A/N: I just want to say, I am in love with Grammarly. New editing software. I saw an ad and decided to try it out with nano coming up and everything…and I am just in love with it. I see a lot more mistakes than I do on my own. And with my track record with editors…yeah, it's my new blessing. So I hope there is a ton of improvement. :D

Take My Hand

Chapter 1

Marinette heard her alarm clock go off, but she hadn't needed it. She had stayed awake all night. Or rather she had been unable to sleep all night. She had tossed and turned from side to side, unable to sleep. She kept checking the Ladyblog and twitter for any updates or sighting of Chat Noir. There had been nothing. She didn't know what was worse to her, knowing that he was out there and didn't know what he was up to or planning, or knowing where he was and what he was doing.

She turned her alarm off and rolled from her back to her side, facing the edge of her bed. She heard light sleepy moans from underneath, and peered over the side, lifting her bed skirt and peered underneath.

There was Plagg sitting in the little shoebox bed she had made him. It was full of very soft polyester stuffing, and a few pieces of scrap material she had quickly sewn together to make a thick, warm blanket and made a few tiny pillows. Beside Plagg was Tikki, who looked just as awake as she did. Tikki had slept with Plagg that night, comforting him through the pain he was feeling. Though this morning he seemed a lot more at ease.

Tikki floated out from under the bed to Marinette's side. "Chat Noir is sleeping somewhere, so Plagg was finally able to get some rest."

Marinette nodded, and sat up straight and looked at the little red kwami. "That's good. I'm glad."

Marinette climbed out of her bed, and sat up straight, looking around her room. Though nothing was out of the ordinary. She did this out of habit every morning, ever since Evillustrator entered her room. She sighed heavily and climbed down her ladder to her closet where she searched for an outfit to wear for the day. She wasn't exactly in the mood to dress up, so she grabbed something that at the very least matched, and put it on. She did her hair up in her usual hair style, and then gathered her school books and put them in her shoulder bag.

In turn, she went to the kitchen for breakfast. Her parents were already downstairs in the bakery, so Marinette grabbed the still warm breakfast they had prepared for her, alongside the lunch. She quickly ate her breakfast, and then turned to the refrigerator. There she grabbed some cheese and brought it back to her bedroom. Tikki had told her that cheese was Plagg's favorite and it was sure to brighten his mood.

Marinette made her way back to her bedroom and climbed the ladder to her bed, and she once again lifted up the skirt and passed Plagg some cheese. He took it with thanks and ate it down. Marinette was told by Tikki that Plagg was obsessed with cheese and would dance and cheer when given some, but being so weak and tired, Plagg took it with just a thank you and began to eat it down. She gave the second piece to Tikki, who thanked her and ate it.

She wished Plagg a good day and told him she'd be back after school. Tikki wished him a good-bye and Tikki climbed into Marinette's bag. Marinette gathered her things and headed out to school. Before leaving, she put Plagg's ring and put in on a chain and put it around her neck, tucking it under her shirt, hiding it from view.

As usual, Alya was waiting for her at the school entrance. Marinette greeted her friend the best she could without sounding like she hadn't slept a wink. Alya who was far from easy to deceive noticed. "You look awful, Marinette. Couldn't sleep?"

Marinette nodded, now no longer trying to hide her yawns. "Catching up on stuff."

Alya seemed to buy that. She hadn't been the best student with homework since she became a superhero, and was often up late doing homework. "Well, at least you're catching up."

Marinette nodded as they headed into their classroom, and the two girls took a seat at their usual desk. She yawned again, just in time for Nino to notice. "Hey, Marinette. Didn't sleep?"

"Noooo," she stated through another yawn. When the yawn was over she continued. "Playing catch up with work and such."

Marinette's eyes fell to the empty desk in front of her. Chat Noir and Ladybug had always defeated an Akuma within a few hours of the person being possessed. She didn't know if they could change back to their normal selves temporarily at will. She had no idea if Adrien would show up to class or not. Nino noticed her staring and chuckled. "Wondering why he's late?" Before Marinette could answer, he continued. "I couldn't tell you. He hasn't texted me today and hasn't replied to my text's. So I assume that means that he is working on a daytime shoot or is sick."

"Oh," Marinette stated. Doing her best to sound surprised, and a little disappointed. She didn't want them to know that she was feeling scared because she was worried about what he was doing right now. "I'm sure it's a photoshoot, those keep him so busy."

"It's not like him to have one during school hours, though," Alya stated.

Nino shrugged. "Who knows? You know how his father can get."

Marinette's mind was wandering. She wished that she had brought Plagg with her. She wanted to know the moment he woke up, because when he did, she was sure there was going to be trouble in the city. With all of the pain, Plagg was in though he couldn't be there with her. He needed the rest more than anything.

Thankfully, their homeroom teacher entered the classroom, and Nino and Alya stopped speaking, silencing their conversation. The lesson began as normal. And the next class, and the one after that. It was just before lunchtime when suddenly the intercom came on. Speaking into the intercom was their principal's voice. "Students, I have an important announcement. We are getting reports of a villain calling himself Chat Blanc on the loose. He has been spotted in the park nearby here, destroying the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue. We are going into lockdown mode. Teachers prepare your students for this. Further instructions will be shared when the time is right."

The students gasped and Marinette's mouth fell. She didn't even need to ask. She knew. Their teacher began to issue orders to them. To gather their book's and bag's and they hid under their desk's, hiding them from view from the classroom door. Alya had turned her phone on to the news, and put her earphone's in, giving Marinette one to watch and listen with.

She could see footage of the villain, using his cataclysm on the statue in the duo's honor. It easily broke into pieces and crumbled. Then there was footage of him using his gold-colored staff to easily flip a car. Alya and Marinette both watched with their mouth's hung open. It looked exactly like Cat Noir, except, well, white. His usual silver staff was gold now. And his laugh filled Marinette's ear and it sent a kill up her spine.

When he was possessed by Dark Cupid, he was filled with hate and sounded angry. Though this laugh...it would surely give her nightmares. It sounded absolutely murderous. It was like a mix of all the best laughs from classic horror movie villains and multiplied. She felt her heart race as she glanced at Alya who actually seemed scared by this as well. Usually when an Akuma attacked she was excited to see the outcome, but she seemed really worried about this one. Marinette was too because she knew, Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't coming.

Then it got worse. There was footage of the villain jumping into the school. Alya grabbed Marinette's hand and squeezed it. At one point Marinette would have assumed that this was Alya trying to comfort Marinette. Today, Marinette thought otherwise. Marinette squeezed her best friend's hand back.

Then there were screams that filled the school. Marinette clenched her eyes shut, but the earphone was still in her ears and the sound only echoed in her ears, mixed in with a newswoman telling of the events while crying and screaming about the live events. The screams continued, and the school was filled with the sound of echoing screams. Some students were running from the school, and the footage showed many students escaping. Marinette was about to tell Alya to jump to her feet so they could escape, but then their own classroom door was smashed open, breaking as it was kicked in and smashed up against the wall. Glass shattered everywhere. Their classroom was now filled with screams.

Classmates ran from their hiding places, and like a fearful cattle, they huddled to the back of the room. Alya had been clutching onto Marinette and this forced her to her feet and she too was pressed up against the back wall of the classroom. He easily flipped over a desk in the front row where he sat every day. It cracked and broke in two pieces easily. It crashed into Alya and Marinette's spot, and their desk cracked as well.

Alya lifted her phone, and as her usual Ladybug obsessed-self began to record the scene before them. Marinette gasped at the sight and tried to whisper to Alya for her to stop recording, but it was too late, he saw her. He begins to march towards Alya. She becomes frozen in fear when she realizes this, especially after he raised his clawed hands to swipe at her. Marinette kicked into action, and pushed Alya to the floor out of harm's way and narrowly missed a swipe from the claws.

He turned to Alya again, this time, prepared to attack her as she laid on the ground. Marinette stepped in again, this time standing between them, her arms outstretched. "Please don't!"

To her surprise he did. Though it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart. He was clearly amused by her stepping between them. "Now, you're a stupid girl," he stated. He moved closer to her, and brought his claws to her face and began to trace her face with their sharp tips. "Brave, but so stupid. I could rip your throat out right now, princess."

"Chat Noir, please," Marinette begged. "You don't need to do this."

"I'm no longer that wimp!" he snapped. He easily picked her up and before she knew it he had thrown her aside. She was slammed hard into the wall. She heard a great snap and an intense pain filled her. She screamed. "I'm Chat Blanc from now on."

Many of the student's in the classroom gasped, realizing that this wasn't just a villain that looked like Chat Noir, it actually was him. A much darker, angrier version of him. He was stepping toward another student now. This time, it was Sabrina, and Marinette knew she needed to help her classmates. She climbed to her feet, holding her painful shoulder. It was bent strangely at her shoulder, and she knew it was dislocated. She had never experienced something so painful before.

"Chat, stop," she begged.

He doesn't even turn to look at her. Adrenaline filled her, and despite the pain, she rushed over and jumped between Chat Blanc and Sabrina. He seemed annoyed now. "Why are you getting in my way? I will kill you."

"I keep getting in your way because I know you'll regret this. This isn't you Chat," Marinette explained.

"You know nothing about me," he hissed. "You're nothing but a pathetic nobody."

"You're not this person!" she shouted.

He let out a low growl, and he lifted his hand in the air. "Cataclysm!" It was just like his usual attack, except this one, had bits of white floating around his now even deadlier fist. "I'm going to kill you if you don't move!"

Marinette knew she had to do something to stop him in his tracks. What was she going to ever do? She had to make him realize how awful this was, but she couldn't think of a single thing that could calm him. Panic overcame her and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I love you!" she cried out.

Besides the sound of gasps from her fellow students, there is no sound. No motion, no new injury. Just silence. She opens her eyes slowly and then looks at him. He has his fist raised, ready to use his deadly attack on her, but he is frozen. His eyes are wide, and his mouth is open slightly a gap. She notices something in his eyes. Perhaps a softer glance?

Quickly an outline of a pink butterfly crossed his face, and Marinette knew that Hawkmoth was taking control again. He laughed. "Like I believe that. You know nothing about me!"

He raised his hand to strike her again, but she quickly spoke again. "I know plenty about you!"

He froze again, but nothing softened this time. He seemed more annoyed, but also there was a hint of amusement. "Like what, princess?"

She knew she had to take this risk or else. "...I know who you really are for starters."

His eyes softened again, but his body tensed up, and his mouth hung open in surprise. They stared at each other for the longest time. She waited for whatever move he was going to do next. What happened next surprised her. He reached out and touched a desk with his cataclysm and it crumbled away to nothing.

"You bore me, princess," he stated. He took a step away. "Well it's apparent to me that Ladybug isn't going to show up, so I'll be going." He sent a glare at Marinette. "And you. If I ever see you again, I will kill you. Watch your back."

He ran through the classroom entrance and he was gone in an instant. As his disappeared, Marinette felt the adrenaline that was powering her aching body leave her, and the pain to her dislocated shoulder returned. And like a switch going off, she gasped in pain, and it began to overpower her. She fell to her knees and began to keel forward. The ever quick Alya grabbed Marinette and caught her, holding her up.

"You idiot, what were you thinking?" Alya asked her friend.

Marinette still clutched her shoulder and looked to her best friend. "Trying to save you."

"Marinette! Are you alright?" their teacher ran to her side as soon as she was sure they were safe. She bent down to examine Marinette's injuries.

"I think my shoulder is dislocated," Marinette explained through clutched teeth. She whined.

"Hold on, I'll call an ambulance," she stated as she rose to her feet, and headed for her desk, where her personal cell phone was hidden away.

Marinette looked at Alya and sent her a weak smile. "I'm glad you're alright."

Alya didn't share the same sentiment and was glaring at Marinette. "I can't believe you did that. That was so stupid of you!"

Marinette didn't want to argue with Alya, despite the fact that she had been trying to record footage of Chat Blanc for her blog. Which Marinette felt was even more reckless. She bit her bottom lip as she looked out of the broken class window. There was no more sight of Chat Blanc that she could see, but she knew he was out there. She was so worried about him. She hoped she could save him soon.

8 8 8

Marinette had been kept for overnight observation by the doctor at the hospital. Her shoulder had been popped back into place, and she had been given some strong pain medication. The side effect put her straight to sleep. Now, hours later, she woke up. The hospital room was completely cast in darkness. Her only light source was that of the streetlight outside spilling into the room. As she stirred, she felt groggy and was unsure where she was for a moment. It took her only a moment for her to remember what happened, and a moment more for the pain to remind her. She reached for her arm. After it was set, it was carefully placed in a sling.

She sat up on the bed and began to look around for her purse, looking for Tikki. She couldn't see anything, so she looked around the room. She saw something from the corner of her eye. Something green has flashed in the darkness and had gotten her attention. Two sets of something green and glowing were staring right at her. She squinted in the darkness, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, a figure began to form. A few more seconds and she realized exactly what she was looking at.

Sitting in a chair in the corner was Chat Blanc, staring at her with his glowing green eyes. As soon as their eyes met, a smile crossed his lips and he stood. "Good, you're finally awake."

A/N: Changed some details, but nothing super big. Marinette didn't faint in this rewrite. So nothing huge. So, I hope it reads a lot smoother and you all enjoy this story so far. And to all the readers of the original as well. Enjoy!