Today's Story is by Epcot97.

Author's Note: After nearly forty years together, Chat loses his partner and has to face the reality of life without Ladybug.

MR: You really got me with this one. *grabs tissue* Are you trying to steal my angst title?

Lyra: Dammit, Ep. You are supposed to be the fluffy writer to counter the mess that MR and I make…. ::sobs quietly:: These two... I love them so much...

I stared at the small octagonal box, feeling as though it were mocking me from its position on the beam in front of me. I hadn't dared to open it yet, but I knew sooner or later, I'd need to. I turned my masked feline eyes away from it and looked across the twinkling lights of Paris, knowing this had been one of her favorite perches, and tried very hard to hold back the tears.

It was nearly impossible, but somehow, I managed it.

We'd both known that the unthinkable could happen to either of us one day; it was baked into being a Miraculous holder, after all. Not being a safe profession, the opportunities for harm were plentiful, and the very idea we'd had a nearly forty-year run spoke volumes to our ability to dodge trouble. Mother Nature isn't necessarily vindictive, but the law of averages is; when the bill had finally come due, and she'd paid it without a second thought.

"Why?" I asked the box as I stared it down, masked feline eye narrowed in anger. "Why did you do that? You didn't have to!"

The box wisely decided not to answer.

My tail twisted behind me, telegraphing my angst. I'd lost my partner, and the world was never going to be the same. And I was seriously wondering if I wanted to push forward myself, without her gentle presence by my side as it had long been.

That made me smile a bit, for to be purrfectly honest, I'd been the one at her side all these years and quite content to play second fiddle to her first chair. Still. Losing her hurt like acid had been poured directly upon my heart.

My feline ears twitched and I turned toward the sound, a slight smile tugging at my dour mood. A moment later, fox ears appeared over the edge of the beam a fraction of a moment before the current iteration of Rena Rouge pulled herself into a spot next to me.

"Dad, you've got to come home," the vixen said as she gently put a hand to my shoulder. "I'm not sure how much longer my sisters and I can cover for you; it's pretty obvious you're missing." She paused for a moment. "Your grandchildren are pretty smart. You might not want to let them have free reign at the house if we give in and take them over to their grandmother."

I leaned my mane into my daughter's wild hairstyle, evocative of the one my old friend (and her "aunt") Alya had worn all those years earlier. She and Nino had long since given up being holders, of course, and as I looked over at my next generation, I wondered if I'd overstayed my own welcome.

"I know, honey," I said softly as I ran a protectively parental paw through her hair. I could see her own eyes were moist. "I just needed a little bit to center myself."

"I get it," she said. "And I'm not surprised you're here. She told me a long time ago this was one of the most romantic spots the two of you had ever found."

"The Eiffel Tower holds - held - a unique spot in our hearts," I smiled sadly. "It was one of the few perks she allowed us."

Rena leaned over and hugged me close. "Don't take too much longer," she said.

"I won't," I whispered into her fox ear. "Just one more thing for me to do."

"All right," she said as she kissed me on the exposed part of my cheek. She paused. "The grey hair really goes with the costume," she said.

"Ladybug recommended I change to it. It was one of the last-" I said before my voice caught.

Rena hugged me again and then flipped over the edge.

I waited until my feline hearing knew she was far enough away before turning back to the box. Considering it for a moment, I reached over and snapped it open.

In a burst of red light, the pink Kwami of Creation appeared. "Chat," she said as she quickly rushed to my arm and hugged my bicep. "I'm so sorry!"

"Thanks, Tikki," I said as I patted her back. I knew she was as distraught as I was. "What do we do now?" I asked. "I can't be your holder; I'm starting to wonder if I should give up-"

"You will do no such thing," Tikki said firmly as she floated up to my face. "Ladybug actually gave me some explicit instructions to pass on to you if we faced this very situation."

That brought a smile to my face. "Why does that not surprise me?" I said.

Tikki smiled and explained the plan; my masked eyes widened the further she got. "Are you sure that's what she said?" I asked when she'd finished.

"Yes," Tikki said melodically. "Are you ready?"

"No," I said. "But I will be by the time I get there."

"Good," she smiled again. "Until then," she added before kissing my cheek and disappearing as I closed the box once more.

I slid the box into a costume pocket and leapt off the tower; I knew the way home well, and took little time to cross the night skyline of Paris. There was a slight dormer over the French doors that led out onto our sizable rooftop balcony at the townhouse, and I landed on the apex with a soft thump.

Marinette was standing against the railing, looking down at the Seine and turned. "Chat Noir! Thank God! My husband-"

I flipped down off the roof, trying to keep myself composed. Like me, she had recently crested the mid-century mark but didn't look a day over thirty; her hair was still long, dark and flowing, though there were a few laughter wrinkles around the eyes. Her form was as lithe and petite as ever, and it took every ounce of my being not to scoop her up into my arms then and there.

"He's fine," I said. "And he'll be home soon."

"You know where he is?" she asked with a tinge of desperation. "He's been gone all day! My kids are out looking for him right now."

"Yes," I replied. "He was caught on the Metro during the akuma attack," I said, shrugging, for such things were known to happen in Paris. "Once it clears, he'll be home straightaway."

"He's safe?"

"Yes," I smiled. "Purrfectly safe."

Her mouth quirked. "I feel like I've heard you say that before," she said.

I smiled. "You probably have," I said as I leapt up to the railing. "Now, go tell your kids that you've talked to me and that your husband will be home soon."

Marinette smiled wider. "I will," she said as she moved to the French doors. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Milad-Madame," I replied before leaping away.

Not long afterward, I hurried to the front door of my home, briefcase in hand, and unlocked the door. "Sweetheart? Are you home?" I called out.

Rounding the corner to the kitchen, Marinette tackled me. "Dammit, Adrien! Where have you been all afternoon? I've called your phone a dozen times! I was so worried, I sent the kids out after you!"

I hugged her close. "I was stuck on the Metro," I said as I buried my face in her hair.

"I was so worried!" she said again, her face up against my chest. "I saw what happened with the akuma, and the news says Ladybug got hurt."

"Not hurt," I corrected. "She… did something particularly heroic today, but as a result, she gave up being Ladybug."

"She what?"

"It's a long story, sweetheart," I said, stroking her hair. "But the short version is, there will be a new Ladybug soon."

"That's terrible!"

I nodded, the scene on the Trocadero replaying in my head once more, watching in slow motion as Ladybug's desperate final act saved the day. Again. "Maybe yes, maybe no," I said softly. "She helped a lot of people today. Just like she's always done."

"You sound sad," Marinette said as she looked up. "Like she's dead! Is she-"

"Fine," I nodded. "Just not able to be Ladybug any longer."

Marinette hugged me again. "I'm going to call the kids," she said.

"Okay," I smiled. "If you're making tea, I'll join you in a bit."

"Sounds like a plan," she said as she kissed me. "I'm glad you're okay."

I smiled and went up the steps to our master suite, carefully closing the door and locking it behind me. Setting the briefcase on our king-sized bed, I popped it open and pulled out a round, black box that had a particularly familiar green paw-print on it's cover. Pressing a sequence of pads, I stepped back as the box irised open to display the collection of Miraculous Jewels I had recently been placed in charge of.

Pulling out the box holding the earrings, my eyes started to blur as I cracked it open; the tears began to flow as I gently set the earrings down inside the case, despite Tikki gently hugging me once more. "I'm not ready for this," I said to her and looked over to Plagg who'd taken up position floating next to Tikki. "She was supposed to be Guardian. Not me."

"She knew what she was doing," Tikki reminded me. "And she knew the Box would be in good hands until the next generation was ready to take it."

"She's forgotten everything," I lamented.

"Not everything," Tikki pointed out. "Her love for you transcended the Miraculous she held. Sure, she doesn't know you're Chat Noir - but she does know how deep her love for her soulmate has always been." Tikki smiled again. "That's always been you, Adrien. Mask notwithstanding."

"Adrien?" I heard from the kitchen below. "Tea's ready."

"I'll be right down," I yelled back before turning to the kwamis. "I'm going to need help."

"We'll be here with you," Plagg reminded me. "And those kids of yours will support you, too. We've got this. Now go - go down and be with your wife."

Tikki smiled a bit. "She's loved you from the beginning," she reminded me. "Without all of the fears and pressure of being Ladybug, she's free to focus on you and the kids now."

"And those pesky grandkittens," Plagg said, trying to mask the fact that he loved my offspring as much as I did.

"She's earned it, I think," Tikki added. "Don't you?"

"Adrien?" Marinette called up again. "Honey, your tea's getting cold."

I hugged the two kwamis. Maybe this wasn't as bad as it seemed; maybe I could get through this. "On my way, sweetheart," I hollered back as I closed the box and snuck it under the bed.

Marinette was seated at our small breakfast counter when I re-entered the kitchen. "There you are!" she smiled. "I was starting to get lonely."

"That will never happen," I said with a smile. "Ever again."