Ladybug had kissed Chat Noir quickly, before dashing off before her transformation dropped. The sudden sensation of kissing her lips still left him lightheaded, no matter how brief. If he had been able to channel his torrent of thoughts with a clearer head, he might have told her it was pointless to rush off, since he may have already figured out her identity.

He was sure it had to be her. If it wasn't for the blatantly obvious evidence he tallied in his head, his heart confirmed it with burning certainty.

How had he not see it before?! He chided himself. Her slight build, with gentle curves. Her signature ponytails, the hint of freckles sprinkled across her nose, and those eyes... If he had been fooled by everything else he should have recognized that gaze.

He had, after all, suspected that the sweet, talented, caring, "Everyday Ladybug," was in fact the real Ladybug. Somehow each of those times she managed to cover her tracks, and make him second guess himself.

Marinette never seemed to hang around when a akuma would show up, but neither would any sane civilian in Paris who had experienced what an akuma was capable of. She always seemed to have an excuse for slipping away at the right moment.

During Time tagger he had seen Mari and Ladybug together, but later on that day there had been two Ladybugs (one from the future).

Kwami Buster had really thrown him for a loop. He had seen Ladybug and Multimouse (aka Mari) talking to each other face to face. How did she pull that one off?!

Was it possible that finally they could push aside all the secrets that had kept them a part?! If he knew her identity, shouldn't he tell her his? What if he was to tell her who he was?!

Then he pictured the moment Hawkmoth had dissolved his transformation, leaving his father standing menacingly above Ladybug in their final battle. It had been his fault...his fault for not stopping him sooner. Then his eyes widened as he replayed every attack, every ounce of pain, every scream he had witnessed Ladybug endure...only this time her mask was removed...it had been his Marinette all along.

Ladybug-Marinette. Marinette-Ladybug. If he told her now, would he risk losing both of them?!

Ooo

Meanwhile back in the loft above the Dupan-Chang Bakery Marinette fell backwards with a sigh into bed, then grabbed her over stuffed cat pillow and squealed into it.

"Quite a day!" Tiki smiled watching her weilder with amusement.

"Oh Tiki Chat Noir is amazing!" Marinette sighed again.

"Didn't you always think so? Tiki winked.

"Of course...but to kiss him! Like that! Wow!" Marinette was then lost to Tiki replaying every second over again. Tiki just smiled and shook her head.

Then suddenly Marinette sat straight up in a panic. "Tomorrow night is Friday night! The date with Adrien was going to be tomorrow!"

"Was?" Tiki asked uncertainly.

"Of course Was! I can't kiss Chat like that, and then just face Adrien like things haven't changed!" Marinette exclaimed.

"Adrien won't understand if you just cancel on him. You've got to tell him the truth!" Tiki urged.

"What truth Tiki!" Marinette shook her head helplessly, "that I've spent the last three years pinning away for him, and now that he finally shows an ounce of interest, I've gone and fallen so hard for a masked super hero, whose name I don't even know, that I can't think of anything else!?"

"Yes...that truth," Tiki nodded solemnly.

"Tiki I can't tell him that!" Marinette huffed. "He'll think I'm crazy...or worse...shallow for having some celebrity crush on Chat Noir."

"Didn't you find out that he maybe liked Ladybug not that long ago?!" Tiki asked.

"That's totally different," Marinette waved her hand dismissively.

"Is it?" Tiki asked confused.

"I know what I need to do...I've known I should've done it years ago," Marinette typed on her phone with blind determination.

"Which is...?" Tiki asked concerned, trying to peak over her shoulder at her screen.

"Let Adrien Agreste go," Marinette answered, hitting the send button on her text.

"Marinette what did you do?!" Tiki squeaked.

Ooo

At that moment Adrien who had just dropped his transformation, saw a notification from Marinette on his phone. Suddenly he thought back through the plans he had put together for his date with her the coming night. If he was right his first date with Marinette, would also be his first date with Ladybug! A giddy smile overwhelmed him, and his heart fluttered against his chest.

He read through her text three times, before replying. It read: 'Adrien, I've been thinking a lot about this, and there is something I need to give you. Are you free to meet at the park across from my place tonight?'

'I'm actually in the neighborhood, and can meet now if that works!' he texted back.

"Thanks, I will see you soon then,' he read when his phone buzzed again.

"She wants to see me tonight!" Adrien gushed to Plagg. "I wonder what it could be that she wants to give me though?" he puzzled.

"Maybe her hand in marriage," Plagg scoffed.

"You think!" Adrien looked wide eyed at Plagg.

"No!" Plagg shook his head, then narrowed his eyes flying into Adrien's face. "Kid...you might think Adrien dating Marinette is the same as Chat Noir dating Marinette, but as far as we know she doesn't think that yet!"

Adrien's face went from thoughtful, to surprised, to thrilled, to horrified in five seconds flat. His face went white as finally things that before had seemed illusive came into focus. "He's me!" Adrien gasped like he was trying to catch his breath underwater. "The one Ladybug told me...Chat Noir me about...the one she said she...LOVED...it was me this whole time!?"

"Ahhhhh..." Plagg froze with his mouth hanging open.

"She loved me Plagg! We could have been together, but I missed it, and made her think I didn't even care! I messed up so bad! If she seriously has fallen for me as Chat Noir, but is was worried about hurting the boy she cared about before...no...no no no...Plagg she's going to break up with Adrien me to be with Chat Noir me!"

"Aaahhhh..." Plagg continued to panic. "Well...technically Marinette can't really break up with you since you never really went out in the first place..." Plagg tried in vein to derail his weilders train of thoughts.

"That's even worse! How did I loose her before I even had her!" Adrien whimpered.

"You don't even know if that is what she is doing! Maybe she wants to...uh...give you...uh..a cookie!" Plagg volunteered weakly.

"A cookie?!" Adrien glared at his kwami with his hand on his hip and eyebrow raised. "Seriously?!"

"You know Marinette!" Plagg rushed on, "isn't she always baking you things, like those sickenly sweet macaroon things you like...those passion fruit ones..."

Adrien blanched again. "...the macaroons...she knew they were my favorite...Plagg what have I done!"

"Even if you are right, what's the problem?! You still get to go out with her, you just need to invest in more Camembert to get into your outfit for the night out together!" Plagg shrugged (but sincerely hoped Adrien had noticed the unsubtle hint about the cheese).

"You don't get it!" Adrien groaned. "I can't just be friends again with Marinette on either side of the mask!"

Plagg ducked quickly into Adrien's pocket as they arrived at the park, and Adrien slumped down on a bench, wondering what to do.

The evening was clear and pleasant, with only the hint of a spring chill. That was why Adrien was a little surprised to see Marinette approach with a black umbrella in tow.

"I was so excited to see you again!" Adrien got up quickly from the bench, and then suddenly feeling at a loss of what to do, embraced her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Even this brief closeness seemed to make Marinette stiffen, but she didn't pull away.

"Expecting some bad weather?" Adrien nodded to the umbrella, trying to lighten the mood that had become mysteriously tense.

"Actually...um...it's yours," Marinette roused herself from her silence. "I thought I should give it back to you," she added quietly, extending the handle to him.

Adrien made no move to reach out to take it. "What is this?" he asked her. "Why give it to me now?!"

"I just need to give it back to you. After all it is yours! I shouldn't have kept it this long anyway!" she pushed it towards him with more determination, but he stepped away from it.

"I gave it to you the first day we met. I want you to keep it," Adrien insisted. "Mari what are you doing this for?!"

"I'm just trying to give you back your umbrella. It's yours after all," her voice cracked.

"Keep it," Adrien responded tensely.

"Adrien," Marinette implored. "You mean so much to me and I've been totally crazy about you for years. But right now I'm not sure I am the right one for you."

Adrien's eyes widened, and his jaw clenched. "Of course you are. You are everything to me. How can you say that! You are the one I want! I see that now!"

Marinette looked up at him with pain in her eyes, and sighed. "You don't know how much I always wanted to hear you say that," she whispered.

"Then let me say it again!" he urged. "I want you! You're the one for me! I want to be the one for you! Always!"

"Always..." Marinette got a faraway look in her eye, and looked at Adrien feeling more confused than ever. She vaguely noticed his hair was different, and had a distinctly Chat Noir haphazardness to it.

The silence lay heavily between them. Before Adrien broke it. "Is this because of Chat Noir?" Adrien asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"What?! How did you...?! I mean, why would Chat Noir...and me...I mean that would be crazy right?!" she stammered.

"Maybe before you make your choice you should find out who is behind the mask?" Adrien said searching her eyes.

"But I..." Marinette started, but couldn't think what to say.

"I was always kinda surprised he was your type," Adrien had a smile creep to the edges of his mouth.

Marinette's eyes widened and her shoulders sank, "Adrien I'm so sorry! I wish I knew what to do! The last thing I want to do is hurt you! You are so important to me!"

"And you will forever be important to me too Mari. If this is what you really want I am so happy for you!" Adrien said, and then dug into his pocket and pulled out two folded tickets, and pressed them into Marinette's hand. "Here, these were supposed to be for our date tomorrow, but you can take Chat Noir if you want instead. At least someone should use them," Adrien insisted.

"No, Adrien, I couldn't!. Please..." Marinette tried to get him to take them back.

"I'll be disappointed if you don't use them...they were meant for you." Adrien looked earnestly into her eyes, making her heart skip a beat. "This doesn't mean I've given up on hoping you and I will someday be more than just friends." He added, before bending in and kissed her again softly on the cheek, then turned to walk away.

"Adrien...I...Adrien your umbrella!" Marinette held it out again.

"You're the only one I want to have it," he called back over his shoulder.

Marinette watched the boy that she had loved for so many years walk away. She felt torn in two wanting to both flee and run after him.

"I made the right choice didn't I?!" She mumbled to Tiki who peeped out from her purse watching Adrien leave the street lamp lined park.

"What does your heart tell you?" Tiki asked with concerned eyes, looking up at her.

"I don't know...my heart feels broken," Marinette replied, still looking to where Adrien had disappeared.

Nothing will heal that broken heart of hers better than time with a certain black cat! Thank you to all my readers for coming along for this journey! Especially to the people who make my week with encouraging reviews. Thanks NoOne, who left "Sunshine of your Love" lyrics for me (I was listening to it while editing!)...I'm making you wait a little longer, but I've been hard at work with any time I can grab to work on future chapters. Our next destination is Germany! I'm just going to say anyone with an interest in the history of fairy tales would find this an dynamic place to visit!