Each lingering moment between them grew stronger, her voice throbbed and so did her ears. They rang like a phone, she couldn't hear anything. She couldn't make out any word. The defiance within his green eyes made her weak in the knees that she nearly fell into his arms. She needed to stand her ground.
The both looked so hopeful at each-other, so willing, so desperate.
The sudden confessions at the same time, their loud voices shouting for dominance, screaming to be heard. Desperately wanting to be understood, wanting to finally say the weight that bore on their chest for quite some time now.

"W-what?"

Ladybug questioned in a small voice; she had completely missed what he said, due to shouting her sudden confession, she didn't even listen to what came from his very lips. Adrien's grip slid from her back where he opened his lips;

"You go first." Maybe it was better that he would say his last, maybe it was best to hear her.
"No, please you go ahead." Ladybug repeated his very words, retracting back and gripping her elbow nervously. Maybe this was good, she could go last, since her sudden yelp was a big one. It was love. At least she'd be able to be saved from heart break at the beginning.
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, he could hear the snickers from Plagg, that he could hear him mocking him. Yeah, as of right now- he was being a scardy cat.

"I just wanted to tell you, that I—" He looked everywhere but her, everywhere around the room as it swirled like a tornado. He felt like a damaged tsunami, a storm about to happen. He couldn't even form a coherent sentence without her looking at him like he was stupid.
He needed to be Chat Noir for this, he needed to be. After seeing that he was a blushing wreck- he felt like he was still under his mask.
Being his civilian self after all.

Now is not the time.

"That I think you're amazing at what you do."

Ladybug's face fell, it wasn't exactly what she had hoped for, but then again- Adrien didn't know her. Atleast as Ladybug, he only saw the news on her- but personally. He had no idea who she was.
"Oh—thank you.." Glancing down at the polka-dotted yo-yo in her hand she smiled reaching her hand up to hoist herself onto the top of the window.
He was just watching her leave, again.

Ladybug fit on her lip turning to face the outside of his room, before glancing back at him; feeling the words want to burst from her lips. But not right now. Not today. Besides, as much as Adrien asked to see who she really was, she couldn't go around putting people in danger. She needed to die with this secret.
"Adrien—

Don't forget that you're just as amazing as everyone else.

Even if people don't say it as often." She threw her yo-yo into the sky and swung away, leaving the other feeling the tears begin to fall from his face.
He was… crying.

Closing his eyes he felt the Kwami fly against his cheek and pat it; he was breaking down. No one ever said that to him. No one.
Even Ladybug, she recognized his civilian self as someone important, does that mean- she might know him?
Wiping at his eyes he felt like a child again, a baby without a sucker, he was sobbing to himself. Curling onto the floor he heard Plagg become distressed. He'd never seen him like this, sure tears happened to the 'perfect' model.
But this kind of sobbing, wasn't in his book on how to help the Agreste kid.

"Adrien.. this is good! You know that Ladybug will like your civilian self too. This is just one step closer, huh?"

Burying his face within his knees he sighed glancing up at the cat kwami that stared intently at him, clearly he was worried. He needed to get a grip. Inhaling confidently he nodded to the other.
"Yeah- I guess so."

Ladybug sat perched on the rooftop contemplating everything, she really wished she didn't chicken out like that. But it was for the best, it was better that Adrien heard it from Marinette, that is if she could even form a sentence with him. She leaned back on the rooftop and stared at the glistening river from the Paris lights.
"If only I could talk to you."

She looked up at the sky, expecting for her usual cat friend to join her, but it was so empty. So- quiet. Even Paris was quiet at the absence of Chat Noir. He wasn't with her at the fight, and he wasn't here now. Where had he gone? Did he catch what she caught?

Standing she looked around, he wasn't in trouble though, right? She might see him again soon, hopefully.

It felt weird without him, that empty sorrow. Maybe she never thought about it before, but this is probably how it felt when she was sick in the hospital. And he ironically visited her when she was Marinette. Stating it was herself who sent him. Silly Kitty.

But wait-

How did he know she, Marinette was sick?

"He couldn't possibly know I'm Marinette. He would have acted differently towards me.." Maybe she was thinking too much into it, it was probably a coincidence. Either way, she had just hoped he'd show up soon.

Slipping from the top of the roof she walked down the streets of Paris, one thought always did end up crossing her mind. What if something bad happened to them? With if Chat's civilian-self got into an accident. They needed to tell each-other somehow. To be able to know what the other is doing, where they have to go. If they need to go out of town, it seemed better. So situations like this, couldn't happen.
No.

"We'd be in more danger knowing, rather than not knowing."

School took off as usual, the usual lectures, power points and talking about the latest assignment that's due very soon. Marinette tapped her ipad pen on the top of the desk and stared at the empty chair of Adriens.
Sighing under her breath she tapped Nino's shoulder, he glanced back making a small noise, signaling he felt the touch.
"Where is he?"

"Dunno, he hasn't gotten back to my messages."

Leaning back, Marinette began to bite on her nails, how unnerving, the night she has to go- the night she should have told him how she felt. He's not here. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!
Looking over at Alya who knew exactly what she was thinking she nodded;

"Teacher? May I please go to the washroom?"

The teacher paused in the middle of talking and nodded, making Marinette grip her purse before sliding out of the class room. If she didn't return, Alya knew to take her bag. She had more important things to do, she needed to find Adrien. Well, not- exactly find him. How could she? What would she even say? Should she go as Ladybug?
Slapping her head the exasperation exhaled from her lips, making Tikki come out of the pouch.
"What's wrong Marinette?"

Marinette leaned against the post from the school and sighed; "Adrien.. He's not here today."

"What if he's just sick? You know there is a flu bug going around!" Tikki tried to reassure her friend, but Marinette felt ashamed. She felt her face grow hot and she looked away from the kwami.
"Yeah- but what if I was the reason for being that flu bug?"

She heard a slam in the distance, making her perk up; that noise- that sound. It sounded like someone.

Closing the top of the purse to hide her kwami once more, she raced out of the school building, down the steps.
The vision she saw wasn't exactly what she had hoped for. It was Chat Noir, fighting off a large akuma, alone. They went head to head, reaching up at her chest, she spun around. She needed to change fast.
But the large akuma person moved with speed, right in front of her.

Marinette's mouth opened and she nearly fell back;

"Marinette look out!" Chat shouted jumping at her, letting his strong arms wrap around her waist, lifting himself, and her off the ground with his stick.
The Akuma growled; seeing Chat Noir land on top of the school building with Marinette.

"You need to be more careful little lady." He winked at her, saluting half-heartily. "Sorry kitty, he just came out of nowhere. Thank good-" She paused and stared into his face, noticing a splice across his cheek. He was hurt badly, how long had he been fighting off this akuma?
"You're hurt."

"Please- all cats have 9 lives. I'm fine, you stay here." Holding his hands up he tried to calm her, but the new akuma jumped onto the building staring at the two.
"Or— maybe not." Marinette spoke in a small voice slowly backing up, she looked all around her. She needed to find a good opening, somewhere she could quickly transform.

"Give me your miraculous Chat Noir!"

Chat Noir put himself in between Marinette and the akuma; holding out the stick he twirled it in front of himself; "Not a chance slow poke."
The akuma growled; "I'M FASTER THAN YOU! IM THE RACER!" The bitter akumatized person only won second place, and they needed to be first place, because they always one first. Always.

Chat Noir grimaced at The Racer; "I doubt it. Wanna bet?"
The fast Akuma ran at him, and Chat Noir slapped the stick across his hands, flipping into the air he smacked down the stick onto his head. But The Racer gripped onto his foot making him hang upside down, the stick falling from his hand.
Marinette reached forward, taking hold of the metal and swung it at the akuma; "Drop the cat, he's mine!"

Chat stared at Marinette's defiant eyes, he swear he'd seen those somewhere before. Smiling, his heart beat relentlessly. She was protecting him. Wait—

She was protecting HIM.

The Racer smacked at her, his fingers grabbing a hold of her purse ripping it from her body. Chat Noir tried to squirm from his grip, but The Racer smacked him in the head, knocking out the kitty, thus finally jumping into the air;

Marinette looked up reaching her hand forward, he had her purse- Tikki was in there. He had Chat Noir knocked out, her partner. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong in this very moment, did.
The dropping feeling in her stomach hung heavier and she screamed a piercing scream;

"NOO!"

It was over, all over- she had nothing. No Tikki, she was no ladybug without her. Nothing. She was just a simple minded girl. Who was she now?

Hawkmoth stared from afar and smirked; "Good, Racer. Now bring Chat Noir to me, Ladybug will surely come save her precious cat." The butterflies flew all around him and he encased himself within them.
"Don't worry my little butterflies, we'll soon win. We're this close to victory." He closed a hard fist and laughed in the oval room, his voice bouncing off the entirety of the walls.

Everything was cold, and dead, an akuma ran around the city holding her partner god knows where. WITH her purse, Hawkmoth had to do nothing. It was that easy. It shouldn't have been that easy.
She wasn't thinking at the time, her head was too crowded with thoughts on where Adrien was, what do to. How she could slip into her Ladybug form.
Swiping her hand through her hair she closed her eyes thinking, Chloe had a ladybug costume. She could just wear that to still mask her identity and trick Hawkmoth into thinking she had her miraculous. But she didn't.

Or…

She could go in as Marinette. But she would be Marinette, she's always Marinette even as Ladybug. Opening her eyes she inhaled, the decision was up to her. She needed to do something, fast.
Chat Noir had little time up there, and the akuma was probably still in Hawkmoth's grasp for extra help.

"Chat Noir, please stay strong until your Ladybug gets there.

She needed to act swiftly, with it becoming 2 o'clock kids were going to be getting out of school. And she needed to find the Ladybug outfit as soon as possible. She was inside the hotel, finding her way to Chloe's room. It was in here somewhere.
Opening the door she peaked around; 'The closet, gotta find the closet' sneaking through the door she closed it behind her. Walking across the perfect and big room, she'd spend so many times in here before that she knew where just about everything was.
Moving towards the expensive clothing, she pushed it aside; and voila- it was there.

"Sorry Chloe, looks like I'm going to have to borrow this for a few hours."

Holding the outfit into her hands, she took the yo-yo as well, this will definitely serve as its substitute. At least until she got her purse back.
Making her escape out of the room, she turned around the corner and tried each door for an empty one. Finally finding one unlocked she closed it and decided to change, removing her usual outfit and slipping on the tights.
As much as she didn't have her strength, or agility, she could make it just fine with herself, and the yo-yo. Besides, Tikki always said that even as Marinette, she'd always be Ladybug. Even without her now, she could feel her strength filling within her. The costume was only the disguise, but the real deal was underneath.
This was it, the final face off with Hawkmoth, and she was going in without a miraculous.

How miraculous.

Making her way around the corner she walked in silence with a long cloak and hood over her body. She needed to be less inconspicuous due to her not being able to get through the city using her wire yo-yo.
Fixing the mask across her face she inhaled uneasily, hopefully no one would stop her. That's the last thing she needed, her mind was only focused on saving her cat.
'I don't even know where I'm going, but I feel like I do. Just gotta follow my heart, follow my Ladybug instincts.'

Reaching the abandoned building that sat farther away from Paris she glanced up at it, how wonderful- this was the place.
It was supposedly vacant, but- she knew who was in there. It was him. She could feel the vibrations throughout her entire body.
Ladybug or not, Marinette knew her partner was in there, maybe that was because they were close as partners.

Reaching the door, it was already unlocked and ready- so this was going to be a trap. She knew it, but she needed to get in there, find her purse to become Ladybug and save Chat Noir. Letting the cloak drop, she slowly walked through the halls on edge; gently swirling the string yo-yo in her hand.
It was unnerving not being Ladybug, and she was going to face the biggest villain yet.

Seeing the stairs she crept up them, with each step she took her feet grew heavier. She didn't know if Chat Noir was with his miraculous, or left for the depths. She also didn't know if Hawkmoth opened up her purse at this point to find out he's had her miraculous.
Her feet stop in its tracks to find that the stairs ended, without any door. Looking around, she gently touched the wall; nothing.
The attention of hers was above, as she saw the hatch on top of the ceiling.

So this was it.

This was where Marinette, cosplaying herself, would face Hawkmoth. Huffing she cracked her neck; "Lets save your kitty, Ladybug."

Pressing on the top of the door, she flung herself inside; surprisingly landing on her feet, the butterflies obscuring her view as they flew all around her.
Covering her face she looked up, the single light from Paris' day sky was lit through the window.

Smirking at him, he turned to look at her, the cane tightly held inside his hand; the mask covering his whole face. His lips pursed as he extended his finger beckoning her in.
"Why Ladybug, nice of you to join me. I'd just knew you come."

Standing to her full height, she straightened her back spinning the yo-yo as she scanned the room quickly for him. Where was he? With the light only in one center, it was hard to spot anything else. The sapphire eyes met his own and shrugged playfully.
"Well, I have a habit of showing up when it's involving your messes."

Hawkmoth's hands tightened around the cane, his teeth baring like a dog- she was egging him on. But, the evil needed to be calm, for he'd finally win.
"Let's make a deal, shall we?"

Suckling on her lips she looked away, seeing a faint figure in the corner; "Depends. What am I agreeing too?"

"Your partner, in exchange for your miraculous."

He was clearly losing his patience, this meeting was going on for too long. Marinette traced the Ladybug mask in her fingers, making sure it was firm onto her face. She just knew the recent Akuma was in the room. She could hear it breathing heavily.
Something about her feet were stuck- she was stuck. This was a bad idea, but she needed to come here. Even if it meant putting her identity, her civilian self at risk. Chat Noir was worth it. Wherever he was.
Moving her pigtail behind her shoulder she pressed her index finger against her lips;

"Hmm.."

"Don't do it Ladybug!"

Her thoughts were ripped from her, the silence was broken at the yell from him. Chat Noir's plead, the raspy weak voice, yet still so powerful to be able to pull her from all thinking. His voice echoed all around the room, that she couldn't exactly pin point where he was.

"Silence!" Hawkmoth growled under his breath, making a faint noise, as Chat yelped in pain. Making Marinette shutter, she needed to do something quick, find the purse, save him.

Find the purse.

Find it.

Where?

"So Ladybug, do we have an agreement?"

The very hopeful eyes laid its attention onto it, across the room behind Hawkmoth. It laid on its own looking undamaged. Giving her the sense that maybe he didn't look through it, the Akuma probably dropped it when dealing with Chat Noir.

"As much as freeing my partner sounds like a cattastic idea. I'm going to have to pass."

Hawkmoth straightened his back in fury, he was shocked that she would pass on something like that. The freedom of her partner didn't win her over?
"But that's because I have a way of dealing with these things, that I just know bugs you."

Spinning the yo-yo once more she stood her ground, her teeth sparkling in the only light that shot down from above.
"Very well….."

The butterflies that were finally settled on the ground peaceful was broken when he slammed his staff against the cold metal, making them all rise above in a large swarm, straight to Marinette.

"ATTACK, MY AKUMA'S!"

Authors Last Comments:

I promise the next chapter is the last one, I wanted to this in parts to build not only suspense, but give me more time to think of ideas for the last chapter to make it perfect for you all.
Thanks for reading, and please review at what you hope to see!