Two weeks later, Marinette wakes up to see Adrien is not on the sofa anymore. She gasps.  She thinks this means something dreadful must have taken place.  He must have died while she was asleep. She is to quick to assume the worse.  She cries and refuses to stop.

        "Calm down!"  Adrien says.

        "I  can not!"  Marinette says.  She does even look to see who it is that speaks to her.

         "Mari, please!" Adrien says.

          It is then that she snaps out of it. She looks at him and gasps.

      "A-Adrien?   Y-You scared me!  How could  you do it?"  Marinette says and begins to sob against his chest.

       "Do what?"  Adrien asks.

    "You very well what I mean.  You tried to kill yourself when you jumped off a moving train for goodness sake, Adrien!"  Marinette says.

       "I am sorry, I just thought ..." Adrien begins.

     "Well, you thought wrong!  I can not lose you!"  Marinette says.

      " It is okay, Mari!  I am not dead.  I am here!"  Adrien says. He holds her in his arms and just lets her cry.

       "It is not okay. " Marinette says.

      "What do you mean?"  Adrien says as he holds her hand.

      "You almost died on me!  I was hurt. "  Marinette says.

       "She was going crazy!  The doctor had to sedate her many times to calm her down." the old hermit remarks

         "Mari, is this true?"  Adrien says.

       "Yes, it is true.  I -I thought for sure you would d-die.  I had this a-ache in my s-side and e-everything.  The doctor took a look and could find no cause for it.  He said it was a love ache."  Marinette says.

        "What?"  Adrien says.

        "I had a love ache, okay.  I never meant to love you!" Marinette says.

       "Marinette?"  Adrien looks at her in surprise.

    "What?"  Marinette says.  She looks away.

      "How long?"  Adrien says.

    "How long what Adrien?"  Marinette says.

      "I mean, how long have you loved me?" Adrien says.  He can hardly believe it to be true.  

     " Ever since I could remember.  I  have always loved you!  I just thought you were the one who hated me."  Marinette says.

       "I could never hate you,"  Adrien says.

     "Why torture me so?"  Marinette says. She sees his hand holds her but does not pull away.

     " Torture you?  When have I ever done such a thing, my love?"  Adrien says.

      "Do not say it.   It is not true.  I have always loved you, but you were always into L-Ladybug."  Marinette says.

        "Is that what you really think?"  Adrien says.

        "Yes, it is.  What else was I to believe?   All through high school you always said, "Oh Marinette, she is just a friend."  Marinette says.

        "Mari?"  Adrien says with tears in his eyes.

        " wh-what?"  Marinette says with anger in her voice.  She is mad because he tried to die and now because he lies about how he feels about her.  How could he do this to her?

         Adrien looks deep into her eyes.  He sighs.   "I tried to die because I fell in love with you!  I  was afraid to live without you.  I thought it would save me the pain of..." Adrien begins.

         "Shh, do not speak of it again!  Never!"  Marinette whispers.  She kisses him slowly on the cheek then on his lips.  She sighs as he kisses her back.

          "Oh, Mari!  You have to believe me, I do love you!"  Adrien says.  

         " Why did you always friendzone me  in the past?"  Marinette ask.

       "I was too embarrassed to admit the truth back then.  I  believed no one could be good enough for me.  I thought you were only into me as a fangirl.  How was I to know how mistaken I was?   It is not like you ever told me."  Adrien says.

        "I tried to tell you many times,  but you just pushed me away.  You even had me set you up with Kagami!  She was jealous of my friendship with you and she told me not to hesitate.  I tried to take her advice on the day of our picnic with the class. I  kissed your cheek."  Marinette says.

     "I am sorry. "  Adrien says.

    "Sorry for what? " Marinette ask.

      "Fine, I am sorry for everything.  I am sorry I friend-zoned in the past all those times, for the train situation, for letting you go one too many times, for it all.  Please, forgive me!"  Adrien says.

          " I  forgive you, but if you ever pull something so stupid ever again, Agreste then it is over!"  Marinette says.

        "Oh, and I happen to know for fact Ladybug was in love with you too,"  Marinette says.

        "At least she was when it came to you as Adrien!  She was in shock when she found out you were Chat!  She was afraid of rejection!  She felt unworthy."  Marinette says.

        "What are you talking about Marinette?  None of that matters anyway.  I mean I am not Chat anymore. " Adrien says.

        "I -I..."  Marinette says. She looks upset again.

     "Please stop it!  Quit!  You must not be sad because of her."  Adrien says.

      "I  w-was her!  I was your l-ladybug!  Your Bugaboo, and p-partner!"  Marinette says.

      "Wait, but that means you ..." Adrien says.

      "I know what it means.  It means I rejected you as Chat!  I did not know he was you when I did.  When I found out the truth no thanks to Nino, well I panicked!  I gave the earrings back to Master Fu!  I thought you would be better off with a new ladybug.  One who could give you would I never could. I was not brave enough, pretty enough, or..." Marinette says.

      "Marinette, stop!  Stop it you here!"  Adrien says.

     "Oh, and why should I?"  Marinette says.

      "I feel in love with both sides of you. First as Ladybug, and later somehow, I feel for you as Marinette too."  Adrien says.

      "I mean it.  I love you no matter what!  I  promise!  I always have and always will."  Adrien says.

      "Same here.  I have always loved you as Adrien.  Later I fell for you as Chat, but then I thought you did not love the Marinette part of me, so I gave up the Ladybug half."  Marinette says.

       "Really, that is the same reason, I gave up the Chat half!"  Adrien says.

       "Love sure is a funny thing!"  Marinette says.

       "Yes, I agree!"  Adrien says.

       "Will you be my girlfriend?  I know it is late, but still will you?"  Adrien asks.

       "Yes!"  Marinette says.

      Adrien holds her in his arms and never wants to let her go.  She smiles and thinks, Adrien I will never leave you again.  

 Chapter 6  published January 22, 2019, and edits made January 24, 2019,&  more edits made February 17, 2020.

     to be continued in Chapter 7  Love is Together Now?