Adrien couldn't believe how natural this felt, having Marinette in his arms.

His heart was pounding and he could feel hers beating rapidly against his chest as well. His head seemed to spin when Marinette finally relaxed and leaned her head on his neck. He could feel her warm breath on his skin. He rested his chin on top of her head, cherishing the feeling of her soft hair brushing against his face. Her hair smelled like honey and flowers.

Is this really Ladybug in my arms? he wondered. It seemed too good to be true. His thoughts raced. Should I ask her now? Adrien trembled and suddenly felt like he had to do something or he would surely explode with anticipation. Before he could stop himself, the Chat Noir in him spoke.

"This is purr-fect, my lady," he murmured, his voice slightly muffled by her hair.

He felt her muscles tense. She must've heard what he said.

Before Marinette responded, they were interrupted by a loud BANG. They looked over in surprise, and that's when Adrien spotted the man standing at the entrance to the school, the door slamming shut behind him.

"WHERE IS ADRIEN AGRESTE?"

What? Did he just say my name? he thought, looking over at Marinette with wide eyes.

They watched in horror as the man walked over to a poster that had been hung on the wall to announce the upcoming paintball tournament. He touched the image of a paintball gun that appeared on the center of the poster. A collective gasp was heard across the room as the paintball gun seemed to fall off the poster and into the man's hands.

"Oh, what fun," he sneered. He pointed the paintball gun at the crowd and began to shoot. Students began to scream and duck, running for cover. The little balls of paint splattered all across the courtyard, breaking some of the hanging lights.

Adrien growled. "Ugh, I hate paintball!"

Marinette reacted immediately, pulling Adrien through a nearby door into one of the classrooms. She looked very confused and shocked, but Adrien caught a familiar flicker of determination and fearlessness in her eyes.

"Get low and stay here," she ordered, before running back out into the courtyard.

He scrambled over to look through the window just in time to see Ladybug running through the courtyard towards the panicked crowd.

Adrien gasped. Even though he had suspected it, it was still so surreal. Marinette was Ladybug.

Plagg flew into his face. "Kid! That crazy guy is looking for you!" he exclaimed. "Don't you think Chat Noir needs to do something about this?"

"Right," Adrien said, composing himself. "Claws out!"

Marinette's first instinct was to protect Adrien.

"Stay here," she ordered, leaving him in an empty classroom. "Tikki, spots on!" she blurted out as soon as she shut the door behind her.

Ladybug ran back into the courtyard to assess the situation. Students were running in all directions, dodging paintballs. She swung her yo-yo, knocking the paintball gun out of the villain's hands.

"Party's over!" she shouted. She heard a familiar snicker from behind her. Chat Noir landed beside her.

"Miss me, my lady?" he asked, winking.

Seeing Chat Noir threw Ladybug off. She thought back to moments ago when she had been dancing with Adrien. She could've sworn she heard him say my lady.

An arrow flew past Ladybug's face, barely missing her nose. She shook off those thoughts, focusing her attention back on the akumatized victim. He was suddenly holding a bow and arrow.

"Where did he get that from?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Chat Noir said, ducking and pulling Ladybug down with him to avoid one of the arrows. "He touched that poster over there and they just appeared in his hands."

"It's like he's bringing the images to life!" Ladybug realized, jumping back up onto her feet. She noticed his gloved hands. "I think the akuma is in his gloves!"

"Got it," Chat said, running towards the victim with his staff raised above his head, ready to strike.

Just then, the villain dropped the bow and arrow and reached up to catch the other end of Chat's staff. He spun Chat around and let go, sending Chat flying back towards Ladybug. The two were thrown back so hard, they broke through a window and landed in one of the classrooms.

"Are you okay, my lady?" Chat asked, sitting up slowly and rubbing his head.

"I'm okay, minou," she replied, jumping up so fast that her head spun. "We have to stop him, come on." She pulled Chat up onto his feet and they ran back out into the courtyard.

Ladybug gasped. There stood the villain across the yard, holding Adrien by the collar of his tuxedo.

Her stomach felt like it dropped down to her feet. "Adrien!" she cried out, sprinting towards him.

"Ladybug, no!" yelled Chat Noir, taking off after her.

"The name's Photoframer," the villain called out, laughing. "And I'm sure Gabriel Agreste won't be too happy to see that I have his son!"

Just before Ladybug could reach him, a bright light flashed, blinding her and Chat.

She blinked rapidly, trying to regain her vision. "They're gone," she cried, trembling.

Chat had never seen Ladybug afraid.

But at that moment, she fell to her knees, rubbing her eyes furiously. Chat blinked away the spots that clouded his vision after the bright flash of light had blinded him. He stumbled over to Ladybug, kneeling in front of her. He was shocked to see tears at the corners of her eyes, but they burned with anger.

She looked up at him, "We have to find him," she growled. "He has Adrien!"

Chat looked into her eyes and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Ladybug, you have to believe me," he said. "That wasn't the real Adrien, he probably just brought an image of him to life!"

"How can you be sure?" she cried, tearing away from his grasp and getting up on her feet. "I can't take any chances, I can't lose him."

Chat felt so helpless. He had to stop her. She was going to run after Photoframer without a plan, risking her life to save an Adrien that wasn't real. But how could he convince her that it was all just a trap?

Just tell her the truth, he thought. Tell her that YOU are Adrien!

But he didn't want to tell her like this. He looked around, desperate for any clues. That's when he spotted the photo booth. He ran up to it, picking up one of the pictures that was left lying on a table.

"Ladybug, look!" he said, holding up a picture. "A photo of Adrien and Marinette! Photoframer must've used this to create the fake Adrien and -"

Ladybug threw open the door to the classroom where she had left Adrien. She spun around, her eyes blazing. "Really? I don't think so. I left him in here and he's GONE," she cried.

"Believe whatever you want," she said, whipping out her yo-yo. "But I'm not taking any chances. I'm going to save Adrien."

Before Chat could stop her, she swung up onto the next floor of the school and disappeared into a hallway.

Chat almost took off after her, but then he realized this was his chance to transform back into Adrien and make her realize that Photoframer had kidnapped a fake replica of him.

"Claws in," Chat said, detransforming.

"What are you doing?" Plagg demanded.

"I have to show Ladybug that I'm the real Adrien," he answered.

"Are you finally going to confess to her that you're Chat Noir?" Plagg asked, looking concerned.

"I...I don't know," said Adrien, pulling open his tuxedo jacket for Plagg to hide inside.

Adrien turned to go find Ladybug, but before he looked back up, he felt something snap around his wrists.

"Hello, Adrien Agreste," said Photoframer, standing before Adrien.

Adrien froze and then looked down slowly at his wrists. Photoframer had handcuffed him.

"Found this magazine in the lounge upstairs," said Photoframer, a devilish smirk on his face. "It's been very helpful."

He tossed the magazine aside. Unfortunately, Adrien could see it was a magazine for an athletic company and was filled with images of sports gear, toys, and, well, weapons.

Adrien swallowed down his fear, hoping Ladybug would burst onto the scene any second now. Instead, Photoframer gestured at Adrien with his finger. The fake Adrien walked over robotically and, showing no emotions, he grabbed the real Adrien and tossed him into a nearby closet.

"No!" Adrien cried out as the fake replica of him slammed the door shut.

Adrien yelled and hollered for help, hoping someone was still in the building. It was no use. All of the students and chaperones had probably found a way out and evacuated the school.

"Kid, you need to transform," said Plagg, flying out from inside Adrien's tux. "Use your cataclysm to destroy the handcuffs and then break down the door!"

"Good call, Plagg. I need to get to Ladybug before Photoframer does!" said Adrien. "Claws out!"

Ladybug sprinted down every hallway, breaking down every door and crying out for Adrien.

What if he's not even here, at the school? she thought, panicked.

"Ladybug!" She heard Adrien's voice coming from the top of the school.

She swung up onto the roof without hesitation and found Photoframer standing at the edge, holding Adrien by the collar once again.

"Oh, Ladybug, I'm so glad you were able to stop by for our photoshoot," Photoframer sneered. With one hand, he dangled Adrien dangerously over the edge of the roof.

"Don't, please!" Ladybug cried, taking a step forward.

"Don't come any closer," Photoframer hissed. "Come any closer and I will drop him."

Ladybug froze in horror, unsure of what to do. I can use my lucky charm, she thought, but then quickly dismissed it. She was afraid to move at all, terrified that she would set him off and that he would let go of Adrien. Ladybug knew it would mean a deadly four-story drop to the cement below.

With his free hand, Photoframer pulled out a phone and held it above his head. "Smile, Adrien! Your father would love to see this top-of-the-line photo of us," he said with an evil grin.

"What do you want with him?" Ladybug hollered. "What did Adrien ever do to hurt you?"

Tears began streaming down her cheeks as she tried desperately to carry on a conversation with the villain, hoping to buy herself some time.

"It's not what Adrien did to me," Photoframer hissed. "It's what Gabriel Agreste did to me!"

The villain's eyes darkened and his grip on Adrien tightened. He pulled the phone up to his face and pressed a button. "Photo sent to Gabriel Agreste," he said, a smile returning to his lips. "That should be enough to give Gabriel a good scare, don't you think? Guess I won't be needing you anymore," he said to Adrien, and then he let go.

Before she knew it, she was dropping through the air, reaching out for Adrien. She had jumped after him without thinking. They were falling fast and were about to hit the ground in a matter of seconds.

We're not going to make it, Ladybug realized, reaching out one last time for Adrien.

Her hand grabbed nothing but air and she felt everything around her stand still. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact, taking in her last breath...

That breath was knocked out of her as something collided with her, suddenly sending her flying in another direction. She heard glass shatter and then she landed on a surface and felt her body roll over several times. She felt the weight of another body on top of her.

She opened her eyes, blinking to try to clear the blurriness she saw. As her vision cleared, she could make out a pair of green eyes looking down at her with both fury and concern.

"Ladybug, are you alright? What were you thinking?" It was Chat Noir's voice, sounding shaken.

Adrien.

Ladybug sat up, throwing Chat off of her. "Adrien!" she screamed, tears flooding her face. "I didn't reach him! I couldn't save him!"

She turned to Chat, her eyes burning with a fury she'd never experienced before. "Why did you stop me?" she roared. "Why didn't you let me save him?"

She dropped down onto her hands and knees, trembling. "N-no…" she cried, slamming the ground with her fists.

"Ladybug…" Chat said, very softly.

"Don't talk to me! I don't ever want to see you again!" she sobbed, her forehead pressed against the floor of the classroom they had landed inside.

Her sobs were so violent that they were silent. Her body shook and her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her sobs were so quiet that she was able to hear Chat's footsteps softly approaching. She suddenly felt too weak to even tell him to go away.

She felt him kneel down beside her and place his hand gently on her back.

"Marinette, Adrien is okay," he said softly.

Ladybug's whole body shuddered. Her mind was clouded with confusion. She looked up and turned to look into Chat's green eyes, barely able to see them through her tears.

"W-what did you just call me?" she asked, her heart pounding. He can't possibly know…

"Marinette," Chat whispered, putting his gloved hand on her cheek. "I'm okay, I'm safe."

She heard a familiar beeping and looked down at his ring with wide eyes. His last paw print disappeared and with a flash of green, his cat ears and mask began to disappear too.

And suddenly, there was Adrien, still cupping her cheek softly, but with his bare hand.

I'm dreaming, she thought. Maybe I'm unconscious right now… But her heart pounded harder, so hard that she felt the pounding in her ears.

"Adrien?" she whispered back. It was all she could say.

"It's me, my lady," he answered. "It always has been."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I originally thought I would wrap up the story at the end of this chapter, but obviously I can't end it like this, so there will be one more chapter. Thanks again for reading and I appreciate all of the helpful comments!