Take My Heart With You

Lucid

Adrien thought he was awake but it couldn't be.

 This is a nightmare of sorts, more vicious than most, more lucid. There was cold metal at his feet, cold metal in every direction. Every movement was costing him more energy than it should like someone just turned gravity way up. There is a chink of light partway up a wall, a door perhaps? Adrian felt metal rods running upward.

 That was odd.

 His heart was pounding fit to burst as he clenched his fists and punched. 

His hand should hurt, should bounce off this metal, especially as emaciated as it is. That doesn't happen though. It goes right through like it were a paper box. He takes his other arm and rips the sides, peeling them back and stepping out into the next room. 

He was in a black river that didn't flow. 

There were stars above, trees along the banks and from bizarre machines on wheels nearby there were lights as bright as the daytime sun but more white. Turning back he see what he must have emerged from... a box. 

As he was pulled along by the slowly forming current, he saw videos playing out before him, each one with chains and locks around them. With a start he realised what he was seeing. 

Snapshots of Marinettes memories were playing around him. 

An adorable black haired toddler baking her first batch of cookies in the arms of her father.

A tiny Marinette holding up her first design and a little dolls dress, one arm longer than the other.

Another little Marinette clutching her backpack and smiling for the camera on her first day of school, her signature pigtails from middle school tied wonkily on her head.

As Adrien floated along the river, the memories grew more emotional. 

As he witnessed the time she stood up to Chloe after being bullied.

And he witnessed her befriending Alya.

And soon, he witnessed the first time she was called upon to be Ladybug, the mixed emotions and turmoil she felt as she placed the miraculous in Alyas bag after berating herself. 

Tears prickled Adriens eyes as he absorbed all the emotions he was feeling. As he thought about all the times he turned Marinette down, oblivious of her love towards him.

And finally, as he reached the day he had told her he loved someone else, the person he loved was standing in front of him the whole time. 

By the time he finished the trip down memory lane, he felt like screaming at his past self, the oblivious idiot he had once been. 

As he came down, he noticed that the black water was still once more, and that we was facing a huge palace of thorns and black roses, the occasional pink dotted in between. 

As he pushed the silver gates open and stumbled into the palace foyer, horror met his eyes as he saw Marinette tied up inside, blood pouring down from her skin where she was bound by sharp thorns. As she caught sight of him and wiggled closer, the bindings restricted and pain flashed across her face as she gasped and retracted.  Grey flowers bloomed over her tears as the settled down on her bound figure and expanded into ropes of Ivy, torturing her mercilessly to no end. 

Adrien was running, running further towards her faster than he had ever run before. 

 When the rain began to howl and the rain lash the concrete breeze blocks that made its way towards Adriens running body, he didn't stop. The rythmic pounding of the rain against the stone roof reverberated against his ers as he ran steadily towards his princess. Bitter gusts of wind ripped at Adriens flimsy clothing and it bit at his face and stung his eyes, narrowed to keep out the relentless curtain of rain that had started swirling inside. He refused be reduced by this storm. He didn't fear what was ahead, only worried about the girl bleeding out on the foyer. 

As the storm swirled violently against him, He was reaching Marinette.

Closer, Just a little closer...

"MARINETTE" Adrien shoute her name, desperately looking at the body lying in a pool of water. 

Blood, Adrien realised as he got closer to her. Fresh, Red Blood. 

Ever so close...

Just as he was about the scoop up the figure, his body was thrown back as the wind picked him up and dragged him back, further and further away from his princess. He screamed her name to no end and fought against the wind, stretching out his hand to the girl as she stirred. 

Marinette reached towards him, the look in her eyes hoping for Adrien to save her and take her away from the cruel nightmare that had become  her reality. She reached out her hand and stretched closer, both their hands brushing together for a second as they were both thrown back from each other, the wind roaring at it's handiwork. Adriens last images was Marinettes body thrown against the wall, when he felt cold water pattter across his face. 

Adrien sat up, breathing raggardly and heavily as he sat on the floor, clawing att his body to take him back to Marinettes world. 

He needed to save her...

"Adrien. You're awake!"

Adrien froze as he turned around, until he locked eyes with a pair of perfect violet eyes.