Miraculous (Angel-Demon AU)

Chapter 7

MARINETTE'S P.O.V.

'There's no time. No time to think, no time to cry, no time to feel.' That's what I constantly repeated myself in order to remain sane. All I could do was to move, to keep moving.

"Quick! Use your cataclysm, she's in here!"

Chat Noir did as I asked without hesitation. I wondered whether he was acting so fast simply because he feared having to face my anger.

He opened the gigantic door of the school's freezer. Alya had stopped giving me indications a while ago, and I already feared the worse when I saw her curled up on a corner next to stuffed, frozen meat. Her beautiful long dress was now torn as she had used the bottom part as a shawl.

"Alya..."

I ran up to her and held her in my arms as I checked with amazing relief that she was still breathing.

Once we'd brought her outside, she murmured, her eyes still closed and still partly unconscious, "I knew you'd make it, Ladybug." And I wanted to cry. I really did. I had selfishly expected that one night to be one of the best, and it couldn't have come out worse. I had been ready to give up my immortal life to Adrien, but not only had he rejected me, but he had seemed so... horrified. He had never even considered falling in love with me.

I had been so stupid...

And now Alya. She admired me (Ladybug) far more than I deserved. This time, I had barely made it on time, a few seconds more and...

My train of thoughts was stopped when I sensed a hand pressing on my shoulder. I looked up to see Chat's concerned face.

I had almost forgotten about Chat...

He pulled a hand in my direction, aiming at the tears that were rolling through my cheeks, but, for once, he stopped himself, unsure whether it was appropriate to do so. I wiped them off myself instead.

"Take her to hospital" I commanded, regaining my wits. "I'm about to detransform. I'll meet you at the supermarket. I guess it's there where they're keeping Nino. If the akumatized person wanted to freeze him up too, that's where the nearest freezer is."

I hugged Alya one last time hoping that some of my warmth would pass onto her and turned around as my miraculous beeped, announcing my last ten minutes.

"Wait." He grabbed my arm. I pressed my teeth together. "You don't have to hide from me, Mari..." I turned in time to glare at him. Chat looked at Alya and believed that was the only reason why I didn't want him to call me by my name. "Ladybug." He paused and then, with a softer voice, added "Trust me."

I took a deep breath, suddenly conscious that I had been holding my breath.

"I can't. Not for now."

And I left.

"I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long, Tikki" I said as soon as we were far from Chat and Alya and my mask had already worn off.

"It's okay, Marinette. You were just lucky that Alya was too weak to open her eyes, otherwise, in seeing you with your dress still on, she would have recognized you..."

I hadn't even thought about that. "Guess you're right... Anyhow, we've got no time to lose. Nino is in danger. I'll run to the supermarket while you recover yourself. There are some biscuits in the handbag."

"Are you sure it's safe...?"

"It's 4 am, Tikki, there's nobody out there who could see me. By the time we get there I'll be Ladybug."

I smiled at her in reassurance, and she dived inside in search of some energy. As promised, I ran towards the supermarket, only a few blocks away. Nothing should have gone wrong...

But it did.

"At last, Marinette!"

Her high-pitched voice was easily recognizable. Chloé was sitting at the top of the building. Or rather, Anti-bug was.

"I've been searching everywhere for you! It is not decent for girls like you to be out so late at night, you know..?"

"Chloé, why are you...?"

Yet I soon remembered. Our encounter at the mall, Alya mocking her and Lila... and the simple fact of having to see Adrien and me dancing side by side must have been too much for her. I wondered whether there'd be a day where I could possibly stop akumatizing people.

"I'm tired of you, little rat, I'm tired of such a stupid and insignificant thing getting in my way. I won't allow it anymore!"

She dashed in my direction, and I managed to dodge her just by chance.

"That was close... Tikki, are you ready?" I whispered, even though I knew that akumatized people can't remember anything once they're freed.

I opened up my handbag in order to let her come out as Chloé came to her feet.

"Tikki, spots-"

But something hit me hard on my back and threw me to the floor before I could end the sentence.

I tried to get up, but a heavy hand pinned me to the floor, and I fought against it helplessly. I looked around, searching for my handbag, which had slipped from my hands, and located it a few metres away.

"Don't even try." A voice whispered in my ear. I froze. It was a male voice.

Chat Noir's voice.

I turned my head just enough to see his eyes. Their expression was hard.

"Don't. She'll remember. She'll remember your identity if you transform now." I was still in shock. I had tried to believe it had all been a hallucination, but no, Chat reallydid know that I was Ladybug. "Trust me." His grip on my shoulder tightened.

"You're hurting me" was all I could blurt. He immediately released me and jumped to his feet, suddenly conscious of how close we had been.

"Sorry."

"You're here too!" Chloé shouted, now facing both of us. "Great! Seems like I'll be able to hit two targets with one shot. Or should I say three?"

Nino .He wouldn't be able to wait for much longer.

"Chat!"

He was already standing in front of me, holding his stick in a protective way, when I looked at him in desperation. He gave me a desperate look in return, and I knew what he felt like. I glanced once more at my handbag, only two feet away now. He shook his head lightly.

"I'll be fine." This time it was me who pat his shoulder. "Trust me."

He looked torn, but we both knew that if neither of us did anything, Nino would die. His eyes kept locked in mine, trying to say all that his lips couldn't, and from all I could read in them I held onto the two most important words: 'Stay safe'. Chat disappeared behind one of the mall's windows, which he smashed open without a thought.

"Wow, seems like you're not that important to him, honey. Poor girl... I'm afraid it's now just the two of us..."

I closed my eyes. "Please be quick", I begged.