The Wicked

Chapter Nine: Something Eternal

Once the last of the former Akumatized was seen off, Ladybug and Chat Noir made their way back to the roof of the building that had once been a battleground. Not long after they reached their destination, the clouds began to part as the last of the rain fell. At long last, the icy winds ended, and a pure, growing warmth filled the air.

"Pound it!" the two Miraculous called out in harmony as they bumped their fists together in celebration.

"You did an amazing job, Chat," Ladybug warmly declared. "And, your new costume is beautiful."

"Not quite what I was hoping for, but thank you, M'Lady," Chat replied with a smile. "I don't know if I'll keep it this way, though. I think it helped for people to see that even a bad-luck charm can still be a hero. Also, you did a great job too. How's your leg?"

"Better than ever," the ladybug Miraculous happily answered. However, her joy quickly began to fade. "But still…This is so much to take in. Alya's a Miraculous now…the Akuma are acting on their own, and everybody we saved might still be infected."

"I know," the blond young man replied as he turned towards the city. "Do you think you can purify them all from up here?"

"…I don't think so," Ladybug answered with great gravity in her voice. "I think the only way to really purify them is to reach that level we touched on today. But, as long as we keep hope alive, and the people don't give in, I don't think we have to worry. Hope keeps the Akuma at bay. It might even be enough to destroy them."

"I like that idea," Chat Noir warmly replied. The two then made their way to the edge of the building. "So…We made it through another nightmare. I couldn't have done this without you, Marinette."

"And I couldn't have done it without you, Adrien," the dark-haired young woman answered. "I've, um…I've been doing some thinking." Chat's eyes focused in on his partner, not knowing what to think. "You know how I feel about you, Adrien. And I've felt that way for a long time…"

"Marinette, I'm sorry, but I have to tell you…" the feline Miraculous interrupted. "I've been so afraid, but I think I'm ready now…I wasn't just in love with Ladybug from afar. And, now that I know the two of you are the same, and that there's no more secrets between us…I want to tell you my truth."

"Adrien, I…" the young woman tried to spare her beloved friend.

"You saved me…Marinette," Chat Noir confessed as he gently took his partner's hands. "You inspired me long before we met." Without so much as a word, the young hero returned to his human form. Now more than ever, his green eyes overflowed with vulnerable hope and passion. " I…I love you."

Ladybug pulled her hands away and placed them over her mouth, her bluebell eyes welling up with tears. Adrien maintained his smile, feeling his heart beating faster and lighter than ever before as a beautiful warmth filled his body. "Adrien, I…" the young woman managed to whisper. "…I love you too, but…" The blond boy felt his heart begin to pound faster as a terrible fear made its way into his mind and soul. "…We…you and I…we…can't…be." At that, Marinette returned to her human form, her eyes now streaming with hot, sorrowful tears as her broken voice began to sob, choke on its words, and lose all grace. "I mean…look at us! Look at what we have to do! …" Snuffing back strongly, the young woman wiped the tears from her eyes, though they continued to flow. "We don't…We don't get to live normal lives…not now. Paris needs…The world needs…Adrien, I have loved you…for so long…and I've prayed every day that you'd love me too…And now, we're here, and it's perfect, but…But we have to be Miraculous…We have to give our lives to protecting Paris…no matter how much it kills us."

The night seemed to grow completely silent as Marinette continued to sob and Adrien sat down on the ledge and hid his face in pain and shame. Deep down, he knew she was right, but that didn't make any of it fair or even livable.

"But, once this war is over…once Hawk Moth is defeated…" Marinette forced herself to continue, causing Adrien to look back up at her. "…Then, I pray, and I beg…that we can be together… I'm so sorry, Adrien. You deserve so much better."

"So do you," the blond young man gently spoke up as he rose to his feet and slowly approached his beloved friend. "Marinette, I understand…I'm sorry about…"

"Don't be sorry," the raven-haired young woman begged. "The blame isn't on us. This is just the way it has to be for now…You didn't do anything wrong, Adrien. And, I know I have no right…but…"

Marinette and Adrien gazed at one another, their eyes glazed over with tears, and slowly drew closer. Marinette gently wrapped her arms around Adrien's waist as he lovingly rested his arms on her shoulders and his hands on the back of her neck. A warm wind blew all around them as their final tears streamed from their eyes, and their hearts began to pound in perfect harmony. Closing their eyes, the two slowly leaned forward until their lips, Marinette's dry and Adrien's moist, beautifully collided in the closest thing to eternity they had ever known. Their hair blew in the breeze as the entire world seemed to slow beneath their feet. In their beautiful, sinless kiss, the two felt their love burn as a single, flawless fire. As they opened their eyes to gaze at one another, the sun began to rise behind them, as if summoned by their embrace. Slowly, their hands began to move, gracefully stroking their lover's hair before wiping the tears from the eyes they came to adore so greatly. In that single, wonderful embrace, Adrien and Marinette finally found peace. In Heaven, a choir of one million Angels began to roar and cheer in applause as their music filled the skies and blessed the very Earth.

"On this day, I promise…" Marinette lovingly declared.

"On this day, I promise…" Adrien lovingly declared.

"One day, we will be together. No matter our struggles, no matter our shame, and no matter the pain we have endured, I do, on this day, promise that we will be together, one day…"

"I love you, Marinette," Adrien professed from his wounded but endless heart.

"I love you too, Adrien," Marinette professed from her sorrowful but endless heart.

With the battle over, the day saved, and the promise of tomorrow brighter than ever before, Marinette and Adrien held each other one last time before going their separate ways, back to their homes.

Opening the door to the Agreste mansion, Adrien removed his shoes and slowly stepped forward as Nathalie charged towards him, fell to her knees, and embraced him like her own, long-lost child. As she cried, Gabriel slowly entered the room, removed his glasses, and lovingly embraced his son. Allowing joyous tears to stream from his eyes once more, Adrien held his father and surrogate mother as the entire world seemed to find its grace.

Closing and locking the door of her family's bakery, Marinette made her way up the stairs, only to be greeted by her mother, her father, and Alya at the entrance to the Dupain-Cheng s' home. Alya stepped forward, looked her beloved friend in the eye, delivered a firm slap across her left cheek, embraced her with all the love in her heart, and joined Tom and Sabine in letting out cries of sorrowful joy and relief. As the four hugged, Marinette let out her own sigh of relief as her gaze rose to the ceiling.

Wrapped in a blanket she chose to wear as a straight jacket, Lila sat atop her couch, her body still weak from her transformation. However, her anger was beginning to fade, and her mind slowly found its peace once more. Suddenly, the ring of her doorbell interrupted her thoughts and drove her to slowly stand up and answer. There, in the light of day, stood none other than Adrien Agreste. "Lila…I'm so sorry," he earnestly confessed. "I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I have no right, but if you could forgive me, I'll try to…"

Lila threw herself into an embrace of deep relief and compassion around her former boyfriend, her eyes closed. "Thank God you're okay," she whispered. "I don't care about the truth, Adrien… Just hold me for a second. That's all I need."

Nodding his head in silent agreement, Adrien closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the young woman. Together, the two finally found a sense of resolution and redemption.

Come dusk, Marinette, Adrien, and Alya sat atop the rim of a bell tower at the Cathedral of Notre Dame as the city of Paris slowly became illuminated. Their souls finding peace in the sacred, holy place, the three watched as their Kwami floated in front of them, smiled, and merged with their Miraculous in a wave of brilliant light. Once the Miraculous Lights faded, Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Volpina looked at one another, made their agreement, and followed the fox Miraculous to her destination. Under the scarlet sky, the three soon arrived at a tall apartment whose surrounding streets were all but vacant. Upon touching down in front of the main door, the three returned to their human forms and entered the building.

On the fifth floor, Alya found the door the mysterious man had described to her, knocked twice, and awaited an answer. However, the door simply opened, and the three entered. Hearing the same door close behind them, Tikki, Plagg, and Trixx left their resting places and excitedly floated into the air as an elderly man entered the room to greet them. "I am glad to finally meet all three of Paris' Miraculous," the mysterious man joyously declared, his voice somewhat withered with age. "I have been watching over deh three of you for a long, long time, and I have not been disappointed. My name is Master Fu, and I am the final guardian of the Miraculous."

"It's an honor, sir," Marinette declared with a bow of her head. "I have so many questions."

"And dey will be answered in time, Ladybug," Master Fu warmly answered. "Deh same goes for Chat Noir and Volpina. For now, welcome, my Miraculous…Or, as I have come to know you, Marinette, Adrien, and Alya. I am glad to see three of the precious Kwami so well cared for. It is good to see all of you…even you, Plagg." The black cat Kwami rolled his eyes and quickly swiped a piece of cheese from his old master's dinner plate. "Please, sit. We have much to discuss." Marinette, Adrien, and Alya bowed their heads and rested upon the mat that had been laid out for them, while their Kwami rested upon their respective partner's shoulder.