Marinette slowly opened her eyes, taking a moment to gain her focus and remember where she now was. It had taken her and Adrien longer to find the cabin than they thought it would, arriving sometime after the sun had risen. Once inside they had both collapsed onto the bed exhausted.

Sitting up, Marinette noticed she was alone but soon became aware of the sound of wood being chopped outside. Standing up, she pulled aside the curtain that partitioned the bed from the rest of the one room cabin. The bed was at one end of the room and an unlit fireplace with a small kitchenette was at the other. Aside from a couch, a table with a few chairs and a large chest there was little else, but it was clean at least and evidently well kept.

Making her way outside Marinette shivered as the wind blew, hugging her arms around herself and realising too late she should have put her coat on. Being higher up the air was quite a bit colder, and judging by the position of the sun it looked to be mid-afternoon.

Marinette soon found Adrien behind the cabin near a narrow fresh water creek, swinging an axe high in the air before letting it slice through a piece of firewood. His hair was messy around his face, not quite long enough yet to tie it back like he used to, but rough enough to not be entirely princely. His rugged appearance paired with his partly unbuttoned shirt with upturned sleeves made Marinette's heart skip a beat. She had always thought the Prince a handsome man, that was a given, but it was more than just his appearance that made her fall more in love with him these last few weeks. He had changed a great deal since the nineteen year old she had first met at the Masquerade. He was so much more a man now... wiser, stronger, more determined... and her legal husband.

As she watched him continue to chop the wood she thought about how much she herself had changed too. She was less of a child now, and had seen much in her time as a field nurse, but aside from that Marinette had realised something more about herself. She had always tried to lead with her head, determining her choices based on what she believed was logical. She first rebelled against that after her grandfather had betrothed her to Lord Barbot. She had chosen to fight for what she wanted then by taking a chance and joining the nursing corp. Playing absentmindedly with the ruby ring on her finger, it was increasingly becoming harder for her to separate her head from her heart when it came to Adrien. Her head still told her that she shouldn't belong to him. She would only hold him back in the end, but her heart told her that their love could overcome all obstacles if she just gave in to it.  Should she fight for what she wants now?

Marinette hadn't realised she had been staring until Adrien noticed her and smiled. She felt her face flush. God that smile could be her undoing.

"Sorry, did I wake you up Princess?"

Marinette wasn't sure she should let herself get used to him calling her that, but she couldn't deny she liked hearing it.

"No. I don't think so." She replied, picking up a few of the wood planks. "Have you been awake long?"

"Half an hour maybe." Adrien said, wiping his brow with the back of his hand before collecting the rest of the wood. "I found some food in the cupboard and thought I better get a fire going. It could be quite cold here once the sun goes down."

Marinette followed Adrien back into the cabin and began to explore the cupboards while he got the fire started.

"Alix was right when she said they kept this place well stocked." She said, taking out a few jars. "There is plenty of preserved fruits, tin foods and cured meat. Oh, there is also flour and yeast here so I can make some bread in the morning."

"That would be wonderful." He said, coming over and picking up one of the tins she had sat on the counter. A moment later, Marinette swayed and Adrien quickly grabbed her, pulling her closer to his chest to steady her. "Are you alright? You must be hungry, you haven't eaten anything since last night."

"I guess." Marinette replied, tugging a little at her bodice. She was still wearing her red and white wedding dress from the day before. "I think maybe I'm just feeling a little constricted." She looked up at him and was met by concerned eyes, but also a realisation at their proximity.

"There... um... there are some clothes in that chest over there." Adrien said, pointing to the box against the wall. "Why don't you find something in there and freshen up a little while I make some dinner?"

He tucked some stray hair back behind her ear and caressed her cheek. Marinette could feel her heart thumping harder in her chest. There was something different in the air, like the feeling you get before a storm.

"You can cook?" She teased, trying to shift some of the tension she could feel building. Adrien's face broke into a broad smile.

"I wasn't always just a pampered Prince you know." He replied, stepping back from her. She instantly missed his warmth, but she also hoped it would give her heart a chance to slow down. Adrien picked off a fry pan from a hook on the wall, flipping it in his hand. "There was no special treatment in military school and learning to cook was a vital skill. Besides, my cooking was better than Luka's or Nino's I'll have you know."

Marientte had to chuckle at the conceited look on his face. "Maybe I'm the one that should be cooking." Marinette suddenly said, catching Adrien by surprise. "I'm your wife, right? Isn't that what is expected of a wife? To cook and look after her husband? If I'm going to be filling in this role, then I should be doing it right."

Adrien placed down the fry pan and picked up her hand instead, holding it reverently between his hands. "Marinette, you've been looking after me since the day I landed in your field hospital. Now it's time for me to look after you. That's the job of a husband too, you know... to take care of his wife."

He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it before turning her hand and leaving a lingering kiss to the inside of her wrist, her whole body tingling at the contact. He turned his eyes back towards her and Marinette could feel a fire light up inside her. Things had begun to change more and more between them in ways she wasn't sure she had the resolve to stop and her heart couldn't take it.

"I um... I'll just go and clean up then and leave you to it." She stammered, her face she was sure was as red as her dress. She needed to breathe.

"No rush." Adrien replied casually, letting go of her hand and picking the pan back up. "Take your time. There's no one around to disturb you. I'll just be here if you need anything."

Marinette left him to it then and explored the large chest. There were indeed clothes inside, but no nightwear and as much as Marinette loved her dress she had made, she was really over wearing this bodice. Picking up one of the men's shirts, she took it outside along with a towel and some soap to wash at the creek, hoping to defuse some of the tension she felt had started to creep in.

The sun had begun to dip behind some of the taller trees, spreading long shadows. Marinette found a patch of bank still in the sun, marveling at how peaceful this place was. The water shimmered as it skimmed over the rocks, and the birds twittered in the trees above. In different circumstances, she would say it was almost idyllic for a honeymoon.

The water was cold, but it felt good to wash her hair and clean herself after the long trek to the cabin. It had definitely been a whirlwind few days. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths while she knelt on the soft grass. Listening to the sounds of nature, she became acutely aware of just how alone and isolated they were here. In fact they hadn't passed another house in many miles and the road that had led to the cottage was very narrow, far too narrow for a buggy to traverse. They were completely alone and Marinette realised she and Adrien had never been this completely alone before. There had always been someone else nearby or in the next room. A nervous flutter began to rise in her.

"I need to keep a level head." She whispered to herself. "I can't..." But she couldn't find an excuse anymore. Taking a few more deep breaths, Marinette headed back into the cottage.

Adrien had his back to the door, busy over the stove when she came in, but when he turned he almost dropped the spoon in his hand. The white shirt she was wearing hung to her mid thigh and wasn't leaving a great deal to the imagination. To top it off her damp hair was draped around her shoulders, still dripping slightly and leaving tracks along the white fabric. She looked innocent and ethereal like an Angel from heaven, she looked like a demon had come to tempt his heart and drag him into damnation - and he would gladly hand his soul over to her in a heartbeat.

Marinette's cheeks reddened under his gaze and that tension she had sought to escape from earlier had begun to resurface. Adrien cleared his throat, focusing his attention back to the food.

"This is ready now." He said, grabbing two bowls and trying to act normal and keep his mind on what he was doing and not on what he would like to do. Yes, she was his wife, but that didn't mean he was about to take liberties on the situation they now found themselves in despite being completely alone.

Sitting together as the sun began to set, Adrien listened as Marinette told him about her childhood with her parents. Her mother cared a lot for the people who worked in the Dupain wheat fields and mill. Whenever someone was injured or fell sick, she would come to them with a herbal remedy from her old country. It was where Marinette had learned about the herbal teas and things such as meadowsweet.

"She wrote all her remedies in a notebook." Marinette continued. "It's practically the only thing I have of hers now, but it's still in my bag with Zoè's carriage."

"I'm sure Zoè will take care of our things." Adrien sympathised, placing his hand in hers. "It won't be long before we will see her again in the Capital."

Marinette's heart sank a little remembering that they had a mission to complete. On the end of the table sat the weapons that Master Fu had given them. Well, she still wasn't convinced hers was a weapon. Picking it up, she opened it and tried to look at her reflection. It wasn't very clear though, as though the mirror inside was foggy. It wasn't even useful as a compact!

"I've been trying to work out what Master Fu meant." She said, closing the compact and sitting it back down. She was very aware of Adrien's eyes being on her and she could feel those butterflies rising up in her stomach again. Casually she stood up, trying to put some distance between them by placing her bowl in the sink. "What could be an act of creation? Should I make something? Do you think maybe these spirits like bread? I mean I was planning on making bread, or perhaps they require something more magical."

Adrien had to bite back a laugh. "You think the magic is spirits?" Adrien asked, his eyes still following her.

"They must be... I mean it's possible isn't it?" Marinette continued, avoiding his eyes. "Spirits trapped in the... in the..." She waved her finger towards the weapons. Why was her mind going blank? "Well you know what I mean. My mother used to tell me stories of magical creatures from China. Prodigious I think she called them. What if they weren't just stories and this is a similar kind of magic? I mean I didn't take much notice of what she was saying because I was a kid and it sounded like a fairy story even though they weren't fairies but, you know, magic and all that. I just wish Master Fu had given us more to go on instead of just more riddles, don't you think?"

Adrien watched as Marinette fiddled with her fingers, her breathing becoming as erratic as her ramblings. He stood up and took his own bowl over, standing beside her at the sink calmly. "I think he told us everything we needed to know, Marinette. He just left it up to us to put those pieces together."

He turned his emerald eyes towards her and Marinette's breath caught in her throat at the look he was giving her. He was about to take her hand when she quickly turned and moved across the room near the bed. Adrien got the distinct feeling she was trying to avoid him, which was a little difficult considering the situation, but more importantly he had a sneaking suspicion he knew why.

"So... do you have any ideas then?" She asked, wringing her hands. Adrien leaned his back against the counter top and regarded her from a distance.

"Well... let's maybe look at what Fu told us. The last night Ladybug and Chat Noir spent together, they bound a part of themselves to the jewels, creating an everlasting bond between them, one that was meant to transcend time and space. A bond that was never to be broken."

Marinette nodded and she listened. "And the child was a physical representation of that bond." She added. "So how did the bond break hundreds of years later?"

Adrien rubbed his chin in thought. "You know my mother always assumed that we were descendants from that first Chat Noir, but what if she was wrong? What if the De Vanily's came into possession of the Cat Ring later? Like your family came into possession of the Ladybug earrings."

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean the blood line was broken?"

"Exactly." Adrien confirmed, walking closer to her. "Fu said over time the bond weakened and then broke, which I think means there was no one left from that bloodline, and so a new pair needed to find each other..."

"To mend the bond." Marinette finished. Adrien came close to her, taking her hand into his and shaking his head.

"Not bend the bond m'lady. The act of creation was to make a new bond between the Ladybug and the Black Cat. But you'd already figured that out though, hadn't you?" He asked a little teasingly with a raised eyebrow, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Yes." Marinette admitted. She licked her dry lips as Adrien brought his face closer to hers. "But..." she breathed. "There is only one way a bond like that can be created, by surrendering your whole heart to another, and accepting their whole heart in return."

Her breath hitched as Adrien gently grazed his fingertips across her jawline. She instinctively leaned into him, his soft touch sending a shiver down her spine. Adrien's own breathing became more laden as his building emotions began to overwhelm him. He could feel the way her body ached for him and radiated her warmth, the same way he yearned for her. He loved her so much and the weeks of tension between them were teetering on the edge if they were brave enough to take the fall.

"Marinette." He whispered against her ear. "Do you have any idea what you do to me? How much I want to be with you? How much I want to show you just how much I love you?" His voice was breathy and full of longing, but also vulnerability as she felt his hand rest on her hip.

Marinette's heart thumped in her chest, her mind a whirlwind as his hot breath fanned her cheek. The feeling of desire was all consuming, and yet there was that trickle of self doubt still there in her mind that she couldn't shake. Oh but the way she felt his heart race under her fingertips as she braced herself against his chest, the intense gaze of his eyes, the connection they shared that was undeniable and yet terrifying all at once.

"I love you." She murmured, his lips ghosting the sensitive part of her neck. "I love you so much Adrien, but if I'm not the right Ladybug, if Fu is wrong... then this... Adrien if we do this and then... what if..."

Adrien cupped her face in his hand, splaying his other hand across her back and pulling her closer to him. "I don't care about any of that." He said, his eyes blazing in a flash of possessiveness. "You're my wife Marinette. I chose you and no one is changing that. Not my father, not Barbot, not anyone. I don't want to be with you because of fate or just to recreate an ancient bond, I want this because I want to be with you, because I've decided that I can't give you up. I want to give you a part of myself and bind our souls together for eternity. To make a new bond."

Marinette fisted his shirt in her hands. He pressed his forehead to hers, his fingers leaving her cheek and threading into her hair. "Adrien..." She gasped as his lips met hers, their instinctive desires laid bare in the passion of that kiss. Marinette's earrings and Adrien's ring began to glow like they had the night before. Parting briefly their eyes were locked on one another and the air felt like it was vibrating all around them.

There was something carnal in the way Adrien's lips claimed hers again. The kind of kiss that took your breath away while breathing new life into your soul. There was no prophecy, no Capital, no war... it was just Adrien and Marinette and somewhere in between an uncontrollable fire. His lips found the soft part of her neck and felt the way her pulse throbbed beneath them. The sound she made as his teeth grazed the soft flesh was driving him crazy.

"Tell me your mine, Marinette." Adrien said, his voice raspy with emotion. "Tell me nothing will ever come between us."

"I'm yours Adrien." She whispered. "Claim me with your love. My body, my soul and my whole heart."

Shaking hands fumbled as buttons were undone and clothes discarded to the floor, hands moving unbidden to places never before dared as their bodies entwined fell onto the bed. They were running on instinct, they were guided by love. There were no doubts, no questions,  no inhibitions - only ecstasy.

Oblivious to everything but the other's touch, neither Adrien or Marinette saw two lights elevate from their jewels and unite above them before zooming across the room and settling on the weapons on the table. 

*****

Marinette wasn't sure what it was that had disturbed her through the night but she didn't want to open her eyes. The warmth of Adrien wrapped around her made her feel so safe and loved. His soft breaths fanned her hair while he held her to his chest. If it was already morning, Marinette didn't want to know about it. Morning only meant another day closer to when they would have to leave and therefore another day closer to returning to the Capital.

That being the case, Marinette wasn't afraid anymore. Yes, being back would mean Adrien would have to resume being the Prince again, but she had no doubts at all about his commitment to her. They had made a promise to one another and nothing on earth was going to come between that.

She was on the verge of drifting back off the sleep when a sound soon had her wide awake... something that sounded awfully like someone had just whispered 'Ladybug'. Opening her eyes, the room was only dimly lit as the fire was starting to go out. Nothing seemed out of place, and it was a perfectly calm night outside. Marinette let her eyes start to close when she thought she heard the whisper again.

Sliding Adrien's arm off from around her, Marinette sat up and looked at her peaceful husband. Her movements had slightly disturbed him and out of the corner of her eye she thought she had seen a flash of light.

"M'lady?" He asked groggily. Marinette bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Go back to sleep Kitty. I'm just going to throw another log on the fire."

Marinette stood up and surveyed the room. Curious, she tiptoed towards the fireplace, rolling up her sleeves as she went. Suddenly, two green glowing eyes appeared on the table and Marinette screamed.

"Marinette? What?" Startled, Adrien threw off the covers and promptly tripped over the sheets in his haste to see what was the matter.

"Mouse!" Marinette screamed. "A possessed mouse!"

"A what?" Adrien exclaimed, trying to make his way over to his wife who was standing with her hands covering her face.

The two of them then stood perfectly still as the sound of laughter filled the room. "Oh, that was hilarious." The voice said, before another more stern voice joined it.

"Plagg! That is not how you introduce yourself to our new holders. You were supposed to wait until the morning."

"Oh lighten up Tikki." The other creature replied with a wave of its, was that a paw? "I only get to do it once every few decades... or has it been longer than that now?"

A little more light then filled the room when Adrien lit one of the lamps. Marinette could now see that what she mistook for a possessed mouse looked more like a small black cat... a floating black cat. Maybe the jury was still out on the possessed part though as he looked positively demonic yet strangely cute at the same time. Next to the cat was a similar creature, but this one was red with a black spot on its head and bright blue eyes.

"Are you spirits?" Marinette asked. "Or something like the Prodigious?"

The red bug shook her head. "Not exactly. You could say we are cousins of the Prodigious. Have you met them?" The bug asked curiously.

Marinette was surprised at the genuine innocence of the little bug. "No, I only know some stories my mother used to tell me as a child."

"What are you then?" Adrien then asked, eyeing the black cat as it started poking around the kitchenette before pulling out a large chunk of cheese and started munching.

"We are kwamis. My name is Tikki and I am the Ladybug Kwami of Creation. That stinky bottomless over there is Plagg, Black Cat Kwami of Destruction - and you must be Adrien and Marinette."

The two looked at each other in surprise before looking back at the Kwami. "How did you know our names?"

At this point Plagg decided to join the conversation, still shoving his face with food. "Just because we were trapped in the Miraculous doesn't mean we didn't know what was going on. Fu has his ways of communicating with us. It certainly took you two long enough to let us out of there."

"Miraculous?" Adrien queried, rubbing his forehead. "Master Fu didn't tell us anything about magical fairies, or Miraculous. Only that an ancient magic was trapped inside the jewels."

Tikki nodded in understanding. "Well guess he had to be careful, in case we ever fell into the wrong hands again."

"Again?" Marinette asked and Tikki continued.

"I've lagg and I passed through many holders over the centuries, but rarely did they ever meet, or if they did it wasn't under the right circumstances. After the original bond was broken, Plagg and I fell into the hands of two holders with evil intentions. The Jade Turtle of that time rescued us before a new, ill intent bond could be made, and made the decision to lock us away in the Miraculous - the jewels you are wearing, and separated the weapons so one couldn't work without the other. Didn't Master Fu tell you all this?"

Marinette shook her head. "Some of it, but not everything. He talks in riddles a lot of the time."

"You get used to it." Plagg chimed in. "Still, he must have trusted you two by giving you these weapons without the bond having been created first." The black cat then floated up to Adrien's face and gave him an intense look. "Okay kid, if Fu is willing to trust you, then I'm willing to trust you. Let's transform and see what you are made of."

"Transform? Into what?"

"Chat Noir of course." Plagg declared with paws outstretched and a little twirl. "Those aren't just old stories you know. Just pick up the staff and say "Claws Out."

Adrien picked up the staff and looked over at Marinette. Tikki then floated up and told her to take the compact and say 'spots on'. Marinette held out her hand to Adrien and they laced their fingers together before saying the phases in unison. Two bright flashes of light later, and they stood in their new outfits with masks on their faces.

"Beautiful." Chat beamed as he looked over Ladybug's outfit. "You almost look just like the night I first met you."

Where her bed shirt had once been was now a fitted black laced bodice with long red sleeves with black polka dots and a skirt that hung into a knee length skirt with black tights and knee high boots.

"You're not looking too bad yourself Kitty Kat." Ladybug mused, reaching up to touch the cat ears sitting on top of his head. He was all in black with just some green edging on his long coat and ears with black gloves and black boots. His walking stick was now a staff and she noticed that her compact was now... a yo-yo?

"You mean my weapon is a child's plaything?" Ladybug sulked. "How come you get the cool..." Her words died on the tongue though when the yo-yo suddenly levitated out of her hand and the string hung down, almost inviting her to take it.

"Go on." Chat encouraged excitedly. "See what it does."

Ladybug eyed the object suspiciously before looping her finger into the string. A moment later it was as though the yo-yo took on a life of its own and was dragging her around the room.

"Adrien." She screeched out, only to be met by hysterical laughter.

"I think it wants out." Chat replied, heading for the door.

"Wait Kitty, no." Ladybug called, but in no time at all she was out the door and high above the trees before crashing with a thud back on to the ground. Chat soon sailed over her, vaulting himself with his staff, yahooing as he went.

Well... Ladybug wasn't going to be out done on that score. Picking herself up she took a firm grip on the yo-yo and her nostrils flared as she looked at the object with determination. "Alright." She said, swinging the yo-yo around in circles. "Let's do this."

With a strong throw, Ladybug was soon in the air again and on her way towards Chat who was a little in the distance taking a breather. Ladybug stopped a little way from him and watched as he stood under the moonlight next to the river. He had one foot resting against a rock and a smile on his lips as he looked up to the sky until...

"What the...?" He exclaimed with a laugh as Ladybug's yo-yo wrapped around him. "Looks like you caught a cat in a bug trap. I guess it's not such a useless weapon after all."

Ladybug chuckled, pulling herself playfully along the cord until she reached where he was. She loosened the yo-yo, retracting it back before standing next to him. "I'll admit, I judged it before knowing more about it. Fu was right. Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. Your knee seemed fine just now. It's not hurting is it?"

Chat shook his head. "Not even a little bit. It's almost like nothing had ever happened to it." He looked down over himself in awe. "I feel... like I'm invincible. Like I could take on the world."

Ladybug placed a hand on his arm. "Slow down Adrien. We still need to be careful. You, me, Master Fu, we are all in danger and we don't know who else might know about these Miraculous."

Chat looked at her with concern. "You mean someone like Barbot? At this stage it wouldn't surprise me."

Ladybug's eyes widened. "My earrings." She gasped, placing a hand over one of them. That made a lot of sense as to why Barbot had been so obsessed with her.  "But if he knew you had the Cat Miraculous, why didn't he order XY to bring it to him? Everyone thinks you're dead, remember."

"But does he?" Chat wondered out loud. "It's like you said before. Sometimes things are not always what they seem. Barbot was after Master Fu, and the Jade Turtle had sworn to protect the Black Cat." Chat gritted his teeth and banged his fist into his hand. "He used me to find where the Jade Turtle was hiding. But then why let everyone else think I was dead?"

Chat turned to Ladybug just as she let out a wide yawn. Daylight was just starting to glimmer over the horizon and neither of them had gotten all that much sleep. Chat gently cupped Ladybug's cheek. "We can worry about all this later. You need your sleep, my love."

Ladybug gave him a sleepy grin. "The last time I stayed up with you until daybreak, I was trying to save your life. Can't we stay here just a little while longer?"

Chat nodded with a look of complete adoration on his face. His thumb traced against the mask on her face. "You know those eyes were what made me fall in love with you, even though I didn't know your name. Only those bluebell eyes hidden behind a red mask."

Ladybug leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as a gentle breeze blew over them. Opening her eyes Chat leaned in and claimed her lips in a soft kiss. "You know m'lady, there is one thing Barbot doesn't know. That we have each other."

"You're right, Chaton." Ladybug murmured against his lips while wrapping her arms around his neck. "And our bond can never be broken."

Raising up on her toes, she kissed him as the dawn broke on the horizon until a yawn once again claimed her. Chat chuckled, scooping her up into his arms. "Come on Princess. I think a few more hours of sleep for you." He said, extending his staff and bounding over the trees back towards the cottage.