Hi again! It's been a while since this was last updated I know but there's been a lot going on recently and things haven't gone too well. I was sick for a while which meant I couldn't really write and I've only just moved into a new house so that took up time as well... I'm very grateful to Yamina20 for patiently waiting and to all you guys as well. Please know that this only updates so infrequently because we want to get these chapters absolutely perfect.

This is one I am really proud of and I hope you all enjoy it. Please review, it means the world to both of us!

The air was bitterly cold as Marinette walked through the park towards the Agreste manor, the sick feeling twisting at her insides only growing worse with each step she took towards her destination. The evening was falling quickly, too quickly for her liking, and the sky was alight with a bright orange that almost felt like it was mocking her with its cheery shade. It's a sky that should have been the backdrop of a summer party or a romantic date, she thought sadly as she looked up at the cracks of colour between the tree branches, not the backdrop of someone going to meet their doom. She was under no illusions; that was where she was heading and there was no way she could back out.

She tugged the folds of her coat tighter around her body as another chilly breeze tumbled through the park and shook all the trees, making them rattle like maracas. The long brown trench coat was several sizes too big for her and the material flapped around her like the skirt of a giant ballgown. But it belonged to her father and so when she buried her face in the heavy collar, she could still smell his familiar scent of rosemary, baked bread and cologne. The smell was faint but it was still there and it was the only thing that was giving her the courage to put one foot in front of the other. She had to do this, both for herself, her family and for her friends. Tonight, she was determined that Gabriel would never be able to hurt anyone else she loved again. She just had to make sure her plan went without a hitch and then, once she had finally finished with him, she could start with her other, more important task; finding Chat Blanc and returning Chat Noir to her.

She still had no idea how she was going to go about that; Tikki had been explicitly clear that nobody had ever gone into this state and emerged alive but Marinette was certain there had to be a way. This Epidd had to have a weakness, there had to be a way to defeat him that didn't just involve him draining all the life from his source, and she had spent the whole day trying to come up with possible ways to get her kitty back. But every single one had either already been tried, was too dangerous, or just plain wouldn't work. Still, Marinette hadn't given up hope.

"There has to be a way!" She had told Tikki stubbornly, her face a mask of determination as she cracked her knuckles and scoured her brain once again. "There has to be some way to reverse all this and I'm going to find it, no matter what!"

However, her plans had to be cut short as she had been forced to get ready to go and see Gabriel. She had no choice but to go and see him; it was one thing threatening her but going after the man she loved was a very different thing altogether- there was no way she was going to risk him getting hurt. No matter how many assurances he gave her, she was still regretting ever getting Shadow involved in her nightmare of a mess. I wish he'd never seen me that day by the river with those thugs, she thought sadly. Then maybe he wouldn't be in danger…

Another gust of wind hit her like a brick wall, slamming into her coat and making it billow out like a sail. The flapping coat exposed the long line of her bare pale legs and she felt her face burn in shame as she tried to wrestle it back under her control. The outfit that Gabriel had insisted she wear was not only completely inappropriate for the weather, it was also shamefully small. It was heavily based on the dress she had worn the night she had met him at the restaurant but was far skimpier. The original black dress had been burned in Marinette's back garden but she found herself almost missing it as she peered down at herself. That dress had at least been a dress- this was little more than underwear.

Instead of black, this dress was coloured a deep crimson like the colour of blood and looked more like a two-piece than a dress. There were three thin straps on each shoulder, made of red ribbon with a small bow on each one and the top had a sweetheart neckline but that was where all resemblance to her old dress ended. The top was tight, very low-cut and it looked more like a corset than a top as there was very visible boning in the structure, covered only by a thin layer of flimsy red silk. There was a large gap cut in the middle that exposed her belly with only a few trimmings of red lace that fluttered down over it in a measly attempt to look like it was decent. The skirt then hugged her hips and tightly clung to her arse before ending just halfway down her thighs with another hem of the hopeless lace that failed to conceal anything. It felt like an outfit a belly dancer would wear and that only made her feel worse; did Gabriel want her to dance for his own sadistic whims or something? He really had some strange fantasies. The look was completed by a pair of small red heels that had straps dotted with red rhinestones and pinched at her feet each time she took a step. The whole outfit, combined with the eyeliner and red lipstick he had asked her to wear in a note that had come inside the package made her feel like a painted whore, and she hated it.

Unlike last time, there was no car to pick her up, so she had been forced to make her way there herself. She was certain Gabriel had planned for this; he wanted her to be humiliated by forcing her to walk through a public space, dressed like that, and she felt so embarrassed and ashamed of it, she wanted the ground to swallow her up so nobody would set eyes on her. Thankfully, it seemed like somebody was smiling down on her as the park was mercifully empty and she hadn't encountered a single soul on her route to the manor. That made her breathe a little more easily. The only other things that were helping her to stay calm and not want to run back to the safety of the bakery were the presence of Tikki hidden away in one of the oversized coat's pockets and the plan she had crafted that she hoped would be Gabriel's downfall.

Her hand moved to the lining on the inside of the coat and pinched it to reassure herself that it was still there. The thin wire snaked upwards alongside the zip from a little hidden recorder in the hem up to a microphone embedded in her collar, the perfect height to record anybody speaking. She had managed to get it from Alya, who had easily threaded it through the coat and taught her how to use it but then she had asked her what she was using it for. Marinette had been forced to lie and say it was because she felt unsafe walking through the streets after that attack on her. It wasn't a full lie- she definitely didn't feel safe knowing Gabriel's eyes were always on her- but she had felt guilty when Alya had given her a sympathetic hug and then offered to walk with her anytime she needed it. She hated lying to her friends but she had no other choice- she couldn't let them know just what was going on, and how much of a dark cloud there was hanging over all of their heads. However, after today all of that was going to be gone.

Her plan was to use the wire to record Gabriel speaking to her when she got to the manor, making him reveal that not only was he sexually harassing her but that he was also blackmailing her and threatening her family and friends. Then, after getting what she wanted, she would leave, go to her friend Alya and ask her print it in the press; Alya would do anything to help her friend and get a big scoop, her newspaper would be unable to resist such a big scandal. By tomorrow morning, it would be all over the news and with her undeniable proof, the police would be forced to investigate. She still had that first package he had sent her, plus several examples of the emails he had bombarded her with as well as her telephone records. She had evidence practically spilling out of her ears and, no matter how far the police were buried in Gabriel's pocket, they would have to take it seriously to save their reputation. Marinette knew that this wasn't going to be an easy thing to do; she too would be thrown into the public eye along with Gabriel, and the man had many fans who were certain to come to his defence. No matter what evidence she showed, she was still going to be a young woman in the middle of a sex scandal and so there would be legions of people ready to blame her for the whole thing, flaunting the fact she went to the press first as a sign she was only seeking attention instead of justice. She knew it was going to be difficult, for her and the people around her but this was truly her only option. Going straight to the police would get her nowhere and it was likely the evidence would vanish in their hands, never to be seen again. This was her only course of action and she was going to take it. She was not going to let him win.

Through the lines of the trees, she could see the outline of the manor as she steadily approached it. The shadow of the large building loomed over the park and for a moment in the sunset, it looked more like a haunted house than the elegant building it had been designed to be. Marinette shuddered at the sight of it and Tikki, sensing her distress from inside her pocket, dared to poke her head out.

"Marinette, are you OK?" she asked softly, her blue eyes filled with concern for her charge.

Marinette bit at her ruby red lip. "I'm scared Tikki. I don't have a clue what Gabriel's set up for me there. It kind of feels like I'm walking into a trap."

"Same here." Tikki shivered herself when she looked up and saw they were only a few minutes from the large building, which was getting closer every second, looking more and more grim. "I really don't like this place."

"It's horrible," Marinette said grimly. "I can't believe I used to look up to this man. I can remember passing this place when making deliveries for my parents when I was younger and I used to think it was wondrous that so many great designs came from here." She sighed. "I never thought someone who made such beautiful things could be so evil."

"Marinette, maybe you shouldn't meet him," Tikki floated out of her pocket and hovered in front of her, making the young woman stop in her tracks. "This could be really dangerous, you're all alone and you're dressed like this, it makes you very vulnerable to him. I dread to think what's waiting for you there… maybe we should just go home, we can come up with a better plan…"

"We can't Tikki," Marinette told her regretfully. "If I don't show up, he'll be really angry and he'll take it out on Shadow. I can't let that happen Tikki. I'm Ladybug, I'm supposed to protect people and if that means I have to do horrible things to do it, then that's what I have to do."

"You're not supposed to risk your life though!" Tikki cried out, tears forming in her eyes as she looked distressed. "Please Marinette, I don't want you to get hurt!"

"I won't Tikki, I'll be fine I promise," Marinette said as she raised her hands to pull the kwami into a hug and lightly kissed her head. "I promise if anything goes wrong, I'll get out of there as fast as I can."

"OK," Tikki sniffed. She knew she wasn't going to persuade Marinette to leave but the least she could do was try to protect her. "Marinette, I want you to promise me something; if things start to go wrong and you can't see any way out, I want you to transform into Ladybug."

Marinette's eyes went wide. "But what about my-"

"Your life is far more important to me than your identity." Tikki said firmly before she pressed her own kiss to Marinette's cheek. "Now, please promise me?"

"OK Tikki." Marinette firmly promised as she guided the kwami back into her pocket and started to walk again. "I promise."

It wasn't long before she arrived at the gates, the tall metal structure reminding her of the bars of a cage as she stood before it. They were brand new and she suddenly remembered how Chat Blanc had once stood before these gates, destroying them with just a touch before he yelled for somebody to leave a mysterious "her" alone. I wonder who Chat Noir wanted to protect, Marinette pondered as she paused there. He must have cared a lot about her. Could it have been his mother, the woman he had yelled for that day with Dark Desires? She hummed briefly. Maybe she could be the key to getting him back.

A guard standing at the gates suddenly approached her with a gruff shout of "Name!" and Marinette jumped at the sound.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." She quickly answered, hating how her voice was shaking a little with fear. "Mr Agreste is expecting me."

The guard gave another grunt and a nod, appearing to recognise her name as he gave a signal and the gates slowly started to creak open. He jabbed at them with his thumb and Marinette whispered a quick thank you before she began to walk towards the imposing house. She felt like she was Daniel walking into the lion's den, but unlike him, she had no faith that somebody would be there to keep her safe and her feet felt as heavy as lead as she dragged herself towards the front of the giant mansion.

To her surprise and deepest horror, Gabriel was waiting for her on the steps. He was standing there in his usual crisp white suit like a general standing on a battlefield after winning a great victory and his eyes were hungrily following Marinette like she was a prized meal. Either side of him stood two huge bodyguards with guns at their belts, the same ones who had accompanied Madame Sancoeur when she came to the bakery to threaten her into having dinner with him- she recognised them from the way they smirked at her, like they couldn't wait for her to cause trouble so they could restrain her. They too were leering at her appearance, like they knew what she was wearing under her long coat and that only made her gather it even more tightly around her. Keeping her expression as scathing as possible, she walked towards them with her head held high, the only sound being the clicks of her heels on the stone steps. She finally stopped a few feet away from the small menacing group, keeping a good distance between them so she could run if things got messy but also keeping close enough for their voices to be picked up by the wire, which she quickly flicked on.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel was the first to break the silence. "It's so lovely that you decided to drop by for a visit. Welcome to my humble home."

He waved at the large house that rose up behind him like a third huge bodyguard of stone and Marinette gave a snort. "You gave me no choice but to come here," she snapped at him. "You threatened to hurt someone I love if I didn't. I'd hardly call that 'dropping by.'"

Her tone was dripping with venom but Gabriel just seemed to shrug it off like it was nothing. "It is of no matter- you are here now," he said, taking a step towards her as his bodyguards mirrored him, moving towards Marinette with all the solidness of a concrete wall. "And if I were you, I would forget about your silly little boy. From now on, he will be nothing to you- you belong to me."

"I belong to no one!" She cried out, determinedly standing her ground. I refuse to be intimidated by a bunch of blockheads, she thought. I've faced people bigger and better than you and I've come out on top every time. You lot are nothing. "People don't own other people, that's barbaric! That 'silly little boy' is the only man who has treated me with respect, unlike you who's treated me like I'm some creature that needs taming! You can go to hell!"

"Now, now Marinette," Gabriel said softly, raising his hands as he took another step forwards. "Is that really any way to talk to your new boss and future husband?"

"I am not going to work for you!" Marinette shouted, stamping her foot down harshly on the white stone. "You can send me whatever you want, you can write me disgusting letters, you can spam me with emails, you can ring my house and threaten everyone I know but I will never be your partner and I will never marry you!"

There was a long moment of silence after her angry outburst and for a slight second of triumph, Marinette saw Gabriel's eyes widen and thought that she might have finally gotten through to him. However, Gabriel just gave a low chuckle, shaking his head slightly as he laughed and folded his hands behind his back. "Oh Marinette, my sweet fiery little Marinette," he said. "You really don't understand, do you? I gave you enough chances, I did all I could to persuade you to come willingly but I see that hasn't worked. I see it now; those tactics would never have worked. You don't need to be cajoled, you need to be broken." He watched as the horror of his statement dawned on Marinette's face and he gave an evil grin. "And that's exactly what I'm going to do."

One hand suddenly whipped up from behind his back and he snapped his fingers, the sound like thunder in the quiet. At the sound, the two guards lurched forwards, their bulky bodies moving with a speed Marinette wouldn't have believed possible if she hadn't witnessed it. She turned to run but her reaction was too late; before she could even reach the first step, her arms had been grabbed and she was yanked backwards so forcefully, both her heels cracked on the hard stone and were snapped off her shoes. She gasped at the sight of them, the thin bits of red lying on the white like two thin strips of blood before she was whipped around to face Gabriel again. He took a few slow steps to approach her, his eyes raking over every inch of her as she desperately tried to get herself free.

"Let go of me you bastards!" She shouted at them as she kicked her legs out and squirmed as much as she could but each guard held one of her arms and despite her strength, she couldn't fight against both of them. She fell limp and she could only watch terrified as Gabriel got closer, her body trying to recoil from him but unable to move due to the guard's tight grip.

"See? It's much better when you don't try to fight me," Gabriel purred at her lack of resistance. "We both already know I'm going to take what I want. Now, I don't believe I've seen you in your pretty little outfit yet. We'll have to change that, won't we?"

His hands reached out for her, his fingers twitching in anticipation, and Marinette screamed as she started to wildly kick out again, her limbs flailing even more uncontrollably in her fear. "Don't you dare touch me!" She cried out, her voice wobbling dangerously in her panic as she tried to struggle but the two guards held her too firmly and managed to pin her legs between their own, rendering her almost completely immobile. She could only watch as Gabriel's hands glided over the front of her father's coat, his fingers ghosting over the material like he was admiring the exquisite wrapping of an expensive present.

"I really should thank you for wearing this." He said, almost as an afterthought as he slowly undid each button from the top down. "I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to see this beauty before I did. I've waited for so long to see you in one of my masterpieces."

Halfway down the line of buttons, he suddenly got impatient and, with a surprising strength, he ripped the rest of the buttons off in one clean tear, letting them fall to the ground like raindrops. His eyes gleamed and he gave a wide grin when he saw the red silk and lace, and Marinette wanted to shrivel up and die in that moment. She had never been more disgusted in her life; she had known Gabriel's perversions, she had seen it in every word of his letters, but now she was seeing it in his face, and it suddenly felt so much worse, knowing what expression he must have had as he wrote them. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away, unable to look at his face any longer but she opened them again when she heard him chuckle.

"Are we feeling shy now, Marinette? You really shouldn't- I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful in my life. You know, my son has always been my top model but maybe that could change. I'd love to see you on a billboard in one of my creations, broadcasting to the world that you're mine and only mine… how does that sound?"

"No…" She could only whisper in shock, turning her head back slightly to peer at him. Would he really display her shame in such a way? She glimpsed the look in his eyes and realised that he was all too capable. "You can't… please…"

"Oh Marinette," he said, shaking his head again like he was talking to a small child. "You'll realise soon enough that I can. Maybe that thought will make you a little more obedient." He watched as her head drooped like a failing plant, her hair falling in front of her face so he couldn't see her stricken expression, and he gave a small nod. "That's better. Men, take her into the house."

"What?!" Marinette's head shot back up as Gabriel turned away and the two guards started to drag her across the courtyard towards the large imposing doors of the mansion. "No! You can't take me in there and keep me prisoner! Let me go!"

She felt a stab of fear in her heart as the guards took no notice of her screams and continued to pull her across the stone. How was she supposed to go to the press if she was trapped? The wire in her coat had caught every part of their conversation, she was certain of that because Gabriel had gotten so close, but that was no use if she couldn't take it to Alya. She wanted to transform into Ladybug, she knew she needed to yell for Tikki to have a chance to escape but her mind was so clouded by her fear and desperation, her mouth wouldn't form words; she could only scream like a wild animal being taken to the slaughterhouse. Her body trembled as the doors grew closer and she felt like she was being dragged to her execution. This is the end, she suddenly thought with a sob. I'm going to go into that house and I'm never going to come out!

She was just about to start screaming again, on the off chance that somebody was passing and would hear the ruckus, when there was suddenly a loud bang. The sound was so loud, it rocked the ground beneath their feet, and the guards paused and looked around frantically as the house before them shook like it was made of meringue. Marinette watched as Gabriel spun around, his icy eyes wary as they dashed around looking for the source of the noise. They darted around for a few seconds before they finally landed on her and went needle thin.

"Did you have something to do with this?" He accused her, his voice dripping with poison, and before she could answer, he had once again gestured to his guards. "Search her! See if she has anything on her!"

"That wasn't me!" Marinette cried out, finally finding her voice as both guards started patting her down with their giant meaty hands, hitting her hard enough to leave bruises. "I haven't got anything on me!" She wriggled and squirmed against the two of them but they held her still as they continued to search her. One of them tugged at her coat and, suddenly awash with fear that they would find the wire or even worse Tikki, she wrenched her leg out of his grip and planted her broken shoe firmly in his face.

"Argh!" He cried out in pain, staggering backwards as he clutched his face. "You little bitch!"

Marinette gave a smirk, gleaning some satisfaction from hitting back but her blood ran cold when she heard Gabriel bark "There's something in the coat she's trying to protect! Get it off her!"

"No!" She yelled, fighting with all her might to try and free herself from the grip of the remaining guard but he managed to hold her there long enough for Gabriel to reach her. Gabriel strode angrily over and forcibly pulled it off her, tearing the sleeves in the process and straining the rest of the sturdy fabric. Marinette sighed in relief when she saw the pocket that Tikki was hiding in had been unharmed but the feeling quickly disappeared when Gabriel tore further at the hem of the coat and the small black recorder was exposed to the failing sunlight.

"What is this!?" Gabriel spat furiously as he yanked the whole wire free and shook it in her face. "You were recording this!?" He gave a loud sharp laugh, his eyes glinting like a maniac. "Did you really think this would save you? You're far stupider than I thought." His hand suddenly shot forwards and grabbed her own, launching her towards him so their foreheads slammed together and all she could see in her vision was his icy cold eyes. "Did you really think when you stepped through the gates of this house that I would let you leave? This is your problem Marinette- your heart is too good. I'll have to straighten that out, my last wife had the exact same problem… she was far too soft as well…"

"Get your filthy hands off of her!" A rolling deep voice suddenly echoed through the courtyard like thunder, making the guards freeze and Gabriel look away. Marinette saw his eyes fix on the roof of the house behind her and she slowly turned her head to look up. The evening sky above the house was beginning to swirl with dark clouds, the orange sunset being blotted out by a jet-black storm cloud that was spreading across the sky like spilled ink. The gentle breeze that had guided her through the park had been whipped up into a strong wind that beat at her face and exposed body but she barely felt it as she stared up at what was on the roof.

The sight that transfixed her and made her gasp was a lone figure standing on the very edge of the roof like he was daring gravity to topple him. He was dressed all in white, a speck of light against the dark background and his golden hair was flying out around his head like a halo but he looked anything but angelic; even from her position on the ground, Marinette could see his long claws that looked like swords and the scowl that was twisting his features into a mask of pure rage behind his white mask. He bared his teeth in a long hostile hiss that made Gabriel physically jump back and sent shivers down her spine. She didn't need to be told that this was the villain she had been hunting for all those long months and, even if Tikki hadn't told her, she would have realised his powers had increased. On the ground, she could feel the energy that was pulsing through the air, under his control, and the effect was magnetic, drawing her eyes to the roof and holding them there, even when Gabriel tightened his grip on her arm yanking her back to his side.

"Who are you?!" He demanded, like he had any power over the situation. Marinette almost wanted to laugh; his guards were both standing stock still behind them and it was so obvious who really held all the cards here. "Answer me!"

"I don't answer to you!" The voice came rolling down once again like a landslide. "I don't answer to anyone. I'm here because I gave you a command; I told you to leave her alone and you have clearly disobeyed."

Marinette froze, another gasp stuck in her throat. Chat Blanc had been referring to me? That time at the gate… he had been aware of the abuse Gabriel had been inflicting on me. How did he know? She thought. Why did he decide to protect me of all people? She didn't have time to dwell on this however, as Gabriel gave a growl and suddenly pulled her closer, making her almost lean on him.

"She is mine!" He called up furiously, his face straining and red, spittle flying from his mouth. "I have made my claim and she is mine now! You need to keep your nose out of this or you'll wish you never crossed me!"

There was a low boom that once again shook the house and Marinette cowered, her feet unsteady on her broken shoes. When she looked back up at the rooftop, she was shocked to see that the noise was Chat Blanc laughing; his face now had a wide smirk and he was bent over howling as he clutched his stomach with mirth. She could feel Gabriel stiffen beside her and that gave her a pang of triumph; anything that made Gabriel uncomfortable was a win in her eyes. It was only when the figure stopped laughing and straightened up, his face serious once more, did she suddenly see the danger in his eyes.

"You really think your threats can touch me?" He bellowed, the wind picking up speed and pelting them as he spoke. "Do you think I will listen to you, after everything you've done?! You're nothing to me but a murderer. You're nothing but evil and I won't stand for you to kill another innocent woman!"

Gabriel's face went chalky white and a flash of what could have been remorse came over his face, fleeting as the wind. "You know nothing of what happened!"

"I know everything!" Chat Blanc thundered back, the storm above him howling and crackling as lightning spurted from the middle of the clouds. "I know everything about you Gabriel Agreste, I know all the sins that blacken your heart. Let the girl leave, hand her over to me, and maybe I'll go a little easier on you."

Hand her over? Marinette recoiled at the words. She wanted to free herself of Gabriel's clutches but not by throwing herself into the captivity of another man, especially one who she had been hunting for so long and who she knew was being controlled by an evil spirit. Chat Noir is somewhere under there but he doesn't know me as Marinette, she thought. What would he do if he found out I was Ladybug? It surely wouldn't be good, Chat was beginning to hate me after what I said…

She was stopped from thinking this over when Gabriel sharply dragged her backwards again, forcing her behind him. A burst of lightning lit up his face and in the brightness, he looked like a monster. His neat appearance had been torn apart by the wind, his gelled hair flying about and his clothes messy. His face, usually smooth and controlled, was muddied with rage and hate. His deep scowl made Marinette feel sick. It looked like the beast she had always known was inside him had finally come to the surface and the sight was terrifying.

"Never!" He shouted. "She belongs to me, go find yourself another damsel in distress!"

There was a long moment of silence as Gabriel's words faded into the wind and Chat Blanc didn't move. The small group of people on the ground froze as they watched him, holding their breath as they waited for his next move but all he did was stand there, watching them with only his tail flicking to indicate he was still capable of movement. Even the storm appeared to die down, like it too was anticipating what he would do, but he stood as still as a statue, his eyes fixed on them like he really could see all their sins. The tension in the air was so thick, Marinette felt like she was standing in quicksand and she knew she couldn't have ran away, even if she tried. Then, Chat Blanc let out a long breath and shook his head with a light chuckle.

"You really are a fool."

After he spoke those words, everything seemed to happen at the speed of light, like the world had suddenly been sped up. Chat Blanc sprang from the roof and spiralled towards the ground, the storm above him suddenly exploding with lightning that lit up the whole sky and blinded all four people on the ground. Marinette closed her eyes and cried out against the light; all she could now feel was Gabriel's nails digging into her wrist and all she could hear was the crashing of the thunder. Then, there was a loud blood-curdling cry and she whipped around frantically, trying to sense where it had come from. She opened her eyes just in time to see a streak of white fly away from the body of one of the guards, that was now spouting blood from the neck like a fountain, and towards the other with a loud animalistic cry that rooted her to the spot. The large man tried to run back, his hands scrambling at his belt for his gun but before he had even touched it, Chat Blanc was on him. He thrust his claws forwards and all ten of them sank into his chest, impaling his thick torso like it was no harder than a marshmallow. The man gave a shallow gasp, his eyes wide as he looked down at his own dripping blood, before Chat Blanc pulled his claws out with a growl, and the guard fell to the ground like a felled tree. Two large puddles of blood were now soaking the white stone and Marinette's knees felt like they would buckle from the horror. She had believed what Tikki said about Epidd being evil but she had never even imagined he could drive her beloved Chat Noir to murder people this brutally. Oh my kitty, the only clear thought in her head. What has he done to you?

"Shit!" Gabriel spat viciously behind her and she was once again yanked off her feet as he started to drag her in the direction of the towering mansion doors. "He's fucking crazy… Marinette, get up, you stupid girl! He's going to kill us!"

Not me, she thought as he pulled her to her feet and pushed her roughly. He won't kill me, he only wants to kill you… She would have said it out loud but she felt like she barely had the energy to even move her lips. Time around her felt like it was going very slowly and her limbs were sluggish like she was trying to walk through molasses. The weight of the situation she was in, plus her general exhaustion from struggling and fighting for so long, was all beginning to catch up on her and the mansion doors suddenly felt like they were miles away.

"Marinette, move!" Gabriel shouted again, right in her ear, "Fucking move already before I-shit!"

Before she could even register what he had said, he was gone. Her eyes watched as a white clawed hand shot out from behind her and pushed him away. The hand looked like it had barely tapped him but Gabriel's body went shooting across the white stone, looking like a flying ragdoll tossed away by a cross child before he crumpled against the door. Marinette saw his head rear up and stare over at her, his mouth and eyes open wide with fear as he tried to scramble away and for a second, she felt powerful. Then, as quickly as it had come, the feeling was gone, and her legs weak and bruised from kicking at the guards, buckled. She waited for her body to hit the hard stone and winced as she braced herself but instead of the pain she was expecting, she felt her body being cradled by a pair of strong arms. They held her close to a warm body that smelt a little of sweat and leather as they rubbed her back gently like she was something precious.

"There, there, I've got you now." A male voice said and she was only awake long enough to realise that the voice sounded a little like Chat Noir's. Then they were rushing through the air and her eyes closed and she all too easily succumbed to blackness.

OOO

When Marinette woke up, the first thing she realised was that she was tied up. As she tried to move, she felt rough ropes biting at the skin of her wrists and the pain almost sent her into a panic attack. Gabriel has me tied up, was her first thought. I'm somewhere in the basement of the mansion all tied up and he's never going to let me go now… She attempted to curl up into herself, wanting to just roll into a ball and cry at her predicament but she stopped when she realised that light was prickling at the lids of her eyes.

Surely there wouldn't be light in a basement, would there? She wondered before she swallowed down her rising panic and opened her eyes. To her complete shock, her surroundings were the complete opposite of the dark and dingy basement prison she expected to find. Instead, she was standing in a light and airy room that was probably the size of their whole bakery. The walls were painted white, there was some sparse clean furniture dotted around the centre of the room and she noted that almost every kind of technology she could think of was there; one wall boasted a giant TV screen worthy of a cinema, a desk appeared to be struggling under the weight of a huge computer with four screens and a back wall held shelves upon shelves of DVDs and video games in a collection that would have made any tech nerd drool. Everywhere she looked Marinette spotted something new and fun to look at- a climbing wall, a basketball hoop, table football… she almost wanted to laugh. Had somebody tried to make a teenage boy's paradise? They almost looked like they had succeeded.

However, she was still tied up. She looked down to see her body was closely encased in rope where somebody had wound it around her body again and again and again, like they had tried to make her a cocoon, and there were only small strips in the mass of brown where she could see the red and white of her outfit and skin. She twisted her head round as much as she could and saw in the reflection of a nearby window that she was tied up to what looked like a fireman's pole. Who the hell has one of these in their rooms? She thought bewildered for a moment before she shook the thought out of her head and focused on trying to free herself. The ropes were bound so tightly around her and the pole that there was close to no wriggle room and even though her hands were sticking out of the rope, she could barely move them. She tried to wriggle around again, moving her body like she was a snake, but it did nothing but rub her skin into a raw red that throbbed under her ties.

"Fuck!" She spat out as she fell still, her panic beginning to rise again as she scanned the room a second time, trying to spot anything that might indicate where she was and who held her captive. It can't be Gabriel, she thought, he would have shown himself already and he would probably be trying to make me do something disgusting. She looked down, trying to see if any of the knots in the rope looked loose, and that was when she spotted that her feet were bare. She blinked down at them a few times, like if she did the broken red heels would magically reappear, but they didn't and that really confused her. Gabriel would never have even thought of taking my shoes off for me, even if they were broken and hurting me, she thought. Just who was holding her like this?

"I see you're finally awake." A rumbling voice suddenly spoke, making her head jerk up and slam the back of the pole. She let out a cry of pain, tears coming to her eyes at the shock of it and she bent her head again in an effort to hide them but then suddenly, there was a soft hand on the back of her head, caressing her hair and cooing like they were trying to soothe her. Shaking, she slowly drew her head back up, her eyes still closed as she couldn't stop her tears from leaking but she froze in place when she felt something cool pass over her cheek and wipe away the trails of water.

"Shh, please don't cry Marinette," the voice said again much more softly. "I can't stand to see you upset."

"Who are you?" Marinette choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. She could sense her captor's presence hovering right in front of her, their body inches away from her own, but she felt too terrified to open her eyes. "What do you want from me?"

The voice gave a low chuckle, "If you open your eyes Marinette, you'll find out."

His tone was still gentle but there was a steely firmness behind it that made the taunt sound more like a command. Marinette found herself slowly opening her eyes, the room blurred through her tears for a long moment before it and her captor finally became clear. At the sight of him, she tried to gasp but the sound caught in her throat and she ended up only making a strangled sound as she looked at him.

"Chat Blanc?" She whispered once again under the gaze of his bright yellow eyes and his face broke into a wide sleazy smile.

"Oh, you recognise me Marinette? I'm honoured." He purred, his other hand coming up to meet her cheek. She could feel both her cheeks being gently brushed with something metallic but when she turned her eyes to see them, she almost screamed. His sharp claws, the ones she had seen impale the guard outside like his thick body had been nothing but air, were now running along her skin. The blood had been cleaned off and they gleamed up at her like silver but that was in no way reassuring as she recoiled from them. These were weapons designed to kill and she knew if Chat Blanc so wished, he could skewer her without a second thought.

"What's the matter? Don't you like my claws?" Chat Blanc asked as he drew them away, still peering closely at her tear-stained face. "Unfortunately, I can't retract them- they're too big you see. And you really should be thanking them. If I didn't have them, you'd still be with that monster. You're safe here with me."

Marinette looked up at him, taking a few breaths to calm herself as she tried to think clearly. "That's the second time you've saved me," she said. "You saved me from Gabriel's thugs before, that night I met him at the Blue Moon... I was trapped in that alleyway and you rescued me."

"I'm surprised you remember that," Chat Blanc replied, sounding almost pleased with himself. "You had just been tasered, I thought all your memory would have gone."

"Shadow told me," Marinette answered him, her forehead creasing as more and more started to come back to her. "He was the one you brought me to, he took care of me afterwards…" She paused before she stared at him, forcing herself to look straight into the thin cat-like irises of his eyes. "How did you know to take me to him? Do you know him?"

"You could say that." Chat Blanc just grinned at her and she got the unpleasant feeling that she was being mocked. "The more important question is, how do you know him?"

For some reason, the question about Shadow made her blood boil and Marinette close to snarled at him. How dare he question her like this? "Why do you care?" Marinette spat back, her voice flooded with anger. "Why do you even give a damn?"

Two hands shot up from his sides and pinned her head back against the pole, his claws pressing into her cheeks and causing the spark of anger to disappear. Marinette once again felt paralysed with fear and it was all she could do to stop herself from shaking and injuring herself on the sharp metal. Where's Tikki? She thought, remembering suddenly that she had brought the small bug god with her. I need to transform, where is she? She tried to scan the room again but there was no sign of her father's bulky coat and Chat Blanc's quiet angry expression was filling her vision. She started crying out for her in her mind hoping that somehow it would reach her but she didn't have much hope.

"Spots on!" She desperately thought, mouthing the words quickly in the hope that they would still count but nothing happened. The realisation that she didn't know where Tikki was hit her hard like a punch in her gut and she would have had a panic attack if Chat Blanc hadn't started speaking.

"I give a damn because I want to know why you left him," he said, his face edging closer and closer so Marinette couldn't avoid the poisonous glow of his topaz eyes. "I want to know why you tried to run from him and then went to submit yourself to the man who has abused you both. Have you forgotten all the things he did to you? To the both of you? You confided so much in him, he spent all those long nights comforting you, loving you and you just threw him away… threw me away…"

"I never wanted to!" Marinette burst out. "The last thing I wanted was to come here and leave him behind! Gabriel told me that I had to come, if I didn't he would hurt Shadow…" Something suddenly came into her head and she froze up again, still staring at Chat Blanc. "You said I threw you away…" Her eyes widened as she looked back at him, the realisation dawning on her like a tidal wave slamming on a beach, and his sick smile only confirmed it. "No, no that can't be right! You can't be him!"

"Why ever not?" Chat Blanc just grinned menacingly. "Does it not make perfect sense? You knew how much I hated Gabriel, you have no idea what he put me through for years… I so enjoyed wrecking his empire piece by piece but oh, my hatred only grew when I found out what he did to you. Didn't you notice the attacks got worse after that night when I saved you? Didn't you see me telling him to 'leave you alone?' You're smart Marinette, I thought you would have seen some links, like the fact we both only came out at night and the attacks lessened the more I stayed at yours… Go on, tell me why it can't be true. Tell me why the boy you loved couldn't be this monster."

"Because that means you're also Chat Noir!" Marinette cried out.

At her words, Chat Blanc froze, his claws still held up close to her skin. Now it was his turn to look afraid as a flicker of fear passed over his face and Marinette could have sworn his claws trembled. However, it disappeared as quickly as it had arrived and within seconds, his expression had transformed into a guarded scowl as he pressed his claws against her skin, leaning into her so she could feel their pressure.

"How do you know that?" He growled at her, his face so close, she could see every point of his sharp canines when he bared them.

"It… it was a guess!" Marinette choked out frightened as she tried to get as far away from him as she could. "You're both cats, you have very similar powers, anyone could make the link!"

"But you know," Chat Blanc emphasised, digging his claws into one cheek. Marinette whimpered as she felt them cut into her skin and out of the corner of her eye, she could see a little red dribble flow down his claw. She could also feel the warm blood, her own warm blood, pooling on her neck and it made the tension around her feel much thicker. I really could die here, she thought for the first time. I really am going to die.

"You were certain," Chat Blanc continued, his voice getting dangerously lower and quieter. "You sounded so sure, you had to have been told. And the way you blurted it out, you knew I didn't want anyone to make the connection. So, I'll ask you again. How did you know?"

He drew back his left hand, the one with the claw stained with Marinette's blood and he kept her eyes locked on his as he slowly placed it against her throat. "Please Marinette… I really don't want to hurt you, not after all we've been through. But I will… unless you tell me."

"Shadow… please…" Marinette just managed to breathe out and she saw him stiffen. "I have no idea what's going on right now but I do know something has gone very wrong. I know what I did hurt you but I promise you, I only did it because Gabriel was threatening your life. Do you really think I'm capable of being so callous? After all those nights you visited the bakery, all that time we spent together, everything I confided in you… do you really think I was making that all up?"

She watched his face, waiting for any kind of reaction. She could see his eyes were beginning to soften, losing the hard edge that had terrified her so much. That gave her a flutter of hope and so she continued, her eyes pleading with his as she sought to find his humanity.

"They came to the bakery that morning, when you were still up in my bedroom. I was told to come here, wearing this... outfit, and present myself to Gabriel or else something bad would happen to you. It broke my heart to see you arrive at the bakery and read that letter… and the pain only got worse when I saw you had brought me flowers." Chat Blanc's breath hitched at the last word and the fluttering in Marinette's stomach grew a little stronger. He looked almost like he was in a trance, hanging off her every word and she pushed on, watching as his claws lowered from her face to the rope constricting her. "I never wanted to hurt you Shadow, I only wish I could have helped you more. If I had known what this was doing to you, I could have helped somehow… Please, we need to get out of here, the both of us need to get as far away from this place as possible. If you just untie me, we can leave, we can get out of here…"

"Marinette!"

The atmosphere was suddenly shattered as a voice cut through the air, breaking Chat Blanc's trance and making him leap back with his claws up, ready to fight. Marinette gasped as she looked around frantically; she knew that voice and she watched as the door on the other side of the room flew open and a red blur whizzed across the room towards her.

"Tikki!" She cried out, relieved as the kwami reached her and clung to her cheek in a hug, her eyes brimming with tears. "Thank god you're here, what happened?"

"I got left in the coat when it was abandoned outside in the storm," Tikki explained, her voice cracking with emotion as she spoke. "I got out and saw the two bodies out there and I could sense you were in the house, I could hear you calling me… I was so scared Gabriel had you-"

"What is that?" Chat Blanc suddenly interrupted, his ears cocked like he was listening to another voice. "A kwami? That's Ladybug's kwami? Marinette, how do you-"

He didn't get a chance to finish as Tikki suddenly took action. His words failed him as the room was filled with a burst of bright pink light that blinded him, making his eyelids glow with a rose-coloured light even when he closed them. When the light finally died, he slowly opened his eyes, holding his claws out to shield him from any more unexpected lights but they dropped down to his sides when his eyes caught sight of who was now tied up to the pole.

"Ladybug?"

Blue eyes went wide behind a spotted red and black mask, one he knew all too well, and he could only stare at her as she started to speak but none of her words registered in his mind. His brain felt like it had just been dropped in cold water and his heart felt like it had been squashed under the heels of the broken shoes he had so carefully pulled from Marinette's feet. This couldn't be true. This couldn't be right. How could the girl who had taken him in and loved him through all his darkness be the same girl who had spurned him because of it? He had sought revenge on Ladybug, he had wanted her to suffer but she was the same girl he had wanted to save… how could this be?

"Shadow, Chat Noir, listen to me," he finally heard her say, though her voice was muted like she was speaking on the other side of a wall. "I know this is a big shock but you have to listen to me. I couldn't tell you I was Ladybug, I couldn't tell anybody, it was far too dangerous and I couldn't let Gabriel or Hawkmoth know, they would have just used it as another thing to blackmail me with… Chat I know you're angry with me and you have every right to be but I need you to fight your anger, you have to fight him-"

"Why the hell should I listen to you!?" Chat Blanc spat out the words with such venom that Marinette fell silent, her hands shaking when she saw in his eyes just how angry he was. He stalked back over to her, standing once again so close she could see every detail of his face and every inch of it was marred with pure rage. "Why should I care what you think when all you've done is lie and betray me?!"

"I never wanted to lie!" Ladybug pleaded with him. "I never wanted any of this to happen! I know what I did to you as Chat Noir was wrong and I'm sorry! I never meant to reject you like that after you sacrificed yourself for me, I was just scared. I was terrified you would kill yourself for me and I could never have lived with myself! And that day with Dark Desires… something broke inside you then Chat, I should have tried harder to fix it but I was dealing with my own problems and they swallowed us both up… You don't know how much I regret doing what I did Chat, the accusations, the coldness… I should have done more to help you, I understand that now but please, I'm not just Ladybug. I'm still Marinette behind this mask and you know me, I promise you do. I care for you, both as Chat Noir and as Shadow… it's like I loved you twice over. I know you're angry but you need to let me help you, you need to, please-"

"Why the hell should I listen to you!?" Chat Blanc spat out the words with such venom that Marinette fell silent, her hands shaking when she saw in his eyes just how angry he was. He stalked back over to her, standing once again so close she could see every detail of his face and every inch of it was marred with pure rage. "Why should I care what you think when all you've done is lie and betray me?! You never cared about me as Ladybug, you threw me aside! You accused me and then you did the same thing as Marinette! All that time, I thought you cared and I thought you loved me… and then you went running to Gabriel like the little whore you are. It's almost funny," he said as he gave a bitter laugh. "You made me fall in love with you twice- and then you betrayed me twice. You're nothing but a liar and a traitor."

With those last words spat in her face, he turned on his heel and stalked towards the door snarling. "I'm going to go and find my good-for-nothing father and make him pay for everything he ever did to me. And then when I come back, I'm going to do the exact same thing to you."