Shandy: Sorry we haven't been able to update as fast as we used to guys!

Candy: We've kinda been procrastinating this, but...

Shandy: This is the second to last chapter to 'A Cat of Many Things'.

Candy: yeah... we have an epilogue after this, and it's not quite what you'll expect.

Shandy: Reviews!

ezpear: I know that I already told you in a PM, but this is for anyone else who might've been curious and didn't ask. Yes, I did write the song in the last chapter. :3

Rose Tiger: It's about to get better. :3

Aelindsong1991: *hand you box of tissues* And yes, it does get better for him.

Demi (guest): I have! Sadly, next chapters last... *shrugs*

DarkBluePapillon: Well, there's just one more chapter to go after this. :3

SilvershadowDimensional: *hands you box of tissues* Here you go, and don't worry, it get's better today.

Falls fanatic: Thank you! I hope you enjoy the chapter! :3

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When Adrien woke up, he was tucked into his bed, a cup of water on his nightstand. The sun was shining in through his bedroom window, showing that it was morning. There was also a stack of homework and two letters. He picked them up.

Both were from Marinette.

One was pink, with little doodles on it. Doodles of cats and food and Ladybugs. The other one was white, with the words 'read second' on it.

Did he dare?

He fingered the opening to the pink letter, but he didn't open it up.

What did she think?

That he was a coward?

A freak?

A friend only?

His hand shook.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what she thought yet.

"Come on kid, nothing ever happens in life unless you act on it."

"Why're you so scared, honey-bun? There's nothing to be scared about."

"I'm right here if you need me, kid."

"Mommy's here, Adrien. Mommy's here."

Adrien swallowed and opened it carefully.

'Dear Adrien,' It read in her nice, neat handwriting. 'Or, should I say, Chat Noir? I still don't know what happened last night. I mean, I do, but it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that I've been dating the cute new guy in my class without knowing it. I thought that you would be some random kid in my school, not one of my closest friends.'

'Now that I know that you're Adrien, I know that you also know about… John. I don't want it to end like that did. I'm willing to talk about it- but only when you're ready for it. I can understand if you don't- you were so adamant on keeping it a secret. If we were given the choice, I would be willing to wait for you to want to do it- on your own terms.'

'With love, your Princess, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.'

Adrien smiled a bit.

That was just like Marinette.

He moved onto the other one, opening it up.

'Dear Adrien, Chloe pulled me off to the side earlier today (by the time you read this, it would be yesterday). She confessed everything- from her mother being a hafukyatto, to helping you out with dating me and all of last month, to telling me how you were able to get around.'

'She also told me that today was the day that your mother died.'

'Neither of us were sure if her telling me was okay with you or not, but Chloe said that she was going to do it anyway because 'that boy can't come clean completely on his own'- her words, not mine.'

'I'm terribly sorry for your loss, kitty. I would be there if I could, but Chloe insisted on letting you have your space. She says that she's the same when it comes to her own mother. Words can't describe how I feel for you, kitty. I think it's time I came clean myself.'

'The past few months, my heart has been torn between Adrien and Chat- two equally amazing and adorable boys that deserved the love and affection that I was willing to give. That's right- I loved both sides of you before I even knew that you were one in the same. It's kinda funny, now that I think of it.'

'I forgot to thank you yesterday. For saving me and Maman and Papa- even at the cost of your identity being revealed. Thank you for loving me and proving to me that I can be loved by other people (besides my family) for who I am, and not just because I looked good.'

'Thank you for never leaving me, even after that one fight that we had. I never really told you why that happened, did I? I had just figured out that I was in love with both sides of you, and I didn't want to be in love. Not after what had happened with John.'

'Then I talked to you and Nathaniel about it. Alya didn't know until later- when she caught me saying goodbye to you one night. You both helped me with my feelings so much.'

'I guess what I'm trying to do by writing this, is to tell you that I still love you. According to what I gathered from what Chloe told me, you were afraid of me hating you because of the way that things were done. I don't. If anything, I love you even more now that I know.'

'You don't have to until your ready, and you don't have to at all if you don't want to, but I'd love to continue dating you. I'd love to talk to you privately about all of this. You know where to find me if you're ready and want to.'

'I love you, Adrien. Chat Noir. My Kitty. I love you so much.'

'Love, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, your princess.'

Adrien sobbed, a hand coming up to rub his eyes as he smiled.

He could feel the emotion that she had poured into it.

She still loved him.

She still loved him.

A joyous laugh escaped his mouth, despite the fact that he was crying.

He didn't think ready to face her yet, but he was happy. He still had the weekend to think about how he was going to do it, after all. He took the letters and stood up, walking towards his closet. He opened the door and walked to the very back, where a binder lay on a table. He opened it up.

There. The letters that she had placed on her balcony for him- the small things that she had given him in the past- were all in there. He flipped to the middle, where the next blank section was, and placed the two letters in there.

Maybe, things in his life weren't all bad.

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The next day, Saturday, Adrien walked down to sit at the table and eat dinner, deciding that it would be better than to eat/sulk in his room.

And the fact that he was starving.

You can imagine his surprise when he saw his father there, sitting down and looking as though he had been waiting for him.

"Father?" he asked, blinking.

"Good afternoon, Adrien." Gabriel greeted.

"Why aren't you in Japan?" Adrien moved to sit down at the other end of the table, like normal, but Gabriel gestured for him to sit next to him. Adrien did so slowly.

"With me actually there and working with them, I learned that the government in charge of Hafukyatto affairs had kept several things secret from me, afraid of someone hacking into our phone line and overhearing it." Gabriel sighed. "Clara was kidnapped and taken back to Japan to be sold to the highest bidder illegally, as there are people out there who do not see your kind as equal to humans. She was never sold, but when the government stormed the facility, she was one of the many who were… killed while they tried to escape during the attack."

"Oh."

"They are still looking for the people responsible for it- they have them on the run, but unable to escape Japan." Gabriel reached over and grabbed Adrien's hand. "This will be a month of mourning. If you want, we can both tell Andre and Chloe together and mourn with them."

"That…" Adrien swallowed, squeezing Gabriel's hand. He knew his father was serious- or at least, more serious than normal. He had never used first names alone before. "I'm okay with that."

"Good." Gabriel looked at Adrien expectantly. "How are things going with Ms. Dupain-Cheng?"

"Well…" Adrien looked down at the table. "We were alone together, and… and my headband fell off."

He wasn't sure if he could tell Gabriel the truth about what had happened. His father would freak out, knowing that his son was almost shot.

"So she knows now?"

"Yes."

"Have you talked to her?"

"Not yet." Adrien shook his head. "She's sent me two letters talking about it though."

"What did they say?"

"W-Well, she doesn't think any lower of me." Adrien admitted. How did one do this without revealing to their father that they had been sneaking out the whole time, and had dated her under a mask. "And that she understands, and that she wants to talk to me about what happens next in person."

"I see." Gabriel nodded. It was silent for a moment, and then Gabriel moved his hand to place it upon Adrien's shoulder. "Let me give you some advice, Adrien."

Adrien looked up at Gabriel expectantly.

"If you wait too long with a girl." He said. "Then they will start to think that you do not care, that you do not like them, and want nothing to do with them."

"Why would they think that?"

"Girls, as you will learn, think differently than boys." Gabriel sighed. "There was a time, before your mother and I got married, that I was very busy. I couldn't spend any time with her, and she thought that I didn't love her anymore. Your uncles and aunts all approached and talked to me, they told me what Annalise believed."

"Instantly, I knew that I had to do something. I got in trouble for it, but I walked straight out of the building that I was working in, up to your mother, and explained everything that I could. I asked for forgiveness, for a second chance, and I promised to never neglect her on accident ever again."

"Really?" Adrien stared into his father's steely blue/grey eyes. Gabriel nodded.

"Yes."

Adrien looked down at the table, thinking over everything that he could.

Today was Saturday.

It was an easy day.

He couldn't bear the thought of her thinking that he didn't want to be with her, or love her.

"Come on, kid, you know what you need to do."

"Whatever you decide, Honey-Bun, I will support you."

"I'll be back." Adrien stood up and rushed upstairs, not looking back at his father.

So he wouldn't have seen the knowing look in his father's eyes, and a soft smile on his ever-frowning lips.

"Go get her, son."

Adrien threw his headband on and tied his tail up, reaching over for his jacket- the one she had given him- and then his wallet. He paused for a moment, almost as though he was waiting for Plagg to join him.

Adrien shook his head and rushed downstairs, running out the front door and out of the gates.

Now wasn't the time to grieve Plagg's death.

Along the way, he found himself passing a flower shop. He backtracked a bit and walked in, straight up to the counter.

"Can I help you?" A young man, probably a year or so older than Adrien, asked.

"Can I have a bouquet? I don't care which one, as long as it has daisies in it." The young man blinked and nodded, moving to the back. He came out later with a beautiful bouquet.

"I suppose this is for a lovely lady." He admitted, handing the flowers to Adrien. "Five ninety-five."

"Here." Adrien pulled out a ten and placed it on the counter. "Keep the change." Then he rushed out of the store and the rest of the way to Marinette's bakery.

He hoped he wasn't too late.

He rounded the corner and there she was, flipping the store sign from open to close. She turned away from the window, a sad smile on her face.

"Marinette!"

Marinette instantly looked back towards the window and at him, hopefully. A smile grew on her face as she watched him approach, and she threw open the door to the bakery. She launched herself at him just as he stopped by the door, hugging him tightly and causing him to stumble backwards only slightly.

"You came!"

"I-I'm sorry, Mari." Adrien said, hugging her back and breathing in her scent. "I… I was going through something."

"That's okay." Marinette smiled up at him. "You're here now." Adrien nodded in agreement before awkwardly handing her the bouquet.

"F-For you, princess." She gasped, blushing as she took the bouquet from him. She smiled up at him before standing on her tippy-toes to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you, kitty." She whispered into his ear. Adrien blushed, and she giggled, smelling the flowers.

"Want to stay for dinner?" She asked hesitantly, but hopeful at the same time. He smiled down at her lovingly.

"I'd love to, Marinette."

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