Music glossary:

Agitato:

To perform in a hurried, restless and agitated manner

"TIKKI!!!!!!" Marinette whisper-screamed as she held the body of an unconscious Chat Noir. "WHAT DO I DO?!"

"Stay calm, Marinette!" the tiny god zipped out of her hiding spot. "We need to take him to Master Fu. He'll know what to do."

Unsure, Marinette bit her lip, looking back and forth between Tikki and Chat. "But he's about to transform back. Shouldn't we just take him to the hospital once he does?" she asked, wiping a droplet of water that landed on her nose. She frowned. Of all the times for it to start raining, why now?!

Tikki shook her head. "Chat Noir is in very bad shape. I can sense Plagg, his kwami. At this point, Plagg's magic is the only thing keeping him alive." Tikki gulped. "If he detransforms, it's very likely that he won't survive."

"He WHAT?!" Marinette exclaimed, on the verge of panic. She could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes as a chill crept down her spine, spreading through her shoulders. "No, no, no, this can't be happening!!!" she cried, terrified, clutching Chat's body even closer and resting her head on top of his.

Tikki flew in front of her face, trying to get her to focus. "Don't panic, Marinette! Fu has knowledge that we need in order to help Chat Noir. But we need to hurry. We don't know how long we have until his transformation drops. Now that you're older, we know that you can remain transformed for about twenty minutes after using your Lucky Charm. But we've never figured out how long Chat Noir can stay transformed after summoning his Cataclysm. It could be minutes; it could be hours. The point is, we need to go right now."

Marinette squared her shoulders, taking in a few breaths to clear her head. "You're right. Tikki, spots on."

This was agony.

Marinette sat in the parlor room of Master Wang Fu's house, hair damp from the sudden downpour, restlessly fidgeting, legs never sitting still; occasionally getting up to pace, only to sit back down a minute later. Repeat times infinity. Or, at least, that's how it felt to her.

A literal eternity later (or close to it, surely), Fu emerged from the back room, wiping his red-stained hands on a short apron.

Marinette leaped out of her seat and rushed to her mentor, words tumbling out of her mouth like a dam that had just burst. "Master Fu, is he alright?! Is he alive? Is he going to be okay? Is there anything I can do? Can I see him? Do you need anythi-"

"Marinette, calm yourself. I've only been gone for five minutes," Fu said evenly. "One question at a time."

Marinette's mouth snapped closed and she did her best to rein in her nervousness. More quietly, she tried again, "How is he?"

Fu rubbed the back of his head, exhaling long and slow. "He is in precarious condition; there's a significant amount of internal damage." He paused thoughtfully. "It will be difficult, but I believe we can help him."

Marinette's eyebrows raised in astonishment, eyes glimmering with hope.

"But I will need Tikki's assistance," Fu added.

"Tikki's?" Marinette looked back at her kwami, who flew over to him. "You can use her powers to help him?"

"Yes," he replied. "Tikki has many healing powers that you haven't been able to harness yet, since you are still so young. But she can perform them alone, to a certain degree, under the right conditions."

"Alright," Marinette sighed, somewhat pacified. "Good luck, Tikki."

Fu resumed, "Chat Noir will detransform any minute now. When he does, I will give his kwami a special potion I've prepared. This potion will allow Chat Noir to retain his transformation for 48 hours without his kwami needing to recharge. Remaining transformed will allow him to heal faster and, hopefully, without permanent damage from his injuries."

Marinette gulped, brows furrowing in concern. "But... Tikki said... she said his life might be in danger if he detransforms. Will he be alright?"

"Tikki will ensure that he survives while he is changed back to his regular self. However," Fu's gaze became more serious, his voice tense. "Pay very close attention, Marinette."

Marinette's body stiffened, stomach swirling with uneasiness. Inhaling sharply, she finally nodded.

"Chat Noir will be in a great deal of pain while detransformed." Eyes narrowing, he cautioned, "But no matter what you hear, you need to stay in this room. For his safety, the ritual must not be interrupted. After ingesting the potion, Plagg can return to the ring and transform him back into Chat Noir without needing the magic phrase. The danger will have passed and Tikki can begin the healing process."

Before Marinette could ask anything else, the last beeps of Chat's miraculous rang urgently through the air, dropping another thick layer of tension in the air.

Fu clenched his jaw, nervously sticking his hands in his pockets. "It is time. Remember: do not enter the other room, no matter what."

He rushed out of the parlor with Tikki in tow, leaving the anxious teenager alone with her uncertainty and apprehension.

She sat stiffly, unable to get comfortable; eyes darting around, trying to find something, anything, to distract her.

A small noise startled her and she shot up from her seat, turning towards the source. It was Wayzz, Fu's kwami.

"Wayzz? What's wrong?! Is everything okay??" Marinette practically yelled, almost bowling over the little god, who backed away a few inches in surprise.

"It's alright, Marinette, don't worry. My master asked me to be with you. For... moral support," he offered with a small smile.

Releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding, she thanked Wayzz and sat back down onto the stiff leather couch, with the latter following her and sitting on the armrest to offer his company.

A few moments later, Marinette was unceremoniously startled while leafing through a magazine she'd picked up to try and distract herself, involuntarily flinging it across the room, and herself jumping several feet in the air. A commotion had started in the next room. The room Fu and Chat were in. She stared at the door so intensely that Wayzz began to think she might burn a hole through it.

A sound. Low and long, it speared itself into her heart. A song of death and despair echoing around the room, so deep Marinette couldn't tell what it was at first. Then another, just as long and horrendous as the first. Groaning.

That was good, right? At least he was awake?

A third, guttural and horrible, and it didn't sound human anymore.

Marinette's jaw clenched; her eyes filled with fear and worry, horror-struck. Her body felt both hot and cold, with goosebumps all over and an unbearable stiffness spreading from the base of her neck. But she couldn't move; the noises kept her in place, frozen, hanging on the silence between.

Marinette winced and squeezed her eyes shut, biting her lip painfully. But she couldn't drown out the sounds. They tormented her, mocked her, reminded her of her failure to protect him.

She should have known. She should have known this would happen! She should have told him not to go home. She should have realized that he'd be in danger; that his father wouldn't let him go without a fight. How could she have been so stupid?! They'd become partners just a few hours prior and already she'd failed him, had almost gotten him killed.

This is all my fault. He's hurt because of me. did this to him. It's all my fault... she repeated to herself over and over and over, heart ridden with excruciating guilt and regret.

Minutes passed and the groans did not subside, nor did their intensity abate.

Then a shriek. So loud that she thought someone outside the house might be able to hear them despite the rolling thunder. There was muffled thrashing, glass objects breaking, frantic muttering, and other indecipherable sounds that echoed within the walls of the sparsely furnished room.

On the other side of the door, the boy behind the mask cried miserably between sobs, "Help me... ... make it stop...!"

Unable to take it anymore, Marinette raced towards the other room, hand reaching towards the doorknob.

Wayzz dashed in front of her, his tiny arms outstretched in warning. "STOP!! You can't go in there!" he yelled.

Tears streaming freely down her cheeks, Marinette begged, "Wayzz, I have to help him! I need to do something, I can't bear to hear him like this!!"

Wayzz reasoned with her, "I know that you care about him a great deal, and that it pains you to know he's in distress. But if you care about his safety, you must allow Fu and your kwamis to finish the healing ritual. You will be able to help. Later. But for right now, you must place your faith and trust in them."

Marinette groaned pitifully as she crumpled against the door, wiping her tears, a crushing weight bearing down on her chest. She put her head in her hands, dismayed sobs racking her body.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she realized the screaming had stopped. She eyed the doorknob wearily, wondering how much longer it would be until she could see Chat again. An unsettling silence permeated the room, accompanied only by the sound of rain thumping heavily on the rooftops.

A few minutes later, an exhausted looking Tikki phased through the door, wobbily floating towards her. Marinette held out her palm, catching her, then pulled her close into a hug.

"Thanks, Tikki," Marinette whispered.

Tikki hugged back weakly, nuzzling sleepily into her. Marinette reached to her side to retrieve a cookie, then realized that she hadn't brought her purse. Heading towards the kitchen, she set Tikki down onto the countertop to rummage through the pantry for a suitable snack. Settling on some candied fruit, she picked up her kwami and handed it over to her, then returned to the waiting room.

When Fu returned, Tikki was already fast asleep. Marinette looked up at him, eyes red and puffy. Gently placing Tikki down onto a couch cushion, she shambled over to Fu as if in a daze.

Dread and fear tied her tongue, but she needed to know. Is Chat alright? Is my Kitty okay?

As if he'd heard her question, Fu answered, "He's fine. He's still unconscious, but the danger has passed."

Choking back a sob, Marinette did her best to blink back fresh tears that threatened to fall. She drooped onto the shorter man, bringing him into a tight hug.

"Thank you," she whispered, voice quaking.

Chuckling softly, Fu returned the hug. "It is quite remarkable, you know. You've spent such a short amount of time together, and yet you already care so much about him."

Marinette felt her spine stiffen, a sudden heat rushing to her face. "W-well, I-I mean, he's m-my partner, of course I care." Marinette stammered in a haze, trying to explain... explain what?

Before she could reply, Fu continued, "Don't thank me just yet; now it's your turn to help him."

Marinette straightened up, a determined expression on her face. "Of course, Master. What do you need me to do?"

Fu replied, rubbing his sore joints, "As I said before, Chat Noir will remain transformed for about two days. This will allow him to make a full recovery... as long as Tikki is nearby." He paused briefly. "This is why I must ask you to take him home, and let him stay with you until he recovers."

Marinette blinked.

"I need to WHAT?!" she exclaimed once her brain had finished rebooting itself.

Fu scratched his beard. "Hmm, you couldn't hear me? My apologies, I will repeat. Chat Noir is to remain with you at all times, until he is fully healed."

"B-but Master Fu!" Marinette stammered, her voice bewildered and steadily rising in pitch. "I-it's not that simple! What about my parents?! How will I convince them to let a notorious criminal hang out in our house??"

Fu calmly patted her arm, "Oh, I know you'll think of something. You're a very resourceful young woman," he replied with a smile. He tugged on her arm and directed, "Come, you should transform and take him back to the bakery before it gets late."

Marinette could swear she felt her soul leave her body. She stumbled after Fu, stuttering incoherently.

Finally, she managed to sputter, "W-wait! Can't he stay at your place?"

Fu glanced back at her, shaking his head. "Oh, no, definitely not. Obviously, Tikki must remain with you. You must always be prepared in case Hawkmoth dispatches an akuma."

Before they reached the bed that Chat was resting on, Fu dropped Marinette's arm and turned around to face her.

"Oh, and another thing," he uttered quietly so as to not disturb him. "You must not reveal your identities to each other."

Face scrunching in confusion, Marinette spluttered, "W-what?! Why not? He's my partner now, and I trust him! Shouldn't it be okay to reveal ourselves?"

Wayzz floated next to them and explained, "Given the traumatic experience he just went through, Chat Noir will be particularly susceptible to akumatization. Therefore, your identities must remain a secret for a while longer. Not just until he is healed physically, but emotionally as well. That way, he'll be more able resist Hawkmoth's powers. If Chat Noir knew that you are Ladybug, you and your family would be in grave danger."

Marinette's mind was still reeling, her brain still trying to catch up with all that was happening.

Fu excused himself to prepare a few poultices for her to take home, with Wayzz following closely behind, leaving Marinette alone with Chat.

The petite girl approached him, kneeling by his side. The sight of him soothed the ache in her chest, and a tiny smile of relief appeared on her face. She took his hand in between hers, lifting it up to her lips and placing a soft kiss on the back. She'd been so frightened. Her heart hadn't stopped pounding since the moment she found him in that alley. But at last, it felt like the hardest part was over and she could finally breathe a little easier.

But... at that alley, had he really called her by name, or had she imagined it? She shook her head. No; she definitely didn't imagine it. The way he'd uttered her name, so reverently, so earnestly, and apologizing in such a heartfelt way... That was no trick of the mind.

So, why did he know her name? She'd never told it to him. It was possible that he'd overheard her talking with Nino and Alya after the akuma attack. That must have been it. Because she'd certainly never met him as a civilian. Despite the effects of their miraculous' magical glamour, she was certain that she would have recognized him.

...Right?

Setting that question aside for now, she looked upon him fondly, relieved that they'd been able to get him here in time, and grateful that Fu and the kwamis had managed to save his life.

Fu swung the door open, holding a small bag of supplies. "Here you go," he chimed.

Still skittish and on edge, Marinette sprung up with a squeak, jumping away from the fold-out bed as if it was on fire. She flushed in embarrassment and meekly accepted the pouch.

"Now, I don't know if he will remember being here," he said. "And really, the less he remembers about this place, the better. We must keep Hawkmoth from finding out that there are other miraculous in the city. He may still hold a connection to Chat Noir's mind, so we must be cautious. As he spends more time away from Hawkmoth and more time with Ladybug, their bond will weaken while yours will strengthen."

Marinette's stomach was a messy whirlwind of nerves and butterflies. How was she going to pull it off? Taking a former supervillain home, convincing her parents to let him stay, and not reveal their identities? A tall order, indeed.

But she recognized that they had no other options. Hesitantly, she complied. "Understood, Master."

Welp. Looks like I'm taking a cat home.

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