26

                                    

                                          
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Marinette's P.O.V
                          
My grip on Chat Noir didn't loosen even after the shock of knowing Sabrina had my Miraculous or that Chat was about to transform back at any moment. Everything was happening so fast and questions were still left unanswered.
                          
Before I could let it all sink in, we landed. I shakily looked up at Sabrina then looked at the familiar surroundings of my balcony.
                          
"Marinette, help me get him inside please," Sabrina pleaded, quickly de-transforming.
                          
I snapped out of my mixed emotional state. There was no time to question what was going on. Right now, Chat Noir needs me to be strong. He let me lean on his shoulders during my time of despair, now it's my turn to return the favor. It's his turn to lean on me now.
                          
I nodded confidently, slinging Chat's arm over my shoulders while Sabrina did the same. Chat's miraculous beeped in a panicky warning with only seconds before the hero returned to his civilian form.
                          
Marinette kicked open her skylight with ease. The two teenage girls worked together to lower Chat down into Marinette's room and lay his unconscious body on the bluenette's loft. Just as Marinette was about to fully lay his head on her pillow, a green light filled the room and blinding both girls.
                          
"Keep your eyes closed, Sabrina!" Marinette ordered, screwing her own eyes shut. Yet, the redhead had no reason to listen. She already knew who Chat Noir was but assumed that her fellow bluebell-eyed classmate had no clue of his true identity.
                          
"It's okay, Marinette," Sabrina reassured, softly, "I already know his true identity."
                          
"Y-You do?" I responded, shocked and trying to hide the hurt blossoming within my soul, "H...H-How?" Sabrina stayed silent for a while, gathering her words as she began to explain.
                          
"He showed me because he needed me to be Ladybug for the time being to capture the akuma," She began, "He couldn't give me the earrings, because they were somewhere else and was too injured. So, he gave me this weird floating cat—genie thing to show me where the miraculous was."
                          
I grimaced after listening to her story, unsure how to feel knowing that I was the akuma that hurt him.
                          
I hurt my partner.
                          
My best friend.
                          
The boy who somehow wormed his way into my heart when I least expected it.
                          
I'm the cause of his suffering and why he is laying here unconscious.
                          
I hurt him.
                          
I shakily sighed, hiding my face within my hands and taking in deep breaths. The idea of it all slowly wrapping itself around my brain, making it all suffocating just thinking about it. Why did I let myself get akumatized? Why did I let Lila, of all people, get the better of me?
                          
"Can-" I paused to clear my throat after my voice cracked. Sabrina patiently waited for Marinette to gather her thoughts and continue with what she was going to say. After a long, steady exhale, Marinette continued, "Can you please check Chat for any injuries?"
                          
Before I was able to get an answer from Sabrina, a low groan was emitted from an unknown source.
                          
"Won't anyone help this weak and helpless kitty relieve his starvation with some stellar Camembert cheese," A scratchy male voice spoke in an overly dramatic way. That must be Chat Noir's Kwami. Their resemblance in the "over dramatics" was rather uncanny. I smiled a little at the mere thought.
                          
"Plagg! We don't have time to deal with for cheese fetish!"
                          
I perked up and heart lurched when hearing the familiar higher-pitched voice of Tikki scolding someone. I so badly wanted her to nuzzle the top of her head into my cheek and try to hug me. I missed her badly even though I just saw her this morning.