I clasp the bell in my hands tightly and step into the other room. Cat seems to be asleep, but its to risky to transform in front of him. "Spots On." I purify the akuma and open one of the windows, watching it flutter out into the darkness. I detransform then shut the window, sighing. My fight with Cat is finally over, so why don't I feel happy? Because you haven't told him your Ladybug yet, and your feeling like your hiding part of yourself.

I slam a fist against a wall. Two words, and it would be in the open. Two words and I would know if I passed or failed. So, why do these two words harder to say I love you? Tears build in my eyes, and I choke out a sob, not bothering to hide or muffle it. I fall to the floor, curling into a ball, shaking.

"Marinette?" The door cracks open and Cat walks in, seeing me on the floor, cold, small, scared. Something he rarely saw me do as Ladybug. "Are you injured?" he kneels down next to me on the floor, checking for injuries. I find his eyes, so beautiful and good, shining with love. "Cat, I'm…" the words are choking me, heavy and sour on my tongue. Shouldn't the words be light and sweet, like honey from a flower. Cat holds me tighter in his arms. So warm, so comforting, so strong. "Marinette, honey, breathe."

I try to follow his instructions the best I can, and gradually the shaking stops. "Whatever you want to discuss with me can wait until your ready. For now, how about some hot tea and bed?" I manage a small smile, though I'm exhausted. "That sounds nice." He presses a kiss to my forehead and gathers me into his arms.

Cat walks over to the bed in the corner, pulling back the covers and places me into bed like a small child. "I'll make that tea, and come right back." Though I trust him, my fingers grasp his tail as my heart feels like its circling a racetrack. "Don't leave me. Please." "I'm not going anywhere, but maybe this will help." He leans forward and those lips that I love so much fasten to mine, and my heart bursts open like a bud. The pain in my heart eases as if there were no hole at all. Slowly, he pulls back. "Think you can hang on a minute?" I nod, and as he strides away, I hug my fluffy pillow while checking out his butt.

"Your tea, Princess. Plus, a late night snack." "How did the person that lodged here last know that graham crackers are my favorite snack?" "Or maybe you got lucky." Yes, Ladybug's Luck has always been on my side, or rather I just used my head. I sip the sweet tea, and nibble at my cracker. "You want to know a secret?" Cat wiggles closer. "You have magazine cut-outs of me?" I set down my tea on the nightstand and smack him. "No!" Cat raises an eyebrow and leans forward. "Are you lying?" his sweet breath clouds my sense, but somehow him asking me that triggers a memory as when Adrien Agreste asked me that same question and gestures several years ago. "No! Maybe! Yes!" I squeak. I find his fluffy hair and run my fingers through it so its sticking up and extremely fluffy. "But your a lion," I giggle. "I'm not a lion," he pouts, pretending to be hurt. "I'm a tame kitty cat." I snort. "Oh? So, what was the roar I heard the other day when you were watching me make dinner?" "I was hungry." "I'll say." "Princess!" Now, we're laughing so hard tears stream down our faces. "Sorry, you were going to tell me a secret, and I interrupted." "I don't mind," I say, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes. "I like my graham crackers dunked in milk, and chocolate is my very favorite flavor."

The bed is warm, to warm and I slip out of bed to find a nightgown or a T-shirt. Finding a over sized T-shirt in my backpack, I slip it on and crawl back into bed. Cat watches me. I lay back on the bed, but don't pull up the covers, looking at Cat. "Tell me what you what, Marinette, and its yours." "Touch me." I whisper.

Cat reposition himself and starts to run his claws over my bare legs, but he does it in a way so that it doesn't tickle, it feels….imitate. I take a breath and grip the sheets watching his skilled hands go higher and higher. "May I?" he asks permission lifting my shirt a bit, and I nod. I'm wearing froggy underwear and Cat grins at me. "I'm disappointed, love. Why not cats?" "Cat." I groan. "Way to ruin a moment." He laughs. "You need your sleep. Come, curl up in my arms."

I don't know when I've slept so deeply or dreamed so well. However, we both wake at the same time in the morning. "Morning." "Good morning. Sleep well?" "To well." I sit up and slide out of bed, going over to the mirror. "Great, its like Medusa snakes. Cat, can you…" "Say no more."

I love the way he combs my hair, very gently even if there are a few snarls. I think about the past few days, but my thoughts keep coming back to Gabriel Agreste. Cat finishes quickly, and I shove the thought from my head. "Pancakes for breakfast? And coffee?" "Only if we can find the mix. And I'll cook this time, I still have pancakes stuck to my ceiling!"

Cat's little ears droop. "So, what I'm I good at?" I giggle as plops down by the stove. I turn, giving his ears a good scratch before leaning and kissing him. "Your nearly perfect in everyday, but especially good at kissing."

While Cat makes the coffee, he peeks me at me, his cheeks flushed. I peek back at him. Oh, it is good to be in love and not being fighting.

"How do we get home?" Cat asks, as he cuts a slice of pancake. "The pagoda is a ways from here, but they'll be able to send us back through the portal." If Cat knew my identity, I would just make a portal myself. However, I do want to update them on the akuma attack.

We gather our things after washing the dishes and link hands as we set out. Cat is deep in thought most of the morning, even when I try teasing him about it. "What's on your mind, Kitty?" "Gabriel Agreste."

That's all he'll say on the subject, but whatever he's thinking isn't happy thoughts. Did Cat work somehow with Gabriel before he knew he was Hawkmoth? Or is it….I stifle my gasp for I don't want to alarm Cat. Is Cat...Adrien Agreste? It would make perfect sense, for the last time I saw Adrien he was acting cold toward me, and why would act that way unless he was Cat? "Do you know Gabriel well?" I try again, sometime later. "Let's just say, I have connections, Princess. But its a little hard to tell you, secret identity and all."

At last, we reach the pagoda and Marmie welcomes me with open arms, and she immediately hurries off to make tea. "I'm going to walk around for a bit," Cat says, quietly. "Okay. Cat?" He looks to my eyes. "I love you."

He nods, kissing my cheek before walking away. I tell Marmie everything, but half of my mind is worried about Cat's strange behavior. Okay, not strange, but different. "He has some hard decisions to make, Marinette. Even if the solution is staring you right in the face, it can be hard to follow through."

"But Cat and I are okay?" I ask, my voice serious. "Yes, though your love and strength will be tested. Soon. That akuma was only the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid. This magician is powerful, precisely why Gabriel choose him as a alley." I sigh. "He'll never stop until he gets my earrings, will he?" "Sadly, my dear, no. Or Cat Noir's ring." "I suppose it is a lonely life he leads." "He is, Marinette, but he choose that path for others that could help him were around." She stands. "Let Cat have all the time he needs here. As for you, relax. Your safe here."

I climb into the window seat, Tikki at my side. "What are you thinking, Marinette?" she asks. "I think there's a possibility that Cat could be Adrien." Tikki thinks for a moment. "Oh. What do you think of that?" "Whoever is under the mask, I'm in love with him."

The window provides many pictures throughout the day, and when I'm eating the meals provided, I'm sketching.

"You ready, Marinette?" Cat walks in around sunset. I sit up, half asleep. "Yep." Marmie is with him, and as I pass through the portal, she grabs my hand, squeezing it. "Good luck, Little Bug." I smile and nod.

"I'll drop you off at home, love, and then I'm going to leave. But I'll see you in the morning," Cat tells me.

I take a hot shower and after putting on my pj's, crawl into bed. You can't see many stars in Paris, there's a reason why our city is called "The City Of Lights" but if I were to wish on a star, it would be that Cat makes the right decision and is happy again.

"Sending all my luck your way," I whisper.

Cat sat on top of the roof of the Agreste mansion, staring at the moon. In the house below him, sat Gabriel Agreste, his father. Cat knew he had to cut ties, and the time was now. It wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done.

After detransforming, Adrien took the short walk down the staircase to his father's office. Knock. Knock. "Come in."