I Don't own Miraculous; I just got a little obsessed with it after watching it with my kids. This piece is just a little drabble bit that has no real plot, just angst. I like the angst. SorryNotSorry. It is intended to be a one-shot. So without further stalling, enjoy! Or don't whatever.

The air stung with the sound of gun fire and silence. Chat Noir froze briefly, before turning and running back to the tower, to where Ladybug was fighting Sharpshooter. Or where she should have been. But there was no sound of fighting, no sound of her yoyo whipping through the air. No sound of gunfire anymore.

He reached the base of the tower just in time to see the red clad hero, his partner, his love, falling head first towards the ground.

"No! Ladybug!"

He wasn't sure if he had yelled it or if it was just in his head, and he didn't remember moving towards her at all, but suddenly he was in the air, she was in his arms, and they were back on the ground.

"Ladybug! Ladybug! Please be okay, please please..."

Her body was warm but limp, head lolling back as he tried to rouse her. Tears pricked his eyes as he knelt, cradling her closer to his chest. Her breathing was ragged and laboured, each more shallow than the last. His eyes searched frantically for the wound that he knew must be there, the tears blurring his vision made it impossible to find. He shouted for some one to call an ambulance, unable to take his eyes off of her.

"Ch...chat..." Her voice was quiet and gravelly, and he strained to hear her. "The... aak-ma..."

"Shh, shh, don't... We'll get the akuma later, after you're all fixed up."

"No. You..." She pushed her yo-yo into his hand. "have to..."

"I can't. It's your power. You have to do it, Ladybug, I can't do it without you."

Her eyes were barely open and unfocused. A wry smile played her lips briefly, as she reached up to her ear. Chat Noir's eyes widened in panic.

"No, milady, you can't-"

"Chat."

Her eyes closed as she pulled the one ear ring loose. Pink light shimmered around her, the black spotted suit seemed to dissolve, leaving behind pink flats, pink denim capris, a white shirt, and black coat in a fizzy pink glow. The shock on Chat's face gave way to terror and anguish.

"M...Marinette..?"

A pained, ragged breath was his only answer.

"Marinette..!"

He could hear the sirens now, growing steadily louder. The girl in his arms grew weaker with every breath, her heart beat fading beneath his fingertips.

He picked up the earring that she had already removed, clutching it in his fist as another wave of tears traced their way down his cheeks. Choking back another sob, he caressed her cheek before his hand moved up to the other earring. He knew he had to. He didn't want to. But she was right; he *had* to. Some one had to purify the akuma, and she was in no condition to do it. It fell to him. He pulled the earring from her ear, and the pink glow fizzled away completely, leaving a very pale, and very weak Marinette in his lap.

"Plagg," he sobbed, "claws in."

Marinette's eyes were open again, just barely, and a sad smile graced her pale features.

"A-drien... of course it's you..." her voice was barely a breath, and she let her eyes flutter closed again.

"Just hang on Marinette. Just a few more minutes." He pushed the cat miraculous onto her finger, and leaned over her protectively, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I'll be back for that. I'll be back for you. Wait for me."

The ambulance was there now, and the paramedics quickly loaded her into the back, racing off again with sirens blaring. Adrien stood at the base of the tower, Ladybug's earrings adorning his ears, the small red kwami perched on his shoulder.

"Tikki? Spots on."