4. Cement Shoes

Demoman could've burst through the window right at that moment, punched him straight in the gut, and it still wouldn't feel as terrible as the pain he felt right now.

He was back in his room, sitting on the floor against the door. A hand clutched at his chest, an agony unlike anything he'd felt before constricting his lungs. The pain was so bad, that he couldn't even utter a sob as he cried, mouth agape in a mute cry. He felt like he was encased in a tight, iron clamp, choking, but the tears wouldn't stop coming.

The memory kept replaying in his head.

As soon as the nurse spoke those damning words, the world around Adrien came crashing down so badly he was shocked into numbness. His mind went completely blank; his emotions shut down, which was probably a good thing as he was able to bid goodbye to Marinette's parents and Alya with composed decorum. He parted ways with Alya, then made his way home, silent as a tomb.

When he got there, he thanked Nathalie and Gorilla, asked to not disturbed for the rest of the night, and as soon as he closed the door behind him, he slid down to the floor and the dam finally broke.

Anguish assaulted him full force, forcing him to clamp a hand over his mouth to stifle the strangled cries that ripped from his throat before he could stop them. Tears came in rivers, flowing unchecked down his cheeks and drenching his shirt. His chest tightened and he doubled over, taking a hand to his heart in an attempt to alleviate the ache.

It didn't work.

Tikki and Plagg had long since floated out of his jacket, giving him the space to grieve in peace. Tikki had been crying her own set of small, silent tears as she rested on the pillow, and Plagg laid a comforting paw on her back. Eventually, sometime during the night, Adrien's sobs descended to tired sniffles and Tikki asked Plagg to excuse them. The black Kwami immediately floated away to the second floor of the room with a knowing nod.

Tikki floated down in front of Adrien, laying her paws on his bangs, stroking his hair gently. Without a word, Adrien straightened slightly and reached out with both arms, taking Tikki in his hands and pulling her close to his chest in his version of a hug.

"I'm so s-sorry, Tikki," he gasped, his voice broken and nearly imperceptible.

Tikki laid her head against him.

"Why do you keep blaming yourself?" Tikki asked him softly, "You were blaming yourself before going into the waiting room too, weren't you? That's why you were afraid of seeing her parents? You think you did this?"

Adrien didn't reply, his glassy and tired eyes not daring to look at the Kwami of his former partner. His guilt overwhelmed him and tears continued to flow nonstop down his cheeks.

"Adrien, it was not your fault," Tikki said, floating up and pulling on his chin in an attempt to get him to look at her. "None of it was. It just happened. There was nothing you could've done."

"She's supposed to be the lucky one." Adrien rasped, finally looking at her, "I'm supposed to absorb her bad luck. Why wasn't it me, Tikki?"

"It just wasn't Adrien, and we should be grateful it was not both of you who got hurt." Tikki explained.

"Got hurt?" Adrien's voice cracked, "She died. It's only because of you that she's still alive. She didn't just get hurt." His face contorted in a grimace of pain as the weight of what he said descended on him.

He rose to his feet and began pacing, running a hand through his hair in despair. "I almost… I almost got Ladybug killed!"

"Adrien, that's not-" Tikki began, floating after him.

"I should've made sure she was out of the way!" He cried, not listening, "I should've taken that hit, not her! Some hero I am! I don't deserve to be Chat Noir!"

"Stop!" Tikki raised her voice, small droplets falling from her eyes anew, "That wasn't your fault! Don't forget who the true villain here is! Hawk Moth sent that Akuma, and that Akuma hurt Ladybug, not you!"

Adrien looked back at Tikki, shocked into silence at the outburst of the otherwise calm Kwami.

"Wishing it was you in her place isn't going to help her!" Tikki cried, "Don't you think that if it had been you instead, Marinette would be feeling the same way? How do you think she would've felt if she had realized she almost lost Adrien? It would've destroyed her!"

Adrien shook his head, looking away. "I'm just a classmate. Why would she care?"

"Because she loves you!" Tikki burst out, then gasped, putting her paws on her mouth. "Oh…"

Adrien did a double take, eyes widening as he turned back to her. "She what?"

Seeing as the damage was done, Tikki sighed, lowering her paws in defeat. "Marinette is in love with you; with Adrien Agreste."

His shoulders sagged, and his knees almost gave out from under him. He gaped like a fish out of water.

Marinette loved him?

This was too unreal. Too unbelievable.

The reason she was so awkward around him was because she loved him, and not because she was uncomfortable around him? All this time he was worried that she was being cautious around him because he was friends with Chloé, but that was not the case at all. Marinette stumbled on her words because she had feelings for him!

His heart was about to burst.

Was that why Ladybug was not interested in Chat Noir? Because the girl under Ladybug's mask was in love with the boy behind Chat Noir?

"Please, Adrien," Tikki continued, her voice soft, pleading, "Please don't give up. Please. I know Marinette. If it had been you in her place, Paris would have lost not one, but two heroes in one night. Ladybug needs Chat Noir, just as much as Chat Noir needs her. And Marinette… Marinette needs you…"

Tikki covered her eyes, weeping into her little paws.

Adrien was instantly knocked out of his high, and suddenly felt like the worst person on the planet. Selfish and ungrateful. Overridden with guilt for causing Tikki grief, he walked towards her, taking her in his hands and cuddling her against his face.

"Please forgive me, Tikki. You are right," Adrien said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, "I'm not going to give up. I lost my head. I'm just…" he sighed. "I'm a mess…"

"I know," Tikki sniffled, hugging his cheek. "I'm worried about her too, but I'm positive she will be fine. Have faith that she will pull through. Okay?"

"I will try," Adrien gave her a small smile.

Tikki smiled in return and nuzzled his cheek. "Thank you."

"So she likes me?" Adrien couldn't hide the delighted lilt in his voice. His voice still cracked but the tears had finally stopped, his heart singing.

"Quite a bit," Tikki said with a nod.

"I think I can attest to that," came Plagg's voice. He floated down from the second floor, apparently more than capable of listening on their whole conversation.

"What are you talking about?" Adrien asked him.

Plagg sighed in exasperation, muttering something like ´You're so dense!' and flying to the side of the shelf that directly faced Adrien's bed, ripping a piece of paper that had been carefully taped to the wood sometime ago.

"Hey!" Adrien protested but was immediately silenced as he realized that what Plagg was holding in his paws was a familiar, heart-shaped letter containing a poem written in red ink. His mystery Valentine. The one he had long thought was written by Ladybug.

"This is hers, isn't it?" Plagg asked Tikki as he handed the Valentine to Adrien. "It smells like her, anyway."

"Yes, it is! Oh!" Tikki then winced as she looked at the handwriting, "She didn't sign it again, did she?"

"This is Marinette's?" Adrien said breathlessly, realizing Plagg was right. It did have a faint smell of cinnamon he had somehow missed the first time. His chest swelling, he re-read the poem that had been the perfect response to his own and the trigger for many a daydream during dull school days:

Your hair shines like the sun, your eyes are lucky green

I look at you and wonder, your thoughts and dreams,

Yes, I would be your valentine, our love is so true,

Together for eternity, my heart belongs to you.

He sighed in contentment.

"Yes, she saw your poem um… discarded on the floor," Tikki said, avoiding Adrien's eyes, "And the way you described it, we thought it was for her so she decided to respond to your Valentine."

"It was actually for Ladybug but...now that you mention it," Adrien's eyes widened and he slapped a hand to his forehead, "Of course! How could I not see it before? Black hair, blue eyes...They were the same! I'm an idiot!"

Adrien made a sound of frustration and Tikki laughed.

"Wait you said 'she didn't sign it again'" Adrien began, "Did she mean to send another letter or…?" Adrien couldn't help getting excited.

He loved Ladybug. Marinette loved Adrien. Ladybug was Marinette so Ladybug loved Adrien. Adrien loved Ladybug, so he loved Marinette. They loved each other without knowing! It was simply a case of criss-crossed love and it was all just so perfect. He couldn't believe how things had turned out. Even with the dire situation at hand, he couldn't help getting elated.

"Not quite, but she did make a gift for your birthday, once" Tikki said, putting a paw to her chin in thought.

"Gift? I don't really remember getting any gift." Adrien racked his brain but other than some croissant or macarons - which she had shared with Alya and Nino, too - he didn't recall a gift from Marinette around the date of his birthday.

"That's because she didn't sign the card! Oh, Marinette…" Tikki lamented. "It was a blue scarf! She made it herself, just for you."

"But that can't be," Adrien frowned, "I only have one blue scarf, but Nathalie told me it was from my father."

"Hmm… was it?" Tikki said, then excused herself and flew into Adrien's closet, permission be damned. After scouring through his clothes for a bit, she finally flew back, a bundle of blue in her paws.

"Check it for yourself," Tikki told Adrien almost defiantly, handing him the soft garment. "Marinette always-"

"Signs her work…" Adrien finished for her, his voice trailing off as he saw it, right in the corner of the beautiful scarf. Her name was embroidered in a shiny, baby blue thread on the very edge of the scarf, the very same swirly signature she had embroidered on the bowler hat she had made for his father's contest.

He didn't know why Nathalie had told him it was from his father. She probably got confused, but it didn't matter now. He couldn't even bring himself to be bothered by the fact his father had not gotten him anything after all. He knew who the scarf was from now, and he found he preferred this turnout much more.

Something in him stirred, and he pressed both the poem and the scarf to his chest. An all-enveloping warmth suffused through him, soft and calming. A deep affection for the girl that sat behind him bloomed unrelenting in his chest. For a moment, he pretended that it was not the scarf he held against him, but her. Sweet, beautiful, brave Marinette… Warm, soft, smelling of cinnamon and sugar from the bakery; a familiar, soothing smell. It made him think of home more than his own mansion did.

Marinette felt like home.

She was home.

"I need to see her." Adrien said suddenly, standing up from the bed.

"Oh brother, look what you've done Tikki." Plagg lamented.

"But visiting hours are over." Tikki argued.

"Whoever said I was going as Adrien?"

Adrien couldn't climb walls, but Chat Noir sure could.

Tikki had initially opposed the idea, but it didn't take long for her to go along when Adrien played on her own wish to see Marinette. It was the dead of night, and he currently hung from the window's ledge, waiting for Tikki to give him the signal.

After checking that they had the right window, Tikki made sure no one was in the room before signaling Chat Noir to go ahead. Chat nodded and carefully got the window open, slinking inside quietly.

The same smells and same sounds from earlier today greeted him. The light had been further subdued, only bright enough to enable anyone to walk around the room without crashing into any of the machines inside.

There was a green flash and suddenly Adrien stood in Chat's place.

"Plagg, keep a lookout." Adrien whispered.

"Yeah, whatever, knock yourself out." Plagg said, floating towards the door.

Tikki sat on Adrien's shoulder as he walked to the bed in the middle of the room. Although nothing much had changed, somehow he looked on her with a different light. Despite the paleness of her skin, she glowed to him, radiating warmth. It was probably due to the newfound feelings he had for the girl, but either way, Adrien didn't care. Tears didn't threaten to come this time. Longing took their place.

He stood at the edge of her bed and reached out with a hand, gently caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"Hello, My Lady," he whispered at her with a smile. Of course, there was no response, but for the time being, he didn't care. Tikki flew down to sit beside Marinette's head, snuggling close to her with a croon.

Knowing now that Marinette had feelings for him, he felt bold. He leaned down, softly pressing his lips against her forehead. He remained there for a moment, reveling in how good and natural it felt. How right it felt. Then he heard it.

A sigh.

She sighed.

Adrien pulled back, gasping. "Tikki did you hear that?"

"She's just in a coma, not dead. People in coma also breathe, you know?" Came the scathing remark from the door.

"Plagg." Tikki said icily before Adrien had a chance to respond.

Adrien never knew such a small creature could hold so much hate until he saw Tikki glaring daggers at Plagg, tiny blue eyes narrowed.

"Okay okay, back to lookout."

Adrien chuckled despite himself, then turned back to Marinette, his excitement over her reaction unaffected. He grabbed her hand, gently stroking the back of it with his thumb.

"They said that you could hear us despite… what happened to you," Adrien started, softly, "So if you can hear me Marinette, I just… I want you to hold in there, okay? I'll be waiting for you for as long as it takes. I know you can pull through. You're strong and amazing and… I believe in you."

No response as expected, but it didn't bother Adrien. He carefully raised her hand, and kissed the back of it.

"I won't give up. I'll look after Paris while you are gone, but please," He sighed, "Wake up soon, okay? Chat Noir needs Ladybug..." He hesitated, then added, almost in a whisper. "I need you."

He kissed her hand again and gently put it back down on the bed. Looking at the clock on top her bed, he turned to the little Kwami beside Marinette. "Tikki, do you want a few minutes before we leave?"

Tikki looked at him, pensive, then nodded. Adrien smiled and moved away to stand with Plagg at the door as Tikki began talking to Marinette in too low a voice for him to hear. He felt warmth at how much the Kwami loved her charge, going so far as to risk herself for Marinette. That was devotion if he'd ever seen any, and Adrien was glad Marinette had someone like Tikki looking out for her.

Suddenly a thought struck him. He tossed the idea about in his head, wondering if he should bring it up, and after much deliberation, he turned to his own Kwami.

"Plagg," Adrien said quietly, "If it had been me in her place… would you have done for me what Tikki did for Marinette?"

Plagg was silent for a moment, then chuckled, almost miserably. "Tikki has it easy. Ladybugs are lucky. Triumphant. My chosens are paragons of bad luck. They wreak and attract destruction. They take the hit. They protect.… If I had done what Tikki did every time it was needed… I wouldn't be here anymore…"

The implication in Plagg's explanation was not lost on Adrien.

"How many Chats have… have you lost?"

Pain flashed in Plagg's eyes, and Adrien had never seen the sarcastic sprite look so despondent. "It doesn't matter."

But Adrien was not convinced. The moment Plagg turned away, Adrien looked back at Tikki, who apparently had overheard their conversation, and her sad eyes told him everything:

Too many to count.

Adrien's shoulders drooped. Suddenly, Plagg's lazy, uninterested attitude towards things in general started to make sense for him. Of course he was being sarcastic about Marinette's condition. Of course he downplayed the situation. He was bitter. Bitter that Tikki very rarely, or at least until today, had ever had to worry about losing a charge and Plagg, lord of bad luck, had to resign himself to the inevitable fate that awaited most of his charges, choosing instead to not get attached to them.

He wanted to reach out and hug him, but he wasn't sure if the grouchy Kwami would've appreciated the motion.

Adrien was snapped out of his thoughts and jumped as he felt a buzz against his leg. He reached down and pulled out his phone from his pants pocket, reading the notification on the screen with a pensive face.

"Alya?" Tikki asked him.

"Sort of," Adrien said, walking back to Tikki, "The Ladyblog. Demoman has been sighted again."

Tikki's antennae drooped and she looked back at Marinette's sleeping face.

"I need to stop him," Adrien said thickly, "Once and for all. I think I know how."

"But Adrien, he was really dangerous with both of you fighting him. Now it's only you." Tikki said, her eyes lining with worry. "Are you sure about this?"

"I have no choice, Tikki. She wouldn't want me to let this drag on." He murmured, his index finger stroking the back of her hand. "Besides…" His eyes suddenly narrowed, and something dark passed over Adrien's eyes, making Tikki shiver. "I have a score to settle with that guy."

"But... you can't purify Akumas." she tried.

"I'll think of something."

Tikki was concerned but seeing as she could not dissuade him, she did not question him further. Having temporarily stopped Tikki's protests, Adrien leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Marinette's cheek.

"I'll come back to visit. I promise." He whispered as he pulled back. This time, he could've sworn he saw her eyebrow twitch, but he couldn't be sure.

"A kiss for luck, huh?"

"Shut up, Plagg." Adrien smirked, "Transform me!"

A loud rumble like rolling thunder echoed through the sky, and soon the sound of sirens blared in the city. He had left Marinette's room half an hour ago, sitting the roof of the hospital while he tracked Demoman's path through the Ladyblog's sighting reports, ticking off locations on his baton's map feature.

If Chat Noir's prediction on where the villain would stop next were accurate, he knew just where he'd find him, and he had the perfect plan to beat him. It was risky, but it was the only chance he had. Demoman was a formidable opponent, so Chat would have to use cunning and use his enemy's strength against him if he wanted to succeed.

After confirming that Demoman was staying on the path he had mapped out, Chat Noir jumped confidently from roof to roof towards the source of the commotion, pinpointed by a large column of smoke rising in the sky before him. He knew just the location it was coming from, and he grinned at the accuracy of his guess.

Le Pont Des Arts.

What an ironic place to wreak havoc in given Chat's circumstances. The famous bridge full of padlocks hanging from the railings; the love locks, as they were called; symbols of countless couples' love and devotion to each other, meant to hang for all eternity; their iron incorruptible, timeless.

The perfect place to blow into pieces. For Ladybug. For Marinette. This would be the "padlock" he'd dedicate to her.

A few jumps further and he got there, looking down from a ledge at the hubbub below. Demoman was slinging his wrecking balls around, laughing in sick delight as people scurried away from him in between rubble and smoke.

A growl rumbled in his throat and Tikki peeked her head out of the neckline of his suit, just behind his bell, and looked up at him.

"Adrien, don't forget why you are doing this," Tikki warned.

"For Marinette-"

"For Paris," Tikki corrected. "You are a hero. Do this not out of revenge, but because it's the right thing to do. Please Chat, don't let it fill your head. Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

Chat Noir's expression was unreadable, but he nodded at Tikki all the same. "Positive. You remember when to bail, right?"

Tikki sighed. "I do."

Demoman started down the bridge, laughing into the air.

"Ok. Hide." Chat said, and Tikki went back into the recesses of his suit.

Chat Noir took a deep breath and jumped down, landing just in front of Demoman. He rose to his full height, chest out to exude more confidence than what he really felt, and brandished his baton defiantly.

"Sorry to crash your party." Chat sneered. "But I think we have some pending business to attend to."

People taking refuge behind cars and heaps of rock nearby gasped, pointing at him in between remarks of We are saved! and Chat noir will help us! They cheered for him, and he felt a boost of confidence. A boost he so desperately needed.

He was terrified. He truly was. Loathe as he was to admit it, Demoman had defeated Ladybug, the symbol of Paris; Lady Luck, the girl who could see the exit out of every problem. Sure, they were evenly matched in strength, but he always felt Ladybug was the strategist, and Chat had often followed her plans blindly, only pitching in his own thoughts when he truly felt he found a kink in her plan. He placed his utmost trust in her, and it had never been misplaced.

But she was gone now. He was on his own. And although Tikki was clever on her own and a positive influence, she was not Ladybug. She was not Marinette. Tikki could not cast Lucky Charm, or Miraculous Ladybug. If something went wrong, there was no getting out of it with magic. He was truly all he could depend on. Him and a stupid, suicide plan he had concocted as a last resort.

And that plan had just been set into motion. There was no turning back now. He drew strength from his thoughts of Marinette, and braced himself. He sucked in a breath, and locked eyes with his enemy.

Demoman chuckled, grinning a sickening smile.

"Scaredy cat!" Demoman said, walking to him and crashing his wrecking balls at this sides with every step for added effect. "Where you been kitty? Scared in a hole? Scared I squish you like your cute buggy friend!?"

Demoman swung a wrecking ball some feet in front of him, but not with the intent to hit him. The ball landed between them with a loud thump, breaking the wooden planks underneath. He pulled back on the chain until Chat Noir was able to see the underside of the wrecking ball. He shivered involuntarily. There was a dark stain on it, a stain he was sure had been red at some point, when it was still fresh.

Blood.

"I squish her good!" He laughed. "I squish her dead, like the insect she was!"

Chat Noir snapped.

With a feral scream, Chat Noir lunged at the Akuma. Rage flared in his stomach and fueled his every limb, allowing him to deftly evade every swing of the wrecking ball sent his way. A chain flew over his head and he planted himself firmly on his feet, launching himself forward in a spinning kick that connected with Demoman's stomach. The villain groaned, taking shaky steps back, further into bridge. Chat kept pushing, taking every chance he got to push the Akuma further and further into the heart of the bridge.

Boom, Crash, Hit. Wrecking ball after wrecking ball rained abuse on their battleground. The bridge was far from being the landmark it used to be, full of holes and splintered planks and punched-out metal jutting from the edges. Many a padlock had met their fate on the bottom of the Seine, their promises broken.

Chat was breathing heavily, his energy depleting from trying to get Demoman just where he wanted him. He was so close. His limbs burnt, but his fury kept him going, jumping, dodging, kicking. Every time he caught a glimpse of the blood-stained ball, his anger mounted, sending him into another fit of violent kicks and punches as he growled in pent-up frustration.

He was pissed, and he was going to make sure Demoman felt it all.

Demoman roared angrily, slamming the wrecking balls against the floor around him in a rage, pieces of splintered wood flying everywhere. The ground quaked, but Chat held fast. He was nearly there, he knew he was. His ears twitched, picking up on a singular sound, a sound that brought him a sickening joy.

The sound of metal beams groaning.

"Urgh, I take all your nine lives!" Demoman shouted, retracting his chains to prepare a new onslaught.

"Come get them then, blockhead." Chat hissed with a smirk, posing himself on all fours just in front of the his target.

With a roar, Demoman hauled both wrecking balls at Chat with all the strength he possessed. Chat deftly jumped away at the last second, landing over the railing. As soon as the iron balls crashed against the spot where he had just been, he felt the bridge tremble, and heard the cement under the wood crack.

There was a heart-stopping moment of silence, where neither of them moved, and then it began. The crack spread like a web across the bridge, rocks flying, ground heaving.

And Chat grinned.

A sudden snap. The sound of metal groaning. The rumble of stone breaking, and down they went, Chat Noir, Demoman, and the bridge as it caved underneath them. It collapsed in a rain of rocks and padlocks, crashing into the freezing Seine below under the terrified stare of onlookers.

And even as he fell with the debris and disappeared under the water, the smirk on Chat Noir's face never left.