The Ending We Deserve

Chapter 2

So many things happened at once.

Marinette ran toward Hawkmoth.

Hawkmoth drew his weapon.

Chat took the opening Marinette provided him, and launched himself at Hawkmoth.

Hawkmoth easily sidestepped Marinette's attack and slashed his sword, but not at Marinette.

No, he completely ignored Marinette and anticipated the attack from behind, dealing Chat Noir a deep cut that went from his left shoulder to his stomach.

"NO!" Marinette screamed, running back toward her fallen partner. She dropped to her knees, assessing the damage. The cut was deep, way too deep for him to survive unless he got immediate medical attention or the miraculous ladybugs cured him. And one of those options wouldn't work because Tikki was too weak, and the other wouldn't work because she was too weak to carry him, AND Hawkmoth would strike her down before she made it two steps.

But none of that stopped her from pressing her hands to the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.

Chat was sputtering and gasping for air. "No, no, no." His eyes were fluttering, open and shut, like he was struggling to stay awake. "Chat, you have to stay with me! Please don't leave."

Chat weakly moved his hand and placed it over Marinette's. "Take him out, Mari." he whispered as he took in a deep shuddering breath, "Do whatever needs to be done."

"No, Chat." Tears were running down her face in rivers. "I'm not doing this without you."

"You have to, Milady." He looked into her eyes. "I believe in you." He pressed a chaste kiss to the back of her hand. Chat placed his hand on her cheek and met her eyes. "Do whatever needs to be done," he repeated, before taking another deep breath. "I'm sorry, Marinette." Another breath.

He took a long, sorrowful look at his ring, hoping that his lady caught on to what he was thinking. "Plagg, claws out."

"NO!" Marinette screamed. She knew without the magic of the miraculous that his wounds would be fatal. Plagg was the only thing that was keeping him alive, and he gave him up. She squeezed his hand, drawing his attention back to her. "Why? Why would you do that?"

He gave her a small smile. "You're Ladybug. Figure it out." He closed his eyes and whispered one last time. "I believe in you."

"Chat?" She shook his shoulders.

No response.

"Adrien!" She shook him again, "C'mon! You have to help me! I can't do this without you I can't. I can't." She sobbed on his still chest.

She turned towards Hawkmoth, tears running down her face. "You monster!" She sneered, "How could you do this to your own son? He loved you! No matter what crap you put him through, he loved you! Even when you forbid him from going out with friends or when you would schedule photoshoots everyday, he would still try to be his best. And he did it for you! God knows he could've slacked off and quit, but he tried his best to make sure you were proud of him. And this-" she gestured at Adrien, "is how you repay him. He was nothing but an amazing son for you and you ki-" she choked on the word. "You killed him."

She looked at Adrien's limp body, at their intertwined hands. She thought of the time they wouldn't have with each other. The days that are lost. She could imagine it now, the life she would have with him.

Adrien would ask her to be his girlfriend and those would be the happiest years of her life. They would both go to the same college in Paris, she would pursue her career in fashion and he would work to get a teaching degree, all while still fighting crime as Ladybug and Chat Noir. Right after graduation, he would drop on one knee and propose. While planning their wedding, Mari accepted an internship for the Elite Model Management Co. designing clothes, while Adrien applied to teach 3rd grade at the local elementary school. The happy couple would decide to get married in August. It would be the most perfect day, when she walked down the aisle, Adrien burst into tears. He was blubbering so much he could barely say his vows. The newlyweds decided they could go on a honeymoon because they knew their team could handle them being gone for a few days. They went to New York and saw the skyscrapers, Broadway shows, and baseball games. (Apparently, the Americans really loved baseball.) Soon after their honeymoon, they would adopt a hamster. They would live just a few blocks from her parents, so when they eventually had kids (3 adorable children: Emma, Louis, and Hugo.) her parents could come visit them whenever and vise versa. They would be a family. They would be happy.