Thank you for 100K reads! Enjoy the epilogue as a thank you from me...

EPILOGUE

Marinette wiped her cheeks for the millionth time that day. The tears had crusted over so there was nothing but flakes to brush away. She could barely breathe thanks to the lump in her throat, but it was slowly getting better.

Everyone around her had started to file away almost half an hour ago, leaving her alone in the cemetery. Unlike what she saw in the movies, the sky was crystal clear. Sunlight streamed down through the trees, casting shadows across the neatly trimmed grass. The remains of any dew from that morning had disappeared, but Marinette knew it would be back.

Just like her tears.

Through her tired eyes, she gazed down at the black marble headstone. It gleamed in the sunlight, and on any other day, it would have been a beautiful sight for anyone who passed. Instead of awe, Marinette felt only pain. Having been inscribed into the marble with careful hands, a single name shimmered in the sun.

Nathanael Kurtzberg.

Swallowing hard, Marinette closed her eyes and hung her head. Her hands clasped together tightly in front of her as she hunched her shoulders.

"Nathan," she said, her delicate voice cracking with emotion, "I'm sorry. You truly didn't deserve this. After everything we went through, I never wanted it to turn out this way. I wanted you by my side as we came home. Your parents... I..."

She couldn't say it. In her mind's eye, she saw them. Nathanael's mother had engulfed her in a hug as soon as she had seen Marinette at the funeral service while his father had simply clapped her on the shoulder. Despite all of the praise they gave her for surviving and, after noticing the ring on her finger, congratulating her on her betrothal, Marinette couldn't force a smile for them. She had spilled the beans, telling them everything that had happened and what they had tried to accomplish. She made sure to clarify that, even though she hadn't been romantically attracted to him, they were still a team. He had become one of her closest friends.

He had endured so much for her, and she wasn't going to forget that anytime soon.

"They loved you," she finally said. "They were rooting for you and me, you know. Your mom, she... she had planned out an entire feast to celebrate our return."

Her chin began to tremble. She could feel her eyes watering once again.

"I... I didn't mean to hurt you. I hope that, wherever you are now, that you have forgiven me. I didn't want to play with your emotions and your feelings. I wanted for the both of us to escape alive, and your plan was the best way I could do that. You... you never deserved the cold shoulder I gave you, nor the jealousy Adrien showed you." She couldn't help but give a sad smile. "I guess he'll have to apologize for that later. But... I hope you forgive him too."

She bowed her head. "He's... he's been through a lot. After gaining his mom and losing his dad all at once, I think he's been thrown off balance. And he will be for a long time." She paused. "If... if you could, could you watch over him? I don't want him getting into anything stupid - unless that's me. That doesn't count."

She let herself laugh quietly. Tears slipped down her cheeks, falling down the tracks that had been previously paved by earlier ones. After sniffing and rubbing her sleeve under her nose, she smiled at his carved name. She stepped forward and rested a hand on the headstone. It was warm and took her by surprise. She had expected it to be freezing cold. But... maybe this was his way of telling her she was forgiven?

"I'm never going to be able to thank you for everything. You'll be in my heart, forever and always."

"And I can't thank you enough for protecting my Princess."

Marinette turned. A couple feet behind her, Adrien stood with his hands in his pockets. He didn't meet her gaze, only stared at the black headstone. He came up next to her, slipped an arm around her waist and put his hand next to Marinette's on the stone.

"Marinette was right when she said you didn't deserve my jealousy," he said. "You were one of the strongest charms in the arena, but I was too blind to recognize that at the time. I hope you will forgive me for my actions. And..."

His grip tightened on Marinette's waist. She looked up at his expression to see that he was choking back tears. His green eyes were glassy with tears gathering in the corners.

"And... I... I can't thank you enough for protecting my lady when I never could." His voice cracked. "S-she's the light of my life, the brightest star in my sky, and the second strongest person I've ever met - with you being the first. You faced every type of adversity in that arena, despite your fears." He swallowed heard. "You taught me a lot, even though I was the biggest knucklehead in the world."

The two of them cracked a smile. Marinette rested her head on Adrien's shoulder.

"You were the best, Nathanael," she said.

Adrien nodded as he sniffled. "Yeah, you really were."

Their hands slipped away from the headstone. After a moment of silence, Adrien cleared his throat.

"So," he said, "are you ready to go face the others?"

Marinette let out a long sigh. "I guess I'm going to have to."

"You really don't. We could head back to your parent's place and call it a day."

After debating the idea in her head, Marinette shook her head. "No, there are other people who will need comforting today. I want to be there if they need a shoulder to cry on."

Adrien smirked and looked down at her. "You know, Alya was right."

She furrowed her eyebrows and returned the look. "About what?"

"You really do have a heart of gold."

The two shared a smile before Marinette turned away and looked one last time at the headstone. A pause settled over them. Finally, Marinette pulled away from Adrien and bent down in front of Nathanael's name. Her fingers brushed the engraving one last time before she leaned in and kissed the words gently.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Then, she stood and took Adrien's extended hand. The two strolled through the grass toward the parked car. As they walked away, Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand tighter. She could feel the promise ring on her ring finger press into her.

Everything would be okay - she knew that for a fact. It was only a matter of enjoying her life ahead.

---

In closing, I cannot thank you guys enough for all of the reads, votes, comments, and support I receive daily. In return for 100K reads on Miraculous Games, I give you this epilogue as a gift and a promise.

Everything is going to be okay. If we lose something or someone in our life, please take time to mourn. But also make sure you're okay. Be happy with where you are in life, and if you don't like it, do something about it.

We can all become better. We can strive for our dreams, create worlds of our own, and achieve the impossible.

I would never have thought that Miraculous Games would have so many reads, and yet, here I am. I never thought I would make it through my first year of college, but here I am. And I never could have dreamed of the love I receive from you, my readers.

And, like Marinette and Adrien, I can't thank you enough. You've helped me become who I am today - a strong-willed girl who dreams of touching the stars.

I want you all to know that you can do it too. Whatever your dream is, you can reach it. Don't give up hope and don't let life drag you down. Hardships will come our way, as with everything in life, but don't let them take over your life.

You are so much more than that.

And, as always, have a Miraculous day!