AN: This chapter…what is there to say really? Not going to lie, it's kind of…all of the place. Well, regardless, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 9: Friends Reunited

Adrien had forgotten how it felt to become Cat Noir. How many years had it been since he had last done this? The time all blended together now. Flexing a little, Adrien remembered the feel of the leather against his skin. It was familiar and comforting. He was Cat Noir again and it was like nothing had ever changed.

Pulling his staff out from the holder on his lower back, Cat Noir held it horizontally in his hands, remembering how it felt to use the powerful weapon that belonged to the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous. Shifting the staff vertically in his right hand, Cat Noir opened the screen. It was probably not worth the time to do this, but he did it anyway. He opened the tracker, looking to see if Ladybug was around tonight. Ever since that night, she had just completely disappeared and he had chosen to stop transforming into Cat Noir.

His staff pinged as a little red dot appeared on the screen. Cat Noir almost dropped his staff, not believing what he was seeing. Ladybug was back! She was transformed and close to his current location. What were the odds? On this night, when he really wanted a good friend to just sit and talk to, Ladybug was around!

Cat Noir looked closer at the small map, recognizing Ladybug's location. She was at the Eiffel Tower. What luck! That was the very place that Cat Noir liked to go to as well when he needed to just stop and think about things. Even if Ladybug had not been there, Cat Noir probably still would have ended up at the Eiffel Tower tonight.

Closing the screen, Cat Noir used his staff now as an aid to help him get to the Eiffel Tower quicker. He had no way of knowing how long Ladybug would be there and he could only track her as long as she was transformed. Cat Noir did not want to miss the opportunity to meet back up with his partner for the first time in years.

As he approached the tower, Cat Noir's vision found the small figure sitting there. It was true! She was really here again. With one final jump, aided by his staff, Cat Noir reached the platform on the Eiffel Tower. He stood behind Ladybug, simply watching her as she looked out over the city of Paris. "It is you," he finally greeted her. After all these years he did not know quite what to say to Ladybug.

Like him, Ladybug had grown in the time since they had last seen each other. She was no longer the little high school girl that he had fought alongside. Now, even in the dark, he could see how muscular her frame had become, how her suit hugged all her curves to perfectly accentuate her body. Okay, Cat Noir, pull yourself together! She's just a friend. That's all she will ever be.

Ladybug turned her upper body back to him and their eyes connected for the first time in years. "You're still here, Cat Noir," she told him with a smile.

Had she expected that he would leave Paris? Cat Noir didn't think he could ever do that. Paris was his home and he loved it here. Walking over to Ladybug, Cat Noir took a seat beside her. "Of course," he told her. "I don't think I could ever bring myself to leave this city."

Ladybug hugged her knees to her chest. "I did for awhile," she confessed to Cat Noir. "I let my job, my civilian job, take me away from Paris. It was nice, I guess, but it is great to be back...and I am glad that I had the chance to see you again, Cat Noir."

"So, are you staying in Paris then?" Cat Noir asked, curious. Would this be the last time he would ever see Ladybug? No, that could not be possible. There was still the matter of the new Hawk Moth...whenever he would show up to wreak his own havoc upon Paris. "Or are you going back to...wherever you went?"

"I don't know, Cat Noir," Ladybug told him. "I will probably at least stay here for the holidays, into the New Year. After that, though, I'm not sure." She looked away from him, her gaze looking back out over the city. "I will probably go back, though. If I'm not here then maybe the Butterfly Miraculous will not fall into the hands of the new Hawk Moth."

Cat Noir could not believe what he was hearing. "Is that the only reason why you left? You don't really think that the Miraculous can't be lost if you are not in Paris?" He could not fully hold back the anger that he was feeling. "What if it does, though? I don't want you to face all that on your own, Ladybug. You shouldn't. We are a team, you and me against the world, or have you forgotten that in your time away from Paris, away from me?"

"Cat Noir, that's not what I—"

He knew what she was trying to say, but Cat Noir was not really in the mood to hear it. Tonight had been hard enough already and that stress was starting to get to him. "Meant to say? Yeah, I know, but the implication was still there." There was a sharp edge to his words, but it faded quickly. Cat Noir never could stay mad at Ladybug for too long. "Sorry," he looked away, not wanting to face her and see the hints of hurt in her eyes. "It's been a long night."

Cat Noir heard Ladybug shift a little uncomfortably beside him. "Tell me about it! I wasn't even back in town for one day before seeing someone that I hoped to never see again."

This surprised Cat Noir. Who could possibly be so horrible that Ladybug would never want to see him or her ever again? Ladybug was probably the most caring and compassionate person that Cat Noir knew. To hide his surprise, Cat Noir decided to do what he did best: make a joke. "Wow, LB, I did not realize that was how you felt about me. No worries, I can go." He made a show of shifting to stand up and reach toward his staff in the holder on his back.

Ladybug must not have expected this response because Cat Noir heard her stutter her response and he smirked at the power he held over her in this moment. "C-Cat Noir, I wasn't talking about you. Please stay!"

Continuing to overemphasize his reactions, Cat Noir sighed. "Fine," he replied, lengthening the word and drawing it out. "If that's what you want. I would not want you to feel uncomfortable hanging out with me, M'lady."

A smile graced Ladybug's face as she looked over to Cat Noir. "I could never hate you, Cat Noir. You're my friend and the years apart could never change that."

Ladybug's smile was definitely contagious as Cat Noir could feel his own come to his face. "I'm glad to hear that." A short silence fell between them as Cat Noir thought about what Ladybug said earlier. He had missed having her around and being able to talk with her as often as they had when they were younger. "I'm so glad that you're back," he told her. "I just wish you would stay." He looked down again, hoping she would not notice his sadness.

"I know, Kitty," Ladybug told him. "I'm just not sure. There just is not really all that much left for me here."

"I'm here," Cat Noir whispered, still looking to the ground so far below them. His words came out so soft that he was certain that Ladybug had not heard them, which was probably for the better. If Ladybug wanted to leave Paris again, who was Cat Noir to stop her? She deserved to be happy, even if that meant that he was no longer in her life. "So, you mentioned about seeing someone tonight? Do you want to talk about it?" Cat Noir didn't know why he had asked about it. It wasn't his business to pry into Ladybug's life. "I mean, I understand if you don't, but sometimes it just helps to talk things out with friends, you know?"

"Of course, Cat Noir," Ladybug replied softly. "Thanks for listening. I'm so lucky to have you as my friend." Cat Noir heard her take a breath and then she began her story.

Not going to lie, I have a huge soft spot for LadyNoir (the ship) so I just had to add some into the story! Again, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!