Sixty Beats Per Minute

Chapter 24

Adrien's eyes fluttered open, and he was immediately met by blue skies and the blinding rays of the sun. He squinted and covered his eyes with his hand as he sat up. When he looked down, he found himself sitting in the middle of a never ending field of bright green grass and small flowers.

A chilly ans gentle breeze latched onto him, blowing back his locks of warm yellow undertones. Confused, Adrien stood up. His eyes traveled through his open, unusual surroundings. However, his brief exploration had been cut short when a rather familiar voice came from behind him.

"Adrien? Is that you?"

Adrien instantly turned his whole body around to face the direction of the voice. Standing a couple feet in front of him was a short girl with midnight blue pigtails and eyes of light blue sapphires. Marinette. Adrien's face lit up, his lips parting into a massive smile一an expression he has not formed since the day she went to the hospital.

"Marinette!"

The second Marinette heard his voice, it was no doubt that that was Adrien. She smiled back and ran towards him, her arms spread out. Adrien spread his arms out, too, allowing Marinette to land in his arms.

She wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly that her arms trembled madly. She hugged him the way she would have back in the hospital room if she had the strength to do so. Marinette dug her face into his warm shoulder, taking in the familiar scent of his cologne.

Adrien wrapped his arms around her waist, gripping her with as much strength as he could muster. Now, he can finally hold her with all his strength. His arms have been aching to hold her like this ever since that morning she went to the hospital.

"I missed you so much," Adrien said into her hair.

The two of them pulled apart, but kept their hands on each other. Adrien didn't want to let her go, now that he finally has a chance to touch her again.

"I missed you too," Marinette's smile faltered shortly afterwards, "But... Why are you here?"

Adrien rubbed his forehead, "The last thing I remember is getting hit by a truck"

"I see," Marinette frowned, "You should go back to your world, though"

Adrien blinked, "Why? We can finally be together forever"

Marinette sighed, "As much as I would like that, it's best if you go back.

"And I'll show you why," Marinette held her hand out to him, palm up, "Come with me"

Adrien took her hand, and a blinding white light surrounded them. Adrien squinted at the sudden bright flash. He closed his eyes shut, causing light red clouds to appear on the inside of his eyelids.

Once the light faded, Adrien and Marinette stood back in Paris. Adrien saw his own body lying motionless in the middle of the road with a pool of red blood staining the crosswalk. The truck that had hit him had been parked right in front of the blood stain, where police officers confronted the driver.

Adrien watched as medics loaded his pale and limp body into an ambulance. Not far from the scene, a number of police officers held Alya back by her arms. She screamed out to Adrien with tears running mercilessly down her face. She tried to escape from their grip, but they only held her tighter. All the witnesses of the incident stood frozen with their hands covering their mouths, trying to process what the hell just happened.

This vision skipped forward to a scene that was to happen in the near future, perhaps a few days after Adrien's suicide attempt—when he was confirmed to be dead. Alya and Nino stood in the apartment, yelling at each other like they didn't care if the neighbors heard.

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Nino shouted, "He was my best friend, our best friend! And you fucking let him jump in front of a damn truck?!"

"Do you think I didn't TRY to stop him?" Alya raised her voice, "Nino, I'm the one who ran after him! And you're blaming me for this?!"

Alya slammed her hand down on the kitchen counter, causing it to rattle underneath her hand.

"Bullshit! If you're putting all the blame on me, then I'm out!" Alya yelled, "Don't ever talk to me again!"

A small crack accompanied Alya's voice as those words left her throat. The ombre-haired girl stomped out the door, slamming it shut so hard that the entire apartment shook from the force. Inside the building, Nino stared down at his trembling palms. His lips curled downwards while a thick fog clouded his glasses. Next, he sank down to his knees and started bawling into his hands.

On the other side of the door, Alya was also on her knees with her head in her hands. Adrien already knew she was crying, too. Her shoulders shivered madly, and her muffled sobs broke through the silent air. Adrien's heart sank from what he was seeing. He had caused their relationship to fall apart while they were grieving over his death. He couldn't imagine how much pain they would have been feeling.

The next vision showed his father and Nathalie standing above Adrien's grave—between Emilie and Marinette's. His grave was still decorated with flowers and gifts. His father was as skinny as a skeleton, and Nathalie looked as if she hasn't slept in weeks. Adrien didn't need to listen to their conversation to know how much they were hurting. Gabriel had now lost his entire family, one to a deadly disease and another to suicide. That alone was enough for Adrien.

Time went back, and Adrien and Marinette were in the hospital room. Adrien laid unconscious in the hospital bed, his entire body covered in a white blanket except for his head. Attached to his face was an oxygen mask, and the heart monitor sang its tune at a very slow tempo in the corner. Alya and Nino had settled beside his bed, looking down at their friend who was on the brink of death. They didn't say a thing to each other, they didn't even hold hands. They just sat there in silence with tears in their eyes.

Adrien looked away from the vision and back at Marinette, who had her hand still attached to his.

"I can't watch this anymore," he said sadly.

"You can still go back," Marinette told him, "Don't worry about me, you'll have another chance to see me again. I want you to continue on with your life.

"The second you let go of my hand, you'll be back in your world," Marinette pointed to the slow beeping heart monitor, "But you better hurry. Once it goes blank, you can't go back"

"Marinette," he lowered his voice, "I love you. More than anyone else in the world"

"I know, Adrien," Marinette smiled, "I heard you in my last few seconds. I love you too"

Adrien took a deep breath, "I'll go back now. We'll meet again, right?"

Marinette nodded, "We will, I promise"

Adrien took another deep, nervous breath. He shot Marinette a small smile, giving her hand one last squeeze. He uncurled his fingers from around her hand, which still clung loosely to his. Finally, Adrien drew his hand away from hers. Chills and tingles spread through his inner body, accompanied by another blinding white light engulfing him.

~

In the corner of the hospital room, the heart monitor's rhythm grew a little faster. Upon hearing this, Alya and Nino shot their heads up, both of them wiping their eyes on their sleeves. They looked down at Adrien, where his fingertips stuck out from underneath the blanket.

Hope flooded through them at the very subtle movement of a twitch in his fingers.