"Ladybug! Ladybug! Can we get a quick interview with you?" A microphone was rudely shoved into Ladybug's face by an overly enthusiastic reporter. Ladybug tried to suppress a groan that rumbled into the back of her throat. She never really liked dealing with the paparazzi; they were always so invasive and honestly a little too peppy and upbeat, even for her. Marinette didn't really know how to deal with the press but she wasn't Marinette right now, she was Ladybug. That meant she had to deal with all the responsibilities of Ladybug, included dealing with the microphone that was currently intruding in her personal bubble.

"I'm sorry ma'am but I don't really have the time rig-" Ladybug was cut off by more microphones being shoved in her face by numerous other reporters. In the corner of her eye she thought she saw a flash of reddish brown hair that could only belong to the famous amateur reporter of the Ladyblog and her best friend, Alya. Leave it to her to be on the scene of the latest akuma attack.

Shoulders slugging, Ladybug accepted her fate. She had about four minutes left before her transformation would fall, really, what's the hurt in a small interview?

"Alright, alright. What would you like to know?" Ladybug conceded. Several voices chimed at the same time, all louder than the next. Ladybug held her hands out to calm the rowdy crowd.

"Please, one at a time." Ladybug instructed. One reporter with short red hair shoved to the front, pushing camera men out of her way.

"Ladybug, what's your insight on the newest akuma attack?" She asked.

"Well Seamstress was pretty tough with the flying needles and such but she's nothing Chat Noir and I couldn't handle." Another microphone was thrust forward.

"Speaking of Chat Noir, what's your relationship with him?"

Ladybug grimaced slightly. How many times is this question going to be asked? She furrowed her eyebrows and sighed.

"I've told the press this many times. Chat and I are just partners, nothing more nothing less. Now can we please move onto another question?"

Ladybug was bombarded with more microphones.

Off to the side, Chat was watching in bemusement at Ladybugs popularity. His Lady deserved all the attention she as getting; she really is miraculous. Although he couldn't help the small sting in his chest at her blunt answer to their relationship; it always hurt a little when she addresses their platonic partnership. Maybe one day she'll see that his love for her is real and genuine, until then he's happy just being by her side.

Caught up in his adoration for Ladybug, Chat wasn't aware of the eyes burning into his back by an unknown figure shadowed in the darkness.

~Line Break~

"Chat! Watch out!" Ladybug screamed over the chorus of chaotic music erupting all around the superhero duo.

Chat's body hit the floor as he rolled out of the way of a swarm of violins violating playing Chopin's Minute Waltz. Only a half a second later and Chat would have been saying goodbye to his head.

"That was a close call, thanks for the assistance, My Lady! Wouldn't want to ruin this handsome cat's face." Chat smirked as he flipped over a piano hurled at him from across the room. His smirk grew as he audibly heard Ladybug's annoyed groan.

"Yeah, wouldn't that just be a tragedy." Ladybug replied sarcastically, her yo-yo reflecting yet another barrage of trumpets shooting music notes.

"Oh you know you would miss me. What would you ever do without my precious puns? You wouldn't be able to go on, My Lady."

"Oh please, I'd be better off if I didn't have to listen to your stupid cat puns every second."

"You know they're purrfectly placed. They're wonderfurl."

Ladybug groaned.

"Yeah well-" Ladybug started but a harp was thrown between the two hero's, interrupting their short back-and-forth.

"STOP IGNORNING ME!" The akuma shrieked. Chat rolled his eyes while Ladybug readied her yo-yo. They both exchanged a small glance before jumping into action.

~Line Break~

"Well Kitty, I'll see you next time." Ladybug took out her yo-yo, ready to swing off into the night when Chat gently grabbed her hand. She turned back and was greeted with anxious green eyes.

"My Lady, wait. I know we've already discussed this a million times but I really wish you would trust me enough to tell me your identity. I promise I won't tell anyone," Chat placed one hand to his heart and raised the other, "Cat's honour."

Ladybug shook her head and slipped her hand out of his grasp. "I'm sorry Chat, but you know we can't do that. I trust you, you know that, but we have to keep out identities a secret; even from ourselves."

Chat looked down sadly, shuffling his feet. "I know, but I mean-I mean- I-I, I l-love you!" He exclaimed, grabbing her hand again. Ladybug looked shocked for a second, reeling back from his touch. Chat gained enough courage to look into Ladybug's eyes. The blue in them was mixed with surprise and another emotion he wasn't quite sure how to decipher. There was a storm swirling in her irises and he was sure he was getting pulled in but he didn't care; he needed her to know what she meant to him.

"Chat I-I," Ladybug was stuttering; she never stuttered. He did this; he ruined all chances he had with her. Stupid, stupid Chat!

"Listen Ladybug-" She whipped out her yo-yo faster than he could comprehend.

"Chat, I have to go." And with that she swung away, becoming a small red dot in the inky black of the Parisian night. Chat sank to the ground, head in his hands. This was his fault. Now he was never going to be able to face Ladybug again.

His ring decided to beep in that exact moment. Chat blankly got up; ready to make his trek home when he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned around and was met with a boy, slightly taller than him, maybe by a few inches, looking about the age of 15 or 16. The unknown boy was wearing a dark black sweater that made him blend in with the darkness that surrounded them and blue jeans, ripped and worn. The black of his hair blended with the tan of his skin that reminded Chat of golden sand. Chat leaned his head up and was met with stormy grey eyes that pierced into his very soul. He gulped under the intense gaze of the stranger before remembering he wasn't Adrien right now, he was Chat Noir.

"Oh hello, sorry I didn't see you there, are you I need of assistance, monsieur?" Chat said, giving it his all so not to give away the tremble in his voice.

The boy didn't respond for a few second, locking his intense eyes on Chat's, a hurricane of emotions whirling in his grey irises. He shook his head before smiling softly.

"No, no, I'm perfectly fine; especially now that you're here." There was something in his voice that sounded almost… lascivious.

"Oh well… that's good. I'm sorry for disturbing you, I'll be off then." He turned to walk away but a strong hand gripped his bicep and pulled, flinging him in the chest of the boy. He was surprised for a second, but then his mind caught up with him and he pulled away from the boy, careful not to hurt him with the extra strength of his suit.

"What are you-" Chat exclaimed. The boy put a finger to his lips, effectively quieting him.

"It's alright, Kitten. I don't want to hurt you like that insect did." He spoke softly but Chat could hear the spite in his voice as he spat out the word 'insect'. Chat felt a shiver crawl down his spine.

"She doesn't deserve you. No one does… but me. She's just using you Mon Minou, they all are. All she wants is the fame and glory while you stay in the back and let her soak up the praise that you deserve. How many times have you taken a hit for her? How many times has she put your life in danger so she can save her sorry ass? She'd be better off dead than using you as her personal shield. Oh, Chaton, I could treat you right; I would treat you right. Forget about that stupid bug and look only at me. I love you, Chat, I always have." The boy leaned down towards the Chat, pulling him in tighter to his chest.

Chat was too in shock at the boy's words that he didn't register the lips that were slowly getting closer to his own. Before he could even retaliate with a shove or words of resistance, the mysterious boy's lips had already connected with his. It was a deep and passionate kiss but that's not what Chat was focusing on. Chat could only register the fact that he was being kissed and that it wasn't Ladybug. His mind clicked.

Pushing on the chest in front of him, Chat used his suits strength to get the boys arms off of him. He succeeded and stumbled a few steps back, legs wobbly and heart racing. He let out a breath he was sure he'd been holding since the boy started his confession. Chat's mind was a confused and muddled mess as he took a few more steps back and the boy took a few steps forward.

"Kitten, please. Accept my love and become mine." The boy took more steps forward and Chat took more steps back. Even Chat could tell there was too much lust in the boy's eyes for this to be love. He didn't want Chat as a lover; he wanted him as a possession. Chat would not allow this. He pulled out of his baton and before the boy could even utter a word, he extended it, fleeing from the scene.

The boy was left alone, eyes following the boy in leather until he was too far to see. He clenched his hands into a fist. He denied him. He rejected him. All because… because… because of Ladybug. Pulling out his picture of Chat Noir he took when his little Kitten was looking particularly beautiful, he clasped it with an iron grip.

A dark butterfly flapped its wings, flying into the picture with ease. The boy whipped his head up, a purple butterfly insignia appearing on this face. A man's voice resonated in his head.

Stalker, I am Hawkmoth. You've lived you entire life in the shadows, now it's time to use them to your advantage. I give you the power to manipulate the darkness to your will to get the one which you desire. All I ask for in return is that when obtain your precious treasure you assist me in gaining mine by taking Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous. Do we have a deal?

The picture crumpled more in the boy's tight grip.

"Yes, Hawkmoth."

~Line Break~

Adrien brushed his fingers lightly over his lips while the teacher droned on about quadratic equations. He could still feel the pressure even after a whole night of restless sleep. He was scared. In the moment he wasn't sure how long it would have taken him to react if he hadn't remembered Ladybug. He shuddered at the thought. Nino glanced over at him, a bit of worry in his brown eyes.

"Hey dude, you okay?" Nino asked, lightly touching Adrien's shoulder. Adrien remembered the touch of the boy and flinched violently out of Nino's contact like he'd been burned by fire. His books clattered to the ground in a loud crash, gaining the attention of the entire room.

"Adrien, do you need to go to the principal's office or are you just here to disrupt my class?" the math teacher scolded. Adrien gulped and turned his head downcast, crouching to pick up his fallen books.

"No, I just got scared for a second, saw a shadow, you know. Please continue on with the lesson, I won't interrupt further." he picked up the last of his books and sat back down. Nino looked at his best friend, worried. There was a tap on his shoulder as he turned to see Alya leaning over the table.

"What's up with Adrien?" she whispered. Marinette looked just as worried as Nino as she glanced at Adrien. Nino shrugged his shoulders.

"I have no idea. I just touched him a little and he freaked." Nino said low enough so only Marinette and Alya could hear him but not Adrien himself. Marinette and Alya didn't look convinced. Marinette opened her mouth to speak when a loud crash resonated through the building.

"AKUMA!" someone screamed. Marinette was up in an instant.

"Teacher! I have to go to the bathroom! Excuse me!"

~Line Break~

Ladybug bounded off to the source of the crash, jumping from roof to roof. The sound of screaming and explosions erupted from a nearby rooftop and she leaped towards it with a giant burst of energy. Her feet landed on a dusty old warehouse as she glanced around searching for the akuma victim. She wasn't aware of the sound of footsteps, muffled by pure darkness until a foot connected with her back and she tumbled to the floor. A rumbling laughter escaped the perpetrators throat as his foot kneaded into her back painfully. Just then another pair of feet landed on the rooftop and bounded towards where Ladybug was being subdued. With a grunt, Chat pushed the akuma off of Ladybug.

"Don't touch her!" Chat growled. The akuma slowly raised himself off the ground and turned towards the recovering Ladybug and the sneering Chat Noir. Chat visibly shrank as he caught a glimpse of the akuma's face. Ladybug eyed him, concerned at the sudden change in character. Chat has never once been intimidated by an akuma, what's so different about this one?

"Oh don't worry," he drawled, "I wasn't thinking about touching that filthy bug. I would rather you instead, Kitten." He walked towards the superhero duo slowly but methodically. Ladybug drew her yo-yo, getting into her fighting stance expecting Chat to do the same but when she glanced over to her partner he was standing straight and rigid.

"Chat…?" It was only half a second but the distraction was enough for the akuma to swing his arm viciously, causing a heavy shadow to wrap around Ladybug and pin her to a thick metal pole protruding from the roofs ground. She struggled but her arms were pinned down by the shadow; the sound of her yo-yo clattering to the floor and out of her reach echoed around them. She was trapped.

The akuma laughed crudely at her distress.

"Let's see you get out of that little insect. Now where were we, Kitty?" The akuma stalked forward to Chat, still standing straight with shock. Ladybug's struggles increased.

"Chat, pay attention!" Ladybug shouted. Her voice snapped Chat out of his reverie. He readied his baton in a fighting stance, though it was really only for appearance, he wasn't sure how able he was going to be in this fight.

"You- you're the guy- the guy from last night, aren't you?" Chat stammered. The akuma advanced towards until he was face to face with Chat, looking down at him with a smirk.

"That's sweet, Chaton, you do remember me. I never did give you my name did I? Well the names Stalker now. Do you perhaps also remember what I told you last night, hmm kitty?"

The words echoed in his head. Accept my love and become mine.

A sickening sense of dread crept up Chat's spine. He backed up, trying to put some distance between Stalker and him but every time he took one step back, Stalker took three steps forward. There was nowhere to go, he was trapped.

Ladybug didn't know what was going on. Chat wasn't acting himself and that disturbed her. Where were all the puns? Where were the jokes? Just who exactly was this akuma? She watched in horror as Stalker backed Chat up into a wall, his baton uselessly resting in his slack palm. Stalker slapped it out of his hands before smacking both of his on either side of Chat's head. Ladybug's eye's widened when he inched closer to Chat, unaware of how he was going to hurt her partner.

"Chat, please! Move! He's going to hurt you!" Ladybug screamed, her vocal chords straining with each word. What the hell was Stalker planning to do to Chat?

Ladybug got her answer when Stalkers lips came crashing down on her partners with bruising force. Ladybug could have sworn she hears a whimper escape Chat's throat only to be smothered by the lips of his molester. There was an agonizing moment of silence, completely still with the exception of Chat's grunts and litany of 'no's' before Ladybug's struggle increased tenfold. She pushed and pulled, grasping at thin air as her feet kicked out, desperately trying to break free of her dark confines. Nothing seemed to work. Animalistic growls ripped from her throat as Stalker deepened the kiss. She watched in anguish as Chat feebly kicked his legs out, feet skidding against the gravelly tarmac of the roof. His hands frantically pushed against Stalker's chest in an attempt to shove off his overwhelming weight.

Stalker bit Chat's lip, attempting to pry his mouth open but Chat pressed his lips into a tight line, denying him access.

"Oh sweet Chaton, I wouldn't do that if I were you. We wouldn't want me getting rough with you, now would we?" his voice slithered down Chat's spine and reverberated through his mind.

"Please sto-" Chat started, but the second he opened his mouth, Stalker took advantage of the situation and delved deeper into the boy's throat with his tongue. Chat choked back a gasp as his mouth was invaded with the wet appendage. Stalker's tongue circled around, tasting everything Chat had to offer. Every so often he broke apart for a breath of air, leaving Chat gasping and panting.

Ladybug could hardly watch. Every whimper, every whine, every gasp, was agony to hear. To mere sound of Chat's cries were enough to send her over the edge. He blood burned with fury as she was forced to watch Stalker degrade her partner.

And then her heart stopped as Stalker's hand reached up to finger Chat's golden bell. The one that connected to his suit…The one that was a zipper…Ladybug almost vomited there.

"STOP! PLEASE! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE TOUCH HIM WITH YOUR FILTHY HANDS!" Ladybug screamed, thrashing hard enough to shake the pole she was stuck to. Stalker's laugh set her blood on fire.

"And what exactly are you going to do about it, bug?" the hand grasped the bell tightly and tugged, slight and gentle. Ladybug's glare could burn through metal.

"I swear on my life, if you even think about pulling that bell even a millimeter lower you will regret ever being born. I will rip you apart limb by limb until you are nothing but a disgusting torso, you hear me. Now let go of Chat." Ladybug growled low and threatening, gritting her teeth.

"Well little Lady," Stalker purred, "I'll take that bet."

The bell was viciously ripped down Chat's chest, chimes clinked wildly. Chat's suit was torn down all the way to his navel, splayed at the edges. In only a matter of seconds, hands roamed down his chest and sides, touching, feeling, groping any skin they could reach. Chat's cries of resistance increased as he vainly tried to shift away from the disgusting hands. His struggles were silenced with a swift punch to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him and sending him gasping.

"Oh no, Kitten, look what you made we do. I thought we agreed to no resistance. I guess I'm going to have to teach my little Kitty a lesson, don't I?" Stalker caressed Chat's sides, fingers glancing over his ribs and circling the skin, resulting in a shiver from Chat.

"Please…I don't want this. Stop… No…Ah!" Stalkers hands made their way to Chat's nipples, rubbing them between his fingers and squeezing harshly. Chat arched his back painfully, crying out.

"No Mon Minou, this is your punishment. Bad kittens need to be punished." He twisted Chat's right nub harshly before bringing his mouth closer and enclosing it around it. A high pitched keen erupted from Chat's throat which he stifled with his hands.

"Let you voice out. I'm sure our audience would love to hear every whimper and whine you have to offer, my love." Stalker eyes slid over to where Ladybug was still uselessly struggling. His malicious gaze met one livid glare.

"Don't look at me like that, bug. You threw him away, I'm just picking up the pieces," his gaze slid lustfully over Chat's panting pink body as he licked his lips lasciviously, "and boy is he delicious." Her eyes widened. A dark chuckle escaped his throat.

"Don't think I didn't see what happened between you two. You hurt my darling Kitten with your cruel words and then threw him to the curb like some mangy alley cat. I was there to comfort him, where were you? If you look at this from a certain perspective," his voice lowered, "This is all your fault."

"How dare you…" Ladybug's voice was nothing more than a whisper, "how dare you blame me for this! Get the hell off him! Or else-"

"Or else you'll what! You are in no position to be threatening me, insect. I'll show you just how little power you have." Ladybug paled at the words. He wouldn't…

"I know what you're thinking and believe me," he grinned, "there's absolutely nothing you can do to stop me." And with that Stalker tore off Chat's suit with alarming strength, ripping it to shreds until only bits and pieces remained, a tattered reflection of the outfit it once was. With no hesitation, Stalker unbuckled his pants and extracted his penis. He lined it up with Chat's twitching entrance. Chat's struggles became frantic.

"Oh God…no! Anything but that! Please! Stop! Ah! Cataclysm!" Chat screamed, bringing his hand to the sky but before he could go through with the destructive attack, Stalker grabbed his wrist and smashed his hand against an old rusty water heater. In an instant the metal disintegrated, leaving only a heap of metal scrap in its wake. The beeping of Chat's ring echoed.

"What a naughty kitty. I was thinking of making this good for you but now…" he leaned in closer to Chat's ear, "I will take what's mine." Chat's scream as Stalker ripped into him was engraved into Ladybug's mind as the single most agonizing sound of her entire life. Her vision blurred as salty tears invaded her eyes, increasing in size at every whimper and cry that escaped Chat's mouth. He was in so much pain and she was forced to watch as Stalker raped her partner viciously and without remorse. Her vision went red and her pupil shrank to the size of pinpricks when she caught sight of the tears cascading down Chat's cheeks. His voice sounded raw and ripped with each thrust sending him into convulsions.

She couldn't take this anymore; she had to do something. Looking down, Ladybug saw her yo-yo lying uselessly on the floor. If she could just grab it then she'd be able to use it to knock Stalker off Chat and give enough distraction for him to lose focus and drop the shadow's trapping her. Her arm stretched painfully in an attempt to grasp the yo-yo but it was too far away. Wiggling her foot, she flexed it, nudging the yo-yo a little closer. The tip of her foot caught enough leverage on the top of the yo-yo to swing it back and into her reach. Using the top of her foot she tucked it under and flipped it up to her open hand and without a moment's hesitation, whipped it forward.

Stalker thrust into Chat with reckless abandon, the slickness of his muscles clenching around him sending into shockwaves of pleasure. This was everything he wanted and more. When he felt the foreshadowing of his release creeping up on him he lurched forward, ready to spill his seed into Chat and truly claim him as his when something hard and circular hit him roughly on the head, sending him sprawling onto his side. He rubbed his throbbing head and gazed up to search for the perpetrator of his attack. There standing before him was Ladybug, gripping her yo-yo with bruising force, teeth gritted, and a look of pure hatred shining in her normally cool blue eyes. Now those blue bell eyes were clouded by a storm raging inside as she whipped her yo-yo furiously at his face. Stalker recoiled, clutching the side of his cheek protectively. She raised her hand to strike again and he backed up, crawling on all fours to get away from the raging superhero. His back met a cold wall and he watched in growing horror as light footsteps came closer and closer to his prone position. A low growl sounded from Ladybug's throat,

"The akumatised item. Now." The picture was frantically handed over. He didn't miss Ladybug's grimace as she recognized the photo of her partner. She ripped it into pieces, each rip more aggressive and violent than the next. The butterfly flew out of it and she purified it. There was no, 'time to de-evilize's' no 'bye bye petit papillion's", just silence…

There was no Lucky Charm to throw up into the air so Ladybug threw her yo-yo up with a mumbled 'Miraculous Ladybug', fixing all the damage Stalker caused in his rampage.

As Stalker detransformed into a normal civilian, the glare he was given by Ladybug was enough to cripple. The grip on her yo-yo tightened.

"Go. Get out of here before I do something I regret," her fist gripped his shirt roughly, "and if I ever see you again, I will personally make sure that you'll be counting shadows. Get out of my sight." Ladybug snarled. He was up in an instant and out of sight in two.

Ladybug sighed, grip loosening a little on her yo-yo. Her breath hitched as she turned on her heel at the sound of more beeping noises. Feet pounding against gravel, she ran towards Chat, falling on her knees and cradling his head in her arms.

"Chat! Chat! Oh god! Please tell me you're okay!" Ladybug shouted. Her hands were touching everywhere, making sure that Chat was indeed still here, still with her.

"I'm so sorry, Chat! This is all my fault! Please talk to me! Please…" Ladybug sobbed. Chat remained unresponsive in her arms, eyes blank and unfocused. His gaze was on her but he wasn't looking at her, he was looking past her, glazed and unseeing. Ladybug gripped his hair and brought his head to her chest, rocking his body as sobbed retched from her throat.

She wasn't fast enough. She wasn't strong enough. She wasn't good enough.

And now Chat was paying the price.

"Please…please…Chaton… I can't do this without you…say something…anything…" more sobs echoed, "tell me your stupid cat puns, flirt with me, I'll even let you kiss me if that's what it takes…just please… please…be okay." Ladybug buried her head in Chat's fluffy blonde hair, pleading for a response from her beloved partner. He remained as still and limp as a doll.

The beeping of Chat's ring rang louder and louder until a bright green light flashed. Ladybug's breath hitched. Chat wasn't transformed now; he was in his civilian identity. Did she dare…? Ladybug hesitantly lifted her head away from Chat's, her eyes squeezed tight. She brought a hand to her chest to slow her breathing until she was ready. With one clench of a hand she opened her eyes.

And her world came crashing down.

"A-Adrien?" His gorgeous emerald green eyes were clouded over, dulled into a submissive olive green and drool dripped from the side of his mouth, making trails down his throat. Tears stained his red rimmed eyes, shadowed over by blonde hair. Luckily, as the transformation dropped so did his tattered outfit, being replaced with his normal attire of a black shirt with a white dress shirts and blue jeans. Jeans that were slowly being stained a deep red. Ladybug lurched to the side and threw up the contents of her stomach.

This was too much. If Ladybug thought she was mentally unstable after witnessing Chat's raping, she was on the verge of a mental breakdown discovering Chat was Adrien. A heart wrenching scream ripped from Ladybug's mouth and into the Parisian air, dying down only after she had exhausted her lungs. The burning in her throat increased as sobs racked her body. She clutched her shoulders, shaking, tears plopping one after another onto the roof ground. There was nothing else she could do. She barely noticed a small black figure fly out of Chat-Adrien's- ring and nuzzle deep into his blonde hair.

"Adrien!" She screamed over and over again. A litany she repeated, cradling his body to her own. The beeps of her own miraculous sounded and her transformation fell. Marinette was left rocking back and forth, pleading with Adrien to say something, anything.

"Marinette, please." A small high-pitched voice said. Marinette ignored it.

"Kid, wake up. Come on, you owe me some camembert cheese….remember…please….wake up." A lower and more prominent voice said. Marinette ignored it.

"Adrien…" Marinette sobbed, tears rolling down her face. A hand lightly caressed her cheek, wiping away the tracks of salty water. Marinette's head shot up and met with glossy green eyes.

"M-Marinette- My Lady- p-please don't cry." Adrien rasped out, smiling faint and pained. Marinette choked out a gasp.

"Adrien! Adrien!" Marinette could only call out his name, hugging him tightly to her chest.

"I'm sorry… I-I… you must think me disgusting." Adrien voice cracked. Marinette only hugged him tighter.

"NO! Adrien, I could never. I wasn't strong enough! This happened because of me!" Marinette cried.

"No, My Lady! None of this was you're doing! Please don't blame yourself. I-I just want to go home. Please Marinette; I don't want to be here anymore." His eyes went downcast, clouded over in horrific reflection of what just happened to him.

Marinette sniffled and rubbed her eyes. She glanced over at Tikki, who was also in tears and reached into her purse pocket, taking out a cookie. Tikki ate it as fast as she could and Marinette transformed back into Ladybug. She gently slid her arms under Adrien's torso. He winced at the touch and Marinette's heart clenched.

"You're coming to my house and we're getting you cleaned up. You have no say in this. I will not take you back to an empty home." She said, thankful she could say the sentence without her voice cracking or breaking into sobs. She vaulted off the roof, holding Adrien protectively against her body. She heard his small and quiet sniffles turn into cries and then turn into heart-wrenching sobs. The shaking boy clutched her body tighter, fingers digging into her suit.

"T-thank you… Thank you, Marinette." He whispered, the wind making his voice almost silent.

Marinette's teeth clenched as her heart constricted.

I'm sorry, Adrien…

I'm sorry…