**Last update for a while. Enjoy.**

(I don't own them.)

Ladybug opened her hand. Ladybug looked in Chat Noir's direction, and he couldn't see her blue eyes anymore, only red. Piercing red eyes.

Chat watched in horror as red smoke flowed from her palm and fell to the ground, tumbling and flowing until it overtook Volpina in its own grasp.

"Y-you'll kill her! Ladybug-Marinette NO!"

It was too late, and Volpina was left to her own devices, ascending into the air as light flashed under the Eiffel Tower. It was a frightful sight, Volpina was helpless to the power of the Ladybug Miraculous.

"Ow…AHHH"

The light flashed around the fox as she ascended higher and higher. It was gripping her tightly, pulsating around her figure, wrapping tighter and crushing her harder.

"What goes up, Fox…."

Ladybug's upturned palm closed to snap her fingers, and Volpina was being forced to the ground by Ladybug's power.

Just as she was about to hit the concrete, shattering her to pieces, Chat stood underneath, ready to cushion her impact. As soon as Volpina hit him, he held her with every bit of strength he could muster against Ladybug's powerful attack. The fallout was all rubble and concrete, but Chat and Volpina were thankfully in one piece, though injured and torn up from the collateral.

"Ohhh…" Chat let out a painful moan. That will definitely hurt later.

"Chat Noir! I'll keep Volpina's minions at bay! Keep Her alive!"

Rena Rouge sprinted onto the scene, jumping from creature to creature, fighting them off with her own flute, successfully producing shrill tones, causing the large beasts to shrink and cower in pain and fear.

"That's right. Back down you filthy things."

Volpina was struggling to stand, feeling the loss of her strength when Ladybug lifted her into the air and tried squeezing the life out of her. She stumbled until she gained her balance again, desperately needing to obtain some kind of upper hand in this situation, though seeing none against super-form Ladybug and her crew. Hawkmoth made his presence known for the first time in several minutes.

"Volpina, if you can get the Miraculouses, try hard, but I think you need to guard your own life first. You won't win anything if you die. I lost a chance to have Chat Noir's Miraculous, it doesn't mean this will be the last time to try again."

"Funny you should say all that. I was almost crushed to death, and where were you? Safe and sound while I do your dirty work."

"You're truly crazy Volpina, if you think this is over without me cutting in"

Rena Rouge sprinted over to Volpina, pulling her away from Hawkmoth's next words. Rena tumbled forward and whipped Volpina in the legs with her own flute, sending her yet again to the ground.

"No! Not you too. Where do you people keep coming from!?"

"I could ask freaks like you the same question. Now stand and fight!"

Rena delivered a punch straight to Volpina's face.

"That was for WHIPPING my best friend. And THIS," Rena round-housed Volpina after she got up to fight, sending her flying.

"This is for being an outright, bonafide bitch."

Ladybug's power was now being used on the creatures Volpina conjured, as more and more materialized, and she trapped them in her grip until they vanished in their own puff of smoke. Chat was just trying to keep up while fighting off Volpina's whip-creature, Oreilisk. The snake-like beast would whip him in the back every time he tried to run off and gain ground on Ladybug, trying to make sure she wasn't doing more unnecessary damage. Chat finally had enough of this though, ripping his staff from his back and facing down the creature.

"I will always protect My Lady!"

His staff was barely visible as he tore into Oreilisk, sending the creature writhing on the ground.

"Not so tough without your master, huh?"

With one last stab, Oreilisk, like the others, evaporated into the air, not a trace to be seen.

"Thank God."

He turned around and watched as Ladybug was slowly being lifted into the sky, as if she was floating in a swirl of red mist.

"Marinette! No! What's happening!?"

Rena took Volpina by the neck as she finished the fight between the two of them, successfully keeping her on the ground until she had no strength to stand.

"Nice try. But we all know who the real wielder is. This, is no longer yours. You don't deserve it. Even if it was real."

Lila coughed, struggling to remain conscious.

"Take it. It's not worth my life. I concede."

"You're damn right." Rena snapped the necklace from her neck.

"It's over."

Rena Rouge ran to reunite with Chat Noir, only to witness Ladybug's ascent.

"What's…happening?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, I just want Marinette back."

"Me too, Adrien."

Red smoke swirled around Ladybug's form as light continued to flash.

"Hey, look!"

Rena raised her hand that was holding Lila's necklace, as it began its own ascent towards Ladybug. It paused in the air, and shattered into a million fragments, the encased akuma flying out into the sky. It was met by shinning, white light, which purified the creature, changing its coloring from purple to white. Chat stared in absolute awe at the scene in the sky.

"Wow, Ladybug didn't have to do anything to do that this time."

"That's your girlfriend, and she is probably one of the most powerful beings on earth right now, how does that make you feel?"

"Like I want to wrap her in her pink blanket back at home and hold her tight, trying to never let her go."

"Well as soon as I cart Lila off, you can do just that. But how do we get Ladybug down?"

"Look! She's starting to come back down now!"

Ladybug's body finally made its decent to the ground, her eyes still glowing as red as before. As she made contact with the concrete, there was a powerful wind that swept from her form, and as if she had said the words, the wind restored what was damaged all around them. Like nothing had ever took place.

Like Ladybug wasn't revealed to all of Paris and publicly whipped, strung up like an insect and forced to succumb to Volpina's vicious plans.

Like she had never been hurt, even though Chat knew better.

He watched as she was whipped as Marinette.

Miraculouses don't fix that.

The powerful red mist that once held Marinette dissipated, as she was placed on her back, hands laying at her sides, eyes closed as if she was just asleep, not beaten to unconsciousness.

Tikki rested on her belly, utterly drained of energy and just in need of a good nap.

"Woah, what do we do, Chat? Do we touch her? Is she alive? Oh my God if I just witnessed my best friend's death…"

"Shh, Alya."

Chat walked towards Ladybug with no caution. The scene was silent, not a sound could be heard as he bent down to her body and picked her up, and cradling her like she was the only precious thing left in this world.

He stood and faced the cameras and reporters. At least the few that were left.

"Show's over, your city is saved, go home," He told the small crowd somberly.

Rena began picking up Lila carefully, carrying her in her arms.

"I'll get this one to a hospital and see she is detained and evaluated. It's what Master Fu wanted." Chat nodded towards her in silent thanks.

He started to walk towards town, and everyone continued to stare.

He was walking towards the bakery, and as soon as he got there, her parents fell right in line next to him.

"We were told to keep inside as everything was going down, we desperately had to watch on TV for updates on our Mari…oh baby, you were so brave, mom and dad are here now. We love you, thank you for all that you have done."

Her parents were in tears, her mom stroking her hair, and her dad offering to carry her, to which Adrien wouldn't budge. He would carry her all the way to safety, like he intended. Her father understood and let him continue to carry her into her bedroom. Tikki had separated from Marinette on the walk through town, she was nestled into her neck now, giving comfort.

Adrien went to her drawers and picked out comfortable clothes for her to wear. Marinette still had her eyes closed, but Adrien could still feel and see her chest rising, and that's all that mattered. He undressed her without the distractions of embarrassment, he was mature enough to handle dressing his girlfriend and get her comfortable and safe in her bed. He paid special care around her whipping wounds, they weren't terrible, but they absolutely needed attention. He gingerly took off her bra and laid her on her back first. He left in search of supplies in her bathroom, where he was able to find bandages and antiseptic. He pulled out rags, soaking them in water, and quickly returned to her side. He patted at her sores, trying to cool down the angry red irritation. He poured the antiseptic on the rags next, patting them on her fragile, soft skin. What was torn, he managed to mend with gauze and bandages, and he worked to clean all the excess blood from around the wounds. He then flipped her over on her stomach. Like a gentlemen, his eyes stayed on his task, averting them from her breasts. He worked to clean and bandage the rest of her afflicted areas on her stomach and chest.

When he finally finished and she was dressed and tucked into bed, Adrien separated from Plagg, who also went to Marinette's side.

"She'll be fine. You two need to rest, Plagg."

"I know kid. It's just, no wielder has managed to reach that form in centuries. It's only reserved for the strongest wielders. A kwami has to trust their holder can handle all that it takes for them to maintain that form. Tikki and Marinette are so brave and strong, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of any of what we witnessed today."

Adrien took Marinette's pigtails out, shaking her hair gently and began running his fingers through her dark strands.

"Marinette is the strongest girl I have ever met. I'm not surprised Tikki trusted her to pull through."

Adrien kissed her face gently and lovingly, paying special attention to her lips. He kissed her hand, and began to quietly weep. Not from sadness, he knew she was okay for now. He was overcome with the trauma of what they both went through, what she became to save them, to save herself. He was also exhausted, wanting nothing better than to tuck in next to her and hold her close to him, shielding her from the world, protecting her as they slept.