so soon?! Yep. Later that night...

"How do you expect me to find him when I don't know his name?"

"I will find him. You will guide me to the places you know and I will investigate. Therefore, you won't need to know."

"Can I at least get a description of this person?"

"They are human."

"Very helpful, Princess."

It hadn't been more than five minutes out of the tower and already the two "partners" were butting heads. Marinette was beginning to regret her choice in not handing him over to Papillion when she had the chance and leaving on her own. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew more about the area than she did, Mari would have left to search on her own. Sadly, she didn't know what would await her out here and she knew her current survival depended on Chat Noir. The man in a black suit that tells dumb puns and has a heart that likes to pop in from time to time.

There was still something inside Marinette that didn't quite trust him. She trusted him with her safety, but how far could she trust him after that? It was hard to accept the fact that she had already tricked and disobeyed Papillion, and the fact that Chat stole a very expensive crown before they met did not give him many points in the right direction. But she also knew that any information Papillion had given her in the past also could be an assumption based on their last conversation. She didn't know what to believe for the moment. All she knew was that Chat had only lied about who he was, which, if she were a criminal, would have been the obvious first choice.

As they both walked around, Marinette took her time, letting herself wander through the thick wood and underbrush. She was aware of Chat's mild inpatients, but every new look of a tree leaf was so much more beautiful than anything she could have painted. The coarseness her fingers felt as they brushed against a tree, the softness of the ground beneath her feet. Plagg's fur tickling her neck as he purred with delight. It was getting dark, but she was too lost in the colours of the sky shining against the canopy of leaves to notice. Mari didn't see Chat's shifting eyes as he began to worry. She didn't notice him stop but jumped five feet in the air when he pulled her arm back.

"Chat! Why did you-" Marinette looked down at her feet to see a cliff. It wasn't very small, but it was enough for her to break a bone if she fell the wrong way. She took a few steps away from the edge and placed her hand on Chat's, thankful that he pulled her away in time. He tugged her, gently this time, away from the ledge down a different path, walking close behind her as dusk began to leak away. He didn't need to say a word. She could feel him tense up and his head on a constant swivel. Mari felt bad, he must be mad at her for losing track of her surroundings. It was common that Papillion would raise his voice and get upset when she would daydream. She heard a small sigh behind her as they came to a grassy but secluded clearing

"We should make camp for the night. It's not good to be wandering this deep into the forest at night." Marinette nodded. She felt his soft hold on her slip away from her arm and Mari took this time to look at him. It was shocking the differences that he had compared to Papillion. Whereas Papillion would have been cross with her and upset, Chat didn't look the least bit mad. He looked more concerned and worried about what may happen to them in the darkness of night. Mari sat down, still thinking about how different the two people were. She thought every single person would have been just like Papillion. But Chat was new. He was...

Kinder.

Marinette watched with interest as he made a small fire with only sticks, rocks, and a few dry leaves. She had been taught before how to start a fire with spark stones, but never through basic stick work. It was an amazing feat in her eyes. After he was done, she broke a piece of bread and shared it with him. Chat gave her a small side-eye with a curious glint. She knew what he was asking. Plagg nudged her hand, begging for attention.

"Papillion was never really great at remembering things. Sometimes I would have to go weeks without any food being brought to the tower. So I learned to ration properly and not to eat snacks. Survive, not gorge." Chat's eyes looked sympathetic.

"Has that always been the case?"

Marinette shook her head, "No, a few years back he began to visit me regularly. It seemed like he always has a few hours on Sunday to visit."

"Which is why he showed up today."

" Yes, but usually he doesn't show up until later in the day. I think he was worried about my well being." Chat tilted his head and waved his hand for her to continue. "You see, someone he has told me much about has gone missing recently. They don't know how or when, but more of a time frame. And they," she bit her lip and forced herself to continue. "They suspect you as the kidnapper." Marinette watched as he sat in thought.

"This is the person you want to find? Someone you've never met and owe nothing to but have only heard about in stories?" Mari kept getting surprised by this man. One would think that he would have thrown up arms at false accusations. But instead, he was more interested in her. It took her a moment to catch her bearings, but when she did, defensive Marinette took over.

"I have nothing to explain to you. The less we know, the easier it will be for us to part ways after this. No grudges, no attachments; just a hitchhiking traveller and her Guide." Chat nodded, clearly agreeing. leaning against a tree for comfort.

"Absolutely. I got you out, I show you around, and then you can leave back to your tower and I go back to my trade. It's a win-win." Marinette smiled, finding their agreement satisfying. While she would have loved to find a friend in her saviour, but she couldn't in Chat. He was a criminal. He had no intention of changing lifestyles. He was quick and agile, but smart a witty. She needed to keep herself at a distance. She couldn't grow to love the world she was about to see. She absolutely couldn't.

"Exactly. We will forget everything and move on," bunching up her hair to use as a pillow, she laid on the ground, "and act like nothing ever happened."

Plagg curled up next to her, basking in her warmth as she fought to keep it. Marinette tossed and turned, eventually tangling up in her hair to keep her body heat. Was it so bad to cut ties before they even started? Mari tossed and turned, the ground was uncomfortable, but she managed to make it bearable. What was the bad thing about letting Chat be her first friend in this place? For a good hour, she kept turning, wrestling with her thoughts. What good would it do either of us if we know that eventually...

Soon she fell asleep, Chat's watchful gaze and light sleeping keeping them safe through the night. A sad thought that sat idle in the air. Eventually, they would both have to part ways and neither of them could afford to get attached. Mari knew that if she did, she would never want to go back to the Tower again. Chat knew that if he dared to grow attached to her, it would be a sad ending for both of them. But instead of being vocal and sharing their fears, they both fell into a slumber. Hoping to forget their troubles and find a small piece of mind in the silence of their quiet, slightly imperfect sleep.

A/N: Hello My Morning Glories!

This one was out not as fast as usual, but with the new school year closing in and going back into the familiar routine, It should be more manageable to keep a regular schedule. No promises though. I am so glad, however, that my bout of writer's block with this story has finally diminished and I can work properly again. I hate that it has taken this long, but the past is the past and I had my epiphany in the present.

However, I can thank all of you who have stuck with me thus far in this crazy random journey in telling this story. I also want to thank any new viewers who found this story by chance or by accident. I love you all, and that is saying something. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you that getting me to say, "I love you." is like throwing hyenas in a Lion exhibit at a Zoo. It's blood and carnage when it comes to food and territory.

I hope to see you early next week

Stay Tuned and Thank You so Much for Reading!

~Pheonix