So. It's been like a couple of years. Long story short: high-school is hard, mental health plummeted, lost motivation for this story, etc. I have been keeping up with the show, but I don't know if I have the energy to write this story in its entirety as I had originally planned for it to go. But I had this last chapter sitting on my laptop unedited, and my friend found out that I wrote this a couple weeks ago and insisted on reading it, so I fixed it up and decided to post it. Plus I still get reviews every now and then so I felt bad leaving you guys on a cliff hanger haha.

If this gets enough attention I might whip up a much shorter, but hopefully still satisfying, ending for this fic. Idk, you guys let me know. In any case, I hope you enjoy this extra chapter :)

Also, shamelesslyromantic, if you're out there, thank you for all the help you gave me while writing this story all those years ago. You're a real MVP

Four days after the "Steps Incident" found Marinette sitting on her balcony, stretched out on a sun bed for a well-deserved break. The chaos at school after her and Chat's disappearing act – and her and Chat in general – had finally began to settle; the constant questioning and blatant stares now reduced to a simple low buzz of gossip that followed her down the hallways. The added attention still wasn't ideal, but it was slowly declining as the days went on, so Marinette counted it as a win.

She hadn't seen Chat Noir in almost a week – a stark contrast to the previous near-constant presence she had become used to – and she wondered with a jolt just when she had started missing him as much as she did.

Shaking her head with a small sigh, Marinette brought an arm up over her eyes, shielding them from the sun's warm yet harsh rays and taking a moment to appreciate the first warm fall day Paris had seen in weeks.

"Marinette?"

Arm still raised, Marinette turned her head to look at her Kwami, floating by her head with a fond expression. Marinette smiled.

"Hey Tikki. Been a while since we've had some down time, huh?"

Tikki smiled in agreement, drifting over to rest by Marinette's shoulder, sighing in contentment as the two indulged in the peace and quiet and let themselves truly relax. A cloud passed over head, drifting as idly as her thoughts. Marinette cracked her eyes open again, letting them drift over to the tiny god curled up beside her.

"Hey, Tikki?"

The Kwami hummed in acknowledgement, eyes still closed.

"Do you ever get lonely?"

Tikki opened her eyes and looked over at her, silent question in her gaze.

"I mean, besides Master Fu and the other Kwamis, I'm the only one who really knows you exist, and the only one who you really get to talk to. I just…" Marinette dropped the eye contact and let her gaze settle on the pale stone of the balcony floor. Her voice turned quiet. "I'm not sure how I'd manage. Even as Ladybug I still have my life as Marinette to live out freely, but to have my entire existence be denied to the world…" Marinette sighed. "I just don't know how you do it."

Tikki turned her gaze back to the sky, staring up at the clouds above her in thought; her usually deep blue eyes turned azure from the sky's reflection. She was quiet for a moment as Marinette watched her, wind picking up and sending a pleasant breeze brushing across the balcony as she lay still in thought. Then, voice warm and quiet – as if speaking any louder would break the calm spell that had seemed to settle around them – she replied. "I suppose it does get a bit lonely, talking only to you and occasionally Master Fu day in and day out, but…" Tikki turned back to Marinette then, eyes bright and lips turned up in a fond smile. "You're the best Ladybug I've ever had the pleasure to serve, and I couldn't be more grateful."

Marrinette felt the breath rush out from her lungs in awe, before a smile of her own spread across her face and she brought Tikki in for a hug. "Thank you, Tikki. I wish only to make you proud."

Tikki hugged her back, pressing a light kiss to her chosen's cheek. "I couldn't be prouder," she giggled.

And for a moment, Marinette was nothing but content. It was comforting to know that she would always have someone to confide in – to know both sides of her. She was grateful for her Kwami and all she did for her, truly she was, but…

The sigh left her lips unbidden, low and heavy.

Marinette loved her Kwami, but she couldn't help but long for someone else to know all of her – to love her equally for both sides of her identity. Tikki would always fill that role, but she couldn't help but wish for more, for someone that knew both Ladybug and Marinette, and still didn't favour one side of her over the other.

It was an impossible thought; no one Marinette cared about could ever know about her superhero identity, and Ladybug couldn't risk growing close to anyone save for Chat else Hawkmoth held it against her. And Chat… well, Chat liked Ladybug. He saw Marinette as nothing but a friend.

Just a friend.

Not for the first time, her chest ached with longing. She clamped down on the feeling immediately, determined to ignore it despite its undeniable familiarity. Ignore what it would mean to acknowledge it.

She had Tikki, and no matter how much her heart ached for more, she had to believe that that was enough. Her Kwami would always be her greatest confidant, and she was nothing but grateful.

Tiki nudged Marinette closer, and within one moment and the next – as if Tikki knew her every thought – the weight was gone from her chest and replaced with a comforting warmth. Tikki loved her. And that would have to be enough.

The sweet moment was cut short by the soft thump of boots against stone, and Tikki zipped off towards the trapdoor with one final pat to Marinette's cheek. Chest still warm from the fond moment she and her Kwami just shared, Marinette turned her attention to the black-clad superhero perched on her balcony rail.

"Hey, Kitty," she murmured softly, mind still fuzzy and sedated from the warm rays of sun trying to coax her to sleep. Chat seemed to still for a moment when he saw her, the green of his eyes suddenly consumed with black. The strange look was gone in a blink, quickly replaced with a familiar gleam of mischief.

"Hey, Princess," Chat purred, his signature smirk tilting the corners of his lips into a crooked grin. "Taking a cat nap, are we?"

Marinette huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes at the silly pun. The ache in her chest had faded now, reduced to a mere imprint against her ribs.

"No, just waiting for a certain stray to come by again. Where have you been?"

Chat chuckled, leaping gracefully from the twisted iron rails and onto his feet as Marinette sat up a bit more in her chair. "Oh, you know; fighting crime, patrolling the city, battling supervillains – all that good stuff."

"As if. We both know there hasn't been any sign of Akuma activity for weeks," Marinette counted, comment casual despite the very real suspicion and unease resurfacing in her mind.

Chat seemed to share her concerns, a slight frown ghosting his lips before he chased it away with a shake of his head and another lilting smile. "Doesn't hurt to be safe, Purr-incess. There's always time for a quick patrol."

Marinette did feel slightly guilty at that one; her patrol schedule had been completely ignored ever since her and Chat's plan had been put into action. Marinette made a quick mental note to patrol the city again soon, before continuing their conversation with their customary banter.

"Superhero or not, you are still my pretend boyfriend. How are you going to keep that up if you can't even hang out with me at school?" Marinette joked.

Chat hummed, an amused glint in his eyes. "Worried that crush of yours won't notice your paw-sitively divine relationship with moi?" Chat teased.

"What, and you're not worried about Ladybug? As far as I know, you two haven't seen each other since the last attack nearly two weeks ago," Marinette countered easily, ignoring the tinge of guilt twinging her insides at the reminder that she hadn't made any effort to seek Chat out between Akuma attacks. She loathed to admit it, but she missed his and Ladybug's interactions, as similar as they were between him and Marinette.

Chat rolls his eyes at the jab, but Marinette didn't miss the way his shoulders droop, nor the way he failed to deny her claims and instead only waved a clawed hand in half-hearted nonchalance. She ignored that, too.

"Well, even if I can't lure out my Bugaboo and lord my new relationship status over her, I think I have an idea to help you out with this crush of yours." The sadness is gone with a blink, and despite the fact that Marinette knows that Chat would never hold Ladybug's single status against her, she can't help the way her curiosity piques at his words.

She raises an eyebrow in a half-taunt.

"Oh yeah? And what's that, Kitty Cat?"

Chat's smile grows wicked. "How about I start sending you little notes during school? You know, draw his attention a little, maybe spark a little jealousy." Chat wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Marinette lightly shoved his arm as she laughs at the suggestion. Chat preened at the reaction, tail flicking happily behind him as his smirk turned into a full-out grin.

"And how, pray tell, do you plan on achieving that?" Marinette asked once her laughter subsided.

Chat smiled at her. "I have my ways."

Marinette smiled back. "All right Kitty, you keep your secrets. I'll be expecting some mail come Monday. Now come on, I just got the new Ultimate Mecha Strike IV game and I need a challenge."

And despite Chat's joking tone, Marinette had no explanation for the folded notes that began appearing in her bag and school desk. No explanation, save for Chat's mysterious ability to always stick to his promises.