Ladybug woke up shivering and damp. Her first thought was that she had fallen asleep while sketching on her balcony and had gotten caught in a light shower, but the ground underneath her was hard and cold, completely different from her comfortable deck lounge. There was also someone sleeping beside her.

Was it Jacques? No, the arms wrapped around her middle were muscular and toned, completely different from the thin, freckled arms of her casual boyfriend. She opened her eyes cautiously and looked around. The room was all high walls and concrete, and the various gadgets and monitors dominating the walls made it look like a cross between Dr. Frankenstein's Lab and a high-tech news station. It also looked like it had been hit by an indoor typhoon. The furniture was smashed, soaking wet and scattered around the room at haphazard angles. Burn marks covered the wall, following a trail that led to a giant tank, similar to the kind she had seen at the aquarium. The glass at the front of the tank had been obliterated – and was no doubt where all the water had come from.

A large coil of rope was lying close by, its ends completely shredded as if a wild animal had torn at it. Perhaps it had been used to tie something or someone up? But if that was the case, who had been tied up, and who had let all the water out?

Two hours earlier....

"Haha, I finally have you, Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

Lightning crackled dramatically behind the Weather Wizard – and why wouldn't it, his akumatization gave him control over the elements.

The Weather Wizard pointed toward the bound and gagged Ladybug, imprisoned in a large tank rapidly filling with water.

"If you don't hand over your Miraculous, Ladybug will soon be taking a swim!"

Just my luck, Chat Noir thought, taking in the evil lair. Hawkmoth had to akumatize an irritated weatherman and give him the power to control the daily forecast however he pleased.

This was the first time he'd been home in the last five years, and he'd barely had time to rest from his flight before there'd been an akuma sighting on the local news. They'd even asked Nadja Chamack to cover the story – even though she had retired from reporting- since it had been so many years since an akuma had attacked the city, and she had the most expertise.

Truth be told, Chat was feeling a little rusty himself, and barely dodged out of the way when the Weather Wizard hurled a bolt of lightning in his direction.

"Are you even listening to me, Chat Noir?" Weather Wizard demanded, "Your partner doesn't have much longer for you to make your decision!"

Chat glanced over at the tank. The water was up to Ladybug's middle and rising fast.

"What makes you think I'll give you my ring if you kill my partner?" Chat bluffed, feigning nonchalance. The Weather Wizard cackled.

"You can either give me your Miraculous freely, or I'll roast you and drown your partner." He said maliciously. "Hawkmoth just wants your jewelry, he doesn't care what condition you're in afterwards."

Ladybug's tank was getting dangerously full. He would have to get her out in the next two minutes and he didn't even have a plan. Ladybug had always come up with the plans, he thought despondently, I was more or less the attractive sidekick.

Despite his anxiety he winked in her direction, trying to look as cheerful as possible.

"Well, you'll have to do your best to roast me. Don't worry though milady, I'm paw-sitive I'll still have eight lives left."

It wasn't his best joke, but it made him feel a little better when she rolled her eyes. Silly Kitty, her eyes seemed to say. Weather Wizard laughed again.

"Fine, let's see how many lives you have left when I'm done with you!"

Chat Noir dodged the bolt of lightning, flipping up and grabbing onto the wall with his claws before scampering along the side. Lightning flashed behind him, the bolts missing his claws by inches. Various pieces of equipment in the Weather Wizard's lair – monitors, weather frequency scanners, and other doo-dads exploded as they were hit, sparks shooting up like fireworks.

Good, thought Chat to himself. He's so focused on hitting me, he isn't paying attention to anything else. And, gathering his legs under him, Chat Noir pushed off the wall, flying through the air and landing right in front of the tank. He ducked as a lightning bolt grazed one of his ears and watched as the bolt ricocheted off, hitting the Wizard in the chest and smashing him backwards into the wall. He slumped down, unconscious, and briefly out for the count.

Chat had braced, waiting to be hit by a wall of water as the tank shattered from the lightning bolt, but nothing happened. He fought the panic in his chest, the water was now rising over Ladybug's mouth and nose, her bluebell eyes locked onto his, showing signs of fear as she struggled with the ropes.

He held up his hand and screamed:

"CATACLYSM!!"

He slapped the side with a clawed hand and watched in relief as the familiar black spread across the surface. Then the glass wall of the tank disintegrated and several tons of water crashed down on his head.

....

Chat fought his way to the surface, gasping for air. The water was icy cold, burning his chest even through his suit. Various debris from the lair; chairs, desks, and equipment that had been torn from the wall floated around him, swept by the current from the tank.

"Ladybug!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. "Ladybug, where are you?"

A flash of red caught his eye, Ladybug was floating several yards away, but next second she slipped beneath the surface!

"No!" shouted Chat. He swam towards the spot, dodging floating furniture in his way and dove under the water. The night vision in his mask wasn't very helpful but at least it made it easier to see.

There she was, several feet below him. He kicked furiously until he reached her, and began sawing at the thick ropes with his claws. His chest burned from lack of oxygen but he didn't dare swim back up and take another gulp of air. Ladybug had been underwater longer then he had.

Finally, the last rope fell away. Gathering Ladybug in his arms, Chat Noir kicked his way towards the surface. It seemed closer then it had before, the water must be receding, he thought.

A small table smashed into them when they were almost to the surface, sending them both spinning. Chat kicked again, and this time was able to snatch a greedy gasp of oxygen.

The lair looked like an large indoor pool, albeit one with furniture in it. But the water was receding, and soon he was able to stand with his head above water, then it had lowered to waist height, and finally there was nothing left but puddles and broken furniture left in the wake of the flood.

Chat quickly lay Ladybug on the floor, and quickly began performing CPR. Fifteen compressions, two breaths, then fifteen more and two more breaths. He sent a quick prayer of thanks to Nico for talking him into the CPR class they had taken that last summer he was in Paris. Ladybug's lips felt too cold against his, her cheeks were too pale, almost white.

Finally, after he'd finished his fourth compression, she coughed up a lungful of water and began to breath on her own.

"Thank God," Chat murmured, gathering her up against him to share his body heat. He didn't care that his ring was beeping – a sign that he was about to transform- or that his head was resting in a puddle, but simply passed out from exhaustion with his lady's head resting under his chin.

Hi Everyone, I'm back!!!!!
To be clear, this is not the sequel to Spirit of the Sphinx, this is a completely different Miraculous fanfiction, set 10 years in Ladybug and Chat Noir's future. There are a couple reasons for this choice.

1. I am still working out the plot for the secret to Spirit of the Sphinx 2

2. I set it in the future because while I love the chemistry between Ladybug and Chat Noir, I can't in good conscience write about anything but kissing with those two because they are 14 in the TV Show. Having them be 24 instead allows me more...freedom.

3. Writing fanfiction seems to be the only thing I'm good at.

Alright, now I do have a lot of other projects I need to do, but I will try and update one chapter every Monday. If I miss a week, I will try and make it up in the next week.

Hopefully however, you will still enjoy my story, like and comment (random thoughts, what you like/dislike, ect.) I will reply to everything, talking to everyone is super fun!

Sincerely, 

Your Authoress Cantrella! <3