Nightmares

Chat slumped against a chimney breast, he, Ladybug, Ryuko and Viperion had been fighting a sword themed Akuma for the past

Ladybug felt a searing pain erupt on her face, her hands flying up to her eyes before she dropped onto one knee.

Swiftblade's sword connected with Ryuko's, before Ryuko kicked the akuma back and got between him and Ladybug. Viperion flinched as Ryuko was knocked aside, before Swiftblade raised his sword up, ready to kill Ladybug.

"Second Chance." Viperion whispered, as he jumped back in time. He couldn't fail. Not again. He HAD to succeed.

Viperion looked around, before grabbing Ladybug and pulling her out of the way. Swiftblade growled, before lunging towards them and impaling Ladybug and Ryuko and throwing them off the building. Viperion went to reset back to the safe point, before Swiftblade cut through his arm.

"Naughty, naughty!" Tutted the Akuma, before bringing the sword down onto Luka's head.

Luka bolted upright, he breathed heavily and looked around. It was still dark and Juleka was asleep. It was just a nightmare.

N

"Kagami, you can let go now." Said Marinette, only getting Kagami to grip her tighter and shaking her head. "I don't know what happened but-"

"You died." Kagami interrupted her in a small voice, "You kept dying, over and over and over." Kagami's voice cracked, "You were right, using the Snake was a terrible idea."

"Hey, hey. You saved me. That's what matters." comforted Marinette, making Kagami look up at her.

Marinette's throat was cut open and one of her eyes were missing. Kagami stared at Marinette in horror, before she screamed.

Marinette grabbed Kagami's throat, "You saved me, that's what matters."

Marinette violently jerked Kagami's head to the side.

Kagami tumbled out of bed and landed on a heap on the floor. Her room was dark, it was just a nightmare. Marinette was safe. Kagami repeated that mantra, before getting dressed and sneaking out the door. It wouldn't hurt to check, would it?

N

Ladybug cried out in pain as she clutched her head.

"What did you do to her?" Ryuuko demanded as Chat knelt beside Ladybug as a fresh wave of pain flooded her nerves.

"I'm making her remember every time she has died, from Desparada to Swiftblade, every time she has fallen and one of you has reset the board, robbing her of her death"

Ladybug started to hack up blood, "Only I can stop it, when I am gone, she will be safe."

"CATACLYSM!" Chat launched himself at the Akuma, only for them to grab his wrist and slam it against Ryuko's face. Killing her.

"RYUKO, NO!" yelled Adrien, waking up in a cold sweat.

He looked around his room, it was dark. It was just a nightmare, wasn't it?

N

"You're not laughing at my jokes." Said Chat Noir.

"We have an Akuma that is making people disappear, Viperion and Ryuko are down, and Rena and Carapace have vanished, so I'm sorry that I'm a little pre-occupied at the moment." Said Ladybug, shortly.

"I don't know why you are acting so serious." groused Chat.

"Because one of us has to!" snapped Ladybug.

The pair looked at each other, shocked. "I…" Ladybug trailed off.

"No, I see how it is." Snarled Chat, before pulling the ring off.

Ladybug couldn't see Chat's face clearly.

"No, Chat, please!" Begged Ladybug, as Chat walked away and threw himself off the edge of the building they were standing on, "Please, don't leave me."

Marinette gasped and jumped out of bed. She rushed to her desk as quietly as she could and checked the miracle box. The miraculous she'd reclaimed after the 'fetch' incident were all accounted for, except the Rabbit, Butterfly, Peacock and Cat. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down in her chair.

It was just a nightmare.

N

"Oh my God, they killed Marinette!" Screamed Alya.

Marinette folded her arms and loudly cleared her throat.

"Mari, you're alive!" yelled Alya, relieved as she tightly hugged Marinette.

"Don't worry, Al. You can't get rid of me that easily." reassured Marinette, hugging back.

Alya drew back and froze in horror, as both of Marinette's eyes were missing, one of her ears was handing off and her left cheek was torn open.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Gurgled Marinette, before plunging her arm into Alya's chest, "You still have me."

Alya felt something hit her cheek, she blinked and found Nora towering over her. Alya burst into tears, making Nora pull her close.

"It's alright, Als," Soothed Nora, as their mother appeared in the doorway, "It's alright, it was just a bad dream."

N

Nino looked up as Adrien, Marinette and Alya entered the classroom. They looked like they hadn't gotten any sleep, he'd heard Juleka saying that Luka wasn't any better. Adrien dropped into the seat next to him.

"You alright, bro?" Asked Nino, as Adrien groaned.

"No, I've been awake since two because a really vivid nightmare." Confessed Adrien, "I dreamt that I'd killed someone, I wasn't able to get their face out of my head."

"Same, but mine was that I drove someone to suicide." Said Marinette, making the boys look up, "I had Kagami knocking on my door because she had a nightmare that I'd died."

"That happened with me, too." Said Alya, "It was horrible, Nora had to wake me up."

"Luka had a nightmare where he was killed." Said Juleka, making them jump, "Maybe there's an Akuma that makes nightmares."

"You mean like Sandboy?" Asked Marinette, resting her head on the table.

Juleka nodded.

Marinette groaned and dropped her head onto the table.

N

Knightmare looked down at the city. With a satisfied hum, they turned around and went to fly off. A yoyo suddenly hooked around their leg, yanking them down to earth. Knightmare was barely able to look up, before the combined fists of Ladybug and Chat Noir hit them in the face, breaking their object in the process. Revealing a group of five crying toddlers.

Ladybug and Chat Noir stared at the crying quintet.

"I suddenly feel like the worst person in existence." Said Chat, getting a nod from Ladybug.

The pair slowly made their way towards the toddlers, Ladybug crouched in front of one of the toddlers and, before she could say anything, they surged forwards and clung to her like a koala. Ladybug looked over at Chat and found he was in a similar situation.

"Okay," Grunted Ladybug, heaving the three toddlers on her into her arms, "let's find their parents."

After half-an-hour later, Ladybug found that the children had been shown a horror movie by their babysitter. Ladybug and Chat Noir both stared down at the cheques the parents had handed them.

"How…are we supposed to cash these in?" Asked Ladybug, looking up at Chat.

"Take it into the bank and ask for cash?" Yawned Chat, shoving the cheque in a pocket, "I'm goin' to sleep."

Ladybug found herself yawning, before following him, "I think I'll join you."

Chat found a tree near his school and settled at the root, with Ladybug flopping over him. Within seconds, both heroes were asleep and unconsciously cuddling together.

And that was how Alya found Marinette and Adrien an hour later.