As Adrien dashed down the hall, he couldn't help cursing all the negative feelings on the campus. At this rate, there would be akuma attacks every week. Just my luck that they happen on opening day.

Soon he reached the edge of the corridor and was about to go down the stairs when he heard a girl's voice behind him.

"Hey Alya, I have to go- um- get another suitcase," Marinette called. "Be right back!"

When she reached the area by the stairs, as Adrien was concealed by a nook in the wall, a small red creature flew out of her pink purse.

"A kwami?" Adrien whispered to Plagg. "Is Marinette... Ladybug?!"

His question was answered moments later when Marinette stage-whispered, "Tikki! Transforme moi!"

He watched in wonder as a spotted mask appeared over her eyes and her clothes absorbed into a red-black suit. A yo-yo appeared at her hip. She transformed into Ladybug.

"No," he murmured as she ran down the stairs. But that voice... That posture... It was no other than his lady.

"What should I do?" Adrien contemplated, sliding down the wall. "Should I tell her my identity?"

Plagg yawned. "No... You should  go fight that akuma and figure out this mess later."

Adrien sighed. "For once you're right," he marveled, laughing as Plagg glared at him. "Plagg! Transforme moi!"

*~*~*~*

The villain was a girl who had been akumatized because her worst fear had become reality- she failed all her classes.

"My worst fear came true!" she growled. "Now it's time for yours. Experience the wrath of the Anti-Siren!"

"Anti-Siren?" Chat Noir repeated with a smirk, balancing his pole on his shoulders. "Sounds like the name of a broken fire truck."

Anti-Siren sneered and shot a blast of red light towards him. Expertly, Chat dodged it and backflipped next to Ladybug.

"Hello my lady," he winked. "You go to this university as well?"

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately yes," she joked, turning to the Anti-Siren. "She's like the Horrificator... But more personal," she observed.

"She specifically targets each person," Chat began, just as a beam of light shot towards Ladybug. Without thinking, he dove in front of her, being hit instead.

He vaguely heard her screaming until the hallucinations began.

His worst fears became a reality projected right in front of him- and he was helpless and unable to stop it. His family and friends being tortured in front of his very eyes, all of Paris destroyed because he was akumatized, and worst of all...

Ladybug laying there on the asphalt, exhaling her last breath until her heart stopped.

He sucked in a sharp breath before the tears fell from his eyes.

The love of his life... Gone. And he was unable to stop it. Pain welled up in his chest, and he clutched it, sinking to the ground. He heard Ladybug yelling at him to hide his Miraculous as a hand reached out to take it, but he didn't care. Ladybug was dead and it was all his fault.

Wait a second...

All the pieces fit together just moments before it was too late and he snapped out of it, yanking his hand away before the Anti-Siren snatched his Miraculous.

"Nice try," he managed, his voice shaking from what he had hallucinated. "But you're not going to get this that easily." He waved his hand in front of her face.

Ladybug smiled at him and charged at Anti-Siren, her yo-yo flying out in front of her. Shaking his head with a grin, Chat Noir did the same.

"Where's her akuma?" he called.

Ladybug scanned the area, her eyes landing on the red pen in the girl's hand which was blasting out streams of light. "The pen."

The two superheroes exchanged a look and Chat raised his hand. "Cataclysm!" he yelled, grinning when the black ball of destruction took form. He slammed his hand against the car Anti-Siren was standing on.

Not even a a few moments later, Ladybug yelled, "Lucky Charm!" A belt appeared in her hand and she scanned the streets. What could she do with this?

Suddenly her eyes landed on the car crumbling to pieces because of Chat's cataclysm.

Ladybug lunged out for the pen as the college girl flailed, falling off of the car. With a graceful flip, she wrapped the belt around it, catching it in mid air, and broke it in half. The black-purple akuma flew out and she expertly cleansed it with her spotted yo-yo.

Hard to believe that's Marinette. Chat Noir couldn't help thinking as another pad on his ring disappeared. But he had seen her transform, and at its core, he had no doubt that she was actually Ladybug.

Smiling, he held out a fist and Ladybug bumped it. "Pound it!"

The dazed girl woke up and Chat watched as Ladybug comforted her. Now that he could believe was Marinette.

As she walked back to him, he threw his arms around her.

Ladybug froze for a moment before melting into the hug. When the broke apart, her eyes landed on one of the stray tears on his cheek.

"What did she show you?" she asked, her face morphing into a look of concern.

Chat Noir sighed. "The worst part was when she showed me you dying." He shuddered and tightened his grip on her waist. "I never ever want to see that again." Another pad disappeared. One left. Suddenly, a thought struck him.

Before Ladybug could react, he pulled her into the building and into the nearest closet, locking it closed.

"Chat, what are you doing?" Ladybug panicked. "We're about to detransform!"

"That's the thing," he muttered, fully aware of the little space in the closet. It was dark but a faint light shone through a crack underneath the door. "I want us to know each other's identities. It's been three years!"

Ladybug reached for the door, but Chat made it first. He firmly clasped the doorknob. "Marinette- please."

Her eyes widened. "How do you know that name?" she demanded, her voice deadly calm.

Chat sighed. Time to come clean. "I saw you transforming and I figured that, if I knew your identity, it's only fair that you know mine."

Ladybug's gaze softened. "You don't have to do this," she assured.

Chat shook his head, a small smile on his face. "I think this'll benefit both of us."

He closed his eyes as the last pad on his ring disappeared and he reverted to his civilian self.

When he opened them, he couldn't help but laugh at Ladybug's expression.

"Adrien?!" she stammered. She placed her head in her hands. "Oh my- oh my goodness! You're- you're Chat Noir. And that means... Oh my goodness." She mumbled something under her breath.

Adrien raised an eyebrow enjoying her reaction. He wasn't even fazed when she reverted to Marinette. "What was that?"

"ThismeansIkissedAdrienAgreste."

"Excuse me?"

Marinette sighed. "This means I kissed Adrien Agreste, okay?"

Adrien's playful grin disappeared. "Say what now?!"

Marinette dropped her hands to her sides, suddenly glad the closet was dark. "Remember Dark Cupid?"

Adrien nodded.

"Well, when Chat Noir- I mean you- were under his spell, the only way I could break the spell was to kiss you," she explained. "So- I, um- I did."

A grin bloomed across Adrien's face. "I kissed Ladybug," he marveled. "I kissed Ladybug!"

Marinette giggled. "Well technically Ladybug kissed you, but you know. Whatever floats your boat."

Adrien threw his arms around Marinette and she could hear her heart beating loudly. She sucked in a sharp breath trying to process what was happening. She was hugging Adrien Agreste.

"I love you, my lady," he whispered in her ear. Smiling, he pressed his lips against hers.

He had found his Ladybug at last.

And it couldn't have been more perfect.