"What's going on? What's all the commotion?" Melodie asked as she walked downstairs.

"Sweetie, good morning!" Camilla LaGrête greeted her adopted daughter, "did you hear? They've found out who Cat Noir is!"

"Really?!" Melodie gasped and sat down at the table.

"Good morning, Orléans, France. We bring you the exclusive scoop on news from Paris. The supervillain known only as Hawk Moth threatened to kill Ladybug, and it was just then that it has been revealed that this villain is Gabriel Agreste in an effort to bring back his wife, Mélanie Agreste." The news reporter said.

"WHAT?!?!" Melodie gasped as she almost choked on her croissant.

"Mel, are you okay?" Camilla asked, "careful!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Melodie gasped, "but, did she say, 'Agreste'?!"

"I'm sure she did."

"Speaking of the Agreste family," the newsreporter continued, "we also learned that in order to save his love-bug, Cat Noir revealed himself to be none other than Adrien Agreste, son of this Hawk Moth. So is this looking like a fight against father and son?"

"ADRIEN?!?!" Melodie shrieked and jumped up. She stared at the screen as cameras showed Cat Noir removing his ring and revealing Adrien Agreste. Melodie covered her mouth as tears threatened to escape her green eyes, "oh my gosh, Adrien..."

"Melodie, are you okay?" Camilla stood up and smoothed Melodie's blonde hair.

"I'm fine... I just... Need time alone." She said and headed to the stairs.

"Okay, but don't forget, you have a photo-shoot in--"

"Can we just cancel, please?" Melodie asked.

"Of course, Darling." Camilla smiled as she picked up her phone.

Melodie nodded and walked up to her room, shut the door, and sat on her bed. She turned on the TV and switched to the news channel.

"Reporters tried to get to Adrien and ask him about his relationship to Ladybug and who she is, but failed, last seen running off with a girl with black hair from the park in an attempt to get away." The newsreporter continued.

"...Adrien.. You've grown up so much..." Melodie cried as she let the tears just fall. She turned to her wall and looked at her own picture on her wall.

Then she opened her drawer, got out her wallet and a set of clothes and shoved them into a backpack. She then got out a pen and paper, wrote down a note, and left it on her bed. She then went to the bathroom, changed into comfortable clothes, climbed out of her window, and left. She examined her map as she waited for the metro,

"Let's go to Paris."

___________________

(Want full effect? Play this video as you read the rest of this. Warning: if you play this video as you read the rest of this chapter, YOU MAY CRY.)

"How could I not have noticed long ago..." Adrien whispered as he held onto Marinette's cold hand, "your kindness towards others, your leadership skills, your talent, and how blind could I be?!" He sighed as he rested his forehead on her hand. He turned to look at the gifts on her side table. There was a Ladybug doll, a plate of cookies for Tikki (who was sitting on the other table with Plagg), flowers, a balloon, and a card.

"Is she going to be okay?" Tikki asked.

"I really hope so, Tikki..." Adrien shook his head, and he felt a tear escape his eye.

"Adrien." A voice said. He turned to see his mom entering the room.

"Mom..." Adrien cried as she hugged him, "how's Father?"

"They have him locked up..." Mélanie answered sadly, "but I'll be here for a very long time, Sweetheart. Don't worry." Mélanie held his face and she wiped away his tears.

Adrien smiled, but then looked down at Marinette and held her hand tighter.

"Adrien, you have no idea how proud it makes me to see you out there fighting with confidence and bravery. I couldn't be prouder." Mélanie hugged him as they sat silently with the slow beeping of Marinette's heart monitor.

Suddenly, Adrien felt Marinette's fingers move. They turned to see Marinette starting to wake up.

"A-Adr..." Marinette strained.

"Shh..." Adrien turned his attention to her, "how are you feeling?"

"Wha...happened..." Marinette said.

"I'll leave you two alone." Mélanie said as she left.

"Hawk Moth put too much electricity through you, and it really charged your heart, the doc says..." Adrien explained as he rubbed his thumb on her hand, "they were actually surprised you're still alive, but... Have no idea what could happen... With all that electricity in you..."

"You were here with me... This entire time?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah. After what happened, I never want to leave you, Bugaboo." Adrien chuckled as he held her hand tighter.

"We made you a card, Marinette!" Tikki flew over to Marinette and presented her with a small card, signed by her and Plagg.

"Thank you, Tikki..." Marinette tried to smile and patted Tikki's head a little. Tikki giggled and gave Marinette a little hug.

"Marinette, we won! Hawk Moth's locked up, now!" Adrien smiled, trying to cheer her up.

"So, job well done?" Marinette asked weakly.

"You bet." Adrien nodded. Marinette giggled a little, then slowly held out her fist.

"Pound it." She smiled.

"Pound it." Adrien laughed as he gave her their victory fist-bump.

"Marinette, I never got to tell you..."

"My chest..." Marinette coughed.

"What?!"

"I'm..." Marinette gasped, and she squeezed Adrien's hand, but then it suddenly went limp, and her heart rate monitor started going crazy fast.

"Marinette?! Marinette!!" Adrien shouted, "Tikki! Plagg! Go get a doctor!"

Tikki and Plagg nodded, then flew out to get a doctor.

"Oh no, no, no, no, Marinette, no... Please..." Adrien whispered as he brought her hand to his lips, "please don't do this to me..."

"What happened?!" A doctor asked as he came into the room.

"I don't know. She said her chest was hurting, she went limp, and the monitor started going crazy." Adrien explained.

"She's going into cardiac arrest." The doctor concluded, "I'm sorry, Adrien. You're going to have to wait outside."

"But--"

"Bring in the AED." The doctor ordered as a nurse came in and had to pull Adrien outside. More doctors and nurses went in with an AED and the door shut behind them.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Agreste..." The nurse apologized and went into the room.

"Marinette..." Adrien cried as he stared at the door.

"Oh, Adrien..." Mélanie wrapped her arms around him and let him cry into her shoulder, "she'll be okay, I promise."

"Is this..." They turned to see Marinette's parents and Alya walk up to them.

"She's going into cardiac arrest..." Mélanie said.

"Oh no..." Mrs. Cheng cried, "please, let us see her!"

"We can't go in." Mélanie replied.

"Adrien. I'm surprised you're here..." Alya said.

"Alya, I'm Cat Noir, and this is my Lady who's dying right now..." Adrien cried.

"Wait, Marinette's LADYBUG?!" Alya gasped.

"That's how she got here in the first place..." Adrien explained as he walked up to her and Marinette's parents, "I couldn't save her... This is all my fault..." Adrien cried as he turned to the closed door, "if she dies... This is all my fault..."