting to his face and his pupils dilating. "But, eh… You were… She was… And we… Are you crazy?!" He blurted out in a high-pitched squeal. "Why would you do that?!"
"I had to," Adrien answered gently, now looking up at his mother's face. "She needed to go home."
"Well, yeah, I get that… I mean, that's good and all, but… WHY?!" That last word came out of the fairy's mouth like a plea for mercy.
This time, Adrien looked directly at Plagg, unwavering and resolute. "Because I love her," he stated, the words tugging at his heartstrings.
There it was – the truth of his very soul laid bare.
He had suspected it for a while. He had questioned it. But he had realized the truth of it right when Plagg asked him mere seconds ago if he had told Marinette how he felt about her.
He loved Marinette.
Plagg gaped at him silently, his hands falling slack to his sides. "Huh…?" he mumbled.
Adrien sighed. "I let her go because I knew it was wrong to keep her here forever," he explained. "I knew that as long as she stayed away from her family, she would never truly be happy. And I want her to be happy, Plagg. I wasn't going to force her to stay for my sake, curse or no curse. So, I let her go."
"But… But what about them?" Plagg beckoned to the garden of statues, then to the queen. "What about your mother? What about… you?"
Adrien gazed back at the queen, the cold truth gnawing at him. "I realized that if I couldn't save them… or myself… I would free the one person I could save. That…" He sighed and proceeded towards the courtyard gate. "That's more than enough for me."
Maybe he was a fool for letting his mother and his people be cursed as statues forever. Maybe he was a coward for not trying hard enough to win Marinette's love. But Adrien's conscience was clear.
He loved Marinette. He loved her enough to let her go free.
And he had meant those last words he'd said to her: she would never leave him. Her spirit, her heart… Adrien would carry that inside him for the rest of his days, long after the spell became permanent and he became the enchantress's slave. Marinette would remain a part of his life, even if it was only in memory. Even if it killed him as much as it invigorated him.
He would never forget Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Not until his final breath left his cold, vacant chest.
"He! Did! WHAT?!" the other six fairies shrieked in disbelief as they gaped at Plagg.
The black-cat fairy hung his head down, his whiskers drooping. "You heard me," he grumbled. "She's leaving. He let her go so she could be with her family."
Nooroo looked like he was about to cry. "But… he was so close…" he whimpered.
Pollen rested the back of her hand against her forehead. "Oh, this is a disaster! Catastrophe!" she moaned dramatically. "And I sang the perfect song for them!" She sighed and fainted into Wayzz's arms.
Duusu actually started crying. "Zut alors! Tell me it is not true!" she wailed. "It cannot be!"
Tikki wiped large teardrops from her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. "After all this time," she mused miserably, "he finally opened his heart… and found someone to love."
Trixx perked up instantly. "Wait… that's it, then!" she stated with newfound hope. "That should be enough to break the spell, right?" She glanced between each of her friends, waiting for an answer.
Wayzz shook his head as he helped poor Pollen back up. "No… because she has to admit her love for him, too," he explained.
"Fat chance of that happening," Plagg said bitterly. "There's only one week left, and the kid specifically told the girl to not come back for his sake." He sighed and folded his arms. "It's over, guys. When the last petal falls and the enchantress comes, Adrien will be all hers."
Tikki buried her face in her hands. "Oh, this can't be the end of it," she insisted. "It just… can't." She began sobbing, and Trixx snuggled next to the ladybug fairy to comfort her.
"So… what do we do now?" Nooroo asked, trembling.
As always, the fairies turned to the wisest of them all for answers: Wayzz.
The turtle fairy let out a mournful sigh. "We remain at our friend's side," he said. "Until the end."
"And pray for a miracle," Plagg added, gazing out the window towards the starry sky above.
With her satchel secured across her body and the hood of her red cloak secured over her head, Marinette rode down the cobblestone pathway on the white stallion, shooting straight for the main gate.
And as the metal bars swung open, a loud mournful roar blasted through the air behind them.
Marinette felt it vibrating in her bones long after she and her trusty steed made it into the lush green darkness of the forest.
