Ladybug Blues

Her Role

Adrien walked the halls with a knot in his stomach, unable to shake the strange way Marinette was acting.

"Hey, man, you okay?" Nino asked, noticing the way his friend was struggling.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Adrien lied, forcing a smile. "Just a bit tired, that's all."

He glanced at Nino, then away. "You know, I just can't shake this feeling that something's wrong. With Marinette, I mean."

Nino shrugged. "Maybe she's just having girl problems. You know how that goes."

Adrien nodded, but he didn't look convinced. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. His feet dragged on, and with each passing moment, his worry grew. He couldn't stop thinking about Marinette, and the way she had been acting. Something told him that he needed to find her.

He opened his locker, to see a slip of paper resting at the bottom of it. His name was written on it in Marinette's familiar script. His heart skipped a beat as he reached for it, feeling a mixture of hope and fear wash over him. He glanced around, making sure no one was watching before opening it.

He clasped a hand over his mouth as he read the note. His heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. Adrien blinked back the tears that threatened to form and grabbed his phone from his back pocket, dialing Marinette's number. It rang and rang, but she didn't answer. Panic starting to set in, he hung up and tried calling again, over and over, but each time it went straight to voicemail.

"Plagg, something is definitely wrong with Marinette," Adrien said, his voice thick with worry. "I can't shake this feeling that something terrible has happened." He took a deep breath, his hands trembling. "I have to find her."

Adrien booked it out of the school, his stomach twisting with anxiety. He transformed in an alley along the way, scanning for any sign of Marinette. The streets were quiet, and the normally bustling city seemed to wear a somber air. He tried calling her again, but her phone was still off. He raced to her house, hoping she'd be there. He knocked a few times on the trapdoor, giving up after several seconds of silence. He thanked whatever god existed for her leaving it unlocked.

He lowered himself onto her bed, careful not to get his dirty boots on her perfect sheets. Scanning the room for her, he caught a glimpse of the same glittery ink that he'd just read. With trembling hands, he picked up the slip of paper on her desk.

His eyes misted over. She must have been struggling for so long. He knew what she was planning, and he couldn't let her go through with it.

"Marinette, please," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I love you. I need you. We can work this out together." He reached for his phone, dialing her number once more. It rang and rang, but she didn't answer. Desperate, he left a voice mail, pouring out his heart to her, promising her that everything would be all right.

He left her room just as it was before and stood on her balcony.

"Please, please don't let me be too late." Chat Noir begged as he leapt off of the railing, vaulting across Paris as fast as he could. His heart was racing, and he could feel the desperation building inside of him. He knew he had to find Marinette, that there was no time to lose. He could see her in his mind's eye, the way she had looked when she had given him that kiss. He pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Finally, finally he found that beautiful mess of raven hair, standing on the edge of the Pont Neuf, teetering over the Seine.

"Marinette!" He shouted, leaping across the rooftops, ignoring the protests of his burning muscles. "Marinette, wait!"