Maybe she was about to be caught. Maybe she knew she was about to spend the rest of her life at Hawkmoth's mercy. But that didn't mean Ladybug was about to give up anytime soon. She was going to keep going as long as there was breath in her body. Now that Chat Noir knew she was there, Ladybug saw no point in being quiet. She skidded into the bakery, and everyone inside looked up immediately.

"Ladybug?" asked Sabine, handing a customer change and rushing over to her. "What's going on? Is everything all right?"

Ladybug ignored her mother, scanning the room. "Where's D- your husband?" she demanded.

Sabrine looked surprised at her sharp tone. "He's in the back," she responded with a frown. "Ladybug, is something wrong?"

Yes, there's a murderous akuma on your roof and he's about to break this entire building was what Ladybug wanted to say. But after months of experience, she knew civilians wouldn't react well to the blatant truth. She didn't want them to start running around like headless chickens. That would only make Chat Noir's job easier and hers much harder. She had to tell them a watered-down version of the truth, something that would prevent the customers and her parents from impersonating decapitated poultry.

"There's an akuma on the loose, and I need to evacuate you," she said, as calmly as possible.

Sabine's eyes widened fearfully, but she nodded. "I'll get Tom from the back."

Once she had left, a voice piped up from somewhere on Ladybug's right. "If there's an akuma, why aren't you fighting it?" asked a sneering voice. "Wouldn't that be slightly more helpful than interrupting me from my dinner?"

Ladybug's nerves were about as frayed as they could possibly get, and the man's snide remark was the last straw. She whipped around, her smile as sweet as the glazed doughnut the guy was stuffing his face with. "You know what? You're right, that would be more helpful," she cooed. "I'll just go out there and fight him because there's no way I would want to interrupt your dinner. I hope you've got all your affairs in order, though, because said akuma just happens to on top of this building, and he's about to destroy this entire building, with you in it. But don't worry, I'm sure there's a napkin around for you to write your will on." She began to stalk towards the door.

"Wait!" cried a young woman on the other side of the bakery. "Ladybug, please help us!"

Ladybug softened. Just because one idiot doubted her, didn't mean she had to abandon everyone. She shook her head to clear it and offered the woman a smile. "Of course I'll help you," she replied. "Everyone, leave everything where it is and run to the park. I'll meet you there." As everyone rushed for the exit, Ladybug ran to the back of the bakery, nearly colliding with her parents. "Sir, madam, I need you to go straight to the park. I'll let you know when it's safe to come back."

Sabine shook her head wildly, clutching her husband's arm. "Please, Ladybug...it's our daughter. Marinette. She was at her school dance, just across the road. We need to make sure she's safe."

The dark-haired superheroine did her best to swallow the lump in her throat. "Marinette's fine," she said kindly. "The students have been evacuated. I think...I think Marinette went with her friends."

"Why would she do that?" asked Tom with a frown. "We're not even a hundred metres away from the school."

Ladybug shrugged. "Safety in numbers?" she suggested feebly. "But there's no time to stand around. Your daughter would want you to be safe. Quickly, come with me!" She turned and began to run towards the exit, glancing back to make sure her parents were following her. The heroine flung open the door, not caring about the ringing of the bell, and ushered the bakers out into the crisp, moonless night. The girl stuck her pigtailed head inside, briefly checking that everyone was out, then slammed the door shut and pushed the pair further away from the bakery so that if the building did come down, they wouldn't be in danger.

As she began to run after them, a sudden shock shuddered through her, sending the girl sprawling onto the road. With a groan, she rolled over, only to have a blunt pole slam into her midriff. She shrieked as pain pulsed through her, and heard the horrified gasps of the bakery patrons. Squeezing her eyes shut, she let out a shaky sob, then tried to stop the tears. She couldn't show any weakness, not when she was wearing the mask, and especially not today, when she had to be strong for everyone. With an effort, she pushed herself up onto her elbows and cracked open her eyelids, only to be pushed back down by the same pole in the same place. The heroine cried out, curling into a ball and hugging her knees, trying to protect herself from further attacks.

"Ladybug!" cried Sabine from behind her. "Get away from her, you brute!"

Chat Noir, though Ladybug blurrily. He had done this to her. He was here, and he was a threat to the innocent civilians behind her. She needed to get up and fight him, needed to show Paris that she was worthy of their trust, that she could protect them from anything.

But she couldn't get up. Couldn't move to fight her partner. Could only breathe, and even that hurt. She was exhausted in every way possible. Chat Noir had won. Hawkmoth had won. She could not go on.

Marinette! Tikki's voice, faint yet audible in the superheroine's mind. Your Lucky Charm! Use it!

Her magnet. That horribly useless, stupid, frustrating magnet that would apparently save them all.

Well, it was worth a shot.

Ladybug opened her eyes, feeling for the magnet tied at her waist. Her fingers met the cool surface, and she began to look everywhere for a flash of red and black.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Footsteps tapped close to her head, and she instinctively curled into an even tighter ball, trembling with fear.

"Yes," breathed Chat Noir. "The earrings of the ladybug...finally."

The spotted girl felt his clawed hand tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, almost tenderly. A leather-covered thumb brushed her cheek gently.

"Such a shame I have to do this," he whispered, a hint of remorse in his tone. "I so wish there was another way, my lady."

With the last of her strength, Ladybug turned to look at her partner's hand, dangerously close to her Miraculous. Instantly, a flash of colour caught her attention as the boy's steel ring flared crimson, dotted with black spots. Without thinking, she whipped her Lucky Charm up next to his gloved hand and heard the sound of something hitting the road beside her. She snatched up the magnet, and to her immense relief, saw the cat Miraculous clinging onto it. Strength seeped back into her, and ignoring the pain, Ladybug got to her feet, clutching her prize tightly. With weary eyes, she watched as her ex-partner's mouth fell open and he stared at his newly ringless hand.

Destroy it, Marinette, whispered her kwami. Smiling at Chat, she let the jewellery fall, then stepped on it, feeling it crack as she pressed her full weight onto it. Darkness began to bubble around her, and with one last piece of energy, Ladybug hurled that blessed magnet into the starless sky. "Miraculous Ladybug," she croaked, before collapsing again, completely exhausted.

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Chat Noir watched as the magnet rose up, then fell back down. He lunged for it, despite knowing that there was nothing he could do to reverse the healing spell. Ladybug had said the magic words. It was over. He would turn back into his normal self, and Ladybug would leave him. She'd find a new partner, one that wouldn't break her heart.

His hands closed around the magnet as it fell, and he rolled across the road, clutching it to his chest. Something sharp dug into the small of his back. Chat moved and found it to be his ring, even more shattered now. He gazed at it. It made sense for the akuma to have hidden in his ring. After all, it was the source of all his power. And now it was broken.

There was a thud from behind him. Slowly, Chat Noir turned to see the source of the noise. His partner lay metres away from him, sprawled on the road. One of her ribbons was missing, and her face was smudged and dirty. The people who had been inside the bakery were gathering around her, checking for a pulse, for broken bones, for signs that she was okay. Chat watched them silently. He should be over there, helping his partner, caring for her.

Suddenly, the magnet he had been clutching melted into a pool of swirling pink light, which split and began to branch off in dozens of directions. Chat knew what it was. He'd see it dozens, if not hundreds of times. His lady's healing spell would whoosh through Paris, and everything would be as good as new. Or perhaps, not quite everything…

He didn't have time to finish his thought. The pink magic surrounded him, wiping his mind clean.

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Paris' superheroine woke to find herself surrounded by concerned faces. Two were familiar. The rest were not.

"Step back," commanded a deep, booming voice. "She needs space."

The faces disappeared from her view. Now all she could see was a thick layer of grey. The sky, she realized. With a groan, she sat up, rubbing her stomach, wincing as her fingers passed over a particular place. She carefully and slowly looked around.

Ladybug was sitting in the middle of the road. It was a dark night, with no moon or stars to be seen. There was a nearby streetlight, washing the pavement in golden light. A few metres away from her was a wall of people of varying ages, all looking anxious. Slightly closer to her was a tall, large man and a petite woman with soft eyes. Her parents.

The hero's eyes wandered past the crowd and landed on a black shape, fifty paces away. It resembled a human. Perhaps they needed help. Gingerly, the girl stood, wobbling slightly for a few moments before finding her balance. She began to walk shakily towards the black object. One of the civilians, a smartly dressed man, grabbed her arm. "Ladybug, are you sure you want to go over there?"

She smiled at him, gently pulling her arm out of his loose grip. "Yes, I'm sure."

"I just don't think it's safe," he tried.

Ladybug shrugged. "Well, I think it is. I'll be fine. Just stay here." She addressed the last part to everyone. They nodded solemnly.

With quiet footsteps, Ladybug approached the figure, walking around one side of it so it could see her coming and wouldn't be startled. As she got closer, Ladybug could see a few short silken locks of golden hair peeking out from beneath a dark hood. As she got closer still, the spotted superheroine could see that the person was wearing a black tracksuit, its hood shadowing their face. Ladybug had a pretty good idea of who she would see if she lifted the hood, but she wouldn't do it now. If the CCTV cameras captured this, it would be very, very bad.

Carefully, Ladybug knelt behind the boy, with her back to the onlookers. The hero gathered him gently in her arms, flinching slightly as pressure was applied to her stomach. Making sure to keep his face covered by his hood, she beckoned Tom and Sabine over. The came quickly, both looking concerned.

"Are you all right? Do you need help?" asked Tom immediately.

Ladybug nodded. "I need somewhere warm with first-aid gear, and preferably no security cameras. Do you know anywhere like that around here?"

Sabine nodded. "Yes, our living room. I'll take you up there."

Ladybug smiled. "Perfect." She began to follow her mother, when she felt a large hand on her shoulder.

"I'll carry him, Ladybug," offered Tom, reaching out his arms. But Ladybug shook her head.

"I don't doubt your ability to do so, sir, but for safety reasons, I'll continue to carry him."

Tom nodded, and Ladybug continued on her way, pausing at the back of the bakery.

"Up the stairs, and then it's the first door on the right," instructed Sabine, handing her a box of supplies. If you need help, just shout out. We'll be down in the bakery, and I promise we won't disturb you."

"Thank you, you've been incredibly helpful." Ladybug pecked the woman's cheek, then carefully shifted her load's weight in preparation for the climb up the stairs.

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