Keep the Mask, It Goes With Your Costume

Prologue

"I can't give up, I just can't, we must find her." Cat Noir looked with fear and sorrow in his partners beautiful blue bell eyes, that seemed to only glow with more beauty in the evening sky, but he didn't pay much attention to that, too much going on in his head as he feared for the fate of the young woman he used to know. Ladybug could tell he was scared, scared they might not be able to find her, but she couldn't tell him the truth, she just couldn't. She had to keep it a secret, no matter how wrong it felt. And if Cat Noir knew the truth about this, he would only feel sorry for his dear lady, and she didn't want that. She looked down from him to avoid eye contact, knowing she couldn't explain, and she didn't want him to see the tears filling up in her eyes.

"Cat Noir, it's been a month, I don't think she's coming back. Maybe we should.....give up" she said as seriously as she could, trying desperately from keeping her voice from breaking as the thought about the young girl, whom Ladybug believed that even she no longer knew.

"Give up?! How could you say that Ladybug, she can't just be gone, there's no explanation." Cat Noir remarked back, trying not to be angry with his lady's statement. "Even her own parents have given up! We are her last hope! The only ones left that care enough to find her"

"Cat Noir we've looked everywhere. I.......I know her" at this her voice broke, and she said under her breath, "or at least I used too..." She sighed at the thought of this, but continued "I think she would want us to move on, and worry about the city now, and I doubt she's ever going to come back."

His attempts didn't work, and he couldn't hold it back, out of anger he went right up to Ladybug, who just continued looking down, while holding back tears. "What!? How would you know!? Are you hiding something from me? What do you-" he stopped in that sentence because she looked up at him as he was yelling, right at him, and he could see the tears barely staying in her big blue bell eyes, as he immediately felt horrible for raising his voice.

"I-I'm sorry my lady I didn't mean that, I know it's not your fault, I just got frustrated and I wasn't thinking straight." He remarked quietly with remorse, truly meaning that which he said. But Ladybug couldn't do this anymore. He was right, she does know, she is hiding something. She could tell that he was indeed sorry for what he said, but the problem was it's true, and she couldn't bear hiding it anymore. Still staring directly into his eyes, Ladybug blinked hers, and a single tear feel down her cheek, she didn't say a word, but threw her yoyo, and swung away.

"M'lady I said sorry!!" He yelled as she swung away, but there was no response. The poor young man was convinced it was his fault for her leaving, but in reality it was no one's but her own.
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Ladybug swung back to her house onto the balcony, and went through the trapdoor.

"Marinette honey, are you back?" Called the loving voice of her mother from just downstairs. Marinette didn't reply, no words could come into her mouth. She felt lost in a secret that only herself, and two others knew about, and hiding this secret was the most difficult thing she'd ever had to do, especially from Cat Noir. Feeling broken, she decided to go down and see her mother, one of the few people she could still talk too.

Marinette quietly walked down the stairs and stood at the bottom to see her mother, who seemed to be putting away dishes from dinner, when they made eye contact Marinette only looked down, she just recovered from crying and didn't want her mother to notice.

"You were gone longer than usual so I hope you don't mind we ate, your food is in the table" she said gently, then realizing Marinette's head was down, she knew something must be wrong.

"How was patrol tonight dear?" The loving woman asked, hoping to find the source of her grief.

Marinette was only silent, she stood still for a moment, but couldn't hold it back. She quickly ran into her mother's arms, bawling. They embraced each other while Marinette cried her eyes out through her mask.

Neither of them spoke a word, Sabine knew a moment of silence may be best for Marinette. And after a minute, she spoke through her sniffles.

"I feel so stuck, there's nothing I can do about it. I don't want Cat Noir to know but he's hurting, and it's too much for me. " Marinette sighed after those words and took a breath, until she said again "I'm just as stuck as this costume is on me. I'll never be Marinette again"

"Darling, no matter how you look, and what you wear, we love you so much." Sabine replied, in attempt to calm her clearly forlorn daughter. "What you are doing for Paris is more than any 15 year-old girl should ever have to do, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a hero to all, even if no one knows."

Thanks mama" Marinette replied as she wiped away her tears and sniffles, and slowed back out of the hug. But the look on her face said there was something else that was wrong, and being a loving mother, Sabine could tell.

"There's something else going on, isn't there?"

Marinette just nodded her head, "it's Cat Noir, he doesn't want to stop looking for me, or, Marinette. He thinks it's his fault I don't want to find her, but it's mine." Before her mother could give a response, she continued, "if only I hadn't done this, if only I didn't ruin it........that horrible day. It was just a month ago but I feel like I've been like this forever....."
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