Chat Noir stormed into the motel lobby, glaring furiously at the receptionist slash motel owner sitting innocently behind the front desk. He'd taken advantage of the fact that Marinette was currently asleep to pay him a visit.

"You - "

Before he could speak, Master Fu cut him off gleefully. "Ah, I knew it! That girl's with you, isn't she?"

"How did you know?" Chat Noir asked, narrowing his eyes at the old man.

He chuckled, stroking his long, grey beard as though he was deep in thought. But Chat Noir had a feeling that Master Fu was just taking his time in answering to get on his nerves. "She had a few hundred bills with her, but she didn't seem like the type to carry that much cash. In fact, she looked surprised when she was counting them. Someone probably gave them to her. I put the pieces together and figured that you had something to do with it. I've seen my fair share of guests, you know," he explained smugly, guessing what Chat Noir was about to ask.

"That doesn't mean you could just give us a room with one bed! What the hell were you thinking?" The thief hissed, slamming a fist onto the counter. If it wasn't made out of steel, it would have smashed into pieces. Master Fu didn't even flinch.

"She's smart, that one," Master Fu remarked casually, inspecting his nails and pretending they were the most interesting things in the world. "I asked if she was here with you, and she pretended she had no idea what I was talking about. She was trying to protect you, you know."

Chat Noir scowled. He hated to admit it, but Master Fu was right. Marinette was the type of girl who would think of others before herself. He'd witnessed first hand how horrible she was at lying from her conversation with Alya the night before. But she'd lied for him...

She really was a good girl. Too good, he reminded himself. She was too good for him. He didn't deserve someone as selfless and kind as Marinette, not after everything he had done.

"Why'd you bring her here, Chat Noir? I take it it wasn't because you wanted me to meet her, eh?" Master Fu asked, referring to the conversation they shared all those years ago.

Chat Noir hesitated, contemplating how to answer his question. He hadn't wanted Master Fu to get involved, but the old man was sharp - he had already figured out that there was something going on. There was no point in hiding the truth now. "Hawk Moth is after her," he finally admitted, clenching his hand into a fist so tight that the sharp claws dug into his skin. "I don't know if I told you this before, but I gave her my ring when she saved me. But now...she's become his target because he thinks she's my woman."

"Oh? And is she? Your woman, I mean?" Master Fu asked, his eyes sparkling. He had to ask that question first.

"No! I...I can't drag her into my world. You've already seen the danger she's been put in because of me," Chat Noir insisted.

"Then you know what you'd have to do, right?" Master Fu reminded him sadly.

Of course he knew. He knew, yet a part of him almost didn't want to. It would cause him - not just him, but her, too - so much pain...

Marinette awoke the next morning to the sound of her phone buzzing. Her phone sure had been ringing a lot lately, she mused...and then her eyes widened when she checked the time. It was 7:30 AM. Crap, she was going to be late for school!

She sat up with a jolt, looking dazedly around the foreign room as she wondered where on earth she was. That was when memories from last night struck her.

That's right. She had stayed the night at a motel, the Motel Akuma to be exact, with Chat Noir, the man she had had a crush on since she was eight. Chat Noir! Her cheeks flamed at the thought, and she quickly slapped her cheeks to wake herself up. Stop dreaming, girl! It's not like anything happened last night!

And, knowing her luck, of course nothing happened last night. After her phone call with Alya, she had been so exhausted that she had promptly fallen asleep and didn't wake up until morning. It was the first time she had slept so well in a long time, knowing that Chat Noir was there to protect her. But thanks to her falling asleep, she didn't get even one chance to actually talk to him, or ask the thousand questions she'd been dying to ask.

Her cheeks flushed as a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Wait a minute. She didn't drool in her sleep, did she? Or what if she had said something in her sleep, like profess her love to him? Oh gods, that would be so embarrassing!

And speaking of the thief...Where was he anyway?

She glanced around to find that he was nowhere in sight. She panicked, wondering if he had left her alone and defenseless inside the motel room. He wouldn't do something like that, would he? No, he's not like that, she told herself firmly. Chat Noir was a lot of things - calculating, cunning, and dangerous, but he never backed down from his word. He'd promised to protect her, and he had kept his promise. He wouldn't just leave her now.

She relaxed when she heard the bathroom door swing open, revealing the missing cat burglar.

"You're awake, little lady," he said in way of greeting, running a hand through his wet, blond hair. He must've taken the opportunity to shower while she'd been asleep.

"I...I thought you'd left," she mumbled, dropping her gaze to the floor. Of course he wouldn't leave without a good reason.

"You know I wouldn't leave you," he reassured her, walking toward her and patting her head with his hand. Even though he was trying to reassure her, she could detect a tightness in his voice, as though he was hiding something. Not wanting to dwell on it, she quickly shook her head. She must've imagined it.

She noticed that he wasn't wearing his black gloves. He must've taken his suit off while he had been showering, she thought, enjoying the feeling of his long, smooth fingers in her hair. She blushed as an image of him showering popped into her mind, and she quickly pushed it away. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that, she chided.

He cast her a sideways glance before he continued, "Now that you're up, we should get going. You have school today, right?"

"School?" Marinette furrowed her brows in confusion, then her eyes widened. "R-Right! School! I-I almost forgot!" she squeaked, making a mad dash for the bathroom.

He smirked at her flustered expression. She really was too endearing. "Well, go ahead and get ready. We'll head out when you're done."

She shut the bathroom door and leaned against it to calm her racing heart. Once she caught her breath, she quickly splashed her face with water to wake herself up. After she finished getting ready, she opened the door and stepped out into the room. Chat Noir was waiting patiently for her as she walked toward him.

"Shall we, little lady?" he asked with a smirk, offering his hand to her.

Her stomach churned at the thought of them leaping over roofs again. A part of her wished that they didn't have to. If only they could stay here, in the motel, forever... She shook her head. This was something she had to do. She swallowed nervously and nodded, taking a hesitant step closer to him.

She clung tightly to him as he extended his baton and propelled them into the sky.

"We're here, little lady," his deep voice spoke as he gently pried her fingers off his shoulder.

She didn't realize how tightly she had been gripping onto him. The journey back to her bakery had definitely not been a very fun one. She had nearly died of fright when, without warning, he'd dropped down to the ally below. He'd explained that it was because someone had nearly spotted them and he had to hide. But that didn't mean he had to scare her half to death, she thought, pouting in annoyance.

At least they had somehow managed to survive the rest of the journey and landed on her balcony in one piece. She had to admit that she was impressed how he was able to maneuver his way through the bustling city without getting them caught once.

"I promised I'd bring you back, didn't I?" He continued with a smirk, clearly enjoying himself. While she had been scared witless, he seemed to be having fun. She glared at him. The jerk.

Marinette nodded sullenly. During their journey back, he had been oddly silent, and now he was gazing at her with an almost sad expression. She didn't know why, but she couldn't help but get the feeling that, after he left today, she was never going to see him again. But this was just her imagination, right? They'd finally met again. He wasn't just going to leave now, was he?

Before Chat Noir opened the trapdoor for her, he paused and turned back to face her solemnly. "Look, little lady. I've been thinking, and...I hate to say this, but Hawk Moth isn't the type to give up. He tried to kidnap you once, and he'll do it again."

"I-I know," she agreed, holding her breath. She didn't like where their conversation was going, not one bit. But there was nothing she could do except wait for him to continue.

"The only way to protect you is if you're not involved with me. So...I'll have to take this back." He reached forward, so close that his soft blond hair tickled her cheek, and then pulled back again with something clenched in his hand.

Marinette gasped when her neck suddenly felt bare. Her hand jumped to her throat, her heart sinking when her finger brushed against skin instead of the usual metal charm. He had taken the ring from her, leaving the gold necklace still in its place. His movements had been so quick that she hadn't even felt anything. "H-How did you - ?"

He leaned close to rasp in her ear, "Don't forget that I'm a thief, little lady."

"I-no! Don't do this, Chat Noir!" she protested. "I...it was your ring that protected me, you know!"

"But it also brought you trouble. And, like you said, it's my ring. I'm only taking back what's mine," he countered, playing with the ring that now rested in his palm. "I see you've taken good care of it, little lady. You have my thanks."

He was going to leave, and there was nothing Marinette could do to stop him. But she didn't want him to go, not yet. Not when they'd finally found each other again. But what could she say to bring him back? He had already fulfilled his end of the promise. There was nothing more between them...Unless...

She knew it probably wouldn't work, but she had to try.

"Your ring isn't the only thing that's yours, you know!" she blurted in desperation. "After all, you've already stolen my heart..." she trailed off, covering her mouth with her hands when she realized what she had said.

Chat Noir hesitated for the briefest of moments, so brief that she wondered if she had imagined it. But then he shook his head. "Will you do me a favor and close your eyes, little lady? I'm going to count down from ten, and then I'll be gone. You won't even see me leave."

Her mind screamed at her to protest, to say anything to keep him there, but her eyes fluttered close almost on their own accord. There was something so alluring about his deep voice that made her want to follow his every command.

She held her breath as he began to count, in a manner that was painfully slow, "Ten...nine...eight..."

His voice seemed to be getting closer. "Seven...six...five..."

Her breath caught and her heart thumped louder as she felt his hot breath against her ear. "Four...three...two..."

He suddenly fell silent. It almost became too unbearable. Should she open her eyes? Perhaps he was already gone...No, she chided herself. She had promised she would keep her eyes closed. So that was what she would do - close her eyes till the very end, even if it was going to be the death of her.

"...One."

Something warm and soft brushed against her lips, so light and quick that she almost thought it could've been the wind. And yet, she had a feeling that it wasn't just the wind from how fast her heart was pounding. A voice, thick with emotion, whispered close to her ear, "Your heart is the only thing in this world that I'm not cut out to steal, Marinette."

And then the warmth was gone.

She blinked and opened her eyes to find herself alone in her bedroom. She reached a hand to her lips, dazedly wondering what that warm sensation had been.

Wait a minute...

Chat Noir hadn't just kissed her, had he!? And after he'd just said that he wasn't cut out to steal her heart!

"You jerk!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Not that he could hear her, she reminded herself.

He was gone.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, I've loved hearing your thoughts on the story! Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

(Fun fact: the last scene in this chapter was inspired by an otome game called London Detective Mysteria! One of the characters is a gentleman thief who takes an interest in the MC. I highly recommend this game if you love fluff hehehe)

Next chapter preview - everything goes back to normal for Marinette, or does it? She's missing a certain kitty very much...

Let me know what you think with a review?