Adrien

I made it a couple blocks before releasing my transformation.

I stood in a dark alleyway, surrounded by shadows, on guard while Plagg ate his cheese. I felt like I was going to pass out.

I hadn't been sleeping much this past week, and maybe that was why I was crazy and let Ladybug search my room. At least I had locked the drawer containing my miraculous' box.

From above, I heard the sound of running and knew it was Ladybug, taking off for the night. I shrunk further into the darkness, hoping she wouldn't notice me.

"You need to sleep, Adrien," Plagg said. "Frankly, so do I."

I shook my head. "You tell me where I can sleep and I'll talk to you."

"How about in your bed?"

I rolled my eyes, and then an idea hit me. "Plagg, I'm transforming again, but we're sleeping in the school."

Plagg groaned. "Yeah, and we can use the students walking all around us as an alarm clock."

"Quit being a downer. I know what to do."

I took a deep breath. "Plagg, claws out."

The black kwami entered my ring, and I was soon covered by black leather once again.

I slipped into the school, careful to avoid the security cameras as well as possible. As much as I did this at home, it came fairly easy. At least with my night vision, I wouldn't need to turn the lights on.

I spent the night in my classroom storage closet. It wasn't ideal, but at least I wasn't exposed to the elements, and I could actually sleep for a few hours without worrying about being exposed. I even managed to find a timer that could wake me every hour. It was perfect.

Of course, I didn't get nearly the amount of sleep I needed. But, it would be enough for now. I transformed and slipped out of the school just before teachers arrived, and hid in a bush near the front of the school, looking for three people in particular.

Nino walked in on his own today. He didn't necessarily look upset, but he just seemed . . . bored. Then, I watched for Marinette and Alya, who appeared a few minutes later. Alya was prattling on about something, and I heard the word "Ladybug". Typical Alya.

I studied Marinette's face. She seemed pretty tired, too. Every few seconds, she yawned, and she just seemed to be nodding along with everything Alya said. How was she doing? Had she forgotten about Adrien yet?

I watched them until they entered the school. There was only one way to find out.

Marinette

It's funny how, despite what happened with Adrien and the fact that my whole world came crashing down when he disappeared, everything resumed as if it never happened, almost like he was never here. But, my heart wouldn't let me forget. Even though I knew, at least partially, where he was, it still didn't change the fact that he wasn't here, with me, where he should've been.

It was still hard to think of Cat Noir as Adrien, but I forced myself to all day. Adrien was happier being Cat Noir. That much I had figured out. I had to show him how important Adrien was, too, and make him see that it wasn't so bad. If he knew how much he really meant to me, would it be enough to bring him back?

I sighed. There was one problem I hadn't really thought about. Adrien loved Ladybug, but I couldn't do this as her. Something felt wrong about that. I would be asking Cat Noir to be vulnerable, and it only seemed fair if I allowed myself to be as well. Therefore, doing this as Ladybug was hardly an option. It would have to be Marinette. But, he was so hung up on the person with the mask. Could I make him fall for the person beneath it without revealing my identity? I didn't see how that would be possible.

That night, after finishing my homework, I lay on my bed, trying to come up with a plan of action.

"You could always tell him you know," Tikki said.

I shook my head. "That would mean explaining how I know. I'm not ready to tell him who I am just yet."

There were some problems I needed to resolve before I confessed. For one, I needed to reexamine my own feelings. While I was positive my feelings for Adrien were real, I wasn't sure about Cat Noir. I had shrugged off his attempts at flirting in the past, but how would I have responded if I hadn't known Adrien? Could I grow to love that side of him? Could he also grow to love Ladybug's other half?

I shook the thought away. It didn't matter what he felt about me. What mattered was bringing him back.

It was sometime after dark when there was a light tap on my balcony door.

My heart hammered in my chest as I opened the door, finding none other than Cat Noir.

"Princess, we meet again." He grinned.

My cheeks heated up as I tried to think of something, anything, to say to him. I used to have no problem talking to him, but now that I knew for sure he was Adrien . . . .

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want tonight, silly kitty?"

"Ladybug informed me that you wanted to see me. And also, thank you for yet another delicious box of treats."

Oh yeah. I had already forgotten that. "It was . . . no problem."

My voice caught in my throat. Those boxes of bakery treats . . . were they all he had eaten since his disappearance?

"So, any progress on finding your friend?"

I swallowed hard and shook my head. Tears stung at my eyes. Adrien was just under that mask. Underneath all this, he was hurting. If he would just let me see under the mask . . . .

He frowned. "Please don't tell me you're still crying over him."

I shook my head. "Every day. I just miss him so much."

He looked to the floor. "He should consider himself lucky to have someone who cares as much as you do."

"I wish I could see him again," I said, sitting back on my bed. Tentatively, he sat beside me. "I know he's out there somewhere hurting, and I just . . . wish I could help him. I'd give anything just to see him one more time."

He sighed. "Adrien's gone. I don't think he's coming back."

I shook my head. "I'm not giving up on him."

A little smile crept across his face. "I should've expected as much, Princess. You never give up."

I reached out and grasped his hand. He took a sharp inhale of breath, but he didn't resist.

"I just hate to think that he's out there alone somewhere, you know?"

He nodded, not meeting my gaze.

"Feeling all alone is one of the worst feelings," I continued. "I hope he knows it doesn't have to be that way."

Abruptly, he dropped my hand and stood up, his back to me. Was it working? Was I getting through to him?

I stood up and placed my hands on his shoulders. "Is something wrong, Cat Noir?"

He shook his head. "Everything is fine, Princess." He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "Here's something you need to know. I know Adrien, and I know he doesn't want to be found. You need to forget about him."

I withdrew my hands. They were shaking. "I don't give up on my friends. Tell me where he is so I can talk to him."

He shook his head, backing away. "I . . . can't. I'm sorry. I need to go."

He started to leave, but I managed to get between him and the door. My eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't leave. Please. I can't handle someone else leaving me like that."

Now I seemed to have struck a nerve. His eyes widened, and his kitty ears fell slack. "Marinette, I wouldn't."

There it was. No Princess. No milady. This was Adrien coming through.

"You already have," I said quietly, turning away from him.

Now he rested his hands on my shoulders. "Anyone who walks out of your life is an idiot."

Shaking my head, I turned back to him. "Adrien isn't an idiot. He's alone and broken and I just want to help him."

"You can't help him," he said as his miraculous beeped its first warning. Something glistened in his eyes. Was he crying?

"Well, Princess, I need to go," he said, regaining some of his Cat Noir charm. "But, I'll come back." He took my hand and pressed his lips to it. "I promise."

He took off before I could say anything. I stared at my hand, and for the first time I took notice of the way his kiss lingered on my skin. I closed my eyes, hoping that by some miracle I was getting through to him.

When he was gone, I looked at Tikki. "Let's follow him. I want to know where he's staying. Tikki, spots on."

I followed him as close as I could without being detected. He stopped in front of the school and lost his transformation. My heart pounded in my chest at the sight of Adrien.

I watched him from the school roof as he fed his kwami. I debated on whether I should come out of hiding, but then I heard him speak.

"I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, Plagg!" Adrien yelled at the little black kwami. "Why does everything I do lead to hurting someone?"

"It only bothers you so much because you're in loooove," the kwami, that I now knew as Plagg, said.

"Zip it, Plagg,"Adrien groaned. "I hate doing this to her. I thought it'd be better if I stayed away, but I can't."

"Because you're in loooove," Plagg repeated.

Adrien slunk back against the building. "I'm not. I don't know. I care about her. I don't want to hurt her."

My heart swelled. "Adrien . . . ."

I remembered all the times he had come to me as Cat Noir. Me, as Marinette. He may have been in love with Ladybug, but Marinette was the one he was coming to. Why? It wasn't like I had been subtle about my feelings for Adrien as Ladybug, but for some reason it was Marinette's feelings that made him keep coming back to me.

"Then tell her," Plagg said, interrupting my thoughts. "Go to her as Adrien and tell her you don't want to be found."

I liked that idea.

Adrien shook his head. "I can't. I mean, I trust her, but I can't face her as me. What would I say? Here I am now goodbye forever?"

Wait, what?

"Let's face it. I can't stay here. I'll go somewhere where no one can find me or Cat Noir."

"But, Paris needs us!" Plagg protested.

"No, Paris needs Ladybug. All I do is get in the way." He sighed. "I'm tired of being a disappointment, as both of them. I won't hurt anyone if I'm not here."

My heart hammered harder. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't just stand there and let him leave Paris altogether!

"But, you promised Marinette you would be back," Plagg said. "You'll hurt her even more if Cat Noir also leaves town."

Adrien sighed. "I can't keep doing this. I don't think I could face Marinette as myself ever again, knowing how much pain I caused her. And I can't deal with her as Cat Noir constantly worrying about Adrien. I just . . . can't do this anymore."

I wasn't sure what I was doing, but I jumped down from my hiding place. I pretended not to notice Plagg hide in Adrien's jacket. Adrien turned to me, eyes wide and filled with panic.

I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

Sorry this update took me longer than I expected to post. All I can really say is life happened. I don't know if I can squeeze out another update by the end of this week or not. It really depends on my motivation, among a few other things. I won't be updating at all next week as I'll be on vacation. So, unless I can manage another update this week, don't expect another update for about 2 weeks. And, I apologize for the cliffhanger.