Marinette stared out at the chaos around her. Alya was hanging off of her arm, bragging into her phone about how wonderful Marinette was and how much she loved her, while Marinette ignored her. Alya kept asking her questions then answering them herself. Marinette decided it was time to throw some questions at Alya.

"Hey, Alya-"

"Yes sugar?" Alya cooed.

It was still uncomfortable to see her act like this, especially towards her. Alya had never been this sappy. Never.

"what defeats love?" Marinette pressed on.

"defeats love?" Alya laughed. "Nothing! love conquers all."

"that's what I'm afraid of," Marinette muttered.

They watched some guy race across the street after whoever he'd seen when he was shot, screaming at the top of his lungs, before leaping on the back of some other guy and beating him from above. Two officers came storming over to rip the two apart and keep them apart. Sitting on the steps of Master Fu's building they weren't exactly in the middle of the fighting, but they were kettled in like fish in a barrel. Alya was filming it happily, while keeping her fingers entwined with Marinette's, as if they weren't practically doomed.

"It's funny, all this time we've spent chasing after Adrien, who would have thought our own love story would come from that!?" Alya laughed.

There was a gasp from nearby. "A love story! Brilliant! I'll write the story of our love and then Chloe will surely love me again! Thank you Alya, thank you!"

Nathanael threw his arms around her happily, making Alya laugh as she pushed him gently away. Marinette noted how their relationship changed. Alya was head over heels for her (which she was still trying to figure out how to escape from), but she still treated Nathanael like she always had. He was a little overly giddy which made him a little more confident than usual, but he was still treating them like he usually did. It was odd, but she appreciated the consistency.

"Nathanael, where's Chloe now?" Marinette asked.

"Chasing Chat Noir to find out where Ladybug is," Nathanael explained.

Marinette sat bolt upright. "WHERE?!"

"Aww, babe's taking me to meet Ladybug isn't she the best?!" Alya clung onto her arm a little tighter.

"Aww you two are so lucky… do you think Chloe will fall for me? How could such a goddess fall for someone as miserable as me?" Nathanael's shoulders sagged sadly.

Alya leapt to her feet, placing a hand on each of his shoulders. "Don't put yourself down Nath, you're a wonderful person! any girl would be lucky to have you."

"you think?" Nathanael asked, from behind his hair.

"when love is true, it finds a way to beat everything, right babe? Babe?" Alya turned in confusion when Marinette didn't reply. She only just caught a glimpse as her friend darted out of the way of Kim as he tried to hold Alix back to stop her attacking someone. Alya instantly started chasing her. "Marinette! Wait up!"

Chloe wasn't hard to miss. She was the little yellow dot screaming at the sky from on top of a wall which she'd have needed a step to climb up onto. That explained the footprint on Nathanael's back. Although the rosy lipstick smudges across her cheeks suggested Nathanael had stolen enough kisses to get his own back. Marinette wondered how many marks had been left on herself after Alya's constant ambushes. There was at least one on her neck. There had to be.

"COME BACK YOU STUPID CAT AND BRING MY BOYFRIEND WITH YOU!" Chloe screamed.

Marinette flew to the bottom of the wall. "Hey Chloe, where is he?!"

"what'd you care Dupain-Cheng?! You think you can take Nino from me like you took Adrien, you've got another thing coming!" Chloe snarled.

Marinette gave her a baffled look, "Adrien?"

"that's what I said! You just like sloppy seconds, don't you?!" Chloe snarled darker.

Marinette ignored her, because Chat Noir came down close enough that he could hear her yell. "CHAT NOIR!"

Chat glanced downwards sharply as he tried to work out who was screaming his name. That's when he spotted Marinette. She waved frantically to get his attention. On his back, Nino gasped eagerly.

"Look! Its Marinette! Can we say hi - can we, can we?!" Nino begged.

"Marinette?" Chat frowned.

Chat Noir hung off the edge of the building he was on top of, and looked down to the crowd in the kettle, searching for her. She was the only person he could rely on until Ladybug came back. She was the only one he knew who had experience and would listen to him.

"CHAT!" She yelled again.

The waving caught his eyes, and he realised that Marinette was the one yelling at him. He smirked. Marinette was always there when he needed her, even if she didn't know it was him.

"Please kitty babe?!" Nino begged.

"Sure thing," Chat said.

Nino laughed triumphantly. He shifted further up Chat's back and wrapped his arms tighter around Chat's chest. Chat stretched out the baton to use as a fireman's pole to slide down to the street. Nino giggled as the wind swept past him, throwing his hat down to the floor before he got there. Chat landed in front of Marinette with a grin.

"Hey Princess," he winked.

She grinned at him. "Hi, I'm a damsel in distress, wanna be my knight in shining armour and get me the hell out of here?"

Nino's head appeared on Chat's shoulder like a turtle from a shell and hissed at Marinette. "Too late, he's my knight!"

Chloe stamped her foot furiously, "No you're my knight Nino! Give me my boyfriend back you mangey fleabag!"

Nino scowled at her furiously, "Don't talk about my hero like that!"

Chat groaned, rolling his eyes. Marinette raised an eyebrow and folded her arms, smirking. He shook his head, "don't ask."

Marinette chuckled to herself. At least that explained the lipstick marks along his forehead and cheeks. This lipstick never seemed to dry up or vanish, and everyone – well almost everyone – had at least one on them somewhere where they had been caught unawares. What Marinette didn't know, was that the boldest, oldest mark on the centre of Chat's cheek, was made by Ladybug.

"I saw Ladybug leaving. Is she ok?" she asked.

"she's…" Chat wasn't sure how to explain it, so he just flashed her a smile and changed the subject, "want to help me again? you were good last time, and I'm in need of a part-paw."

"GIVE ME MY BOYFRIEND BACK!" Chloe screamed, leaning as far off of the wall as she could to try and grab Nino.

Nino groaned and turned to yell back at her. "I DON'T LOVE YOU CHLOE, I'M WITH CHAT NOIR!"

Chloe and Nino started arguing as she confessed her undying love and he batted it away like an empty soda can. Chat gave Marinette the best kitty eyes he could muster, because he really, really needed help, and she didn't seem to have been shot.

"purr-lease?" he begged.

"MARINETTE!" Alya cried as she finally broke through the crowd.

Marinette's slightly smug composure vanished as her face fell. "if it gets me out of here, I'm in."

Before Chat could wrap an arm around his waist and shoot off into the rooftops of the city, leaving the drama of the kettle behind them, Alya came dashing over to attach herself to Marinette. The taller girl wrapped her arms around the smallers waist and hugged her tight.

"Marinette babe I thought you were leaving without me! Don't run off like that, I was worried about you!" Alya cooed.

Marinette rolled her eyes as Alya nuzzled against her neck affectionately. Chat arched an eyebrow.

"Don't ask," Marinette sighed.

Chat smirked. Looks like he wasn't the only one with a best friend being a little too friendly. Alya broke away from Marinette, keeping an arm around her middle, to grin at Nino as he stopped arguing with Chloe for a moment.

"hey Nino," she grinned.

"Hey Alya, look!" Nino pressed himself against Chat's chest, making Chat's cheeks turn pink. "How cute are Chat and I?!"

Behind her hand Marinette giggled, until Alya pulled her closer, her arm moving up from her middle to her waist.

"Not as cute as me and Marinette!" Alya challenged.

"oh please, we are so the cutest couple!"

"no way! Tell him babe!"

Chat and Marinette shared an urgent look. Both of them were keenly aware that 1. Chloe was in love with Nino so wouldn't be happy with this conversation, 2. Alya and Nino, although yet to share a proper kiss, were a couple and were in love, and 3. Chat Noir was far too in love with Ladybug to pretend to be comfortable in this situation. It was down to Marinette to rescue Chat, by letting Chat rescue her.

"help," she whispered.

Chat smirked. "at once princess."

The protest from Alya and Nino as Marinette leapt into Chat's arms, linking hers around his neck as one of his wrapped around her waist, was only drowned out by the sound of Chloe leaping from the wall, onto Nino, foolishly believing he'd catch her and she could take that to mean he loved her back. Chat hit the baton sharpish, so they could escape quickly. Alya set about immediately attempting to climb the baton, but Chat retracted it as soon as they got to the rooftop, and she fell to the ground with a thump.

Chat held Marinette in his arms delicately. There was a certain about of safety between them that he didn't fully understand, and she didn't fully appreciate. Right now, her mind was back at home looking at the photograph hanging on the wall in the hallway, of her father holding her mother like this as they crossed the bakery threshold.

Chat's mind, however, was on protecting his friend. "You've gotta be careful up here, ok Marinette? Cupid Stunt is circling like a vulture, and I don't have enough hands to deal with everything."

"No, no, sure, you can drop me off on my balcony," she said.

Chat didn't want to let her go that quickly. He didn't like fighting alone and everyone else was climbing the walls to find the person they loved. She was the only one who could help him.

"will you be safe there?" he asked.

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" she shrugged.

That was difficult to argue with, and yet he wanted to try. He wanted to keep an eye on her. Everyone else he knew was affected, if he could just keep her safe...

"I see you found a girl willing to put up with your pussy-footing!" Cupid Stunt's voice came from behind Chat, making her grip on his neck stiffen. He turned to face the villain, who pursed his lips and shook his head. "Marinette you could do so much better."

"Hey!" Chat cried in offence.

Marinette, however, was unfazed. "Love is love André, there's no better than that."

"Well said dear, but you might want to sit this one out," he sneered, "Oh, and its Cupid. Cupid Stunt. Not André."

Chat Noir leapt to the next rooftop to carefully sit Marinette there, safe.

"One quick fight, and then I take you home, paw-mise!" He said.

"Don't make me sit this out Chat Noir, you can use me!" She argued.

"I will. Just stay on here, keep an eye on him, and let me know if you see anything that could be an akuma," he promised.

"That's it?" Her shoulders sagged. She could do so much more!

"And keep down. It'd break my heart if my princess fell for another knight in shining armour," he winked.

She sighed. He was right, it was safer here, no matter how useless she felt. She had to say safe right now, because she wasn't Ladybug. She had to protect Tikki. "Alya always says don't argue with the designated driver."

Chat chuckled and made sure she kept down before turning away to leap back into the fight with Cupid Stunt.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty! Let's play mystery date!" Cupid Stunt called.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm a one girl cat, and nothing will change that," Chat called.

Cupid drew back his bow. Chat Noir flicked out the arms of the sunglasses Ladybug had pressed into his hand. The green paw prints of the Chat Noir themed glasses were purr-fect. He could look directly at Cupid Stunt, despite the silver wings shining at him. Marinette snorted at him. He'd brought his own sunglasses, despite them being plastic and tacky. He was such a dork.

Chat Noir twirled his baton fast enough to turn it into a blur. Every shot he fired Chat dodged with more urgency than usual. He didn't want to be hit too.

"You're quick on your paws, but love strikes where you least expect it!" Cupid snarled.

"Oh purr-lease! we've been expecting this akuma all week, you've got nothing that can surprise us now!" Chat sneered.

Cupid sneered back, "Oh no?"

Marinette's jaw dropped as Cupid Stunt pulled the silver feathers out of his wings, and built a new, bigger bow, able to fire three arrows at one. He sneered at Chat as he pulled back the bow.

"Oh, so that's how you make a bowtie..." Chat said.

Marinette winced as Chat found himself becoming a ballerina to avoid the new rapid fire of arrows aimed straight at him. Her attention strayed from her partner when she spotted someone moving about down on the street below them. It took her a moment to realise just who that person was, but when she did, she realised that there was no chance he was alone.

"IVAN RUN!"

The cry from his classmate fell on deaf ears. Ivan was going nowhere. Not while Mylene was panicking like this. He didn't care if he got hit or not, Mylene came first.

"Ignore them Mylene, they're not here, I am. Sing with me now," Ivan urged.

Marinette cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled down at Ivan so he couldn't ignore her. "IVAN, SERIOUSLY, RUN!"

Ignoring her regardless, Ivan focused on singing to Mylene, and she tried to join in despite the shaking nerve in her voice, but they didn't get very far. Cupid Stunt was taking aim, ready to stop them.

"Smelly wolf, smelly wolf-"

"IVAN!"

Marinette threw herself forward, throwing out her arm so far she almost fell over the edge of the building. Chat Noir gasped urgently and leapt back to scoop her up before she could topple over the rest of the way. Marinette scrambled to look over his shoulder just in time to see Ivan link his fingers through Mylene's and both of them run off towards the safety of the next street. Marinette sighed with relief, falling limp against Chat's chest in a hauntingly familiar way. Chat's heart beat so hard and so protectively that she felt it against her chest. His hand found its way against her head, and she tightened her grip to assure him she was ok.

"See Chat Noir? True love brings out the best!" Cupid Stunt sneered.

"Is this true love? All you seem to do is make a lot of people quiver!" Chat snarled.

"Put me down Chat, I haven't found the akuma yet," Marinette urged.

"Too late for that! I've got to get you somewhere safe!" Chat declared.

Marinette couldn't protest because Chat Noir already had his baton in his hand, ready to leap towards the balcony of the bakery not so very far away. Chat's change of heart was born of protection. He couldn't risk Marinette, no matter how desperately he wanted a partner.

They stopped behind a chimney, so Chat could ensure they weren't being followed. "If Ladybug was here we could tie him up while we searched for the akuma. It'd slow him down at least..."

"We could try now, you get some wire and I'll help!" Marinette suggested.

"No, he'd break through wire, and I couldn't let you get too near. He's too good a shot, that's the trouble with archers. Actually, here's a lot of drawbacks," Chat smirked.

Marinette tilted her head up to give him the most unimpressed look. "Seriously? Now?"

Chat flashed her a smile. "Archery puns are always on target princess!"

He scooped her up again when Cupid Stunt noticed him, and she hung on a little tighter. While they ran, Marinette couldn't resist the urge to comment on the paws over his eyes.

"By the way Chat, nice glasses," she smiled.

"I need them when I see you because you brighten up my day," he teased.

Well he wasn't about to tell her that they were gaudy and tacky, but he loved them because Ladybug had given them to him. That would have been soppy and pathetic. Chat's grip on her tightened as he realised he'd have to expose both of them to dart across the street, where the more sheltered rooftops were. She screwed her eyes shut and waited for them to land again.

Chat's yelp made her open her eyes, but he twisted back into position as they came into land, so Marinette bounced safely on the ground, but Chat himself went flying across the ground, scratching up his uniform. Marinette stood up and dusted herself down.

"Great landing Chat," she said, sarcastically.

He groaned as he propped his head up onto his elbow to meet her gaze. She gasped in horror. A large golden arrow was sticking out of his shoulder. Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open as he grinned at her.

"Please don't tell me you love me," dread tinted her tone.

Chat gave her a baffled look, "You're a good friend Princess, but I've got my eye on a Lady."

Marinette blinked in surprise. The tension in her shoulders eased for a moment because of it. "You don't love me?"

Chat stood up, looking surprised, and cleared his throat uncertainly. "Wow, Marinette, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you-"

Marinette ignored him as she laid a hand on his arm to pull the arrow out of his shoulder. It had pierced his clothes and scratched his arm, but he didn't seem to have any reaction.

"How comes the arrow didn't affect you either?" she asked.

"What arrow?" Chat asked, surprise.

"I saw you get hit by this arrow, and then you looked right at me!" She pointed the arrow at him with high accusation, "Are you sure you're not in love with me?"

"Sorry princess, I'm a one girl cat-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, why didn't the arrow affect you or Ivan?"

Chat looked even more baffled now, "Ivan?"

"Didn't you see?" she asked.

"See what?" he shrugged.

"Ivan got hit, and he didn't get affected. He just went back to protecting Mylene instead. They ran off singing like neither ever got hit," she explained.

Chat frowned thoughtfully. "Ivan wasn't affected? Neither was your father. How are they similar?"

"They're both on the large side. They're both guys with hearts of gold. You've got the heart, but you're too scrawny," Marinette flicked his bell to tease him.

"Hey!" Chat tried to sound annoyed but the chuckle in his voice wouldn't let him.

Marinette turned her attention to the akuma flying away. She asked the question as if she was trying to ask him. "What else could it be?"

"They're both deeply in love," Chat offered.

A lightbulb went on in Marinette's mind. "That's true..."

"That's the power of love!" Chat smirked.

Marinette snapped her fingers and cried, "That's it!"

Chat blink in confusion. "What's it?"

"Love! Love will tear us apart!" Marinette beamed.

"Come again?"

"The power of true love is that it can break any spell. Especially love spells!"

"True loves kiss? But your father didn't get kissed after he got hit," Chat pointed out.

"Maybe its that he already shared it. The day he met mum, the day they got engaged, his wedding day, when I was born, and a billion times in between. Ivan and Mylene shared their first kiss the day I - you saved him from being Stoneheart! They've already shared true loves kiss," Marinette insisted.

"That seems like a long shot," Chat warned.

"You already kissed Ladybug, even if you don't remember it, so it didn't affect you. If Rose and Juleka were here I could prove my point perfectly, but they're not so-"

It hit Chat what the cure to get Ladybug back was, and he didn't need Marinette to keep rambling. He was eager for her not to actually, because this way he had an excuse to kiss Ladybug properly and Marinette to back him up when Ladybug got mad. He grabbed her hands to stop her.

"I believe you. It's completely logical. The cure for Ladybug is true loves kiss," he smiled.

Marinette gulped. She had to kiss her true love. Even though she would be Ladybug and she wouldn't remember even remember it, it was a disappointing reason to do it. She imagined her first kiss with Adrien would be a great, magical affair, complete with confessions of undying love. Even if she wouldn't remember it, she couldn't help being a little disappointed. After all you only got one chance at a first kiss. But this was too important to risk.

"Chat Noir I need you to listen to me, because this is really important. All you have to do is find Adrien Agreste," Marinette said, seriously.

Chat's heart beat faster and his eyes widened as he stammered, "What, why?! What's Adrien got to do with anything?!"

"I can't explain how I know, but Ladybug's true love is Adrien Agreste. If you get him to kiss her, that should break this spell!" Marinette urged.

Chat froze. He couldn't believe his ears. Everyone in Paris knew Ladybug and Chat Noir were in love. Everyone but Ladybug, and apparently Marinette. He found himself wondering what Alya knew that he didn't. How else would Marinette know Ladybug didn't love him.

Except she did love him.

The wrong side of him.

"Adrien Agreste is Ladybug's true love?" Chat asked.

Marinette nodded frantically, "Yeah-"

"Are you sure? I mean are you certain?" Chat asked, his voice becoming tenser and more demanding, "Are you absolutely and unequivocally certain that Adrien Agreste is Ladybugs true love?!"

"Yes! I-" Marinette suddenly realised why he was so anxious about this. A flood of guilt hit her like a tsunami. Her hand moved to her mouth as it did. "Oh Chat... I'm sorry... I know you love her, but... I'm sorry you had to find out this way..."

Ignoring her guilt, Chat wanted answers. Actual answers. "Are you sure?!"

Marinette's hand laid gently on his uninjured arm. "Yes. I'm sure. She loves him more than anything in the world. Trust me. She told me."

He grabbed her by her jacket urgently. "What? When? Why? Where? How?"

Despite the urgency in his grip, Marinette was able to push him off with ease. "I'm sorry but more important things are happening right now, you've got to trust me!"

"Ok. I trust you," Chat promised. He tried really hard not to beam joyously, so he focused on the pain that, even though she loved him, she loved the wrong half. He took a deep breath. That could be fixed. After all if she loved part of him, she could grow to love the rest... right?

"Kitty-" she reached out and gasped when he shoved her back.

Chat didn't notice how roughly he pushed her arm away because his mind was elsewhere. "Ill find Adrien, you find Ladybug. Get her to meet me- you know what? She'll find me."

Marinette was going to mention that being on this rooftop made that a little difficult, but Chat held out his baton, so it became a fireman's pole to escape with. He held out his other hand to help her step up onto the edge of the rooftop, so she could reach the baton. She took his hands, and paused, holding onto it.

Marinette had never taken time to appreciate the delicacy of his claws before. They were soft and smooth when he was gentle like this, and yet strong and powerful and destructive when he wanted them to be. Her thumb ran along his thumb claw. The sharpness barely scratched her, and yet a drop of blood pearled at the point they touched.

It ached to know she was hurting him, but she didn't love him. It wasn't true enough to save Paris. That wasn't her fault. The heart wants what the heart wants. But he was in pain because of it, and that hurt her too.

"Chat?" She said, softly.

"Yeah?" he asked, very obviously distracted.

"I really am sorry about how you found out," she said.

Chat's heart went out to her. She seemed genuinely worried for him. Him. Chat Noir. A relative stranger. Marinette was such a sweetheart. He ran a hand across her cheek affectionately, and then worried it might seem weird. Marinette didn't seem to think so. Instead she smiled.

"don't be afraid to make cat calls when you need me Princess," he winked.

"good luck kitty," she said.

Chat held the baton tightly until she had reached the safety of the deserted street below. They had to hand it to the police, they had managed to contain the riot well. Marinette ducked for cover as soon as Chat Noir had leapt onwards with his journey. She hid between a post-box and a bush, and uncovered Tikki as gently as possible. The hurt kwami groaned as Marinette moved her.

"Sorry!" Marinette winced. "Are you ok Tikki?"

"I'll be fine just as soon as this cure is broken," Tikki promised.

"I'm sorry you have to suffer like this," Marinette whispered.

"Plagg's had worse. Repeatedly," Tikki said, remembering Dark Cupid and Despair Bear in particular.

"Let's go help him now, so neither of our idiots get hurt," Marinette ran a finger along the little stumpy wings on het kwamis back without really thinking. Usually that made her chirp happily. Now she just quivered in pain. "Tikki, if you're up to it, spots on."

Ladybug came bursting out of the bushes and into the street, causing Tikki's stomach to twist as she echoed Cupid Stunt, crying out, "Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

For Marinette's sake as well as her own, Tikki hoped this would work.