Note: I'm sorry.
It was too quiet. The entire city—too quiet. Like Paris was holding her breath. In the distance, Ladybug and Chat Noir could hear the sirens as units responded to their call for backup. They landed lightly on the roof of the hotel without incident and swung onto the balcony of the safehouse room, rapping on the glass door to be let in. Alya peeked through the curtains and hastily ushered them into the room where their friends sat in a worried cluster on the couches.
Alya enveloped her best friend in a hug. "Mari! You're really okay!" She sighed.
Marinette returned the hug with a tight smile. "Of course I am. I told you we were."
"I was worried you'd lied to protect us. Again. It's a habit with you, girl." She returned as she pulled away from the hug, giving Chat a relieved smile as well. "Anyway, what are you two doing here? I thought you said you would stay away from here unless…"
"Unless this place was compromised." Chloe said, standing up suddenly. "Is she on her way?"
"I—" Marinette started, but she was cut off by a way-too-familiar chuckle. She turned on her heels back towards the balcony, her yoyo spinning in a shield-like circle of unbreakable string before them.
"She's already here, losers." Sneered a girl's voice, just before the glass doors blew inwards, scattering shards of glass in all directions. A cloud of bees rushed into the room, a girl in the center of them all—a girl with an evil smile and murderous eyes. "It took you two idiots long enough to figure out the puzzle. I thought I might have to wait for another three days before you showed up."
"It was a trap," Ladybug breathed. She kept her gaze firmly on their enemy, but could see the others back quickly into the bathroom and lock the door behind them. At least they would be safe.
Queen bee face-palmed and shook her head, the bees buzzing agitatedly around her. "Of COURSE it was a trap. How thick can you be?"
"If you've been waiting for us, why are our friends still unharmed?" Chat Noir fired back at her. He was crouched with his Bo staff outstretched to the side, his ears laying back against his blond hair.
She waved a hand. "Oh, I couldn't care less about them. It's you I want." She said, as though it would be obvious. "I want your Miraculous. I want the wish."
Surprise flickered through Marinette. "Wish? You know about the wish?"
Queen Bee rolled her eyes. "Keep up, will you. I ransacked the Agreste Mansion already. I know everything Hawkmoth knew. So yes, I know about the wish, and all about those silly little consequences that book warned about. Now, hand over your Miraculous, or I will hold you down and make you watch as I destroy your friends, their families, and your families, and then take them from your paralyzed corpses myself." Her voice had turned hard, unyieldingly cruel.
"You know we can't allow you to do that." Ladybug said firmly.
She shrugged. "Like I said, I cool either way. I just thought I would give you a chance to save them." She stretched out a hand, one finger pointed at the locked bathroom door. "Take them." A portion of her bees followed her command, darting to the door.
"Seal the cracks in the door frame and cover the vents!" Chat called, not turning around or taking his eyes from Queen Bee. "They won't be able to hole up for long," he muttered to his partner quietly.
"I know. But they can hold them off until we purify the akuma, right? We've got this, Minou."
Chat Noir grinned. "Yes, Milady, we've got this."
The trio stared each other down, no one wanting to be the first to move, to flinch. Suddenly a dozen bees flew at the pair, faster than any normal bee should have been able to. They met Marinette's shield with a crunching sound. Chat leapt over his partner, landing in a crouch before her and running at their enemy, Bo staff catching bees left, right, and fore. Queen be just smirked and pulled a small dagger out of her boot. The black-metal blade glinted in the sun, catching Marinette's eye.
"Chat, knife!" Ladybug yelled, lunging forward to grab his tail and yank in back just as the blade passed under his nose.
"Good eye, loser," Queen Bee sneered, tossing the knife and catching it, readjusting the blade in her hand. "Stinger, here, would have damaged that pretty little face of his. This is why it's important to keep your pet on a leash."
Ladybug's eyes flashed. She hooked her yoyo around the chandelier and swinger herself up, easily flinging her body into the open space above the insects, grabbing the antenna headband as she did, breaking it. She had been almost certain the akuma wasn't in the headband, but she knew it would probably tick off their adversary the most. She was right. With an inhuman shriek, Queen Bee threw herself at Ladybug, completely ignoring her partner, leaving him to contend with her own pets.
Chat lost Ladybug in the chaos as the battle began for real. Every time his focus moved to finding her, the bees would close in again, and he was left fending off the stingers that would end his fight permanently. As the minutes ticked on, his frustration grew and grew, his lips drawing back in a snarl of frustration. He could feel the usual power filling him as his cataclysm built up, but it was different this time. There was more power, and it felt more…wild. Untamed. Dangerous.
He heard Ladybug shout, "Lucky ch—," only for her voice to be cut off in a scream, and his vision turned red. His screech of "CATACLYSM!" echoed through the entire city, full of rage and pain and fear for his Lady. The power inside him swelled and burst, a black glow covering his entire body, sharp tendrils of the light jabbing out, stabbing the hundreds of bees around him. Ladybug let out another cry, and the energy pulsed again. He lunged towards Queen Bee, right into the thick of the bees, the black glow obliterating everything in his way. Finally he could see his query. Queen Bee was straddling Ladybug, one hand on her throat, the other clutching the dagger over her head. Ladybug struggled feebly, trying to push her away. Blood was pooling around her; she was hurt, badly. With a cry, he threw himself at Queen Bee. She looked up in surprise, noticing the sudden lack of bees, then leaped up, throwing herself back. The last of her pets carried her to the balcony, and up to the roof, away from the glowing demon-like cat coming for her.
Chat didn't hesitate, following her out and scaling the wall of the hotel, his cataclysm destroying the last of her bees and grounding her. She growled in anger as she got the her feet. The two circled each other. Chat could feel the cataclysm energy beginning to fade. If he was going to take her down, he needed to do it quickly. He just needed to get close enough to grab her, and…He saw an opening and darted his clawed hand towards her.
"Chat, don't!" Came a choked cry from his left. Ladybug stood, an arm wrapped around her middle, just under her breasts. Her face was screwed up in pain, but it wasn't all from her wounds. Alya crouched behind a pipe, phone out, determination clear on her face. He could see a helicopter above them as well, and could hear reporters and police from below them on the ground.
He realized what he had been about to do and faltered. He didn't really want to kill her, did he? That wasn't what Chat Noir stood for. It wasn't what Adrien stood for. In his moment of hesitation, the glow dissipated, and Queen Bee lunged, bringing his mind back to the fight. Even without her bees, Queen Bee was a formidable opponent. She was fast, the dagger a deadly flash of lightning. And Chat Noir knew his transformation wouldn't last much longer.
Suddenly, without warning, Queen Bee threw herself to the side, grabbing Ladybug, who was kneeling on the rooftop, eyes clenched shut, and held the knife to her throat. "Stop fighting me, kitty, and give me your Miraculous, or your lady follows dear old dad." She smirked evilly.
Despite Chat's rage, his voice was steady. "Let her go. You'll never get the Miraculous, no matter who or what you threaten."
"Suit yourself." She shrugged, and tossed Ladybug aside. Marinette let out a cry of agony, then of fear as she found herself in midair, her yoyo dropping from her blood-slicked fingers. She had no way to stop herself as she began falling off the roof of the hotel.
Adrien didn't think; he just reacted. He dove off the roof, extending his Bo staff to the ground. He snatched Ladybug out of the air, ignoring her pained scream as he yanked her to him, slowing their descent until his feet met the ground and they tumbled to the sidewalk. It wasn't a gentle landing, but they were both still alive. "Stay here, Milady," He said gently as he lay her down. "I'll be right back." He looked up, but Queen Bee was no where in sight. He scanned the area, turning in a circle, ignoring the cameras and eyes looking at him in fear and shock. There, a block over, she was skimming the rooftops making her escape. He crouched, ready to pounce after her, when a red glow caught the corner of his eye. Jerking his head around, he saw the end of Ladybug's de-transformation, and rushed to her side.
"No no no no no," He said as he knelt, drawing her head onto his knees.
"Adrien!" Tikki said as she burst free, her voice weak and pained. "I can't do any more! I tried! She won't last much longer!" The Kwami was freaking out. "I could feel her this time. I knew what was happening. But it was worse than I ever thought. I could feel her pain. Adrien, help her!" Marinette's shirt was soaked with blood, a line of red trickling from her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she feinted.
Chat Noir moved automatically, gathering her into his arms and leaping into the air. He moved faster than he had ever moved before, ignoring glances and the static coming from the walkie talkie on his thigh. Ignoring everything but the woman in his arms and his flight for her safety. He slammed his shoulder against the doors to the emergency room at the closest hospital. Faces turned to him in utter shock. Off-handedly, he noticed the news playing on the television to his right in the lobby, the reporter standing in front of a blood-soaked sidewalk before the Grand Paris hotel.
"She's been stabbed. Lost a lot of blood. Help her." His breath was ragged, his transformation pushed to its limits. Nurses rushed around, grabbing a gurney and taking Marinette from his arms, cutting open her shirt to see the wound—wounds—as they wheeled her past a set of doors into a too-white hallway.
A man in green scrubs stopped him with a hand on his chest when Adrien tried to push past the doors after them. "You can't go with her. Our doctors will do everything they can, but you have to stay here." Adrien growled, green eyes flashing. The man's face spoke his own worry and awe at meeting one of Paris' superheroes. "I understand. But you have to let them work. And we need you to give us some information. We need to know who she is, your relation, what happened to her—and we need to be able to contact her family."
Adrien's ears and shoulders drooped, and he staggered back, falling heavily into a chair. "Plagg, claws in." He said dejectedly. The green light flashed, and Plagg zipped out, looking Adrien in the eye. "Tikki is with Marinette." Adrien answered the question before it was asked. "She's looking after her charge."
"Are you okay, kid? I know she landed a few blows, but I couldn't tell if—" he stopped. "You're bleeding." Adrien glanced down where blood was indeed flowing down his arm. The nurse stepped forward as Adrien pulled the shirt over his head, wincing as he noticed the pain from the blows he had taken in the fight. "That's pretty deep," Plagg said as he got close, eyeing the wound. "But you've taken worse."
The nurse motioned Adrien up, grabbing two clipboards as he went. "Come on, Mr. Agreste. We'll get you patched up while we figure this all out." A woman in lilac scrubs ushered them to a room quickly, snapping the curtain closed before everyone could see exactly who it was in their emergency room. "Is this your only injury?" he asked, jotting down notes on one of the clipboards as he went—probably filling in contact information and medical notes.
Adrien quickly took inventory. He ran his hands through his hair, then stopped and shook his head, chips of broken glass falling to the floor. He stood and began to stretch, checking to see if any of his muscles, tendons, or bones seemed damaged. It was a routine that had become second nature to him after five years. He usually took the brunt of the hits, so he'd learned how to deal with injuries a long time ago. He flinched as he tried to do a truck twist, hand moving to the ribs on his right side. "Probably a broken rib. A hell of a lot of bruises that are definitely going to hurt tomorrow. But, other than that, no."
The second nurse swatted away his hand and felt the bones along his ribs carefully, then nodded. "Definitely broken. At least one, maybe two. We'll need to get x-rays. And this," She prodded the skin around the cut. "Deep, but clean. I'll take care of it first. Have you ever gotten stitches; do you know what to expect?" He grimaced and nodded. He had too many times had to either stitch himself up after a fight or had Plagg do it for him. He knew all about stitches. "Good, get yourself ready. I'll be right back." She swept past the curtain.
"Now, let's you and I talk," The man said, pulling out the second clipboard. "Keep your mind off it. "I need to know who the girl is. Name?"
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Adrien answered automatically. He thought about what he might need to keep hidden, but the cameras…Paris knew already. "Also known as Ladybug."
The man's eyes flicked to him in surprise before he nodded. "Do you know if she has any allergies to medications that we would need to know about?" Adrien shook his head. "What about family, does—"
Adrien groaned, fishing in his jeans pocket for his phone. He held up a finger to the nurse as he hit the call button.
"Adrien?" Marinette's father sounded worried. There was a rushing sound, like they were in a car. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Marinette promised she would text us every night, but she's missed the last couple."
"I—I'm sorry," He choked out, a tear running down his face.
"Oh, god, no." Something sounded broken in the man's voice. "Where is she? What happened?"
"We got separated. I couldn't get to her in time." Adrien took a deep breath to steady himself. "She's hurt pretty bad. We're at the hospital, the one near the bakery."
"We're on our way already, but it'll be at least an hour until we can make it there. Is she…will we make it?" Will they make it in time?
"I don't know." Adrien said quietly, squeezing his eyes shut. "They wouldn't let me in with her. Tikki is there. But I'm in my own room."
"Are you okay?" The worry ramped up a notch in his voice.
"Fine. I'm fine. Just a few stitches and a broken rib or two. Just…please hurry. She needs you here. I need you here." He realized then just how much he meant those words. He needed them. The last five years, Marinette's dad had been more a father to him than his own had ever been, and Sabine had been just like a second mother. He needed them, especially if something happened to…He just needed them.
"We'll be there. You take care of yourself, Adrien, and take care of her, please." The call ended abruptly, like they'd gone through a tunnel.
"Her parents are Sabine Cheng and Tom Dupain. They'll be here in about an hour." He said, letting his voice fall into a void monotone. The second nurse walked back in with a tray. She gave him a shot, a large needle filled with a local anesthetic. He didn't even flinch.
"How did you receive these injuries?" The man continued as though he hadn't just witnessed something heartbreaking.
Adrien let out a breathy laugh, devoid of mirth. "How do we always receive our injuries? Fighting my father's minions, of course. Just because he's dead doesn't mean we don't still have to deal with the consequences of his choices." His voice was full of scorn. He sobered up quickly, though, as the nurse stared to cleanse and close the wound, feeling the tug of the thread pulling through his skin. "We figured out the bodies Queen Bee was leaving were all a trap, and that her next targets were at the Grand Paris Hotel. She was going after a group of our friends that were hiding there under guard. We were right, of course, and she showed up. She was ready for us. Ladybug and I got separated during the fight. I remember hearing her scream, but I couldn't get to her. I…lost control of my powers, or gained more control of them, or something, and destroyed the bees that were keeping us apart. When I finally got to her, Queen Bee was about to kill her. So I shoved her away and brought the fight to the roof." He finished the tale in as few clipped words as possible as pain from the rest of his bumps and bruises began to flood his system.
Suddenly Plagg was in front of his face again. The nurses jumped at the sight of the tiny god. "Tikki says it isn't pretty." He said quietly, his voice sad, but wary. He knew his holder was under enough pressure that the fall of Ladybug might destroy him. "They're still working on her, though. She wanted to make sure Marinette's parents know, and that the others are safe."
"I saw Alya on the roof. So I know she, at least, should be fine." He checked is phone. A message from Nino said simply, "All good here, take care of our girl. Be there soon." Adrien sighed. "They're safe. On their way." He looked at his caretakers. "Can I go see her? Or at least know where she is?"
"You, sir, still need some x-rays, and for us to bandage your ribs up as best we can. And I would recommend combing the rest of that glass out of your hair before you cut your scalp. After that…we'll see what your conditions are and make a decision from there." He nodded and let her lead him away for the x-rays.
An hour later, Adrien paced in a different lobby. A nurse sat at the desk, and a man and his small son sat on the chair, looking sad and casting worried glances towards the 'employees only' doors past which the operating rooms held their patients captive. A noise made him glance up. He grabbed at the walkie on his leg. "This is Alpha Two." He said. His voice was hoarse from exhaustion. He had updated dispatch and the rest of the force as soon as he had been released from his room with a bandage around his ribs—two broken, two badly bruised—and another around his arm, a donated hospital t-shirt replacing his ripped, blood-stained one.
"Alpha Two, the guards say there are some unauthorized individuals attempting to gain access, claiming they are your friends and were summoned. Nino Lahiffe, Alya Cesaire, Chloe and Mayor Bourgeois."
Adrien cursed. He'd forgotten to mention them. "Let them up. Sorry, dispatch. Marinette's parents should be here soon, as well, please make sure they're on the authorized visitors list."
"Over and out." He shoved the device back in his holster and resumed pacing, looking up only when the group pushed past the reporters crowding the doors and the guards keeping them from advancing.
Alya rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. Her eyes were puffy from crying. Nino followed, rubbing her back. Chloe just looked sad and lost. "She has to be okay." Alya said, repeating it again and again as she started to sob once more. Adrien held her, clinging to her like a life raft.
Another ten minutes passed. They moved to sit in the chairs, occasionally standing and pacing again, unable to stay still. "I'm going to call her dad, see what's keeping them." Alya sniffed, pulling out her phone.
Adrien was about to say something when a doctor stepped out of the doors and over to them. Adrien vaulted over a line of seats and stood before him, waiting for the news. There was a commotion outside the doors as Tom and Sabine pushed through, so no one else could hear what was said, only see the reaction.
Plagg and Tikki, who had been resting on Adrien's shoulders, darted in front of his face, saying something too quickly and quietly to hear. Adrien didn't appear to be listening. His shoulders shook. There was a strange shift in the air around him, like power radiating off him in waves, a black glow outlining his frame. The doctor back up quickly. Tom and Sabine stopped dead in their tracks as Adrien picked up a chair and threw it against a wall, cataclysm overtaking it and crumbling it to dust before he could cause any damage. Tikki and Plagg moved to the boy and his father, urging them to move away, back behind the nurse's station, for safety. Adrien tore the lobby apart, face twisted in rage, released cries so painful that the crowd of on-lookers began to cry, covering their mouths in horror. Sabine fell to her knees sobbing as she understood what had obviously happened. They were too late after all. Alya cried into Nino's shoulder. Tom took it all in and stepped forwards, pinning Adrien's arms to his side even as the boy struggled to get free, howling and sobbing. He didn't say anything, just held him as he fell apart, as he shattered, until the glow faded and his legs gave out. Tom held Adrien, and they all felt their hearts breaking.
"Citizens of Paris," The mayor's voice rang out over the loudspeakers set up through the square. He stood in a black suit before them at the podium. The press crowded around. Everyone was wearing black, flashes of red here and there. It had been two days since the fight at the hotel, and rumors were flying. Everyone knew, despite no one saying it out loud. Everyone knew. "Today, this city weeps, because it is my duty to tell you that the night before last, one of Paris' greatest beloved heroes, Ladybug, fell in the line of duty." Chloe stood off to his side in a black dress. She bowed her head at his words to hide her tears. "Some knew her as Ladybug. Some knew her by her civilian identity as Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I had the honor of knowing her as both, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that this world is a darker place without her. She is survived by her parents, who could not be here today, and by her partner Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste. Now, I know that we have seen some dark days recently, and I won't lie to you; darker times may yet be ahead. But I can assure you that Chat Noir and our own police force will take down the villain that committed this heinous crime and end the evils of the akumas once and for all. I also wish to announce that, because of the aid Ladybug and Chat Noir have given us these last five years, this city is dedicating a memorial, to be displayed at the Louvre as a permanent exhibit." He cast his eyes to the sky. "Wherever she is, I know Ladybug will always be watching over this city. She was a hero, and she will be missed. Please, join me in a moment of silence in honor of her memory."
You could have heard a pen drop.