Hi everyone!!  SylveonKwami here.

So yeah, this is the second-last chapter of the book.  Originally there were more, but I was able to compress them into these two.  So yeah... we're about to finish.  That feels really weird to say, considering I've been working on this book since last year.

But yeah, let's start.  I hope you enjoy the chapter!!

Marinette

"Marinette!  Marinette WAKE UP!"

Marinette woke with a start to see her kwami's wide eyes staring at her.  "Tikki, it's Saturday-"

"Oh, so, I guess you don't want to see Adrien then?" Tikki had a sly smile on her face.  

Marinette quickly sat up and almost hit her head on my trap door.  "Oh my goodness!  I-I-I need to get my stuff!" She practically rolled down her ladder, and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  She returned and changed into her normal outdoor clothes.  She grabbed her backpack, and packed a few things inside it, including the package she'd made for Adrien a couple months before.  If Adrien said he needed her, she was going to stay for however long it took.

She was about to climb back up to her balcony when her mother came into her room.  "Marinette, where are you going?"

Marinette pointed up.  "I'm going to see Adrien.  I'm sorry, I don't know when I'll be back."

Sabine didn't look too sure.  "But, you go everyday, and he-"

"He texted me this time," Marinette responded.  "Please, please let me-"

"Go ahead then," Sabine said with a smile.  "Me and your father trust you."

"Thank you Maman!" Marinette's voice was cheerful as she climbed up to her balcony.  She stood there, and placed the backpack on the ground.  Tikki hovered near her, knowing how excited and nervous her holder was.

"Are you ready, Marinette?" Tikki's voice reflected upon those emotions.

Marinette nodded.  "I think so.  Tikki, Spots On!"  Marinette smiled as the transformation took effect, and suddenly, she was no longer Marinette, but the heroic Ladybug.  She grabbed her backpack off the ground, and swung her yo-yo.  Using her Miraculous Weapon, she began to swing over the streets of Paris, desperate to see Adrien once again.  Since she was out of shape, her arms got tired pretty quickly, so she stopped for a couple moments to take a quick break.  I really do need to be more active as Ladybug, even if HawkMoth- er, Gabriel Agreste- is gone.

"Ladybug." Ladybug turned to see Mr. Bourgeois, Chloe's father and the mayor of Paris.  "There are some matters I'd like to discuss with you."

I winced.  "I am very sorry, Mr. Bourgeois, but I have important business to be attending-"

"It involves your partner, Chat Noir."

Ladybug stopped and nodded, even though she knew she was going to be even more late to meet Adrien.  I mean, he's going to be talking about Adrien technically.  I need to know what's happening.

"You two have defeated HawkMoth, correct?" he began.  She nodded, waiting for the mayor to continue.  "To show our gratitude, I would like to award both of you with something, and host a city-wide celebration in honour of his defeat.  I would ask your partner myself, but I have not seen him around... I was hoping you could tell him for me."

Ladybug shrugged.  "I haven't seen him myself," she admitted.  "But, I can let him know if I see him.  What day is it?"

"Tomorrow-"

"T-Tomorrow!?" Ladybug couldn't keep the shock out of her voice.  "Why wouldn't you tell me sooner!?"

"I could not reach you, my apologies," the mayor said.  "But I hope you will both be there.  It will be near the Eiffel Tower, and the ceremony will start at eleven o'clock."  With that, the mayor left.

"Now I really have to get to Adrien," Ladybug mumbled to herself.  She quickly launched her yo-yo again and neared Adrien's mansion pretty fast.  She stopped outside the gate, still transformed, and she could see all of her classmates arguing with Natalie.  She uttered the detransformation words, and after the giant flash of light, she was back to being Marinette again.  She got Tikki to hide in her bag, and quickly threw open the gate's doors, attracting everyone's attention.  She marched up to the front, readying her phone to show Natalie Adrien's text.

"Where were you?" Alya whispered to her.  

"Long story," Marinette replied, not bothering to fill her in with the details.  "Natalie, I-"

"You are Ms. Dupain-Cheng, correct?" Natalie's voice lacked emotion, as per usual.

Surprised, Marinette nodded.

Natalie opened the door for her with a smile.  "Adrien's been expecting you."

Marinette let out a smile brighter than the sun.  "Th-Thank you!" she quickly raced through the doors, only stopping when Alya called her name.

"Marinette, we want to talk to Adrien too, so-"

She nodded.  "I'll try to convince him."  With that, she started to run up the stairs, only to realize that she had no idea where Adrien's room was.  After about five minutes of her being lost, she ran into a familiar face.

"Plagg!" she exclaimed.  "It's good to see you.  Can you show me where Adrien's room is?"

The kwami nodded curtly.  "I told him to talk to you for the past six months, but it's only today he actually listened to me."

Marinette was surprised to hear this, but not surprised at the same time.  Just get me to him. 

After a couple minutes of walking, they'd reached Adrien's room.  Marinette could feel her nerves kicking in, yet she had nothing to be nervous over.  She cautiously opened the door and set her bag on the ground, opening it so Tikki could fly out.  Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Adrien.  He didn't seem to notice her, and he was sitting at his desk looking at some pictures.  She walked over to him, and she almost wanted to cry when she saw what he was looking at- old family pictures.

"These were from Christmas a couple years ago," Adrien said suddenly.  That's the first time in half a year I've heard his voice.  "They had just gotten me this computer system... I was overjoyed.  After that, we went out to see the Christmas lights, and it was just the three of us.  I was happy, my mom was happy, my father was happy.  Everyone was happy."  My heart ached as Adrien looked at me, his green eyes filled with emotion.  "I was happy."

"Chaton..." Marinette couldn't find her voice, not just yet.

"My mother left, and everything crumbled to bits.  My father had changed, but at least he still loved me.  So why..." a single tear escaped from his eyes.  "Why did I k-kill him?"

"Chaton, this isn't your fault," she said firmly.  "You weren't in the right state of mind."

"But, there's no one else to blame, is there?" he looked at me with a sad smile on his face.  "It's all my fault.  I ruin everything.  I ended my father's life.  I broke my family apart because I wasn't good enough in my mother's eyes-"

"Adrien, no." 

"I ruin everything," he said again.  "That's why I didn't want to see you for all those months.  I'd hate to destroy the one person I love the most.  Because that's what I do best, isn't it?  I destroy things, whether I want to or not."  He started crying.  "But here you are.  This was a mistake.  Please, Princess, I don't want to hurt you too."

Marinette gave him a small kiss on the forehead, and wiped his tears away.  "Adrien, you could never hurt me.  You know why?  Because I love you.  I love you so, so much, and not even six months apart could change that fact."

"But...why?" Adrien's voice was only a whisper.

"You want to know why?" Marinette asked, draping her arms around him.  "Well, let's see.  You're loyal.  I trust you with my life, and you've saved me so many times.  You're courageous.  You've taken so many hits, but you always are ready for more."

"Stop, Marinette-"

"You're kind.  You're nice to everyone to meet, and you're extremely supportive even if you're not in the right position to give support."

"Stop, please-"

"You're funny.  You can always make me laugh, and with you, everyone has a smile on their face."

"Princess-"

"You're confident.  You always seem sure about everything, and I feel more confident just being by you.  You're also understanding.  When I was hurting, you were able to help me and take away all my pain."

"Please, I'm begging you..."

"You're compassionate, admirable, generous, passionate, honest, committed, patient, optimistic, respectful, caring, a leader-"

"Stop.  Please stop." Adrien stood up, but Marinette walked in front of him.  

"I can keep going," she told him.  "I can keep going forever."

"Am I..." his voice trailed away, but he got it back.  "Am I really all of those things?"

Marinette nodded.  "Not just those things.  There's so much more you are, Adrien Agreste, and I love you for every single trait."

"I... I don't deserve you, Princess."

"No, Chaton.  I don't deserve you."

Marinette pulled him into a hug, consoling him as he let out all of the emotions he'd kept bottled up for the past couple months.  They stayed like that, standing still, for what felt like forever.

"Oh wait, Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed.  "I have something for you.  Can I get it?"

Confused, Adrien nodded, and Marinette raced to her bag to pull out the wrapped package.  She ran back and gave it to him.  "This was also part of your birthday present," she explained.  "I want you to have it."

"But you already gave me a present," Adrien's voice was skeptical, eyeing the box.

Marinette giggled.  "Please, just open it.  I have a feeling you'll like it."

"Well, if you say so, My Lady."  Adrien began to carefully tear open the paper, and then take out the gift.  He unfolded it, and Marinette could see his confusion growing despite the fact his eyes were lighting up.

"B-But this-" Adrien held it up.  Marinette had decided when she made the original one to make a larger copy, because she didn't know whether it would be unshrunk with him.  Considering how much he liked the previous Chat onesie, she had a feeling he'd feel the same about this one.

"I didn't know whether you'd be able to wear the other one after Shrinkinator was defeated," she explained.  "So I decided to make you another that you could actually wear.  And look!" Marinette ran back to her bag again, and pulled out a Ladybug-themed onesie.  "This one's for me!  See?  Now we match!"

"Th-Thank you, Princess," he said, hugging the onesie to his chest.  "Thank you so much- I love it."

Marinette smiled.  "Anything for you, Chaton."  The two of them sat down on Adrien's couch, and Marinette made sure to hold on to his hand.  "There's something I have to tell you though."

Adrien instantly looked worried when he turned to her.  "What is it?"

"It's nothing bad," she said reassuringly.  "The mayor is having an award ceremony for Ladybug and Chat tomorrow, near the Eiffel Tower.  He... he really wants the two of us to show up for the festivities," she told him.  "So... what do you say?"

Adrien sighed.  "I really don't want to go, to be honest," he admitted.  "However... I know I need to start taking steps if I want to move on.  And I think that ceremony would be a good first step," he said with a small smile.

"So is that a yes?"

"That's a yes, Princess."

"There's also another thing," Marinette admitted.  "Our friends... they want to see you."

Adrien instantly shook his head.  "Not today," he said with a strained voice.  "It's already been a lot, talking to you.  Maybe tomorrow though," he added.  "I'm... I'm sorry."

Marinette gave him a small peck in the cheek.  "It's fine, Minou.  That's what I expected."

"Hey, Mari, do you mind if I change into this?" he pointed to the Chat onesie that lay folded beside them.

"Sure, I want to change into mine too," Marinette agreed cheerfully.  Marinette took her onesie and went into Adrien's bathroom, while Adrien changed outside.  Marinette relished the softness of the onesie when she put it on, and admired it in the mirror.  Not bad.  Once she made sure Adrien was done changing, she opened the door.  It was almost like they were transformed, but without masks this time.  Adrien was staring at her so whimsically that she couldn't help but stare back.

"I seem to have forgotten how beautiful you are," he said.  

Marinette blushed.  "I could say the same about you, Handsome."

Grinning slightly, Adrien walked over to her.  "You don't have to leave soon, right?"

Marinette shook her head.  "I can stay for however long you need me to."

Adrien nodded, then gave her a small kiss on her forehead.  "Thank you, My Lady, for everything."

Marinette leaned into him, a smile on her face.  "You never need to thank me for that, Chaton."  She was glad to see him smile again.  Adrien, I love your smile.  You should really smile more.

"Please don't go," Adrien whispered.  "I love you."

"I promise.  I love you too, Minou."

I love writing this so much, not gonna lie.  FLUFF!!!!!!!

Also I hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter.  Next chapter is the last one, and I'll make sure to make it special.  It will be released by next Wednesday, guaranteed.

Anyway, I don't have much to say here.  So yeah, stay tuned for the very last chapter everyone!!