It felt freeing to be in her suit again after not having worn it for almost two weeks.

Chat Noir had contacted her, asking her to meet him. He had sent her the address, a place she had never been before.

The thing was, she couldn't understand why he needed to see her. He hadn't sounded urgent in the slightest, so it couldn't have been because of an Akuma attack.

She was trying desperately to narrow down the possibility's, when she noticed a lone figure on a building a couple hundred yards away.

Chat Noir.

Her partner looked at ease, sitting with his legs over hanging the edge of the building, his feet swinging back and forth like a five-year-old.

She smiled and shook her head at the sight before swinging away from the building she was on.

"No matter how hard you try, you can never sneak up on me Ladybug," the boy said suddenly.

Ladybug stomped her foot. "Rats!" She muttered.

"No thanks. I prefer mice," he said, still facing away from his partner.

"Ha ha, very funny!" Ladybug replied dryly, sitting beside the black-clad hero.

"So, what was so urgent that you just couldn't wait to see me? I could tell it wasn't an Akuma,"

ladybug quickly found out that leg-swinging was contagious.

"I had to ask you something,"

"Ask me something?" Ladybug said skeptically. "You called me all the way out here, to ask me something?"

"Um, yeah?" Chat replied rather unsurely.

"Well, ask away then,"

"I was wondering, have you told anyone?"

"Told anyone what?"

"Your secret. Who you are behind the mask?"

"No,"

"Really? Why not?"

Ladybug sighed. She knew where this was headed, and she really didn't want to go there.

"Because I want to protect both myself and them. We've already been over this Chat! I'm not telling you my secret Identity!"

"No! No! No!" Chat replied hastily, defensively putting his hands up in front of him. "That's not at all what I was meaning! I was just surprised is all,"

"Why? Have you told anyone?" She snapped back.

Chat turned away from her, focusing his attention on the setting sun.

"No. But I almost have. I was gonna tell my best friend, let him into a part of my life that no one else knows about. Give him the opportunity to help me carry this burden. ThenI realized that this is my burden, and mine alone,"

Ladybug sat dumbfounded, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape.

Was this the same boy who had wanted for so long to see behind the red and black mask of hers? Or had he been replaced by another copy-cat?

"When did this happen?" she asked.

"When did what happen?" he replied, turning his gaze back to her.

Man, those green eyes were so beautiful!

"When did you start to become so smart?"

The blonde sighed. "We all have to grow up sometime. I just did so when you weren't looking,"

Ladybug instantly picked up on the sadness in his voice.

"Hey, whats eating you?" She asked, putting a hand on his knee.

"I didn't want to just ask you a question," he admitted.

Ladybug sighed, shaking her head.

"I wanted to tell you something too,"

"What's that?" she asked playfully.

"Summer is starting in a few weeks,"

"This I know,"

"And my father is having me leave in three days,"

"For how long?" she asked, concerned now that her partner was going to be gone.

"The whole Summer. I actually won't be back until after September,"

"What?!" she exclaimed jumping to her feet. "You can't leave me alone to protect Paris for that long! I can't destroy things! I can't engage the villains with terrible banter! I don't do puns!"

"Relax. I wi - wait! I have fantastic banter!" he countered, placing his hands on his hips.

"Focus Chat! How am I supposed to defend Paris from Hawkmoth without you?"

"You can do it. I know you can," he reassured her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"No I can't! I have never defendedParis without you! I'm gonna fail! I'm gonna be a disaster! I'm never gonna defeat any Akumas, and Hawkmoth will rule Paris, and then the world, and will all be because I, mph!"

Ladybug's rant was interrupted by the presence of Chat Noir's lips on her own.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"I was just sick of your ranting and raving. You. Will. Do fine. I believe in you,"

Ladybug suddenly wrapped her arms around her partner's midsection. She could feel his breath catch, and his heartbeat quicken as she nuzzled her face into his muscled chest.

"Write to me?" she whispered softly into the black leather covering his chest.

"I'll text you as much as I can," he replied, wrapping his arms around the girl, his chin resting on top of her head.

"Ok,"

"I love you," the boy said, his voice low and sincere.

"I love you too," she replied, hugging hime even tighter.

Chat pulled away only a moment later, his piercing green eyes looking into the bluebell ones of his partner.

"I will be back," he confirms to her. "I promise,"

"I know you will. It's getting dark, we should probably go patrol,"

"Allow me tonight My Lady!" Chat Noir said playfully, giving her a graceful bow.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, smiling at the antics of her partner.

"You goob!" she exclaimed, pushing him lightly on his shoulder.

"Until we meet again My Lady!" Chat replied, bowing again before kissing her hand.

And with that, he bounded across the buildings and out of sight.

Ladybug sighed before swinging herself towards home.

Unbeknownst to her though, Adrien stood in the shadows, de-transforming on a rooftop. He watched as she went.

"What was that?! I thought you were gonna tell her you knew her secret today!" Plagg said, his voice squeaking slightly.

Adrien sighed. "I couldn't tell her Plagg. Not after what she said,"

"And what about telling her that you're going away for the Summer? You weren't gonna tell her that until you actually had to leave!"

"I know, but she's my partner, and she deserves to know,"

"Sometimes, you amaze me kid! Now, let's get going. This city wont patrol itself you know!"

Adrien nodded in agreement.

"Plagg, Claws Out!"