What? 10 favorites and 12 follows? I have to admit, I am shooketh. Thank you so much! Without further ado, enjoy. . . .

Marinette's pulse flew threw her mind, thrumming in her chest and rattling her soul. She was sure almost all of the color had drained from her face, sure she was pale as a ghost. She opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again as the figure maintained eye contact with her. It was a piercing gaze too familiar and too cold to hang to, like bitter ice to the touch. She tore her eyes away from it, him, and stumbled back. No, that wasn't possible, was it? Or was it not?

She stumbled back before drawing her gaze fleetly back to where he had just been standing, but she stopped. He wasn't there anymore. It was like he disappeared as quick as he came, wavered out of existence. She narrowed her eyes, breathing heavy, before twisting around and whisking open her trapdoor. She sensed Tikki back up slightly as Marinette hurried down the white stairs from her bed. She clutched the railing, feeling dizzy and faint. What was wrong with her?

She began to anxiously walk around. She must be crazy, out of her mind, mad. It wasn't totally impossible that he was there. . . . it wasn't totally impossible that Cat Noir could have been akumatized again. If that were true, some havoc must have already been wreaked, right? If that were true, people should have reacted to the snowy supervillain among them, right? No, what was she thinking? She was hallucinating. She was definitely lucky, definitely, because her nightmares had came to life. Lucky her! Especially when she had patrol tonight. . . .

"Patrol!" she suddenly said, earning Tikki's nod, as though she had been about to warn her chosen that she should be going. Perhaps it was good she was going on patrol tonight. It would prove that Cat Noir was there so she could get these unpleasant thoughts out of her head. She stood, ready to go, but a wave of cold fear washed over her. About what, she didn't know, but it unnerved her.

Paris' superheroine had never been named jittery, of the sort, but right now, that's what Ladybug felt at that moment. Ever since Miracle Queen, ever since she had been named a guardian, she had been nothing but paranoid, which had only caused this deep terror to worsen. She wasn't up to the task, she couldn't be a guardian. She couldn't even be a good Ladybug! It was her fault Master Fu was gone and lost all of his memories. It was all her fault.

As she flew traverse the chilly night air, she remembered how tired she was, the lack of sleep she had. It dragged at her bones and messed with her mind. The cold wind bit at her face as she vaulted onto a rooftop to wait for her partner. Her heart thrummed in her chest; she was acutely aware of every sound in Paris' night sky. She shifted her posture and waited, watching the flickering, dancing lights below her, feeling a quiet wave of longing, that everything with her, could be just fine, so simple and peaceful, just as everybody else who went on with their lives in Paris. She stifled a tired, hopeless sigh.

A thud sounded behind her.

She didn't know what it was, but a inkling of fear exploded through her, turning her veins icy cold. Her pulse thrummed rapidly, and she violently whirled in a defensive stance to see the silhouette of a dreadfully familiar figure. When her eyes adjusted, however, she realized it wasn't her worst unease. It was Cat Noir.

Ladybug relaxed faintly, but she was still tentative as she examined her partner's perplexed expression before she cleared her throat and regained herself, "Are you ready?" and uneasily shifting her footing.

He nodded wordlessly, stepping forward. Ladybug violently flinched back and closer to the walls as images of an ivory, wicked feline stepped toward her with a mien of rage, pulling a blow that could potentially kill her. Qualm made her freeze, but he didn't do anything else, only tipped his head at her actions. She shook her head dismissively and sighed, turning in the direction of the regal Eiffel Tower and scanning the surrounding city, lit alive by pirouetting amongst the tenebrosity.

When would this trauma go away?

The night's patrol had been short, and though sometimes a friendly gesture and potentially some games, Ladybug's only thoughts could circle back to the mysterious something she'd seen before heading out. She decided to keep her mouth shut for most of the time. Otherwise, she was sure she'd let something slip about her partner's wicked side, and that could not happen. She'd go home and die of shame before he could say anything.

As Marinette sat on her bed, curled up by the wall, she let her thoughts drift. She didn't know why she kept thinking of the suspicious figure she'd seen; she wasn't even sure she had seen it. Maybe she had finally cracked and gone crazy for a second. Maybe is was a figment of her imagination, her mind just playing tricks on her to drive her to a panic attack. No, after everything that happened then, she'd played it cool, been almost emotionless, unless she had to be, but she was afraid she was wearing down, that everything was starting to show. Marinette would not allow that to happen. She couldn't put anybody to worry.

Her thoughts meandered to the phonograph perched upon her desk, which she knew was safely tucked away in the corner by the wall alongside some drawers, something you might not see at just first glance, which she hoped was enough to keep prying eyes away from it. Marinette still didn't feel good about it. She didn't feel worthy to be guardian and she was terrified that something would go wrong on her watch; she would be to blame for the downfall of Paris. She curled herself tighter until Tikki wedged into her mind, speaking her back to the present once again.

Marinette realized she'd been doing that a lot lately, drowning out what was happening around her and dulling to be lost in her thoughts.

"Perhaps you should try to get some sleep for a little while?" the Kwami suggested carefully as Marinette sat up in her bed; Tikki flew in front of her as she held her hands out for her to sit in her palms. Marinette sighed hopelessly, feeling the weight of her world settle upon her shoulders, showing no sign of slacking.

"I don't know, Tikki," she murmured, but still scrambled out of her bed to change into her pajamas. Once she had, she quietly exited her room, her eyes flashing in the dim light as she made her way to the kitchen. She grabbed a Melatonin to help her sleep and a glass of water. She glanced outside, feeling a rather unpleasant feeling wash over her traverse the murky shadows, and crept back to her bedroom. Tikki waited for her as she attempted for sleep.

She didn't want to rouse Tikki if she was up all night again. It wasn't fair to the Kwami. She hesitantly looked at her little friend before mouthing "Sorry" and guiltily taking off her earrings. She tucked them safely away on the ledge by her bed and shook her head. She just wanted a peaceful night's sleep. Was that too much to ask?

Apparently, she thought, it was.

Here's chapter two! I'm sorry it's a lot shorter than chapter two, but I promise chapter three will make up for it! Don't worry, things will start to pick up soon!

A/N: 1,245

Cat's off.