#voice breaking

Through the eye holes of his mask, she burned so strong and fierce, even in her depleted humiliation. Her mis-placed bravery poured up through her defiant words.

He would see her humbled, revealed for the weak woman he had found her to be. Without her bending, she would be nothing.

Deliberately, Amon walked behind Beifong. He was glad of the gloves that kept him from feeling the soft skin of her neck or the depth of the wrinkles on her forhead.

He reached inside her form, stifled her chi, and watched her gape up at the sky.

Rather than let her collapse, he steadied her on her knees as his faithful brought forward the rest of his… incentives.

She gasped, and tried to stand up. But he kept his hand on her shoulder, and extended his powers to keep her in place.

The woman was gagged, but she was able to keep the baby silent.

The youngest one, he didn’t bother with threats. The child was clearly terrified.

Once purified, he seemed to faint.

Beifong shouted some meaningless word.

The next one up in size seemed to have inherited Beifong’s glare, even if they weren’t actually related. While he was a bit unclear on the details, it no longer mattered.

He looked back at Beifong.

So much water was running down her face, he couldn’t tell if she was crying.

“Tell me.”

“Amon, don’t do this!”

The second child collapsed over her brother’s still body.

“Amon!”

The oldest child raised her shoulders and stared back at him calmly, even though Beifong continued to scream behind him, her voice breaking.

The child’s bravery did not outlast her purification.

The last airbender was clearly trying everything he could to stir the air around himself. But it could not break the chains around his wrists and ankles. It could not disturb the hold Amon had over his body.

Amon turned and looked at Beifong one final time.

“Tell me.”

With a lurch, she broke his hold on her, but that only gave her the freedom to crash forward on her face, still screaming incoherently.

The man on his knees strained against Amon’s power, but had only a fraction of the will. Silently, his bending fled, banished from the world.

Amon turned his back on the people who once had called themselves “masters.”

The medics thought they could release Jamie from the medbay. As two nurses enter Jamie’s room, they notice a concerning change in her condition. The monitor adds to their concerns, showing a rapid heart and respiratory rate.

Price sits at his desk, listening to Gaz and Soap tell him about the setback. “They don’t believe the sepsis will get worse enough to be stage two,” Soap assures him. “But we can’t visit her for the next couple of days.” Price doesn’t know what to say. Gaz and Soap stand, moving towards the door. Thining Gaz and Soap left, he lets the tears loose. The two watch his shoulders as they. Gaz and Soap nod, agreeing to leave Price alone for now. Gaz and Soapleave the room. Price doesn’t hear the door close.

“I’m worried about him,” Gaz says as the two walk down the hall. “And Ghost.” “They both feel so much guilt. I think nothing can help until they can talk to Jamie without upsetting her.” “Which will take a while to happen. I’m not sure if we should wait or deal with her crying while either visits.” “We’ll figure it out after her infection and sepsis heals.” Ghost walks by the two. Gaz and Soap know he’s going to Price’s office, but don’t stop him.

Ghost opens the door, worried as he hears Price crying. He approaches the desk and waits for Price to acknowledge him. He waits a couple of minutes before speaking. “Price, what’s going on?” Ghost worries as he listens to Price. Both about Jamie’s health and Price as the Captain’s voice cracks as he cries again mid sentence. Ghost isn’t sure what to do. He knows nothing will help now.

Adrien laid in his bed, listening to the choir of crickets outside his window, Ladybug’s words ringing in his ears.

You have no idea what you’re talking about.

What was she talking about was the real question. He knew for a fact that he’d never been akumatized. That’s not something you can forget. Especially when you’re one of the heroes that fights the akumatized villains in Paris. There’s no possible way he’d been akumatized. Not at all.

You have no idea what you’re talking about.

He groaned and rolled over, not able to get the words out of his head. He covered his face with his hands and sighed. 

“What’s worrying you, kid?” Plagg asked. He floated above Adrien’s face, throwing a piece of camembert into the air and eating it. 

Adrien sat up and huffed. “Just something Ladybug said.” 

“Lady troubles? Maybe I can help. What’d she say?” the kwami prompted. 

“Is there a way I could’ve been akumatized and no one but her remembers it?” He asked. 

Plagg thought for a moment, then lowered onto the bed. 

“Sounds like something you need to talk to her about.” 

Adrien sighed, “That’s what I thought you’d say.” 

He transformed and jumped out his window, not sure if he was ready to confront Ladybug but knowing he had to. 

Marienette sat in front of her computer, finishing up homework before the sun rose so she could have the weekend all to herself. Just as she finished, her computer chimed with a notification from her favorite blog, SpotTheCat, with a new Chat sighting. She smiled softly and checked where he was. 

He was at their favorite meet-up spot, so she figured she’d transform and they could patrol for a while before she and Alya were going to meet up for a movie. 

He heard frosted grass crunch under her feet as she walked up to him, but he didn’t turn to her yet. She sat down next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. 

“Hey, you. I thought we weren’t patrolling until tomorrow. What’s up?” She asked. 

“How come you remember me being akumatized but no one else does?” he asked before he could chicken out. 

She sat up and moved away from him a little, turning to look at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t do that. Just tell me.” He said. 

She looked at him, trying to read his emotions, but his face was scarily blank except for his eyes, which were wide and clueless. 

“Ok.” she said. She took a deep breath and wrung her hands. “A couple months ago, Bunnyx pulled me into her Burrow and told me to fix the future. She threw me into another timeline and…you were the only person there. Except you weren’t…you.

“You’d been akumatized and-” she paused. She looked at him, then at the ground. “And you knew who I was. Outside the suit. Your suit was white, and-” she stopped. 

He leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder, neither of them wanting to continue. But Chat knew he had to know what else happened. If he didn’t ask, he’d never forgive himself. 

“Where was everyone?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

“Your ability was infinite destruction. You didn’t need to summon your power or wait for it to recharge.” she said, her voice breaking. “I think…as soon as you were akumatized, you used your power and-”

“Stop.” He interrupted. 

She looked down at him and saw tears welling in his eyes. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I just…couldn’t.” she said. 

He nodded, “I know. It’s ok. I’m sorry for pushing.” 

They sat there, not saying anything for a long while. Eventually, he asked more about what happened, and she answered them willingly; she knew he had a right to know what happened. 

He was crying softly, still leaning on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry for hurting you.” 

She squeezed his hand, “Hey, you know it’s not your fault, right?” She asked, “It’s Shadowmoth’s. However you were akumatized, it wasn’t your fault. And neither was everything else that happened.” 

“Still though. I’m sorry that you had to go through that. And that you didn’t feel like you could tell me. I get why you didn’t though.” 

They kept talking, eventually switching to easier topics. They sat there until the sun came up and the park filled with Parisiens and they went their separate ways, promising to meet up the next day. 

Marinette went home feeling lighter, glad that they’d finally talked about everything she’d kept from him. 

Adrien got home and fell onto his bed, his shoulders felt heavier now that he knew everything Ladybug had been keeping from him, but understanding why she had, and glad that they were finally on the same page again. 

~