Yay! Updating early! To those who read Cats Closet... Um... I may have something Monday? In any case here is another chapter with more characters and introductions. I swear we will be getting to fun stuff soon. SO far this story is 98 pages in my word document. That's 50,000+ words and I'm no where near finished yet... oh boy. Hope you are ready for a looong story filled with danger, tragedy, fluff, and maybe romance... in any case enjoy!

Thanks to all those who reviewed here is the next installment!

Marinette is a detective who can't keep a partner while hunting down the notorious Hawkmoth gang. Chat is the new cat burglar on the streets who never gets caught. After Marinette gets handed his case it's it won't be long before their fates collide especially when monsters start roaming the streets


(An Old Crush)

Marinette made it back to her office in one piece and although she half expected to, she didn't see Adrien anywhere. Closing the door behind her she tossed the files onto her desk and opened the curtains that covered the single window in her office to let some light in. Her once shared office was on the second floor and had a single useless window that offered no view except the bricks of the building next to them. The window was a decent size being large enough for a person to climb through but being on the second story with no way to get down prevented that option. For the most part the window stayed locked and barred from the inside unless Marinette felt the need to get some fresh air. Mind lost in thought a slight click was all that alerted her to a new presence in her office. Very few people could sneak up on her and Marinette spun around to find Adrien Agreste standing in her office his hand still holding onto the doorknob.

"The hell?!" Marinette snapped stunned to say the least causing him to jump. "What are you a cat?!"

Adrien shot a sheepish grin in her direction before executing an extravagant bow. "You have good ears princess. I didn't think you wished for anyone's attention so I let myself in quietly."

Marinette gaped at him her thoughts scrambling to make coherent sense. "P-p…princess?!" she finally stuttered wondering if she had fallen asleep and was dreaming somehow.

"Also I wanted to thank you for crashing into me in my fathers office. I realize now you did it on purr-pose." He said ignoring her stuttered word and looking around the decent sized office space. There were two desks in the room that were side by side and they covered almost the entire length of one wall. A bookcase and a fold down cot covered the other side while maps and shelves covered the third. It was a cozy cute space that fit two people nicely. Marinette stood by a small (by his standards) window on the back wall confusion and embarrassment warring within her.

"I uh…d-did you just use a cat pun?" she finally managed swishing the curtains closed on the window.

Adrien chuckled to himself. "Blame it on my partner."

"Partner? Didn't you just get here?" she asked confused and his face suddenly fell his fists clenching tight.

"Never mind." He said his voice tense and suddenly he was like a totally different person. He stood fully upright the very air around him seeming to change and Marinette felt her own spine stiffen in response. All the cheer and goofiness she had seen in him however briefly was replaced instantly by stone. "My apologies for sneaking in, I simply wanted to thank you for your help with my father." His tone was formal and Marinette found herself mockingly answering in the same way. "I didn't do anything and you didn't sneak in because I heard you close the door. How did you know how to open it without it raising a ruckus?"

A glimmer of mischief shined through the cracks of his stone face. "It was Tiki who taught me when I used to come here as a kid. She was rookie at the time but this old door has been here since the place opened."

"You k-knew Tiki." Marinette sighed a knot forming in her throat.

Adrien blinked his stance relaxing as his bright green eyes met her blue ones. "Yes." He said then jumped aside and back as the doorknob rattled then swung open causing a shriek from the hinges.

Marinette gaped at the person who stood there. "Roger." She stated

At first glance Roger was handsome enough that he turned heads, with a decently athletic build. He was taller than her but really, everyone Marinette met was taller so that wasn't saying much. However Roger was a man with a big ego and little else to back it up. His athletic build was from his football days in high school and he was starting to become thick around the edges since he never exercised. Marinette knew that despite his outward appearance he was nowhere near in shape his supposed strength a laughingstock. He was younger than her and was also rather dimwitted in her opinion always wanting to take the easy way out even if it wasn't the right way. All in all Marinette despised him and had felt that way from the first time he opened his mouth.

"Hey partner." He said his voice sounding nasally as he took a step into the office not even noticing Adrien behind the door. His face was bruised from where her fist had struck him and it was clear his nose still had some swelling.

"I am not your partner and I have no interest in speaking with you. Please leave." Marinette snapped the hairs on the back of her neck rising as he took another somewhat menacing step forward.

"You know you should be a little nicer to me missy. I'm your last chance in this place." Roger said eyeing his dirty nails.

"I've already filed for a new partner so get out." Marinette hissed out of patience

Rogers head shot up "You what?!" he yelled and started towards her "How dare you go behind my back you selfish little…"

Marinette shifted her stance ever so slightly and palmed the small weight she had up her sleeve ready to send him flying the moment he tried to touch her. Roger didn't even get the chance to try because she had forgotten all about Adrien. One moment he had been behind the door and in the next he was in front of her blocking Roger with his body.

"Who the hell are you?" Roger snarled surprised by his sudden appearance.

Adrien had gone cold again "I believe My Lady asked you to leave." He said ice practically forming at his words.

Roger paused taking in Adriens physique then taking in Marinette ready stance and slowly took a step back his eyes blazing. "You've painted a dam target on your back girl and every ones going to be gunning for you. You will never get out of this office again!" That said he spun around on his heel and stalked out not even bothering to close the door on his way out.

"I didn't need help." Marinette whispered and Adrien turned

"Most people would say thank you." He answered his face unreadable.

"I'm not most people." Marinette answered crossing her arms and to her surprise Adrien smiled

"No you're not are you?" he said his voice tinged with curiosity.

Marinette went tongue tied as she looked up into his warm green eyes and realized that she still had a crush on this boy. "I-I" she stuttered their bodies far to close when suddenly the moment was shattered.

"Adrikins!" A squealing voice cried and in the next instant a blur of yellow smashed into him making Marinette stumble back into the wall. "My dear Adrikins is back oh I am sooo very happy! When your father told my father who told me you had returned I just couldn't wait for you to call me!" the woman cried and Marinette finally recognized the fourth person to invade her office that morning.

It was Chloe the mayors daughter and she pulled on Adrien who had become like stone once more.

"Chloe…" Adrien said his tone patiently neutral as he unraveled her arms from around his shoulders as he turned to face her. She threw her arms back around him the moment he was facing her and Marinette snorted at the look on his face. It was clear he didn't want to be in this position but was trying to be polite as he once again started to peel her off him. Chloe however was having none of it.

"Oh Adriekins don't be such a fuss pot come on we simply must get out of this stuffy space and catch up! I will show you all the newest bestest hang out spots in the city!" like a whirlwind Chloe practically swept him out the door.

Managing to glance back at Marinette Adrien saw to his surprise she was snorting clearly attempting not to laugh at his predicament. Seeing his glance she waved cheekily at him as the whirl wind known as Chloe continued to drag him across the precinct floor to the elevators. A soon as they were out Marinette moved forward to close the door to her office. The moment her door was closed she locked it tired of all the interruptions she'd had that day. Dropping into her chair once more she sighed eyeing the small stack of folders that now called her desk home.

"Might as well get started." Marinette muttered before opening the first file. The first two files were nothing but paperwork and by the time she closed the second one her eyes felt as if they were ready to fall out. Scrubbing at them wearily she pulled her phone out and realized it was almost three in the afternoon. Her stomach rumbled suddenly and Marinette realized she hadn't eaten anything in several hours. She texted Alya who was more than happy to catch a late lunch and standing up she slid the Chat Noir file into her computer bag to read once she got home. Then taking one last look around she left to meet Alya at one of their favorite restaurants.

The moment Alya saw her friend she started in on her questioning and it gave Marinette a headache as she tried to deflect the questions she couldn't answer. Finally as there food arrived Marinette sighed shooting her friend a glare. "Are you done being a reporter yet?" she asked rather snarky and Alya blushed as she realized what she was doing.

"I'm sorry girl, I was just worried and considering you haven't given me a lick of information anyways I suppose it doesn't matter." Alya answered looking crestfallen and instantly making Marinette feel guilty.

Then suddenly Alya perked up a mischievous smile sneaking onto her lips. "I do have some rather interesting news for you though." She said and Marinette waved a hand at her to continue as she took a solid bite of her hot sandwich. Alya leaned forward conspiratorially "Your hot crush Adrien from college had returned from his forays in America."

Marinette choked and Alya laughed at her discomfort as she gulped some water to wash the food down. "How in the heck do you get your information so fast?!" Marinette demanded

"Trade secret sweetheart." Alya smirked then realizing Marinette wasn't surprised said "So you did see him! Did you talk to him?"

"Uh…" Marinette managed thinking of how she crashed into him head on then their odd confrontation in her office.

"Oh my gosh! You totally did!" Alya squealed

"Like two sentences and I could barely string those together!" Marinette half lied in the hopes that Alya would drop it.

"You just need more practice around him." Alya answered then grinned brightly "Nino used to be fairly good friends with Adrien and I'm sure he was talking of them going to hang out in one of the bars. We should go hang out for the night!"

Marinette shook her head "I've got a case starting and I need to study the information as soon as possible."

It was an excuse. In all honesty Marinette really didn't want to go hanging out in a bar with Alya because the last time she had Alya had tried to set her up on a blind date. It had not gone well and Marinette had been avoiding the dating scene drastically since then.

Alya huffed. "You have to get out of your stuffy apartment sometime you know!"

"Its not stuffy!" Marinette groaned and took another bite of her food. She was starving and seeming to realize this Alya grumbled something unintelligible before digging into her own food. There were a few short minutes of blissful silence until Alya pulled a photo from her purse. Placing it on the table between them Alys slid it towards Marinette making her lean forward to see it properly. The photo was dark but against the backdrop of the city lights it appeared to be a human in a tight suit of some kind. Putting the remains of her sandwich down and wiping off her hands Marinette picked up the photo for closer inspection. It was a male in what looked like a black leather suit. A belt trailed from around his waist and due to the darkness of the photo she couldn't quite tell what color his hair was though it was probably a light shade of brown or blond. An object in his hair caught her attention and Marinette frowned.

"Are those ears?" she asked Alya who cracked up.

"Yup! They are calling him Chat Noir." Alya managed "Apparently he is a…cat burglar!" she snorted breaking down as Marinette stared at the photo in shock a trickle of pure energy spiking its way up her spine. She hadn't had this feeling in a long time and she had always associated it with Tiki and breakthroughs on cases. Marinette had just been handed the Chat Noir case that morning and here was Alya handing her a photo of her quarry. The wind around the stirred eerily and as it did Marinette swore a voice whispered with it.

"And so the wheel of fate turns." It seemed to sigh and Marinette spun around in her chair.

There was no one near them and yet as the air stilled once more Marinette could swear that it had been Tikis voice she had heard.

"Uh you ok girl?" Alya asked as Marinette turned back to face her.

"Hmm? Oh yeah sorry. Who is this Chat person though?" Marinette asked shaking the voice from her mind as she tapped a finger to the photo.

Alya shrugged "I don't know it was just a photo stuffed in with the ones I brought to Nino. The only thing I've found so far is that he has stolen a bunch of random things including chemicals and jewels. Oh and the last person on his case showed up murdered a week ago with claw marks all over him."

"A detective?" Marinette asked stunned. She hadn't heard of anyone being killed as of late. Then again she had been stuck with a lazy shmuck of a partner for the last several weeks.

"No apparently it was a regular cop who got handed the case. They were in another precinct in France though so its probably why you haven't heard about it yet. This Noir person has been steadily making his way to Paris though." Alya answered eyeing her friend curiously. Marinette had that look on her face, the look that usually spelled trouble for whatever or whoever she was hunting.

Photo still in hand Marinette finished off her sandwich not noticing her friends observant gaze. "Can I keep this?" she asked once she swallowed and Alya nodded

"Sure I have a copy. What do you know about this Chat person though?" Alya answered

Marinettes eyes met hers and Alya was glad to see a spark of excitement in her friends eyes.

"So far just his name." Marinette answered and called for another sandwich to go as well as her check.