-MARINETTE-

* One month later*

Marinette had grown used to not having those around her.

It had been a month since she's seen the akumatized victim as well Chloé.

Marinette couldn't rid away the gnawing thoughts in her head.

Every time she walked to school, she'd see the missing flyers everywhere.

Even in class, it was all the school ever talked about.

Marinette often woke up most nights in a cold sweat, her anxiety so bad it almost caused her to vomit.

Her parents started to grow suspicious, and she couldn't miss anymore days of school.

She slipped on her bookbag and looked at the steps of her school.

Alya stood beside her and touched her shoulder.

"Everyone is saying she's dead." He voice emanated as the two began to climb the steps.

Marinette had already been chewing her thumbnail, Alya's voice pulling her straight from her thoughts.

"W-what?" Marinette asked, as the two walked into the class.

"Chloé... She's been gone for a little over a month... Everyone is already saying she's dead." Alya clarified.

Marinette swallowed hard and ignored the immediate drop in her stomach.

She was already worried about Chloé. Although she wasn't very nice to her or any of her friends, she didn't want the girl dead.

She slid into her seat, and ran her hand across her cheeks.

-ADRIEN-

Adrien had been silently crying the night before. Everything had just dawned on him in the last month.

His father only seemed to be more and more angry with him.

For the first time, he had felt sick. His stomach made flips and turns and his head pounded in his ears.

He was completely miserable. He had a slight panic in his chest as he truly believed that he was never going to see ladybug again.

He almost felt like he was drowning. After learning that Chloé had been missing for a little over a month, it had simply added to the massive amount of stress he was already in.

"Take the day off." Plagg suggested as he sat on Adrien's shoulder.

Adriens chest felt heavy and he looked at his locked bedroom door.

The housekeepers seemed to be in slight frustration as they couldn't enter his room.

He ran a hand through his hair.

"Your father won't be here for another week or two! It's a good idea." Plagg ushered.

Adrien dropped his head.

"You're right." He sighed. He'd hardly ever agreed with Plagg, but it was different this time.

Not only was his father ever around, but Nathalie seemed to make less of her appearance in the last month.

Adrien closed his eyes and fell back against his bed.

His lip tugged between his teeth as he let out a loud and well deserved groan.

He missed another human's touch, and he missed ladybug like hell. He was willing to take everything he said to her back if it meant that he'd see her again.

But he refused to pretend that it never happened.

He loved her, and that moment was one of the best things he's ever experienced.

It was the first time he had ever been intimate, and that night etched into his mind like a stain.

He was in love with her, and the more he thought about that moment, the more pain he felt in his chest at her sharp words when they finished.

He curled into his bed and pulled the blankets over his head. He clenched on to the sheets below him. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the threads tightly.

-MARINETTE-

She sighed as she slipped into her seat.

Alya sat next to Marinette.

They both had a clear view to the front of the classroom.

Neither Adrien or Nino showed up to class.

Marinette sighed as she rested her chin on her palm.

It was normal for Nino to miss days, but it definitely wasn't normal with Adrien.

Marinette pouted some. She didn't get to stare at the back of his head today, and that kind of bummed her out.

"Adrien looked dead tired the last time I saw him." Alya whispered just as the teacher walked in.

Marinette frowned at that thought.

Poor Adrien.

"I'm sure he's just taking a day off. He deserved it." She added.

Marinette still couldn't will away the slight guilt that gnawed at her.

She didn't want to think about the incident with Chat Noir.

It was probably the dumbest thing she could have ever done. But all in all, she deeply felt as if she betrayed Adrien.

She couldn't stop the black hole that began swarming in her stomach.

She felt her palms grow a bit clammy and she pressed her lips together.

She looked straight ahead and tried to pay attention.

"Are you okay?", Alya whispered and touched Marinette's shoulder, as she seemed to notice her posture.

Marinette jumped slightly at her touch and gulped with a nod, immediately plastering a smile on her face.

Alya sighed and shook her head with an unconvinced expression.

Marinette nearly hid in her own skin and kept her gaze ahead

She couldn't concentrate.

The school bell had just rang, and Marinette hugged Alya.

"I'll see you after the weekend." Alya sighed.

"My mom has relatives over tonight, so we can't hang out this weekend." She sighed.

Marinette looked at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Alya. Maybe we could see a movie another time then." Marinette assured.

Alya smirked and poked Marinette on the shoulder.

"Shouldnt you be asking that question to Adrien?" She teased, her brows wriggling playfully.

Marinette blushed and shoved Alya softly.

"Go home Alya. Your family is waiting." She teased.

Alya snickered as she began walking away.

"I'll see you Monday!" She said, her hand waving.

Marinette smiled and waved back.

She watched as Alya soon disappeared in the crowd.

She sighed and turned in the opposite direction.

She felt the guilt roll down her spine.

She hated lying, and she still couldn't stop beating herself up about her feelings towards Adrien.

Marinette held on the strap of her bag. Her eyes counting the cracks on the sidewalk.

She had to face facts. She knew deep down she had started to develop feelings for Chat.

Kissing him felt... Right...

She groaned. She didn't want to admit it. This was something she couldn't possibly want.

Tikki slowly emerged from her bag, and nuzzled Marinette.

"You've been awfully quiet, Marinette." She commented softly.

Marinette looked down at Tikki with a weary smile.

"It's just... I'm doing a lot of thinking." She replied.

Tikki nodded.

"Chat Noir?" She asked, her eyes almost completely glossy.

Marinette blushed deeply as she remembered Tikki knew exactly what they did that night.

Marinette shook her head.

"N-no... More important things." She replied.

Tikki tilted her head.

"Marinette-" her voice was cut off by a loud noise, and a violent shaking underneath their feet.

Marinette gasped as she leaned on a street pole for balance.

Marinette turned her head, the mayor's building was once again under attack.

"She's back..." Tikki warned.

Marinette nodded as she stumbled into an eerie alleyway and dropped her bag.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Marinette could feel her transformation take place.

It was like swimming in an ocean of bubbles.

As it was complete, she made a run for it.

She wrapped her ladybug yoyo and swung herself up.

In a grunt, she landed on the roof effortlessly.

She breathed in as she stood up.

She ran towards the roof top door that led to the steps in the inside.

She could hear commotion going on in the inside of one of the rooms.

Immediately the mayor's guards swung into action and began to evacuate the building.

The mayor was in the next arrondissiment, on a meeting.

Ladybug carefully inspected the halls on the fourth floor.

He eyes bounced around the hall walls.

"No matter where I show up, you're bound to find me aren't you?" A female's sharp voice said behind her.

Ladybug clenched her fist and turned around to face the enemy.

"What do you want?" Ladybug asked, her voice almost shaking.

"I think you know what I want..."her voice trailed off.

Ladybug gulped and touched her earrings..

The assailant chuckled.

"I want you out of the way... Permanently." She said with a grin.

She immediately lunged towards ladybug.

Ladybug clenched her teeth, her eyes following the girls form.

Her body twisted, dodging the attack.

Ladybug gripped the assailants ankle, and with all her might, yanked her back.

Ladybug grunted as she threw the assailant back against the wall.

The assailant banged against the wall, her eyes widened in shock at ladybugs sudden dodge and retaliation.

"I'm getting sick of you. " ladybug said with slight anger, her breathing heavy.

The girl smiled as she pulled herself from the crevice in the wall her body created from force of impact.

"I can tell so." She said, wiping blood from her split lip.

"I don't want to hurt you... But you're leaving me no choice." Ladybug gulped, her body immediately aching which was abnormal for her.

"Of course... Otherwise I'd kill you... Hand over the earrings... I'll consider sparing your life." She offered.

Ladybug clenched her fists.

"Keep dreaming." She replied back swiftly.

The assailant laughed as her own fists clenched, a black smoke forming around them.

Ladybug gulped.

She knew what was to come.

A thick gust of smoke darted straight for her.

Ladybug immediately dropped in the narrow hallway.

With a loud thud, ladybug landed on the floor.

Flinging her yoyo she was able to wrap it around the girls wrist, yanking her to the ground as well.

The assailant looked up, her eyes black and her teeth clenched.

Before ladybug could react the girl wrapped up the wire, yanking ladybug towards her.

With a grin, she wrapped up the wire, her hand gripping the midstring.

Ladybug's eyes widened as she felt her own yoyo wire wrapped tight around her neck.

Ladybug immediately began to panic. Her hands attempting to pry away the wire that began to dig in her skin.

She gasped for air.

"I warned you..." The girl said, her eyes completely black.

Ladybug began to kick at her, tears slipping from her eyes as she began to choke.

She reached up and began to scratch her face, which the girl simply turned her head.

Ladybug could hear her own heart beat pound in her ears as her vision became blurry.

"I can hear your heart..." The girl said coldly.

She pulled the yoyo wire tighter.

"But no worries... That'll end soon." She said, her eyes slowly fading back to a blue color.

Her face slowly started to contort into something of pure interest as she now heard something else.

Her grin slowly faded away from the smile to something of confusion.

The wire loosened around her neck.

Ladybug whimpered loudly as she was able to breathe in a bit of air.

The girl was suddenly yanked off, and thrown across the hall.

Ladybug immediately pulled at the wire, the imprint already implanted on her neck.

She rubbed her neck as she coughed, her hands shaking as she finally breathed.

"Are you alright?" A familiar voice spoke.

Ladybug looked up, a pair of green eyes bore through her own.

She nodded as he crouched down, and helped her up.

They both looked at the girl, ladybugs hand gripped on to Chat's tightly.

The assailant staggered to her feet, a form of smoke forming at her feet.

"This... Is interesting..." She spoke, the smoke traveling up her body.

"This calls for a change of plans..." The grin appeared back on her face. Her eyes immediately darted back to Chat.

"I wonder if you have anything to do with it." She chuckled as she slowly began to fade out.

"No!" Ladybug exclaimed, her neck almost hurting immediately after. Ladybug shook as she took a lunge for the slowly dissipating figure.

Her fists clenched as she landed into nothing.

She looked back at Chat.

She rubbed her neck, the red lines throbbing against her skin breathed the suit

"We're not spending the night here again..." She rasped.

Chat shook his head.

"Still gives us time to talk. It's been a long time, my lady." He replied.

Ladybug shook her head.

"I don't want to talk..." She retorted.

Chat Noir began to walk closer to her once more.

"I can't pretend it didn't happen." He spoke truthfully.

Ladybug pushed at his chest as he was merely inches away from her.

"Nows not the time!" She exclaimed.

"And when is the time?! When you disappear for another month or so?" He asked, hurt and anger etched in his voice.

This was a first time seeing this side of him, ladybug stared at him with wide eyes.

The two of them looked at each other in silence.

Her eyes locked on to his.

"I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean... To come off cold... Or to disappear... But... Everything happened so fast." Ladybug spoke. "I-it... Scared me..." Her voice trailed off.

Chat looked at her, his lips parted as he hesitantly touched her waist.

"Don't-" ladybug whispered, and slowly pushed him away.

Chat immediately caught her hand.

She looked at their hands, her eyes traveling up to his eyes.

She pressed her lips together, and looked away.

She breathed deep and tried to think elsewhere.

She began to think about how she was close to death, but something willed the assailant to stop. She didn't know what the case was, but she became curious.

Chat released her hands as he began to roll the fabric away from her neck.

"How bad is the damage?" He asked, exposing her neck.

Ladybug winced.

"I-I'm not sure... I'm afraid to look." She spoke carefully.

She began to tremble once more. Her heart raced the moment he touched her skin.

Chat Noir could feel his own heartbeat, not because he was mesmerized, but because the wire had left a nasty deep red mark on her neck.

"Is it sore?" He asked, as he then exposed her collar bones.

Ladybug breathed in and gulped.

"Y-yeah... Only a little." She breathed, her face a deep red and her pupils dialated.

"She will be back. And I'm sure it'll be here again. We need to keep a look out and be careful" Ladybug added, her voice shaking as she pulled away from him. Her hand slipped out of his with force he couldn't help but to recognize.

"Then I'll keep watch..." Chat spoke, ignoring her sudden change in body language.

Ladybug nodded, as she ran her fingers across her neck.

"H-How bad does it look?" She asked, inwardly afraid of the answer.

Chat didn't answer but simply glared at her.

She had gathered her assumptions by then.

Ladybug sighed and shook her head. The pain of her face was evident. Her mind immediately began to race as she began to over think once more.

She could even still feel the wire around her neck.

Someone almost killed her with her own weapon.

But what made her stop?

What did she mean when she had asked if Chat had something to so with it.

What exactly did "it" mean? These questions immediately flooded in her mind, aimlessly torturing her.

Her eyes closed as she bit her lip, and suddenly she felt someone touch her face.

Her mind immediately stopped. The tears that threatened to ebb, immediately pushed back.

With a soft gasp she opened her eyes to meet a pair of green ones staring into hers.

Chat still couldn't get over her eyes. He was crazy about her, and lately he didn't care that it became obvious.

He had missed her, the past month without her was almost excruciating, especially since he was only left to linger on the last words she's told him.

She breathed softly and then gasped, her eyes closing once more as he gently began to kiss her neck.

"It will be okay." He assured against her skin, and soon rested his forehead against hers.

Ladybug trembled as she let herself sink into him as she had did before.

She touched his hand as it continued to rest on her cheek.

The two remained still in that moment.

She swallowed hard as she prepared for what she sensed was coming next.

His fingers slowly curled under her chin and lifted her face.

Her eyes only opened halfway as she felt him move closer and closer.

They fluttered closed as her hands rested on his chest, and his lips pressed on to hers firmly.