A/N: This one is definitely not for the faint of heart. Though it's not a bad ending… depending on the perspective.

Ic: I wrote this! Why am I crying?

MR: YOU CAN'T BLAME ME FOR THIS ONE!

Lyra: MR, what have we done to sweet little Ic?

Ep: I'm not crying. Honest! (sniffs) We're making spaghetti and I had to cut up the onions...

Today's story is by DearestMrIcarus.

Adrien's eyes flew open, his hand simultaneously sliding towards the alarm clock, before it could let out a beep.

6:00

Today was the day. The day he'd known would come. The day he'd waited for for 20 years. The day he would curse Marinette Dupain-Cheng's life. He would carve an unspeakable heartache into her very soul, but he would do it because he loved her with all of his being.

Carefully he pulled the covers off of his exposed muscular body, so as not to wake the other occupant of the bed. As he silently placed a single toe on the hardwood floor, a pair of warm arms wrapped around his waist.

"You can't leave," her drained raspy voice whispered.

"It's just for a bit. I'll see you soon," he responded, trying to find solace in the half truth of his statement.

Her arms locked more tightly around him, silently forbidding his bygone plan.

Warmly he placed his fingers over her interlocked hands, squeezing them reassuringly.

"Mari, you know I have to leave," he whispered into her ear, turning his body so that his chest was pressed against hers.

She tried to muster a rebuttal, but the soft rhythmic beating of his heart hypnotized her, pulling her into the beat.

It was funny, Adrien had been the joke of the school when they were kids. He was the only person who couldn't decipher the ravenette's feelings, even as she wore them on her sleeve. It seemed though that as time moved on, he eventually knew what she was thinking as soon as she knew. Even in that moment, Adrien knew that Marinette knew his plan.

"If I don't do this then everything disappears. The house, our brand, the memories we've had, and the kids, Mari. We lose everything if I don't go."

Her arms lingered around him, her heart still hesitant.

"Maybe you could attack the akuma directly, or we could send someone else in your place. We could at least wait a little bit longer," she pleaded with her husband.

He shook his head with peaceful solemnity. "Marinette, I've talked to Alix, she went over millions of possibilities. This is the only way. Besides, in a way it's already happened."

Tears streamed down her face, and Adrien pulled her close, letting the hot droplets splash across his bare chest. The silver beads of sorrow spilled across his pectorals, dancing across the carved ridges of his abs, causing them to glisten in the morning light.

As Marinette pulled back to look at the man she loved and the father of her 3 children she couldn't help but think that this was the most handsome he'd ever looked.

"Then love me one more time before you go," she hummed, caressing his chest and leaning into a warm kiss.

He pulled his wife close, letting her smooth legs slide across his waist. Gently he fell onto the bed, Marinette clutching him tightly.

Half an hour later, Adrien threw on a dark black shirt and some worn jeans, and walked out the door, begging his heart not to break as the distant sobs faded.

He glanced at his watch, bargaining precious time for himself.

"I can visit them," he finally muttered, before turning back to the hallway, opening the kids' bedroom door. He placed a kiss on each forehead, as groggy voices wished him a good morning.

A moment later he returned, quickly running down the stairs as he gasped, refusing to let the tears overwhelm him.

It took only minutes to navigate to Alix's home, where the door opened before he could knock.

"Come in, Adrien," she said compassionately.

The blond walked into his friend's home, smiling at the family portrait.

"It never ceases to amaze me how all your kids have your eyes," he grinned.

She nodded, her reddish-pink hair slowly bobbing with her head.

"And I think they all got their dad's intelligence. Or lack thereof," she laughed, while Kim snorted in the kitchen.

Xuppu and Fluff carefully popped their heads over the corner then zoomed to see Adrien. Plagg escaped the pocket he was in, and let out a loud belch, signifying that he had just finished a rather large camembert breakfast.

"You know Adrien, you don't have to do this," Plagg suggested halfheartedly.

Adrien just laughed, and retrieved another piece of odious cheese from his other pocket.

"You ready?" Alix asked, now donned in Bunnix's costume.

Adrien nodded as Plagg downed the cheese, then called out that old phrase. "Plagg claws out one more time."

"Burrow!"

Suddenly the world danced with light and a moment later, Adrien found himself in his old school, Bunnix not far behind.

"I'll be here to pick Plagg up…and your body of course- um you know what I mean, Chat. Good luck."

"Don't you know? Black cats are always lucky," Adrien shouted as he dashed off into the hallway.

"I am Failitron! I'll make sure all of you fail at existing!" An akuma sneered, blasting a row of lockers into dust with a pulse of light.

Marinette froze in place as the Akuma turned his beam towards her.

"Fail!" He shrieked as Chat threw himself in front of the beam, crumpling against the wall, a gaping hole cut cleanly through his nearly indestructible suit.

A much younger Chat appeared around the corner moments later, glancing at his aged gasping doppelganger.

"Hey, how about fighting this chat?" He called, drawing the foe away.

"Chat!" Marinette screamed, running to the old hero.

"Hey P-princess. It's been a while since I saw you looking this young. H-how are you?"

Marinette, who seemed unimpressed by the brash time traveling kitty, placed his head on her lap. "Where does it hurt?"

"Hey, Mari, it's ok. I'm not going to make it, but it was a sacrifice worth making," he coughed, feeling a sharp pain in his lungs.

"What could be worth this?" She cried, looking at the wretched mess in front of her.

"A f-future with you. The great-test fashion duo the world has ever seen. The only people to have summitted Ev-everest in less than four hours. Five years with a b-b-best friend, and another 15 with the best w-wife. Three beautiful children. A h-huh-house that makes Agreste Manor look like a sh-shack."

By now Marinette's pink capris were scarlet stained, not that she minded.

"Stay with me Chat," she whispered, as a million emotions burned within her.

Chat replied with a grin. "You know, s-some of the best memories I had w-with you? Getting m-married. O-our kids b-births. W-when I found out y-y-you gave me that birthday s-scarf," he choked.

"A...Adrien?" She asked, as her tears turned into heart-wrenching pain.

"I am, and always will be your Chat Noir, My Lady. Now d-don't cry. Y-you'll have another 20 years until I l-leave your life for good. I-I love y-y-you," he finished, placing one final kiss on her hand before fading away.

Moments later the young Chat zoomed into the hallway, followed shortly by Bunnix.

"Spots o-" Marinette began, desperately sobbing.

Bunnix put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. "He's not from here. It won't work like it usually does."

"What's going on?" He asked looking back and forth from Marinette to his body and then the time traveling heroine.

"Marinette really needs you, Chat," she cooed, as she picked her lost friend off of Marinette's lap and stepped away. Instantly the girl leapt off the floor and into his arms.

"Adrien," she cried holding him tightly. He jumped at the sound of his name, then instantly pulled his friend close.

"It's alright Princess, I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you."

Thanks for playing along with us this year! We hope you enjoyed our month of MariChat.