I am so sorry this chapter is short, so I am just making it parts. This is the first half of the chapter I intended to produce, the second half, (if I wake up early) can hopefully be written by tomorrow.

This week has just been crazy on work! I had no off periods, and it was all just one straight run constantly. I also had to take work home. To be honest, the only reason I even have this much of the chapter one is that I added the Google Doc's app on my phone so at any moment I could write I did.

Thank you all for your patience. I would also like to let you know that I plan for chapter 11 to be the end of this series. So you will have two (hopefully not 3) more updates for this story. I have had so much fun writing this, but just as the novel ends, so must this story.

I do have another Ladynoir fic planned to start writing after this story ends for those of you who would like to see more content from me. If you would like to know more about the future plan, let me know and I will provide the synopsis in the next update.

Than you all so much for reading! You are all wonderful! I can't believe how nice all of you are from the reviews and messages. You are all so motivating.

Chapter 10A

Alya watched as Chat Noir bounded over buildings into the city of Paris. She glanced down at the keys in her hand. Her forearm flexed and her fingers wrapped into a fist. "Damn it! Where the hell is he going?"

The reporter jumped to the car and started the engine. She set out in route of Adrien as he jumped from roof to roof. Alya sped around corners, drove down streets, and backed out of alleyways following the hero. He moved so quickly in his suit, there is no way she could have kept up with him on foot. Alya grunted as she reversed a third time out of an ally. It was so much easier to follow heroes when they had an akuma to fight. Akuma's were usually goal oriented and stayed in one area. Alya only had to find the akuma and wait for Ladybug and Chat Noir to appear. This game of chase with Chat continued for twenty minutes, which only frustrated Alya more.

Alya turned around a corner and saw Chat Noir jump into a short building in the row on the street. He had jumped onto roof of Nathaniel and Marinette's studio. Alya's eyes widened. "Please don't pick a fight with a civilian," She pleaded to herself. She parked the car on the side, and got out. She crept along the side of the building, peering into the front door, no one was inside. She her a loud shriek coming from the other side of the building. "Marinette?" the reporter panicked and moved to the other side to peer into the alley.

Peering around the corner, Alya saw Chat Noir kneeling while kissing the knuckles of a very shocked Marinette.

"Hello princess," he greeted her. "It has been so long."

"Ch-ch-chat," Marinette sputtered as his lips rested on her hand.

"What's the matter, princess? Cat got your tongue?"

Marinette's hand covered her mouth as tears began to flow down her cheeks. Her eyes reddened, and her cheeks flushed. She pulled her other hand away from Chat and wrapped it around her shoulder.

Chat's ears dropped. "What's wrong? Did I say something to upset you?"

Marinette shook her head no. Her hand muffling the sound of her cries. Chat Noir stepped towards the girl, and she responded by taking a step.

"Marinette what's wrong?"

"You shouldn't be talking to me. Not after what I've said." Her body quivered. She took another step back and steadied herself against the adjacent wall.

"I don't understand. We haven't spoken in so long. I don't remember you saying anything bad?"

"I never said it to you. I didn't mean to say it. I'm so sorry Chat."

Chat Noir stepped closer to the crying girl. He was mere inches away from her. "Princess you are purrfect. You have done nothing to upset me."

"At the trial… The lawyer asked me such trick questions. No matter what I said it made you sound bad. I... I should have stood up for you, but I was afraid. I should have yelled at everyone, but i didn't." Marinette leaned into Chat Noir's chest. "I'm so sorry," she wept.

Chat hugged her tighter as she cried. "I hold nothing against you, Princess. You should not feel obligated to stand up for me. I'm a superhero. If I would have wanted to defend myself, I would have shown up that day. "He wiped a tear from her cheek.

Marinette's mouth twitched into a small smile. Chat noir smiled. "There's that beautiful smile. Why don't you dry those tears, and tell me what you are doing out in the alley?"

Marinette wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "I'm just checking on my dresses. I store some out here. I wanted to pull out a dress for a fitting I have later." she pointed to the storage shed. "I keep my fitted garments and understudy dresses in here."

"Let's see the dress then. I'm sure it meow-volous." His words purred off his lips into a smirk.

"O-okay, but I'm not removing it from its cover out here. You can come in for a moment. Nathaniel had to run back to the apartment. He and Lila are moving one of his sculptures to the studio. He is extremely overprotective when it comes to his art."

"That's not the only thing he's overprotective of," Chat Noir mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?" Marinette asked.

"I said let's hurry up inside," the cat recover quickly.

Alya realized she needed to move. She could not be peaking around the corner. The reporter quickly ran inside the studio. The reporter couldn't help but smile at the serendipitous moment she happened to witness. Perhaps she had less to worry about than she thought? Adrien calmed Marrinette in a way that had taken Alya hours to do, and as Chat Noir. They had a special connection, and Alya was now determined to bring them back together.

The door chimed, and Alya heard a gasp. "Alya! What are you doing here?" Marrinette flushed as Chat Noir sauntered in.

"I was looking for Adrien," Alya said staring directly at Chat Noir. "He ran off before we got to his car. I tried to follow him but couldn't catch up, so I came back here. He was pretty heated. I would hate for him to come back in here to continue his fight with Nathaniel."

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Purrhaps he is just blowing off some steam. Some guys just need to get outside in the fresh air. Don't assume he is ready to pounce."

"I'm not assuming, I'm just being proactive," the reporter retorted. Alya looked around the studio. "Where is Nathaniel?"

"He went with Lila to get some of his more delicate art pieces," Marinette chimed in. "I… I'm going to show Chat the studio since he's not here."

Alya nodded. "That's probably for the best." Who knows how Lila had trained Nathaniel to react around Chat Noir. Or how perhaps Nathaniel already felt about the cat suited hero.

"I'm going to put this dress in the back," Marinette said walking towards the curtained door. "Just a minute." The pigtailed girl ran off into the back.

Alya approached her faux leather suited friend. "What on earth has gotten into you, Agreste!" The reporter hissed in hushed tones. "Are you trying to pick a fight? Cuz, if you need one I'm happy to punch you in the face."

The hero scoffed at her offer. "I wanted to continue my conversation with Marinette. Nathaniel is clearly jealous of her talent and her work load. His name maybe all over the place, but she's the one keeping it afloat. She shouldn't be working with him if he is going to create such a negative environment."

"And what exactly makes you think that?" Alya questioned. "They are partners in this business."

A Cheshire grin crossed his face. "I've been running a successful business to know how to recognize what is working and what is not."

Chat Noir winked at the reporter and walked over to a light blue mermaid style dress. On the figure, small splotches of yellow and green decorated the dress in the shape of a yellow sunflower.

Alya followed hero, wanting to make sure he kept his claws safe distance. "Remember your claws are sharp. Don't rip my best friend's hard work."

"I'm more aware of where my claws are than anyone else, don't worry," Chat chuckled as he answered.

Marinette walked out of the purple curtain and back into the studio. She recoiled when she saw Chat Noir admiring one of her dresses. "What do you guys think?" Her voice quivered.

"It's lovely, Marinette," Alya boasted.

"I think it is meow-velous," Chat Noir purred. "Is this dresses theme Monet?"

"It is," Marinette said walking over to join them.

"I could tell by the way the flower appears clearer from afar." He leaned the upper half of his body back for emphasis. Alya heard the door chime, but was too distracted by the Cat hero's acrobatics to process what he chime mean. Marinette was very much hypnotized by Chat Noir's movements.

A smirk crept across Chat's face. Alya watched has his ears flickered at the bell chime. She knew he was aware of what he was doing, and that he was. "It was very nice for Nathaniel to frame your lovely piece with his Monet inspired paintings."

"What do you mean framed?" A demanding voice called from across the room. All three turned their heads to see Nathaniel holding onto a very large, oddly shaped clay vase. The red haired boy placed the vase gently on the ground and marched over to the group. "This here is exhibition for Monet inspired pieces!"

"I can see that," the cat mocked. "And what I see is some fine paintings surrounding an exquisite statement piece. Would you not agree that Marinette is worth the praise?"

"Chat please stop," Marinette tried to coax.

"Of course Marinette is talented, but that doesn't put one art form above the other." Nathaniel's fists were clenched as tight as his jaw.

Chat Noir's smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Are you just saying that because you feel intimidated? You can make as many paintings, drawings, and sculptures, but you have very few pieces that stand to be at the same quality as Marinette."

"I wouldn't expect an ally cat to understand how to value art."

Alya's brows furrowed. "You two need to stop. You're acting childish!"

"I've don't really have a good history with artists," Chat said ignoring Alya's word. He began to circle the artist. "How many pieces of art have you sold in the past month?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it seems to me Marinette is the busier one, having fittings and creating so many large pieces in such a short time."

"I sell plenty! And I don't need to be defending myself to someone who has ruined the life of others!"

"If you were selling as much as Marinette, then you wouldn't have to feel the need to defend your work."

"Whatever you washed up hero."

"It's better…" Chat noir was interrupted by a forceful yank of his tail. He fell on his back.

"Stop!" Alya was basically shouting. "You are a hero! You should know better. I'm taking you out!" The brunette dragged the cat to the door. The doorbell chimed, and a very confused Lila stood in the doorway. "Keep the door open," Alya grunted through her teeth. Lila nodded and held the door.

Outside Alya let go of the hero. She placed her hands on her hips. "How dare you come back to start a second fight," She scolded him.

"I don't know what you mean, starting a fight? Me-ow?" He grinned.

"Wipe that smug look of your face! Meet me at my apartment. I'm taking your car." Alya stomped off to the car and unlocked the door. The nerve of Adrien to come back and have a 2nd round with Nathaniel. Marinette is going to be a mess because of this, and she could only remove the problem instead of staying and comforting. She took out her phone, and opened up the messages to Marinette.

I'm really sorry that happened.

text me so i know your ok

When she hear the swoop of the message being sent, Alya drove off to meet Adrien at the apartment.