Criminal

XIII

Many, many thoughts were racing through his head.

Why was Ladybug an old friend of the police? Why did she have an ear piece to talk to them? Why were the police looking for him? Did she lead them to him? Was she working with them all along? Then it hit him...

"She is either a really good rookie, or she's hiding something about her identity."

He was right! Ladybug wasn't who she said she was.
"Chat Noir! We've got you now and there's nowhere to hide. Show yourself now or we can do this the hard way!" snapped the detective who was Ladybug's old friend. He sighed before opening the wardrobe door and stepping out with his hands up.

Ladybug looked at him with sympathy and sadness.
"Ladybug and Chat Noir, you're under arrest for thievery and suspicion of murder," announced the detective, as he took Ladybug's hands and put them behind her back. Another officer did the same to him. They were escorted side by side into the back of the rover.

Marinette got in first with Chat Noir after her.
"Kitty I-"
"Don't talk to me." His words were sharp enough to cut glass and they stung like salt to a wound on Marinette's heart. She drooped her head like a sad puppy and they remained silent the whole way back to Paris.

When they returned to Paris, they were escorted to the police station. They were put in cells opposite each other. Chat Noir was kind of glad for his sunglasses. It meant she couldn't see his tears. He felt betrayed. He felt stupid for not realising it sooner. That must have been how she managed to get the painting without being detected in the first place.

The two remained in silence.
"I know you won't talk to me so you'll just have to hear me talk," she said, breaking the silence after hours. "It's true. I was working with the police. I'm a secret agent who goes by the name Ladybug. No one knows my real name. Sometimes it feels like I don't know my real name. After we got to know each other a bit, I realised I couldn't do that to you anymore. I realised that... I had feelings for you that were... feelings for someone who was more than a friend. That's how I felt towards you. So I tried to trick the police into thinking we were on our way to London. I am so sorry kitty. I never meant for this to happen."
"You don't get to call me that anymore," he growled.

The door to the room opened and Tikki strolled in.
"Congrats on another successful mission LB," she said with a smile. She saw her friends's sad face and the criminal sitting in the cell near her. "Ah... I see. Well this has never happened."

The door to Marinette's cell opened and Tikki entered.
"Fu paid your bills... to get you out. You're free to go," she said with a sad sigh. She looked at the criminal and then back at her friend.
"I'll give you two a moment."

Tikki left the room and shut the door behind her.
"Good riddance. Wish me luck in prison," he huffed.
"I love you okay!" wailed Ladybug. This caused the criminal to look up at her in shock. "I have never had feelings like that for anyone before!"
"I guess I should think myself lucky then?" he asked, no emotions present on his face.
"Please," she said, crumbling to her knees as a tear fell down her cheek. "Don't hate me. I'm going to come back for you."
"I never want to see you again," he hissed. She looked up at him and tried to see past the sunglasses. She sighed and stood up.
"My name is Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng," she said with a smile before leaving.

Chat Noir gasped as he watched the door shut behind her.
"I love you too," he mumbled.