Disclaimer: one part here may be gory or deemed sensitive to some readers. Aside from that, hope you'll enjoy the chapter

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ADRIEN

The last time I ever cried for a person was when I was at the battlefield three years ago.

It wasn't because I was starting out new as a soldier. It was the day when I lost one of the closest friends I had. We enlisted at the same time and that was how we met.

He always asked me if I had anyone in my heart who I was fighting for.

I thought he meant a girlfriend or a girl I was infatuated with. That's why I always said no.

Then he explained that it could mean anyone - a parent, a brother, a friend, a colleague. To hold someone in one's heart does not always mean a romantic love.

Agape.

That's what he would always tell me.

A selfless kind of love.

He would always mention something about a friend of his, a woman, whom he thought he was only romantically attracted to. But he said that he would die for her, he would give up everything he had to keep her safe.

I couldn't understand it. To give one's life willingly for another was too much.

I cried as he died beside me because I thought of him as foolish for believing in a kind of selfless love. I thought that his life has gone to waste over someone he claimed to love.

Everything was foolish. I vowed to not be as reckless as he was. It was an oath I made for myself.

And it was an oath I broke when I started falling for her, finding myself crying for her.

I was only supposed to train her as she would train me back. It was supposed to only stay that way.

But slowly she climbed over the wall I made for myself to protect what made my heart weak. Instead of finding how pitiful my weakness was, she hugged me through it and kissed me with such fervor.

My weakness is not something I should be ashamed of. It just made me human.

You knew how to make me feel worthwhile. I told her one day while she was taking care of me at the infirmary. I was romantically falling for her, it was a type of possessiveness I could not fathom.

But it didn't stop there. There were times when I wish it did. When she betrayed me that night and was forced to speak down on me, I wanted to hate her with all my might. I wanted to lash out my anger.

I cried instead. I couldn't find myself doing it. And I felt stupid. Why was I crying instead of plotting for a way to fight back? A way to seek my revenge?

Then I remembered...agape.

Stupid. Reckless. It's an idiotic kind of love that I wouldn't accept. Yet its presence would continue to creep on me. I was in denial, until recently.

As I look at the woman in front of me with tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes, clenching the middle of her chest as she cries for me, for us.

I can now find myself claiming it:

This woman here who taught me that it's okay to be weak at times.

This woman here who toyed with my feelings yet with hers as well.

This woman here who's been hurting herself for my sake.

I would die for her. Over and over if I can.

If this is the selfless love I have for her, then I choose to go with the pain for it makes me stronger.

And I'm not the only one in pain. I know she is too.

Yet she said that she loves me too. Amidst these tears I shed for her, I smile for us.

I let out a light chuckle despite my tears. "What made you say that you love me?" I ask her, my voice just above a whisper.

She shrugs, smiling softly. "I don't know...I just really do. I'm scared that I'll die without ever telling you."

My smile disappears and shake my head, turning all serious. "None of us are dying here. We're going to get out."

"How?" She breathes out helplessly. "Adrien, don't give me any false hope-"

"No, no," I interrupt, "I promise. There's a way out. We just have to wait and hope that no one will come here-"

The loud opening of the door stops me midway and it feels like all air leaves my body as the newcomer emphatically kicks me right in the guts. I hit the wall at my back due to the impact. I grunt in pain as a new set of men enter the room. Leading them is the guy who continuously hit me when we were at the mine. He still has that same sardonic smirk as he walks to where I am sitting.

"Adrien!" Marinette shouts and tries to move to me but is stopped by the others as they hold her down on the ground. "No! Let go of me!"

"Leave her out of this," I utter through gritted teeth. Glaring at the man in front of me, I continue, "You only want me. Leave her alone."

He leans forward and clicks his tongue, looking down at me. "We've heard a lot about you, Agreste. How you gained the information we needed with dirty tricks. My, what a waste now that you've fallen under the hands of a dirty government scum." He spits right at my face. I close my eyes and flinch as it lands on my left cheek.

"What do you want?"

He scoffs then kicks me down to the ground and places his left foot on the right side of my face, pressing it down slowly. "I want nothing more than your death, Agreste."

"No! Stop!" Marinette cries out loud. I could see her struggle between the men who were holding her.

"It's better if we just end your life right?" The man continues despite Marinette's loud screams. Still driving his boot down on my face. With all my might I move around, hoping to stop him. I let out a cry in pain as he digs deeper.

"I won't let you kill me," I manage to seethe out.

"Oh, is that so?" He says in a sarcastic manner then cackles out loud. He snaps his fingers, calling the attention of the other men. "Check the girl," he commands them. "She might have something up her sleeve."

My eyes widen out of fear for her. All the more I move, agitated out of my wits to stop them from touching her. "N-No!"

The men find something in her right boot and pull it out after using pliers to cut out the tie holding her feet together. As much as I know how much she wants to run away, she can't because of the men still holding her.

They throw the thing on the ground and the man with his boot on my head looks at it. I let out a gasp as I recognize the thing.

"A crucifix? You still think that there's a god out there?" The man spits out. "Destroy it."

"STOP!" Marinette immediately shouts, surprising the man.

"My, she can pack a voice," he comments, jutting his chin towards her direction.

She pants while glaring at the man, tears continuously spilling out of her eyes. "You want me, right?" She whispers. "It's because of me that Agreste went against you," she continues, raising her voice to prove her point, "I'm a dirty government scum, I'm the daughter of the first proditor. Play with me. Hurt me instead."

"Marinette!" I cry but she does not spare me a single glance as she continues with such conviction.

"You can break any bone in my body just don't destroy that crucifix and please...please don't hurt him," she finishes then slowly lowers her head. And I could see it. The tears falling on the ground - her tears. "Take me instead. Leave him alone," she begs, helplessly.

The man looks between Marinette and I, the both of us shedding tears for each other. And it is like something clicks in his mind. He wickedly smiles down at her. "I see what's happening here. Your offer seems too good to be true since hurting you," he then looks down at me before continuing, "is like killing Agreste."

He turns to his men. "You heard the girl. I think she has the mark of the mutiny...why don't we give her more marks?"

No. I just got her. Don't let me lose her like this!

The man unsheathes a dagger from a leather covering and throws it toward one of the guys who is holding Marinette.

The guy catches the dagger with ease and brings it to Marinette's back, pressing it on her skin through her shirt. She bites back a cry as the dagger cuts across the skin of her back. Once, twice, thrice, it kept going. Marinette could not do anything yet embrace the pain, letting out a few grunts and small cries once in a while.

"Stop, please..." I cry, letting out a heart-wrenching sob. Marinette catches me looking at her. If only I could reach out a hand to her.

I'm sorry...

I'm so sorry, Marinette...

I hate being powerless now.

I hate to see her get the wounds that were meant for me.

And I hate...feeling so physically exhausted. The strength in my body is just giving up slowly. The weight of the foot on my head feels heavier by the minute. I could only let out silent tears for her.

"Let's give it a little sting," the man starts, sounding bored. "Douse her wounds with anything you can find. Leave her there. Clearly she does not have the strength to do anything threatening."

The men who were holding Marinette let go, causing her to fall hard on the ground beside me. She doubles up with pain and the only thing I could do was watch.

Marinette...

"M-Mari..." I struggle to say. She keeps her head down.

Just as the other men were about to leave the room, the door suddenly slams open and someone shoots a bullet right at the man who had his foot on me for the longest time now. He falls down and I could see the blood coming out of his chest. I look farther to see who shot him and relief floods my senses once I spot Nurse Nath, shaking and with a gun in his hands. He stands frozen there while Nino and Thaddeus come from behind and attack the other men, leaving them on the ground unconscious.

They're here.

A tear slips out of my eye and another follows until I cry softly and feel protected.

They finally arrived.

"Adrien!" Nino exclaims and runs to where I'm lying. His eyes widen as he notices something with me. "Dude, you're bleeding fast!"

I look down and my leg has started to bleed again. I couldn't even notice it the pool of blood that was forming beneath my leg. That explains the sudden exhaustion.

"I...I killed a man," Nurse Nath utters repeatedly in a daze, still frozen in his spot.

"Quit yapping there and help me out here, Nath!" Nino shouts at him then faces me. "This is what we get when a newbie handles a gun," he comments. Nino takes off his jacket and Nurse Nath, with some sense finally knocked into him, grabs it from Nino. He wraps it around my leg in hopes with stopping the bleeding.

"Help Marinette first..." I mutter under my breath. Thaddeus kneels by her side and clenches his fists in anger when he sees her wounds. Marinette lays on the ground, unconscious. Clearly not aware of the new commotion.

"Careful with her back," I continue. "She took the wounds meant for me," I confess, guilt flooding my thoughts.

"Mari," Thaddeus softly utters before shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her back. He grabs her body and carries her, making her head rest at the crook of his neck.

As Nino and Nurse Nath help me up to my feet after freeing my hands and feet from the ties, I notice the look Thaddeus has for Marinette as he peers at her.

I know that look.

It's the same look I have for Marinette. Concern, fear, anger, doubt, relief, love.

I face away as my chest clenches in pain. This is not the time to have such thoughts and I don't want doubt clouding my mind.

And yet that image is one that will take time for me to erase.

Nino grabs my arm and places it around his shoulders as I hobble on one leg. "Let's go. The others might discover us."

"What took you time to get here?" I quietly ask him as we start to move in haste.

"When we received your emergency signal from your radio, which by the way is a quick-witted move of yours, we gathered a team and followed the location of the signal."

Nurse Nath leads us outside and looks both ways, checking if the coast is clear.

"We only found your radio by the old mine..." Nino continues. "I'm sorry we took time trying to find where you were."

I shake my head, dismissing his apology. "Is this an ambush?"

"No," Thaddeus answers, carrying Marinette close to him. "This is more of a rescue mission, despite your reckless actions to escape the base to head here," he finishes flashing me a pointed look.

"I did it for Marinette," I spit out with a scowl. "And if I wasn't injured like this I would be the one carrying her, not you."

Thaddeus grunts and faces straight ahead. "My men can handle the rebels. Let's find our way back to the jeep."

"Wait," I utter, remembering someone else we should bring with. "Nurse Nath, go to the other room," I instruct him, "there's a woman there who we need to bring with us."

"Agreste, we're only here to save you and Marinette!" Thaddeus scolds me.

"There is one more person we need to bring with us. Marinette may need her," I emphasize sternly facing Thaddeus in a stoic manner.

He huffs out a breath in resignation and juts out his chin to Nurse Nath. "Listen to him," he tells him.

Nurse Nath runs into the next room and given a few minutes he runs out with Nathalie.

"Adrien!" She exclaims once she sees me and gasps in horror once she sees Marinette. "Marinette!" She cries out loud and immediately goes to the unconscious woman in Thaddeus's arms.

Thaddeus moves slightly away from her but stops as Nathalie starts to slowly caress Marinette's face in between her hands "What...what happened?"

I look down in guilt. "I couldn't protect her," I say softly, my voice laced with disappointment in myself. "She wanted to take my place. I did my best to stop them. I-"

Nathalie cuts me off by placing a hand on my shoulder. I look up to see her eyes glisten with tears. She shakes her head. "Don't beat yourself up because of that. As much as you want to protect her, she wants to protect you too."

A smile plays about my lips. I never thought that those were the words I needed to hear. "You're right."

I look at Nino, now filled with newfound determination. "Come on. Let's find our way out of here." I look at Thaddeus and he nods with determination as well.

"I'll help with leading the way," Nurse Nath announces despite looking nervous. Big drops of sweat were starting to form on his forehead.

Then the whole ground shakes beneath us as a loud explosion goes off way behind us. We look behind and could not see any of the damage, yet we could see the smoke coming from an area far from us.

"Monarch," Nino calls Thaddeus all of a sudden. They suddenly have gotten close from what I have noticed. "Those are the bombs that your team prepared."

Thaddeus curses under his breath and looks at the nervous and fidgeting Nurse Nath. "Nath, we need to move quickly. Now!"

Another explosion goes off, this time albeit closer to us.

"My team won't stop, you need to help lead the way now!" Thaddeus continues yet Nurse Nath almost looks like he's about to hyperventilate.

"Ah, come on!" Nathalie suddenly exclaims in anger then grabs Nurse Nath by his arm. "I'll lead the way, now follow me!" She starts to run forward, dragging him with her. All of us follow straight away.

I could feel Nino exerting more strength as he carries a half of my weight as we run, rather hobble for me. I glance at Marinette, who is still unconscious, in the arms of Thaddeus.

"Where is this so-called jeep of yours?" Nathalie asks Nurse Nath as she stops at the intersection of two corridors, each side leading to more rooms. Based from what I could see, we are in this space where only the different lines of rooms have roofs on it. This is just like the set-up of a garrison with different sleeping quarters.

"We just need to go further ahead. Continue going straight!" He answers, far from panicking already. We all run, following him and Nathalie. Slowly he gain confidence, as a grin starts to build up in him. "We're near! We just need to-" he stops abruptly in his step causing all of us to stop as well.

General Hugo stands right before us in utter shock.

"Hugo," Nathalie breathes out which almost sounds like a plea.

"Nathalie?" He whispers, furrowing his eyebrows then proceeds to study this situation at hand.

He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. The fact that Nino and Nurse Nath are still alive. The fact that General Monarch Thaddeus is here with us. And most importantly, the fact that Marinette is unconscious, clearly wounded.

"What happened to Marinette? I..." he stammers. With his words caught in his throat, he couldn't utter anything.

"General!" A voice calls out to him from his left. He faces the person who called him while we all run to hide behind a wall.

"Yes?" He answers, hiding the fact that he was glancing at us every other while. We could hear a collective set if voices talking amongst each other.

The mere idea that what separates us from a group of rebels is a wall terrifies me. General Hugo could just snitch us out.

"We need to check this area since this hasn't been sweeped-"

"No!" He suddenly shouts.

I close my eyes, waiting anxiously for him to tell them to arrest us, to separate us into cells for them to beat us up again.

"I've checked this area already," he continues, "there's...there's nothing here."

I open my eyes and gape at him.

He didn't tell them about us.

"Turn around and check where the explosions happened. Make sure nothing important has been taken by those of the government!"

"Right away, General!" The same voice replies and we could hear them leave, passing through the other direction.

Once General Hugo makes it clear that they left, he turns back to us. Specifically me. "What I did just now is for Marinette. The garrison is the relatively nearest place from here to get treatment. You both need it," he finishes eyeing Marinette and I. Then he moves to the side, giving us space to continue running. "Now, go. Before the others find out. Go!"

Nurse Nath starts for us and we slowly start to follow again. Just as I pass by the general, he stops me and looks straight into my eyes with all seriousness. "Take care of her, please."

"I promise," I say, my voice barely above a whisper before leaving him there as Nino and I continue to follow the others.

We continue to run for a while until Thaddeus spots the jeep that is hidden behind a bundle of tarpaulin and we all head towards it. Nathalie and Nurse Nath remove the tarpaulin and climb on it before pulling me up followed by Marinette.

Thaddeus heads to the driver's area while Nino runs to the front seat. As Thaddeus starts the engine, Nurse Nath brings out a first-aid kit and opens it wide.

"Adrien, you need to lie down first," he instructs and I comply, fixing myself beside Marinette who is lying on her side. Nathalie starts to take care of her wounds at her back.

As Nurse Nath works on the broken stitches of my leg and just when I could feel the jeep moving at high speed, I start to feel the after-effects of everything that has happened in these past days.

My body is starting to ache in all places now...and sleep is the one thing I want the most now.

I face Marinette and softly rub the back of my hand on her cheek. "You're going to be okay," I whisper. "You're strong...you're going to be okay."

Her face is the last thing I see before I lose sense of my consciousness.

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"Adrien?"

She looks so beautiful in her white nurses' uniform. She stops in place as she looks at me from head-to-toe.

"Wow," I sigh. "You look more than beautiful tonight, Mari." I couldn't stop myself from staring at this beautiful woman standing in front of me. "I...You're breathtaking."

I can't stop myself from falling for her.

"I-I didn't know that you owned a dress uniform..." she murmurs, suddenly turning shy.

"Well, I am an officer," I tell her, rubbing the nape of my neck. "I am required to have one."

She stays quiet and I notice that she's staring at me in awe.

"Is it your first time to see an officer up close with his dress uniform on?"

"Adrien..." she trails off. "Wake up."

"W-What?"

"Please," she starts again, "wake up."

"Marinette, I am awake."

"Adrien, please!" She utters, suddenly turning all serious. "Please, wake up!"

She disappears but it's the voice that doesn't.

The words repeat.

"Adrien, please wake up..."

"Please, please wake up..."

I slowly open my eyes and groggily focus on my surroundings. I'm lying down on a familiar bed. It's the type of bed that we use in the infirmary back at the garrison. I notice that there is white sheet on top of me that is covering me waist-down. An oxygen mask is placed on me and a needle connected to an IV drip is taped on my arm.

"Marinette..." I murmur.

I hear someone gasp by my side. "He's awake!" The same person exclaims and suddenly four people on my sides lean towards me. Through my half-open eyes I see Nino and Nurse Nath both looking well to see me awake. At the foot of my bed, Chloé stands comforting Rose who is crying.

I...I really am back at the garrison.

"Adrien, you're awake!" Rose cries. "I joined the military so that I could train myself to toughen up. But I can't help myself when I get really emotional! I'm so relieved to see you awake and alive!"

"Sorry," Chloé speaks up, continuously rubbing the back of Rose. "I tried to stop her from crying but she couldn't control herself."

"Nice to see you awake again, dude," Nino utters, smiling softly at me.

"Where's...Where's Marinette?" I breathe out. Their smiles suddenly falter and they throw nervous glances toward each other. "What's wrong?" I quietly ask.

"Adrien," Nino starts, "Alya is taking care of Marinette now."

"Then I must go to her." I proceed to sit up but they all protest against my actions.

"Dude, you need to rest some more," Nino tells me as he slightly pushes me back to my first position on the bed.

"I need to go see her now," I fight.

"As your nurse," Nath utters with authority, "I won't allow that."

"You don't understand," I retaliate, "I need to check on her now-"

"Adrien, can you quit it first?" Chloé bursts out, catching our attention. I stay silent as she takes it as her signal to continue, "We all thought you were dead among many other people." She eyes both Nino and Nath beside me. "So you would have never imagined our reactions when we saw all of you arrive here. Adrien, you've been asleep for three days."

My eyes widen with the sudden news. Three days. It's a punch to the gut. I've missed three days...three valuable days to figure out a strategy to end this dispute.

"S-So what about Marinette?" I stammer. "Please tell me that she's alright. Please tell me that she's awake."

"She hasn't woken up," Rose answers in a soft voice, letting out another tear.

My heart drops in shock. "W-What?" I utter in disbelief. "I-Is she going to be okay? Are there any signs of her waking up?"

"Not yet," a new voice answers my last question. We all face towards the direction of the door and Thaddeus stands by the doorway with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Monarch," Nino utters as Thaddeus walks to the side of my bed.

"Good to see you alive and awake, Agreste," he greets me then looks toward the other people in the room. "If you'll excuse us for a moment," he starts, "I have some serious things to ask Agreste here."

And in silence they all agree by leaving the room with Nath being the last since he fixed my oxygen mask first before exiting.

"So you now know the current condition of Mari. Ah, Marinette, I mean," he says right after they all leave. Thaddeus grabs a chair placed at the side of my bed and fixes it in a way that he faces me as he sits on it.

"Thank you for saving us back there, Thaddeus."

"It's because of your fast thinking with the radio that got you out of there. And you don't have to call me by my last name. 'Monarch' is fine."

I look away and let out a sigh. "But I'm still the enemy."

He shrugs. "I've noticed that that's not quite the circumstance now. I've noticed how you acted back at the base."

I look back at him.

"Forgive me for treating you in an unjust manner before. Lieutenant, I've noticed that you deeply care for Marinette. I do, as well," he finishes in a whisper.

It plays in my head, the memory of how he carried her body close to him, how he looked at her with worry and love. I feel like my suspicions have been answered.

"Of course I care for her. I love her," I tell him, looking straight into his eyes as I declare it. He stiffens in place then looks away, turning all stoic in an instant.

"I see," he simply comments. Then he clears his throat. "I'm here because you need to tell me everything that happened back in the south." Immediately, he changes the topic. But I am not one to back down from an issue involving Marinette.

I nod. "I'll tell you. That is...if you'll tell me who Marinette is to you."

He pauses then suddenly lets out a dry laugh. "What you're asking me to answer is going to take a long time for me to explain. It might tire you out physically and emotionally."

"Well, I've been asleep for three days. Try me."

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This is my longest chapter yet in the book. Hopefully you liked the chapter hehehe

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