The Miraculous Which Was Never Hers

Resolve

To say that day had been eventful would have been an understatement. 

All the things holding up her composure had come tumbling down where they now lay, shattered, on the ground beneath. Fallen and destroyed, akin to the aftershocks of an earthquake.

But it was much like an earthquake. An earthquake of magnitude 9, making her life go down, then up, then down again.

Her senses retracted in her mind like a turtle retracting its limbs.

Gaia was Shadowbug.

The Gaia Durette she admired for her confidence and will to always help others.

The Gaia Durette who had always been so happy, lighting up everyone's mood at work.

That image of her mentor shattered. The glass fragments scattering everywhere.

And she looked upon the ruins of a person once so inspiring, the ruins tha left behind a person broken on the inside.

A person whose core was filled with hatred and guilt. 

A person bound in the shackles of the past.

Gaia Durette was no more.

It was Gaia Rossi.

She wasn't a bad person.

She was just...

Lost.

Lila's tears were relentless. Nevertheless, she was still standing.

This wasn't a fight between heroes and villains.

This wasn't a fight between Chat and Shadowbug.

This was a fight between Lila and her family.

Between Gaia and her conscience.

If Lila still had to courage to keep going, even after seeing her sister like this, then what the hell was she doing here, still sprawling on the ground, hopelessly supported by Chat?

Lila was standing in front of them, protecting them. They were supposed to be the heroes protecting her.

Right now, though, Lila was far more heroic than anyone else.

Raging an inner battle, conflict of emotions, inclining ambitions, shifting thoughts, everything was going on inside her head.

Marinette smiled.

She felt terrible for doubting such a loyal friend.

"Get away, sorellina."

[Sorellina is 'Young sister' in Italian. Its diminutive form is 'sorella']

"No."

"Don't you want him back?"

Lila clenched her palms, her resolve fading. 

"...I do."

Iris' eyes flew wide in shock.

Chat turned around in a haste towards where Lila stood, panic could as well be written on his forehead, then frantically looked at Iris.

Wait, was she going to join her sister!?

Honestly, it wouldn't be her fault for wanting a loved one back, but surely she wouldn't do what she feared, right...?

"Lila-"

"Then join me, Sorella."

"...I want him back. But not like this."

"There's no other way."