Something I had flying around.
Please don't be mad.

"CHAT, NO!"

"My lady, don't-…!"

"Chat, I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me! Don't you understand, Chaton?! I will not let you!"

"Ladybug, stay where you are already!"

"CHAT, I WILL NOT LET YOU DO THIS TO ME!"

"I'm doing this for you, not to you!"

"ADRIEN! Just listen to me!"

The boy in the black suit finally turned to her. His face was tear-stained and desperate, but not fearful. She looked at him, pleading, hoping.

"Adrien, do NOT go there! Please, just-… Stay here. We'll find another way!"

He smiled, just shoving the black spotted rose back into her hands.

"It has to be that way. Your lucky charm is aiming at this – even I can see that – and I still didn't use my cataclysm. I'll run right in. I'll destroy the diamond. And you'll purify the akuma. Just promise me you'll do it, okay?"

Ladybug bit her lip, shaking her head. She could not look at Chat without his chest, his heart, blinking in red and black, telling her it must be done this way.

"Chat, I-… I can't let you go! You-… You need to stay, I need you to stay! Paris, Alya and Nino, my parents, everyone! We all need you!"

"Yes. Right now, to finish this job."

"B-But… I need Adrien! I want Adrien!"

"Otherwise, everyone will die. Do you understand that, Marinette?!"

"NO! There has to be another way!"

They both looked at the possessed victim, a diamond hanging from his neck. He grinned at them, almost laughing. He didn't know Chat's plan but he knew, something would go in his favor this evening.

Ladybug had used her lucky charm which told her to sacrifice Chat in order to destroy the diamond in which the akuma was hidden. They knew he only had one shot but Ladybug also knew, if he wouldn't be running right into the akuma's arms, they would not be able to destroy the diamond.

"Chat, I won't let you go!"

"I have to. I will destroy the diamond. Marinette, everything depends on this move. And I will not let you miss this opportunity. Be ready, my lady."

"Adrien NO!"

He gave her a quick peck on the lips before she even knew he had moved.

"Just-… Remember me…"

With that he ran off to confront the akuma and activated his Cataclysm while running.

Ladybug could only watch helplessly as large diamond spikes were thrown at her boyfriend. He dodged most of them, though getting a few scratches and minor wound's while still running at the akuma. The possessed victim was even smirking now.

She clenched her teeth, suddenly lunging forwards. She couldn't let Chat finish the job on his own but she knew she wouldn't be there in time. Ladybug cried out, throwing her yoyo at Chat, hoping she would still get him by the waist, jerking him back.

The cat-themed superhero jumped and raised his claws, ready to touch the diamond.

The bluenette saw it coming even before the akuma raised his gaze. A diamond spike grew out of the ground, aiming at Chat. She knew it would be the last she would see of him.

It had only been a few millimeters. Chat reached out his hand while the deadly weapon pierced his chest. He barely managed to touch the diamond around the neck, but he did.

Just as he destroyed the jewelry and set free the akuma, the diamond spike cut through his heart.

Ladybug let out a loud cry, forcing back her Yo-Yo, opening it and catching the akuma. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Alya covering her mouth, standing behind the corner of a building, putting down the phone. A weird part of her actually asked if Alya got Chat Noir's death on tape. She hoped her friend had put down the phone earlier. Or would at least delete the video if she got it.

With a sniff, Ladybug released the innocent butterfly.

"Bye-bye, little butterfly…", she whispered, before she walked to Chat's body, her knees wobbling with each step. Carefully, she kneeled down next to him, gently caressing Chat's cheek.

With her last strength, a last hope, she threw the rose in the air.

"Miraculous-… Ladybug-…!"

The cleansing light shot around her, undoing every damage but the big gap in her boyfriend's chest. She watched him de-transform, Plagg shooting out of his ring, exhausted.

Adrien laid in her arms, unmoving. The akumatized victim fell to his knees, irritated, lost how he get here. She knew, it was her duty to care for the poor people used by Hawkmoth but at that moment she didn't care. She didn't even care that her own transformation faded, leaving her behind in her civil form.

Tikki flew out of her earrings, letting out an audible gasp as she saw Plagg lying on the ground, next to his chosen one. Without hesitation she flew down to the black Kwami, relieved to find him still alive.

"Marinette?!", she heard. It was Alya, approaching her carefully, stunned, "Marinette?!"

Marinette woke up with a startle.

Tears were streaming down her face and she was sobbing uncontrolledly.

"Marinette, are you okay?", someone asked, next to her.

She turned to see her boyfriend lying right there, a worried expression on his face.

"A-A-Adrien?!", he nodded, pulling her closer to him, "Y-Y-You-…"

"I'm here. I'm here and nothing happened.", he whispered into her ear, his warm breath brushing against her ear.

"Did you have the same nightmare again?", the blonde asked carefully, already knowing the answer.

She nodded, weeping against his shirt.

He embraced her tightly, running a calming hand up and down her back, sighing.

"This sure is getting to you. The nightmares get worse each time. That's the third time in this week. And I can't always come to you and sleep here. Your parents will find out eventually and don't get me started with my dad."

Marinette just clutched his shirt, pressing her even closer on his chest, sobbing violently.

"K-… Know-…", she forced out.

"Maybe you want to talk about it with someone who's not yet involved? Alya would love to hear why you're constantly falling asleep in class."

Marinette shook her head.

"J-Just hold m-me-… for now-…"

Adrien decided it was the best to drop the topic for now and rested his cheek on her head, fighting back his own tears. He was doing the best he could to keep them both safe with them knowing their identities and even with Alya and Nino involved he – they – always managed.

Still, he had a feeling that it was slowly getting too much for Marinette, being a superhero and all. The blonde clenched his teeth, sighing, keeping his weeping girlfriend close.

Hawkmoth would pay for frightening his princess.