Ok people. No muss, no fuss. Let's get to it.

WARNING: You'll need a box of Kleenex towards the ending.

*****Third person POV*****

The next day

All morning all that anybody could talk about was Jade Turtle.

Whether it was wondering where he came from (ideas ranged from he was a spy for Hawkmoth or he was Ladybug and Cat Noir's son from the future.) or people taking sides, Ladynoir against Jadebug. It seemed like nobody could focus on any other topic.

Will finally got a chance to drag Adrien to an empty classroom right before lunch to ask him if this is what he dealt with all the time. "Dude, you have no idea. I'm either getting attention for being the face of Gabriel Agreste's brand or I'm getting attention for being Cat Noir. Speaking of which, are you coming to the photoshoot with me? Nathalie said they'll be here in like ten minutes." Will shook his head, "No I think I'll pass on this one. I might see if Marinette wants to go somewhere for lunch" For some reason Will's answer sparked jealousy in Adrien.

The model couldn't figure out why he felt that way towards his cousin and one of his friends. He shook off the feeling before answering his cousin's reply. "No problem. I'll just let Nathalie know what you're doing. Let's go find Mari and the others and find out what their lunch plans are."

***********Will's POV*********

We found Marinette sitting with Alya outside the school. Alya is the first one to see us and waves us over. "Hey guys! We were just talking about you!"

I laugh "That's funny cause we were just talking about you guys too. We were wondering-"

"You were wondering, not me."

"Oh right. I was wondering if you had plans for lunch, Marinette? Adrien has a photoshoot this afternoon and I opted not to go and I'd rather not eat lunch alone." I look at the pigtailed girl, who glances at her friend.

"I know we said we'd go just the two of us, Alya, but what if we have a girls weekend this weekend and let Will and Nino tag along to lunch today?" Marinette asks with a hopeful look on her face.

"I don't know, Mari. I mean it's not like I was sitting here trying to think of a way to ask you the same thing. I'll need two dozen macarons for this weekend though. My friendship doesn't come cheap." Marinette laughs as she playfully punches Alya's shoulder.

"Great! Now I don't feel bad for leaving Will alone. Thank you so much Mari!" Adrien leans over and quickly pecks Marinette on the cheek before running to the silver car that just pulled up to the school.

I watch the car pull away before turning back to a red faced, barely breathing Marinette. "Girl you need to breathe! Mari look at me! In,out. In,out. In,out. There you go! We'll work on making sure you know to turn your head into it next time." Alya laughs as Marinette seems to choke on her next breath at the statement.

******30 minutes later*******

Marinette, Alya, Nino and I are walking back from a cafe about two blocks from school. "DUDE! I can't believe you drank that hot sauce! Your stomach must hate you." Nino said to me, talking about the dare that happened over lunch.

Before I can answer, there's a loud booming sound, like an explosion, coming from the Eiffel Tower.

"Whoa. What the hell was that?" Nino asks

"I don't know but it was close to the bakery. I need to go check on my parents!" Marinette yells as she runs off in the direction of the school and her house.

"I'm going to go see if it's another akuma!" Alya takes off in a different direction while Nino sighs loudly as he tries to keep up with her.

I quickly duck behind a building, "Wyazz, transform me!"

******Third person POV******

Standing at the base of the tower with a huge swarm of butterflies around him is Hawkmoth. "I've wasted too much time trying to get the ladybug and black cat miraculouses through different akumas. Now I'll do it myself." Hawkmoth holds out his hand and when one pure white butterfly lands on it, he quickly transforms it into Darkblade's sword. "Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculouses will soon be mine."

Ladybug quickly runs towards the explosion. "Hello Ladybug." She glances to the left to see Jade Turtle running beside her.

"Hi Jade Turtle. Have you seen Cat Noir?"

"I haven't seen him but I've spoken to him. He's alittle busy at the moment but I'm sure he'll show up soon."

"I hope so. I have a bad feeling about this. Be careful Jade Turtle."

"You too, Ladybug."

Soon the pair reach the tower and Ladybug realizes why Tikki warned her to be careful.

Right in the center of the square is Hawkmoth.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Ladybug. And I see that it's true that the Guardian relinquished his miraculous. Jade Turtle, I am Hawkmoth. While I'm glad to see that the turtle miraculous is being used, I'm afraid that your time as a hero is up. I'm just sorry that Cat Noir is going to miss all the fun."

"We'll see who's time is up." Jade Turtle says before throwing his shield and running towards Hawkmoth.

Ladybug runs after him, keeping an eye out for her black cat.

Meanwhile

Adrien is being held on lockdown after news of Hawkmoth's appearance has spread. 'Please hold on Ladybug. I'm trying to figure a way out of here.' The only problem was that NOTHING HAS WORKED. Not having to stretch, go to the bathroom or anything! Plagg sits quietly in Adrien's bag, knowing what's coming and hoping his chosen can handle it.

Ladybug dodges another attack from Hawkmoth while Jade Turtle tries to attack him again. Will brings his shield up in time to keep the sword from giving him an unwanted haircut.

"Give up. The two of you can't hope to beat me." Hawkmoth tells him before jumping back to dodge Ladybug's attempt to catch him with her yo-yo.

The three exchange blows, some connecting and others not. The two young heroes are soon beaten and bruised but still standing.

"You two are finished. Ladybug, your earrings please." Marinette tightens her grip on her yo-yo, fear written all over her face.

Jade Turtle musters up all his remaining strength and rushes Hawkmoth one last time.

"No Jade Turtle! DON'T DO IT!" Ladybug yells.

Hawkmoth easily bats him away and Will hits one of the tower supports with a horrifying thud.

"NO!" Ladybug yells, running towards the fallen hero. She kneels down and frantically searches for signs of life.

"Your miraculous, Ladybug. I won't ask again." Once she confirms that Jade Turtle's pulse is there, a weak pulse but she knows he's alive, she turns on Hawkmoth.

"LUCKY CHARM!"

In her hands drops a sword. 'No,' she realizes 'it's a baton. Just like the one Cat Noir carries.' With newfound strength, Marinette stares down Hawkmoth. "You'll pay for hurting him and you won't get a chance to touch Cat Noir." Her baton lengthens into a staff and she rushes her enemy.

Adrien watches horrified at how his cousin is carelessly tossed aside but is awed by his Lady's bravery. 'I'm sorry I'm not there with you, Bugaboo. I just hope you'll forgive me.' He thinks as he watches Ladybug fight Hawkmoth with HIS weapon.

As the fight wears on, both villian and heroine are tiring out. Their weapons clash with each other as they try to gain the advantage over their opponent. Hawkmoth lunges at Ladybug, who dodges his attack and counters with her own, throwing him off balance long enough for her to knock his sword away and sweep his feet out from under him.

"You lose, Hawkmoth." Ladybug says, out of breath from the intense fight and from fear of not knowing what to do now.

"Not today." He says before he's swarmed by hundreds of butterflies.

Ladybug can only watch as the white insects carry her enemy away.

"Miraculous Ladybug." She throws the baton in the air and any damage caused during the fight is instantly fixed, except for Jade Turtle.

Ladybug rushes over to him, finding him breathing steadily but still unconscious. She quickly scoops him up and takes him to the Guardian before she can be overrun by any reporters.

The whole city is celebrating Ladybug's victory over Hawkmoth. Marinette can hear it as she runs over rooftops towards the Guardian's home.

Once she's on the roof with the yin and yang symbol and the different miraculous symbols secretly etched into the skylight, she drops down into the room below it.

She lays Jade Turtle down on the bed in the corner before collapsing into the chair next to it. The door opens just as her earrings beep one final time and release her transformation and a tired Tikki, who smiles at Marinette before floating into her purse to rest.

"I must congratulate you on your victory, Marinette." Mari snorts.

"It's only a victory if I actually beat him. Hawkmoth got away, Cat Noir was a no show and I got Jade Turtle knocked out."

Master Fu nodded before going over and taking the turtle miraculous off the sleeping hero. A green flash of light engulfed him before it faded to reveal the face of William Agreste. "Will?! He's Jade Turtle?!"

"Yes. Please be quiet Marinette, he needs rest. I suspect he received a concussion and has some bruising. Will you go and retrieve the mortar and pestle from the kitchen? We need to tend to him before he gets beyond my abilities."

After the battle, Alya and Nino called Marinette and Adrien to make sure everybody was alright. Adrien told Nino he hadn't seen his cousin since before lunch and nobody had heard from him.

Alya was on the phone with Tom and Sabine, who haven't seen Marinette since breakfast that morning. Alya thanked them and reassured the couple by saying Marinette must have taken shelter somewhere else and that she would let them know if she heard from the girl first.

The Ladyblogger quickly dialed her best friend's number, hoping she was alright and keeping her fingers crossed that Will was safe too.

Marinette jumped as her phone rang next to her.

"Hello?"

"GIRL YOU HAD ME WORRIED SICK! Where are you?"

"I got swept up by a crowd and had to stay in a store during the fight. Are you and Nino alright?"

"We're fine but nobody's heard from Will. Have you seen him?" Marinette glanced to her right.

"I'm with him now. He got pushed around alot when the crowds got too rough. I saw somebody push him hard enough to make him fall and I think he hit his head so I brought him to a doctor to make sure he was alright. I couldn't find his phone so i couldn't get in touch with Adrien or anyone else."

Alya breathed a sigh of relief and Mari heard her relay all the information to, who she assumed was Nino. Marinette suddenly realized that she would have to tell Adrien what happened. Could she do it without telling him the truth? Would he believe the lie she just told Alya?

"The doctor is coming. I'll see if he has Will's phone and I'll let Adrien know what's going on. Will you call my parents and let them know what happened and that I'm ok?" Alya said that she would but said they would want to hear from Marinette soon.

Mari promised she'd call them and hung up before she groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "I'm not technically a doctor but it's nice that you think so highly of me, Marinette." Master Fu chuckled at the young girl, knowing the time was approaching quicker than anyone anticipated.

Hours later, Marinette was walking the empty streets home. After being assured that Will would be just fine and that Fu would contact Marinette if anything changed, the Guardian convinced the girl to go home and get some rest herself. Quietly thinking to herself as she walked, Mari failed to notice somebody else was out as well.

"Marinette?" She snapped her head up at the sound of her name.

"A-adrien?" As his green eyes met her bluebell, Marinette rushed forward, embracing his lean body and letting all the emotions from the day wash over her as she cried into his chest.

"I'm so sorry. It's all m-my fault. I co-couldn't help him and now he-he's hurt. I'm so sorry I failed,Adrien." Marinette mumbled everything into the fabric of his shirt, the model hearing most of it due to his time as a feline hero (but she didn't need to know that.)

Adrien pulled her back and looked at her, puzzled. "Mari, nothing that happened today is your fault. You couldn't have helped Will anymore than you already did. Because of you, Will is safe and sound." Adrien hugged her," Thank you for taking care of him."

Marinette cried harder as he continued to hold her close. As soon as she calmed down, she pulled back. "It is my fault that he got hurt though. I tried warning him and he didn't listen and I knew that Hawkmoth would hurt him and I just stood there. I'm so sorry. I failed him, I failed you and I failed the whole city. I let Hawkmoth go and now-" She started crying again, burying her face in her hands and missing the way Adrien stiffened.

'Is she saying what I think she is?' Adrien thought 'There's no way that My Lady and Mari are the same person, is there?' His thoughts were interpreted as Marinette pulled away completely.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put all that on you. I'm just tired and not making any sense." She sniffed as she looked down,"I just don't want you to hate me."

Adrien grabbed her shoulders "How could anyone hate you? You're the most amazing person I've ever met! You're brave,selfless,loyal and one of my best friends."

Marinette's eyes brimmed with tears. "You don't even know me." She whispered.

He looked at her confused, "I don't know as much as Alya does but I know enough to know that you're not yourself right now. How about I walk you home and maybe we can talk some more?" Adrien put his arms around her shoulders and tried to lead her down the street.

"Adrien, I just need to be alone please." Marinette said as she pulled away from his embrace.

"Mari, plea-"

"No, Adrien. I can't handle being near you right now."

Adrien frowned, "I'm not letting you walk home by yourself."

"I can handle myself just fine."

"Please just let me-"

"NO. Ugh why can't you get it through your perfect head that I want to be alone right now?" Marinette yelled before she started walking away, looking for an empty (emptier) street to use to transform so she could clear her head.

"What's so wrong with me wanting to walk you home? I'm just trying to be nice." Adrien said as he caught up to her.

"What's wrong with it? Maybe I don't deserve your company right now, maybe I feel horrible for almost getting your cousin killed, maybe I'm realizing that no matter what I do you'll always, ALWAYS, be too perfect and unattainable to me. Maybe I'm realizing that no matter how I feel you'll never love me the same way I love you."

Adrien stopped short. "You what?" he asked, green eyes going wide at the sudden confession.

"Yeah I love you. Normally I'd be too freaked out to actually say it but I nearly died today so screw it. Ever since you gave me your umbrella on your first day, I've been in love with you. Your smile, your laugh, the way you're so nice to everybody including Chloe. I know you don't believe me cause you have tons of girls fawn all over you but it's the truth. When we were practicing for the video game tournament I was so excited to spend time with you. Of course you're the whole reason I even tried out in the first place. I can't think when I'm around you, I can't talk without stuttering and making a complete idiot out of myself. Alya and Nino knew and they tried to get me to talk to you but I couldn't do it."

Marinette laughed weakly "I'm not good enough for you and I'm not good enough for Paris. I'm sorry that this is the last memory you'll have of me before I leave Paris to go stay with my uncle." Marinette took a deep breath before uttering the phrase that changes everything.

"Tikki, spots on."

As the bright pink light of her transformation faded, Adrien was now staring at the one and only Ladybug. She stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Adrien's lips, "I'm sorry Adrien." was the only thing she said before she threw her yo-yo and swung away.

*********Adrien's POV********

I stood there in shock until I heard a giggling sound coming from my pocket. I yanked Plagg out. "How is any of this funny?"

"It's funny cause you've been pining after her for so long only to find out you've been sitting in front of her this whole time and didn't even know it."

I glared at him and started to confine him to nothing but cheese sticks for a month but he cut me off.

"Are we going after her or not?" he asked with a grin.

"Plagg,claws out!"

******Third person POV*****

Ladybug sat on top of the Eiffel tower, looking out over the city one last time.

"The whole city is safe and sound. I guess everybody's staying inside after the whole mess with Hawkmoth earlier. Nice job with the baton, by the way. Although, your stance needs some work and your swing is too heavy. How's Jade Turtle doing?" Adrien, or Cat Noir, asked from behind the spotted heroine, who remained quiet.

"Bugaboo? You're not mad cause I couldn't make it to the fight are you? I honestly tried but I couldn't get away from anybody to be able to sneak away. I'm sorry."

Ladybug wiped her eyes before turning to her partner. "I'm not mad. I know that you would have been there if you were able to. I was just thinking about how to tell you that I'm leav-" Cat Noir placed his finger on her lips,interrupting what he had already heard. "You're not going anywhere. Paris needs you, Ladybug. And if you leave then Hawkmoth wins anyway. Besides I just found out that you love me so I want to see where this goes, don't you Marinette?" Adrien asks while watching her face go from sad to confused before settling on shocked. Unable to hold back, Cat Noir chuckled at her expression and the reaction he knows is coming.

Marinette doesn't disappoint.

"ADRIEN?!"