No.

No no no.

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.

No.

"Ladybug!" Chat's voice was louder now, trying to wake up his lady.

Silence.

Closing his eyes and bowing his head, Chat Noir squeezed his eyes tight, trying to block out the pain, the sadness, the regret, the guilt, too many too many too many emotions. This was all his fault. It was.

A gasp.

Ladybug's chest rose suddenly, making Chat Noir jump as she inhaled. Thirsty, drinking in gulps of oxygen. Her bluebell eyes flew open, looking around, panicked, before settling on Chat Noir, who had forced himself to look at her.

"C-Chat," she said, smiling weakly. Using all of her strength, she gingerly reached out her hand and cupped her kitty's face, staring into his teary green eyes, "I'm sorry. For everything."

Denial. Refusal. This couldn't happen. Chat Noir shook his head, as if furious that Ladybug would leave him, biting back the urge to sob.

"No! No, Ladybug please I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Any of it. Don't go. You can't- you have to stay with me," he croaked, telling her she wasn't allowed to leave. Hoping so badly that if he held her hand, she wouldn't go. She couldn't go.

Ladybug smiled fondly, light headed and shivering. A tingling sensation had begun to spread slowly up her body, making her feel as light as air. Like she could just catch a balloon filled with helium and it would take her, floating up amongst the golden clouds.

It was quite relaxing, dying. She'd do it more often if it wasn't so... permanent.

A thought stirred her from her dizzy ramblings. She wasn't going to die. But Chat Noir didn't know that. He thought- he thought she was going to die. Raking through handfuls and pocketfuls of thoughts and words, Ladybug closed her eyes as she tried to concentrate her energy on forming a sentence.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be here, just not remembering,"

What? Chat frowned as he furiously wiped at his eyes. What on earth was she talking about? Trying to put the pieces together before he was too late, his eyes searched around desperately for an inkling of what she meant. Noticing the gormless, dazed civilians, he too realised.

Just as he relaxed, just as he was beginning to think everything was going to be ok, a new worry entered his mind. Like a damn bursting, floods of new thoughts gushed into his head.

"So ... you'll forget who I am. You won't know me and think I don't exist. No, I can't lose you like this," he realised out loud.

Ladybug faded in and out of consciousness, a feint crackling sound blared through her ears, but her partner's words cut through them. She had to tell him. Now, before she wouldn't know anymore. She squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Chat, I'll always know you, whether I know it or not. In here," she lifted their entwined hands to her heart. Its feint beating calmed him, "I could never forget you."

Chat closed his eyes and a silent tear slipped down his face. How, even in her final moments of knowing him, was she still the strong one? She still put him back together, even though she was slowly slipping away from him. Why, how, was he such a bad partner to her?

No, focus on now, he thought. In a whispered promise he shook questions from his head.

"I will never forget you Ladybug. Ever," he breathed, tears cascading down his face.

Vision blurring, mind slurring, she reached a hand up to his face and wiped away his tears. It killed her to see him like this, crying over her. The buzzing in her ears started to roar, her vision clouding and the scene in front of her started to dissolve.

"NO! Don't go! You can't go. I need you," Chat Noir wept.

"It's ok. Don't be scared Chat. You'll find a way because..."

Ladybug's eyes fluttered closed.

"No, no!" Chat screamed.

"... because I trust you," Ladybug finished, eyes half opening. It was taking all of her strength, but she would try to stay conscious. Her friend needed her. She would fight this, "more than anything. I'm just... sorry it took me all of this t-to show you. I never, never got to say thank you f-for all of this."

Taking one last breath, she was ready to give in to her senses.

Darkness enveloped her thoughts and senses, crushed her energy until she was limp in his arms, lost in a sea of black. One word echoed in her mind as she lost control.

"LADYBUG!"