Removing the Mask (Book Two)

Chapter 6

(Marinette's POV)
I flew through the night sky, swinging across the city lights and catching a glimpse of the stars once in a while.

I stopped when I noticed a silver car driving away from the city. They were driving farther and farther away, eventually on an empty road with only a few streetlights. After a while, the car disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Suspicion filled my mind and I gave Chat Noir a call.

"You called, m'lady?"

I nod, realizing he can't see me, "Yes. There was this mysterious silver car driving out of the city. And I mean way out of the city. Like to an isolated area"

"Are you suspecting that they're helping our villain or something, m'lady?"

"Well, it's bad to jump to conclusions, so I can't say that they are. But it's a bit suspicious how far they drove"

There was a long pause.

"Chat Noir? Are you there?"

"I'm right behind you, m'lady"

I turn around and jump, almost screaming when I see Chat Noir standing there.

"Geez, don't scare me like that!"

Chat Noir laughs and hangs up the phone, "Man, that was hilarious"

I facepalm and shake my head, "Anyways, no time for games. From now on, we better keep an eye out for a silver car driving away when we're on patrol"

Chat Noir steps by my side, "Do you happen to know which house they're coming from?"

I shake my head, "Next time I see it, I'll try snapping a picture"

Chat Noir and I continued patrolling the city. After a while, nothing else suspicious caught our attention so we said our goodbyes and headed our separate ways.

~

I jumped through the trapdoor on my balcony and landed on my bed, detransforming. I gave Tikki a couple cookies before changing into my pajamas and pulling my blanket over me.

"Hey, Tikki"

Tikki peeked her little head out from under my pillow, "Yes, Marinette?"

"Do you think Adrien figured out my secret identity?"

"It's possible," Tikki's high-pitched voice responds, "You might as well reveal soon if that's the case"

I stare up at my ceiling, "I guess. But I don't know when I'll be ready. After all, it's Adrien"

"Take your time, but don't wait too long"

I nod before closing my eyes, entering my dream.

(Adrien's POV)
"Plagg, do you think Marinette could be Ladybug?" I ask, staring at my ceiling with my blanket over me.

Plagg was eating some Camembert. I heard him stop chewing and his green eyes turned to me.

"I have one thing to tell you," he swallowed a piece of cheese and flew close to my face, "You're blind, kid"

I frown at his statement, "Is that a yes or no?"

My kwami facepalms, "Like I said, you're blind. That's all I can tell you"

I groan at Plagg's stubbornness and rub my face with my hands. Plagg flies back to his cheese.

The little god of destruction shoves another piece of cheese in his mouth, "People are blind in general"

I sigh and take my hands off my face.

"Just take your sleeping meds and go to sleep, kid. You have school tomorrow"

Plagg ate one last piece of cheese and flew under my pillow. The kwami started snoring right away. I roll my eyes and pop a tablet into my mouth, bringing it down my throat with some water. I lay back down and close my eyes.

(3rd Person POV)
There was pitch darkness all around Adrien. He couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.

"Adrien!"

He knew exactly who that voice belonged to.

"Marinette?"

The blond put his hands out, trying to feel his way through the darkness. Trying to find the girl he was secretly in love with.

"Marinette, where are you?"

A dim light shined in the distance, revealing a figure with dark blue hair tied into pigtails. Her back was turned towards the blond.

"Marinette!"

Adrien ran towards the girl. He got closer and closer until his hand reached for her shoulder.

"You little shit!"

Suddenly, Marinette was replaced by his father. Adrien gasped and took his hand off his father's shoulder. His father turned around, shooting him with the rage in his red eyes.

"F-father?"

Adrien backed away, trembling.

"W-where's... Marinette?"

An evil smirk formed on Gabriel's face and a whip appeared in his hands. He stepped closer to his son.

"N-no, Father... Please..."

His father raised his whip and Adrien's eyes were immediately filled with terror.

~

Adrien's eyes shot open as he woke up screaming, tears flowing down his cheeks. The blond sat up, wiping his tears away as they continued to trail down his face.

His door opened slowly and Nathalie's figure stepped into his dark room.

"Adrien?"

She stepped up to his bed and turned the lamp on, seeing his tear-filled eyes. She frowned and slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders, feeling his body shake and tense up at her touch.

She gently ran her hand through his hair as his tears absorbed into her shirt.

"It's okay," she whispered.

His silent gasps started to die down and his shoulders relaxed a bit. He was still trembling as Nathalie pulled away from the hug.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

Adrien nodded and wiped his stray tears away before laying back down.

Nathalie turned the lamp back off, "Call me if you need anything, okay?"

Adrien nodded again and Nathalie stepped out of his room. As soon as she was gone, Adrien climbed out of bed and walked over to his window to look at the dazzling lights of Paris at nighttime. He glanced at the clock. Three in the morning. He took a deep breath and rested his forehead on the glass.

Plagg peeked his head out from under Adrien's pillow and saw him at the window. The kwami flew to his owner and lightly landed on his shoulder. Adrien looked into his kwami's worry-filled eyes. Neither of them said a thing. Adrien patted Plagg's little head. The kwami closed his eyes and began to purr as he rubbed his head against Adrien's hand.

Adrien smiled sadly, "You're acting just like a cat"

Even if Plagg did get on his nerves sometimes, Adrien was glad to have him around. He didn't know where he would be without his kwami.