"I don't think this is healthy, Dude." Adrien lead Nino in through the massive doors and Nino frowned at him. "I mean, crashing their date? Doesn't that seem kinda harsh?" Adrien felt a small pressure against his chest where Plagg lay in his jacket. He ignored it.

"I'm not crashing their date, Nino." he replied.

"Stalking isn't any better."

Adrien had been thinking about it all night. In fact, he barely slept at all. Just the thought of Nathaniel wrapping his arms around her and kissing her the way he dreamed of doing made his blood boil. He shook his head to shake away the feeling and glanced around at the passing people for her familiar face.

There were plenty of art displays, but he'd heard Nathaniel clearly in class. The new exhibit. That was where they were heading.

Nino grabbed a pamphlet from a small counter and started looking through the pages. His hand fell on Adrien's shoulder and he pulled him back. "Hey, Dude, check it out."

Adrien turned and saw him pointing down at one of the displays. It was an abstract painting, covered in multi-colored circles overlapping across the page. "I knew I could draw." He mused, "Mr Bernard didn't know what he was talking about."

"Mr Bernard?"

"Third grade art teacher." he clarified, "Never had the heart to pick up another paint brush after that." Adrien smiled at his friend and glanced around as they stepped into an adjoining hall. And then he saw her.

She walked alongside Nathaniel, their hands entwined and looking at all the paintings around them with wide eyes. She was radiant, with her pigtails bouncing in the air with every step and a sparkle in her eyes. Adrien couldn't help but sigh. Watching her was like giving food to a starving man or breathing a breath of fresh air.

"You got it real bad don't ya." asked Nino. Nathaniel inched his hand higher on Marinette's arm and Adrien's forehead creased as they disappeared in the crowd.

His shoulders slumped. "You have no idea." His clenched his fists at his sides and wrenched his eyes back to his best friend, "I messed it all up, Nino. I messed up big time."

Nino tilted his head to the side and offered him a sad smile. Reaching out to pat his shoulder, Nino asked, "Since we're already here, I say we check out that new display. I hear it's a pretty huge deal and at least that way you two will at least have something to talk about."

Adrien nodded and followed Nino absentmindedly towards the back of the museum. There were already a few people gather, most with notepads and judgmental glares fixed on the things around them. Adrien spotted Theo on a slightly higher platform. He looked about the same, unchanged, but his confidence was clearer than it had been before.

Marinette appeared with Nathaniel seconds later and Adrien's heart wrenched when Nathaniel wrapped his arm around her shoulder. That should be him with her. He should be the one making her laugh and smile.

He instinctively took a step forward, but Nino nudged his shoulder and gestured in front of them. "Show's starting, Bro."

Adrien tried to concentrate as Theo spoke, but all his focus was on her. Without her everything felt dull and lifeless –without color –and Adrien found himself forgetting what life had been like without her.

"On behalf of the proud protectors of this great city, I'd like to present you all with the honor of seeing my latest masterpiece." He stepped back and pulled off a thin red fabric off his propped up canvas. And there, in all its glory, was the detailed painting of Chat Noir and Ladybug swinging atop the buildings in the night.

Ladybug was ahead of him, her chin high and her eyes wide, just out of reach. And he was vaulting after her, just out of luck like always.

Was he always destined to chase after people who didn't love him?

He glanced back at Marinette longingly and found that unlike all the others she wasn't chatting in blissful awe. Her bluebell eyes were glazed as she stared at the painting and Adrien found himself hoping that she was thinking of Chat Noir just as much as he was thinking of her.

Almost as if sensing him, Marinette turned her head and caught his gaze. Nathaniel was too busy admiring the paining to notice their interaction and Adrien was grateful for it. He sent her a shy wave, but he was too awed to smile.

This was her element and with her in the museum everything shone. She was beautiful and he couldn't understand why it hurt so much whenever he saw her.

She smiled shyly and raised her hand, but a loud tremor shook the floor and Adrien's eyes widened. All the lights shut off, leaving the room in total darkness. And then a light came.

It floated slowly through the room and stopped besides the painting of Ladybug and Chat Noir. That was when he realized that it wasn't a light at all. It was a man –an akuma –and he was glowing brighter with each passing second.

"You call that art?" he sneered, "I'll show you art!" The man raised his palm to Theo and in a flash the artist turned to clay. Nino ducked down, pulling Adrien along with him. But Adrien's feet wouldn't move.

Marinette. He had to save Marinette.

The crowd panicked, screaming in fear as they ran around. They pushed and shoved against each other as they fought for distance and Adrien heard a scream. He ripped his hand from Nino's and rushed into the center of the room.

He vaguely made out Marinette's form between the flashes of light and his heart stopped beating. He lunged for her as the akuma sent his light towards her, and tackled her to the ground. She hissed as she fell, but Adrien's ears were ringing.

He tugged her up from beneath him, "Come on, Mari." He looked up and saw Nathaniel further away, being held back by security guards trying to seal off the area. He wouldn't make it that far with the akuma so close without transforming.

Adrien pulled her towards him and felt her stumble behind him as they ran through the dark. He hurriedly weaved her between the frozen people, ducking their heads low and his grip on her hand tightened whenever another light flashed. "This way, Princess."

"Chat?" she whispered.

Adrien didn't answer. He was grateful for the dark to conceal his face, but this was a close call. Especially for him. "Come on, Mari." A flash of light flew towards them and Adrien dove to the ground, pulling Marinette with him.

He pressed her head against the crook of his neck and waited until the flashing stopped. Then he pulled her up and they ran. The few survivors that had managed to escape were rushing towards the security, pushing and clawing to get their first. They surged forward with a renewed fear.

Adrien felt their hands pushed against him and the tension in his arm tightened as Marinette was pulled backwards. Her hand broke away from him and he found himself swept away with the people in front of him. "Marinette!"

There were no more lights and he cursed himself for being unable to see in the dark. Muffled cries and shouting echoed around him and Adrien felt relentlessly claustrophobic with all their hands and voices around him. He needed to get away. He needed to find her.

He ducked to the side and threw himself into an adjoining hall. Running forward, he scrambled for a place to transform. His hand brushed against a brass knob as he stumbled and he hurried stepped inside.

He didn't even wait for it to close behind him. "Plagg! Claws out!" And in a flash of green light he was Chat Noir.

Finally able to see, Chat stealthy made his way out the storage room and scoured the museum. All the people had already filed out with the only remaining having turned to clay.

For one gut wrenching moment Chat thought she'd become a statue as well, but he looked closer and saw that her precious face wasn't among the frozen victims. His heart slowed in relief.

"Aw, does the little kitty want to play." cooed the akuma, "Maybe you'd like to pose of me?" Chat's ears flickered as he pinpointed the akuma's location behind him and launched himself in the air, narrowly missing the flash of light aimed for his legs.

He landed a few feet away behind the frozen civilians and grabbed his baton from his back. "Fighting in the dark?" he bared his teeth, "What kind of coward are you?"

"Coward?" Chat Noir saw the akuma glancing restlessly around the room for him. He was tall and lanky with hair that fell across his shoulders and a long coat that draped beneath his feet. Random blotches covered the coat and dripped on the floor beneath him.

"Don't you know that artists are the bravest people of all? We pour out hearts out to be judged by the world –hated. And for what?"

Chat Noir eyed the man carefully as he inched closer and tightened his grip on the baton. "You better hope you have nine lives, Kitty. Hawk Moth has a bone to pick with you and Ladybug."

"Only one person calls me that." he hissed, charging forward for the akuma, "And you're not her." More flashes came towards him, but Chat Noir deflected and dodged them. All the while hoping Ladybug would get there and that Marinette was safe.

He'd never be able to forgive himself if anything happened to her.

So I know I usually post a lot earlier on Mondays, but school has really surprised me with the workload this year. So I'm sorry in advance BUT my promise still stands. Updates will be 2 to 3 times a week until this book is completed.

Please don't forget to vote or comment if you liked this chapter. ;)