Edited.

Marinette's P.O.V

He was standing. On his own two feet. He still had a bandaged hand and his gait was awkward, but he was walking. My face broke into a grin and I raced over to him, throwing my arms around his neck. He staggered backward, chuckling softly.

"Don't squeeze me to death, Marinette! I'm still injured, y'know." I recoiled at his words, but he only held out a hand, still smiling. "It isn't that bad. Calm down."

Before I could respond, he grabbed my hand and led me towards a small dock, where a small sailboat floated on the surface of the water of the river. Nino, Alya and Chloe were already standing right by it, and Alya was waving at me happily.

"I thought we all needed a break from all the drama of these past few weeks," Nathaniel said, smiling fondly at the sight of our friends. "Well, Chloe was a bit of a surprise, but I'm not complaining. The more the merrier, as long as she doesn't start going off about her dad."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," I said.

"Why not?"

"Well, let's just say...she's a little mellow today."

He shrugged at that, and walked in silence until we reached the boat.

"This is, like, the best spot for a romantic scenario, Nath!" Alya squealed. "I must say, you've got me thinkin'..."

Both Nathaniel's face and mine exploded with red, but before I could open my mouth to speak, he said, "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Alya, but this is more of a friendly getaway."

"So no talking about your ship," Nino said flatly, looking Alya straight in the eye. She grinned.

"What? You mean The Sh-"

"I mean the almighty Shut-Up-a-la-Nino."

She gasped over-dramatically, and I decided to blot out the rest of their playful banter. They could go on for hours, so it was best to just tune it out.

"Maybe we should leave without them," Nath whispered to me. "It would make them calm down a little, at least."

"I second that," Chloe added, and I shrugged. We made our way onto the boat, and I laughed as Nino and Alya noticed and clambered after us, Alya screeching wildly, and all past quarreling forgotten.

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The sky was a light grey, and I stared out at the water silently. Nathaniel stood beside me, deciding not to say anything either. I was the one who broke the silence.

"You didn't tell me you got discharged."

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"You're still pretty badly bruised up, though."

"Eh, it's nothing too serious. My arm will heal soon enough, and it doesn't hurt to walk as much as it used to."

"But it still hurts?"

He sighed. "A little. Whenever I put too much pressure on them, but I'll be okay in no time."

I didn't respond. Nathaniel being okay brought me relief, and removed one of the huge burdens on my shoulders. The biggest one, however, didn't show any signs of ever going away. Just thinking about Adrien made my cheek hurt, even though I knew he didn't mean to do it. He was scared in that moment, and reacted.

But...what was he scared of? That was the question I still didn't have an answer to.

I had been thinking about Adrien's behaviour a lot - it plagued my dreams very often, leaving me awake in the middle of the night - but no matter how hard I though about it, I couldn't figure out what made him act the way he did. The Adrien I knew would never throw me against a locker like that.

The rain made me think of that first day. The day when he gave me his umbrella. That was the Adrien I knew.

And then there was Chat. Chat had changed completely, and I knew it was because of me. I hadn't been there for him when he needed someone to help him through the death of Plagg. I left him alone.

No wonder he hated me.

"I just...really want to figure out what's going on with the both of them," I said suddenly. "On the one hand, Adrien isn't even here, and the Chat is just..."

"Y'know, I know you want to figure it out," Nathaniel said. I looked at him. "It's really hard to think of Adrien as a violent, insane person. Chat is the same, I'm sure. I...still don't believe much of anything myself. But I think I'm pretty sure of one thing."

"What's that?"

"If you want to really know what's going on with Chat, you have to take matters into your own hands. Adrien...I think you should just leave Adrien alone for now. Let things settle. If he's okay, then he's probably feeling pretty shitty about what he did."

I had forgotten that I had told Nath about Adrien hitting me. I watched as he let out a sigh.

"But Chat is a different story. There's plenty of room to make things right, but maybe you should start with his kwami."

"Plagg? How do I do that?"

"Talk to the old guy. Fu, was it? Maybe you can still try and get Plagg back somehow. If you do that, then it's the first step. Then, maybe, you can have at least a little peace of mind."

He continued to look out at the water, and I mulled over his words, my eyes sliding shut as I thought hard.

He was right. I had to find out how to save Plagg. And not just that.

I had to work to make sure I got Chat back. If not both of them, Chat. I needed to bring him back to me. I needed to figure out what changed him into what he was now.

I felt my hands clench into fists.

I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself. Crying and wallowing in self-pity would never get me anywhere. I needed to become stronger so that I could save both of them. I wouldn't sit around anymore. I wouldn't come crying to Nathaniel anymore. It was weak. It was cruel to Nathaniel. It wasn't getting anyone anywhere.

It wasn't the person I was.

I felt determination flow through my body, seeping deep into my bones, wrapping around me and hardening into an unbreakable suit of armour. I felt Tikki squirm in my purse, and I remembered what it felt like to be Ladybug. Heroine of Paris.

But nothing without her pun-slinging partner.

As my eyes opened, I felt something in me change. All the sorrow I carried in my heart melted away, leaving behind a sense of hope and strength that I hadn't felt in a long time. Long before all of this started, even.

"Nathaniel?"

"Yeah?"

"You...just saved my life."

He looked at me and grinned widely.

"Funny. I recall doing that for you once before."

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Word Count: 1143.

This chapter is a little short, but I've been thinking; Marinette seems a little too waterworksy throughout the entire story, and that's not the Marinette I know and love.

So, I think it's time Badass Ladybug came back to town.

Any other questions for the Q and A?