Chapter 6 - Choices

"I don't want to become your sidekick," Ladybug replied. Her face stung from the scratches, her body ached from hitting the ground and fighting and running, and her lungs burned from the smoke that floated around them. She wondered if he felt anything at all anymore, or if his feelings and emotions were only replaced with power and energy. "We were always a team."

"I don't want to be in a team anymore," Chat snarled. "When I'm alone, I won't get my feelings hurt anymore."

"But that's what makes you human. That's what makes you… you. Would you rather just be this horrible empty shell of a person?"

"It's better than risking my life for nothing."

Ladybug felt pained to even hear the words escape his lips. "If I only knew who you were this whole time, then we wouldn't be here right now. Don't you see how silly this is?" She paused. "And it was always your choice to protect me. I was always thankful, but I never forced you to do that."

"Well, then now I won't have to."

Ladybug moaned. If time hadn't been running out before, it was definitely running out now. The flames were starting to catch the ceiling above them, and was probably starting to catch the floor. "Can't you see Chat, I've needed you. I've always needed you."

He tried to inhale, and then began to cough. The smoke was beginning to affect him to. He was annoyed before, and now became even angrier. "Lets quit stalling, Ladybug. Any last words?"

She could feel the heat of the magenta flames against her throat. She took a deep, shaky breath, and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Ladybug's eyes shot open, and she found Chat's face unaffected. However, the flames still lingered by her head. "I'm sorry that I made you feel bad enough to get akumatized. I never meant to make you think this way, and I definitely never meant for this to happen. I'm so sorry, Adrien."

Something happened in Chat's face. Maybe his eyes softened, or his mouth twitched. Ladybug wasn't sure, but she knew he was feeling something.

"Stop," Chat stammered. "I'm finally winning." His voice suddenly lacked the confidence he had before. It sounded as though he was trying to convince himself the statement was true.

"But, Chat, you aren't winning. You aren't any more powerful. Hawkmoth made you this way. If you do this, you will only be succumbing to Hawkmoth's wishes and orders. And once you go back to who you are, you won't be any different. Hawkmoth can't be trusted."

Chat looked surprised, and Ladybug continued. "If you do this to me, Hawkmoth will be the most powerful. Hawkmoth will be the winner. You will be taking orders from him."

Chat let his gaze drop from Ladybug's eyes. She was getting closer. She was making him conflicted. She mustered up the courage to speak once more, gaining his attention one more time.

"I want to give you a choice now. The first choice is to go ahead with this. I don't want to stop you if you really want to do this. If this is the answer, then so be it.

"But I'm giving you another option. That option is to stop this all, right here and right now. If you truly are strong, and want to prove that to me, then stop all of this. If you are more powerful, then you will have to show me you are strong enough to stop this."

Ladybug had just enough time to finish her sentence before her coughing shook her body. She felt lightheaded, and wondered how much time she would have left before she would pass out.

"I trust whatever decision you make," she sputtered. "You are my partner, and you always will be."

She coughed again, and once she expelled the ash from her lungs, she closed her eyes and rolled her head back. She continued to feel the heat against the skin of her neck, and waited for the moment it would come into contact.

But it never dead.

After several minutes, Ladybug forced her eyes back open and found Chat in a state of wild conflict. His eyes were wide with anger, but they looked past her as he tried to decide what to do. The purple butterfly was around his face again, and she guessed that Hawkmoth was probably trying to convince him to set her ablaze.

Finally, Ladybug let her emotions loose. She let the tears slip from her eyes, and felt them run down her face. "Chat," she whimpered. At this point, she didn't care what he chose, as long as he chose it soon. The fire was growing louder and wilder around them. It was starting to close in.

Suddenly, his eyes flicked to hers. They were full of fear and sadness. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and Ladybug shut her eyes.

Chat lifted his blazing hand from Ladybug's head and used it to snap the bracelet from his wrist.

Ladybug was right. Hawkmoth was the one that would be the most powerful. Chat would just end up being the fool that Hawkmoth would use to get what he wanted. And Chat wasn't going to let that happen.

The bracelet turned black in his hand and he watched in disgust as the familiar butterfly wiggled its way from it. "Ladybug," Chat stammered, before reaching up and snatching the frazzled insect.

Ladybug opened her eyes slowly and blinked at Chat a few times. "Chat?" She whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Ladybug, quickly, I have the akuma."

Ladybug smiled and sat up with relief taking over her features, causing Chat to freeze. He looked to the gashes that ran from the skin under her eye to her lips and shuddered. Had he done that? Their fight was a blur to him now.

He quickly dug the yoyo from his pocket and then gave it to her so she could open it. He forced the bug into the glowing compact, and the lid closed around it automatically for a few seconds. When Ladybug opened it back up, the white butterfly escaped and disappeared somewhere in the smoke.

Chat turned back to Ladybug and watched as she threw the yoyo into the air. The thing erupted with pink light and rose petals, and the fire and smoke around them was gone in seconds.

Chat blacked out for a few moments, and when he could see again, he looked around. He was confused as to why he was sitting in the middle of a dance studio, and also wondered why he felt sore and exhausted. His mind was heavy as though he was trying to remember a long dream, but nothing came to him.

"Adrien?" He heard a familiar voice call out his name. His head swiveled to see Plagg peeking out from behind a radiator.

"Plagg?" Adrien stammered. "What happened?"

Before Plagg could answer, he looked towards the movement beside him and saw Ladybug sway before lurching forward. He caught her quickly and then exclaimed, "Ladybug!".

She went limp in his arms, and he scooped her up quickly. "Plagg, transform me!" He shouted, and the Kwami wordlessly jumped into his ring. A window was pushed open, and Chat used that to escape into the night. He pressed her body close to his own as he leapt onto the nearest rooftop.

Once he had found a flat spot, he sat down and laid Ladybug in his lap. She was filthy with ash and dirty marks on her suit. Her face was stained with tears and the bloody scratches on the side of her face.

He wondered what had happened in the last several hours. The last thing he remembered was not being able to sleep, and then it was all a blur.

His thoughts were interrupted by the green light of his transformation back into Adrien. Plagg now hovered somewhere over his shoulder, but he couldn't look away.

"What happened to me?" Adrien whispered.

"You were akumatized," Plagg stated solemnly.

There was a long pause before Adrien spoke again. "Did I do this to her?"

"Yes."

Adrien sucked in a breath as tears dripped from his eyes. The only thing he could think to do was take Ladybug in his arms and pull her to him. He could just barely hear her shallow breaths against his body.

He held her tight as he sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, my Lady," he sobbed. "I'm s-so so sorry."

A few minutes passed where the only sounds that could be heard were the gasps of Adrien and the occasional sounds from the streets of Paris below. It was almost completely dark save for the lamplights and the full moon that bleached the landscape around them.

"Adrien?"

The small whimper of a voice caused him to jump and look at the stirring form in his arms. She slowly pulled away and blinked a few times before smiling and sighing with relief. Ladybug had transformed back into Marinette without Adrien noticing.

Adrien watched as her sky blue eyes scanned his face. As she spoke, he remained almost perfectly still except for reaching out to touch her navy blue hair as though he couldn't decide if she was real, or a mirage.

"Adrien," she started. "I've been in love with you for a long time now. I've always loved you. And I was just starting to love Chat too, but now that I know who you really are, there really is no question to it.

"I love you, Adrien."

Adrien's eyes lit up with love and affection, and his heart skipped a few beats when Marinette leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. They almost seemed to melt into each other as Adrien held her tighter against him. The both of them smiled at the electricity that seemed to course through their bodies as they kissed, which made it harder for them to pull away from each other.

"Marinette, I'm so sorry," Adrien whispered. She could feel his breath on her cold cheek and she smiled.

She took his face in his hands. "I knew it wasn't you this whole time. I trust you with my life, and I know you would do anything for me. And I want you to know I couldn't think of you any lower than me if I tried. We are equals- a true team. We are strong when separated, and unstoppable when together."

Adrien felt a tear slip down his cheek and Marinette quickly wiped it away. "I love you, and won't let anything like this happen ever again."

Marinette smiled, causing Adrien to smile as well. "I know."

Adrien reached down and curled his fingers in between Marinette's. He always knew that this girl was the love of her life. He always knew that he would be there to protect her as long as his heart was still beating. He always knew, that though they were hard to beat when apart, that their friendship, teamwork, and their love was the most powerful.