The darkness falls away, but when I open my eyes I'm disappointed. The room is still dark. Am I even in reality right now? I sit up slowly, and find that I am looking at a door. Curious as I am while wearing a mask, I open it.

I have to shield my eyes from the sun and the sun is white? It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but at least I'm not in the dark room anymore. Wait, if I'm out of the room, we must of escaped. But where's Marinette? Oh, this has to be a dream.

I find myself in a garden, the grass is soft as carpet as it brushes against my feet. Above me, I hear the chirping of birds and then I hear a high-pitched sound. Whatever it is, its not a bird and the bushes are rustling. A black floofy cat wanders out to say hello, and immediately I smile and kneel down to stroke it.

"Hello, your beautiful. Oh, you have burrs in your fur. Let me take them out." The cat saunters onto my lap, and plops down, purring as I begin to slowly pick out the burrs. Soon, all the burrs are in a small pile and the cat rolls over to have its belly rubbed. "You just love people, don't you? Or did someone send you to find me?"

The cat rolls over off my lap, and meows, putting a paw on my knee. I tilt my head curiously. "Did someone send you?" The cat answers by trotting down the path, and looking back at me. Guess I should follow.

Whichever way you look, there are flowers of every color, and I feel peaceful here, as if there are no more problems in my world. In the distance, I see swans and ducks gathered in a pond, and a woman seems to be feeding them. The cat begins to pick up the pace, and I quicken my step.

The woman looks up and smiles as she sees the cat heading towards her. "Felis, there you are! Did you bring our visitor?" The cat jumps into the woman's arms, and the bag of seeds goes flying everywhere. "Oh, let me help you!" I run down the path, and pick up the bag, but then I freeze when I hand it back to the woman.

Soft golden hair woven into a braid falls over her shoulder, and her eyes are leaf-green. She wears a motherly expression… "Mother?" "Hello, Adrien." she cups my cheek, looking into my eyes. "My. You've grown." "How is this possible? I saw you in a chamber…." "Welcome to the World Of In Between, dear." I must wear a confused expression, but she laughs gently. "Your not dead, but if you decide to leave the world behind, the choice is yours."

"Wait, wait." I sit down at the edge of the pond, and Felis hops back into my lap. "How did I get here anyway?" "Your very ill, Adrien. Marinette is doing everything in her power to save you, but its up to you if you decide to go back."

Since I first stepped into this world, I don't feel calm. Marinette must be so scared and alone, and here I am not helping her. "I have to go back. I don't want her feeling scared…." "It'll be alright. And she's not alone. Try to relax, honey." I take a deep breath, and dip my toes to the water.

The water is so smooth its like glass. Mother wouldn't lie. I wrap my arms around her, but she doesn't feel solid, more like a cloud. "Its good to see you. We haven't forgotten you. Though Father has turned evil, trying to bring you back." Mother sighed, but doesn't say anything. "Are you tired? Hungry? You must be, traveling all this way." She stands, and I stand with her. If she knows anything about Reality, the subject must be closed. "I am a little hungry." "Come with me." She holds out her hand and I take it.

Her cottage is beautiful as if its come out of a storybook. Morning glories face the sun, and Mother leads me up the path. "I'll have food on the table in no time. Go rest." "Shouldn't I…." I do feel a little dizzy, and I nod.

Mother brings in a bowl of a green soup and I sit up slowly. "What kind is it?" I ask, spooning a bit into my mouth. "Nettle soup. Drink up, but drink it slow." I spoon it up, it tastes delicious and I eat a warm roll.

"Now, what have you been up to since I went away?" she asks, stroking my bangs. "I went to school, and I met the love of my life. Oh, and I became a superhero! Cat Noir!"

All the stories tumble out, but soon I feel my eyes drooping. "Rest, dear. You need to save your strength. I'll be back to check on you in awhile." "But I'm afraid to close my eyes. What if I when I open them again your gone?"

"Even when you cannot see me,

Know that I always love you,

and forever am in your heart."

She closes the door softly behind her, and from my bed I watch the sun setting a golden ball of liquid. A ladybug flies in and lands near me, and I watch it my eyes following its every move.

Sleep creeps up as I watch, and its like floating on a cloud. Wait, I am on a cloud, and a beautiful girl with long black hair in a red and black suit calls me. "Chase me through the clouds, Kitty!" I look down to find myself in a black suit with a golden bell at my collar. "That won't be hard, I have longer legs then you!"

We begin a game of chase in the fluffy clouds, and each time I hear her laugh, my heart flies higher then the clouds.

But then on a particular fluffy cloud, I trip and fall, begin to scratch my bell dinging. Ladybug whirls when she hears the sound and comes running back a loving but concerned look on her pretty features.

"No, no, mustn't scratch, Kitty! Detransform and I'll help." "Claws In." A pot appears in her hands and she carefully dabs green medicine on my skin as little round bumps begin to appear. "M'lady, I'm frightened." "Your in safe hands."

I wake, finding a dark room. I touch my forehead and its covered in sweat. I sit up in bed, and yank off my shirt and walk over to the mirror. A flawless muscled body meets my eyes, but on the inside I'm anything but.

I go to find Mother who is in a rocking chair, humming and knitting by the fire. Felis, sleeps in a basket beside her. "Adrien, love. What's wrong?" "I had a bad dream." I try to explain it the best I can, and Mother listens patiently. "Hm, sounds like your feeling some of your illness from Reality. The best thing to do is not worry. In fact, how about we take a walk. Something special arrived here just the other night."

The night is cool and I like hearing the wind in the trees. Mother leads me to a small clearing and helps me up onto a gray boulder. "It appears in the sky just after sunset, so it shouldn't be long now."

I hug my knees to my chest, watching. Then, a small white object appears in the sky. It appears to have a tail, and it moves inch by inch. I'm fascinated by this fuzzy snowball in the sky. "May we stay and watch for awhile?" Mother nods, and I lean against her.

Suddenly, a familiar meow reaches our ears and Felis comes to greet us, tail vibrating with purrs. "How did you get out?" Mother asks, as he jumps and settles in my lap.

Though as I'm sitting the rock the night sky seems to be getting blacker and blacker….am I going back to Reality? The world starts spinning and the blackness fades away, only to have new colors appear though only white and gray.

There's no one to help me, and I can't grasp anything, there's nothing to hold onto. Then as soon as the spinning starts it stops. I keep my eyes shut, for I fear vomiting when I open my eyes.

I hear a gentle voice above me. "Is he back?" "He's going to be fine now, Marinette. He's just sleeping. Now, you should be asleep yourself, Felix and I will watch things. Sleep now."

I feel light pressure of my hand being squeezed. "I'll only nap for a bit, Adrien. I love you." I want to squeeze back and tell her I love her too, but I don't have the energy right now. I rest my cheek against the cool stones, but it doesn't smell like flowers anymore.

Still, I'm almost certain I'm back in Reality. I shift a bit and wince. Am I injured? And from what? Oh, something is itching…..

"Adrien, I know you want to scratch but it will only make the wounds infected. Think of your Bugaboo."

My head is foggy and I struggle to know what a Bugaboo is, but some bell in my head goes off, and I know whatever is must be important.

Its quiet, and eventually I hear someone speak. "Do you think he'll wake up soon?" "Its hard to tell, he was very sick, Marinette."

So, I was sick, and its sounds pretty serious too. Though I could open my eyes at anytime, the darkness is peaceful and I'm so very tired. The world keeps drifting in and out, but each time I see that pretty black haired girl, Ladybug. The one I chased on the clouds.

"No more time for snoozing, its time to get living." I smile, and at last I open my eyes.