Chapter Forty-Six: True Love Can Save You

Marinette's eyes ached as she stared out at Paris through the hole in the metal shield. Funny, how flimsy the strong material seemed to be under the weight of someone's strength when they were determined to get what they want.

Shatter Sight hadn't broken a sweat tearing the suicide gate to pieces, but the bluenette's heart contracted with relief when she succeeded. The woman said Mari could alleviate the pain first if Chat didn't show up.

Tears slid down Mari's bruised face, lingering on her swollen lips as she swallowed. Of course he wasn't going to show up. She knew he wasn't awake, but, if he were, she doubted he'd bother rescuing her anyway. She'd betrayed him one too many times, and really, how much could he possibly love her?

"Maybe you should hope he doesn't show up," Shatter Sight commented softly, turning her glowing olive eyes in Marinette's directions. "I don't think he could ever truly love you. You're not worth his time," she spat.

"Y-You're right," she nodded slowly, a new cascade of tears dominating her sorrow flushed face as she stood, inching closer to the gap to peer down. Chat Noir was devoted to Ladybug. He'd only ever cared about the spotted heroine. "He was in love with the idealism of a woman. The mask, never me," she whispered, voice breaking as she closed her eyes against a gust of wind rushing against her warm face.

Adrien only bothered with her after he'd learned of her identity. She'd been careless, but at least now she knew where he really stood. Plagg tried to defend him, and she'd believed them for a little while, but why wouldn't his kwami stick up for him? They were thick as thieves. She'd been played…and now, she was broken and alone. Soon, Shatter Sight would let her find peace…forever.

"Well, then, even if he does show up, he won't be able to save you," the woman said softly, laughing in delight. "The magic only allows someone who truly loves you to save you from yourself," she taunted. "I guess you're lost either way."

Marinette sighed, sliding her eyes open, sniffling. "Maybe it's better to die than to live with a broken heart," she croaked.

"You read my mind," the woman sneered, chortling.

***POV Change***

"C'mon!" Chloe shook him vigorously to no avail, snarling, whimpering. What was she supposed to do? She wasn't even supposed to be here! She'd wanted to run when Mari told her she'd knocked Adrien out to go possibly confront Paris' big bad guy. Nothing had sat right with the blonde, but the blunette had already slipped her boyfriend the pills. The very sleeping pills she'd stolen from Chloe.

How could she wake him now? "Adrien," she cried softly, her salty tears speckling his face as she leaned over his body on the bed. "She's going to die without you, please. Please?" She slid to her knees beside the bed, hugging herself. "Don't let her die on us. She has come so far…done so much. What will happen if they get their hands on her Miraculous on…"

Chloe frowned, looking around. Tikki. So, where was Plagg? "Plagg, where are you!?" Her voice was urgent, but the kwami didn't bother responding…or he couldn't. Oh, God, she hoped Mari didn't…

The blonde's eyes flew to Adrien's hand, but the ring was still nestled around his finger, and she breathed a small sigh of relief. However, the victory was short lived because the ancient wasn't answering her call, despite knowing that Chloe was Queen Bee and knew of his existence.

Finally, she began patting the down the man's pockets. She brushed against a suspicious lump at his breast, delving her slender fingers into the pocket's confines, plucking out a softly snoring kwami.

"Plagg!" She plopped him onto her palm and flicked his ear, which made his tiny body jerk.

A green eye popped open, glowing with fire before it slid closed. "No m-more camembert, sugar cube, I can't eat another bite," he groaned, ears flattening against his obsidian skull. He quivered, repositioned himself and promptly resumed the muffled sleepy noises.

Chloe frowned before quirking an eyebrow. She shook her head. She didn't have time for this bullshit. She flicked his ear again, harder. "I'm not your sugar cube," she snarled, and both actions garnered a violent response from the ancient.

He spun up into the air hurriedly from her hand without warning, and a burst of energy exploded from his miniscule form, knocking the blonde onto her ass. Pain seethed through her very bones, and her lips parted with the shriek that demanded she alleviate the onslaught of excruciation coursing through her veins. Her mind endeavored to fold in upon itself, trying to wrench from her body.

"Ch-Chloe?" Plagg's voice was groggy, and he sounded confused as the eruption of agony dissipated, and she whimpered, blinking up at him through a veil of tears induced by his magic.

"M-M-Marinette is going to die," she whispered hoarsely, desperately, hoping he would just understand. "She knocked A-Adrien out and I can't wake him," she sobbed. "Don't let her die, please!"

"His mate!?" The powerful kwami swam into her face, puffing up to his full size, eyes glimmering with a dangerous malice that made her shiver with fear. "You could have woken me sooner," he snapped, zooming over to his owner, smacking the model in the face. He didn't stir.

"I tried," she sobbed. "C-Can you enter the ring and force him awake?"

Plagg made a sound in his throat. It sounded something akin to dry heaving, and he sighed. "I can try, but entering without being summoned is always a pain in my ass," he growled. "But this is an emergency, clearly," he grumbled.

The being threw his arms outwards, and the room started to feel incrementally colder. The emerald of his eyes erupted into burning embers, and he bore his sharp canines, tail flailing wildly. "Dammit, I don't have time for the—" Plagg yelped as he swirled in a tight loop towards Adrien's ring, disappearing, and a bright jade light erupted through the chamber, far more powerful than his normal transformation.

Chloe shielded her eyes for the several lingering moments it took to fade, but when she looked, Chat Noir was passed out on the bed, groaning softly. At least he was making noise now. She checked the time. They were already down ten minutes. Even if he woke up now…she doubted…there'd be a lot of time to make it to save Mari. She sobbed, leaning into his body as Plagg endeavored to rouse him from the inside.

"C'mon, she needs you," she repeated, frowning as something poked against her forearm, and the blonde unzipped his pocket, plucking the item free. Oh. She could still be saved…

***POV Change***

"I thought you were kidding about him not showing up to save you." Even Shatter Sight's voice held a hurt edge for her, and she scoffed.

"Why would I joke about something like that?" She scuffled to the opening, allowing the wind to cradle her body, as it had a thousand times before. Each moment swinging as Ladybug, that would never happen again. Each moment saving Paris, that would never happen again. Any moment…Chat vaulted Mari over the rooftops on his staff…

Something inside of her faltered, and she frowned. Chat had cradled Marinette close before, protectively, almost affectionately, hadn't he?

"Oh, I can see your mind is fighting the spell, that's interesting," she murmured. "I'll watch," she giggled hysterically.

Part of the bluenette was yearning to rush forward and through the hole to end all the pain inside. Her mind demanded that she proceed and carry out the very thought, but something inside her gave pause to her limbs. Chat…Adrien would never love her, not really. Not if Ladybug still existed, but…the man had demonstrated some level of care for her, right? She could recall on more than one occasion…where he'd…

Fog drifted into her brain, casting doubt over the thoughts, obscuring the very memories giving her heart hope, and everything crumbled, leaving her chest aching and shattered. "I c-can't keep living," she sobbed, covering her face with her palms.

"On you go then," Shatter Sight taunted, and Mari sighed with relief, letting herself fall over the ledge.

Falling was so exhilarating, so liberating that she released a whooping of happiness as the melancholy leaked from her tormented form. She knew when she reached the end of her descent the agony would be gone, and then she would no longer hurt, or be hurt, by the people who were supposed to love her…the people she loved.

So many microscopic betrayals amounting to a lifetime of enormously insurmountable pain she was barely able to breathe through the intensity of it all. Faster. She wanted to tumble faster, but the world wouldn't allow her. In fact, it felt like an eternity passing as she watched scattered droplets of her tears wretch free from her eyes, sparkling amidst the sky in the disappearing sunlight.

"Beautiful," she commented softly closing her orbs, sure the end was so close. She could taste it. Maybe…a few moments…until the pain would disappear forever. She was so sorry…she was never good enough for him. Never good enough for anybody. That…the only person worth wanting…was a mirage of her actual self. Chat Noir…would never…

Rapid beeping reached her, even amidst the rushing wind in her ears, and Marinette frowned. The whizzing of a string pulled her eyes open, and a loud whoosh and pop sound was followed by the shriek of a squeaky voice, panicked, fearful…caring…

"MY QUEEN!"

Somebody collided with her body, grappling her aching form, but the moment their skin touched her, Mari's brain cleared, and she rasped loudly before they both slammed, hard into the pavement. The only thing saving her was the interruption of her fall by her…hero?

They toppled end over end for several moments, the person gripping her screeching in unimaginable pain as they took the brunt of the fall to save her on her suicide mission. When they both slid to a halt, the amount of crimson splattered along Mari's forearm, and the warmth of it against her face was...harrowing.

"Ch-Chloe," she whispered, voice shaking heavily as she realized it could be nobody else, if not her Chat…who could love her enough to break the spell, and seeing the blonde…struggling for breath, beneath her…sent a cold vengeance through her body she didn't think possible.

"Y-You're okay," Chloe sputtered, hacking violently as she began curling up, and Pollen flew to her face, trying to comfort her. "Y-You're safe?

"I-I'm safe," Marinette cried softly, touching the woman's scraped cheek. "You're the true hero this time, Chloe," she offered, honestly, swallowing thickly around her regret. "I c-can't…a-are you…"

"D-Doesn't…I don't…m-matter. He's on his way," she whispered, closing her bright blue eyes as the crimson spread from beneath her head. "He will buy you t-time," she said firmly, smiling a little. "It was better for m-me to…go than for you. I h-had…nobody left. Luka was…a f-fantasy…and I l-love you, but I will never interfere…you two love each other too much," she rasped, rolling enough to spew fresh scarlet across the pavement, and Mari clenched her fists, nodding slowly.

"I l-love you, Chloe," she whispered hoarsely, sobbing softly as she stroked the woman's blood stained wheat colored hair. "You hang on, b-but I need to borrow P-Pollen, okay?"

"I t-trust you, always, M-Marinette. L-Ladybug. You're…always….the one who…comes out on…"

Her body went still, her last breath haggard as it exited her body, and Mari lurched forward to check her pulse, finding it thready and weak against her neck. The damage was worse than she feared, but…she needed…to get Lila. She also wanted to help Chloe…

The bluenette gripped the hair piece with trembling fingers, sliding it into her aqua locks, swallowing loudly. If she transformed, she could hopefully alert Chat. If not, she could get Chloe to a hospital faster. She didn't waste another moment.

"Pollen, buzz on!"

Author Notes:

CHLODRINETTE FOR THE FUCKING WIN! Sorry, felt like…screaming that…because…at first..in the VERY beginning of the story, I pictured Chat saving her in this scenario…but then…when they had that…moment together…the three of them…I realized it'd be more meaningful this way…in my heart and mind it just feels so much better and right for the story…besides, Chat is always the one there for her, I wanted to give Chloe the chance to prove her worth, and here we go. CHLODRINETTE FOR THE WIN! YES! Sorry…got emotional here…

Faefolk11, hard to learn when you love someone so much you don't want them hurt. Sadly enough, this is a common mistake she makes in more than one of my fics, but I find it to be the most human of them all, self sacrifice when you want to protect the one you love. They ARE stronger together, but hopefully…you liked the tiny twist in this sorry if you…didn't…

Italian Guest, Lol, yes, kill was a joke, sorry, I will try to put (lol or j/k for future reference for you, thank you for letting me know!) Hopefully this chapter was good for you!

Trying414, we still have a 'few' more chapters to go…so we'll figure it out, but I'm glad your reaction was…so boisterous! LOL…hopefully you enjoyed this!

Emjrabbitwolf, he is going to be RIGHTFULLY furious, and I'd stay out of his way…especially if he's in CHAT form *cringes*. I don't think we're making it to the design part, lol, sorry! You're spot on (spots on lol) on some of your points, but you shall see! I hope you enjoyed the Chloe twist in this one.