Chapter Text
Red...so much red surrounded her and she couldn't do anything. She had never believed something like this would happen when she finally found him. They've always had some close calls, but somehow something miraculous would happen. Now it appeared as if no miracles would happen. No lucky charm to call upon that will make everything better. There would be no cure to erase this pain.
Ladybug was unable to tell where her red ended and his began. Fear ruled her heart. Fear for never seeing those green eyes staring back at her. To never hear another flirty remark or ridiculous cat pun. The biggest fear that she held was that she would never have him by her side again.
“Cha-” She coughed her voice raw from overuse. “Chat...please” She begged. There was so much blood. How could she stop any of this? “....please...wake up... y-you can't do this to me...”
They had finally defeated Hawkmoth, but this was not what she imagined. None of this was how she pictured their final battle to end. Ladybug had expected there to be some casualties, but nothing like a miraculous cure could not fix. She continued to call his name as she tried to stop the bleeding. With each passing moment with no response from Chat her fears grew greater.
Any composure she had held onto in the beginning was now gone. She was sure she was a mess by now she was never a pretty crier. Tears were streaming down her face and snot starting to run. She felt so useless! So utterly powerless to change anything! Help was still too far away to arrive. The only thing she could now do was stay by his side and pray he would make it. After all the two of them had been through, he just had to survive! A low groan caught her attention. Looking down she found a pair of dull green eyes staring back at her.
“Chat!” He was awake!
“M-my...lady...” Chat slowly raised his arm with his hand reaching out to cup her face. His thumb moved across her cheek to wipe away the tears. “...even when you're crying...you still look so beautiful.” He started to cough before managing to give her a weak smile.
A choked up sob escaped Ladybug's lips before she threw her arms around him burying her face in his chest.
“You...! You...!” She tried to collect her thoughts on what to say.
She wasn't sure if she should scold him for his reckless behavior or whisper words of relief that he was now here. She tightened her grip onto him afraid that if she let go for even a second he would slip away from her.
“Stupid...stupid...” She repeated over and over hiding her face away from him.
She was surprised when she felt arms wrapping themselves around her. Chat began to rub soothing circles on her back while, his other now glove free hand slide through her loose hair.
“My lady...you should know by now...that I'll always jump in to keep you safe.” He placed a gentle kiss on her head.
His statement should not have surprised her. Ever since she had met him all those years ago he had been like this. Willing to jump headfirst into any danger that came her way. Even when he had gotten injured he would always seek her out to make sure she was okay. Even now he was still doing what he could to make sure she was feeling better. This only caused her to feel even worse than before. She should be helping him not the other way around.
She tried to get up as she spoke, “C-chat you're wound...I have-” she was cut off as Chat pulled her back down to him. His grip tightened around her refusing to loosen its hold.
“No, I'm good like this.” He smiled.
Ladybug wanted to protest to insist that she had to help him, but one look from him had prevented her from uttering a single word. In just one look she knew. He knew what his face was leading up to and he had accepted it. Panic settled into her heart. She shook her head as tears began to fall once more.
“No...! You...! You can't...! You
can't
accept this! I...I.. won't...no I
refuse
to accept this!” She shook her head wanting to deny the dark fate that was looming over her partner.
Too deep in her denial she had been unaware of her tightly clenched fist until Chat had lifted her hand and began to pry open her hand. Smiling he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it acting as if everything was okay. He then proceeded to entwine their hands together. She stared at their interlocked hands. Both were missing their gloves. It was the first time she had felt any skin and it reminder even further that they were just heroes, but normal people who had a life other than this. Neither one of them deserved a fate like this. Especially him. He deserved so much more. There was so much she wanted to say now, but she was afraid to speak these words.
Blue eyes met green eyes. Chat had such a calm expression on his face. She couldn't understand how he was so composed. Her she was feeling as if she had finally realized something important only to have it suddenly taken away. Her world was starting to break and for the first time she did not know what to do. She held onto his hand as if it was a life line.
“You promised remember?” She asked. “That you would always be by my side. You can't break that promise now. You can't leave me....not like this...”
She had always brushed off his statements as flirtations, but deep in her heart she held this one close. Knowing he would always be around to trust and depend on.
Her begging for promises was no solution or a fix it, but by all odds she wanted a miracle! She was Ladybug! Mistress of good fortune and luck! So why wasn't she able to save him?! Why wasn't her power enough to protect him?!
“I don't want to lose you.” Her tears began to blur her vision of Chat.
The idea that she could lose him or that he wouldn't be around was unthinkable. She wiped her tears away as she felt Chat give her hand a squeeze.
“Me too. I couldn't lose you. The world couldn't lose you. I can always be replaced, but you...never you. Only you can do what you do Ladybug.” Just as he finished he began to cough blood slipping past his lips.
Removing his hands he pushed her gently aside as he rolled to the side away from her. Sitting up she reached out to Chat trying to ease him up right. He looked up at her a frown upon his face as he held onto his side.
“I'm sorry.... My lady, it seems like this cat has finally reached the his ninth life.”
She didn't understand what he had meant at first until it suddenly hit her. Chat had always made it a running joke that he had nine lives and though each call had gotten closer and closer. He had managed to return to her each time. At some point even she had believed her feline partner truly had nine lives.
She shook her head, “Don't joke like that. You're gonna make it. You always do.”
She felt her throat begin to tighten up. The fear was becoming even greater. but she still held onto that stubborn hope that they would both return home safe. Chat seemed so resigned. So accepting of this cruel fate. Why didn't he fight it?
“You know I would never joke about this. Never like this and never to you.” Gone was his gentle smile replaced with a stern look.
His words struck her deep within her heart. He wasn't joking this time. His words were serious and true. She had remained stubborn and in denial about the fact that he would die. She held onto the hope he would make it out, but looking around the desolated area she realized that no one would come in time. That for once her so called luck had failed her. She felt a hand grip hers and she looked down to see Chat's glove less hand wrap around hers.
“I.... promise....”
She noticed he was now struggling to speak. Her eyes widen as she begged him not to speak to stop hurting himself, but the fool kept on.
“.....it may...b-be a while....but I believe...”
He coughed once more as her miraculous began ring out with its warning. She ignored it desperate to hear Chat's word. His voice was getting lower forcing her to lean closer to hear.
“...th-hat we'-” He suddenly stopped. His words left her hanging.
“T-that w-we'll what?!” She asked desperately.
This couldn't be the end! Not like this!
“CHAT! CHAT!” She cried out desperate for him to open his eyes once more.
Her miraculous had finally rang out with it's last beep, leaving plain old Marinette in Ladybug's place. Tikki fell onto her shoulders a frown on her face as she looked over at her charge. Marinette looked over to her kwami as if she held the all the answers. And maybe she did. At least she hoped so.
“Please...tell me that I can still do something.”
She looked down at Chat. At their hands still holding. She didn't want to let go. To let go of this, of him. She wanted everything to be okay.
“I'm sorry Marinette, but we can't do-”
“No! NO! I don't want to hear that!” She knew it was childish acting like this, but she just didn't know what to do.
“ You've said you were a god of some sort... that you've lived for thousands of years!” Her voice was rising and she knew by now she must be sounding hysteric, but she didn't care about that. All that matter to her at this moment was to have Chat come back.
“Surely you must know something . I-I can't lose him.... a-and and his kwami, Plagg right? C-could you lose him too?!” Her crying had reached a new level of distress going past snot to hiccups.
Tikki turned to look back at the boy seeing beyond him to the kwami dwelling within . It was a low blow if ever she could say, but she knew deep down even she too was just as selfish as her charge. Living for thousands of years whether apart or together she always knew he was there.
That he was still alive and that was reassuring enough. But with this blow he may very well share the same fate as his charge. She could feel it, there life forces standing at the door. Could she really let this happen?
She glanced to the women she had spent some many years with in efforts to defeat Hawkmoth. A sigh escaped the red kwami's lips before she finally spoke up.
“There...there is a way...” Marinette looked to up to Tikki when she spoke eager for any sort of hope she could offer.”...but it comes at a high price. The last holder....they...they didn't make it....”
The idea of paying a high price or that she may not even survive this should have scared the girl, but it didn't. Chat had done so much for her. Had saved her so many times, it was now her turn to return the favor.
“I'll do it. I pay the price.”
Tikki was surprised. “But Marinette you don't even know what-”
The kwami was cut of by the woman's glare. “I don't care what the price is! Or how low the chances are! Whatever it takes I'll do it!”
She was surprised, but then again she had picked her for a reason. Marinette truly made a wonderful Ladybug.
“If you do this you many not survive..... And if you do....everything could change.... the price you might have to pay could alter everything. Are you still willing to accept that?” Tikki asked. She knew the answer, but she still needed to hear it.
Marinette glanced back down at Chat as his miraculous began to ring out. He hadn't used Cataclysm, but she was sure by now even his kwami was becoming exhausted trying to extend his life.
“Yes. I accept it. Everything that will happen I accept it as long as he's okay. I'll be fine.”
A sad smile formed on Tikki's face as she saw the determination within Marinette's eyes.
“Are you ready for one last transformation?” She asked as she held out a small broken cookie.
Taking the cookie she nodded. For once she didn't take her time in properly eating the cookie and swallowed the piece whole much to the woman's surprise. Calling out for her transformation she felt the familiar feeling of power envelope her. Taking Chat's hand once more she listened to Tikki's instructions as his miraculous reached its last paw.
Just as she summoned the object she heard shouts in the distance. Turning around Ladybug saw the other miraculous holders that she had met over the years as well as Master Fu. They all looked battle worn, but they were alive. A wave of relief went through her as she saw that her other friends had managed to survive. Meeting her master's eyes, she saw on his face that he knew what she was about to do. She smiled at him whispering a simply sorry before facing away. Desperate and angry shouts fading away as her world focused on only Chat. She was determined to save him.
Following her kwami's instructions. She tightened her grip on the object praying this would work.
Whispering his name once more she shouted out, “Quantic Rewrite!” The last paw faded away as a blinding white light enveloped the duo.
Marinette woke up screaming her hands clawing about in desperate swings. Wild blues eyes searched the room for her invisible foe. A sigh escaped her lips as she brushed back her hair. Telling herself it was just a simple dream.
“Come on Tikki” She reached out for her red friend.
Wrapping a fleece blanket around her body she slipped out onto the small apartment balcony. She slide down into her empty chair pulling her legs up to her chest being careful to not crush Tikki. The winter air chilled the girl, but she didn't mind it was a relief from her fevered dreams.
Laughter echoed through the quiet night. She smiled knowing that sound all too well. Her eyes scanned the rooftops before finally finding what she was looking for. A black figure landed on the roof followed by another figure dressed in red. She watched as he spun around before bending over to kiss the red figures hand.
“See, I told you I could do it. He's safe now.”
She brought the doll closer to her chest as she watched the duo. It may not be the same, but she would bare with it. The pain would dull, but the rewrite had given her what she wanted Chat was still here. He was still alive.