A/N: Hello again dear readers! :) Another chapter coming up! Hope you enjoy!

Prompt: Marinette is a magnet for trouble and has to rely on Chat Noir to save the day!

Rating: K+

Powerless

Fighting an akuma with her partner was one thing, but fighting an akuma without super powers or her partner was completely different.

Trying her best to avoid the destructive beams fired only seconds after her footsteps, Marinette knew she needed to find a secluded place to transform or otherwise this could end up really bad.

Running around a corner, Marinette dived for the nearest object for cover, which was so conveniently a trash can. Hiding behind the smelly container, Marinette automatically reached down to find Tikki in her bag, her blood ran cold when the little red kwami didn't fly out of it.

Slapping her forehead in frustration, Marinette silently berated herself, "How can I be so stupid?" she growled, stilling when she heard the akuma coming closer.

"Of course, Tikki isn't here! She has a fever, remember?" Marinette silently hoped that the akuma had been too busy zapping other things and making them disappear to notice where Marinette had turned the corner.

Unfortunately for her, luck wasn't on her side today as the reassuring cover of the trash can suddenly disappeared behind her.

She jumped, scrambling to her feet as the akuma, a floating boy with two vacuum-like hands, snickered at her sinisterly, "Did you really think hiding behind some filthy trash is going to stop me from finding you? Unfortunately for you, I vacuum everything that is unclean and you're very unclean," Marinette groaned.

It was true, her shoes were soiled from the dusty terrain after running blocks outside during P.E. and her pants suffered small spots of paint after art class, in her defense, Alya thought it funny to splash a bit more color on her friend since all she wore was 'pink and black' all the time.

In all honesty, Marinette hadn't minded but right now, she would have thought twice about letting Alya paint her like that.

The akuma also had to be a clean freak living in a 'unclean' world after his idea got rejected of wrapping everything in clean plastic foil and vacuum the streets from any grime and dirt and trash.

Oh if only she had her superpowers right now-

"Marinette!" the sudden call of her name startled her, enough to lose her footing the minute the Vacuumer, like the akuma introduced himself earlier, started sucking her in with his right hand while the left one prepared to zap her away.

Anything that didn't fit into his right hand he zapped away with his left and Marinette wasn't too keen on either option.

Wait…

"Chat Noir!" she glanced up, in time to see the leather clad hero jump down from a roof and swing at the akuma with his staff, nearly hitting him if it weren't for the fast reflexes of said boy.

Chat Noir stood protectively in front of Marinette and she couldn't remember the last time being so happy to see him, "Chat Noir! Thank goodness you're here," she didn't care that she sounded breathless and was probably stroking his already far too large ego, but at that moment, she really was glad he was here.

The cat boy turned his head to flash her a quick smile, "Long time no see Marinette," he turned his attention back to the enraged akuma, "Good thing I came, I saw you were in a bit of a sucky situation," he chuckled at his own joke and Marinette resisted the urge to say something to him she normally did as Ladybug.

Instead, she said this, "Watch out!"

Chat immediately leapt out of the line of fire just as the Vacuumer tried to zap him away, snarling at his failed attempt, "Ugh! Stop moving! You're a dirty street cat, let me take you away from this clean world!"

Chat raised his staff, going into a offensive position as he scaled the walls opposite of the floating akuma, "Sorry but this cat isn't in the bag just yet!" he slammed his staff down on the large glass container at the akuma's back, momentarily stunning him as the Vacuumer stumbled to the ground and landed on his device.

"No! How dare you!" the Vacuumer's eyes glowed fiercely, oh he was angry.

Chat Noir quickly landed beside Marinette and without further ado, scooped her up in his arms, extending his staff and jumping away as long as the akuma was still unable to attack them.

Jumping from roof to roof, Marinette clung to his neck for dear life. Usually, she had no problems jumping and swinging from one high place to another as Ladybug, but she also didn't have to be carried by Chat Noir like that either. She was an additional burden in his arms, how could he move so fast while carrying her?

She remembered asking herself the same thing when he saved her from the Gamer a while back too.

"Princess?" Chat Noir's soft voice brought her out of her reverie as he stared down at her, "Are you alright?"

Dumbly, she nodded, clutching tighter at his neck as he jumped down to another lower roof, before finally stopping. Opening her eyes, Marinette saw where he stopped, it was on the roof of her own house.

"Chat?" carefully, the superhero placed her back on her feet, scanning her for any injuries before deeming her safe enough to stand on her own feet.

"I'm sorry princess, but duty calls," before he could rush off again, Marinette gripped onto his tail tightly, causing the hero to stop dead in his tracks.

"W-wait!" she dropped his tail, her face full of concern, "How will you fight the akuma without Ladybug? It's too dangerous Chat Noir!" she tried to make him understand but he just sent her a calm smile.

He stepped closer to her and gripped her shoulders, squeezing gently to reassure her, "Don't worry princess, Ladybug should be here any second, I'll be fine. Besides, what kind of superhero would I be if I can't handle a vacuum cleaner?" he grinned his Chat smile but Marinette's worry spiked.

You don't understand. Ladybug won't be coming Chat. She can't come.

Instead of voicing her thoughts, Marinette gripped one of his hands that still rested on her shoulders, "Promise me…" the feline hero perked up, "P-promise me that you will come back here and I'll see you in one piece," she looked at him imploringly, willing him to break the promise.

Chat Noir was momentarily startled by her sudden request, seeing the strong concern reflected in her eyes, directed at him no less.

Gathering his composure, he smiled easily, giving her shoulder a last squeeze before grabbing his staff again, "Cat's honor, purrincess," he winked at her, sending her a last soft, reassuring look before he was jumping his way through Paris.

Marinette frowned deeply, "Chat Noir…"

I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Chat Noir, what kind of hero am I that can't even help her partner? Please be safe Chat Noir.

His easy-going smile resurfaced in her mind and Marinette's legs trembled, "Please…" her quiet whisper was heard by none but it sounded so loud, even to her own ears.

She prayed she would see her kitty again soon.

Thank you all for reading, leave a review and tell me what you thought! Too OOC?