Ladybug covered her face while Chat Noir held her in his arms and turned his back to the explosion, turning back around he noticed that Rin had shielded them both and was injured from absorbing the entire attack onto herself.

The white haired girl fell forward as the two superheroes gripped her under her arms and eased her to her a seated position.

"Chat, stay with her," Ladybug stated as she glanced around.

"No, you stay Ladybug, she's too injured to fight the hollow," Chat replied.

"What?"

"I can do this, but she needs treatment," Chat Noir answered before removing a small green pill like object from Rin's shirt pocket.

He popped the green pill into his mouth and separated from his human body, showing himself in his soul reaper form.

"I'll be back, my lady," He assured as he gently pecked Ladybug at the corner of her mouth before flash stepping away from the scene.

The gikon looked to Rin and knelt next to her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

Rin coughed, causing blood to be expelled from her mouth and splatter onto the pavement, inwardly the warrior felt her pride shatter as she watched the evidence of her injury appear on the ground. She cursed herself as she thought, 'I'm fucking pathetic! Why am I still so weak?'

Ladybug had been watching the scene and glanced over shen she heard Rin's cough.

"Rin, we have to get you to the healer," Ladybug encouraged as she tried to coax her into standing. They hadn't cleansed the Akuma in time, and it had become a hollow. A hollow that Adrien, and in all likelihood, Ichika, were now hunting.

Rin coughed again, causing more blood to be expelled from her body, she was definitely bleeding internally. She could feel it. One of her ribs had broken and punctured a lung. Even normal walking was dangerous at this point. If she moved, she'd certainly die.

Rin tried to take a deep breath only to realize she couldn't and shook her head 'no'.

Ladybug watched her body language before voicing her thought process, "No? What do you mean no? You're too weak?"

Again Rin shook her head from right to left signaling she'd guessed wrong.

Ladybug swallowed as she realized what Rin was telling her, "You're too injured?"

Rin nodded her head in agreement.

"Rin you can't stay here, you'll die for sure. The healer- " Ladybug started but then stopped when she realized what was happening. Rin was too injured to stay there, but too injured to move as well. The impact of that explosion would've killed both her and Chat Noir if Rin hadn't intervened. Even as weakened as she continuously claimed she was, the white haired teenager was still stronger than herself and Chat Noir.

"L-leave me," Rin gasped out as she fell to all fours before rolling onto her side, she inhaled sharply as pain travelled throughout her body. Breathing hurt worse than a thousand stab wounds, this wasn't good at all. She recalled her promise to the thirteenth squad Captain, Mamoru's Aunt Rukia, but she couldn't bring herself to force Marinette to witness what was about to happen.

"G-go. Lea-leave me," Rin ordered, her voice was barely audible as a whisper.

Ladybug shook her head with a fierce determined look coming over her, "No way. I'm not going to just leave you like this."

'But I can't move her on my own either. The way she's declining, she'll die before we reach Master Fu,' Ladybug realized.

For the first time since she became Ladybug, for the first time after facing Stone Heart the second time around, Marinette felt helpless as Ladybug she quickly glanced around in a hopeless frenzy, looking for someone nearby to assist them but the street was empty. They'd ordered the civilians and the emergency services away from here.

'Why are you still here? I told you to leave. You shouldn't see this. You're too young,' Rin thought as she watched Ladybug.

Suddenly the red of Ladybug's spandex faded to maroon, Rin realized her vision was darkening.

'Marinette, I'm sorry you had to watch me die,' Rin thought as her vision became completely black.

She heard the superhero scream out for help as she slammed her hand down next to Rin's head, then nothing.

Ladybug glanced around in a panic, she felt her own respiration pick up as she scanned the street, yet nothing. Just buildings, no sirens, no other people around for miles, and for some reason she couldn't bare to pull herself away from her dying friend.

"Rin! Rin wake up," Ladybug shouted.

The white haired girl was pale as a bed sheet and slowly taking on a greyish complexion.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no! Rin, wake up. You have to wake up, please," Ladybug pleaded she gently shook her friend.

"Move," A male voice stated as someone knelt next to her.

Ladybug shifted over and saw a boy about Rin's age, she'd guess, with chest nut brown hair, a creamy complexion, and chocolate brown eyes. He knelt on his right knee while the left knee was bent in a kneeling position. He placed both hands out in front of himself, palms up and open to Rin as his hands began to emit a gentle green glow. He was wearing a denim jacket, with an orange v cut tshirt underneath and blue jeans with white running shoes.

"Who are you?"

"A ghost," The boy answered as he watched Rin for signs of life as the glow continued to travel from his hands onto Rin's upper torso.

It was then that Ladybug noticed a green woven bracelet on his left wrist, nearly identical to the bracelet that Rin always wore.

'That doesn't make sense though! He died,' Ladybug reasoned with herself as she continued to watch, her jaw dropping as she saw the physical injuries begin to close up.

"How are you doing that?"

"Kaido. It's like the kido spells she uses in combat, except Kaido is strictly limited to healing and replenishing reiatsu, which is a what grants a soul reaper their life force and power," the boy answered as he continued to cast the kido spell on Rin.

"I'm almost finished with her injuries but her reiatsu levels are very low. She'll need time to recover," He advised.

Ladybug nodded in understanding.

He swallowed nervously as he realized the spandex clad girl was staring at his left wrist.

He gave a defeated sigh as he nodded, "Yes. I am dead, and yes I am her friend that was killed in the line of duty. Take her to Master Fu's after I leave, it'll be explained there."

Ladybug squeezed her eyes shut in confusion but nodded in agreement, "Okay."

He stopped the kaido and returned to his feet, he turned to leave but stopped and turned back.

"The hollow is still out there. Be careful. I don't know you well, Ladybug, but I entrust you with the one who is most dear to me," He cautioned.

Ladybug nodded as she lifted Rin so the girl's head rested on her shoulder, her arm was wrapped protectively around Rin's wrist, "she's a friend. I won't give up without a fight."

The boy nodded in acknowledgement before running off towards Master Fu's.

'He's in a gigai,' Ladybug realized before grasping her yoyo, she wrapped it around a nearby sign before hoisting herself and Rin up and swinging off towards the same direction.

Mamoru panted heavily as he entered Master Fu's studio, he collapsed onto the floor, sweat beading off of his brow.

Master Fu raised his eye brows in surprise as he watched the boy in front of him, "Well now, this isn't a sight I usually see from you, young Lord Kuchiki."

"Rin—injured," Mamoru panted out with a slight cough as he forced air back into his lungs.

Master Fu's eyes widened at the statement, "Injured? Where is she?"

"Right here," Ladybug answered as she landed in Master Fu's studio with Rin still unconscious, her head resting limply on Ladybug's shoulder.

Mamoru forced himself to his feet although his gigai's legs were aching and felt like the strength was fully depleted from them.

He gently scooped up Rin and laid her on the couch of Master Fu's living room.

"I'll go get my herbs," Master Fu announced as he headed towards the kitchen.

"I'll get the reiatsu infusion kit," Mamoru stated as he headed off to a bedroom.

Ladybug watched the two males busy themselves with methods of first aid while she watched Rin, gently moving a strand of hair that had fallen on the girl's face.

"Tikki, spots off," Marinette called out as the transformation dropped, the red kwami flew around to Marinette's shoulder and landed with a tired sigh, "These Akumas are getting stronger."

Marinette nodded and kept her eyes on Rin, "I know."

She gently grasped Rin's hand within her own.

Mamoru and Master Fu returned to the living room, Mamoru with a strange looking box while Master Fu held a bowl of steaming hot liquid with some herbs visible within the liquid.

"It's a tea for pain," Master Fu replied as he offered a chocolate chip cookie to Tikki.

The red kwami gratefully took the cookie from Master Fu and began eating it.

Marinette gasped as she watched Mamoru take what appeared to be almost like an IV from the box and jab it into his own skin.

"What are you doing? You need a doctor for that," she blurted.

"No. We all learned in the Academy how to do basic field first aid, this is a little more advanced, but when I first graduated I was a member of the fourth squad, it's the squad responsible for healing soul reapers. In essence, I have the same medical training one of your doctors would have," Mamoru clarified.

He then continued to set up the reiatsu infusion kit and began infusing Rin with his own reiatsu. Rin gave a slight whimper and shifted slightly.

"I'm here, my Lady," Mamoru soothed, his free hand coming up to gently cup the side of Rin's face.

'He calls her his lady? Wow. Just like Chat,' Marinette thought to herself.

She heard a soft chuckle coming from the male sitting next to Rin on the couch.

He gave her an amused look before explaining, "In Soul society, my adoptive father is referred to as 'Lord Kuchiki', or 'Kuchiki-dono' in Japanese, I am as well. There by, if Rin and I had ever had a chance to marry, she would've become Lady Kuchiki. Regardless—to me, she is worth of being a noble Lady. There is nobility of heart, and nobility of blood. Rin possesses a noble heart."

Marinette nodded in agreement and smiled as he spoke, "I see. That makes sense then. It's sort of like calling her your wife."

Mamoru nodded, "Precisely. That's one title I will never be able to call her and it's always pained me. So 'my Lady' would always suffice. I had a feeling as a young boy, even before I learned my Zanpakuto's abilities, that I would never age old enough to marry and father a child—though as Rin is well aware—if I were to have a child, I would hope for a daughter."

Marinette raised a brow, "Really? I thought a lot of guys hoped for boys to carry on their name."

"But a girl can as well. Doesn't your family name come from both of your parents?"

Marinette nodded, "Yes."

"There you go," Mamoru replied, his eyes becoming glued to Rin's face his hand left her face and his finger tips found their way to his own lips, gently rubbing them.

"Kiss her when she wakes up," Marinette suggested.

"No," Mamoru replied quickly.

"No, I mustn't. I must not give in," he repeated. From where she sat Marinette could tell that he was breathing heavily.

"You want to be with her, so why aren't you?" Marinette asked.

"Because I'd hurt her. I realize I'm hurting her right now, however – it would be worse if I gave in—"

"And then went back to your own time before you died and have to pretend to be just friends with her for six days before my mom's bankai turns you into an icicle?"

Ichika's voice cut through him like a sharp blade.

Marinette looked to Ichika, then Adrien, then to Mamoru, and eventually her eyes fell to Rin.

"Tell her at least," Marinette pleaded.

Mamoru blinked a little, "What? I couldn't do that to—"

"You're already hurting her," Adrien interrupted.

"Damn it I should take my own advice and tell a special girl just how special she is, but do you realize when I first met her she was going to let her self die in a hollow attack because she was hurting that bad? I had to shove her out of the way," Adrien raged.

Mamoru froze at those words looking as if he'd just taken a hundred punches in one blow.

"She hurt so bad just talking about you made her fists clench tight enough to cut into her own skin," Adrien continued.

"The worst part is, you have a chance now to make it right. To let her know how you feel, and you're just going to let that opportunity pass you by? We may have a similar ancestor but that's where our similarities end," Adrien growled.

Mamoru's shoulders sagged as he began disconnecting the infusion kit from Rin and glanced at Adrien with tears in his eyes.

"What if I can't control myself?"

Marinette and Ichika both gained shocked expressions.

"What if after everything here works out, I go back to my own time. Six days before I die, and I can't keep myself from kissing her? How much confusion do you think that will create? I'll end up hurting her in the very way I never meant to, it destroys me I'm going to end up hurting her as it is," He defended himself.

From where she sat Marinette could see that he was discretely crying just at the thought.

"She's my one true friend. The only one who never saw the monster I was born of, and only saw me. I can't betray her like that," Mamoru answered.

"Mamoru, is lying to her any better?"

The question was simple, but poignant. The noble bit his lip a little and shook his head 'no' before confessing, "I'm always watching myself around her. Everything I say, everything I do. I slipped up once… twenty years ago. I kissed her. I'm still haunted by that."

"So kiss her again," the other four people in the room stated in unison.

"Stop being selfish," Adrien berated.

'Actually, I should follow that advice too. Damn it,' Adrien thought to himself.