He knew something was wrong. With each blow Chat Noir directed at Bad Luck the wider the latter's grin became. With each clash of staffs the more it seamed that Chat Noir could feel the energy being sapped out of him.

But how could that be?

He had to admit the fight was pretty draining. Apart from fighting Bad Luck he was constantly being showered with rather aggressive Akuma that fluttered over him in black waves, obscuring his view. After a particularly rough wave Chat just narrowly blocked Bad Luck's attack, blocking the rose shaped staff with his claws.

"I'm getting really tired of this." He panted as Bad Luck just grinned at him.

"Oh Kitty," Bad Luck sneered. "This will soon be over."

"It sure will," Answered chat destroying bad luck's staff using Cataclysm. Watching with slight satisfaction as the tormental objected disintegrated before his eyes.

Where Ladybug and Raven fought against Hawk Moth wasn't much better. Although the latter had an obvious limp, he did not let it get in his way. With expert ease Hawk Moth simultaneously dodged Ladybug's yoyo as well as blocked Raven's talons.

"You two make quite an interesting pair." Observed Hawk Moth as he danced around Raven and smacked her in the back with his walking stick.

"We don't have time for you." She growled as she staggered forward, falling on all fours and only narrowly rolling out of the way as Hawk Moth made a jab at her head.

"The goal oriented bird who is unable to fly freely without someone else's help."

Raven, getting to her feet, growled something in Italian and made to run towards the man but Ladybug gripped her shoulder, halting the young girl's rage filled advance.

"Raven don't let him provoke you." Ladybug said, sounding calmer then she felt as she wrecked her brain as to how they could win this.

"Oh the lovely Ladybug," Hawk Moth continued. "Taking a couple of casual steps towards the girls, who both stood their ground. "So cool and brave you truly play your part of hero. But," he stopped and pointed his staff at Ladybug. "Would the world still look to you to protect it if they know you were really the shy and cowardly Marinette? So frighten she can't even express her feelings…" Then casually continuing on his rant he swung his staff in Chat Noir's direction, who was stull busy fighting Bad Luck. "For a boy who hides his sorrows behind a smile so beautiful that he fools also himself?"

"Don't talk about him as if you actually understand him." Hissed Ladybug, running past the raging Raven and swung her yoyo Hawk Moth. The latter calmly blocked it with his staff as the yoyo swung itself around it, entangling itself.

"Oh Ladybug you would have made such a fine host." Sighed Hawk Moth, disappointedly. "But Chat Noir will have to do for now. Who knows, I could come for you next time."

"You're not going to even get Chat this time." She hissed at him.

"You don't get much of a say on the matter actually." Hawk Moth laughed. "I need a stronger host."

And just at that moment the bell began to ring.

Doing

A gasp of surprise erupted from Chat Noir's direction as Bad Luck caught him in a Head Lock so tight that the masked Hero couldn't move. Hawk Moth gave a triumphant lough as his stuff gave a deep purple glow that soon spread out across his body.

Doing.

His laugher faded with the light and to Ladybug's shocked dismay a hideous black Akuma like none she had never seen before fluttered into the air. A body crumpled to the ground in front of her.

Doing

Raven made a gasp of shock. Her Miracolous made a near silent beep as she made, as if in slow motion, to run in Ladybug's direction. Ladybug's eyes followed the black butterfly for a second as it began to flutter in the boys's direction.

No.

She would let anything more happed to Adrien.

Doing

Chat watched as the black Akuma made it's irregular journey, flattering up and down, in his direction. He increased his struggles but Bad Luck's grip felt like iron. He didn't have enough energy to fight it off.

Or enough time.

His ring gave it's third warning beep.

It didn't matter now, when the clock struck it's last chime he would be no more and he felt so frustrated because no matter how much he had fought he had lost.

Doing

Chat's eyes opened wide in surprise as his vision of the Akuma was blocked by a familiar figure he had sketched so many months ago. Ladybug opened her arms and stared up at the Akuma, daring it to take Adrein away from her away.

She wouldn't let that happen again.

He had protected her so many times, it was her turn now.

Doing

The Akuma silently landed on her mask. She made no move as it merged with it. It felt horrifying as she felt an unfamiliar darkness emerge from the pith of her stomach. She could feel it spreading across her body like some bizarre frost. Bad Luck at that moment vanished, causing Chat Noir to stumble forward.

Doing.

No.

This couldn't be happening.

Why had she done that?

The Akuma was meant to possess him.

Why had she stopped it?

Why had she saved him?

Doing

Ladybug fell to her knees as if in sudden pain, supporting herself up solely by her arms. She was panting heavily as the darkness began to creep around her.

"Marinette!" yelled Chat Noir as he saw her fall and ran until he was kneeling besides her.

Doing

His ring beeped again.

"Marinette why did you do that!?" he yelled.

Why?

Why had she saved him?

How could he have let her do that?

Doing

"It was my turn to protect you." she weakly whispered as she looked up at him. Those eyes, he couldn't bare to see them so sad. He wished he could make her smile, so he could see the cosmos captured within then once again. Instead they slowly closed.

He felt his hands reach up to cup her face within them.

Doing

He kissed her.

He let that kiss say what he had been feeling for all this time. He wanted to tell her with that one motion what he couldn't get words to express. He had to let her know he would always be there for her, no matter what happened to either of them.

He would always love her no matter what happened.

Doing

The Akuma emerged from the mask as it vanished. The Akuma itself disappeared into the shadows, it strived on darkness and rotten emotions it could never possess someone with emotions so pure and sincere. Almost in sync, the two heroes lost transformation but neither one cared at that point, the whole world could have seen them but for those few seconds, their world only consisted of Adrien and Marinette.

It was Adrien who broke the kiss, breathless. Marinette had her eyes still closed as the Akuma's effect continued seep away from her, she could feel warmth began to spread across her body once again. Adrein's heart was pounding, the blood was rushing so much he was almost deafening.

"Adrien…?" their was a question in her whispered voice. Had that just happened or had just been a dream induced by the Akuma?

"Marinette don't open you eyes, please." Adrein begged as her eyes made a tired attempt to open. He couldn't say this with her looking at him with her eyes of frozen night. Let her think he still was in the guise of Chat Noir, at least for a few more seconds.

"What just…."

"Marinette you remember before all this happened I had to tell you something?" he took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I'm going to tell you this now before life decides to throw some piano on my head again. I love you! I know you might not feel the same but I love you, both as Marinette and Ladybug. I totally understand if you don't have the same feelings for me…" and with that Adrien fell into a nervous rant.

Marinette at first knelt there with her eyes closed, letting Adrein's words wash over her.

Could this be true?

Slowly she opened her eyes and saw sincere nervousness on his face as he looked at his hands alternatively as he spoke of the pros and cons of him liking her.

There was something else in his eyes.

Was he so scared of her answer?

She gave a low giggle, making Adrien stop what he was saying and force himself to look up at her.

"You silly cat." She laughed. "Of coarse I love you too."

"Really?!" laughed Adrian not believing his ears.

She nodded her head.

He jumped to his feet in excitement, pulling Marinette up with him but she was wary on her feet which caused her to fall forwards but he caught her in his strong arms.

Regaining her balance Marinette looked up at Adrien, she had never seen him so happy.

"Are you alright?" His concern dampening the mood slightly.

Nervously she put her arms around his neck. How long had she dreamt of this moment?

She leaned towards him and kissed him, momentarily shocking him and herself, before he kissed her back.

"Raven don't interrupt them. We've been waiting for ages for this to happen."

"Yeah let them have their moment."

The two teenagers broke the kiss with an awkward lough, they hadn't been expecting an audience.

"Tikki!" laughed Marinette, finally lowering her hands.

"Way to kill a moment, Plagg." Laughed Adrien, naturally draping a hand over Marinette's slender shoulders and making her blush.

Before them stood Giulia and Eli, both of which their transformations had come undone. Eli was probably taller then Adrian and, standing behind Giulia with four tiny Kwami hovering around, them he looked like a giant with tanned skin and large brown eyes the same shade as Giulia's. He gave the two an apologetic look as Giulia walked towards them her thorn dress fluttered around her knees. She had her arms crossed in front of her.

"If you to are done." She said crossly but, suddenly, her face broke into a broad smile and, for the first time since they had met, she actually looked like a real 12 year old.

"Thank you for saving my brother!" she practically cried as she ran the small distance towards them and hugged Adrien and Marinette with her small arms.

Adrien patted her scruffy brown hair fondly and looking at Marinette said. "Any time Giulia."

"I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other for while, too." Added Marinette as she nodded her head at Eli before collecting the small Giulia into a tight embrace.

She then looked up at Adrien, smiling up at him. He smiled down at her as he saw the stars in her eyes once again.

There you go! That's the final chapter! It's a bit long but I didn't want to keep you all waiting. Thanks so much for reading and sticking with the story to the end. I genuinely hope you all enjoyed it and I thank you all so much for the wonderful comments. I might someday write another Miraculous Ladybug fanfic but… who knows it was so much fun writing about these two characters. Thanks again so much for everything and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! – LunaPendragon