The walk back to Chat Noir's home- to her home was much quicker than before. She had stayed for two weeks- a week longer than she originally planned- but the akumatization of Sabrina had convinced her to go home immediately.

She was met halfway by Plagg, who meowed contently, rubbing himself briefly across her legs, and trotting in front of her.

She entered the main doors, only to be tackled to the ground by a flying black mountain of fur, fur that unfortunately got into her mouth.

She crinkled her nose and spat out black fur, while a purring Chat Noir rubbed his head against hers.

"You came back!" he crooned happily.

"Well, yeah," Marinette said confused, "Wasn't I supposed to?"

Chat sprawled his entire body against hers, which although warm and somewhat welcoming from the cold, led Marinette to yelp uncomfortably and firmly push him off. He seemed too happy to care, and settled for keeping his head in her lap.

"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon," he chirped happily. He frowned as he peered closely at her face, "Did something happen?"

Marinette shakily took off the now dull silver ring and handed it back to Chat Noir.

He gasped as he took it back, and it glowed black once more, "Sabrina-?"

"Is dead," Marinette said blunty, before she promptly burst into tears on top of him.

"I'm sorry!" Chat Noir cried out as he hugged her distraughtly, "I'm so sorry, Marinette."

"I killed her!" Marinette sobbed, "I should have been here, I should have stopped her-"

"No Marinette," Chat growled, his claws digging into her shoulders, "Don't blame yourself, Princess, this was never your duty, never your burden, it was my magic that killed her. I'm so sorry, Mari."

"Is that how-" Marinette was afraid to finish her question, "Is that how your wives died?"

Chat whimpered as he hugged her to himself more fiercely, "No. I told you I never hurt my wives. But they died in a similar way." Chat sounded heartbroken.

Rien appeared at the end of the hallway and walked towards them slowly. He stared down at Chat and Marinette impassively. He wore a heavy outer coat and looked like he was dressed for the cold weather outside the mansion.

"Where are you going?" Marinette peered up at him worriedly. She had never seen Rien leave the place.

"To collect the body," Rien said emotionlessly.

Marinette burst into another fresh round of tears and Chat Noir hastily pressed her back into his chest as he glared up at Rien.

"Do it quickly!" Chat spat at him.

"Why?" Marinette sobbed, wrestling herself free from his embrace, "What do you do with them?"

Chat tried to embrace her again in vain, as she easily twisted away from him. Rien strode out the door without a backwards glance.

"The bodies don't decay… and sometimes the akumas come back," he said reluctantly.

"Where do you keep them?" Marinette asked wide-eyed and terrified, imagining a cemetery filled of akumas fighting to crawl themselves out of the ground.

"In one of the rooms," Chat said nervously, "You're still safe from them, only one has ever come back to life… and no one else."

"Take me there," Marinette insisted. She had to see for herself. She needed to see this.

"What? No!" Chat balked, "Marinette please, you don't want to see this!"

"Chat please, I'll go through every room myself looking for it, I can't rest knowing this, please take me there!"

"Marinette, you don't know what you're asking! I can't, I can't see you there-"

"Chat please!" Marinette begged, tears dripping from her eyes.

"Fine," Chat cried, "fine I'll take you to that damn room!"

Chat Noir slowly stood up, extending an arm to help Marinette up, who took it gratefully. He slowly guided her down the hallways, past many rooms, until they stopped at a door that didn't appear any different from the others.

Chat Noir hesitated briefly, before turning the doorknob and walking carefully in, stopping just over the threshold.

Marinette blinked several times trying to see through the dimly lit lights. She slowly strode forward… taking in the nine raised platforms and the… bodies. So many bodies laid out on the floor in between and around the platforms. Alix… Lila… Sir Ramier… Marinette gasped realizing the platform closest to her held a beautiful girl on it. There was a name elegantly engraved into the side:

ROSE LAVILLANT

Chat Noir's wives were here.

Rose was dressed elegantly, her blonde hair swept into a beautiful braided bun, her petite figure clothed in a delicate silken pink and chiffon dress. Rose must have adored that dress. The only thing ruining the picture was the blackened butterfly outline around her eyes, just like Sabrina's.

Tears filled Marinette's eyes as she backed away from the platform in terror, only for her eyes to become fixated on another and then another after another.

JULEKA COUFFAINE

BRIDGETTE CHENG

MYLÈNE HAPRÈLE

Each one held a beautiful girl dressed richly in clothes, with no pulse to speak off.

Marinette's breath came fast, and she gasped, feeling as if she couldn't get enough oxygen in her lungs.

Each one of Chat Noir's previous wives… all laid out dead and preserved before her.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she couldn't help but notice that one of the platforms looked fairly new, and there was no body on it.

A terrible feeling grew within Marinette's gut, but she couldn't help but be drawn towards it.

She touched the smooth stone surface of the platform, slowly moving around the side to read the name carved.

MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG

Marinette let out a loud sob as she turned around and ran for the door only to slam into Chat Noir, who backed away from her touch as if it burned him. She was astonished to feel tears drip down onto her, as she realized he had been crying openly for quite some time.

"I told you, I told you not to come in here, you never should have seen this. You're going to end up on that platform. I'm sorry. I've killed you and you're going to die. Everyone dies." Chat Noir sobbed desperately, "I'm so sorry. I just wanted this to stop. I'm so sick of bodies."

Still gasping, Chat Noir fled out of the room.

Marinette ran after him, pausing only momentarily to slam the horrid door behind her, but he had vanished.