I'm back from vacation! I saw ten whole turtles! In the wild! It was awesome!

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Warning: This chapter, we go back to Adrien and Marinette, and it is very dark. There is a conversation with Hawkmoth, and then after that, things get grim.

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7:00 am.

As strange as it would seem, this was the most comfortable Adrien had been in the last 24 hours. The chain held his bum arm up so weight wasn't pulling on it. He wasn't in a small enclosed space, and he wasn't laying on hard dirty ground. The stage lights were warm as they beat down on him from all sides.

Finally, he could get some rest. Though again, rest was to loose term.

Marinette didn't bother him. She just watched from across him to make sure he was still breathing.

All that was left to do was wait. Wait for Salo to come back and inflict more pain. Wait for her to mess up, give someone a clue. Wait for the authorities or someone to find them.

She tried pulling at the chains, and tried to make her hand slide through the cuff, but it was solid, and cutting into her wrist the more she moved.

So her feeble escape plan ended prematurely.

8:00 am

There were people looking for them right? Mr. Agreste had certainly seemed like he had been following their tribulations. Her parents had been in that room too, right?

What about the others? What about Alya and Nino? The rest of their classmates?

With the way they had left things in the classroom, she wouldn't be surprised if they had abandoned them. At least her. Adrien didn't do anything wrong.

Well, neither did she, but sometimes that's enough to draw enemies.

What was Lila saying about her now? Not that it mattered anyways, but it was impossible to not think about it.

Don't let people who hate you take up real estate in your head. That was something her mom had always said. Meaning not to give thought to how others have wronged you, if you can't do anything about it. It made more sense than 'forgive and forget'. Right now, Lila was none of her concern. And depending on what she was like when and if they got out, she may not ever be a problem again.

Marinette wanted to believe they would beat this foe like anything other. She wanted to believe that they'd fight the good fight. But without Miraculous, what could a model and a baker's daughter do? Sure, they had the brains of a superhero team, but what good were brains against guns?

9:00 am

She surveyed the room. There was one man sitting in the shadows, his reflective classes illuminated by the light of the computer screen. He hadn't so much as sneezed in the hours they had been here.

"Hey," Marinette called.

He didn't reply.

"Can I ask for water? Does Salo want us to die of dehydration?"

He finally turned to look at her. Then after a beat, he stood and went to Salo's table of horrors.

Marinette couldn't see what he was doing, but she heard him pouring something.

He came over with a glass of water, or so she hoped. It had a straw.

"This isn't poisoned, is it?" She frowned.

He only held it up to her, face impassive.

Well, If this was the opportunity to get a drink, she wasn't going to miss it.

Hesitantly, she took the straw and sucked up some water. Well, what was partly water. And partly something else? It burned and certainly didn't taste good. If anything, it dried her mouth out more.

"Ugh!" She shivered as the liquid sloshed uncomfortably in her empty stomach. "What is that?"

"Water." Said the man. "With a little Vodka. To kill the bacteria."

"What?"

"It's not tap water."

"Then...where did it come from?"

The man shrugged. He walked over to Adrien, smacking his face.

He blinked blearily, noting the glass and took a drink. He finished all the water, before he shuttered and coughed. Then, almost immediately, he fell back to sleep.

The man set down the glass, and meandered back to the computer, off frame. She could see as he moved, he had an earpiece in. Most likely to hear Salo's commands.

Even if the woman wasn't in the room, she was still in control of it.

11:00am

Marinette's stomach was growling quite loudly. She wouldn't be surprised if those at home watching could hear it.

Noon

In vain, she tried to swing her arms around, trying to get the feeling back in them. Her hands tingled unpleasantly and her arms trembled. She swallowed, trying to quell the dryness in her throat, but it did little good. She didn't bother asking for more water. Salo was going to make sure they didn't die until she wanted them to. She didn't want to make herself sick in the meantime.

1:00pm

She started to feel lightheaded and nauseous. There was a large chance it was the lack of food. On the other hand, she had had her arms raised above her head for the last few hours.

2:00pm

It was stifling under these lights. She needed more water, even with the alcohol in it.

3:00pm

There were at least four cameras in the room. One behind Adrien, pointed at her; one behind her, pointed at Adrien; one on their side, and one towards the ceiling looking down.

Marinette kept staring at the one behind Adrien, looking right in the lens. She imagined those who were watching. Her parents, Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie. Maybe her classmates. Fans. Children.

"Hey," she spoke to them. "If you're watching this, you…you're probably feeling a little hopeless. I don't blame you. I feel…pretty hopeless too. I mean, I'm…I'm stuck. I'm not sure how I'm going to get out of this. But…but Ladybug always saves the day, right?" She glanced away, choosing her words. "My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm 17 years old, and my favorite color is pink. I'm the daughter of the best bakers in Paris, though I might be a little bias." She smiled slightly. "Before I became Ladybug, I was a normal girl, with a normal life. What made me extraordinary, was my willingness to help others, and my kindness. So Paris, I have a favor to ask:

"Be helpful and kind. Go out of your way do something nice for someone once a day. If you can do this for me, then I know Paris will be safe until we return."

She glanced over to Adrien, then the man at the computer, and then back at the camera. "Maman, Papa...I'm really really sorry I had to hide this from you. I didn't want to, and some days I thought about how much easer it would be if I just told you. How I could explain the lateness and absences, and my bad grades. But I just had to let you think I was a bad kid. It was for your safety, after all...but despite my best efforts, this still happened, and now you're in danger. Please get somewhere safe. Leave Paris if you have to. I love you so much. I promise I'll be out soon."

Her bit the inside of her cheek, hesitating, but then said, "Alya, I'm sorry too. You…you probably feel kinda betrayed right now. But, like I said, it was for your own safety. You were put in peril so many times because of me. How many more would that have been if Hawkmoth thought you knew my identity? After everything, I hope you finally believe me now...sorry, that was harsh. I...I'll forgive you, if you forgive me. Deal?"

Then she was out of words. What else could she possibly say? 'It's going to be okay?' Because she had no idea if it was.

4:00pm

She started to follow the cracks in the walls with her eyes. It was hard to see them in the shadows, but she'd follow a line until she couldn't any longer.

Then, her eyes ran into a letter. And another. And another. Squinting, she could sort of make out a word. Not one she immediately recognized, but it was a word none the less.

'Notausgang'

Marinette stared at it for a long time. Was it an acronym?

Adrien inhaled harshly, then squinted against the light. "My lady?" He whispered, his voice soft with sleep.

"I'm here kitty. Did you get some sleep?"

"Yeah, I…I was exhausted. Sorry to leave you alone."

"It's fine, Cat. You were awake alone last night. I say we're even."

"Did I miss anything?"

"Not really. I tried to give a pep talk to those watching us. But I don't know how genuine it sounded."

"I bet it was lovely, My Lady."

She smiled at him, longingly. She desperately wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him for hours. Somewhere safe, where the Salo's and Lila's and Hawkmoth's of the world could never find them.

It was odd, staring at Adrien like this. It had nearly been a full 24 hours since they were revealed to each other, and now, he felt like a stranger to her, rather than Chat Noir or Adrien. Both. And Neither. She still loved him, of course, that was undeniable, but her view of him was skewed.

It didn't matter anyway. There was no point in asking the big questions right now. What were they now? How did this change their dynamic? If Chat loved Ladybug, did that mean—

"Notausgang." She blurted.

"Pardon?"

"Notausgang. Does that word sound familiar?"

He creased his brow, thinking. "No...it sounds German though. Why?"

"It's written on the wall behind you."

"Like Graffiti?"

"No...it looks like it's supposed to be there. Like a sign."

"A German sign on the wall? You don't think...we're in Germany, do you?"

She swallowed thickly. "I have no clue where we are, but...why else would there be German on the wall?"

"Well, maybe we're still in France. Maybe not Paris, but Alsace-Lorraine or..." he choked.

"Oh Kitty," she tried to console, though this revelation had shaken her too. If they weren't in Paris, what were the chances they'd be found? How likely would it be for Rena Rouge and Carapace to take trip to Germany without raising suspicion in their normal lives?

Did the authorities in Germany even care about Parisian superheroes?

6:00pm

The door opened with a loud creak.

Up until this moment, Marinette had been silently praying for Salo to come back and just get it over with, because the suspense was killing her. But now, her stomach was in her shoes and she was terrified.

"Well well well, how are we doing now? 12 hours is a long time to leave you hanging around. I'm so sorry, I meant to come back sooner, but I had errands to run."

She set a paper bag down on her table in the shadows.

"I heard your little speech, Ladybug. Very moving. I'm sure mommy and daddy loved to hear all about how you lied to them over and over for years. And the Ladyblogger! Oh, she must be absolutely crushed. Her best friend, her hero, lying selfishly. Dangling that one bit of knowledge that she always wanted just out of reach. What a friend!"

Marinette looked away, in an attempt to block out her lies.

"But I'd like to correct one thing, however. You told Paris to be kind and all that junk, to make sure it stays safe until you could come back. Sorry, Ladyliar, you're not leaving. Gabriel Agreste blew the only chance of Adrien getting out, and you…you have no chance. I have you right where I want you."

Marinette glared at her, her eyes full of malice and rebellion.

"So much spirit in you still. That's fine, we'll cure you of that soon enough."

Pasolini came over, undoing the chains that kept them hanging from the ceiling, and instead had their hands link behind their backs.

Adrien's bum arm flopped uselessly down, and a wince pulled from his mouth.

Another man came forward with two steel buckets, and placed them on the floor in front of them, upside down.

"Step up." Salo commanded.

They had to be careful, as the buckets wobbled with the uneven weight.

Marinette's flipped out underneath her, and she fell shoulder first on the ground.

"My lady!" Adrien called out, but he was swiftly silenced with an elbow to the gut.

"Get up." Salo demanded, standing above her.

Without the use of her arms, Marinette struggled to stand. Finally figuring out how to do so, she returned to her feet. The bucket was righted, and she stood back on it again, no fumbling this time.

Salo held her hands up like she was framing a picture. "Yes, yes this is all coming together."

With a little swing in her step and a hum on her lips, Salo waltz over to her table, and returned with two black cloth bags.

The first one, she brought over to Adrien, holding it open and bringing it towards his face.

"No…no, no please don't! Please!"

"Oh, what's wrong kitty cat? Afraid of the dark?"

Adrien didn't answer, just continued to stare with wide, fearful eyes.

"Or are we…claw-strophobic?" She grinned.

He never hated a pun. Until now. Was this woman going to ruin puns for him?

Without his consent, he whimpered, his lips trembling.

With a chuckle, she raised the hood again, ready to put it over his head.

"Incoming call ma'am." The man at the computer spoke.

Salo backed off, gleefully going towards him. "Oh, a call, hmm?"

"The facial recognition program found a match."

"Oh goody. We mustn't keep him waiting then!"

The large screen opposite of them blinked to life, and there, in a dark room, with a completely phlegmatic expression, stood Hawkmoth. The man who had spent years trying to kill them.

Marinette couldn't imagine this conversation going well.

"My my, took you long enough. I would have thought Hawkmoth would have the Ladyblog as the home screen on his computer."

"Did you summon me to antagonize me?"

"Summon you? What, like you're some sort of demon? Some kind of god?"

He remained emotionless.

"Your face says I'm wasting your time, but your eyes say you're jealous."

"Get on with it."

She chuckled, "And impatient too. No wonder you always lost."

She walked over to the safe, entering a combination that Marinette couldn't quite make out. Then she walked to the camera and held out her hand. "Here, the Ladybug earrings and the Black Cat ring. Bonafide jewels of magic. Now, what will you give me for them?"

Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes.

"I have no idea what you want with these. I can't see the appeal of a grown man running around playing superhero. Perhaps you want the Black Cat to use for heists? But I couldn't fathom a use for the Ladybug earrings. Unless you want them to be a circus performer."

Marinette bit her lip, she desperately hoped that Hawkmoth wouldn't say anything about the ultimate power of their combination.

Luckily, Hawkmoth just kept his mouth shut, and continued to glare with his steely expression.

"You know, in bartering, there has to actually be, you know…bartering."

"What about the children?" He asked. "If I want the gems, and those two along with them. What's the price?"

Salo barked out a laugh. "You-you want—oh that's rich! What? You want to torture them yourself?" She shook her head. "No can do, Hawkman. I have business with them. But that was a good joke." She wiped a pretend tear from her eyes. "Look, these are useless to me. I have all the power anyone could ever want. I'm being reasonable by offering these to you first, since you so desperately want them. But if you don't want them, then I'll just put them for auction up online. You can try to get them there, before some other yahoo outbids you. So, do you want them, or not?"

Hawkmoth's lip twitched in a scowl. "Oh, I want them. But I'm not making any deals with you. I abhor torture."

She scoffed. "Oh yeah, and what would you have done with these two if you had gotten their miraculous on your own?"

"I would have sent them home. I have nothing against them personally. It is their job to fight the akuma. And once relieved of that duty, they are free to go. In the same way, they have a duty to Paris to stop criminals. But now they're only teenagers. What you're doing goes beyond revenge, it's insanity."

"Oh, so now the terrorist is trying to lecture me? You're playing all high and mighty, now that you're not the villain anymore. But I guarantee you, if it was you verses them, and the Miraculous were in sight, you would do anything, including killing them, to get them. Don't talk to me about insanity."

Hawkmoth grit his teeth in anger, a fire of hatred burning in his eyes. "I will be taking those Miraculous on my own."

"I'd love to see you try. Tell you what, I won't put these up for auction until I've disposed of these two maggots. Go ahead, akumatize any random, innocent civilian you want and send them to me. But unlike them," she thrust a thumb over her shoulder, "I won't hesitate to kill your little minions."

Hawkmoth 'hmph'ed and the call ended.

Salo laughed. "What a moron! No wonder he loses all the battles. No strategy, no thinking, just 'I'm gonna get them'. It's pretty sad actually. You weren't even good heroes, just better than the villains you faced."

Marinette had basically tuned out all of Salo's blathering. She was more focused on what Hawkmoth had said. I would have sent them home.

"Alright, now that that flaming garbage is over…where were we?"

Adrien tensed, seeing her go for the hood again.

Then he had a stroke of genius, or idiocy. His arms were bound, but his legs weren't. He was free to run.

Salo picked up the hood, and brought it closer to his face. He waited until the last moment and collided the top of his head with her chin, making her bite her tongue.

"You motherfu—!" Salo bit, before covering her bloody mouth.

Adrien skirted around her, running to the door. It was open! If he could just—

A gunshot echoed and whizzed passed his good arm, putting a hole in the wall. Adrien halted immediately.

"Next time I won't miss." She hissed.

He turned to look back.

Marinette was still on the bucket, biting her lip to keep from screaming out. Salo had her gun pointed right between her eyes.

"It's your decision kitty cat. The door is right there. You can run, or you can save your little girlfriend."

The choice was simple, and he complacently walked back to his place.

"What do you say?"

"…sorry, ma'am."

She punched him solidly in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, and sending him to the floor.

He rolled onto his side, desperately gasping for breath.

"What do we say?"

He gasped over and over, trying to breathe. "I'm—I'm sorry, ma'am."

She kicked him in the side, making him cry out.

"What do we say!?"

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" He all but screamed.

Pasolini grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet.

"Then stand on the bucket." Salo demanded fiercely.

His legs were a lot more wobbly now, and he trembled all over. But he stood on the bucket, not eager to upset her again.

He clenched his eyes shut as the bag slipped over his head. It blocked out all light, and he could feel the heat of his breath on his face. It was too hot, and the cloth pressed into his nostrils as he inhaled. He couldn't get any air. He couldn't—

"I can't breathe," he choked.

"What was that, kitty cat?"

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Desperately, he shook his head, trying to shake it off. "Please, I can't breathe! Get it off!"

Salo was silent. The room was quiet. Could anyone hear him?

"I can't breathe!" He wailed. "Help!"

"Adrien!" Marinette's voice cut through the darkness, making his panic subside for the moment. "Take a slow, deep breath."

"I-I can't! I-I-!"

"Sshh…" She hushed him. "Just inhale….and exhale…"

He did as she instructed. Keeping his eyes shut tight and focusing on his breathing.

Shortly after he was bagged, she was too, and she understood why he was so terrified. The hoods did make it harder to breathe, but not impossible.

Salo and her men were doing something, though neither of them could tell what it was.

"What's happening, my lady?" Adrien asked, panic still very much taken hold of his body.

"I…I don't know. Just keep breathing…"

"I'm—I'm scared."

"Me too, kitty. Just keep breathing."

And then, there was something else over their heads, and resting on their shoulders.

"Do you know what this is?" Asked Salo, sounding ever like a kindergarten teacher.

Adrien shuttered.

Marinette answered. "It's…a rope…"

No.

A noose.

"Oh god…" She started to cry. Was this it then? Was this the end to their torture?

"This is a very easy game to play." Said Salo. "All you have to do, is stay very still. As long as you don't fall, you won't lose! Now won't this be so much fun?"

Adrien made a noise that sounded halfway between a sob and heave.

"Oh come now! You've been standing for 12 hours already, what's one more?"

One hour of this.

One hour of looming demise.

All she had to do was stand still. Very still. Marinette controlled her breathing, and tried her damnedest not to even twitch.

Her heart broke as Adrien's haggard breathing reached her ears. He was hyperventilating, choking on the hood, being swallowed by it.

"Breathe…" she said again. "Inhale…exhale…"

"No no," Salo chastised, "we don't speak!" She hit Marinette, not enough to push her, just just hard enough to knock her off balance.

The bucket wobbled under her.

Oh god please no…if there was ever a time for her to be graceful and balanced, now would be the time!

Unfortunately, Marinette was doomed to fall.

The bucket toppled, and skidded across the ground, clanking loudly.

"My lady!" Adrien shouted, hearing the commotion.

Marinette didn't answer, just let out pathetic gasps for air.

"Marinette! Marinette please say something!"

But she didn't. She couldn't. She just kept gasping, gurgling, and coughing.

With nothing to keep him calm, Adrien spiraled into another panic attack.

Marinette landed on the pads of her feet, thankfully, but the rope tightened around her neck.

She was choking. Her breathing asthmatic, her pulse thundering in her ears. If she could just stay still like this, she'd still be safe! Just a little longer!

Bright lights danced in her vision as her jaw felt tight. She didn't have much longer. How long had it been? A few minutes?

Finally, the rope was cut and she collapsed on the floor.

"My lady…my lady…" Adrien kept calling for her. Begging her to answer.

The hood was ripped off her head, and she could see him, still playing Salo's game.

"Adrien…" she whispered. "Hang…hang in there…"

"My lady!" His voice was wet with relief, and he outright sobbed.

The hour ended, and his noose and hood were pulled off as well.

He met her tired eyes, nothing but longing and relief in his gaze.

"So, Adrien's our big winner for the day, hm? Well, you get a very special prize! I know you'll just love it! Come now, it's getting late. It's been a big day! And tomorrow's going to be big too!"

Adrien obediently stood and waited to be escorted back to their cages, but Marinette still laid on the ground.

"I said, it's time to go. Get up."

She turned on her side, but she looked extremely weak and couldn't find the strength to get up.

Pasolini simply grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her across the cement.

Back in the cages, Marinette was uncuffed, and then tossed into her cage. Adrien got a little more ceremony, where he was able to walk in on his own.

The cage, by comparison to the hood, felt a lot less suffocating, and he felt much more relaxed than the first night.

The slot in the door opened, and a deep voice said, "your prize."

A blanket dropped on him. Wool, smelly, itchy, and maybe a little moldy, but it was much much warmer than nothing. He wrapped the blanket around himself and then settled on the floor, reaching his arm out under the door. "My lady? Are you there?"

Her small hand weakly grasped his, her fingers cold in the dampness of the room.

"That was a stupid thing you did." She chastised. "Brave, but stupid."

"…I know…I was just…I saw the hood and my flight or fight kicked in…I'm sorry."

She squeezed his hand, but didn't reply.

"So…what happened? I couldn't see anything."

"I fell, but the rope was long enough that it didn't kill me, just choked me."

"Salo sure knows what she's doing."

"Yeah."

They lapsed into silence.

"Can I confess something?" Asked Adrien.

"Anything."

"I hope…I hope Hawkmoth is successful in getting our Miraculous."

"You think he'd show us mercy?"

"…at least, more than Salo."

"I don't know…but I think he might just be our only hope." Marinette's eyes closed, her body begging for rest. "I'm sorry, I'm so tired…"

"Sleep, my lady. I'm right here."

And so sleep, she did.