One more chapter to go… I hope. This is my favorite chapter so far and I am so very proud of this one. To be honest this chapter is what inspired this whole story. I had written this so long ago I had almost forgotten about it until one of my friends asked me what happened to Doppelganger… Now I have an answer…This. Action packed shenanigans await!

Avatar NIX... Yep shape shifting with a little surprise thrown in so he has offensive and defensive capabilities. Hehe I like my akuma to be well rounded.

Paperandinkgirl... Thank you! Here is some more action!

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 7)

(Friday)

Adrien was exhausted when his alarm beeped for the first time in the morning. Last night when he had gone out on patrol they spent hours figuring out what Doppelganger had been up to since becoming an akuma. Most akuma once transformed caused a big mess drawing the superheroes attention immediately. Doppelganger was not only a very quiet akuma but he was also a smart one. Not knowing where to begin they started with where Wes had last been and discovered the costumes.

"Well now we know why he turned into an akuma." Ladybug growled as she took in the damage done.

Chat sighed "Yeah and I'll give you one guess as to who did all this."

"Chloe" Ladybug answered "Our number one akuma maker. You don't think Hawkmoth has hired her or something do you?"

Chat snickered "He probably could the girl makes more akuma than anything else in the city I think."

Together they went to Chloes house and found to their surprise that she was on lockdown. Apparently a video of her destroying the costumes had surfaced and she had been suspended till Monday. The heroes were shocked but apparently Chloe had been causing all kinds of mischief and havoc all through the hotel and her father for once had finally put his foot down. While they were both glad Chloe was finally getting what she deserved even if it was through an akumas interference they couldn't help but think Doppelganger wasn't through with her quite yet. Now that they knew their kwami could sense an akumas presence they had split up searching the area in hopes of possibly finding Doppelganger. They hadn't had any luck and around three in the morning when all was still quiet Ladybug had called it quits. They both still had school the next day and as they parted ways Chat could hear Ladybug complaining about forgotten homework. It reminded him of an assignment he had yet to do as well and with a groan Chat returned to his home staying up an extra half hour to get the paper done so he could turn it in on time. When he finally collapsed into bed Adrien made sure to set an extra alarm in case he didn't wake up to the first one. With all the late nights and missing out on meals the last thing Adrien wanted was to accidently sleep in and miss school. It would send up red flags all over and Adrien couldn't afford to be better watched at this point.

The first alarm beeped impatiently at him and Adrien groaned slapping it off before covering himself up then burrowing his head back into his pillow. He didn't want to get up didn't want to move and suddenly tiny teeth encircled his finger making him jolt upright.

"What the hell?" Adrien snarled as Plagg dove under the blankets. Green eyes peered back at him from his hiding spot looking wide and worried.

"Akuma…" Plagg hissed his tiny voice barely audible even to Adriens ears.

Adrien's second alarm went off and he twisted round hitting his phone for the second time then yawned as he searched his room while pretending to stretch. He saw nothing to his confusion and not knowing what else to do he climbed out of bed before heading into his closet. Usually he liked to take a shower in the evenings to get any makeup from shoots or dirt from running around as Chat Noir off him before bed. This morning he had planned to take one to help wake him up but now it would seem that someone had other plans. Going into his closet Adrien swiftly changed then pulled out his extra fencing foil. He couldn't transform into Chat since it would be giving away his identity that is if his identity wasn't already compromised. Nibbling on a lip Adrien decided he wouldn't take a chance and he pulled his miraculous off slipping it into a sock and hiding it in a tiny cubby hole that no one in the house knew about. Feeling completely unprepared Adrien walked back out into his room fencing foil in hand and froze when he spied Doppelganger standing by his bedroom door.

Adrien brought the foil up into a guarding position. "What do you want?"

Doppelganger looked him over somewhat surprised at the weapon. "So you did notice me." He murmured carefully taking in every detail of Adrien's posture, clothes, and even the way he seemed confident holding the sword in his hand. "Sorry Adrien, it's nothing personal but you are the best way to finish my revenge and there can't be two Adrien's running around."

Adrien let out a growl "So what you're going to pretend to be me for the day?!"

Doppelganger grinned "Yes actually."

"Forget it!" Adrien snapped and charged at Doppelganger fencing foil at the ready. Doppelgangers eyes widened in surprise and black spikes jutted out at Adrien forcing him to dodge and parry before getting in close.

"What is it with you and Marinette attacking me? Everyone else that has laid eyes on me ran away screaming but you guys seem quite content to throw yourselves in the middle of danger!" Doppelganger cried ramping up his attacks since Adrien was scarily competent with the foil in his hand.

Adrien dodged a black bar that extended from the darkness and then slashed at another to turn its blow away from hitting his body. A third wisp jutted out grabbing the blade of the foil. Unable to pull it free Adrien was forced to let it go before the darkness could grab hold of him too. A wisp of darkness slashed at him and now that he was unarmed Adrien dodged rolling across his floor managing to come up to his feet just a few short steps from Doppelgangers position. Launching himself from his crouched position Adrien leaped at Doppelganger landing a solid punch when Doppelganger moved to slow to avoid him. Stumbling a step from the blow Doppelgangers back hit the wall.

"Maybe it's because we have people we want to protect and your presence threatens their safety!" Adrien snarled not seeing the darkness pooling at his feet until it was too late. The darkness wrapped around his ankles and in the next second he was tossed sideways slamming hard into the side of his bed before being crushed to the floor.

Adrien's head spun at the double impacts. He was used to taking hits as Chat Noir but this was different and he didn't have Plagg protecting him from the harsh contact. With a groan refusing to loose consciousness Adrien he tried to push himself up but the darkness wrapped around him again trapping him where he lay.

"I suppose you are right." Doppelganger said as he moved to Adriens side looking fairly concerned as he reached out to him.. "Unfortunately though you are not a hero and as such you are far more breakable. Sorry about that by the way I forgot."

"Jerk." Adrien grunted snapping his teeth at Doppelgangers hand before a gag fitted itself over his mouth and Doppelganger grinned at him looking relieved. The darkness lifted Adrien from the floor and to his surprise moved him into his closet. Adrien twisted in the dark bonds that held him still a bit dizzy as Doppelganger stood in the doorway looking down at him.

"Don't worry Adrien. I won't hurt anyone while being you although I might get you a date with Marinette since you are being so generous in letting me use your form. She has a huge crush on you ya know." Doppelganger chuckled

Adriens eyes went wide as he yelled "What?!" but it came out as a muffed grunt through the gag. Then realization truly struck. Doppelganger was going to his school and Marinette was going to be there which meant she was going to be in danger. Fury boiled within Adriens blood and he thrashed within the bonds his feet kicking into the wall making a loud thump that made Doppelganger wince. Knowing Adrien wasn't going to stop on his own Doppelganger sighed his hand rising so the shadows reached out and pinned Adrien more securely to his closet floor. After all he didn't want Adrien to keep kicking the walls to alert someone or doing anything more foolish like attacking him again.

"Apparently you didn't realize that she had a crush on you. Could you be any more dense?" Doppelganger muttered and Adrien let out a low snarl that echoed despite the gag.

One of Doppelgangers eyebrows raised impressed at the tone of menace and fury conveyed by that simple sound. Then with a shrug he continued knowing he had Adrien at his mercy. "Not that it matters but since you don't seem to want to stay quiet I guess I'll have to force you."

Slowly Doppelganger moved into the closet the shadows following even as Adrien continued to snarl at him. Adrien felt the darkness move across his face covering his nose and quickly realized that he could no longer breathe. Unable to even thrash with the darkness holding him down Adrien pinned his most heated furious glare on Doppelganger until he finally lost consciousness.

Marinette was still exhausted when she woke up but knowing that she couldn't miss class she somehow managed to haul herself out of bed and to school. To her surprise Adrien wasn't there even though she walked in only a few minutes before the late bell sounded.

"Is Adrien not coming today?" Marinette asked her friends

Nino shrugged. "I don't know. He isn't answering his phone and I know he didn't have anything planned."

Marinette frowned but got her materials out for class as their teacher arrived and set their things on the desk. The late bell finally began to ring and Adrien slid in the door as the bell finished its chime looking so out of character that their teacher simply stared.

"Made it." Adrien said with a grin then suddenly realizing all eyes were on him Adrien straightened smartly and gave a quick polite bow in the teacher direction.

"I'm sorry for bursting in. I was awakened late this morning." He managed a blush creeping up the back of his neck. The teacher excused him still a little taken aback by his sudden entrance and Adrien moved to his seat greeting everyone with a wave like he usually did when late.

Marinette stared at his hand feeling odd. He was missing his ring that he always wore and something about his outfit just seemed odd to her. It wasn't just his appearance that had her internal alarms going off either. Usually she felt light and fluttery just looking at him and today there was nothing. He was handsome that certainly hadn't changed but as he sat before her shooting her a grin that usually made her heart flutter and mind melt she realized that there was something off about it, something… wrong. Yesterday she had felt that same wrongness and it had been the akuma Doppelganger. The thought chilled her to the bone and slowly she pulled out her phone typing a message to Nino. After a moment when the teacher turned their back he glanced down then leaned over to whisper something to Adrien. Adrien shrugged looking a little sheepish and a moment later a text came through.

'He forgot his phone in the rush out the door. ~ Nino'

Marinette let the phone slip back into her lap then felt the tiniest of nudges form her purse. Glancing to the side she opened her purse mindful of the fact that she was in the middle of class. Tiki gazed up at her the kwamis wide blue eyes shimmering with worry.

"Akuma." Tiki mouthed and the cold chill was back as Marinette realized that the boy in front of her was not Adrien.

Why was Doppelganger back? And better yet where was Adrien? Marinette knew that she was the only one who knew and since she was Ladybug she had to get him away from everyone. Class passed at an agonizingly slow pace and she was practically jumping from her chair as the bell rang. Alya shot her a confused look as she darted from the room but Marinette didn't have time to explain. She had to stop Adrien, no, Doppelganger from entering his next class. She didn't know why he was at the school pretending to be Adrien but it didn't matter. For a long moment she played with the idea of transforming into Ladybug and sweeping Doppelganger up but it was never a good idea to let an akuma get into your personal space. That and she really didn't want to start a huge akuma battle in the middle of school. There was a high chance of someone getting hurt and Marinette hoped that if she ousted him in private he would maybe leave.

Coming to a decision Marinette waited until Doppelganger was almost to the class before pouncing on him. "A-Adrien?" she called causing him to turn towards her a curious look lighting up his face.

"Yes Marinette?" he answered

"Can I talk to you for a minute? In private?" she asked a trickle of nervousness running through her. If he didn't accept she would have to think of something quick.

Walking back to where she stood he smiled at her "Sure I know a perfect spot." he said and took her arm as he led the way down to the courtyard.

Marinette wanted to jerk away from his touch. He didn't feel right almost as if he were coated in some slime or something. She didn't want to alert him to her discomfort however so she allowed him to pull her over by the stairs where they would be for the most part hidden.

Finally he paused and looking up at her with dull green eyes he tried to pull off Adriens smile. It failed miserably and Marinette took a step back away from him. "Marinette?" he queried a little surprised at her actions and she shook her head.

"You're not Adrien. Why are you pretending to be him?" Marinette asked getting right to the point and he froze.

"How… how are you doing that?" Doppelganger asked dropping the act and Adriens guise.

Marinette sighed in relief as Wes' akumasized face looked back at her. "I don't know I just know you're not him." Then a sudden previous thought came to her and she glared up at Doppelganger her hands curling into fists making him take a step back towards the wall.

"What did you do to Adrien?" she snapped

Doppelganger waved a hand. "He is tied up in his bedroom closet asleep. I just wanted to see what it was like to be popular for a day, and brush upon my acting skills but it would seem as if you're going to try to mess that up for me."

It wasn't his real reason Marinette was sure but as an excuse it was passable she supposed. Doppelganger sighed as he raised a hand and black band like wisps formed there. "You are too dammed perceptive Marinette. Maybe I should have tried being you instead."

Fury, annoyance, and a trickle of fear surged through Marinette as she realized he was about to attack her so Marinette struck first. Her fist slammed forward into his jaw knocking him back and sweeping his legs out from under him Marinette leapt back dodging the shadows that filled the air around him.

"Ok I'm done." Marinette yelped as she darted away feeling Tiki nudging at her insistently through her purse. Besides as a civilian she had done all that she was capable of doing. Ribbons flashed past her and Marinette channeled her inner Ladybug jumping over them and dodging to the side as more spun past. When Marinette wanted to be she was actually quite fast and she made it into the open courtyard before the ribbons managed to snatch at her legs making her trip. Marinette screamed as she fell alerting the late class arrivals that something was amiss.

"NO!" Doppelganger cried leaping to his feet but it was already too late.

Marinette shouted "Akuma attack everyone run!"

Panic swiftly ensued as the school alarm pealed to life and the black ribbons swarmed around her arms pinning them to her sides. "Hey!" Marinette yelped as she was lifted off the ground while Doppelganger strode forward a furious look in his eyes.

"Let me down!" Marinette snarled kicking at him when he got too close and black ribbons bound her ankles forcing her to stop even as he took a careful step back out of her range.

"You have ruined my day and I don't know why." Doppelganger said a sudden sad look in his eyes.

"Really?!" Marinette cried incredulously "You don't see anything wrong with what you have done so far? Yesterday or today?"

Doppelganger frowned as a purple mask covered his face and suddenly the black bonds around her tightened making Marinette grimace. The school around them was in a panic as people rushed away from the akuma and Marinette was glad that she could distract him at least.

"Let her GO!" a voice roared over the chaos and a clawed hand slashed the air between them cutting the ribbons that held her in the air. To Marinette disappointment the ribbons binding her body didn't vanish and Chat caught her easily long before she hit the ground. One of his legs spun out as he landed and Doppelganger yelped in surprise as his legs were taken out from under him for the second time that day. With Doppelganger down for a second Chat darted over to the far wall keeping Marinette pressed close to him until he set her down ever so gently.

"You ok Princess?" Chat asked

Marinette blinked grateful that he had chosen that moment to turn up. "I…look out!" she shouted sweeping his legs out from under him as the black ribbons turned spikes impaled the air he had been in a moment before.

"Run Princess!" Chat snapped slashing at the black ribbons on her ankles, shredding them to nothing in seconds flat before taking off across the courtyard on all fours.

"Tiki! Can you get these things off?" Marinette whispered rolling up onto her knees as Tiki darted up behind her back.

"Its going to take me a minute Marinette." Tiki answered and Marinette felt the slightest of tugs as she got to work. People were running avoiding the courtyard as Chat battled against Doppelganger. Chat kept glancing around looking for Ladybug and Doppelganger was becoming more frustrated as Chat kept dodging his attacks. Chats stamina couldn't last out forever however and it was then that Marinette realized he was staling trying to give the people clearing out time to escape.

"Hurry…" Marinette moaned as she watched a black blade like ribbon slash past Chats shoulder cutting him so that blood ran down his arm. He ignored the pain, darting in to land a blow of his own scoring three parallel lines across Doppelgangers chest. Doppelganger cried out his voice full of fear and he swept his arm forward a dozen or more of the black ribbons turning into bars that slammed into Chat. Marinette could hear the sound of the impact it was so hard and Chat went sailing back to smash into the wall. His baton hit the ground between them rolling so that it was several feet away and Chat simply laid there in a crumpled heap. For several moments Chat lay there unmoving before he rolled over his arms shaking as they took his weight.

"Chat!" Marinette screamed as the last black bond around her arms broke.

Things seemed to move in slow motion and looking back Marinette didn't know what she had been thinking moving the way she did. Perhaps it was the fact that she simply hadn't thought about it at all. Chat was in trouble and seeing his body thrown into the wall, hearing his cry of pain as she sat trapped within the black bonds… something within her snapped. Tiki had been ripping her way through the bonds and as the last one broke Marinette was already on her feet rushing towards Chat. Somehow the foolish cat had managed to get himself into a halfway decent standing position defiance and pain clear on his face. Chats baton out of his reach while Doppelganger stood several feet away and neither of them noticed her as she sprinted at them desperation written all over her face.

"Your miraculous!" Doppelganger snarled one hand pressed to his chest as the wavy black lines swirled about him.

Chat gave his patented grin "Over my dead body." He hissed clutching at his shoulder a small trickle of blood slipping down his head and past the mask.

"Deal!" Doppelganger cried and the black ribbons jutted forward aiming at Chats heart.

Marinettes body moved on its own, the overwhelming urge to protect her partner as he had her so many times surged through her and she leapt the distance tackling Chat to the ground. Pain seared across her back for a brief instant then their bodies hit the ground with her on top of him.

"Princess?!" Chat cried as her body weight crushed the air from his lungs but there was no time to speak. The fight wasn't over not by a long shot and practically sensing Doppelganger's attack she scrambled to her knees throwing her arms out wide shielding Chat's body with her own. Two flashes of black and a slight pain as one flash sliced her cheek open, then the world seemed to freeze. She panted her breath coming in hard gasps as she looked down and saw the black line hovering centimeters from her chest. If Doppelganger hadn't stopped that attack it would have gone straight into her heart. Cringing she felt Chat grip at her jacket, heard his gasp as he realized she had been injured.

"This time I will protect you." Marinette whispered her voice almost sub vocal. Anything Chat had to say was lost to Doppelganger crying "Ma-Marinette?" as he stared at her in shock stumbling backwards.

"You…will not… hurt him." Marinette panted her blue eyes blazing with fury as she stood ignoring the black line still pointed at her body. She wished she were in costume, wished she had her yoyo, because she wanted to end this now before anyone else got hurt.

Before Chat got hurt.

There had been no time though. Marinette knew that if she hadn't acted the way she did there was a good chance Chat would have been killed before she could make it back to his side as Ladybug. The thought infuriated her while the black bands retracted and without another thought she sprinted forward.

Chats baton was on the ground between them and she scooped it up twisting in the air as Doppelganger launched a feeble attack in her direction. She dodged it easily smacking another attack away from her body as she charged him dead on. Whipping the baton around her Marinette swung at him and at the last second realizing she was still coming Doppelganger twisted sideways black bands swirling up to protect him. The baton cracked down on his shoulder instead of his skull and Marinette made a grab for the mask that sat upon his head. Doppelganger shrieked black wisps jutting out at all angles as he tried to force her to back off. Marinette did dodging his sloppy retaliation attack before darting back in swinging the baton like a baseball bat so it cracked hard against his ribs. The blow knocked him off his feet and he crashed down sliding a few feet on the courtyards ground. Moving forward Marinette hoped to have another shot at the purple mask that sat upon Doppelgangers head but it wasn't to be. Doppelganger sat up the purple outline of Hawkmoths mask shining around his face then before Marinette could make a move black swarmed Doppelgangers body leaving Adriens face his eyes wide and pleading. Marinette knew it was a trick and yet she froze for the barest of instances instinct rendering her unable to attack the person she loved. Adriens face twisted cruelly and black surged from him as the purple of Hawkmoths mask lined his face. Arms encircled her ripping her off her feet and away from the danger of Doppelgangers attack. Unable to do anything else Marinette clung to Chat keeping hold of his baton as Chat raced and dodged the black attacks. Marinette yelled out a warning when attacks came a bit too close and within a few seconds they were up on the second level out of Doppelgangers range and sight. Moments later they were inside an empty classroom and Chat slid to a halt before placing her gently on the teacher's desk. Swiftly he went back to the door ready to throw himself back into the fray and sighed almost in relief.

"He's gone." He muttered then checking for prying eyes he closed the door and turned to Marinette.

"What in the hell were you thinking?" he demanded as their eyes met the awe on his face completely negating the anger in his tone. "I mean taking on guys twice your size is one thing but that was an akuma!"

Marinette flushed feeling rather glad Chat didn't know about her punching the same akuma in the face yesterday. She had a feeling he would pop a blood vessel if he did and feeling the need to defend herself she slid off the desk so she could stand "He was going to kill you. I couldn't watch that happen even though everyone else seemed perfectly content to!"

Chat grimaced "They knew it was dangerous! That he is dangerous! Of course they were not going to step in and risk their lives."

"Maybe that's what's wrong with this city then! Maybe that's what's wrong with this world! I don't care who it is I will not let someone get hurt or killed I front of me. Not if I can help them!" Marinette snarled her worry and fear for him clear in her eyes.

Chat moved forward and in the next instant he had his arms around her pulling her tight against him. "I'm sorry Marinette, I was just scared for you. You're more fragile than I or Ladybug though you have a hell of a swing."

Marinette went stiff for the briefest of seconds before relaxing into his hold his baton clattering to the ground as she hugged him back. They had both feared losing the other in that battle although Chat had no idea he was hugging Ladybug too. He was warm and Marinette realized she didn't know what she would do if something ever did happen to him. It made her understand his determination to take blows for her because whether she was Ladybug or Marinette she would move to protect him again and again, regardless of the consequences.

Pulling back Chat frowned brushing a clawed finger over the bloody line on her cheek. "Thank you for saving my pelt. I am fur-ever in your debt."

Marinette rolled her eyes unable to stop the nervous chuckle from escaping as the tension between them snapped. It was time to move on and high time to get rid of the akuma Doppelganger. With a sigh Marinette took a step back and pushed a gentle hand into his chest

"Go save the day kitty. It's just a scratch. I will be fine." She said with a smile that made Chat smile too.

Looking into her eyes Chat knew she would be ok and he reached down to pick his baton up off the ground. Placing the weapon at the base of his spine he took Marinettes hand once more.

"I will see you tonight and we will be talking about this some more." He murmured

Marinette rolled her eyes in exasperation knowing there was nothing she could say to change his mind. "I'll make us some hot chocolate then." She muttered

With a satisfied grin Chat nodded then fled the room intent on hunting Doppelganger down. The moment the door clicked shut Tiki flew from Marinette purse "What were you thinking Marinette? You should have transformed and then gone to save him! If you had been killed Chat would be on his own and…"

Marinette caught her frantic partner and held her close. "I'm so sorry Tiki. Transforming would have taken too long and I was out in the open. I…I couldn't bear to see him hurt, not when I had the power to stop it."

Tiki rubbed a gentle paw over the scratch on her cheek which had stopped bleeding. "You're such a good person Marinette. Are we going after Doppelganger?"

Marinette nodded "Yes the akuma is in his mask on his head. Tiki Spots on!"

They were out the window in seconds and up over the rooftops trying to find where Chat Noir or Doppelganger had vanished off to.

WHOOO...Boy we got all the feels in this one!