The rain thundered down relentlessly atop the Paris rooftops. For Marinette in her bedroom, it proved to be rather deafening. She didn't even attempt to try to get to sleep, contenting herself with starring out of the window, trying to put her thoughts in order once more.

Luka had gone home. Well… Sort of. The police had been dredging bits of the Couffaine boat house out of the river all day. In the meantime Chloe and her father were putting them up in the hotel. That left her here alone. She found herself pondering whether or not to go back to the mansion. It had been two days. Whilst part of her was inclined to allow the young man the time that he needed to heal, she didn't want him to potentially waste away alone up there. A part of her feared him vanishing, just as he had done some ten years ago. She turned towards Tikki. She was some of her comfort.

"He won't leave without you..." The girl muttered considering the kwami.

"Or you..." Tikki promised her quietly.

"I- I'm going to go look for him." She declared eventually, her mind finally made up.

"You might not have to."

Tikki's statement caused her partner to look up. She hadn't noticed for the sound of the rain on the roof drowning everything else out, that there was something or rather someone else out there. It was larger than a pigeon or even a cat, moving around above her head. Eventually, she spotted a silhouette, a little flash of black near her window. Curiously, it wasn't knocking or making any excessively obvious attempts to draw her attention. So, Marinette took matters in to her own hands.

She got to her feet and climbed the ladder, opening the hatch which lead to the roof. The figure up there met her gaze but said nothing, approaching in silence. She got out of the way, letting him past.

Cat Noir was drenched to the bone. His hair sagged down and his disguise clung to his body more than usual. Acting quickly she went to her wardrobe, getting him a towel. He mouthed a "thank you" drying himself as best as he could. She waited patiently, giving him all the time that he needed. In truth, she hadn't seen Paris' former protector since it was Kahn in the driving seat. There was some part of her, the self-preservation instinct which told her to be cautious, that he dark clad individual with green eyes had hurt her before and could easily do so again. She fought it back as best as she could.

Marinette was quiet. After a few moments, her eyes drifted back towards Tikki. It was strange but all of a sudden, she found herself wondering just what might have drawn the young man here. It only just occurred to her that Kahn was gone. It had cost them terribly but the threat no longer existed. That meant that there was no reason to have the miraculouses out in the open and therefore potentially at risk. Just like Master Fu had done a decade ago, the guardian would want to reclaim the jewels so as to be able to ensure their protection personally.

That would entail her saying "goodbye" to her partner. She glanced once more towards the kwami. It had been hard enough to do once. A second time? Granted, in the scheme of things, they hadn't spent half as much time together but still… There was a certain amount of sorrow behind her eyes but the look that she gave her made her think that it was something that Tikki had been through on more than one occasion. Perhaps if they could draw that out just a little bit longer then it would make things just that little bit more bearable. Whatever the case, Adrien was being uncommonly quiet, barely even looking in her direction.

He didn't say anything. Leading her to only wonder. Perhaps, she reasoned, given how timid he could be sometimes, he simply didn't want to have to ask her to give them up. That might explain why he couldn't look her in the eye right now… Minutes passed. Cat Noir allowed the towel to drape round his shoulders, stopping some of his hair from dangling round his neck. From time to time, he would give her the occasional furtive glance.

"Are you okay?" She asked him finally remembering that only a couple of days ago, someone very dear to his heart had been taken from him.

"Getting there." Was his quiet response. "I'm sorry… For everything that happened."

"You're not to blame… It was Kahn."

Cat Noir nodded slowly a few times. It would seem that he couldn't argue with that much. She was only too glad for that. For whatever reason, she'd imagined that he would be beating himself up over it. Maybe he'd done so already, kicking himself over what had happened.

She wasn't too sure whether to ask about that or just assume that he was coping one way or another. She would have asked about what was to happen to Nathalie but she and Alya or rather Ladybug and Rena Rouge had already been to the police about it. Startled though they'd been, they'd taken the heroes at their word and were already preparing a statement. She didn't seem to have much if anything resembling a family, so Adrien Agreste was the only person they'd thought to inform. The young woman had winced at the prospect but ultimately hadn't been able to stop them without potentially throwing all of their secret identities out the window.

"I'm sorry..." Was all that she could think to whisper.

"It's okay. Well… It isn't but-" Adrien shrugged his shoulders. "She's gone now. Marinette-"

Whatever it was that he had to say, he seemed to lack the ability or rather the will to articulate any further. She could only imagine. In truth, she already know what it was, the reason why he was so quiet, struggling to do so little as to look her in the eye. Next to her, Tikki drew in just a little bit closer. Marinette held off of commenting for fear of it accelerating what she feared was about to happen. On the other hand, the young woman was acutely aware that it might have been just what his mission was and why this would prove to be so difficult for him.

So, despite herself, Marinette decided to be brave:

"You're here for the Miraculous, aren't you?"

"I've got to go Marinette." He let out a heavy sigh. "I'm the last Guardian… If anything happens to me, all that knowledge. It's lost."

"Please stay… We're your friends."

He looked back towards her, green eyes full of sorrow. She sensed that he was in two minds. A part of her wanted nothing more than to beg him to stay. Perhaps it was wishful thinking but she felt as if he might have been wavering in his obligations. He'd already suffered so much for those vows that he'd taken and for the sake of balance. Adrien Agreste deserved his freedom. True, a part of her motivation was selfish, she wanted him to stay with them for her own reasons as well but, she'd seen the man who'd returned from a life of isolation and she remained far from convinced that it was what was best for him.

In ten years he'd changed practically beyond all recognition. What would another few years do to him?

There was a question on the tip of her tongue. It was something that she had wondered about for over a decade now but had never once dared to ask. She loved him and didn't want to hurt him. There was a good chance, she reckoned, that what she had left to say was about to injure him. All the same, at this point, she felt desperate to know, if only because she could only hope that the young man would think about the implications of her question and maybe do just a little bit of soul searching.

"You never said..." She reminded the young man. "Did you want to become a guardian?"

"Please don't ask me that Mari." He pleaded in a quiet voice.

"Just answer, please..."

Cat Noir looked away. His gaze fell upon a photo which sat on the desk nearby. It was beginning to age. They all looked so young, so carefree. He recognized himself there no doubt. It had been taken a few months before his world had fallen apart. Before Hawk Moth and Mayura's downfall… Tibet had seemed, to all of them, just like some distant land which none of them would ever see. It could easily have been another planet. Adrien Agreste smiled warmly near to his friends, Marinette was closest of all, their identities still secret from one another… There was a clear longing behind his eyes, a desperation to be able to go back to those days.

She wouldn't push him any further. In her heart, she felt that she already knew the answer to her question. She knew that Master Fu wouldn't have forced Adrien to go along with him. His exile had been a self imposed one. Had she only known, had he not dumped everything so suddenly on them before fleeing into the night all those years ago, no doubt she would have pleaded with him, told him that it wasn't his fault. She would have begged him to stay with them. It was all in the past and right now, she felt that they were sill paying for those few mistakes.

His silence lasted only for a few moments longer. She was convinced that he wasn't going to answer or tell her never to bother her with such a question again given that it visibly pained him to admit that he had suffered for his sacrifice. Marinette opened her mouth, ready to tell him not to bother and to apologize for bringing it up in the first place.

"No... I didn't." His voice broke as he struggled to hold back the tears. "I wanted to be with you. I love you..."

She had once longed to hear those few words uttered to her. She'd dreamed of handsome Adrien Agreste telling her that he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. They would have three children, she'd known their names already and a hamster… It was something which had occupied her thoughts for many months as a teenager. He'd come close to broking her heart on occasion and given her a reason to hope. Then, in the space of a single night, he'd left her with all of that and disappeared.

Now… She didn't quite know what to make of it. Her own thoughts and emotions were muddle. It would have been a lie to say that she wasn't tempted to just let the same few words slip out of her mouth. She did love him but… How everything had changed. It was difficult to express quite what she felt in those few moments. She raised a hand, resting it on her chest and taking note of the sudden thundering of her heart. The young woman let out a sigh, trying to regain some sense of herself. Her silence was costing him a little, perhaps he feared that he had said a little bit too much. At any rate, he was vulnerable.

She let out a sigh, taking the few steps to bridge the distance which separated them. She took his hand carefully. He didn't resist as she raised it to her lips and kissed his knuckles. He considered her for a few brief moments, evidently somewhat unsure about just what was going on. Marinette looked up at him, unsure. She was aware of the thundering of her heart as its beat pounded through her ears.

A few moments later, without another word being exchanged, the young man bent down, placing a kiss on her lips. She leaned in, allowing him to slip his arms around her waist, pulling her in just a bit closer. She closed her eyes losing herself for a few instants. Adrien seemed to be a little uncertain. She reminded herself that he'd lived more or less in isolation for the past decade and had taken all of those vows. Kahn might have kissed her in his body but this was still very much new to him. So she decided to take things slow, give him some time to get accustomed to the feeling and figure out just what was going through his mind.

After a few seconds, he pulled away panting a little:

"I love you Marinette."

She smiled gently in response, unsure what else she could add. Instead, they kissed once more. Her eyes closed,. His uncertainties were ebbing away slowly but surely, replaced with confidence. He was gentle at the very least. Truth be told, he reminded her a fair bit of Luka in that respect. The young woman closed her eyes, feeling her heart speed up just that little bit. Cat Noir pulled her in just a little bit closer as the kiss deepened. In those few instants, she felt herself slip away just that little bit more, losing herself.

It must have been mutual as Adrien's eyes abruptly shot open as if he was rediscovering her or perhaps sensing just where things were going.

"M-Mari..." He gasped putting just a few inches of distance between them. "I've got to go..."

"I know..."

She gave him the opportunity to leave or to de-escalate things should he want to, lowering her gaze. She could feel his attention resting on her, uncertain, nervous. Without looking at him, she distracted herself but trying to guess just what was going through his mind, she could hear the shuddering of his breaths as they warmed her skin. She didn't know what to say, if anything could possibly be said in the first time. Instead, nerves prevented her from looking up. She could only imagine just what he was thinking. He was still to release her however, which seemed to tell her that he was still thinking things through, wondering for once in his life if he could be a little bit selfish.

He took a single step back from her, to her surprise. That prompted her to look back towards him, unsure just what he was doing and assuming that he was about to leave or to break things up, remind her of just what he was doing here and why they couldn't be together like this. Instead, she found him to be considering her once more. He didn't let go of her hands however, instead closing his eyes as he seemed to ready himself. He didn't explain himself, taking a deep breath as if he was readying himself for something. She frowned confused before abruptly understanding.

"Plagg, claws in!"

….

Marinette slept quietly. Her breaths warmed him. He held her loosely as he rested her head on his chest. He could tell that she was asleep but that was no bad thing. There was a certain amount of both comfort and serenity which came from having her here like this. She seemed to beautiful and peaceful. It wasn't entirely the case however. He couldn't help but notice a series of dark marks, bruises and scratches still fresh from her battle with Kahn. He rubbed a few of them, considering it to be a sin that she had been hurt in such a fashion and silently wishing the pain away as he rubbed one of the marks on her shoulder with his thumb.

All of this was just postponing the inevitable. He'd thought about closing his eyes, allowing himself to fall asleep. It was tempting. He was warm, safe and comfortable lying here like this. He felt loved. He knew that he was and truth be told, the feeling was mutual. It would have been practically impossible to tear him from the young woman sleeping soundly in his arms. The mere thought of separation caused him to hold onto her just that little bit tighter. She was out-cold and failed to respond.

He liked to think that she was somewhere peaceful and quiet, resting. He groaned softly looking up at the roof. The rain was still falling heavily. His hair hadn't even dried fully yet, not that Marinette had complained but still, he felt a little bit guilty.

Despite how relaxed he was, there was a weight upon his chest. A painful sense of dread which was becoming more prevalent with every passing moment. He was acutely aware of the time passing him by. There was no deadline asides the one which he had set himself with the knowledge that if he didn't make his move, his courage would almost inevitably desert him. With a sigh, he moved slowly, taking the young woman in his arms and easing her down so that she wasn't resting on him any more but was rather snug in her bed. A second later, he slipped out himself.

"Adrien…" Plagg's voice was little more than a whisper as he approached his partner. "Think about this."

"I have Plagg… I have."

Quietly, he turned back to face Marinette.

It was a wonder that none of this has woken her up… Adrien thought to himself as he considered her. Granted, these past few days had been decidedly taxing and it was about three in the morning but still. He'd been expecting her to be disturbed as he'd slipped out of her bed, getting back into his clothes. He was astonished that she hadn't even stirred a little bit. Evidently that was a new trait of hers to add to the lost of those that he knew of: deep sleeper. Good. Let her have her rest. She most definitely deserved it.

He could have spent a long time like that, watching her. There was something soothing about it. It reminded him just why he'd allowed himself to suffer the way he had: the isolation, pain both physical and emotional as he'd pushed both his body and spirit to their limits, even the loss… She was safe. Battered and bruised and likely with some new nightmares of her own to have from time to time but she would live.

Tentatively, he reached out and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. She moaned softly, shifting towards where he should have been and where the bed was still a bit warmer. He loved her. Once more, he found himself silently debating whether or not to stay. He could do so. Renounce on the vows. Somewhere along the line, he already had. Leaving her like this would hurt her. He knew that and so did she. They'd decided silently to go ahead. If only because they would likely never get another chance.

Right now, he wasn't entirely sure if he regretted it or not. It certainly reminded him of what he was going to lose.

"I love you..." He whispered quietly, hoping that somehow she might hear him. "Don't wait for me."

He said nothing as he got up, heading towards the window. A couple of words muttered under his breath saw Adrien Agreste vanish and Cat Noir take his place. There was one last glance over his shoulder, a tentative look to see just what he was about to say "goodbye" to, perhaps even "adieu". There was a sharp pain in his throat. A voice inside of him which just pleaded to do something selfish, to slip back to where had been so comfortable, so warm and so safe only a few moments ago… How could he leave this?

…..

Marinette awoke steadily the following morning as the sun drifted in through her window. She didn't know what time it was. Judging by the light, it must have been coming on for 9 AM. Her parents wouldn't be disturbing her. Not after everything that had happened these past few days. She needed her rest. Her mind was foggy, unable to quite recall everything that had occurred the night before. She let out a sigh, half tempted to ignore whatever the clock next to her said and seek a few minutes longer in the blissful peace that she had found herself in only a short while prior.

It was as she turned onto her side that she realized something had changed. She didn't quite know what. She found herself seeking something which plainly wasn't there any longer. Just what it was, she didn't know, her memory wouldn't quite travel that far back. Its absence however pained her. She found herself more actively seeking it out but still was unable to find it. It was warmth, it was comfort… It was-

Her eyes shot upon with the realization of just what was missing. The spot in her bed next to her was empty. It's occupant absent. She sat up, looking round hoping against hope that he might be somewhere nearby. All she found herself faced with was a familiar but empty bedroom.

She wasn't too sure why she was all that surprised. She's known what she was getting into from the moment that she had kissed him. There was a silent and unspoken agreement. Perhaps, she reasoned, she had thought that he might change his mind. A foolish notion really, he'd got it stuck in his head that the only way to keep them safe and do what was right was to leave, no matter what it cost him. Maybe this was what was best. She'd loved him. Told him that much. He'd done the same and now he was gone. Did she regret it? A question to be asked another day. Now, she found herself alone. Letting out a sigh, the young woman pulled some of the sheets up about her. How long ago had he left?

"Marinette?"

Tikki's sudden presence caught her off-guard. For whatever reason, she assumed that Adrien would have taken the earrings with him. Despite the kwami being only a couple of feet away, she still found herself reaching towards her ears, just to check that the jewellery was still there. Confused, the young woman found herself glancing round the room once more, just to confirm that he had gone. A look pained from her partner said it all:

"Are you okay?"

"I guess."

Was she? She felt awkward, unsure but more than that was the sense that she'd just lost something. The young woman let out a sigh. She got out of bed and slipped into her pyjamas, reasoning that she would take a shower in a short while. Turning back around, she took some care to smooth over the covers and her pillow, erasing all traces that she'd had a visitor the night before. Her parents didn't need to know. She wasn't entirely sure what they would make of all of this. Generally they were both understanding and chose to stay out of her personal life. They'd always done so with Luka. This was… A little different.

It could be a few days before she was able to think about this properly so she was determined not to put too much thought into it. Adrien was gone now… A couple of months ago it had seemed unlikely that they would ever set eyes on him again. She's gotten on with her life with that knowledge even if he'd remained present in his mind as he'd wondered just what had become of her crush. At least now she knew. He was safe. Out there somewhere in the world protecting it and ensuring the protection of the miraculouses…

A thought occurred to her as she turned towards Tikki:

"I thought he was going to take you away."

"He didn't..." The kwami floated over to a table nearby. "He left you this."

Curious, Marinette approached slowly. Sure enough, there was a note there. It had been scribbled out quickly, the pen was placed next to it, indicating that it had been written out only a short while ago. Adrien's handwriting, neat and tidy, as his father had forced him to perfect it, taught by Nathalie Sancoeur hadn't changed. She could probably have asked Tikki when he left but didn't bother. It didn't really seem to matter right now… He was gone. Be it 3 AM or 8 in the morning, he was no longer with her.

She read the message carefully.

Dear Marinette,

I'll be gone by the time that you read this.

I'm sorry. Really I am but I can't put you and the others in danger by staying in Paris and I can't risk the future of the miraculouses by remaining the last guardian. I'm going back to Tibet. The temple needs me.

The miraculouses are yours. Paris needs some heroes. Keep them safe for me.

There's something else. It's Agreste. The company's yours. Everything that was mine, is yours. You can keep it or sell it. I just want you to have it. I think that all the paperwork, Nathalie helped me with it, so don't worry about inheriting a mess. All the ship needs is a captain.

I hope that one day, you and I can meet again as Cat Noir and Ladybug and as Adrien and Marinette. In the meantime, please, live your life.

I love you milady,

Adrien,

She read the little note again and again. The fact that she now had one of the largest fashion companies in the world to her name didn't quite register properly. Instead, she found herself thinking about where he will be. She didn't know what rebuilding the guardians would require. Patience but also members. Just where was he going to find them? Presumably he had some sort of a plan…

Her gaze travelled back towards the city. The rain from the night before had left the rooftops and streets wet, waters continued to gush through the drains and gutters but the clouds were gone now. Instead, there was blue sky and a sunrise which hopefully would promise a nice day to come. She let out a sigh, resting her head against her hand as she considered the city. It had been saved. By Cat Noir and Ladybug but mostly by a brave former supervillain called Nathalie Sancoeur… Tikki floated nearby, evidently concerned.

"I hope he finds peace..." The young woman muttered more to herself than anyone else.

She didn't know if Adrien could ever have found that in Paris. A part of her liked to think that he could have done so and yet there was another voice inside which said that maybe, it might have been better if he left and found his purpose elsewhere. This city, beautiful though it was, had many memories: good and bad. His friends were here, as were his enemies. He'd fallen in love here and lost his family. The ghosts were so numerous and varied that she couldn't help but wonder if he would ever have been able to bear them. Perhaps if he'd had enough in the present or to look forwards to in the future…

They never would know now. For the time being, she was going to assume that he knew what he was doing. There was always a chance that- No. She remembered those few words that he'd written to her. She couldn't live her life wondering when he'd walk through the door again because it might be never. The young woman let out a sigh, lowering her head. Tikki, as ever, was concerned for her friend:

"Maybe you shouldn't have-"

"No..." She dismissed the notion with a shake of the head and a gentle smile. "It's fine Tikki. It was just a way of bringing things to an end..."

Maybe she would see him again, maybe not.

Looking out over the city in the early morning sun, she only had one thing to say:

"Have a good life Adrien Agreste."