Marinette rushed out the door without saying goodbye to her parents. The streets were dark, cold and wet but she had to find Nathaniel. She couldn't let him die because of her. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. This was all one big mess and she had to explain to Chat Noir.

Maybe that would bring him back.

But how could she even get close to him without risking her own death. Chat Blanc tolerated her at best, but she didn't doubt that he'd kill her if the opportunity arose.

In the park. Why?

Marinette bit her lip and willed her feet to move her faster. The lights from the street and the buildings of Paris made it easy for her to navigate, but she was worried. Chat Blanc was faster than her and if he had any idea as to where Nathaniel would be she might already be too late.

She ducked through alleyways, rushing passed cars and ignored the burning in her chest. She barged into the park seconds later, willing herself not to puke from all the adrenaline and fear in system. Her eyes searched the area frantically and then she saw them.

Nathaniel was backed up against the carousal and Chat Blanc was in front of him, twirling his baton gracefully by his side. Marinette ran up to them, desperately willing herself to move faster.

"Please, what do you want?" asked Nathaniel.

Chat Blanc snarled at him and swung his baton. Nathaniel ducked and the metal screeched as it slammed into the carousal. "What do I want? I want you to stay out of my way. Once and for all."

"I didn't do anything." replied Nathaniel. He got up and tried to run, but Chat Blanc was faster. He extended his baton, slamming it into Nathaniel's back and leaped towards him. He turned Nathaniel on his back and smirked evilly.

"Once I get Ladybug I'll get rid of both of you. Oh, but don't worry. I'm sure it'll be quick, though I can't exactly call it painless."

Chat Blanc raised his arm over Nathaniel's body and Marinette's knees gave out from under her. "Chat!" her voice was raw and shrill. Tears ran down her face, pooling beneath her. Chat Blanc's head snapped towards her and Marinette sobbed.

"Chat, please don't do this. He didn't do anything wrong. Please." Chat Blanc sneered at her and for a heartbreaking second Marinette was afriad he'd ignore her.

If he killed Nathaniel he'd never be the same, akumatised or not. He'd lose the part of himself that she admired most. He'd lose who he was the second Nathaniel lost his life.

"Please, Chat." she sobbed, "Don't leave me." She lowered her head to the ground and cried. It was pitiful, ugly and downright degrading, but she didn't know what else to do. She wasn't strong enough, she wasn't brave and there was nothing she could do.

She felt pressure on her arm and Chat Blanc yanked her to her feet. His hollow lilac eyes were enraged, swirling with different shades. "Leave you? You'll be the one to leave me if I don't get rid of him!" Marinette peered behind him and found Nathaniel hanging from one of the lampposts by the back of his shirt.

Her heartbeat faltered in relief. "Please, Chat. I know you're in there." She reached up and grabbed both sides of his head with her hands, "Please come back to me."

A light purple outline covered his face and Chat Blanc sneered. "You'll ruin everything!" he roared. Marinette flinched back, but Chat grabbed her arm before she could escape. "If I can't use Nathaniel as bait then I'll use you!"

Marinette cried out as he pulled her in his arms and vaulted them into the air. He moved quickly, a lot faster than Chat Noir ever had on his own. He stopped near the base of the Eiffel Tower and leaped up from beam to beam until he reached the top. Marinette clung tightly to his chest, praying that he didn't drop her.

She wasn't stupid. All it would take was one push and she'd die. Ladybug would be gone forever and so would Chat Noir.

He stopped near the second highest beam and leaned Marinette against it. He grinned and tilted her head up to him, "Don't be shy. You'll be jumping soon enough, but first let's get an audience." Chat moved back and fell off the side.

He dived down, summoning his cataclysm. White bubbles erupted from his hand and he touched the beams, destroying each and every one. One by one they decayed and clattered to the ground, waking all of Paris.

Chat Blanc twirled and landed on his feet near the base of the tower. He smirked and bellowed out, "People of Paris! I am Chat Blanc and if Ladybug doesn't surrender her miraculous to me before the clock strikes midnight I'll bring Paris to its knees myself!"

He summoned a second cataclysm and aimed it at the sky. The white bubbles floated off from his hands, merging together until they all exploded. A beam of bright white light flew out from his palm into the air and Marinette clung to the tower for support.

The heat coming from it singed her blaze and warmed the metal around her. She hiccuped and inhaled greedily. She had this. She had to save him. She felt a slight pressure at her thigh and peered down. Tikki peaked out at her and frowned.

"I can't do it, Tikki. I'm not Ladybug. I'm not brave or strong enough. I can't do this alone."

"Chat Noir doesn't need Ladybug, Marinette. He needs you." she murmured, "Take my advice and trust me."

"I'm trying." she replied, her voice was broken and her eyes burned from the strain of her tears.

She heard Tikki wheeze. "No you're not," she replied, "Tell him the truth, Marinette. It's the only way to save him. It's the only way –,"

"To set him free." finished Marinette. True love conquers all. She was hesitant, but she knew she didn't have any other options. She'd died either way if it didn't work and Chat –he was worth it.

Tikki hid back in her purse and Marinette shut her eyes, taking in a deep breath. She could do this. She could reach him.

She had to.

"Still hanging in there?" asked Chat Blanc. He smirked down at her evilly and fell in front of her. His boots clanked as they slammed into the metal and he leaned in. "Seems every show needs a great beginning. Why don't we use you as the opening event?" he asked.

He pulled in his arms and smirked at her, pressing his lips roughly to her collarbone. "You always smell so damn good, Mari. It drives me wild." he murmured.

Marinette swallowed deeply and sighed. Now or never. "Chat?" her voice quivered and his inhuman eyes snapped to hers.

"Yes, Mari?" he whispered.

"I have to tell you something." Chat Blanc leaned further against her, pressing her back directly against the beam behind her and caging her there.

His lilac eyes narrowed dangerously, "And what would that be?"

Marinette lowered her eyes to the rose around his neck, something she knew the akuma had to be in. She touched his chest with her hand and carefully brought her eyes up to him. "Chat, it wasn't what you though...I-"

"You think I'm a fool?" he sneered. He grabbed her hand as it brushed the petal of the rose around his neck. The tips of his claws pricked against her skin and she winced. "You're just using me to protect your precious boyfriend and beloved city. How pathetic do you think I am?"

"I'm only trying to help you!"

Chat Blanc threw his head back and laughed, "What help could I possibly want from you? Poor little, Mari. So deluded. Do you realize where you're standing right now? You're completely at my mercy." The faint butterfly outline appeared over his face and Chat Blanc smirked.

"Hawk Moth wants me to do it now, but I gave Ladybug till midnight. A gentleman always keeps his word." Marinette shivered as his claw traced her jaw.

"How long till then?" she whimpered.

Chat looked indifferent and shrugged, "Give or take ten minutes."

She swallowed deeply and sighed, "Chat, I have a confession to make."

"Oh, how sweet." he cooed, "You're dying words. Please do carry on." Marinette poured all her strength into keeping her words steady.

"You have to let me finish then. You can't stop me before I'm done." she replied.

Chat Blanc arched his brow at her, "Fair enough. Speak, I don't have all night."

Marinette inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "I was in love with a boy in my class for two years. He was kind, smart and compassionate. He didn't judge, even though I did and he completely took my off my feet."

There was a silence between them, but Marinette still felt Chat's body pressed against her own. She continued, "A good friend of mine told me to confess and I did. But he rejected me and I broke on the inside."

She heard a hiss and flinched back against the metal pillar. "Go on then." sneered Chat Blanc. Marinette hesitantly opened her eyes to stare into his lilac ones.

"I didn't know it then, but that rejection was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because if it I could move on –Be with someone else who saw me for who I really was. He made me feel better when I was said, brought me flowers and –,"

"That little brat from the park? That's who you're talking about right now?" Chat's lilac eyes darkened and it took everything in Marinette to keep talking.

"He even brought me soup when I was sick." Chat's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"What?" he murmured.

Marinette moved her hand from her side to his arm and held tightly onto it. "He came to visit me every night, saved me from akumas more than once and even held me when I cried for the boy I used to love. And I –," Marinette felt her emotions bubble in her chest.

Fresh tears leaked out her eyes as the reality of the words weighed down on her. A loud clock sounded through the air and the purple outline appeared back on Chat's face.

"Midnight," he whispered. His arms moved stiffly and Marinette was raised off the beam and into the air.

Chat Blanc moved her over the edge and held her there, her feet dangling beneath her. But Chat's eyes weren't determined as they once were. They were dazed and Marinette could do nothing but stare at them. "Please, Chat."

"What were you about to say?" he asked, softly. As if afraid the volume of his words would shatter whatever train of thought he had.

Marinette stared up at him hopefully, "I love him, Chat." she took a deeply breath and forced a teary smile. "I love you."

The words felt right on her tongue as she said them and his reaction went from void to shock. "Y –You love me?" he whispered.

Marinette nodded, smiling and the smallest sliver of a smile etched itself on his lips. A light shade of green flowed back into his eyes, fighting off the lilac and the butterfly emblem appeared back on his face. Chat's face twisted in pain and he grip on her tightened painfully.

"I –I can't." he rasped, "I won't!" Chat's eyes squeezed shut tightly and when they opened they were void again.

He didn't say a word and Marinette's heart dropped to her stomach. She stared up at him sadly and smiled. "I forgive you, Chat." And as soon as her sentence finished Chat's grip on her arm failed and she was falling.

Marinette felt the full force of the wind on her face and the pressure as it filled her lungs. Her limbs felt numb from the cold and the pressure made it hard to breath. She couldn't see, but she could faintly hear through the sound of the roaring wind.

This was it.

A thousand memories swirled in her mind, flashing before her eyes. She thought back to her family, making friends with Alya, meeting Adrien for the first time...And Chat. The way he smiled at her, the way his eyes looked in the pale moonlight and the way he held her that night on the Eiffel Tower.

Ladybug would be safe, but Marinette was finished.

Hawk Moth had won and he'd taken her heart with him.

Time flies when you're having fun!! It's already the second of February and Valentines Day is just around the corner❤❤

Please don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed this chapter! The next update will be scheduled for Monday. See you then!