Author's Note: It's been a while, but I'm finally back with another part of the story. I'm sorry for this being pretty short and probably fairly confusing in parts, but most of the confusion should be cleared up in the next couple of chapters. I also apologize for the long wait between chapters. I've had the basic outline for a while, but I haven't had the time to add to it and revise it. Hopefully it won't take as long for me to get the next chapter out, but with the way school is going, I don't really know for sure. Anyway, thank you to all of you that read, followed, favorited, and especially those that reviewed. I really appreciate all the support in general, and the feedback in those reviews. Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy the second part of the story.

Chapter 2: To Kill a Bug

"Chat! But I thought..." Ladybug yelled, watching the man turn to dust at the hands of his own son.

"I didn't touch him! I promise I didn't touch him!" Chat screamed frantically, his heart about to burst out of his chest from how fast it was beating. The moth miraculous retrieved only seconds ago was completely forgotten as it hit the floor and shattered. Neither of them noticed how uncharacteristically the jewel broke.

Chat crouched back down, scooping up the dust with watery eyes.

Five minutes ago he wanted that man dead, but that he could at least blame on his blinding anger. The anger from the complete betrayal of the man he'd tried so hard to love. Perhaps even a deeper part of him knew he couldn't actually do it. This, however, was just a horrific accident. One he would now bear the sole burden of.

Chat looked at the pieces of grey in his trembling hands, the beeping echoed loudly in his ear. He looked up at Ladybug, his eyes wide with fear, just as he de-transformed. Plagg floated to the side, surprisingly without a single word. None of them realized they weren't the only ones left in the room.

"I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to do it. Why did I do it?" Chat rambled, eyes frantically searching the room like a terrified cat about to make a run for it.

"It's okay, I believe you. I believe you." Ladybug knelt with him, holding him close. While she wasn't exactly sure what had happened, she knew it was probably for the best anyway. She didn't want anyone to die, even as foul of a man as he turned out to be, but at least this way she knew the city would be safe.

"It's not your fault." Ladybug whispered, drawing soft soothing circles on his back, humming quietly to calm him down. His hands resting on the small of her back as she did so.

For a single heartwarming moment, the two of them found peace within each other. Adrien knew it would be difficult without his father, he didn't even know what he was going to say to Nathalie. He did know, however, that his friends would be by his side the whole time. Especially his lady. Especially his Marinette.

Neither of them knew how long they were like that, but eventually his tears began to slow. He still didn't open his eyes when Ladybug finally called for her lucky charm.

She knew it was a lost cause, but maybe, just maybe, it would bring Gabriel back.

The item fell into her hands, and she inspected it with a baffled look. It was a simple red rose decorated in round black spots. It was actually pretty beautiful, although rather useless in any scenario she could think of. She quickly glanced around for anything she could do with it, but only Adrien stood out to her. She shook her head and tossed the item up, but the words never got the chance to pass her lips.

A strangled scream came out instead, as something was shoved into and then ripped out of her spine. The attacker stood up with a sickening smile holding her blood covered sword close to her body. Her long brown hair and fox suit was splattered with sickening splotches of red.

"I promised you, Marinette, that I'd return the favor for ruining my life." The liar said, squatting down in front of Ladybug's face. Adrien was frozen in place, the shock overwhelming him so much that he couldn't breathe.

"It's just so convenient that you just happen to also be Ladybug, and I get to take my revenge out on her too. Although, I would have had a bit more fun by slowly turning all your friends against you and making you go crazy, but I guess this way is just much more conclusive." Lila laughed, but she might as well have spat in her face.

She ripped the beeping earrings from Ladybug's ears, stripping her down to plain old Marinette. Tikki flew out in a panic, rushing towards Marinette to try to heal her. Lila stood up to toss the earrings into the balcony where the real Hawkmoth was patiently waiting.

The blood began dripping down on Adrien's hands, and the warm liquid snapped Adrien back to the present. He let go of Marinette and practically pounced on Lila, knocking the magic jewels from her hands.

"Mm… Milady? Quick, try to use your lucky charm!" Adrien yelled, pinning Lila down with her own sword. The one that was now tainted with Marinette's blood.

Marinette just shook her head.

"I… I can't.." She glanced down at the rose as Adrien scrambled back over to help her. Her breathing had already become so ragged despite Tikki's attempts to keep her afloat.

Adrien stared down at Marinette's collapsing form, cradling her body in his arms. Her clouding blue eyes met his teary green ones.

"I love you, Kitty." She said, her trembling arm reaching up towards him.

Her arm never reached its destination, as she slumped down slowly in his arms. Her blood was now covering his arms and knees. His hands were so close to the wound. Her last breath escaped without a sound.

Despite Plagg and Tikki's screaming in his ears, Adrien prepared to make his own wish with the earrings. He dropped Marinette again, this time with more aggression than intended. Lila was just scrambling towards the jewels herself.

"There is no way I'm letting you bring that loser back." Her tone didn't seem to recognize the severity of what she'd done. It was almost as if she had only excluded Marinette from a party, rather than the fact that she committed murder.

She just barely reached the earrings first, scrambling out of Adrien's charge as she tossed the earrings up to Hawkmoth's balcony. Mayura grinned as he let out an ecstatic cheer upon catching the jewels. However, there seemed to be some sort of sadness hidden within her eyes as she admired the man in front of her.

"Great work Mayura, luring them in with your sentimonster. And now, my dear Volpina, the ring if you will!" Hawkmoth said excitedly, hugging Mayura. With the earrings in hand, the two made a speedy exit just in case anything goes wrong getting the ring.

"Sure thing Hawkmoth! Now be a good little kitty kitty and give me your ring." Lila said, turning around and stretching her palm out like he was just going to drop it in her hand. The moment she made eye contact, she turned a ghostly white.

Adrien was already making his way towards her, his furious glare was enough to make her tremble. She could only have been imagining it, but she swore his hands were covered in a black glow waiting to cataclysm her to dust.

He tackled her while she stood shaking in fear, knocking her to the ground. The force knocked the wind out of her, and Adrien stole that opportunity to rake his -would be- claws across her face. Although he wasn't transformed, and seemed to forget that, he still left places on her face from the force of his short fingernails.

She regained her senses upon the blow, and desperately trying to escape. She frantically flung her arms and legs until she managed to elbow him in the jaw. The force stalled him long enough for her to scramble out from under him, but it was only seconds before he was ready to take off after her.

Lila got to her feet and ran as quick as her legs could carry her, but wasn't fast enough to outrun Adrien in his state of madness. He ran towards her, kicking her legs out from under her. She hit the ground hard. Adrien's eyes were filled with an unfamiliar hatred as he raised his fist to begin pounding on the girl.

Plagg had been consoling Tikki, but panicked once he realized how much Adrien had lost it. He didn't take the time to think as he touched the floor to create a diversion. The building began to crumble, something rather large hit Adrien in the back. He hissed in pain and looked around at the falling apart room. Lila seized her opportunity, and took off in a mad dash to the nearest exit. She didn't make it though, as too many pieces of rubble began falling around her.

Adrien seemed satisfied for the moment, and turned back to Tikki, Plagg, and his now deceased partner.

He struggled for a second over what he should do, and finally he grabbed Marinette and made a quick escape, rushing through the house before the entire thing collapsed. Plagg cleared the way, and Tikki followed close behind.