"Damn, your dad sure likes his parties" Marinette told Damien. There was time before the auction, where the money would go to charity, for the guests to mingle. And up in the line-up for the auction there was a very special item waiting in the back. She turned a few heads by her dress and her demeaner, her safe but powerful aura radiated from her, but she was used to it since she was ladybug, so it didn't bother her.

"You have no idea" he smirked. She laughed, but was cut short by-

"Marinette! How's my favourite niece?" a certain purple haired rock star shouted.

"Uncle Jagged? I didn't know you were coming!" she said, clearly ecstatic.

"Is Penny here?"

"Nope, she couldn't make it because she had some important work for my next album. She says hi." 

Even Clara managed to make it.

"Marinette my dear, how are you? I've missed you! Is Gotham okay?"

"Of course Clara, it's wonderful, and I've missed you all too" she smiled.

"I'm offended, what about me?" a familiar voice rand out behind her. That voice. She slowly turned around, and smiled. The figure hugged her,

"Course I missed you kitty."

"I know, how could you not princess?" Adrien chuckled. 

After seeing her he felt at ease. Like a small hole had been filled up inside of him. He still loved her more than anything, but he now realised, not that way. After he moved he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt of him, even thought his life was finally patching up the tear in their lives of what happened with mom and father. But he moved to London, he lives with his cousin, and though he was still a bit cold, they were as close as they used to be. Aunt Amelie had sort of been his mother figure in the past few months, and father had been opening up a bit more. Maybe it's because of that business was booming, with loads of new designs. And he swore that Natalie and father had feelings for each other, and maybe time will help them grow. For the first time in almost 6 years, he had a happy family. Although for himself he left his sister in the clutches of people who almost made he give up her life, and for that he was sorry. So unbelievably sorry that words couldn't express half of what he was feeling.

Then he saw it. There was something about her, he could just tell from her eyes that she definitely wasn't the same as when he left her. Around Adrien, her walls were down. That was how deeply she trusted him. He could tell when something was up. She had broken, terribly. Her eyes were like an old soldiers, but they looked, happier. She had found someone. And that made him feel protective. She hadn't told him. He hadn't met him.

"So, are you going to introduce me?" he asked, and she looked a bit surprised.

"to who?" she asked.

"I can tell, you met someone, haven't you"

"w-what?" she asked, flustered. He raised his brow.

"It's not official or anything like that, it's complicated" she said, chuckling.

"Will I be getting a name?" he asked. She sighed,

"Da-"

"Attention please, the auction will now be starting" Marinette internally exhaled of relief. She didn't want this to get awkward. The people gathered around the raised platform and Bruce said his bit, and then the head of the charity they were donating stepped up to hold the auction. 

She let the words wash over her, she wasn't really paying attention, her mind elsewhere, searching the room for a certain group of people. She had spent the days leading up to this mentally preparing herself for this. Trying to convince herself that they couldn't harm her anymore And even though she didn't know it, her guard was up, her walls that she had worked hard to break over the past few weeks, had rebuilt themselves in a matter of days. She was brought out of her thoughts by

"a very special donation from the anonymous MDC!" she looked up, her cheeks pinking. This was one of her designs that she had made in her free time, it definitely meant a lot to her. They carefully took the cover off a revealed-

The crowd oohed and aahed at the dress, it was not too heavy and over the top, but it was not too simple, The colours blended perfectly and the layers floated around the dress beautifully. Marinette could not have been happier, she rarely got to see her customers reaction to her clothes.

"Nice job" Damien said from next to her.

"Thank you" she replied, looking at him with pink cheeks. From the angle she was standing in compared to the chandelier she had a sparkle in her eyes. His breath caught for a moment, but shook himself out of it and faced towards the platform to distracts himself. The dress was sold to a pretty woman near the back for $15 million dollars, such a big price that Marinette almost choked from her sharp intake. That was really the end of the auction after that, so most of the people went back to mingling with the others. 

A wide eyed Adrien, unnoticed by the our couple,  studied them with interest. Adrien from previous experiences we know isn't fabulous at reading people's emotions, but he had gotten significantly better at it with time. To get through to his dad and his cousin he had lots of practise. He noticed how she blushed when he spoke. He noticed how his breath caught. He noticed how she spoke to him confidently, as if he was someone she could trust fully. He noticed how they looked at each other. He noticed how they loved each other.

And it made him happy. The thought that she had found someone to trust, someone to help her through her bad days, and they were bad. He knew he was, hell he was the heir to one of the richest companies in the world and the blood son of a famous billionaire. It was the first time he had seen Damien Wayne up close though, he had jet black, tan skin and green eyes, not similar to his though. These were darker and deeper, much deeper, as if they had a lot more in them than they were willing to give away. He was about to approach them when-

"Marinette? I thought you had finally stopped following me! Please don't bully me again!" an irritating voice sounded, turning the heads of the people around them. Adrien, Marinette and Damien snapped their heads around to the source of the noise. Marinette froze, oh please not her anyone but her. She could feel her pulse rising slowly and her face fell. Damien frowned, in mere seconds she had turned back into the troubled, closed off girl that she was when she first arrived, the one who he couldn't bear to see. It pained him to see her so traumatised and vulnerable. And Adrien was plain furious, oh how he wished he still had Plagg, he could have cataclysmed he of the face of the universe. She was the reason this all happened. She was the reason Marinette was so guarded all the time. She was the reason she was left alone and isolated for years. 

"Marinette don't listen to her" Adrien whispered. There was an angry look in his eyes. Almost identical to Damien's, though Damien looked like he was not just angry, but suppressing murder.

She took a shuddering breath and tried to compose herself, no, they wouldn't make her go back to that girl, not now. 

She looked her in the eye, but as she was about to speak she simply stared at her, studying her. Something seemed off, or maybe something she hadn't noticed before. Her aura, it was radiating of in brilliant waves, dark and heavy. This girl was not normal, not in the least. And just like that it clicked, like a missing piece of a puzzle, like stepping back from a painting and seeing the bigger picture, the entire story. She mentally slapped herself, how had she not noticed this? After years of Guardian training and decoding the ancient grimoire? How? Realization hit her like a tonne of bricks. Of course. And out of her mouth came 3 unexpected words nobody was expecting.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Are you serious Marinette? Stop lying! You know who Lila is!" Alya shouted from behind. "And she has her friends here to prove it! Lila, didn't you say Jagged Stone himself wrote a song about you after you saved his cat? And Clara Nightingale, you helped her with her dance moves for a famous international concert overseas, and that ladybug is your good friend and always helps you when you need it?" She was practically fangirling at this point.

"Hey hang on- what? I've never seen this girl in my life. Have never in my life owned a cat, almost everyone knows I'm allergic. Honestly, is this a prank?" Jagged Stone came up and shouted, clearly insulted.

"And all my dancing is very much original thank you very much." Clara piped up.

Lila was speechless, she wasn't expecting them to be here.

"As what I've been saying for around 4 years has just been proved, I would like to say 'I told you idiots so.' And also, no I don't. I know the facade she pulled. I know who her disguise is. I know only what she wants me to know. Isn't that right Lila? If that's your real name?"

Liela paled, she sure wasn't expecting this. She had worked hard for years for break her, and she seemed to have recovered in only a few weeks, now how that was possible she didn't know, but she knew by now not to underestimate her. 

"Well Marinette, if that's how it's going to go..." she said and thrust her hand out. Everyone except her and Marinette froze, not a breeze was felt, a drink that was about to spill stayed in mid-air, as if she had frozen time itself.

"You see now, Marinette? This is who I am, this is what I am capable of, I am much more powerful than you, you don't stand a chance. You may wield the most powerful Miraculi in existence, but they won't match to my potential and capabilities. So give up while you're ahead, and save me a lot of trouble."

Silence.

"I must admit Liela, I'm impressed. And you are right. The bracelet is a powerful thing, most guardians have never even had a glimpse of it. During my own guardian training it was merely a myth." her face hardened,

"But you said it yourself. My miraculous may not match up to the sheer potential that powerful, but you have not unlocked that potential." and at this Lila flickered, just a bit, but enough to notice.

"Have you never wondered why this was not chosen for you? Have you ever wondered that maybe this isn't the true power of the bracelet at all? Have you ever wondered if you are worthy of it at all?

"Because, no you are not. It responds to those of a kind and unselfish heart, one who is worthy of it may wield its full power, unlock its full potential. Not one who pursues power, wealth, and greed. You think you're powerful? You haven't even begun to understand what power is."

There was no doubt about it, Lila was afraid. Marinette continued, 

"One who has a kind and unselfish heart, one who seeks happiness but not in power, they are the true owner of the Bracelet."

Her breath caught, she flashbacked to that conversation with her father. She blinked, her father's ghost was standing right behind Marinette, expressions identical. No, she was hallucinating, it wasn't him- no!

But he wasn't the only one, the ghosts of the monks, those she had terrorised, the old families in Tibet-no-this wasn't right-no- not them-NO. Her breathing fastened, her pupils grew wide, the bracelet glowed, it flew of her hand -no!- come back-it's mine- she flailed for it- it latched itself onto Marinette's hand -not her!- give it back ladybug- and glowed even brighter. It went back to it's original form, golden in its glory, finally in its true and rightful place. Lila, well she simply turned to dust, and blew away, she had served her time on Earth, for far too long, this was not her place anymore. The ghosts simply smiled, bowed deeply to Marinette and disappeared. Time suddenly resumed. 

"What just happened? Where's Lila Marinette? What did you do?" Alya shouted.

"Told the truth, she left all on her own, and I don't think she is coming back. She was never a friend of Ladybug, she was one of her biggest enemies. And I think, she finally got what she deserved." Marinette said, a shaken, but she didn't let it show. The gala finished at an off note. But since no one saw what had happened between the two, no one was really that bothered, and continued as usual.

That night Marinette couldn't sleep. The adrenaline coursed through her veins. She was gone, She was gone. The powers of the bracelet were safe with her and everything seemed right with the world.

"Plagg?" the little black kwami floated out, "wanna go for a run?"

This was a feeling she missed, the wind in her hair, the glint of the stars in the sky as she sprinted across the rooftops. Her costume had changed slightly, she didn't have any green lining on her costume, except for her hood, she had a mask covering the bottom half of her face, and her baton could now change into a nunchuck, so it was more similar to her yoyo. 

Suddenly a figure jumped right in front of her and she quickly stopped herself and regained her balance. She almost gagged at the costumes but she managed not to.

"Watch where you're-" Robin started before he looked at the figure.

"Who are you?" he said, clearly suspicious.

"I'm offended, you can't recognise me?" she replied playfully, and detransformed. 

"Marinette- how- you know what never mind" he gave up as Plagg sat on my shoulder, clearly interested in the boy. Her dark hair glittered faintly in the night sky and her pale skin brought out her unusually bright eyes. Thank god it was dark out.

"What are you doing here?" he settled on.

"Just wanted to go for a run, its been a while" she said. 

"And how did you know it's me? I never told you."

"I have magic to protect my identity, you only have a mask. I can put 2 and 2 together."

She started to walk. 

"How come you're out here? Patrol?" 

He nodded. She started to run and flipped over to the rooftop with was about 3 feet away. America's rooftops were different to the ones she was used to, as it didn't follow the normal pattern Paris did, but she adjusted quickly, it was a survival instinct she had grown into. Damien raised one perfect eyebrow.

"Don't you need your costume?" he asked.

"Nope, after being in the costume for so long, I became more agile without it. Before that my clumsiness was legendary." she chuckled at those old memories, oh how times had changed. 

"Well, I should probably be getting back." She said and transformed.

"Marinette?" Damien called. She turned around, the mask covered her light blush.

"Do try not to kill yourself" He smirked.

"I'm disturbed by your lack of trust in me." she chuckled.

"See you later traffic light" she said as she swung off. He didn't look like a traffic light. Right? He shook his head smiling and ran of into the darkness of Gotham.

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A whopping 2671 words!

More than double my usual chapter size. Alas this book is soon coming to an end. Only one more chapter to go. Thank you all soooo much for so many reads and votes I really hope you like this chapter and as usual vote, share and comment. I love to read them. I love you all! Stay safe!