Sorry this took so long, I had to spend my spare time finishing up the book for my book club T_T it was a slog.

The companions retreated onto the roof of the church. The familiar scene seemed to play out in reverse. "Milady, I hope you're going to be quick, because I have somewhere important to be."

"Trust me, this is important." she answered. "I was thinking about what you said last week." She paused, gauging his reaction. If he was upset with her, his face didn't betray him. "I wanted to tell you that I was sorry."

The blonde boy raised an eyebrow, "Sorry? That's all? Can I go now?"

Ladybug was taken aback, "Yes? No! Aren't you going to say anything about it?"

He shrugged, "What do you want me to say?"

Surprise rose within her, what did she want him to say? "I guess that you accept my apology?" she said weakly.

For the first time since they began the conversation Cat Noir's face showed emotion. "Accept—? What? Are you crazy?" His eyebrows shot toward his hairline. "I bared my heart to you. I put my emotions on display and you crushed them. 'Sorry' doesn't really cut it." his voice never raised, but she could feel the heat of his words. He turned away, as if to leave the roof. Before he could jump away she grabbed his arm.

"Cat…I don't want to lose you."

Cat Noir turned back to face her. "You're not losing me, but you can't really expect that everything can go right back to normal after a week. I need time." In a quiet mumble he added, "I loved you."

"I know, I just realized how mean I was to you. I don't want you to think that I hate you or something. I care about you."

"Just stop…please." he replied. "I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity," she assured him. "When you told me your feelings…I guess I'd always thought that you were just a flirt, that the things you said didn't hold any weight."

"You were right," he started. Ladybug felt as if he were dealing her a real blow. "We don't know each other at all. If you really knew me, you'd know that when I say something, I mean it. I don't lie, and I don't flatter."

"I realize that now, I guess I just couldn't believe that —" she stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

"That what?" he prompted after the silence became too much.

Tears pricked the edges of her eyes, "That someone could feel that way about me. I was afraid that if you got to know the person behind Ladybug…you'd realize what a mistake you'd made…"

Cat Noir had been trying to keep his composure through out this whole conversation, but seeing her confidence falter he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it together. 'No going backwards Adrien' he thought to himself. If he was ever going to move past his feelings for her, he couldn't keep trying to be her knight in shining armor. Cat Noir turned his back to his partner. "It wasn't a mistake." He said carefully. "But you can't play with me like this. I'm not a ball of yarn."

"I'm not playing with you—I'm trying to be honest."

"It's too little, too late Milady." he replied, "You hurt me in a way I didn't think anyone could." He paused for a while, Marinette flooded his thoughts, "There is someone that cares about me. When I told her what happened between us…instead of being upset that I didn't return her feelings, she comforted me. She was there for me, even though it probably hurt her to do so. She might not be poised like you, or terribly confident, but she's amazing person. While everyone runs away from the outsiders, she runs toward them. She's compassionate, and sweet…and a little clumsy. But you know what? I like her clumsiness; I like her awkward way of stuttering when she gets nervous. She's not perfect like you…and I think I love her for that. Right now that girl is waiting for me, so I'm going to go to her."

Hot tears rolled over the edges of Ladybug's mask as she watch Cat Noir fade into the distance.

All the feels.