Marinette hung on tight, her arms around Chat Blanc's shoulders. She wasn't used to the feeling of jumping across rooftops quite yet, even though with his long strides it was a short ride back to Paris. Knowing she was being captured, knowing she wouldn't get to regain the memories of the few friends she had met again, she felt as if she may be sick. She buried her head into the chest of the super villain, not wanting to be seen as she started to weep.

She could feel the eyes of the villain look down on her, "We're almost there, but... you don't remember the good times do you?" He asked.

Marinette pulled her head out of Chat Blanc's chest, wiping her face, "I told you already, I don't remember anything. I don't know why you would want me. I'm useless to you-"

Chat Blanc laughed out loud, "You? Useless?" He repeated, amused by the notion. He looked at Marinette, practically rocking her in his arms, "I could think of thousands of citizens in Paris who would say otherwise."

Marinette blinked, looking confused. She just didn't understand. If only she remembered. But instead of more questions about his reasons, which the villain seemed to simply dodge or laugh at, Marinette asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Chat Blanc looked across the city skyline, "Well, first, I'll show you around the remains. Maybe that will help you remember me. Remember us. Then... we go home."

Before Marinette could say anything else, Chat started leaping again, heading deeper into the city.

-----

The pair toured the remains. Marinette thought that it may have been beautiful if the buildings were not starting to crumble, if the city wasn't half flooded. He set her down on the small areas where there was dry land and explained each location. They went to many places, but none of them rang a bell. A big hotel, a house-boat that had managed to stay afloat through the wreckage, what she could recognize of the Eiffel tower; even though the structure was falling to bits and leaning on its side. Chat Blanc seemed so excited to be at these places with her, but all Marinette felt was sorrow; a hatred that she couldn't remember anything, a fear that she was all alone with this boy who could kill her at any instant with a flick of his fingers.

Chat Noir turned to look at her as she was wrapped in her thoughts. His smile faded, but quickly returned, as he ran over and took her hand, "I know what will cheer you up. Let's go back to the beginning." He said, bringing her hand up to his lips, "The time after we first met. Back when it was simple, before the fighting, when I tried to get gum off your seat." He said with a big grin. He picked her up again and leaped across town in a single bound.

The pair landed at the front door of a crumbling building. Marinette could look through the holes in the walls and see work desks lined up in what remained of the rooms. Chat set her down in front of the entrance way, her shoes starting to get a little wet from the waters that surrounded all the buildings, the stairs up to the main entrance were high enough up so only her feet got soaked.

Chat smiled, holding his arms out and spinning around, "Oh Princess, this is definitely the moment I want you to remember the most," he said. He stopped to look at her, holding out his hand, "This is where you fell for me."

Marinette gasped slightly. That couldn't be true. She couldn't be in love with a super villain. She shook her head, "No... No. I wouldn't do that. I may not remember anything but I know what you did- no one could ever love a beast like you, a monster who destroyed an entire city, you're a killer!" She shouted.

For a moment, the boy looked pitiful. Almost human.

Almost.

The moment passed like a flash, as if it was never there in the first place. The beast looked angry, and Marinette was terrified, eyes open wide with fear.

Chat Blanc closed his eyes and slowly let out a deep breath. He walked over to her and touched her hands, his thumb brushing her fingertips. He sighed, and looked up at her with no emotion whatsoever. Marinette thought she would be killed in the next second, but all Chat Blanc did was say:

"If only I had an umbrella."

He suddenly swept her into his arms once again and stated, "We're going home."

-----

It wasn't until chat Blanc set Marinette down again that she realized her destination was the only house in the city with power. Practically reading her mind, Chat Blanc said, "I rerouted the remaining power lines to the house, the lights may flicker sometimes but it's the best I could do."

Marinette looked up at the building in awe. It was so big none of it was underwater, "You call this a house? It's more like a mansion, no- a castle!"

Part of Marinette's mind, something in the back of her brain, expected Chat Blanc to make some silly joke about bringing his 'princess' to her 'castle', but he said nothing. She had obviously made him mad.

He stepped forward and pushed open the large double doors, unphased by the weight of them. Marinette hurried in behind him and stared up at the high ceilings, the ornate carvings in the railings of the stairwell, and was surprised to see a portrait at the top of the stairs, ripped apart, torn to pieces. She could almost make out a picture, two people maybe?

"Who's house is this?" She asked as she stared at the remains of the picture.

"It doesn't matter. The owner is dead now." Chat Blanc said bluntly. He turned around to look at her, "This is where we will live, so you can go as long as you stay within the house. I know you can't leave since the streets are flooded, so don't try. Your bedroom is upstairs and to the right. You can wander around as much as you want as long as you don't come inside here." He said putting his hand on the door to one of the rooms.

"What's in there-"

"Just don't go in okay?!" Chat Blanc shouted back. Marinette pulled back in fear, and the boy sighed, "I'm going to get some food, I'll be back soon." He said, walking towards the exit, kicking the double doors open and jumping out into the night.

The doors slammed shut behind him, and Marinette fell to the floor. She was trapped. She was scared. She was alone.

-----

Meanwhile, back in the town hall of Issy-les-Moulineaux, Alya was pacing.

"There has to be a way we can get her back." She said.

Nino stood up from his seat on the steps and put his hands on Alya's shoulders, "Alya, we can't just burst back into Paris and get her. Even if we could Chat Blanc would just come back and take her again, or worse."

"I can't just leave her alone with him! What could he be doing to her- what if he... what if he already hurt her?"

"You saw him, he doesn't want to hurt her... I don't know what he wants with her but he wouldn't take her back just to... just to hurt her."

Alya sighed, rubbing her temples, "There has to be a way...."

"There is a way." Chloe piped up from her seat on a bar stool. She stood up and the whole room turned to look at her, and she smiled, "You all know that when I gained my miraculous I was the Queen Bee. I know how akumas work."

"We've all seen akuma battles Chloe, we know how they work." Alya replied, "We can't fight Chat Blanc without Ladybug, she's the only one with the power to purify the akuma and fix everything."

Chloe glared back at Alya but continued, "Well Ladybug is gone, and as the only known hero who owned a miraculous and isn't akumatized, command falls to me."

At this statement Alya visibly lunged forward but Nino held her back. "If everything goes back to normal Ladybug would be disappointed if you revealed your identity." He whispered to her. Alya let out a deep breath crossed her arms, clearly frustrated but knowing Nino was right.

"Once we defeat Chat Blanc and break his akumatized object, he'll turn back into regular old plain Chat Noir." Chloe went on, "Since Ladybug can't purify the akuma, we'll destroy it. Chat Noir, once he regains what little sense he had, will destroy the akuma with his cataclysm."

"And what if we can't defeat Chat Blanc?" Alix piped up, "He is you know, the most powerful supervillain to ever be akumatized, he isn't going to go down easily, or let us know what his akumatized object is."

Chloe flipped her hair, "Does no one remember the battle of Heroes Day? The people of Paris stood up and fought all of those akumatized villains. We may be normal without the miraculous, but we've fought them before and we can do it again." She said. She stood up on the table, "Chat Noir isn't a hero anymore. We'll never go back to normal as long as he's still alive. We have to fight him, and we have strength in numbers. I say we kill the beast!"

Considering her past, Chloe's speech was surprisingly rousing. People started to whisper to each other, and those whispers turned to shouts.

"You saw what he did to Marinette!"

"He destroyed our home!"

"We have to stop him if we want Paris back!"

Chloe smiled as the crowd came towards her, cheering her on.

Alya and Nino watched until Nino spoke, "I hate to say it... but Chloe may be right." he said, looking to Alya.

Alya was silent for a moment, but then said, "I'm getting my best friend back, no matter the cost."

The mob gathered together and started to form their plan.