Two days, after his birthday, Adrien decides it is about time, he asks Marinette the question!  As in he believes it is time to discuss their future together, before she grows tired of his lack of asking.  He sighs.  He thinks, goodness this sure is way more hard than I ever thought possible. 

   Marinette and Adrien are on a walk in the park. 

     Adrien suddenly stops at the spot where he first reunited with his best friend, and "the love of his life."   He is rather quiet.  To quiet.  Marinette wonders what is up with him!  She thinks, what is going on through his mind?

    Adrien smiles at her. She returns the smile.

   "Marinette?"  Adrien says.

  "Yes, Adrien?"  Marinette says.

  Adrien scratches the back of his head. He leans in and kisses her!  She returns the kiss.

  "You know, I love you, right?"  Adrien asks.

   "Yes, I sure do!" Marinette says.

   Adrien gets down on one knee as Marinette looks at him in surprise!  She thinks, wait, what is he doing?  As he opens up the box with the treasured ring inside, she blushes and thinks, what? 

   "Adrien, what ?"  Marinette says, as her voice trembles just a little.

   "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"  Adrien says.

  Marinette looks at him and the ring. She cries.  She does not say a word.

   Adrien looks hurt. He thinks, I knew it!  I knew she wouldn't want to marry me.  How could I have been so stupid?

  Adrien's POV:  I feel so foolish as Marinette just stands there and cries. What have I done?  Did I  ruin our relationship?  Perhaps, I should never have proposed in the first place. I mean, what if she regrets our entire time together because my face is still hidden by a mask?  I mean, just because she loves me does not mean she will marry me.  I look at her and see someone I wish to spend the rest of my life with!  Only, if she doesn't accept the proposal, I must admit I will be hurt, but I will understand.  I will let her go as people have let doves go as a symbol of setting something free that desires freedom.  I will take it mean she deserves better. To mean that she no longer desires a relationship with me. That she rather remain friends, and nothing more.  I will put the ring box back in the safe.  There it will remain for the rest of my days as I could never love anyone as much as I love Marinette!  

   Marinette's  POV:   Adrien, I do not know what to say. I must admit, I am flattered.  I feel like you put me at a place of honor that I do not deserve.  How could wish to marry me?  I am the daughter of your families greatest enemy!   My mother murdered my father, then she later murdered your father as well!  I know she is isane.  I do not wish for your children to carry on my heritage.  I do not I know for sure that I too do not have some insanity in me.  I mean it!  After all, I was the one who witnessed the death of your mother.  I  was foolish enough to tell what I had seen to my parents.  I know now the entire thing was an accident and nothing could be done.  Still, there is not a day that goes by that I feel any different about it,  I mean it, I feel as if I were the one responsible for our separation from one another for so many years.  If I had not told my parents what I seen those many years ago, would it have made a difference?  Would my father still be alive?  Would your father still be alive?  Would we have been spared the pain of years without knowing who one another was and the love we have for one another?  

 Adrien's POV: Marinette remains silent. I dare say I am not sure what to do or say next. I must admit  I had hoped to put the ring on her hand!  I had hoped to call Natalie up and tell her of our engagement!  But now, now I am not sure as to what course of action to take, as I still have no answer at all.  I am not sure what to make of it all.  Does this mean, the mire thought of marriage disgust her, or is it the thought of being a part of my family that bothers her?  I do not wish to be a burden to her.  I am sure of one thing more than anything else right now, if it makes it easier on her, I will break up with her.  I will do it!  I do not want too, but if it suits her, though my heart will feel as if it breaks in two, I will call off all ties to her.  I will release her so she may be able to move in her life without me.  I do say, the thought has crossed my mind.  I am just not sure, what the best decision is to make at the moment.

  "Adrien, I-I am sorry," Marinette replies.

  "Sorry, what do you have to be sorry for my love?"  Adrien says.

  "I am sorry because I know it is my fault that we were not together sooner," Marinette says with tears in her eyes.

   "Marinette, do not fret over such things that can not be mended."  Adrien says.

  "Adrien, I would do you such an injustice, if I were to become your wife." Marinette says.

  "Oh, I see.  What does this mean for us exactly?"  Adrien says as she closes the box back with a frown.  He puts it back inside his coat pocket and stands back up.

 "I am afraid, it means we are through.  I can not accept your proposal.  I am sorry." Marinette says.

 "Wait, what?  Please look at me and tell me that you hate me!"  Adrien begs.

  "I don't hate you," Marinette says.

  "I am afraid, I don't understand," Adrien says as the tears fall down his cheeks. He refuses to brush them away.

 "Oh, Adrien!  I love you, but I realize now that I am all wrong for you!  You deserve a girl who can make you happy in all things !  One who can leave without fear of causing you pain because of having to try to overcome the insanity she knows exist in her very family!" Marinette says.

 "I wish you well!  Goodbye, Adrien!  I will not longer be a burden to you!" Marinette says. With this she walks away.

  Adrien just stands there as the tears continue to fall. He thinks, no!  No, Mari!  

 Adrien's POV:  As I go home alone, I weep.  I put the ring of rejection in the safe and lock it up. I feel like my heart is broken. Broken beyond repair.  I shall never be happy! I shall never love again, for love itself is much to painful!  The only one I love and wish to marry, will not marry me for she fears she is a burden to me. She is not. I can't convince her otherwise.  So, I loose her!  It pains me to see her go.  I know she broke my heart and her own as I could see the tears in her own eyes and sense it in her voice as well.  There is nothing more I can do though.  I have to live life without her.  Funny, how love turns into something so cruel.  I shall never fully understand it.  I do hope Natalie is one who fares well when it comes to love.  I hope she may marry and have lots of children.  Lots of grandchildren even!  I do believe she deserves a chance to be happy! Truly happy, as I once was if only for a short season in my life. 

  Marinette's POV:  I go home. As I do I can see the faces of people who think I am crazy. Crazy for turning down a lovely proposal as the one I got from Adrien!  I feel a bit foolish and crazy as well!  I mean why else did I just turn down his question and break his heart as I just did!  I try to reason within myself that it is for the best.  It is better this way both for him and for me.  This way there is no fear of the insanity trait being passed down to my children and thus affecting both our lives in a way that is beyond repair.  I  know that the reality of the manner is that I really just afraid to get married out of the fear that one day, I will wake up regret the decision to marry and will go loco like my own mother did and take it out on the only one who truly loves me!  So, you see the real reason I can't marry him is because I am afraid I will kill him without meaning too to try to keep him to myself as my own mother once did with my father.  I can't guarantee I would do such a thing, but I also can't guarantee that I would not.  So, I dump the man I love to protect us both from such a dreadful outcome.  I admit it was harder than I thought.  I still see the look of pain I left in his eyes, on his face and in his voice, as I released him.  Oh, love is a funny thing indeed. For love is both a blessing and a curse.

to be continued in Chapter 17 Regret?