Marinette and Adrien sat in silence for what seemed like hours upon end. The only sound that could be heard was the footsteps of the patrolling akumatized guards from outside the cell door. Adrien would occasionally glance over, making her insides turn. How could he possibly think she still had an ounce of care left in her body for him. The son of Hawkmoth, was not only Adrien but also her partner Chat Noir…had he been working with him all along? Did he want this to happen? She had no idea and at this point, she didn't care.

She needed to think like Ladybug. Marinette's mind raced through every plan, every idea, anything that would help her defeat Hawkmoth and save her friends. The one thing she had to maintain was her emotions. Being angry with Adrien had to wait, for she had learned that if she could not contain her emotions, her mission would be lost. When Adrien wasn't looking, she would slowly move the hidden gem toward her wrist. She needed to lock it into her bracelet, every time she tried, the gaze from the man beside her stopped her from finishing.

Marinette needed to create a distraction, she needed to keep his eyes off her for just a few minutes. Clearing her throat, she lifted her head and locked her eyes with Adrien's. She could see hurt and betrayal within him. His brows furrowed as the expression on his face broke her into little pieces. Why was he so intense with his expression? This was all his fault. Shrugging it off, Marinette took a moment to collect her thoughts and spoke.

"So…I guess I should apologize for something?" Marinette asked watching Adrien clench his fist. She didn't believe he would harm her; however, she didn't truly know him anymore.

"Why Marinette? Why would you help him?" He asked, concentrating on her every move. Marinette watched as his hands remained locked in a tight grip. His voice was as cold as a winter storm and she didn't even want to look into his eyes.

She turned her eyes toward her wrist, slowly moving the gem down her arm, "What does it matter? You and your father won. I am sure- "Before she could finish, Marinette felt herself being forced off the bench and against the wall. Adrien held her right arm with so much strength, it was like her arm was being crushed by a boulder. The impact caused the gem to fall from her left sleeve to the cold concrete. Marinette felt sweat beads begin to form as she silently prayed, he didn't hear the tiny clinks as it collided with the ground.

"How could you possibly think I wanted my father to win?! You know me Marinette." Adrien said his voice calmer than before.

"No, Adrien, I don't know you!" Marinette turned her gaze back to his, regretting giving in to her anger, "I know absolutely nothing about you! The Adrien I knew was fifteen. He was kind, generous, and was amazing in every way. You are not him! He would never write a letter that made a person wished they never existed, he would never lure his friends into a trap, and he would never harm the people he cared about. The Adrien I knew…the Adrien that I cared for…I fear no longer exists."

Marinette felt his grip loosen as she watched his expression turn from anger to shock. She took her eyes and carefully scanned the ground to find the gem. It was hopeless, it was too dark to see anything that small. The moonlight was only enough to see each other, it wasn't enough to locate small objects.

"Marinette…" She turned her attention toward the softened voice of the man that held her. He didn't seem angry anymore…he seemed heartbroken. Marinette rolled her eyes and took a deep breath as she answered him.

"I'm sorry, Adrien." Was all Marinette could muster, realizing her mission to save the world once again…was lost.

She felt him release his hold on her, listening to him as he backed away. Marinette turned her eyes toward him and noticed that he was about to step on the gem. She felt something come over her as she lunged forward gripping his wrists and bringing him up against her body. She was horrified as she realized what she had just done. What other choice did she have? If he would've taken that last step, he would've destroyed the gem.

Adrien and Marinette both looked at the other with surprise and shock. She had to think of something, something to elevate the current situation but nothing came to mind. She was lost for words. As she fumbled through a series of words, Marinette was stopped by Adrien.

"I think you're right Mari…" Adrien said causing Marinette to pause.

"What?" She asked confused.

"I'm not the same Adrien I used to be…I used to be full of hope and I had respect for others. I used to believe my friends were the only family I had. I lost touch with everyone, I caused problems between you and Luka, and I made a mess of everything. The Adrien you knew is lost…I never meant to hurt anyone. I never meant to cause this mess. I'm so sorry for everything. I hope you can forgive me one day." His words sent shockwaves through her, the truth behind them opened the door to her heart, causing it to beat uncontrollably. Marinette felt his wrists slip through her hands as he walked toward the cell door.

Her mind was blank…Adrien was telling her the truth. She could feel it in his tone, see it in his body language, but was she ready to forgive him? Glancing over toward the bench she remembered why she pulled him toward her. Without wasting another moment, she quickly walked toward the gem and plucked it from the cold concrete, placing it in her bracelet. Releasing a sigh of relief, Marinette turned her body slightly to glance at Adrien, facing his back.

Marinette was conflicted, part of her wanted to comfort him, to tell him she forgave him and apologize for her actions. However, the other half wanted to carry on with the mission and ignore the situation. Grimacing, she found herself walking toward Adrien, wrapping her arms around his waist. She held him tightly for what seemed like hours. She felt a peace of mind as if all the problems they were facing had disappeared.

If he didn't move to face her, Marinette would've fallen to the ground from over-exhaustion. Usually, she was the champion of being able to stay awake during battles. Though, without her Ladybug powers, staying awake seemed impossible. As she stumbled backward, Adrien managed to catch her, pulling her body tightly against his. Marinette felt her eyes closing and her senses were losing their grip on reality. She thought Adrien was asking her a question but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Marinette just smiled slightly and nodded, unprepared for what was about to happen.