Chapter 4

Once the old man was secured on his back, Chat faced the dead end wall once more. He raised his arm to summon his special ability, but froze when he heard a voice behind him.

"There's nowhere to run now, little rat!"

Chat turned to see Dan, Mark, and a large number of guards behind them.

"Now hand over the old man and we will take extra special care of you."

Standing tall, Chat confidently smiled, full of his cat-itude. "There's only one who can make me feel extra special, and it certainly isn't you."

Scoff "Just hand over the old man and nobody gets hurt!'

"You shouldn't lie to your cleaning agents. Keep this up and they're gonna get hurt." Chat said nodding towards the guards behind the doctor.

"Do you honestly believe that you can take down fifteen trained guards all on your own?" Dan laughed. "Don't make me laugh."

"O your going to be swept away when I'm the last one standing." Chat winked

"You can't be serious?!" Mark exclaimed "Why would you go so far for a random old man? He has no family, he's all alone! Why do you care if he disappears from the world?"

"Just because he doesn't have family by blood doesn't mean he's alone, he has friends waiting for him. And sometimes friends are more of a family than anything else." Chat glared at the men before him. "So you will simply have to find another test subject, preferably a willing one."

"Everything I've done is for the better of mankind! My conscious is clear!" Dan exclaimed

"Tsk, tsk, tsk A clear conscience, when it clearly isn't, is usually the sign of a bad memory. You should really get your head checked, doc." Chat teased.

"Stop making us sound like dirty criminals!" Mark exclaimed

"Those who fall in the mud have to come clean sooner or later. Hopefully you get up soon."

"Enough! Get him!"

Chat slightly crouched down to fight, but when he heard Fu softly groan behind him he realized he couldn't fight properly without endangering him. Sure fighting these lackeys would be a breeze for him, but he could risk Fu's safety in the process. And he couldn't have Fu getting captured again. He couldn't let his lady down...

Taking a quick glance beside him he kicked the janitor's cart towards the charging men. Taking full advantage of the distraction, Chat took the moment needed to summon his Cataclysm before pressing his glowing hand to the wall behind him.

Everyone stood in shocked silence as the wall decayed and crumbled.

When the wall was gone a strong breeze hit them, shocking everyone back to reality, while at the same time blowing away the thin cap off of Chat's head and confirming what everyone just suspected.

"C-Chat Noir?!" Dan exclaimed in disbelief, while Mark just stood there mouth agape.

"Well looks like the Chat's out of the bag!" the hero exclaimed as he ripped the overalls off his body and stood proudly in his skin tight disguise.

"But...W-Why would one of the Heroes of Paris care so much about this old man?! Does he mean something to you? To Ladybug?"

'Maybe to Ladybug…' Chat gave a confident and proud smile. "That's the thing about Heroes, we care about the city that is under our protection and everyone in it. Sure we can't be there for everyone, but when we do hear cries for help there is no way to turn a blind eye. Especially when it is from a very concerned citizen and apparent friend to this old man, of course I will do everything in my power to help. Now if you'll excuse me…" Chat gave them his famous salute before he pulled out his staff.

"W-wait!" Dan cried out before Chat could jump away "I-I don't care who you are! I need that old man! I can't let you take him!"

"And I can't leave him. You can try to take him from me, but I think we all know who fights Akumas on a weekly basis…" Chat smugly smirked at them, curious to see who would even attempt to challenge him.

"I-I don't think force will be necessary. I believe you will give him up willingly." Dan replied with an smug smirk.

"Oh? What makes you believe that?" Chat slightly tilted his head in curiosity

"Because I am sure that you wouldn't want the people you protect to start doubting your efforts or intentions. It would be tragic if you were seen in a negative light."

"You assume that starting rumors will ruin my purr-fect reputation. I doubt your words will even leave a scratch."

"What if I had more than words? What if I had video evidence?" Dan's smug smile grew wider when he saw the realization dawn on the hero's face. "People are so easily swayed in their opinions on celebrities. I doubt they would be willing to cooperate with a villain who kidnapped a sick old man from a clinic where he was seeking medical treatment for a mysterious ailment."

"You would risk the safety of hundreds, if not thousands, of innocents for your own selfish gains…" Chat glared at the man before him, which sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"Y-yes, I would! I am so close in gaining immortality! Now hand him over!"

"Uhh… ok. I think you have gone off the proverbial deep end there doc. Just because this man looks very old doesn't mean he's immortal. I don't think researching myths and legends will do well for you in the medical community." Chat's ring gave off its first warning beep "So good luck with that I gotta go." the hero turned and prepared to jump out the hole he created.

"No! Stop him!" Dan yelled at his guards who looked at him hesitant. "Do something or your careers will be over! And I'll make you and your family's lives miserable!"

In fear, mostly for their families, six guards took aim and shot their taser guns at the black clad hero.

Chat was slightly worried when they first fired, but when he glanced back he grinned when he saw that they seemed to have aimed to miss… but of course he was never that lucky. One taser hit him right on the left buttock.

The hero's heroes body automatically stiffened when he felt the electric shock course through him. The suit took most of the shock but it was still painful enough to ruin his jump. He wasn't going to make it to the building he was aiming for... 'well that's a pain in the a-' he sighed a breath of relief and shock when he felt a familiar string wrap around his wrist, automatically he grabbed hold to it before he was suddenly pulled up and towards the building he was originally aiming for.

Unfortunately for him, since he is the embodiment of bad luck and all, his lady's string didn't pull him high enough… and since both hands were busy he face planted hard against the brick wall only inches from the ledge.

"Oh my gosh! Chat! Are you ok?!" Ladybug asked as she grabbed his hand that her string was still wound around and pulled him up. "I'm so sorry! I pulled with all my strength…" she looked over her partner's face when he sat down in the safety of the roof.

He groaned and rubbed his nose in pain before taking a good look at his partner. Even with the mask on she still looked flushed, her eyes weren't as bright as they usually were, and she was panting - but that could've been from the run here.

"Ow- Ladybug, now I'm not saying that it isn't wonderful to see my lady especially after you saved me from a nasty fall, but what are you doing here and still sick?" Chat asked as he looked up at with a raised eyebrow.

Ladybug looked away slightly ashamed "I was worried about you so I thought I could just come to make sure how you were doing."

"you didn't trust me?" he held his breath as he waited for her response

She immediately faced him when she strongly stated "No! Of course I trust you! I just…"

"Wanted to see me?" Chat finished for her with a smug smirk.

Ladybug was going to try and blame the blush on her fever, but the look in her partner's eyes told her he wouldn't really buy it.

Meanwhile, not wanting to hear her rejection Chat looked around and noticed something beside her.

"My lady, what's that?"

"o I summoned a lucky charm halfway here. I had a feeling you were going to have to use your cataclysm since you were taking so long." she looked behind him and saw the hole in the building. "and it looks like I was right."

Chat turned to look at the hole he made and saw Dan still there yelling at the heroes.

"Just you watch! I will let all of Paris know the thief's you truly are! I'll show them all!"

Chat just gave the man his signature salute with a knowing grin.

"And why are you so happy Chaton? He just threatened to make our lives... complicated…" Ladybug asked with a raised eyebrow

"Why bugaboo, you should know how sneaky your Chat can be." he winked at her. When she just placed her hands on her hips and waited for him to continue he just shrugged. "this cat just took a copy of today's surveillance video and deleted the original. He can try to recover it but I'm good at breaking things." he snickered.

She giggled and it was the most wonderful thing to Chat. "O kitty, you know it's not nice to break other people's things" she playfully teased

Elated that she was teasing him, teased back. "but my lady" he whined playfully "he was just so mean to us, I just had to take out my frustrations somehow." he batted his kitty eyes "And I broke it as a gift for my beautiful lady. Can't be giving her more unneeded stress when she's sick."

Ladybug fondly shook her head while trying to hide her blush as she picked up her lucky charm.

"Then I should make sure i leave it broken, it was a gift from someone important after all." she smirked when Chat blushed with a goofy smile. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Her little pink ladybugs went and quickly fixed the broken wall and successfully shutting Dan's rants up.

Ladybug slightly swayed once her spell was cast and she hoped Chat didn't notice as he walked to stand beside her, Fu still on his back.

"well done my Lady, shall we return?"

She nodded and turned with him before they were stopped by a drowsy voice.

"W-wait…" they both looked to Fu. "Ladybug… you must cleanse…before he makes … contact…." he said while pointing towards the building again.

"Cleanse? Wait… you can sense akuma?" Ladybug asked, desperately searching the sky for the cursed butterfly.

"Ladybug, there!" Chat pointed to above a window on the sixth floor, it looked like it was trying to find a way in.

"No more evil-doing for you!" the heroine exclaimed as she activated her yoyo and threw it. She smiled triumphantly once the akuma was captured. "Bye-bye little butterfly" They watched as the purified butterfly flew away.

The happy moment was dashed when the duo heard their miraculous beep their warnings. Both saw that they only had about four minutes left.

"Shall we my lady? I wouldn't want to be caught unmasked and so close to a nut job. Though I wouldn't mind seeing my bugaboo unmasked." He said with a smirk.

Ladybug shook her head while hiding a soft smile. "Come on chaton, it's a long way back…"

Chat jumped to steady her when she dangerously swayed. "Ladybug!" He gently lowered her to the ground.

"I-I'm fine…" She murmured

"No you are obviously not fine." Chat scolded. Her earrings reminded him they only had four minutes before changing back. "Crud. Well looks like I'm gonna put my speed to the test…"

Chat repositioned Ladybug so she was on his back next to Fu. While most of their weight was mostly on the ground he doubled his baton, slightly extended it before slipping it beneath his lady and Fu so that they were sitting on it, then took Ladybug's yoyo and tied it to both ends of his baton, making sure it slacked enough to hold it firm around his neck. Thankful it was practically indestructible sting and had no chance or breaking.

Slowly standing up he tested his quick makeshift sling and was satisfied that it held them both up pretty well, well better after he wrapped the yoyo around Fu since he was so short but it helped that he was partially conscious enough that he held on tight to him either way, he glanced at the map on his doubled baton before he started sprinting. Thankful that he had a free hand to use his staff to gain more distance.

He was slowed, a great deal, with the added weight so they didn't get very far by the time he heard his miraculous give its final warning. Skidding to a halt on a fairly secluded roof with plenty of large vents to hide from prying eyes, he started to gently lower his passengers to the ground.

He was relieved to feel Fu lower himself on his own, but as he twisted around to help his lady off his back, he heard her miraculous give off its final beep, as a bright light surrounded her, and slightly blinded him.

When the light faded and his sight returned he blinked down at her. "My la- M-Marienette?"