It's been soo long since I have written. Just read the chapter, I'll talk about it after.

Marinette's POV

I was still, waiting for Chat to put the two and two together. My eyes were shut tight, waiting for the realization to hit him. I became visible again and opened my eyes to see Chat looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay?"

I was stunned at his response. I nodded my head, as I was at a loss of words. He sighed in relief and embraced me with a quick, but heartfelt hug. Chat pulled away, but didn't let go of my hand as he looked around.

"Did you see where Ladybug went?"

Thinking quickly to myself in relief that he didn't realize, I make up an excuse on the spot, hoping he would buy it.

"Yeah, that's umm... that's why I was here. She went in the water and I wanted to ask her a question, but she was about to transform back and asked me to cover for her."

"So Ladybug is okay as well?"

I nodded quickly.

"Yeah, she's completely fine right now."

He let go of my hand while still looking around, baffled by not being able to find Ladybug.

"If you see her, please let me know, I need to know she's okay."

Before I could say anything, he left me in the water to search for her. I sighed in relief, trying to think of a cover story.

'I could say I was looking for, no wait, that won't work. Maybe I could explain I was tryin- OH SHOOT ALYA IS GONNA WONDER WHAT HAPPENED'

I remembered that school was already out by now and Alya would be wondering where I went. I dragged myself out of the water while invisible and dried myself off. After I could stand, I gave Tikki a cookie and ran home as fast as possible.

When I got home, I swung the door open and booked it to my room, feeling my parents giving me a strange look as I scrambled up the stairs. I shoved the trapdoor open, jumped inside my room, and let it slam closed. Heaving and out of breath, I turned around to see Alya with a confused look on her face at my presence.

"Why are yo-"

"I'll tell you everything, just- let me breathe for a minute."

I plopped down on my couch, taking deep breaths to steady my breathing. I organized the thoughts in my head, then began to slowly speak.

"Well, it began when I hit my head."

Chat Noir/Adrien's POV

I vaulted across Paris in a panic, looking for any sign of red anywhere. I dialed her bug phone and once again, went straight to voicemail. 'Is she okay? Did she get badly injured?'

After 2 hours of searching, I went home, with no luck with finding Ladybug or if she's okay. I jumped inside my room though the window, closing it, destransforming, and walking to my computer as Natalie walked in.

"Adrien, time for supper."

"Okay, thanks Natalie."

She leaves the room with a nod and I it down in my chair, running my hand though my hair and thinking over everything that had happened. 'Does she hate me now? Was it something I said? Will she be out for patrol tonight?' I stand up out of my chair, and began to slowly trudge to the Dining room to eat.

As usual, there is food ready at one end of the table. I walk over to the table and pull out a seat as Natalie once again enters the room.

"You're father will not be joining you in tonight, he has some business matters to deal with."

I nod and she exits the room, leaving me poking at my food, with a loss of appetite. After about 15 minutes of absently staring at the wall, I get up and leave to my room, with the food barely touched.

I enter my room, close the door, lock it, and take a deep breath. 'It's okay, I'll ask her at patrol.' Then the other part of my brain wonders, 'What if she's not at patrol?'

"Ugh, why is life so difficult?"

Plagg flies out of my shirt pocket with a slice of Camembert. "It's cause you don't eat enough cheese, Adrien."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, cause you NEVER complain about that..."

"HEY! I only need one thing to be happy and I've got it right here."

Plagg lifts up the piece of cheese he was holding, throws it up, and catches it with his mouth. I look down in disappointment in myself.

"The only thing I need to be happy went missing last akuma attack..."

"She has to turn up eventually. Right Adrien..?"

"Plagg, Claws Out."

Marinette's POV

"So if I got everything straight, when you found out you got a tail, Chat heard you and raced over and found out, and since then, he's been like watching out for you?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Against my will, but yeah."

"Soooooo, do you think you could convince him to do an interview for me?"

"ALYA!"

"Sorry, keep it on the down low, my bad."

I rolled my eyes at her and looked outside. "It's getting dark outside, you should probably go home. I'll let you know if I have anything else to say."

She stood up and nodded her head. "Yeah, my mom will probably be wondering where I am. I'll see you tomorrow then?"

I nodded. "Yup, should be the plan. Bye!"

"Bai gurl!"

She exited my room and I let my thoughts roam for a bit. 'Today was so stressful, first the bathroom incident, then the akuma, and now-'

"Marinette, are you okay?"

I was started out of my thoughts when Tikki flew up to me and asked me a question.

"Oh! Um, I'm just thinking about stuff."

"What exactly? Is it have to do with Chat?"

"Well, kinda, but it's complicated. Alya, Adrien, and Chat all know my secret, Chat is worried all the time an- SHOOT I HAVE TO BE OUT FOR PATROL 30 MINUTES AGO! TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

I transform and quickly make my way to out meetup spot, looking everywhere to see if I spot Chat. 'Probably need to call him then...' I land on top of a roof, open my bug phone and press dial. Almost instantly, I get a response.

"Hello, Ladybug? Where are you? Where did you go earlier? Are you okay?"

"Chat, I'm fine, just meet me up on top of one of the roofs by the park."

"On my way."

He hung up on his end and I closed my bug phone, waiting for him to show up. 'I hope I didn't worry him too much.'

Soon, I can hear the metallic click of a pole behind me, with a soft thud. I turn around to see him and I can see his bloodshot eyes, telling me he was upset. He stays about 5 feet away from me and doesn't move.

"Ladybug, are you hurt?"

"No, I'm completely fine."

"Then why did you leave me all alone?"

I was stunned. "I, I didn't mean to, I just, just had to do something."

"Something more important than letting me know where you were? More important to leave me worrying if you're okay?"

I could feel the rage in his voice as I tried to form a response. "I wasn't thinking that-"

"Exactly! You weren't thinking! You left me for hours, searching everywhere for you while you went on about your merry little life, not bothering to tell me ANYTHING!"

"But I'm here now, I'm fin-"

"I'M NOT! I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON!"

He had his fists clenched, not moving one inch. His deep, loud voice almost scaring me. I tried to think of a response, but I couldn't while holding back my tears.

"And by the sound of things, you're best response will be something along the lines of you can't tell me to keep out identities a secret."

He spoke almost silently, a sudden change from his roaring voice to a deathly calm. Trying to compose myself, I spoke almost in tears.

"Chat, I-"

"Don't 'Chat' me. We're done for tonight. Next time I'll see you should be the next akuma attack and feel completely free to run off again without telling me."

He vaulted off and I collapsed on the roof in a full breakdown. I couldn't see anything, even if I tried. The tears welled up in my eyes and as they fell, more took their place. I cried out his name in between my sons, in the hopes he would come back. All that I got back was the echo of my cries.

I suddenly heard the flap of wings and before I could move, I heard a familiar voice in my head.

"Ladybug, Chat Noir has let you down one too many times. Join me and I will always have your back. All I ask for in exchange are both of your miraculouses."

"Hawkmoth, if you do not tell your stupid little butterfly to leave my earring right now, you're going to wish you were never born."

As the purple glow faded from me, I saw the akuma and with a quick flick of the wrist, caught it in my yo-yo. As I let the pure, white butterfly free, I watched it as it flew away in the distance.

I took a deep breath to compose myself. 'I can't be going vulnerable like that. The city needs me.' I grabbed my yo-yo and went to finish patrol, all emotions void from my work.

After checking though everything, I went home, detransformed, and went straight to bed. Right before I closed my eyes, I could see a worried face on Tikki, but I fell straight asleep before she could say anything.

Yay I have updated after forever. But I know imma get hit for that ending of a chapter. Welp, time to go hide now.

🐞 Bug Out! 🐞