Alright, you gluttons for punishment. Here's the alternate ending. If Adrien had succeeded, and Marinette had lost. I'd like to personally apologize that there were no true happy endings.

"Wake up, Princess."

Marinette blinked, confused.

When she heard the words, it felt like stirring from a dream. But that didn't make sense- she wasn't sleeping before, or even sleepy. Yet somehow, she hadn't realized how part of her wasn't taking in the world around her. Why would I need to? I felt so happy…

But as she recalled where she was, who she was with, despair descended on her.

"Please." She whispered, head bowing as the cloud of ease refused to fall. "Not again, Chat. Please."

"Ah ah, Princess. I rule this kingdom, I make the rules." A white clawed hand came forward, gently tilting her head up to meet manic eyes. "And I have been lonely without the real you."

A tear fell as reality set in for her again, just like it had the last time he had 'woken' her up. And the time before that, and the time before that.

Like all the other times, he opened his arms with a soft, pleased smile. And powerless to change her fate, lip trembling, she fell into his possessive embrace.

Marinette should have known better, all those months ago, than to go against his dark wish.

~The Day that Marinette Lost~

It was getting harder and harder to act normal.

She had just made it to the last stop, stepping off into what felt like a bad dream. Everywhere she looked, more and more icy eyes scoured their surroundings. Pedestrians didn't seem to recall what they had been doing. Cars had stalled in the middle of the road, their owners out and looking everywhere. She watched one civilian, perplexed, approach one of the zombified victims. Before the hand reaching out had landed on the other's shoulder, before proper words could come out, the person froze; a moment later scanning just like their neighbor.

Shakily, she moved towards the Louvre. Reaching the Porte de Lions, she wordlessly scanned her pass given to her by Alix, heart pounding as her name briefly flashed across the screen before fading. The guard, scanning the grounds intently, failed to notice.

You're almost there, Marinette. Keep it together. You just need to get to Mr. Kubdel's quarters.

She did her best to keep her back turned to the groups and tourists loitering through the Spain exhibit. By now, almost no one seemed invested in the art. They weren't scanning as intently as those outside, however. Perhaps Chat Blanc hadn't connected the dots yet?

"Marinette!"

Gasping, she glanced back from the statue she was obscured by, heart leaping to her throat. Not because someone had called her name.

They had all shouted her name.

In eery unison, all faces had an expression of growing frustration. "Marinette!" They chorused again, and she felt her knees weaken as she heard her name echo outside the Louvre walls. "I know you're out here. Give up, right now, and there won't be any repercussions for this."

Scarcely able to breathe, she verified that no one was paying strict attention to her, and slowly continued to move backwards, avoiding eye contact. Alix and her family's quarters were just past the Italy exhibit. That was less than a football field away- she could do this.

"I knew you hadn't accepted me. And I know what you're trying to do." No, he doesn't. She told herself, heart pounding. There's no way. I've been so careful. The venom dropping from every citizen's mouth was terrible to hear. Still she kept walking, grateful that no one seemed intent to look at her long. Perhaps they (he) assumed under the sunglasses were glowing blue eyes as well. "I wanted to be wrong. But it's my own fault; I should have tried harder to make you happy." Spotting the door, she threw one last glance around her before ducking into the more isolated hall. "Well don't worry, Marinette." Their voices couldn't even be called muffled by the distance- not when every voice in Paris was speaking. "When I find you, I'll make sure you never think about leaving me again."

Turn back. Her hand froze just before touching the door. He'll forgive you; he still loves you. The voice felt like it should be hers. Just show yourself, and he'll find you. He'll make it right.

The voice was too cold to be her own.

The door was locked. She knew it would be; the Kubdel's would never leave their home unlocked in such a traffic filled place.

She also knew at least one of them would be home today.

Her knock was more hesitating than she'd like, but she heard the tell tale sounds of an approaching body.

Show yourself, Marinette. Return to Chat Blanc.

She felt herself lean away, foot turn slightly to leave, before righting herself, breaths coming too heavily at the almost loss of control.

Pink hair greeted her, with icy blue eyes staring in slight confusion. Alix had told her weeks ago offhand that she would be stuck at the Louvre while her father attended a meeting with the mayor, and it looked as if her word remained true. "Can I help…?"

Marinette, mentally apologizing, shoved her friend back inside, following after and locking the door. Please let no one else be home, please let it be just Alix I have to face. Turning back, the eyes were narrowed more intently, not concerned as they should be when someone intrudes into their home. The girl didn't speak, just continued to watch her. Finally, hesitatingly, she raised her hands up. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I don't want any trouble."

She thinks I'm a thief! Well, in a way, she was going to be. "Go to the bathroom." Marinette said in the gruffest voice she could manage. "Lock the door and stay in there."

Alix nodded, not bothering to argue. Her friend walked away, the restroom door shutting with a soft click. A more firm thwip of a turning lock confirming she had obeyed. Marinette almost felt like it was too easy.

Or you still have a little Ladybug luck on your side. She didn't have time to pause; who knew if Chat Blanc would connect the dots. And if he did, she needed to be prepared.

It turns out, she wasn't.

Hurrying past the door, she went straight for where she knew Alix's room was. Alix kept the watch her father gave her, the disguised miraculous, in the top drawer of her dresser.

("So I can always have it close." Alix explained, showing the item to her friend while they paused from exploring the Louvre. "Knowing what it really- I mean… it just, has a magical feel to it, you know?"

And Marinette, who had just that day stopped an akuma attack with Chat Noir and Rena Rouge, smiled. "Definitely.")

But upon opening the drawer, it wasn't there.

"What?" Her legs almost gave out, dread climbing. "No, no," maybe I misunderstood! Did she say top? Was it a different top shelf, a different drawer? With increasing franticness, she threw open the drawers. Each time coming up with nothing. "No, no, no!"

Hands shaking, she looked at the mess around her, as if desperately hoping it would appear on top of the items she had thrown around. "The closet!" She realized, turning. "Maybe she has a set of-"

She froze, feeling like prey.

"Here you are, Princess." The cat's smile was crooked, dangling the time miraculous in one flippant hand. He didn't bother righting himself from where he leaned against the far wall, a blind spot for anyone who bothered to enter without looking.

Marinette shook her head, backing away. "It's not possible. I-I took every precaution."

"So you did." He agreed, eyebrow raised at her outfit. "You did everything you possibly could to disobey me."

A chill swept through her.

"G-Give me the miraculous, Chat." She held up a shaking hand. "Please, this is my last chance to fix this."

A look of pity briefly swept over him, before he shook his head, eyes flashing. He raised the watch towards her, so she could see the glinting snake miraculous on his wrist. "No, milady, this was your last chance."

~Present~

Chat stroked her hair absentmindedly, holding her close as they gazed over the lit city of Paris. They were in Hawkmoth's layer- whose identity he had finally revealed to her when she woke up the third time.

He loved to do this; having her lean against him, taking these quiet moments where it seemed like nothing in the world mattered but that they were close.

Marinette wondered, not for the first time, how long it took for him to make her family forget her completely.

"The voices are getting louder." He revealed, finally. Once she finally settled back into her senses, she had suspected he had woken her up for a reason. The first few times had been solely to taunt her (and because he needed her). But recently… things hadn't been going well.

"Did you try asking the kwamis for help?" She prompted, recalling when she had suggested it last time.

He made a noise of affirmation, leaning his head towards hers. Automatically, she met him halfway, so her head rested on his shoulder, and he in turn rested against her. "They said the new kwami I formed when I made the wish was helping me to… to stave off the effects."

"But?"

"But," he repeated, grinning at how well she knew him. "The more time I'm detransformed as Adrien rather than Chat Blanc, the more energy is sapped from me. And if I loose enough, I'll lose control of the voices, the power."

She stroked his arm comfortingly. "…There's nothing they said you could do to reverse it?"

"Ha, no. And I'll do whatever I can to avoid that fate. It almost happened on…" he glanced her way. "On the day you went to the Louvre."

Marinette closed her eyes. Without the artificial happiness he kept her perpetually under, the failure of that day burned painfully in the back of her throat. "I remember. You told me about it."

~The Day Marinette Lost~

She didn't know what prompted her to run- she had failed to claim the time miraculous; there was nothing more for her to do. Not when he could rewind time at any moment to fix a mistake. Still, she fled.

Chat didn't pursue her as she left Alix's home, and she foolishly let herself briefly hope that if she could get far enough, hide well enough, that she'd have a chance to get away.

But the second she rounded the corner, back to all the museum goers, she realized why.

It's easy to be confident in letting your prey escape, when you command the sight and actions of an entire city.

Moments after seeing her, their faces contorted to rage, racing at her with a mob mentality that was frightening. Turning away, she sprinted through the Louvre, feet pounding ever faster as citizens shoved aside priceless artifacts in their single-minded pursuit. She had to employ quick dives and leaps more than once, her heart frantic even as a cold, still part of her mind said that running was pointless.

Escaping was no longer possible.

She reached the Winged Victory of Samothrace, enraged citizens pouring from the higher floors, and she realized she was surrounded. Climbing up the statue, she stayed huddled close to the stone feet as vicious hands made to grab her. Fear clouded her judgment- her plans utterly destroyed. She didn't know where to go from here. She could see some of her classmates in the throng- none of them seeming to register her, only cold blue eyes glaring back.

I'm going to die. Marinette though with painful clarity. It wasn't as if she hadn't already lost her family, her friends, everything to this nightmare world. But she couldn't help the fear of knowing she was probably about to be ripped apart by people who wouldn't even remember doing it the next day.

ENOUGH. Rang out a painful and terrible command. Marinette flinched, hugging the ancient marble, knowing exactly where the command came from. Worse, the room fell into an utter hush. There was no shuffling, no coughs, no voices. As one, the rabid crowd fell absolutely still.

She heard the sound of feet lightly landing on the pier of marble. Biting her lip, she looked up to Chat Blanc.

He looked sadder than she imagined, compared to all the other times she thought of what would happen when she lost. She wondered how often he had faced her like this, by now.

"I gave you the world, Marinette. And you went and did this."

She shook her head mutely, knowing her voice would betray how scared she felt.

He didn't approach further, his disappointment evident. "You are my everything, princess. But if the only way we can be together is for me to take away your choice, then so be it."

The cold, insistent voice that had been playing at the edge of her consciousness suddenly leapt into the forefront of her mind. She gasped out as her sense of being quickly fled. "No!" She whimpered out. No, you have to fight it Marinette! You have to save them!

A sudden sensation of RIGHT and SAFE fell over her so fast she was left dizzy. "You can't stop me, love." The voice- whoever it belonged to- grew fainter as she became lost to the feeling, her vision blurring. "And now, you never will."

~Present~

"What will happen if you can't control the voices anymore?"

Chat's tone lilted mockingly. "Scared of the uncertain future, milady?"

She sighed, meeting his eyes sadly. "Yes, but I'm only scared for you."

His eyes softened. They knew each other too well; he knew when she was answering him honestly. "Adrien Agreste will probably have to… disappear, from this world." His voice became distant, finally turning weary to the burdens he was carrying. "There's no more danger, so no point in trying to conceive a Chat Blanc superhero, which means…" He sighed, not quite coming off as careless as he would have liked her to believe. "Despite some incredible efforts on my part, I'll end up alone."

She squeezed his hand comfortingly, heart going out to him despite herself. "Not if I can help it. You'll still have me, Chat."

He laughed, but it sounded a bit pained. "Ah, and that heart of gold is why I was swept off my feet. Of course, I'll always have the beautiful Marinette, faithfully by my side." Both thought to the circumstances of what kept her faithfully there, and he tactfully returned to the previous subject. "I've thought about travelling to the ancient temples where the miraculous were first found, in hopes that there would be answers. A way to perhaps become stronger again, without the risk of losing myself to the granted wish. But I'm not sure of the reception I'd receive when I visit." Gloved hands rubbed soothingly against her arm. "Also, I don't think I could bear to leave my lady alone."

Not that I would be able to notice. She thought sadly. "Well, if it gets any worse, I want you to. I can handle being alone- as long as I know you'll eventually return."

Chat didn't seem to have a response to that. They sat together in stillness, both prisoners to bleak thoughts, finding small comfort in the other's presence. At length, and as always, Adrien broke the silence. "Is there anything I can get for you, my love?"

Marinette felt something in her chest tighten. This question was a formality- he had spared no expense in transforming his father's layer into a room she would have loved once upon a time. It held all she ever needed for designing her fashion, a small kitchenette area where she could still practice her baking and enjoy a meal- even the bathroom and bedroom combination in the far area seemed like some unreasonably priced hotel suite. But she never remembered enjoying any of the tower that held her captive, she wasn't even sure she moved when Adrien wasn't there to see her.

So when he asked her this, they both knew it was a farce. If anything, it was his way of telling her that he had gotten what he needed from their time together, and he was going to leave her alone again.

Marinette was never sure if it was better to be trapped in that cloud of bliss, or stuck in this painfully reality while at least aware.

"Well, I guess your silence means I provided adequately as your beloved, haven't I?" Chat Blanc's smile was just a touch too cutting to be sweet. Her heart only hurt more.

"Chat." She murmured, watching as his eyes started to glow more- the last thing she would see before she 'woke up' again. "Do you know what I would do, if I could have had the chance to make a wish?"

His eyes narrowed; grin unchanging. "I can imagine what you would wish, princess. But tell me, dear heart."

The fog grew, and Marinette could feel herself drifting. She gave her own soft smile, her vision blurring once again. "I would have wished that you would feel happy, too."

She felt so happy…

Chat stayed, letting his princess rest against him as she gazed blankly ahead. Carefully, he wiped the tear trail from her face. She had cried that day as well, when he had won. The day he had finally stopped Ladybug, trapped in his control. He had carried her safely back to his home, to his father's tower where he intended to keep her for good. It was child's play back then to brush the minds of the concerned citizens into forgetting seeing the terrified girl, recalling the unhinged anger they were forced to feel.

No one would know of his lady, ever again. Marinette belonged only to him, forgotten by the many who would have tried to defend her, had they known to.

Adrien had stayed with her for days after that. Talking to her, even though he was sure she heard nothing. Arguing with her, professing to her, saying all the painful and dark things he tried to keep hidden to protect her. Funnily enough, even as she smiled blankly ahead, she hadn't stopped crying. It was enough to make him worried she could hear him, and still cared about her poor kitty.

He wondered if Marinette ever cried for herself, or if her sadness had always been for him.

Knowing she couldn't see and was lost to understanding what was happening around her, he blinked as his own tears started to fall. Heaving in a shuttering breath, he held her closer, fighting to keep his sobs quiet even though realizing no one would be disturbed if they somehow heard him.

"I would have wished that you would feel happy, too."

"Oh, my Ladybug." He buried his face in her smooth, warm hair. He recalled the time before his father revealed himself, before he even knew who his lady was. "I- I have a wish too. One more silly wish." Laying them both down, he turned her to face away, so he could pretend he was truly speaking to her, or that she was perhaps just asleep, only unaware because she was tired. He continued to cry, not even able to voice the painful truth.

I wish I would have failed my dark wish.

Okay friends, that's the end of that. Thank you for your patience in me making this final installment. As fun as it's been... it's been sad. And I'm kinda glad we got canon, now that I've explored the other possibilities.
Feel free to run about with your own ideas for this AU, because I can't find it in me to hurt the babies further.

Besides, I had a weird dream about Felix finding out about Hawkmoth, usurping him, and then making it his goal to somehow save his father, all the while pursuing Marinette because now he likes her? Adrien didn't like it- fun dynamic to figure out.

ANYWAY, what I'm saying is my heart has moved on. Now that the fic I wanted to see has been written, I am satisfied and done. The best of luck to all you lovelies out there searching for that one fic that hits the spot. May the authors build what you seek. And if not, may you build what you seek, and share it with the rest of us.