A/N: didn't edit and usually don't. Might be some mistakes

Six years going on as Ladybug. Six years of volunteering and saving lives. Six years that Hawk Moth had been getting stronger and stronger each time. Stress is already reaching the limit and the self doubt of Marinette Cheng. She couldn't keep up at this rate. Even though she has her lucky friend, Chat Noir. She wouldn't think it would be enough. At least eventually, she knew it wouldn't be enough. She retired, no more hero saving.

She reached her dream of making her clothing line with help of her best friend Ayla. Life was great but her second one, she could feel herself losing. What if she couldn't keep up anymore? What if there would be a moment that she couldn't get to a another victim in time again?

There had been some deaths. On Ladybugs hands, and it was all her fault. Some blamed her, some didn't. There had been times where she couldn't save them. Times she had to make sacrifices, there were times she had to let go. Marinette had never forgiven herself. Not the day when she lost the love of her life, Adrien Agreste.

That's when everything went downhill from there. The memory flashed before her eyes, of the last time she had saw Adrien. His hand extended, reaching out for her. So she quit. So did Hawk Moth. He had disappeared like Ladybug. Going back to their normal lives. Pretending they were in make believe. Though Hawk Moth, every so often will appear. Chat Noir will easily save the day from him.

Marinette gazed at her vanity. Placed inside was her miraculous. She missed Tiki, but she couldn't possibly be a hero anymore. She can't do it, the only one has been Chat Noir. She missed that mischievous cat too. She would only watch the news for updates about him. He's gotten stronger, taller and bigger. Chat didn't need her, see? There's already a hero. She didn't need to be out there anymore.

"Marinette!"

"Yes?" Marinette gasped out of her memory bank - well more like nightmare bank. She felt her heart racing. It felt as if she just ran a marathon. "I'm sorry," she turned, giving a smile.

"Marinette, I know it's been two years since the, but..." Her friend Ayla, paused. She sympathized with Marionette. For a while, Ayla thought that Marinette was just going through a crush phase with Adrien Agreste. All through the years though, Marinette never once stopped loving that boy. She never once had told her feelings to him.

Ayla stopped, not bothering to finish her sentence. Instead, she placed a hand on Marinette's head, giving a nice pat.

If only Ayla knew the truth, Marinette thought. She wished everyday she can tell Ayla who she really is. Though, it didn't matter anymore. She wasn't Ladybug anymore. There is only Chair Noir now. She doesn't have to if she doesn't want to... right?

The door to the shop rang, customers walking into the clothing shop. Marinette greeted them half heartedly.

Ayla quickly stepped in for her customer service to kick in. Greeting them and showing their latest designs.

Why couldn't she do just simple customer service? She could hear her kwamis voice you need to be Ladybug!

She couldn't possibly be Ladybug again. There was no way, not ever again. Not after some of the innocent lives that were lost. If she were to arrive again, they would blame her. Point their fingers that everything was her fault, and she wholeheartedly agrees. She could have saved them. She could have done better, there were other ways. There had have been.

Even though Marinette racked her brain for answers and different strategies she could have done, there was none she could think of in her previous fights. She wondered how Chat Noir kept going. How he can just keep fighting six years straight. Though, the deaths weren't on his hands anyway. She envied him.

Marinette did admit to herself that she missed the heroic work. She missed it, but she couldn't do it anymore. Having a double life was not only exhausting, but she couldn't just keep going. Hawk Moth had disappeared, so why did Chat Noir keep going.

"Gabriel Agreste will be hosting a grand ball in tribute to his new clothing line competition! Whoever wins will be the guest of honor of this said ball." Both Marinette and Ayla turned their attention to the TV news stand hung up on the wall. The picture of Adrien Agreste's father appeared next to the news caster.

That's right, Marinette thought. How could she forget, not only her favorite designer but the love of her life's father? She hadn't seen any of the new designs from him the past years. The only thing she could guess was that he was in mourning of his son. She didn't blame him, as she were in mourning herself.

"Marinette," her long time friend, Ayla had called. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"That I'll... " she trailed off as she stared at the news, "that I'll be participating in the event?"

"Yes!" Ayla exclaimed with joy. Not only would this help the store and Marinette's designing career. Ayla believed that this will help Marinette to move on. If she got in contact with his father, she could confess her feelings for Gabriel Agreste's son. Something she had wanted to do since she was fourteen.

I don't know Ayla..." Marinette mumbled to herself, her head drooping so she looked at her feet. "There are many, many good designers out there. It'd be one in a million."

Later that night, black haired ex-heroine sat at her desk. She stared at the blank page of her sketchbook. What kind of design Gabriel Agreste would want anyway?

"Nothing! I got nothing!" She groaned to herself and laid her head on her desk. Her long grown out hair fell over one of her shoulders as she leaned forward onto the desk.

Marinette had lost inspiration. She had no will to even draw anymore or come up with new things. Doing her favorite things, didn't seem to even make her happy anymore.

Her lip began to quiver and she could feel her tears beginning to swell up. She let everyone down. She let her own city down and her friends. If only her family and friends knew the truth. If only at least one person would know the truth.

All she could say through sobs to herself was "I'm sorry,". It wasn't enough. Apologizing wasn't even close to make everything better.

Marinette wiped her eyes with her palms. With each stroke she did, only more poured out. Her heart hurt. To the point where she could feel the heartstrings tugging inside her chest. She had failed everyone. She had failed those innocent people. She had failed Adrien. Just thinking of him, caused her to weep even more.

What was she even suppose to do? She couldn't go back to Ladybug it would just make things worse. All she could think of were the memories of the deaths on her hands. All she could think of was Adrien. The past six years was all she could think about was him. How much of a failure she is, how terrible of a hero she had been. She knew she wasn't cut out for it. Even from the very beginning when she first met Tikki, she couldn't do it.

Then the idea clicked. Adrien's father is hosting the ball... She felt terrible for doing this. This was a tribute to him though. To make up her regret. It's not the best, but it's all for herself to heal. At least she hoped.

Marinette grabbed her art supplies and began to sketch. Throughout the entire night she made design after design. After one was finished and colored, she couldn't help but hate it. She crumpled it up and threw it away, continuing on her design. Over and over Marinette had done this. Her color pencils were becoming short, her pens running out of ink. Colors marked on her attire, ink splotches covered her fingers.

As morning sun rose into Marinette's room, Ayla peeked inside the designers room. Marinette had fallen asleep on her desk. She had stayed up all through the night working on her design.

Ayla had tiptoed inside her best friends room to glance at her work. There was some maybes on certain sketches she had posted in front her on the wall. Some note-to-selfs were on the papers with arrows pointing at the designs. Some with only just question marks and some describing in detail of what kind of fabric she had pictured. Color schemes she had picked and patterns she has created.

Ayla slowly lifted the ex-heros hand up to see underneath Marinette's arms. With a shock, Ayla couldn't believe her eyes what she had designed. Slowly, the best friend eyes saddened but gave a soft smile. She rubbed Marinette's head and tiptoed out of the room.

Marinette slowly woke in the mid afternoon when the sun began to hit her eyes. She squeezed them shit the slowly began to open them. Her vision blurry for a moment then focused back into her room. She quickly sat up from the sight of her bed, Chat Noir casually laying there. Her heart pounded from panic. His arms folded behind his head with his lips with a mischievous smug.

Marinette patted her face and wiped her eyes to wake up more. She looked back at her bed to see it now empty.

"Dreaming," she confirmed to herself.

Marinette somewhat wished that it was true. She missed her flirtatious black cat. Would he ever forgive her? For just leaving him in the dust?

Nostalgic memories flooded into the jet balck haired woman when she was a teen. At first sight of Chat Noir she definitely felt the "love at first sight" moment. Though when she met Adrien Agreste, it wasn't love at first sight. She gradually became interested in him more and more.

That cat deserved some closure. After all she disappeared. Without even telling him.

Marinette heaved a sigh through her lips.

She slowly took the small box out that contained the power of creation and placed them in her pocket.

Later through the day it was like any other. Working with Ayla and taking care of the store. Though Ayla was very insistant with Marinette's designs. She could tell Ayla saw something in her room. Not that she minded but wanted it to be a bit of a secret to herself.

As the sun was setting Marinette sat her room at her desk once more with the earrings placed in front of her. It was for Chat. She hadn't seen him over six years. Not mention they never revealed their identies.

"I must be on out of my mind." Marinette spoke to herself with a shaky voice. Slowly she placed each earring on. Once her eyes opened, there floatin Tikki smiling happily at her master without a word.

"I'm only doing this for Chat!" Marinette exclaimed to Tikki, "this is only for a bit."

"Whatever makes you happy Marinette! Just say the magic words!" Tikki flew over her shoulder giving her a tiny hug. Tikki was very patient with her owner. Marinette may not believe it but Tikki knew she is and will always be the perfect heroine.

"Tikki," Marinette smiled as she peeked over her shoulder, "spots on!"

Chat Noir casually cruised along with his pole while jumping and running and humming through his night patrol. He would wave to the ladies who were walking home and as well bow to them if he bumped into them.

They fawned over the beautiful cat but there was person that had his heart. Ladybug, the beautiful hero of paris. The intelligent beautiful Ladybug. He missed her. Her eyes, her laugh, her voice. He kind of forgotten what she had sounded like, it must've been more mature now. Hell, it seemed as if he were only dreaming of her. As if she never existed and he was the only hero.

Chat Noir never gave up on his lady. Once a month he will call her on his device during transformations. Even though she never answered.

To his surprise he was receiving the call instead!

"She's back! She's back!" He cheered jumping up and down. He quikly answered before it was too late.

"I wonder when you would call me, my lady." He heard the Ladybugs giggle of his greeting. Her laugh, it never changed.

"Will you meet me at the Eiffle Tower?"

"Of course, my lady. I will not keep you waiting!" He hung up but he couldn't move. His heart was racing his hands were becoming clammy. What was wrong with him?

It had been over six years since he had seen this woman. Six years of lost contact. Six years of not seeing her at all.

Chat Noirs legs slowly began to jog. Soon then he began to sprint. He couldn't stop. He had to get there as fast he could. Soon as he could. For some reason he could feel his eyes begin to water. Relief was finally coming over him. Relieved that he wasn't alone anymore. Relieved thst he knew the love of his life returned from wherever she was.

He had no one else but Plagg to be right beside him. He hoped that Ladybug would now stay by his.

There she was. Ladybug, gazing over the city of paris. Some lights flickering out and some lights flickering on.

Chat Noir took in this moment. Not only to keep this in memory bank but in awe, in agape of how more beautiful she had become. Her hair had grown down her back. She had stillthe same hair style of the two pigtails.

The breeze played with her long hair pigtails pusning them behind her, revealing her face. Of course, she still wore her spotted mask.

Chat Noir slowly stepped behind her, "Good evening, my lady."

Ladybug froze at the sound of his voice. It had gone deeper than she rememebered. Over the phone seemed different but now he was right behind her.

"Hi Chat," she smiled to the black cat. "I missed you".