Marinette's POV
I woke up and blinked into the darkness. It was dead quiet so I crept out and ingot the hall. The lights that were dotted around the hall were enough for me to see so I scampered down the hall and into the stairwell. I silently checked that the coast was clear before transforming. I emerged on the bottom floor and walked out ignoring the excited hushed whispers from the guards. I flew across the city to our designated meeting area.
"Hello, m'lady." He inclined his head.
"Good evening Chaton." I smiled. "Shall we begin?"
He nodded and without another word I raced off. Over houses, between skyscrapers and straight past the castle. I paused and looked at the few windows splaying light. Somewhere in there, my parents were putting together the last of the preparations. My stomach squirmed and I grimaced. I should be getting ready too.
"Are you okay?" Chat stopped at my side looking over at the castle.
"Fine," I muttered before continuing my patrol.
"You've been off lately." He pointed out while racing to keep up with me. "Like today. You were giving Queen B the cold shoulder."
"I was upset," I told him simply. "But I don't want to talk about it."
"Well, why not?" He prodded.
"How was your day?" I asked ignoring his question.
"I had lunch with a friend after I went to the museum which was good." He shrugged. "Your avoiding my question though."
"Oh, my day was good too," I told him without hesitation.
"You're doing it to me too." He sighed and I rolled my eyes. "You're giving me the cold shoulder."
"Your one to talk," I muttered before speeding up and leaving him in the dust. An hour passed and I landed back on the meeting building.
"She told you didn't she?" Was the first thing he said to me when I touched down.
"What? That you've been spying on me? Or that your roping recruits into it too?" I asked casually over my shoulder. "I figured out both."
"I'm sorry." He grimaced. "Its just you've been so close to Reina I thought..." He trailed of shrugging.
"That I told her my identity?" I finished with a raised eyebrow. He nodded, anger burned through my senses. "Because I did." The words came out before I could stop them.
"You what?!" He furrowed his eyebrows.
"I told Reina Rouge my identity!" I said a little louder. "Just like you told Carapace yours."
"Why wou... How did you find out?" He asked suddenly not so argumentative.
"Marinette found out he had your kwamii, Plagg. I'm not even going to ask about that." I huffed. "What really angers me is that you would have shouted at me even though you did the same."
"It's not my fault you don't trust me." He blurted and shuffled back when I whipped around to face him.
"That's the thing!" I threw my hands out. "Your the one that doesn't trust me..."
"Then who are you?" He cut me off.
"You didn't let me finish." I crossed my arms and breathed through my nose. "I trust you to protect the world, the people we care about within it but if you can't do it I will. If that means I have to run about keeping the team together so be it! If that means I have to lie to keep my identity hidden then I will and have. Do you know why? Because if Hawkmoth knows who I am and he akumatizes someone I care about, I'll... I'll..."
I pressed the heels of my palms to my eyes.
"You'll save them." He said simply. "Like you always do."
"That's the thing!" I burst. "I can't! I'm not as strong as the past Ladybug's. I'm not Hyppolitia!"
"Name one thing she could do that you couldn't." He countered sharply. "Who ever she is..."
"She could handle it!" I shouted, my words ringing through the street bellow.
"Then let Reina, Carapace and Queen B help you. Let me help you." He approached again.
"You're my friends. I won't let you be dragged further into this." I paced back and forth.
"Into what?" He growled.
"My mess." I stopped with a sigh. "I should have given her the miraculous. Should have handed it over the moment I failed with Stone Heart."
"That wasn't your fault." He calmed himself to a comforting presence.
"But it was."
A/N: This chapter goes out to several people including; @Wishfulthinker12, @sarah213aj, @priya124y.