Christmas Special Epilogue

One Shot

I wonder if she had been with family, Chat thought to himself as he ran along roof top to roof top. While I was all alone. Typical of a cat I suppose.

Chat extended this baton and pole vaulted across a wide street to land on another snow covered roof, never stopping in stride as he kept running. I didnt even get to tell her Merry Christmas. Chat wondered lost in thought about his red spotted lady.

If it hadnt been for the Akuma, would I have even seen her? His brow furrowed in thought, not hearing the thud behind him as footsteps followed, or even the call of his name. I didnt even get a chance to give her her gift. His hand instinctively went to his side where a dark green package was carefully wrapped and safely tucked into this belt. Would look better on her anyway, he smiled.

Another leap. This time, he strategically landed gracefully on the street in a crouched position. It was well passed midnight and the snow covered roads were silent. He stood up under the glow of the yellow street lamp and looked into the clear starry sky.

He blinked, noticing for the first time that the red clad figure he had been thinking about jumped off the same roof he had just plunged down from and landed beside him.

"My lady?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice. Had she been following me? Why hadnt I noticed?

"Chat? Are you okay? You didnt respond when I called out to you." Lady Bug put a hand on her hip and looked at her partner suspiciously.

"Oh, yea. Sorry about that. I was just thinking, thats all." He looked up at her then, his devious Chat Noir smirk gracing his face. "Do I dare say that you were following me, My lady?"

She smiled back and rolled her eyes. "Of course I was. I was on patrol when I spotted you. But you were oblivious to the world."

Chat twirled his baton in his hand about to put it back in his belt when he stopped, realizing the Christmas present for Ladybug was there instead. He blushed slightly, thinking about the implications of gifting it to her. He let it slide for the moment, and came back with a pun instead. "This cat was obviously furr-cused on his prey. Who knows when an Akuma attack might happen." He paused. "Its kind of late to be out at this hour."

Ladybug smiled sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, her dark pigtails moving slightly with the movement. "I couldnt sleep, actually. So I figured a nice brisk run would do me good." She looked up, her gaze wondering over to the Eiffel Tower. "Want to join me?"

"I would go anywhere with you, My Lady," Chat bowed, his smirk only growing wider as he kept his eyes on her.

"Ever the charmer, arent you Kitty?" She threw her Yo-yo out and caught it on a flag pole standing atop a nearby building. She looked back at Chat. "Lets go then," she smiled at him, before launching herself to the roof top.

A sad smile played across Chat's face as he watched her take the lead. Using both hands he extended his baton and followed after her.

….

They arrived at the Eiffel Tower, a usual spot (ironically) in several Akuma attacks. Ladybug reached the tower first, stopping at the highest point. Chat watched as she held onto a vertical bean and leaned out to enjoy the cool nights breeze.

Chat landed behind her, watching her. Her beauty overwhelmed him. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she turned back to look at him, the hand that had been stretched out into the night air coming back to grab on the beam holding her in place. She smiled as she looked at him, her blues meeting his green. Time seemed to stand still for Chat, his breathing becoming labored. Her eyes lowered their gaze, though still seemed focused on him.

"Chat? What is that?" she lifted her hand to point at his hip.

His hand came down on the green wrapped package, the crinkle sound as he touched the wrapping breaking him from his trance. He blushed when he realized what she was pointing to. He grabbed the gift from his waistband and turned from her gaze, opting to sit on the cold railing. It was a good thing his suit protected him from the cold.

Ladybug slowly approached him, noticing his change in personality. He gripped the present tighter in his hands as she approached. He felt her sit down next to him, both their legs dangling off the tower. The silence was awful but he wasnt sure what to say. For once, Chat Noir was speechless when it came to Ladybug.

"Chat? Is that for me?" she asked softly, looking down at the package he held in his lap.

Chat stiffened, but nodded, slowly handing it to her. "I… I didnt have a chance to give it to you last night after the Akuma attack. In fact, everything happened to fast last night I forgot about it completely. I didnt know I was going to see you next, either. " Without thinking too much of it he added under his breath, "and its not that we stay long after an attack anyway."

Ladybug gently took the present that he offered to her as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Chat. After all the excitement, I forgot to say "Merry Christmas, didnt I?" She put a gloved hand on his arm.

He looked up at her. A small smile played on his lips. He shook his head. "Its okay, really. Its not like we had much time before we transformed back. Plus, Im sure you had family to get back to anyway."

Ladybug nodded. "I had been out looking for Adrien prior to that. He had gone missing. Want to tell me what happened?"

Chat froze up for a split second before smiling deviously at her. "Didnt I tell you even us cats have our secrets?"

"Pssh," she giggled, but quickly got serious. "But you WERE with Adrien last night while he was missing. So something was defiantly going on."

He looked at her, surprised how she had come to such a conclusion. "You mentioned that last night. How do you know I was with Adrien Agrese?"

This time is was Ladybug who blushed and looked away. More accurately, she looked down at the gift in her hands that she had yet to open. She started to fiddle with it. "Well.. I … I saw the work your Cataclysm did near the town Christmas tree. And the wrapper from Adriens gift was nearby, and with him missing and all.. I thought.. you had maybe saved him from an Akuma attack?" She peeked up at him, hoping she hadnt given away too much.

Chat didnt say anything at first. How did she know that the wrapping from the present had been a gift to me, as Adrien? Marinette had given Adrien that gift… He looked up at her realization slowly forming. "So… you assumed I had saved him because of the wrapping from a present you gave him?" She never said the present was from her…

Ladybug nodded slowly. She decided she didnt want to discuss it any further. She started to open the gift Chat had given her.

This left Chat Noir... no Adrien... in disbelief. Knowingly, or maybe unknowingly, Ladybug had just admitted that the gift to Adrien had been from her, even though the card had been signed from Marinette.

Mari… nette?

Chat looked over her features and thought of the girl who sat behind him in class. Sweet and shy Marinette. Dark hair. Pig tails. Was always late to class. And Ladybug was always around when one of their classmates got Akumatized. Hell! Marinette was always around when Ladybug would suddenly appear, too.

Oh oh God! Chat's mind was whirling. Marinette is Ladybug! His eyes grew wide at the realization as Ladybug snapped the last of the tape on the gift. Chat's hand suddenly shot out and stopped her from lifting the wrapping.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, shock written all over her face. "Chat? Why did you stop me from..."

"Sorry, My Lady!" he interrupted. He quickly grabbed the gift, carefully not allowing it to open from the confines of the paper. "I just forgot…" he trailed off looking for an excuse… "the card! I forgot the card!"

Chat quickly jumped up, taking his baton out, ready to jump.

"Chat!" Ladybug yelled, stopping him in his tracks. "What has gotten into you? I dont need a card!"

He turned to look at her, the pain evident in his eyes. "My Lady…. I…" Again, Chat Noir is for a loss of words! What is wrong with me tonight?

"Chat, give that back. You said it was for me." Her tone softened. "But I didnt think to get you anything. I'm sorry."

Chat shook his head. "But you did…" he whispered, looking at the smashed gift in his hand. The paper was ripped in a few spots from his haste to grab it from her. He sighed and looked her, sheepishly. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry." He held it out to her.

"But when did I…?" Ladybug eyed him suspiciously as she reached out and grabed the edge of the paper. As she pulled it from his grip the green wrapping paper fell away to reveal what was inside. Nestled in what remained of the green wrapping paper was a Santa hat, adorned with white snowflakes with 3 white balls trailing off the tip.

Ladybug touched it with the tips of her fingers before looking up at Chat. "Wha…?"

"Its the hat you gave to Adrien, isnt it?" Chat asked quietly.

Ladybug gulped and could only nod her head.

"But the card that came with it was signed by Marinette." It wasnt a question, but a statement.

Ladybug's eyes grew very wide as she starred at the hat, her glance slowly looking up to meet Chat's eyes. "Where.. where did you get this? How did you know it was Adriens?"

Chat smirked, before sighing, running a hand through his hair avoiding her gaze. "Its because I opened it."

"You… opened…? Adrien's gift… ?" Ladybug couldnt seem to get out what she wanted to say.

Soooo Marinette, Chat thought looking back at her smiling.

"Its funny," he said looking out over the city. "I was alone on Christmas. That's why I left my house. But in the end you and everyone else," he turned to look at her, "became my home. Thank You, Ladybug. Marinette."

The night was met with stunned silence. Chat could see Ladybug's head turning with all the new information.

"A… Ad…. Adrien?" Ladybug finally got out, shock still evident on her face.

She looks so cute right now, Chat thought, watching as her blue belle eyes widened for the second time that night. Her cheeks were blushed with a deep red as she tried to avoid eye contact with him.

"Better late then never, but…" Chat paused as he transformed back. He smiled at her, as Adrien, before taking a deep bow "… Merry Christmas, My lady."

End.