Wow... Who loves massive storms? My house looks like its in the middle of a lake and I might just need my kayak to get to work... At least I now have power again. Omg I think Ii rambled a little on this chapter because it ended up being over 4,500 words. It makes this the longest chapter to date... Sorry it late but its extra long so on to the story! Also this story is shaping up to be the longest one yet...

mayuralover... Thanks, It will get better in about two months... I hope.

Paperandinkgirl... Always happy to see a new reader! Glad you are a fan!

Kuroyuki no Ryu... I know the feeling but no worries! Any review is a good review! Glad you got a chance to read!

Between akuma attacks and the stresses of everyday life Chat starts to see who the real person is behind a girl named Marinette.

I own nothing... Except my imagination.

The Cats Shield (Part 4)

(Tuesday)

Marinette threw herself into the first hidden place she could find and watched a little guiltily as Wes ran past calling her name.

Tiki flew from her purse a moment later "Marinette he asked you out on a date! What are you going to do?"

Marinette blushed "I don't know… hide forever maybe?! I don't think I have ever been so happy for an akuma attack." She slumped against the wall trying to calm herself as Tiki flew up to hover right in her face.

"You cant just let this go Marinette. You know from experience how hard it is to confess to a person. You cant just leave him hanging!" Tiki squeaked as she patted Marinettes nose.

Marinette groaned and rolled her eyes. She loved her little partner dearly but at times like this she wished she could strangle her. "Tiki I like Adrien and Wes just… isn't my type. I'll tell him tomorrow so can we please stop talking about this and go deal with the akuma?"

Tiki sighed but waved a paw and Marinette cupped her hands around her as she nuzzled her kwami gently making Tiki giggle. "I promise Tiki I will tell him tomorrow. For now though Spots On!"

Once she was transformed Ladybug leapt out over the schools rooftops reminding herself to return and grab her bag later. The akuma had to be fairly close to the school if the alarms were going off so she knew she shouldn't have to travel far to locate them as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Smoke rose up from the ground a street away but she didn't hear anyone yelling which was odd at best. Then in the next second as she jumped a gap in the roofs a loud boom concussed the air around Ladybug making her scream as her ears popped painfully. Disorientation followed immediately and she stumbled as her feet hit the edge of the rooftop sending her sprawling against the tiles.

"Marinette move!" Tiki cried in her mind and Ladybug rolled to the side as the tiles where she had been crunched inward before seeming to explode. The force of the blast knocked her off the roof and Ladybug yelped her hand already going for her yoyo when suddenly arms had hold of her. Glancing up she recognized Chats face as he grinned.

"Looks like you need a paw puurr-haps?" Chat asked and to Ladybug it almost sounded like his voice was muffled or even underwater.

They landed on the street and Chat set her gently on her feet looking concerned. "My Lady are you ok?"

Ladybug nodded albeit a tad dizzily. "I got hit by the akumas attack. I'll be fine just a bit dizzy and hearing is muffled."

Chat nodded then scooped her up once more dodging as a blast shattered the pavement where they had been standing moments before. They slid to a halt behind a bus and Chat lowered her to her feet. Ladybug stood bracing herself against him for a brief moment as her head cleared the rest of the way. An explosion sounded out behind them and Chat grimaced as his sensitive ears rang slightly.

"Are you alright now Ladybug?" Chat asked as he took a deep breath. She smelled wonderful like lavender, vanilla, and something spicy. He couldn't quite place the scent and Chat was snapped from his reverie when she still seemed rather unsteady on her feet. Ladybug blinked slowly then nodded pulling away from him as a blush colored her cheeks when she realized she was still clinging to him. Chat missed the contact almost instantly wanting to take Ladybug back into his arms but he squashed the impulse liking his ears and tail where they were.

"The akuma calls himself Boomer and I think the item is his pouch." Chat said watching Ladybug carefully as she peeked around the bus.

"What are his powers?" Ladybug asked then yelped "Run!" as she shoved him forward.

Chat stumbled but caught himself even as Ladybug took hold of his wrist and yanked him forward sprinting down the length of the bus. A boom shattered the air and the bus tilted radically falling towards them. They weren't going to make it like this and with the building blocking them from the other side Chat made his decision yanking his hand from Ladybugs before freezing in place. Whipping his staff out Chat slammed it to the ground the other end catching the bus as it nearly tilted on top of them. Ladybug had stopped as soon as he pulled free from her grasp and Chat ran towards her snatching her up into his arms as the bus started to tilt its balance uneven on his staff. Reaching over his shoulder Ladybug tossed her yoyo out as they cleared the end of the bus and another explosion caused it to go up in flames. The concussive wave knocked Chat off his feet though he twisted so that Ladybug never hit the ground. They hit the ground hard enough to knock the air from Chats lungs and debris flew at them as the buses fuel caught fire then exploded. Ladybug rolled off him coming up to her knees yoyo spinning as she deflected pieces of metal and flaming debris.

"You're both finally here!" A males voice boomed and the heroes heads whipped around in unison looking to the newest akuma they had to face.

His hair was slicked back and he had on what almost looked to be army fatigues. A vibrant purple pouch hung on his hip and the akuma tossed a black ball easily in one hand as it slowly turned from black to red. With a flick of his wrist the now red ball flew at them and Ladybug leaped to her feet as she threw her yoyo in an instant the colliding forces making an explosion that made her drop to her knees again. Chat covered his ears closing his eyes as the wave of heat and sound passes over them.

The akuma clapped his hands. "Excellent work heroes! I have already introduced myself to the cat…" Boomer paused for a second and Chat hissed at him climbing to his feet to help Ladybug up as she passed his baton back to him.

"Thank you My Lady." Chat murmered and she nodded as Boomer cleared his throat.

"As I was saying… I am Boomer and I have been sent to claim your miraculous." Boomer called bringing out another ball from his pocket.

"Tell Hawkmoth no thanks and try again never!" Ladybug snapped surprising even Chat with her tone.

"My Lady?" Chat asked and Ladybug sighed

"Its been a long day and this guy is giving me a headache." Ladybug muttered blushing a little as Boomer let out a barking laugh his face outlined by Hakmoths purple mask.

"Very well Hawkmoth as long as you are certain the miraculous will survive." Boomer answered to no particular question that they could hear. Then he reached into his pouch and pulled a much larger bomb from it.

"Split I'll distract." Chat hissed and Ladybug nodded as Chat took a few steps forward dodging twisted metal as he did so. "How about we diffuse this situation and not let it explode in our faces."

Boomer shook his head already tossing the bomb in his hand its outer shell changing colors. "Sorry but I'm primed and ready. No snuffing the fuse out now hero. At least you will go out with a bang though!"

Chat threw himself forward a feral smile slipping onto his lips. "Pity you decided to be called Boomer I kinda like the idea of Bomber Man!"

Boomer snorted the bomb leaving his hand for a final time as he chucked it at Chat. Chat didn't slow didn't try to strike the bomb down and mere feet from it Ladybugs yoyo slung around it before launching it high into the air. Before Boomer could reach into his pouch again Chat was on him slashing at the pouch with one clawed hand as the other slammed into Boomers face. Boomer stumbled back as the bomb exploded high overhead making Chat cringe at the noise completely missing the pouch as he fought the instinct to cover his suddenly ringing ears. He was too close to the akuma and had missed in his attack but with his head suddenly ringing from the concussive blast Chat couldn't dodge away easily either. The distraction of the explosion was all Boomer needed and in one fluid movement snatched something from his pouch slamming it together right in front of Chats face. Sound instantly deafened him, light blinded him and as Chat reeled away Boomer grabbed Chats wrist flinging him over his shoulder so that he smashed into a car upside down.

Chat slumped to the ground in a crumpled heap his legs falling over his head as he blinked away stars. His ears buzzed painfully and within his mind Plagg moaned.

"Not sure you're gonna be able to walk this one off kid." Plagg murmured and Chat was a little surprised he could still hear him with the way everything else was muffled. Rolling sideways Chat cringed as hands grabbed his arm hauling him to his feet. Everything spun unsteadily but Chat could make out Ladybugs face as she peered at him in concern.

"Are you ok?" She mouthed and Chat realized his hearing was defiantly messed up. Everything around them was a buzzing garbled mess. He could tell she was speaking because he could hear the tone but not make out the words. Her hand reached up brushing the side of his jawbone and when they came back shiny Chat realized his ears were bleeding.

Chat smiled at her. "Hearing is messed up but I am alright." He lied and Plagg hissed at him calling him seven kinds of stupid as he twirled his staff.

It was obvious Ladybug didn't believe him but she stepped back letting him take point as she tossed her yoyo into the air calling "Lucky Charm!"

At least he assumed that's what she called as light coalesced around the yoyo and one pair of industrial strength ear plugs fell from the sky to land in her hand. Chat knocked a bomb back at Boomer with his baton dropping back to her side.

"Plan?" He asked happy to note that his hearing was improving slightly but even still he had to read her lips in order to understand all Ladybug said.

"Once I put these in I wont be able to hear you properly but that means his blasts wont affect me either." Ladybug began then they both dodged as Boomer chucked a handful of round pellets at them.

Smoke bloomed from them as they struck the ground he before the smoke enveloped them fully he made out. "Cataclysm his pouch!"

Chat coughed as he darted forward through the smoke wishing he could hear properly since it would make finding Boomer and Ladybug far easier. A bright red ball struck the ground before him and Chat launched himself upward on his staff trying to escape the blast radius. He managed to just barely and the blast cleared the smoke even as it knocked his staff loose from its position. Chat twisted as he fell actually managing to land on his feet even as a flash of red caught his eyes. Ladybug moved from the smog barreling towards Boomer as he tried to throw her off his trail. The bombs he'd tossed had cleared the smoke further and Ladybug was deflecting everything he threw at her with her yoyo. Chat lunged in as well refusing to let her go in alone and slung his staff out as Boomer reached into his pouch once more. The staff slammed home making Boomer recoil gripping his hands in agony the bomb he was trying to fetch dropping to the ground. Ladybugs yoyo slashed out wrapping his arms to his body and with a roar of frustration Boomer kicked the bomb at her. Ladybug took to the air the bomb passing under her harmlessly as she leapt over Boomers head the bomb detonating a second later. Boomers eyes and head followed ladybug as she practically flew over him trailing the yoyos string that kept him bound. He didn't even notice Chat until he yelled Cataclysm and when he twisted in shock Chat was already far too close his hand slamming home into the pouch.

"NO!" Boomer screamed then the pouch detonated sending all three people flying.

Chat didn't know what he slammed into as pain enveloped all of his senses, all he knew was that he desperately hated explosion biased akuma. His consciousness slipped briefly his world blinking out then all at once hands shook him as a voice called to him trying to wake him back up.

"Come on Chat please!" Ladybug cried her voice sounding desperate.

Chat opened his eyes rather blearily. "Hey My Lady did we short out his explosive plan?"

"Oh thank goodness." Ladybug sighed as she helped Chat into a sitting position. "Are you ok? You were right next to the blast. I mean I know that miraculous cleanse fixes everything but still…"

Chat shrugged his shoulders, checked his arms then legs before slowly climbing to his feet. "Everything is attached and I feel fine so no worries."

"Liar." Plagg hissed and Chat ignored him plastering a smile on his face as their miraculous beeped.

"Are you ok Ladybug?" Chat asked as Ladybug looked him over again.

"I'm fine. I wasn't as close as you were to the blast and it knocked the akuma out so it was easy to put everything back." Ladybug began still looking quite concerned. The Miraculous beeped again and she sighed "Go get some rest kitty you got banged up pretty good this time."

With a small smile she held up her fist and with a grin of his own they said "Pound It!" together as their fists connected.

Ladybug took off and Chat decided he aught to do the same before his own miraculous wore off. Leaping to the rooftops he simply started moving trying to get as far from the akuma site as he could. Dizziness swept through him as he cleared a gap and he careened into a chimney grabbing hold of it before he went fully over the edge of the building.

"Adrien you need to sit and rest before you fall of the rooftops!" Plagg hissed at him and Chat nodded once.

"I'm not going to make it home am I?" Chat muttered the dizziness worsening slightly. "Miraculous Cleanse fixes everything why am I still dizzy?"

"You had internal damage. That's going to take some time to repair even with magic. You need to rest and I don't think you will make it home." Plagg answered as the ring on Chats finger beeped again.

"Right…" Chat hissed shook his now pounding head then leaped to the next balcony over. His disorientation took its toll however and instead of landing on the railing like he wanted he slammed to a halt on his stomach. With a grunt Chat managed to pull himself over the rail collapsing to the patio. "Ow." He grunted curling into a ball as the world around him started to dim. "Cant sleep here…" Chat whispered to himself as footsteps slapped the ground next to him.

"Chat?!" they exclaimed as hands shook him but Chat was too tired to respond his head pounding violently. In the next moment amongst the beeping of his miraculous Chat lost consciousness.

Chat hadn't realized it but Ladybug hadn't gone anywhere when she had taken off. She had been concerned for her partner since he had still seemed more than a little disoriented when he had said he was fine. So she watched him run off figuring she would wait until her second to last dot and if he was fine she would go home herself. However it was obvious to her that Chat was not fine even before he careened into the chimney. She was about to stop him but he jumped before she could and misjudged the distance slamming to a halt on the wrought iron railing of her balcony.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Ladybug groaned leaping after him as he pulled himself off the railing and into a ball on her small patio.

She ran to him hearing the words "Cant sleep here…" escape from him but his eyes were already closed.

"Chat! Hey Chat… Wake up!" Ladybug called but he remained limp under her hands. A spike of worry speared its way through her and swiftly she gathered him into her arm as their miraculous beeped again.

"Stupid question but Tiki is he ok?" Ladybug demanded as she dropped through her trap door and laid him on her bed.

"He will be." Tiki answered within her mind as Ladybug tossed a crochet blanket over his head and body before hurriedly climbing down her ladder.

Her miraculous beeped its final time and pink light filled the room as she caught Tiki. "What is worng with Chat?" Marinette demanded even as she reached into her purse to grab a cookie.

Tiki took it from her and was about to respond when a flash of green light filled the room and a tiny kitten tumbled over the edge of Marinettes bed. Reflexively Marinette caught the tiny creature and she was stunned to find herself looking into the very green eyes of Chats kwami.

"Um…H-hi?" Marinette stammered holding the two kwamis in surprise.

Plagg blinked at her then glanced at Tiki. "Do you have any cheese?"

"Plagg! Introduce yourself before asking for things to eat!" Tiki scolded smacking him with her cookie before opening her mouth impossibly wide and swallowing the rest of the cookie whole.

With a grumble Plagg turned his attention back to Marinette who was still in a bit of shock at holding two kwami in her hands. "Hello Marinette I'm Plagg, Chat Noirs kwami. I'm also starving do you have some of that cheese bread leftover still?"

Marinette dropped to her knees "Um…Yes?" she answered

"Yippy!" Plagg crowed shooting out of her cupped hands and swinging around in the air.

Tiki rolled her little eyes and patted Marinettes hand to get her attention. "If he is concerned about his stomach then his chosen is fine. Regardless of how lazy Plagg may seem he always puts his kittens first."

"Right… I guess I should go get some cheese bread and cookies then." Marinette said climbing to her feet hesitantly.

Tiki nodded flying up out of her hands. "Don't worry I'll keep him up here."

"Thanks Tiki I will be right back." Marinette answered with a smile already relaxing in the other kwamis presence. She went downstairs to grab food for the kwamis and then once they were settled she ran to school to grab her backpack and schoolwork for the night. Her parents had been home when she had come tumbling down the stairs saying Chat was in her room sleeping and asked them not to bother him. They were surprised at that news to say the least but had been more shocked since they hadn't seen her come in the house. Immediately she had blurted that Chat had brought her home due to the akuma attack and he was tired so she was letting him use her bed to rest up. Thankfully her parents had bought the lie and her mom especially had seemed concerned about his well being. They were going out on a date night and Marinette had practically thrown them out of the house since her mom was concerned about the wayward cat in her room.

"He will be fine mom!" Marinette had finally cried as she hugged her for a final time. "He just needs some sleep and I promise to feed him something before he goes home. Now you guys go before you are late!"

Her father had laughed leading his fretting wife away down the street and Marinette gave a sigh before heading up to her room backpack in hand. As her trap door swung open, disaster greeted her in the shape of yarn strewn everywhere. Tiki was scolding a knotted ball that shivered and twitched as Marinette dropped her bag in shock flinching slightly as it tumbled back down the stairs.

"What happened?!" Marinette cried lunging into the room nearly tripping over some yarn strung across the doors edge. Plagg was at the center of the knotted ball wriggling and purring even though he appeared to be totally trapped.

"I'm so sorry Marinette!" Tiki squeaked "He found one of your spare yarn balls and started playing with it! I couldn't stop him and the next thing I knew he was all tangled like this…"

Tiki dropped from the air to land on the floor beside Plagg looking up at Marinette with her wide blue eyes. Marinette blinked taking in her yarn covered room, the tiny kitten kwami tangled in the threads and before she could stop it a bubble of laughter slipped from her lips. A moment later she gave up and let the laughter come out unable to even think of being angry at the sight before her.

"Its ok Tiki. He got into the cheap yarn anyways but how in the world am I going to get him out?" Marinette snickered as she reached for the knotted bundle that covered Plagg.

Relieved that her chosen wasn't angry Tiki floated up and prevented Marinette from touching Plagg in his purring tangled state. "He can get out of it himself. I'll help you clean the rest of this up though."

Marinette giggled but nodded and started to collect as well as untangle the yarn strew everywhere in her room. It took about 15 minutes to untangle everything save for the knotted bundle Plagg sat in and in another five Marinette had almost all of it rolled back up into a ball once more.

"Aright Plagg. You have had your fun. Marinette needs to do her homework and you can't be left alone in all this or I am sure you will somehow make an even bigger mess." Tiki scolded as Marinette bent over to try and start untangling Plagg.

Plagg hissed at them and Tiki let out a scolding buzz before grabbing hold of him and force phasing him out of the center of the bundle. With Plagg out of the middle the knot seemed to fall apart and it hardly took Marinette another two minutes before the held a single ball of yarn once more.

"Tiki?" Marinette called and when she didn't answer she tossed the yarn into her basket before reclaiming her bag from the bottom of the stairs. After pulling out her homework she forced herself to try and concentrate. It was extremely hard especially when she could hear when Chat decided to roll over with a huff. After another few minutes of fruitless distraction Marinette let out a groan and face planted on her homework. Chat was in her bed… in civilian form… his kwami knew who she was… and now she had no idea where the kwami had gotten off to.

"Wow I'm surprised you haven't tried to peek yet." Plaggs voice muttered from off to her left and Marinette let out a shriek pushing away from the desk so fast the chair tipped over causing her to hit the floor.

"Plagg!" Tiki scolded

"What its not my fault your bugget is so jumpy!" Plagg snapped back as Marinette rolled off the floor propping her hands on her desk as she stared at the kitten kwami.

"I'm not that jumpy…" Marinette complained "You just surprised me is all."

Plagg rolled his green eyes. "Right… you know for a Lady… Yah!" Plagg yelped as suddenly Marinettes hand darted forwards smashing him to the desk.

"Shhhh!" She hissed looking up towards the bed as a mumble was heard from the elevated sleeper.

Plagg nipped her finger and Marinette released him with a startled yelp as Tiki swatted him from behind.

"She started it!" Plagg hissed then gave a small yelp as Marinette grabbed him in her hands once more.

"You cant tell Chat!" Marinette hissed ignoring Plaggs tiny sharp claws digging into her fingers.

"Why not?! He adores you as Ladybug and as yourself, besides you're a good cook and he needs a good home." Plagg grumbled

Marinettes eyes went wide. "H-he doesn't even know me!" she squeaked

Plagg rolled his eyes again. "I…"

"Plagg?" A voice moaned from her bed and Marinette darted forwards hiding under her bed in case Chat decided to lean over as Tiki vanished from sight as well.

"Plagg where are you?" Chat questioned again "Actually where am I?"

"Um… You're kind of in my room." Marinette managed as she glared at Plagg in her hands finally he sighed then phased through them floating up to her ear.

"Fine I wont tell but you owe me cheese bread." Plagg muttered

"As much as you'd like." Marinette breathed as Chat yelped "Marinette?"

Plaggs face curved up into a Cheshire grin then he darted upwards through the bed calling out "Oh good your awake finally. It's a good thing you collapsed on Marinettes balcony. You owe her big time."

Marinette face palmed having the strangest feeling that somehow she had made a mistake. "You don't owe me anything Chat! I just pulled you in and covered you up so you could sleep in peace. Your kitten has also been fed."

Chat nearly choked and she could hear him flop back down flat on her bed. "I am so very sorry for any inconvenience he has caused…"

Marinette giggled and remembering what Plagg had said about a home she decided to make him an offer "He wasn't any trouble other than getting himself tangled up in my yarn. I was hoping to cook some dinner and get my homework done if you would like to join me though."

The bed shuddered as Chat jerked upright. "Really?!" he demanded sounding eager and Marinette felt her heart melt for her partner.

"Yeah really. I have physics homework and I stink at it. Maybe after we cook you can help me." Marinette answered.

"Deal! Plagg Claws Out!" Chat called

A flash of green light filled her room and in the next second a black leather clad boy landed right in front of her making Marinette squeak and stumble back. Chat grinned a little guiltily at her as he stood from his crouch.

"Sorry about that… And for passing out on your balcony… and for Plagg…" Chat began one hand rising to scratch the back of his neck.

With a gentle smile and a racing heart Marinette stepped forwards placing two fingers across his lips silencing him.

"Its ok Chat. I'm glad I found you. I actually enjoy your company and all heroes deserve a break sometimes." Marinette said feeling amused as a light blush dusted her partners cheeks.

Chats lips curved under her fingers and he took her hand gently pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "You are too kind Princess."

Marinette felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze. "R-right… well um… we should probably start… getting started…" Suddenly she sighed and taking back her hand Marinette pressed it to her face. "Dinner first." She managed then walked past a grinning Chat who followed quite happily after her.