"I can't let you die just yet, Chat Noir. I still need to torture you some more." That voice was like poison to his ears, as Sandman hissed at him, a wicked grin spread on his face. Chat looked over the akuma's shoulder to see Marinette's conflicted face, her brows furrowed and her mouth drawn in a taught line, sucking her lips between her teeth and biting down on them from what he could tell.

I knew she was still in there somewhere.

An abrupt kick to his gut snapped him out of his train of thought and made his knees bend as he gasped in pain. "Don't get distracted with your enemy right in front of you, Adrien. Otherwise, that distraction might get hurt." Chat glared at him, his teeth bared as he growled at the smiling villain. Sandman pulled a fake pout on his lips. "And we both wouldn't want that, would we?"

"Don't talk about her!" Chat spat on his face as he twisted out of the distracted Sandman's grasp, kicking off the wall before sailing through the air towards him, delivering a swift punch to the side of the dark haired boy's face, successfully knocking him down to the street. Innocent bystanders began screaming and fleeing the scene as Sandman barreled down towards the road, breaking the rock as his back collided with it.

Chat Noir landed on top of him, his hands gripping at his shoulders as his claws dug deep into his flesh as Sandman held onto him, the two rolling over on the street. When he was pushed over, Chat glanced up to see Marinette was still up on her balcony with a look of despair mixed with hesitation on her face.

"Don't just stand there Marinette! Run!"

"What did I say about getting distracted, Agreste? That distraction is gonna get hurt!" Adrien cried out as his head connected to the asphalt before Sandman leapt off him, soaring towards a confused blue haired teen. Recovering in an instant, Chat jumped up after him, attempting to tackle him to the side before he could get his filthy paws on his princess.

He managed, thanks to his staff, and knocked Sandman to the right, shoving him into the opposite building. Given no time to think through his situation, he snatched the startled Marinette into his arms, darting away as fast as he could from the sickening akuma behind him.

"W-What are you doing?!" Marinette shouted as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, burying her head into the junction between his neck and shoulder, her hair rubbing against his throats in a familiar feeling. One that he missed so much.

"I'm getting you out of here before this place becomes a war zone, and you're in the center of it!" His arms tightened around her waist as he maneuvered his way atop the roofs, turning left and right as he tried to throw Sandman off their trail. His heartbeat sped up as he felt her relax into him, allowing him to carry her wherever was necessary. No matter what she did, let it be pushing him off a building and saying she loved someone else, or that she hated him, he would always feel this way towards the girl in his arms. He would always love her.

And that was exactly why he needed her safe and sound before he destroyed Sandman, and made him regret the day he thought doing this to Marinette would be a great idea. And after him, Lila Rossi would be next.

My Lady where are you? I need you to defend me and keep him away while I protect Marinette...

When he was sure that he had lost Sandman, he set Marinette down on the roof, which was coincidentally the roof of Chloe's hotel.

"Why are you doing this? I did so many mean things to you."

"Yeah, you did." He watched her wince as he admitted to her fault before quickly amending it. "But I still love you. And I can't- I won't, see you get hurt. Not by him, and not by the hands of anyone else. Because as long as I'm alive, I'll still protect you, even if you hate me."

A soft, delicate hand came up to cup his cheek as he stared at her in shock, the blood in his veins heating up with a fiery passion. "Thank you... and I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve anything I did to you... it's my fault for loving someone so cruel and letting him lead me into a trap, isn't it?"

"It's not, not at all. He took advantage of you when you couldn't remember anything. And that's why I'm going to go beat him, and take him away. Okay?" She nodded, tears burning her eyes and he covered her hand that was on his cheek with his gloved one, before heard the sound of screams. "I'm going to take away your horror."

And he leapt off towards the screaming, leaving a very confused Marinette behind him.

Switched chapters today! Sad to see this only has two chapters left...

But there's gonna be a third and final book! Details will be up soon!

Until next time, peace!