I just had to write after watching Optigami!!

I really feel the ending to this season is going to floor us. I have zero idea of where this season is going, but I know where I'd like it to ... hence this one-short. I hope you enjoy!

••••••••••

"Chat, don't do this. This isn't you!"

"Isn't me? How would you know? You traded me in, Bug. You didn't trust me so now here we are."

Adrien's voice was like venom hitting Marinette, lethal and slowly poisoning her. How did they get here?

"Please Chat Noir, we can work this out."

"Chat Noir was weak. He let you push him to one side like nothing but a cheap side kick. I control my own future now and as Chat Blanc and I will help Shadowmoth defeat you. You took away the one good thing I had. You made me feel second best. You and me against the world, you said! Funny how things changed when she came along."

Adrien walked over to an untransformed Alya, battered and beaten, laying on the floor.

"Please, don't hurt her." The tears ran freely from Marinette's eyes. This was wrong, everything here was wrong. The fear coursed through her veins as she watched her once loyal partner stalk towards her best friend. She'd made a mistake. A big, fat mistake. This one didn't just affect her though, it affected everyone. If only she could turn back time?

"I never meant to hurt you, Kitty. This is not what I wanted. I just needed some help, I was weak."

"Not what you wanted? Please, you think this is what I wanted? I loved you! I wanted to help you, I tried to get you to talk to me but it was never enough. I never wanted to fight you, but unfortunately it seems this is the only way. Cataclysm."

Adrien shouted out for his destructive power and moved towards Alya, hand bubbling with the ferocious power to destroy. He never thought he'd turn on his friends, but there was a lot more at stake now. His father would love him for getting her earrings, he could then pass on the ring and get his mother back. Someone who loved him unconditionally and would remain loyal.

A life for a life. If he made the wish, perhaps they'd take Ladybug in place of his mother. His mother who loved him back, not the liar standing in front of him.

For years she said they were a team, well it's funny how much of a team she really thought they were when it came down to it. He placed his hand over Rena Rouge, over Alya. If she'd only told him instead. If only she'd not been stupid enough to give a permanent Miraculous to an unmasked hero.

"Last chance Bugaboo. Your Miraculous, or a final farewell to the Ladyblogger."

Without second thought Marinette reached up to her ears and began to remove the special item which had brought so much destruction to her life. Funny, she was meant to be the Goddess of creation. So many bad choices had been made these past few months, and it didn't matter how often she told him, he'd never believe she was sorry. She truly was. He meant everything to her.

"Just take them, but know Chaton I never meant to hurt you. I love you."

A pink glow trailed up her body as Tikki no longer held a connection to her body. She saw the shock in Chat's face. It was slight and short, but it was there, he hadn't expected this.

"Marinette?" His voice was just a mere whisper, as he placed his hand against a rock to relieve his cataclysm.

"What are you doing, Chat Blanc? Take her Miraculous."

Adrien stood in shock looking at Marinette. His friend. The girl who kept the umbrella, the girl he wanted to dance in the rain with.

"I can't." Adrien cried. A man dressed in purple edged his way out the shadows to make himself known. Shadowmoth.

"Yes you can! Now is not the time to show weakness for a pretty girl. Take the earrings from her." Gabriel Agreste screamed towards his pathetic excuse for a son, but Adrien didn't move. His eyes were still fixated on the girl standing in front of him. The girl who made him laugh, who made him feel safe, who was his partner.

Gripping ahold of his head, pain began to shoot from one side to the other, playing its own game of ping pong. It was intense but he would fight it. He would fight it for her.

One thing he knew was Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a great girl. She wouldn't harm anyone without reason, Lila had tried enough to defeat her only to be met with a match winning opponent.

He continued to struggle against his fathers demands. He was going to win. He was strong. He would break out of it at all costs.

"Bunnyx," he whispered towards the heroine.

"Chat?"

"Get to the box Marinette, get the Miraculous to Bunnyx."

"I won't leave you." She said, running to his side as he battled the pain of Shadowmoth in his head. Gabriel began to advance on the young pairing.

"I can only hold him off for so long. Now go!"

Marinette stood up and looked between her two best friends. Could she save them? She nodded at Adrien, allowing the tears to stream down her face. Licking the salt off her top lip she moved to him and cupped his face in her hands.

"I'm going to fix this, Kitty. I'm going to fix everything." Her lips met his, causing the link between master and son to break.

The white of his outfit suddenly changed back to its comforting black and she stood back.

"Go!" He screamed again, advancing on his father, staff out and ready to attack.

Marinette threw her yo-yo and swung out of the atrium below the Agreste Mansion, heading towards her house. She knew Mayura would have a sentimonster after her within minutes, she needed to move fast.

Reached her room, she dropped her transformation as soon as she hit the lofts floor.

"Tikki, eat up quickly."

Tossing a macaron to her small Kwami, Marinette grabbed the Mother Box and headed towards the door to the bakery.

Without a word to her parents, she bolted out the door and ran out onto the street pulling her phone from her pocket.

"Come on, Alix. Answer your phone."

She didn't kill her speed as she ran full throttle towards the Eiffel Tower, crossing her fingers the girls were in their usual meeting place.

Marinette looked up, just as a glint of purple sprung from one rooftop to the next. Mayura, or a Sentimonster. She called Alix's number again, still to no available.

Reaching the desired location, Marinette let out a breath as she saw Alix skating alone.

"Thank God." She sighed, exasperated. "Alix! Alix!"

Alix stopped what she was doing and came face to face with a fearful Marinette.

"What's wrong girl?"

Marinette fumbled in her bag for the Mother Box and pulled out the miraculous of the Rabbit.

"Alix, this is the Miraculous of the rabbit, which grants the power of evolution." Marinette couldn't stop the tears from trailing tracks down her face, "You'll use it for the greater good. Once the mission is over, you'll return the Miraculous to me.... Can I trust you?" She was pretty much screaming at Alix.

"You're Ladybug?"

"Alix, please! Will you do it?" Marinette was more frantic than usual. There was no way she'd say no to her friend.

"Yes, of course."

Marinette threw the miraculous at Alix. Opening the box Fluff flew out. From the look on the kwami's face, he was fairing up about as well as Marinette was, something must have happened. Without another word, Alix spoke.

"Fluff, clockwise."

As the transformation took place for Alix, Marinette called on her own. Taking a quick look around she saw the purple blur gaining momentum, fully on track to where the girls were. Alix looked to where Marinette's attention had been pulled and gasped.

"Burrow." She yelled, pulling Marinette into the dome alongside her, the door closed and they both breathed out hot air of relief. "Where are we going then, LB?"

"Take me to the day after Truth and Lies. The day after I broke up with Luka."

Alix nodded, wanting to question Marinette about everything, but the frantic worry on her friends face proved that would not be the best idea.

Pressing on one of the holes, a video played and Marinette winced. There she was with Luka on the bridge. She replayed the moment with immense pain running through her chest. Luka was amazing, but it would never had worked. Chat was her one and only, and she was going to make sure he knew that.

"Stop it there."

It was the next day and for some reason it was a video of Adrien and Kagami. Marinette watched as Kagami handed Adrien her charm back. His face studying it with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Seeing him so beat and vulnerable made her want to jump out there and then to comfort him, but it was not the time.

The video continued to a picture of herself in her room. She was looking at pictures of Adrien and Luka, looking broken. The day after this she thought she'd found the meaning of life again, but she'd made a bad call. She'd chosen the wrong person.

"Send me here."

Alix opened the portal and Marinette stepped out into her own room, but four weeks in the past.

"Ladybug, what are you doing here?"

"You can't tell Alya!" Marinette vomited the words out. She needed to get this over with, she needed to make sure she didn't repeat the same mistake. This was her chance at rewriting the past, saving her friend and her partner.

"Tell Alya what?"

She took a deep breath before relaying the whole of the story. Gang of Secrets, revealing to Alya, Optigami and how it changed every dynamic and relationship in her life. How the one person who deserved the world, was crushed by her actions.

"You need to reveal to Chat, tonight on patrol. It can't wait."

"But our secret identities we're putting each other at risk."

Marinette shook her head. How was she so naive only a month previous? She should have listened to Tikki from the word 'Go'.

"You and Chat are not even close to being at risk compared to the others. You have to do this. There is no other way."

Past Marinette nodded in agreement. She knew risking this means she had to change something.

"Do you know his identify?" She asked.

"No." It was simple. He knew her, she didn't know him.

"Ok."

As future Marinette made her way back to the burrow, she prayed she'd be stepping out to a different future.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

That evening Ladybug called a patrol with Chat Noir and prepared herself. This was going to be a major change to her life and their dynamic. She still truly believed her future self would only do this if it was absolutely necessary.

"You know the difference between us and the rest of the world M'Lady? We can't be completely honest with each other. We keep secrets and... sometimes we have to lie."

"But we always trust each other." They both say in sync.

"Kitty, I need to tell you something. It's going to change us, and things will never be the same again but my future self has promised me now is the time." Marinette looked out towards the Eiffel Tower. She needed to build her courage for this, this was one of the most defining moments of her life.

"You can tell me anything, Bugaboo. I'll always be here to help you." Chat turned to face his partner, a crease messing with his perfect face.

"I've been struggling since Master Fu left us. This whole Guardian thing is taking over my life and I don't know what to do anymore. I need help. I need you, kitty." She broke out into tears, placing her hands over her eyes.

Without waiting a heartbeat, Adrien had her in his arms. Rubbing her back like a small child and praising her with whispers, he adored her, he idolised her, he loved her.

After a brief breakdown she steadied herself and pulled away from him.

Before he could register what was happening a pink flash blinded him causing him to turn away. As soon as the light died down, he turned back, only to be met with a hand preparing to shake his own.

"Hi, I'm Marinette."