Chat stumbled out of his dream and into reality. Reality was cold. And wet.

Chloe had disappeared, as had Silent Night. Of course, while Chat was reliving one of his fondest childhood memories, bad things were happening in the real world. He just couldn't seem to win.

He didn't really have any idea of where to start, Paris was a big city, and Silent Night was fast, she and Chloe could be just about anywhere by now.

Heaving a sigh, Chat fiddled with his ring. The entire time he'd been transformed he could feel Plagg fighting, trying to drop the transformation. If things weren't moving so quickly, Adrien might have let it happen, but Silent Night was one of the (maybe simply the) most powerful akumas he'd ever encountered and seem the most likely to do something drastic to Chloe. Or fatal.

"Sorry, Plagg, we don't have time." He tugged out his baton, hoping to catch some sort of news report on where the akuma had gone, when he felt it.

It wasn't quite a rumble, but a very low vibration. It shook through the windows, making them rattle violently. Chat could feel it in his chest, somewhere between his heart and his stomach, and it felt a bit like a tug.

Leaning over one of the buildings, Chat saw people drop what they were doing and all head in one direction. They were streaming out of buildings, stopping cars to climb out; everyone's expressions were mindless and blank. It was like the students and teachers from the school all over again, only on a huge scale. People were swarming by the dozens, all following that same tug that was dragging them towards the Eiffel Tower and, without a doubt, to Silent Night.

(Chat tried to ignore the fact that he couldn't quite think of her as 'Marinette' anymore.)

(That wasn't working so well for him.)

As he trailed the crowds from above, Chat felt the buzzing shaking his ribs. He hopped from rooftop to rooftop, everything still slick with rain, and made his way to the edge of the Champ de Mars.

Seems like we've traded places now, haven't we Chaton? Chat could just barely make out Silent Night's shape on the Tower from that far, but her voice was, ironic as it was, clear as day.

The little black dot started to move, heading up through the beams of the Tower and closer to the top. Chat swung into motion as well, dropping down to the ground and stepping over people. He was about halfway there when the voice called out again.

Alright everyone, time to get up.

They all rose as one. The citizens nearest to Chat grabbed onto his legs and dragged him to the ground. He huffed through his nose, shoving people off as gently as possible. This wasn't like every other time he'd fought brainwashed Parisians, this time he didn't know where Ladybug was or if she'd be able to heal them later.

Chat pulled out his baton and shot up into the air, gaining a few yards before the people below caught on and knocked him down again. It was slow going, but it would get him there faster than fighting through the mob of people would.

Let the show begin.

In his desperate attempts to vault over the crowds, Chat had looked away from Silent Night for a millisecond, and missed her reaching the top of the Tower. She had Chloe strung up like a pinata, dangling from a beam.

Chat paused and watched as the yellow figure started to fall from the top of the tower.

"No!"


"NO!" In the complete and utter terror of watching Chloe drop down the side of the tower, Marinette regained her voice.

And her body.

The Ladybug in her kicked in and she yanked, hard, dragging in the yo-yo up into her hand and then flinging it around a support. It locked, as sure as her usual yo-yo and Marinette grounded herself in that truth.

She threw herself from the ledge, speeding down towards Chloe. The girl's mouth was open in a silent scream (Marinette couldn't escape the silence today), arms reaching up above her as though she could grab onto something. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying. That word Chloe kept repeating earlier echoed through Marinette's mind.

Pathetic.

Except Marinette didn't feel anger any more, she felt pity.

It only took a second, but it felt like it took ages for Marinette to reach Chloe and pluck her from the air, swinging them both to a safe landing. Chloe was trembling in her arms and tugged away from Marinette as soon as she was on solid ground, crouching down and gasping into her knees.

"You're not supposed to be playing games, you're supposed to be getting the Miraculous!" Papillion, who had been quiet since leaving the school, decided to finally weigh in.

Hush now, that wasn't me.

Marinette frowned, testing her arms and finding she could move them without trouble, but couldn't open her mouth to speak.

"Christmas music in Spring? Isn't that a bit tacky?"

She whipped her head up, turning to see Chat Noir perched on a beam above her. He looked a bit winded, his breath coming in harsh pants, but he was staring down at her with his usual crooked smile. Marinette knew he was relieved nothing had happened to Chloe, knew he'd have blamed it on himself if something had.

Says the boy with cat ears and a tail. Silent Night bit back, her voice less melodic and soothing than before, more harsh and angry.

Chat's eyes widened for a moment and he seemed to freeze in place, hands curling inwards.

"You remind me of someone." He swung down onto her level, landing in a crouch.

I haven't the faintest idea what you mean.

Marinette wasn't having it, and hurried forwards, grabbing onto Chat's arm once he'd stood. He tensed, then relaxed when she didn't attack. His brow was furrowed and he was staring at her with consideration, eyes flittering across her face.

"Marinette, you're still in there?"

She's gone. But Marinette was fervently nodding her head, so it didn't matter what Silent Night claimed.

Chat smiled softly, and for a second Marinette knew him. Not as Chat Noir, but someone else, someone dear to her. She just couldn't place him.

"Take his Miraculous!" Papillion bellowed, but he had no hold on Marinette's body, he couldn't spur her into action.

Chat grabbed her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. "Where's the akuma? I need to find it for Ladybug."

Though she hated that she did, Marinette hesitated.

If she passed over her yo-yo, Chat would rip it apart only discover Tikki inside. That itself would be enough to out her, but the akuma transformation wouldn't drop until Ladybug had cleansed the akuma and repaired Paris. She had no way out, no way to hide and preserve her identity. Chat, Papillion, Chloe, and half of Paris would know who she was.

And not only that, but they would know that Ladybug had failed. She'd given into weakness and been akumized. How could the people of Paris ever trust her again, if she was just a fallible as anyone else?

How was could she trust herself?


Marinette's face was crumbling and she brought her hands up to cover her face.

"Hey, it's okay." Chat pulled her a little closer, dipping down to try and catch her eye, "If you let me help you, he can't hurt you anymore."

She shook her head, not looking up.

Silly minou, that's not it. Can't you see?

Frowning, Chat drew back from her. Silent Night still had the mic, even if Marinette had grabbed control of her body. Her voice was weakening, no longer backed with the power it had before, but still present and sharp. Whatever it was Silent Night wanted him to see, he wasn't finding it.

Can't you see her?

"What are you talking about?" Chat was spiralling, feeling himself teetering on a realization that he couldn't quite reach.

"Why haven't you gotten the akuma yet?!"

Chat startled, having forgotten all about Chloe. He turned, staring across at her.

Chloe was more off balance than he'd ever seen, her hair falling out of her ponytail, her eyes big and wild. Her face was blotchy from all the crying, clothes drenched and dirty. She was missing a shoe and her bracelets had disappeared somewhere along the way, but she was still standing tall, staring him in the eye with a furious expression.

"She's right there, why aren't you doing anything?" Chloe demanded, crossing her arms. "Where's Ladybug?"

Chat blinked at her, then at Marinette. Her spandex covered fingers hadn't stopped digging into her brow, covering her face from sight. Chat knew if she did look up, he'd be met with clear, blue bell eyes, just like-

"Where's Ladybug?"

From where he stood, Chat could see little studs in Marinette's ears, dark and easy to miss. Though Silent Night's hair was up in a bun, Marinette usually wore hers in pigtails, all cutesy and charming, just like-

"Where's Ladybug?"

Silent Night had a yo-yo, and even when Marinette had reclaimed her body and saved Chloe, she'd slung it like it was second nature, just like-

"Where's Ladybug?"

They were never in the same place, Marinette was never around when Ladybug was, and Ladybug hadn't been there the whole time Marinette had been akumized. He'd been chasing Silent Night around all day and hadn't seen a speck of red anywhere. And Plagg had been trying to tell Adrien something before he transformed, something about Marinette.

Can't you see her?

Chat reached up, gently covering Marinette's hands with his own and pulling them from her face. They moved easily, and-there they were, those big blue eyes that Chat knew so well. That were more familiar when masked and he was stupid, cause he had noticed that before. He had seen it before, just for a second. And now he couldn't unsee it.

"...my lady?"

AN: *covers face* I'm sorry for all the cliff hangers oh my god.

There's probably only going to be one more chapter after this. *Maybe* two, but I sincerely doubt it. I got a really random surge of inspiration today and worked out where I wanted this to go and it's looking like we're just about done.

And thank you so much for all the sweet comments and validation after last chapter, I'm starting to have faith in myself again.