Until Next Time, My Lady

Past Regrets

Running down the Parisian streets at dusk can be dangerous, but at this moment she didn't care. She kept going until she made it to The Red Bug and Black Cat's Harmony. Breathless and nearly collapsing, Marinette pushed herself through the door. Alya was behind the counter with a shocked look on her face.

"Marinette?!"

"Adrien... was... Chat... Noir..." She managed to pant out before she crumbled down to the floor and started to cry.

Alya was on her in seconds, pulling her shaking body into her lap, trying her best to comfort her.

"What are you saying, Mari?"

"I... hurt him. What if... he never wants... to be around me again?" She sniffed.

"How did you hurt him?" Alya asked, softly. "I don't understand what's going on, sweetheart."

"I made him leave me," she whined. "I pushed him away. I'm such an awful person."

"Mari, I don't understand what happened. You two were fine yesterday."

"I hurt him back when I was Ladybug," she whispered.

"You were Ladybug?"

Marinette nodded slowly. "And he was Chat Noir"

She felt Alya's grip around her stiffen. "So why exactly are you crying over something that happened seven years ago?"

"Because I was the one who caused him all this pain when I could've just revealed my identity," she whimpered.

"Where is Adrien now?"

"I left him back at The Black Cat. I couldn't face him." Marinette tried to bury her face into Alya's thigh.

"You need to go find him, Mari. He needs you right now."

"I... I... don't know where he is."

"Nino!!" Alya yelled.

"Yes?" He poked his head out of the back storage closet.

"Call Adrien and find out where he is."

"Okay, one second."

Alya nodded, then turned her attention back to Marinette. She started stroking her hair but stopped. "I just have to know," she paused. "Why did you not want to tell him after Hawkmoth was defeated?"

"I'm actually not sure anymore, Alya. I just regret not doing it."

A soft 'bye' came from the back of the store as Nino hung up his phone. "He just left the Cat and is heading back to Sabine and Tom's now."

"Thanks, love!" Alya called back to him. "Let's go." She urged, pulling Marinette to her feet. "We're going to your parents."

"Alya, I can't face him-."

"It's been seven years, Mari! He knows who you are now. Why make him feel like he's not good enough?"

Marinette bit her lip. "You think he feels like he's not good enough for me?

"Well, how would you feel if Adrien had just ran out on you?"

"I've made it worse, haven't I?"

"Probably." Alya shrugged, then yelled to Nino. "I'll be back in twenty minutes, Nino."

"Okay!" Nino called back as he walked out of the storage closet. "Marinette? What are you doing here?

"She's not doing anything here." His wife quickly interjected. "I'm taking her home, and I'll be right back."