Everything hurt when Marinette awoke. She didn't know where the beeping she heard was coming from but she was in a bed so she figured she must have been in her room. To her right there was a sort of shifting sound like someone was moving around. The light was too bright when she cracked open an eye to look and quickly reclosed it. "Maman? Is that you?"

"Princess, you're awake! How are you feeling? I'm so sorry I wasn't there. From now on I will always be here to protect you." The questions were piling up in Marinette's head but one stuck out the most. What was he sorry about?

"What are you talking about Kitty?" Marinette tired to open her eyes again but the light was still too bright. She began to sit up, hissing out a breath at the sharp pain in her chest. It sounded like Chat quickly stood from where he was sitting. When he placed a hand on her back to help her sit up, she knew her ears had been right.

"There was an akuma attack yesterday. I don't know if you were hurt during or after it but I found you not too far from where the attack happened. You seemed to be in pain and when I asked you if you were okay you passed out into my arms. I immediately brought you to the hospital. Several of your ribs are broken and you were asleep from so long they thought you might have hit your head." Chat's voice sounded thick with tears.

At the mention of the akuma, the previous day's events began to come back to her. The amuka's power had been strength. He'd gotten a lucky shot at her and she'd been slammed into a brick wall, hard. The suits protected the heroes from most damage but the impact must have been more severe than she'd thought. If it weren't for the suit, she'd probably have been dead.

Chat's words were broken with sobs as he continued. "I was so scared I'd lose you. This is all my fault. My job is to protect civilians and I couldn't even protect the woman I love. I'll never let you be hurt again, my princess. Once I get Ladybug's miraculous and hand it over to Hawkmoth, you'll always be safe."

No. No, no, no. It couldn't be. The light was still painful, but Marinette forced her eyes open. She choked back a sob of her own at the site before her. Not Chat Noir, but Chat Blanc. Her poor kitty had gotten akumatized over her. His suit was white, his tear filled eyes were purple, and his bell had turned silver.

She had to save her kitty. Marinette's mind began to race with where the akuma might be. Tikki had mentioned that the miraculous jewelry couldn't be akumatized and Chat only had so many items on him. As she examined him, she noticed the strap slung across his body, a strap that was normally black.

Just behind his back, Marinette could see part of her purse. There was no doubt in her mind it was her purse, even in it's dark purple state. Chat must have taken it off her when he'd carried her to the hospital. When something shifted under her pillow, Marinette's mind was put at ease about whether her kwami was still in the purse or not.

She opened her arms to him. A small smile broke out on Chat's tear stained face as he went in for the hug. He held her gently, careful not to hurt her already aching body. Marinette brought her arms around him, gripping one side of the purse in each hand. When they separated, she pulled the pieces apart with as much strength as she could muster. It was painful but worth it.

The ripping sound made Marinette sigh in relief. The tatters of Marinette's purse fell to the floor and a black butterfly flew out. She felt Tikki slip out from beneath the pillow to take care of the akuma. Purple light washed over Chat Blanc and a moment later, Marinette was looking into the green eyes of Chat Noir. Her voice came out in a whisper "There's my kitty."

Chat leaned into the hand Marinette placed on his cheek. "Please tell me I didn't do anything terrible." His eyes were closed and Marinette could see the guilt written in every detail of his beautiful face.

"No kitty, nothing bad happened. I mean, unless you count wanting to protect me and confessing your love for me bad." Marinette knew he didn't remember anything he'd said or done and shouldn't be held accountable for any of it. She had to know if those words were him or the akuma talking though.

Marinette felt Chat stiffen under her palm. "I-I told you? I'm sorry princess, that is definitely not how I pictured telling you about my feelings." The smile he gave her was sheepish but also slightly nervous, like he thought there was a chance she'd reject him.

"I don't care how you told me silly cat, just that you did. I love you too." Marinette used the hand cupping his cheek to bring their faces together in a kiss that both of them had been waiting a long time for.

It was broken far too quickly for Marinette's liking when Chat felt her flinch from the pain that adrenaline at seeing him akumatized had been hiding. "Oh my god, I'll go get the nurse. I'm sure they will be able to help you with the pain. Just don't move as much as possible, I'll be right back!" His pupils were blown wide as he sprinted out the door.

Marinette winced as she chuckled at his retreating form. She loved that boy.