*angst warning...* ( I promise we'll get back to happy, fluffy sometime...!)

The room was still dark when Marinette woke. The warm feeling of her skin touching skin, breath against her neck, arms wrapped around her tightly left her flushed. Memories of passion flooded her, drawing attention to the man who held her.

How had she fallen for him so quickly? How could she willingly share him with other wives?

She stared at his face with what little light seeped in through the window. His hair was all askew, tousled against his forehead while he slept, giving him a look of impish mischievousness even in the dark. He seemed so much more at peace than he had when he had burst into his home and woken her from sleep.

What had happened that had caused such an urgent and desperate reaction?

Her arm hurt, pinned beneath her in her sleep. Shifting a little, she pulled it free only to cause Adrien to let out a groan as he stirred. Green eyes fluttered open to see her watching him, prompting a smirk that completed the true appearance of roguishness.

"Good morning, Princess," he growled, a gravelly tone that sent her heart into a fluttering mess. A kiss pressed against the pulse on her neck couldn't hide the erratic beating, causing him to chuckle softly. His skin against hers made set her on fire. Maybe this was why he was the God of Fire, she mused through scattered thoughts.

Fingers woven in his hair brought his lips back to hers, no longer filled with desperateness of need or want but simply the freedom to be together.

She whimpered a little in disapproval as he pulled back, making him chuckle again before sadness filled his eyes.

"We need to talk."

He sat up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed and slumping over his knees, hands buried deep into his hair.

Sensing the whole mood of the room shifting to something serious, Marinette scooted herself to sit, pulling the sheet up to cover herself waiting for Adrien to say something.

He took a deep breath before turning to look at her, reaching out to entwine his fingers with hers. Green eyes pierced through her, making her feel vulnerable and self-conscious.

"I love you." Her heart stuttered as she struggled to catch her breath. He loved her. She couldn't keep the smile from curling up the corners of her lips. She wanted to say it back, but he cut in before she could say anything. "It is important you know that before I say what's next."

The smile turned to a frown, her brow creasing together while trying to read the look in his eyes. Finally, he tore his eyes from hers, dropping his gaze to where their fingers wove together.

"That morning when Alix dropped you at my front door…" he paused, taking another deep breath. "There was a mix-up."

His eyes skittered up to her again, waiting, she supposed, to see if she would react. But all she felt was confusion.

"A mix-up?"

Worry etched the lines of his face as he spoke next.

"I am not the God of Fire."

Time stopped. She felt all the blood rush from her face. A lie. It had been a lie. All this had been nothing but a lie. She had believed him to be the God she was destined for. She had sacrificed herself to protect the people of her village but hadn't actually done so. Scrambling, she threw herself off the bed in time to vomit into a bowl on a table nearby. Her hand shook as she wiped the back across her mouth.

Her mind raced - envisioning the God of Fire, whoever he was, raging against the village in an uncontrolled flame. All because of what Adrien casually called a "mix-up." She wanted to be sick again.

Undertunic yanked over her head, she pressed herself against the wall as far away from him as possible.

"Who are you then?" she whispered, unable to look at him.

"His son."

His son. His son had toyed with her heart, had stopped her from doing what she was supposed to.

"Let me explain, Marinette. Please?" She just nodded. When he leapt to his feet and started to pace back and forth on the other side of the bed, she jumped.

"I'm the God of Mischief. I tend to do silly pranks and tricks to other people. It's just fun and games. So when you showed up at my door instead of my father's - it seemed like a fun prank to play on him. You know, tease him a little. Gabriel has so many wives, I just thought it would be funny to see what I could do with the opportunity that literally landed on my doorstep.

The problem is, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you."

He paused in his rambling, causing her to glance at him. He stared at her, his eyes pleading with her. It hurt to see.

"It forced me to come up with a bigger plan than just to prank my father by pretending to have one of his wives. I didn't want him to take you from me. But it failed, Marinette. It failed. He's coming for you. That's why we came here last night. I can't let you become his wife. I can't. I just can't. Not to that monster." His voice trailed off and he flopped his body onto the edge of the bed, curled up again in a slouch.

Marinette didn't know what to think, what to do. Adrien sounded sincere in his explanation, but her heart pulsed with confusion. She had believed the lie that he'd weaved, given all to him, thought she was keeping her village safe. She was angry. She was upset. Her heart felt like it had been trampled on and ripped to pieces. Her legs gave way, her body sinking down the wall to the floor. When had she started crying? The tears were hot on her cheeks leaving dots on her arms.

Love seemed like a foolish word. Had he simply been using her this whole time? Thoughts of his passionate touch and the kisses they had shared were tainted with this new revelation. Had it all been a game to him?

Her stomach heaved again, leaving her groaning in despair over the bowl she managed to reach just in time. Unable to support herself yet she crumpled to the floor, forcing herself to breathe in a slow rhythm. In. Out.

Her family. Her friends. Her village. Kagami. Marinette's sacrifice had been for nothing. In. Out. The God of Fire never received his bride. He would be angry. In. Out. Fingers toyed with the ladybug charm on her wrist.

A plan started to weave itself together within the chaotic mess of thoughts and feelings. Ignoring Adrien, unable to handle the thought of trying to talk to him, she pushed herself to her feet. One step at a time.

Robe over her undertunic.

Tikki in her arm.

Sack of belongings in the other.

Move to the door.

"Marinette. Wait. What are you doing?" He sounded surprised, a hand circling her arm to stop her.

Jumping at the sudden contact, Marinette turned to look at his face. His eyes were haunted.

"Please don't go," he begged. Carefully, she kept herself focused on the mission ahead, not letting the twist of her heart control her decisions, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Let go of me." Her voice sounded as disconnected as she felt. His hand vanished instantly, taking a step back to give her room.

"If it means anything, I'm sorry."

She almost broke, her breath ragged as she warred against herself. She wanted to stay. Wanted to believe him. But responsibility weighed heavy and, with grit teeth and a stern look of determination, forced herself to push her way through the door - all the belongings she owned clutched in one fist and a small kitten in the other.

Unable to wipe the tears rolling down her cheeks in frustrated heartbreak, she let them fall. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Nino seemed genuinely surprised at her appearance in the hall, frowning in her direction as she approached the chair he lounged in.

"What's up?" He asked, his eyes flicking to the open door she had appeared from.

"Where does Gabriel live?"

Nino's eyebrows nearly shot off his forehead as he gaped at her question.

"Gabriel?"

She nodded, hoping he would help her as he had in the past. She needed help now - the plan to make her way to Gabriel's home and throw herself at his mercy as a bride if he would have her.

"Uh, the God of Fire lives on the other side of the valley. Big house on the biggest mountain."

"Thank you, Nino."

Determined steps moved her towards the main hall door, her eyes locked on the handle. She could feel his eyes burning into her from the door of the room they'd shared. If she could just get out of the hall, away from him, she could do this. In. Out.

If she had been two steps ahead, the door would have smashed into her when it burst open and a rush of blurring colour whizzed into the hall. A figure skidded to a halt in the middle of the room, yelling Adrien's name. Short purple hair, a suit made of black, and sandals with wings were all that Marinette could catch sight of before Adrien strode into the hall.

"What is it, Alix?"

"Gabriel's gone off the crazy end. Looks like he's going to go for the village."

Marinette's sack of belongings hit the ground a second before she did, her vision going black as reality smashed into her soul. The village. She was too late.

A soft hand on her cheek. A worried voice calling her name. Arms propping her up. When her eyes fluttered open, it was to a sea of green. Adrien held her, his face close to hers.

"Marinette." Her name sounded like a relieved breath from his lips. It was too much. Flinging her arms around his neck, she sobbed, face pressed into his chest.

"My family." The words were broken by gasping cries but he understood, comforting her arms.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. I swear. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." His rambling apologies brought her back from the edge of panic. He pulled them to stand, holding her chin in place to force her to look at him.

"I am going to him. I will do everything in my power to stop him. I promise. If I fail, if he gets to the village…." His voice trailed off.

"Will you stay here? Please?"

No. She couldn't hide here, safe on the mountain behind the protection of Adrien's friends. She had to save her parents, her friends, anyone in the village she could. His smile was sad when he read the truth on her face.

"Promise me you will be safe. If the fire comes, you will get out of the village and hide." She nodded, a silent hope to keep it.

"I love you." She almost didn't hear his voice whisper his confession before his lips pressed softly against hers. Then he was gone, calling to Plagg as he ran out the door.

For one moment, she stood in the middle of Nino's hall frozen, allowing herself to be crushed by 1000 thought of uncertainty and confusion. Then she moved.

"Nino, can I leave Tikki here?"

With his approval, she tucked the kitten back into the bedroom along with her bundle of belongings before gently closing the door. Turning to face the purple-haired goddess with winged sandals, Marinette strode up to her with determination.

"You are the Messenger, aren't you?" A cautious nod was her answer.

"I need you to take me to the village. Now."

Chat wasn't sure where exactly his father would be on his rampage. The valley beneath Adrien's house seemed to be nothing more than a giant flame, all the wildlife that Marinette had carefully admired reduced to nothing but fire and ash.

Finding Gabriel standing at the doorway of his home was more than a little disconcerting.

"Transform." Gabriel's cold voice was so opposite his heated power it was almost impossible not to laugh. For a brief second, Chat considered defying the man in front of him and staying in his cat formation instead. But, being a cat made conversation difficult.

In an instant, Plagg popped free, leaving Adrien standing in front of his father in slight trepidation.

"Where is she?" Pleasantries be damned. His father needed a good shake.

"Somewhere safe from you."

The growl Gabriel released was impressively feral sounding as he stepped towards his son. Adrien forced himself to stay still, even when his father leaned menacingly into his personal space.

"She's mine."

"Technically, she's not." Gabriel's fiery eyes narrowed. "She was a substitute for one of the other village girls who was supposed to be your bride. She agreed to take the other one's place because she wanted to save her family from you. She wasn't supposed to be yours in the first place."

Adrien didn't think his father could look angrier than he did right then, his eyes so dark they were almost black, the glint of flames mirrored in them. Veins throbbed along the sides of the man's forehead while hands and teeth clenched tightly.

"They will pay."

"No, Father. Please don't take my mischief out on the village. Punish me instead."

There was a pause as Gabriel fumed in silence. When he moved, it was with an unexpected speed that his fists wrapped around the collar of Adrien's robe, shoving him into the wooden house. Adrien knew he yelped in surprise, struggling to keep his feet beneath him..the hands against his robe were hot, the smell of singed fabric filling his nostrils.

"I have spent far too long suffering with your insolence and foolish emotional outbursts in order to give some level of honour to your mother. But you are nothing like her. Nothing, do you hear me?"

An angry jerk on his robe threw Adrien to the ground, Gabriel standing menacingly over him.

"That stupid little human girl you seem to think you love will die, Adrien. I will make sure of it. Then you can see how it feels to have your heart ripped out of you for eternity. She means nothing to me. None of them do."

"If the humans mean nothing to you," Adrien ground out, attempting to get to his feet again, "why bother burning their village? They don't matter."

A foot shoved in the middle of his chest knocked him back down to the ground.

"You want to save the girl, don't you?" Gabriel paused to glare before leaning on the leg which held Adrien down. "She's run back to the village, hasn't she?"

Adrien felt his heart drop at the triumphant grin that spread slowly across his father's face.

"And you can do nothing to save her. You, with only the power to change into a cat and be unbearably annoying, can do nothing to stop me from destroying that village."

The panicky frustration that held Adrien to the ground oozed into something new, something dangerous. An arm outstretched in front of him called Plagg in silence, the black cat whizzing close and swirling around Adrien's arm to rest on his fingers.

"Be careful," the little creature murmured before Adrien yelled "Cataclysm!" and from his fingertips Plagg burst into darkness, enveloping the room. It was heavy and destructive, the power of the blast feeling like gravity pulling against every fibre of his being as the energy moved through him.

Gabriel's eyes widened as the darkness covered the house, the beams of wood cracking in agony under the brutality of the force. Pieces fell from the ceiling, crashing down into the room. Adrien wasn't sure how much longer he could continue, the pull on himself draining his strength. If he could just knock his father down, somehow stop him from destroying the village. His house could be rebuilt - thousands of human lives couldn't be.

A fireball to his chest ultimately ended the destruction, the orb of darkness fading in a whirl of black smoke as Plagg collapsed beside Adrien's head with a small groan. Gabriel leered down with amused approval.

"So you aren't completely worthless after all."

Adrien tried to kick free without success, struggling against the weight of his father stepping on him combined with the weakness of having used his special ability.

"Although it looks like your little cat thing is worn out and now you are really are useless." Adrien's eyes flicked to Plagg, flopped starfish style on the ground unmoving.

"How are you going to save her now, Adrien? You have nothing left - no powers, no strength, nothing. I should have killed you when your mother died. Then I wouldn't be stuck with a worthless son for eternity."

Adrien tried not to let the pain of the words tear his heart apart. His father had always hated him, always rejected him. But words cut harsher than any actions, leaving Adrien's heart gaping and bleeding. The hands he'd places around Gabriel's foot, trying to push him off simply flopped to the ground in defeat.

"If I renounce my immortality and live in the village where you never have to see me again, will you leave them alone? Will you stop taking brides that mean nothing to you?"

His father froze, expression unreadable as he considered Adrien's offer. The foot on Adrien's chest moved.

"You love her enough to give up your immortality?"

Adrien nodded, sitting up. Scooping Plagg up into his hands, Adrien made sure his friend was still alive, the tiny chest rising and falling in silent breathing. Relieved, he tucked the little cat into his robe and got to his feet.

Gabriel's sudden and unexpected movement caught him off guard, his body slamming into a wall with his father's arm pinning his shoulders in place. Cold grey eyes a mere inch from his face drilled into his own, the rage behind them burning with an intensity that was unfathomable - anger born of pain.

"Then do it."

"Give me your word. You'll leave the village alone. No burning it down. No more brides. No retaliation to Marinette or the other girl. Nothing."

Gabriel nodded sharply.

"I give you my word."

Staring into the eyes of the man he had always called Father, Adrien didn't hesitate. Sacrificing himself to save Marinette and the village was worth it.

"I renounce my immortality."

It happened so fast, he wasn't sure if it had happened at all. A swirling rush of cold air encircling his body, Plagg shifting within his robe with a sound of complaint, the colours of the world dulling slightly, power sapped from his body leaving him feeling a little shaky.

Gabriel simply laughed, stepping away.

"You stupid foolish boy,"

Adrien stumbled a little as a brilliant flash of orange crossed his vision, smoke singing his nose and filling his throat, making him cough and wheeze. The frame of his house burnt and crackled with flame.

"You promised," he gasped, the thick air hard to breathe, forcing him to his knees. "You gave me your word that you would let me live in the village. That you would leave them alone."

Gabriel leaned in beside Adrien's ear.

"I lied."