Stunned

Lila jerked forwards as Marinette pushed her to the ground. The Italian growled, spinning to glare at French-Chinese girl. The look of shock on Chloé's face made her stop, before she noticed the Akuma towering over them.

Without another word, Lila and Chloé bolted, leaving Marinette with the Akuma. Steal looked at the girl the other two left behind. She recognised her as the girl that got her arrested. A cruel smirk on her face, Steal picked her up, placed a bucket on her head and threw her into the Seine.

Lila and Chloé stopped running after passing a third block. Lila heaved air into her lungs, before Chloé slid down to the ground.

"I…think…we…lost…them." Panted Lila, her hands on her legs.

"Yeah…good thing Dupain-Cheng was there." Said Chloé, suddenly making Lila aware that Marinette wasn't with them.

"Where is she?" Asked Lila, looking back the way they came.

"She was stunned, I think." Dismissed Chloé, getting to her feet and dusting herself off, "I don't care where she is, I've got more important things to worry about."

Chloé sauntered off, leaving Lila behind. The Italian stood still, thinking her possible courses of action over. If she left Marinette at the mercy of the Akuma, she'd be down a liability. But Marinette took a hit for her. It's not like Lila is responsible for what happens to the person next to you during an Akuma attack. For all she knew, Marinette could have just saved Lila's life.

Biting back a groan, Lila headed back the way she came.

S

Marinette struggled to hold her breath, she couldn't move her arms of her legs, she couldn't see and she was underwater. Marinette's bucket was full of water, and Marinette was craving air. She needed to head up. But which way was up? How was she supposed to do that is she couldn't move her limbs. Marinette's mind started to get foggy, sending Marinette into a disaster spiral and, without thinking, Marinette breathed in.

S

Chloé scowled at her phone. Her manicure appointment wasn't for another hour, which no doubt was now delayed because of the Akuma. Chloé's mind went back to Marinette. She took a hit for her and Lila and she just ran away.

Chloé stewed for a couple of minutes, before getting up and running to where Marinette was.

Lila skidded to a halt, finding Marinette to be gone. There was a wet patch next to the bank. Lila froze and her heart sunk. The Akuma couldn't've thrown Marinette into the Seine, could they?

A small bubble confirmed Lila's thoughts and, without a second's hesitation, Lila shed her jacket and bag and dived into the Seine. The water stung Lila's eyes, but she quickly located Marinette. Swimming down and grabbing Marinette's prone leg, Lila pulled her close to her and started to swim back up to the surface. Lila tried to lift Marinette up when she reached the bank, only to lose her grip and nearly drop her. A pair of hands quickly grabbed Marinette and started to haul her up, Lila dove and got underneath Marinette, pushing her up.

Chloé dragged Marinette's prone form away from the bank, with Lila hauling herself up.

"You," Lila coughed, "You need to get that bucket off her head."

Chloé rolled her eyes and lifted Marinette's head up, freezing when water spilled out from around Marinette's head. Acting fast, Chloé pulled the bucket off and tried to listen for Marinette breathing. Nothing. She moved her head to Marinette's chest, trying to hear for a heartbeat. Again, nothing.

Chloé immediately started doing chest compressions, as Lila finished wringing her hair out.

"What are you doing?" Asked Lila, flinching as she heard Marinette's chest crack.

"CPR." Grunted Chloé, "You need to give her mouth to mouth."

"Why?!" Demanded Lila, glaring at Chloé.

She sighed, impatiently, "It's two fold," Chloé grunted, "this works for the heart, and the mouth-to-mouth inflates her lungs, so, fucking help!"

Lila rolled her eyes, pulling Marinette's mouth open and reared back when water spilled out.

"Remember to plug her nose." Heaved Chloé, "Take a deep breath and force it down her throat."

Lila stared at Chloé.

"NOW!" Shrieked Chloé, prompting Lila into action.

Pinching Marinette's nose shut, Lila covered Marinette's mouth with her own.

S

Chat ducked as Tazer tried to hit him, Ladybug had yet to turn up, but he knew she'd turn up, she always did.

"Down!" Yelled a voice.

Ladydragon tackled him out of the way of a blast, the two heroes skidded to a stop.

"What are you doing here?" Blurted Chat, as Ladydragon got to her feet.

"I heard Majesta was going to be here and I wanted her autograph." Panted Ladydragon, rolling of one side, "Where's Ladybug?"

"I…I don't know." Confessed Chat, "she's usually here by now."

Ladydragon froze, before looking around. Tazer hit the ground between them, sending them flying. The Akuma sauntered up to them, only to be tackled by a cream-coloured blur.

Eagle and Knightowl landed next to the other heroes.

"You said you could handle things." Snapped Knightowl, hauling Chat to his feet.

"We can," Growled Chat, as Uncanny Valley joined them, "Ladybug hasn't turned up."

Knightowl tutted, before looking at Uncanny Valley. The Android looked around, scanning for Ladybug.

"I'm unable to locate her." Said Uncanny Valley, looking at Knightowl, "She may be out of range."

Knightowl tutted again, as Uncanny Valley scanned again.

S

Chloé and Lila leaned away from Marinette, she wasn't breathing and neither of them could hear a heartbeat. A faint flashing drew their attention to Marinette's ears, the earrings no longer looked like black studs.

A moment later, a small red and black thing was floating in front of them.

"No fucking way." Lila swore, staring at the Kwami.

"Dupain-Cheng's Ladybug?!" Demanded Chloé, immediately reaching for the earrings.

"Don't." Said Tikki, glaring at them, "If you put those on, they will tear you apart. Both of you."

Chloé and Lila stared at Tikki, who continued to glare at them.

"But," Tikki glanced at Marinette's prone form, "since these are extenuating circumstances, both of you are going to have to take one earring each."

S

Chat ducked as Ladydragon and Eagle were thrown into Majesta and Knightowl. He rolled his eyes when Knightowl tutted again, he considered using Cataclysm, but Ladybug still hadn't arrived.

"She's really professional, isn't she?" Snarled Knightowl, as Chat slid under Tazer, as a second Akuma joined the fight.

"Where were you?" Asked Tazer, getting a smirk from Steal.

"Settling a debt." Two yoyos suddenly wrapped themselves around Steal and pulled her backwards.

"Oh, thank god M'La-" Chat stared at the two girls, before snarling, "Who are you? And where's Ladybug?"

The blonde looked at the Brunette, before swallowing, "I'm…Scarlet Lady and this is…"

"Harlequinn."

"Ladybug's, kinda been hurt."

"What do you mean hurt?" Demanded Knightowl, just as Uncanny Valley contacted them.

"I've found Ladybug."

Majesta stiffened at the sadness in her daughter's voice.

"What's wrong?" Demanded Majesta, as everyone stared at the communicator.

"Ladybug's lungs are filled with water," Reported Uncanny Valley, "She's not breathing, and I am unable to detect a heartbeat. I've managed to stimulate her brain enough to prevent brain death."

Chat swallowed, before looking at Scarlet and Harlequinn, "What did you do?!"

"Hey," Snapped Harlequinn, "it was the Akuma, not us!"

Chat huffed, before looking at Steal, who was still tied up, while they were distracted, Eagle had managed to subdue Tazer, as Chat looking at Scarlet Lady and Harlequinn, "So, which one of you has the Lucky Charm?"

Harlequinn held up a red and black spotted mask, before she handed it to Scarlet Lady. Chat turned to the Akumas and located their objects. Breaking them, the two Ladybug wielders caught the Akumas and, barely, purified them.

Scarlet bit her bottom lip and tossed the mask into the air, the cure shakily making its way around the city.

"Ladybug's just coughed up water, I'm taking her to a hospital." Reported Uncanny Valley, prompting Chat to hold his hand out to the two Ladybug wielders.

"The Miraculous." Chat glared, "Now."

Reluctantly, Scarlet Lady and Harlequinn removed the earrings and held them out to Chat. Chat cast a glare at Chloé and Lila, before racing off to catch up with Uncanny Valley.

"Eagle, escort them home." Said Knightowl, going to grab on of the Akuma victims.

Eagle nodded, and grabbed their arms, "Come on."

S

Marinette shook with the deep, chesty coughs.

Adrien held a cup of water out to her, gently rubbing her back.

"It hurts." Rasped Marinette, spitting out so phlegm.

"It's a chest infection." Said Alya, dropping onto the end of Marinette's bed, "You had polluted water in your lungs for the better part of an hour. Thank god Uncanny Valley was there."

"Thank god for Tikki's bluff." Responded Adrien, "Tricking Chloé and Lila into thinking that wearing bath earrings would destroy them."

"I wasn't bluffing." Said Tikki, from Marinette's hair, "If either of them had put on both earrings, then they'd be like a bag of soup."

They were silent, excluding Marinette's coughs.

"How can we be sure they won't tell anyone?" Asked Adrien, looking between Alya and Marinette.

"Who would believe them?" Retorted Alya, raising her eyebrows, "Lila's already a known liar and Chloé isn't much better. Both of them are known for not being on civil terms with Marinette also."

Adrien sighed through his nose, "I hope you're right. Since Marinette can't exactly defend herself now."

Meanwhile, across the city, Lila had come clean to her parents and Chloé was speaking with a therapist.