Connected Skies

Part Eighteen

"There's no way." Kagami said when Alya told her what happened.

"When I went to see her the other day, we talked like always. We made a promise to go shopping for spring clothes." "When me and Adrien got there... All of a sudden..." She shuddered at the memory of Marinette's lifeless hand.

"She's in the ICU right now." "She's gonna be okay, right? We can see her again, right?" Kagami had tears in her eyes as Alya looked down. "I dunno. But it doesn't look too good." "No... So Adrien knows about this too..."

Adrien didn't come to school that day. Kagami went to his house and begged to speak with his father. "Please... Mr. Agreste. Save him. He's going to break down all over again."

**

His father knocked on his son's bedroom door. With no response, he pushed the door open. The boy sat on the floor his head in his hands. "Adrien... Adrien, you have to get up." His father grabbed his shoulders to try to lift him and he fell limp. "I can't do this anymore. Can't do this. Father, why does it have to end up this way?" All I ever wanted was to be able to save my mother. That's all. All I did... was fall in love.

"Why does it have to end this way?" He cried his tears dripping onto the hardwood floor. "I can't go on. No more. I can't try anymore."

**

Adrien sat down at his table, noticing a piece of paper. "Was asked to give you this. -Alya" was written on the front. He noticed the stationary immediately, the ones he bought with Marinette the day she left the hospital. The unfolded the piece of paper and the only thing written was, "I want croissants."

Marinette's hospital room door opened and she turned to see Adrien, closing it behind him. "Hey!" She called out. He stared at the corner away from her and she looked down.

"They let me come back to my room yesterday. Oh boy, what an ordeal that was! That was my first time ever inside an ICU. It's hard to relax in there. You caught me at an awkward moment. That's why I asked you not to come see me."

"Hey!" She yelled at him making him jump. "What?" "Don't come to see me, looking so gloomy! You're gonna make me sicker." She noticed the bag in his hand, "Croissants! I want to eat them outside!" "It's too cold." "Come on, come on!"

It wasn't hard to convince him and he carried her on his back up the steps. She's light, very light. I felt at ease seeing as she was doing better now. That she was so strong, she could just send her illness packing. That this "now" would go on forever. She loved sweets and breads. Fragile. You're just a normal girl, and yet... I'm a moron.

The opened the door to go outside onto the roof. "Snow!" Marinette exclaimed reaching up towards the sky. Adrien placed her down on the bench, his back still to her. "Have you been Chat Noir?" "No, I haven't." "I knew it." She said opening the bag of croissants. "You're feeling sorry for yourself." "I can't do it anymore." He half whispered.

The people I care about keep leaving me. Chat Noir takes them away from me. I'm going to be left all alone.

"But you have me." She said smiling. He turned to face her as she continued, "But you have me. I'm going to have surgery, see. I'm going to struggle as hard as I can. Struggle, struggle, struggle. Like there's no tomorrow. It's your fault. It's all your fault." She pointed her finger at him.

Why I'm putting up such an unseemly struggle, and why I'm so fixated on living. It's your fault. You gave me this desire to cling to the time I spent with you.

"Aren't you going to struggle, too? We're so good at struggling! We're heroes who struggle for our lives, remember?" Adrien clenched his fist and turned away, "I haven't transformed for a week now." "It was the same when I asked you to be my partner." "Being able to do anything in this state would be a miracle." His back now facing her again, his head down.

"You're looking down again." Marinette stood up behind him. He turned around to face her. "Miracles can happen just like that." She collapsed to the floor as Adrien kneeled down to hold her. She gripped onto his jacket, his hand on her back.

"You exist inside me, Adrien Agreste. You like croissants. You like Jagged Stone's music. What else do you like? What are your favorite insects? What kind of stuff did you collect? What shows did you like? There's so much that I don't know. I envy Kagami for knowing everything. I want to know so many things about you." She gripped onto him tighter as she began to cry.

"I'm scared. I'm scared! Don't leave me all alone! I don't wanna die! Adrien, don't leave me all alone!"

I'm an idiot. We had the worst first impression. But... she's beautiful. You're so beautiful in the snow.

**

Marinette's surgery began. As Chat Noir was out fighting the first akumatized person in months.

He struggled in the fight, he heard Marinette's words, You're looking down again.