"I'll see you later, Mom!" Marinette dashed out the door on her way to a movie with Cat Noir, her best friend. "Marinette, honey, you forget your umbrella!" Sabine Cheng called out. She sighed. "Besides, I found something very special on the umbrella."

At the theater…..

Cat paced in front of the entrance waiting for Marinette. He didn't mind missing the previews, but there was something he didn't want to miss today. A hug for Marinette. They were growing closer everyday as he was spending most of his free time with her when he wasn't with Ladybug. Adrien hoped he could get to know without the mask as well, but for now this was what Marinette felt comfortable with.

Sure, she was shy, but that was only at school and with people she didn't know as well. Once she begin to trust Cat, he found her telling her about her day, her sewing projects and life. There were days were she was quiet and just wanted to snuggle or to read to each other, and then there were days were she had so much bottled up inside her, when Cat came over it was a like a river that had blocked now freed.

Did she do this with Alya? Or just with him? "Sorry I'm late!" Marinette rushed up, pausing Cat's musings. "Don't worry, Princess. The Queen is never late, everyone else is simply early," he grinned at her, quoting one of their favorite movie lines.

She was more relaxed today, Cat noticed as she settled in her seat with her soda and he held the bucket of popcorn that they shared. A few weeks ago, she couldn't sit still, even when she thought she wasn't watching. She laughed at the funny parts, and Cat smiled. It was good to see her so happy, after she had been so quiet these past few weeks. A warm little hand slipped into his and squeezed, and Cat's heart felt a happy squeeze of its own.

After the movie, it was still raining. "Mom told me I forget my umbrella!" Marinette groaned. "And I think she wanted to tell me something?" "Don't worry, Marinette. I have it covered," he said, opening the umbrella in his baton. Linking arms, he decided to take a different way home to the bakery.

"See that little gazebo?" Cat pointed out, "We'll stop there for awhile," he told her, now raising his voice as the rain picked up loudly.

"Its nice and dry in here," Marinette said, sitting down on one of the padded benches and Cat sat down beside her. Their was no one else around, and he was glad for that. Leaning down, he kissed Marinette softly, and she returned the kiss, but gently placing her hand on his cheek. He meowed happily when she climbed into his lap a moment later, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Do you know what this reminds me of?" Marinette asked, after they were quiet listening to the rain.

"What?" Cat asked, kissing the top of her head. "When I first talked to Adrien Agreste. It was raining that time too. I didn't have my umbrella and he gave me his. I remember his eyes being this darker green color and he had a gentle smile."

Cat held Marinette tighter. He remembered that day, too. If not for Marinette, would he have any friends at school? He had felt so awkward and anxious that first day, and Marinette had helped him to relax. He was glad she had forgiven him for thinking he had put chewing gum on her seat, when it had actually been Chloe. Marinette shifted slightly in his arms, looking at his face. "Cat? What are you thinking about?" "How precious to are to me. I get lonely, and your are my bright spark on my gray days." "I get lonesome too," she whispered, "but its easier when I'm with you."

His heartbeat picked up a little. "Just promise me, you'll never leave me? Not at least, without saying goodbye?" His hands starting shaking, and Marinette begin to rub his soft ears, calming him down. "I'm not going anywhere. Someday Design School, but I promise not to just disappear. Shh, its okay."

The rain wasn't the only thing falling from the sky now, as tears dripped onto Marinette's shoulder. His mother had disappeared some time ago, and the hole in his heart hurt. The Dupain-Cheng's had basically adopted Cat Noir that he now felt comfortable calling them Papa Dupain and Mama Cheng.

When Marinette made a promise, she stuck with it, and it helped Cat. "I should get you home, I don't want your mother to worry about you," he said, standing. But there was one thing he wanted to do first. "But first, will you dance with me?" Cat stood up and faced her, holding out his black gloved hand.

"You know I can't dance, Kitty," Marinette said, looking away. Cat stepped forward, titling her chin so she was looking into his eyes. "Thinking of dancing like a slow hug. You can trust me, Princess."

She smiled shyly, then placed her hand in his. He pulled her close, so their was no space between them, and she laid her head against his chest. Slowly, they turned in little circles, Cat's steady hand never leaving her waist. Marinette forgot the time and place. All that mattered at the moment, was she was in his arms.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Cat smiled at her. "I like that kind of dancing," Marinette said, as they walked out into the rain.

When they got back, Marinette invited Cat in for supper which he accepted. "Marinette, I wanted you to look at the umbrella you have," Sabine said.

Marinette pulled the black umbrella from the stand, but she couldn't see anything special about it, only that Adrien had given it to her. "Look here," Sabine said, and the three of them looked closely. Emile A. was scratched into the side of the umbrella in tiny writing. Even if Marinette never gets to meet her, she has her umbrella, Cat thought. "Wow," Marinette said. "Adrien's mother's umbrella. I'll have to tell him."

"Cat?" Cat snapped back to reality, and again to pulled his Princess close. Today was a day of hugs, hugs Marinette could provide that he needed most.