Mine, His

Marinette frowned as the police left her home. The homes of the Parisians were undergoing thorough checks in the hope of finding the missing supermodel.

"Thank you for your time Marinette." Roger, Sabrina's dad said to her.

"It's alright," Marinette said with a small smile. Roger stared at her for a moment, contemplating something.

In all honesty, he was itching to ask if she had been in contact with Chat Noir after the incident, but the cold threat of the villain rang in his ears. He had said that he would kill her if the police asked her any questions, that somehow he would know about it, and Roger wasn't sure if he could take the risk.

Marinette was a sweet young woman, everyone adored her, he even looked at the girl as if she were his own daughter, and he was not willing to put her life at risk…

Still, ever since Chat Noir had brought in her attacker, he couldn't help but wonder why on earth Chat Noir would have helped Marinette. He frowned.

There were many instances where the villain had saved many women from r.a.p.e or assault, but he had always knocked around or beaten up those men and left the victim standing next to their unconscious attacker for the victim to call the police on their own.

In Marinette's case, he had actually brought the attacker in.

It was strange, but if he voiced his thoughts, he was certain there would be trouble. His eyes darted around as he stepped out of the bakery. Chat Noir could be anywhere.

"Bye, Uncle Roger." Marinette said, standing at the door of the bakery. He smiled back at the young woman and gave her a mock-salute before turning to the next house that he would be searching.

Marinette let out a breath and walked back into the bakery where the employees where working very efficiently. She smiled at them, her baking was done and she needed to read a few chapters of the textbook that her lecturer had demanded them to read.

It was a bit disconcerting seeing Paris so tense. Everyone seemed to be behaving normally but the tension in their bodies and the foreboding atmosphere that surrounded the city was choking her.

She had to understand though, seeing as nobody else -but her- knew about Adrien being unharmed. Still, she felt uncomfortable as she began to walk up to her living room.

"Marinette!" Someone said.

The bluenette turned and a bright smile lit up her face.

"Marcus!...Oh no…I completely forgot about lunch." She said with a mortified look.

The model grinned. "Well, it's a good thing I'm here to remind you, isn't it?" He said.

Marinette smiled.

"Apparently so." She said. Marcus smiled and pulled out a bouquet of roses from behind his back. They were absolutely beautiful!

She gasped.

"Aww Marcus, you didn't have to get me these." She said, sniffing a rose from the huge bouquet.

"Well yes, but I wanted to."

Marinette looked up at him with a delicate smile.

"They're beautiful." She said before thinking about whether or not she looked the same.

She looked down at her outfit, well it actually looked presentable … she was in a sunshine yellow sundress that was tight around her c.h.e.s.t and flowed out from beneath her bust to above her knee, and she had beige flats on.

Her hair was open but not really set and she only had a bracelet on.

She looked back at the Model who looked immaculate in his black suit with his sleeves rolled up and his hair flicked back.

She suddenly felt plain.

"Uhh…I should go change." She said.

He tilted his head.

Marcus looked at her with a confused expression.

'He called her princess on the broadcast…' He thought.

"But Princess, I think you look beautiful as is."

Marinette blushed and blinked rapidly.

Marcus held his arm out to her and smiled. She studied him for a moment, glanced down at his awaiting arm and then slowly placed her hand on it.

He turned and began to lead her out of the bakery.

"Soooo… Where are we going?"

"Well, I thought it would be nice to eat at a restaurant. There's one that just opened a block or two from here, and there's a table that has our names on it."He said with a wink.

Marinette laughed.

"You made a reservation?" She asked.

"Of course, princess." He said with a grin.

Marinette sighs to herself, Chat was such a strange person, was he aiming to make her fall in love with both sides? Was he testing if she could love the other side of him too?

The two walked down the street, and Marinette took the opportunity to study Marcus's features.

Did his powers really change his features that much?

"I hope you like Italian food." He said with a glance at her.

"Oh, I love it!" She said happily.

"Great, then you'll love this place!" Marcus says as they enter the restaurant.

*****************************

Adrien wrinkled his nose in disgust at the fried ch.i.p.s, using his napkin to absorb the greasiness.

"This is so bad for my health." Adrien said.

Nino shrugged, shoving four more fries into his mouth and continued frying burger patties.

Adrien eyed him.

"Have you ever heard of cholesterol?"

"Have you ever heard of Chill Pills ?"

"You mean Lorazepam?"Adrien asked, tilting his head. Nino looked at him blankly.

"No Kid, he's saying you need to relax." Plagg said from his perch on Adrien's head.

Adrien's mouth formed an O.

Plagg had calmed down greatly and was now relaxing after eating several wheels of camembert.

Nino flipped another patty over in the pan.

"You don't have to eat that bro, it's just a snack, I'm about to introduce you to my good friend Mr Burger."

Adrien scowled.

"I've seen Mr Burger. Unfortunately we don't get on very well." he said with a pout.

Plagg looked down at Adrien.

"Ah Ah Ah. You promised that you would eat whatever I told you to for today."

"Yes but Plagg, I'm a heart doctor, and I know that isn't good for my heart Plagg…So much of grease…"Adrien w.h.i.n.ed.

"Kid, shut up and live for once." Plagg said.

Adrien frowned.

Nino looked at him and he sighed.

"Well, you know, we don't really have to necessarily eat unhealthy, as long as you actually start eating food… I guess I can restock my fridge to compensate for you, but dude, it's okay to eat like a pig every once in a while."

Adrien looked at Nino.

He suddenly walked up the stairs to Nino's room. Nino stared after him, but after a minute, Adrien reappeared at the bottom of the stairs with the huge bag he had brought before.

He unzipped it and pulled out a large stack of money. Nino gawked.

"Dude, what the eff."He said.

Adrien rolls his eyes.

"You didn't think I would be here without actually contributing to the household, did you?"

Nino blinked and scratched his neck sheepishly.

"Well, you're Chat Noir, you can do whatever you want." He shrugged.

"I really don't like free stuff. So whenever you're going to buy something, feel free to take from the bag." Adrien said, placing the bag on the table.

Nino eyed it suspiciously and unzipped it. He froze when he noticed the ungodly amount of money in the bag.

"Adrien, don't you think they're going to look at your bank account and notice that you made a huge withdrawal? This looks like a frigging million bro." Nino said with furrowed brows and pursed lips.

"Well not really, this is from my personal vault back home, and nobody but me knows where it is or how much was in it before." Adrien says.

Nino looked at him.

"But I have no issue paying for the things you need." Nino said.

Adrien snorted.

"Oh, but you will." He said. He pointed up at Plagg. "He eats nothing short of thirty wheels of Camembert a week. My medication costs a whole lot as well. Not to mention my shampoo since I hate dandruff-"Adrien said before Plagg butted in.

"-and Marinette has this obsession with playing with his hair so dandruff wouldn't be good for anyone-"Plagg said.

"Not to mention the fact that you only have one bed upstairs…I don't want to sleep on the couch-"

"-and I don't want to sleep on Adrien sleeping on the couch because whenever he's on the couch he wriggles-"Plagg continued.

"-not to mention the humidity in here is drying out my skin-"Adrien murmured.

"-and the only perfume this kid can use is Ungaro iii-"Plagg said.

"-since that's the only one that doesn't make Plagg's sinuses act up-"Adrien added.

"-and it mingles with his suit material to give that subtle spicy, smooth, mysterious scent-"Plagg said.

"-and the best part is nobody can figure out what scent it is when the suit is on-"Adrien said to Plagg who nodded vigorously in agreement.

"OOOOOKAYYYY!"Nino said, clapping his hands together. "I get it. You both lead very expensive lives."

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck.

Nino just chuckled and put the stove off.

"Well, I might as well start grocery shopping now." He said, going to slip on a jacket.

"You mean you're going to buy healthy, nutritious food?" Adrien asked.

Nino huffed.

"Yes, I'm going to buy healthy nutritious food."

"And no boxed foods?"

Nino sighed before nodding. "No boxed foods."

Adrien smiled a bit.

Plagg looks down at the young man, noticing the change in him, but he said nothing as he resettled himself in the soft blond hair of his chosen one's head.

**************

Marinette watched as Marcus played with the food on his plate, hardly eating any of the pasta. She frowned. In all honesty, three bites of the meal were all he ate. As if noticing her staring, he looked up at her.

"Am I that handsome?" He asked with a grin.

Marinette scoffed.

"I was just wondering if you were just going to keep pushing your food around or if you were going to actually eat it."She said, swirling the contents of her glass.

He looked at his food and back at her.

"Urm, well I don't really feel all that hungry."He said.

Marinette tilted her head.

The magic must have changed his voice too because it was higher than she remembered it.

Something inside her said that it was too much of a change and that this was too odd, but the other part of her banished the thought as quickly as it came.

She sighed.

"Please eat your food."She said in a sad tone.

Marcus blinked at her sudden change in demeanor.

"Okay…"He said quickly, adjusting the fork and beginning to eat the pasta.

Internally he gagged. This was going to be bad for him later, he couldn't risk putting on weight…but with each passing day, Chloe and her threats became worse and worse and as much as he hated himself for what he was going to do, he had no other choice.

He swallowed and held his breath, holding back the urge to go and vomit it out. He looked up at the smiling, innocent girl before him and hated himself more.

What was he supposed to do?

Let his family get kicked out of the country, let them die out there in the cruel world? How could he?

None of this was his fault, and he knew that, so he didn't understand how he landed himself in such a dilemma. How did he get s.u.c.k.e.d into this? How did he get s.u.c.k.e.d into a plan that involved him kidnapping, hurting, and killing the pure, innocent angel before him?

How could he be such a monster?

No, he wasn't the monster, he was just the pawn.

Sent to do that vile creature's bidding…

He finished eating.

"How was the food?" The waiter asked kindly. He looked up at the waiter, getting drawn out of his thoughts. He smiled at the man along with Marinette.

"It was marvelous. Give my compliments to the chef." Marinette said happily. The waiter smiled broadly.

"I shall, m' lady."

Marcus nodded at the waiter before he and Marinette exited the restaurant.

"Well, that was delicious." He said with a grin.

"It really was. And good on you for finishing your food, Mr Model." Marinette giggled.

Marcus bowed dramatically.

"Anything to impress you, gorgeous."

He winked, and Marinette flushed.

********************************

Nino walked through the grocery store, annoyed. He didn't do this healthy thing, everything he ate came out of a box or was brought by a delivery man during the day. He huffed. His best bet was to get green stuff…and meat…yes, meat sounded good.

Did this mean he would be learning how to cook?

He g.r.o.a.n.e.d, he had no idea how to.

With a heavy sigh, he tossed the packet of kale into the trolley. For a second he looked up out the window and saw a brunette and a bluenette walking down the street, arms linked.

He smiled at the couple and went back to his shopping before his smile slipped off his face and he spun around to watch the couple again.

That…That was Marinette! He rushed towards the window and stared at the two with gigantic eyes. What the heck was she doing with  that  guy?

He frowned deeply. He had been under the impression that she and Chat Noir were together… But looking at these two…

They looked very…cushy and cuddly.

He blinked rapidly, trying to understand. He was overreacting…Marinette could have been on a friendly date with this guy, he went on friendly dates with Mari all the time.

Suddenly the brunette placed a kiss on his petite friend.

Nino gasped, affronted. He placed a hand on his c.h.e.s.t and looked at the brunette disgustedly.

Now he knew he wore glasses, but his eyesight wasn't bad enough to miss the close proximity of that peck from Marinette's mouth.

He knew what he had to do. He picked up his phone.

One ring,two ring, three ring –"Hello?"A pretty voice said.

Nino smiled.

"Hey baby."

"Hey, my little Nemo, how are you? Wait, don't answer that, you don't call me before three, and since you are, it means you're probably out somewhere confused, tell Alya what's wrong babe." Alya said.

Nino chuckled.

"Well, I just saw something very confusing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… Mari was walking down the street with a guy…"

"A GUY?!"

"I know! An actual guy!But like, I don't think either of us have even met the guy before. I'm pretty sure I've seen his face somewhere…"

Alya was quiet for a moment.

"What's he look like?"Alya asked.

"He a brunette, urm, he's really hot I guess babe, like damn fine a.s.s please be my baby mama kind of hot, he looks like a model."

"Looks like a model… Nemo are you sure he has brown hair, is it not just the lighting?"Alya asked as Nino watched the couple sit down and feed birds.

"Pretty certain."

"…But that makes no sense…"

"What do you mean?"

"…Nothing babe."

"I also saw something so I want to know what it means."

"What did you see?"

"Well brownie over here kissed Marinette's cheek, but it was pretty close to the mouth, and Marinette didn't push him away or anything baby… does this mean that this guy and Marinette are…"

"It means he's into her of course…But…but it can't be, I haven't even heard about this guy before now, and it makes no sense…"Alya trails off.

"Baby, what aren't you telling me?"

"…It's nothing." Alya said with a sigh.

"Baby come on, we both know it's not nothing if you sigh when you say 'it's nothing'." Nino said as the couple disappeared from view.

"It really is just an assumption, I mean I could be entirely wrong." Alya said in a rush.

Nino rolled his eyes as he made his way over to the till.

"You're stalling."

"I'm not." Alya huffed.

"You are, baby." Nino said as he watched the cashier scan the items.

"I'm not, I just don't want to tell you something if I don't know the full truth, and also it seems a bit far-fetched." Alya said, beginning to ramble.

Nino picked up the bags and walked over to the car, placing them in the boot as he balanced his phone between his ear and his shoulder.

He generally didn't use his car when he walked around Paris, but when shopping for a glutton like Plagg, it was mandatory.

He got into the car and locked the doors.

"Baby, tell me, please?" He said tentatively.

Alya sighed.

"Well…I was kind of thinking… that maybe…"She sighed again.

"That maybe…?"

"Okay look, ever since the exhibition, Marinette has been acting strange, actually ever since Chat Noir saved her from that creepy rapist forensic douchebag, I know I haven't been in Paris much but normally she's with me 24/7, she barely even let us visit her that week. Then we see footage of Chat Noir carrying that girl out and screw me for saying this but that body looked a hell of a lot like a blue-haired designer I know, and also, I saw the woman's doodling pad, and she's not that subtle about drawing black cats not to mention she has blonde strands of hair all over her chaise, and let me tell you, that hair is way too soft to be Rose's hair,"

Nino calmly started the car, already knowing that Marinette was the one associating with the villain.

"And then when she phones it's like I can smell the pheromones coming off her, and did you see her recent obsession with Camembert? Marinette hates Camembert! Why would she suddenly stock the whole damn pantry with that stinky stuff?"

"AND she doesn't like when I video chat after five, we used to do it all the time but recently she's been telling me to phone during the day,"

Nino just chuckled at Alya's conclusions.

"AAAAND, if that isn't proof enough, then what about her sudden change in food choices! I mean we all know Marinette HATES dieting, so why the heck would she stock up on all that healthy stuff? She loves her junk!"

Nino's eyes widened and he gulped, thinking about the healthy food in his boot. He laughed nervously.

"I have no idea." He said.

Alya sighed.

"I think Marinette and Chat Noir are a thing," Alya said plainly.

Nino frowns. If he agreed he would be encouraging her idea.

If he disagreed he would have to lie to her…but it would be safer for everyone.

He ignored the pang of guilt in his c.h.e.s.t.

"I don't know baby, this is Marinette we're talking about, if anything she would be trying to bring the villain down, not befriending let alone loving the guy."Nino said.

"But you know how she gets, she sees the good in everyone," Alya said.

Nino scoffs. "Not true, she never saw the good in Chloe," he said.

"That's because there really is no good in that witch," Alya said.

Nino sighed.

"Baby, don't you think Marinette would have said something to you, I mean she doesn't hide anything from you, and I doubt she's starting now."

"…I know but…She didn't tell me she was seeing a guy today." Alya reasoned.

"Yes, but this guy could be anyone, he's not necessarily Chat Noir."

"I gueeeesss, urgh this is so confusing!"Alya g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

"I know baby, this pisses us all off." He said, feeling terrible for lying but understanding that the secret he knew was not exactly his secret to share.

Someone said something in the background, Alya responded.

"Babe, I have to go, phone me at nine?"

"Okay Sunshine, I will, I love you." He said.

"I love you too,Nemo."She made a kissing noise and Nino smiled as she ended the call. He parked his car and looked at his apartment.

Should he tell Chat? He frowned. It was possible that he was overreacting about the brunette guy. He could have been a friend who Marinette went out with, he didn't want Marinette to get in trouble with Chat, and he knew Marinette was not the kind of woman to cheat, it was against her morale.

He shook his head. He would keep the information to himself for now. He knew that he would have to confront Marinette later about it. He sighed. How did he get himself into this again?

*******************************

Chat hung around a nearby rooftop as Nino's apartment was searched. It was late and he wondered if Marinette had seen the huge, fluffy bear he sent her. He grinned dopily thinking about Marinette.

She was just so amazing, in every way. He sighed happily, watching the policemen leave Nino's place. Once they were all gone he slinked into the apartment.

"Did they find anything?" He asked Nino.

Nino rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes, of course, they know everything, but they just decided to leave me behind because I'm cute." He said.

Chat detransformed.

"But that's so weird because you really aren't cute," Plagg says.

Adrien snickered.

"So Plagg, are you ever going to tell me what you meant when you said I'm going to be a miraculous wielder?"

Plagg grinned.

"Nope. I love when I leave you guys on cliff-hangers so that I can watch you suffer in agony while you're wishing you know what's going to happen next but having no clue whatsoever even though I know exactly what's going to happen and when it will happen."

Adrien and Nino stared at each other in confusion.

"Urrrm… Okay." Nino said as he headed into the kitchen. Adrien went to lie on the couch.

After eating a whole lot of grilled chicken and salad, Adrien yawned. It was around four-thirty. It meant he would be able to see Marinette very soon.

Nino regarded the blonde.

"So Adrien. How did you come to like Marinette?" He asked.

Adrien blushed.

"It's complicated." He said.

Nino tilted his head.

"You know her parents are coming home, really soon, right?" He said slowly.

Adrien looked at Nino with a frown.

"I suppose they are."Adrien said.

"That means it's going to be a bit harder to be there." Nino said, he knew it was cruel to burst the blonde's bubble but he needed to know.

Plagg snoozed on the model's flat tummy.

"I'll speak to her tonight." Adrien said thoughtfully.

"You're going there tonight?" Nino asked in confusion. "But you went last night." He said.

Adrien nodded.

"I go there every night." He said with a light laugh.

He looked at the clock.

"Do you love Marinette?" Nino asked.

Adrien tensed up.

Nino just stared at him.

"Do you really love Marinette?" Nino asked again.

Adrien knew that he did, but why would Nino want to know that?

"I do. I really do love her." He said,very quietly.

Nino regarded him for a moment.

"What if she doesn't love you?" Nino asked. Adrien's eyes dart up to meet Nino's.

Adrien's eyebrows furrowed, and he blinked rapidly.

"I…I…I think she does love me." Adrien said.

"But what would happen if she was in love with someone else?" Nino asked hesitantly.

Adrien pursed his lips.

"Well, that person will not live to see another day. I'd rip his heart out of his c.h.e.s.t, tear it in two, stuff it in his eye sockets and put his eyeballs where his heart once was." He answered bluntly.

Nino frowned.

"What if she was happy with this person?" Nino asked.

"If she's in love with me, why would she be happier with this person?" Adrien asked in confusion.

Nino rubbed his temples.

"Let's just say Marinette knows a guy, and she sees this person all the time, and she only sees you in the evenings, and she starts falling for the person she sees all the time, and she eventually loves them more than you, then what?"

Adrien looked dazed.

"But that person would be dead because I would find out and kill them…So why should I worry?"

"What if this person made her happy, more than you ever could, and he wanted her and she wanted him."

Adrien's eyed flashed and Nino faltered.

"It wouldn't matter if he wanted her, she's mine, she promised, she said forever, and that means till the day she dies and in the lifetime after, she's mine now, she's mine when she's dead and she's mine for all the timezones between her death and the afterlife."

Nino blinked as he stared at Adrien.

"But how do you know you love her if you won't give up your happiness for hers."

Adrien tilted his head.

"I don't have to give up my happiness… You see, I don't particularly believe in the saying 'if you love someone, let them go.' I think that if you love someone you have the ability to choose to put in the effort of being the best person you can be so that they love you back."

"You can't force love, Adrien."

"You can't, but that doesn't mean you have to stop trying like a quitter."

"Winners know when to stop."

"A quitter never wins and a winner never quits."

"That's not the point." Nino said.

"Then what is the point?" Adrien asked.

"I'm asking if you would be willing to give up your happiness for hers?"

"Absolutely." Adrien said without hesitation.

"What if her happiness meant her being with someone else? Would you love her enough to die without her?" Nino asked, and even he couldn't understand why he was asking all those questions, but after what he'd seen earlier...

Adrien looked at the ground. He blinked rapidly for a minute. He looked up at Nino.

"Do you love Alya?" He asked, speaking quietly once again.

"Of course." Nino said immediately.

"Do you think anyone else could make her happier? There are billions of people on this earth. Out of all of them, why do you feel you should be with her? There are at least a million other people who could make her happier, so why do you stay with her even though you know that there are plenty other humans who could complete the job too?"

"Because I…love her…"

"But they could make her happier. Even so, would you give her up?"

"If she found one of those people, I guess…"

Adrien shook his head.

"Even if she did, you would never stand by and let it happen, would you? You wouldn't let the person take her away without a fight. But why would you fight even if they could make her happier?"

"…because I need her."

Adrien nodded.

"You don't realize, you're selfish. You want her, and you need her because you feel complete with her. Even though she could complete a thousand or a million other men, you keep her for yourself, because you love her, and you're selfish." Adrien said.

Nino felt like the air in his lungs had been knocked out.

"Plagg, transform me."

In a flash of green, the black-clad villain exited the apartment, and darted across the rooftops. It didn't take him long to reach his destination.

The darkened sky and heavy atmosphere clawed at his body and sent shivers up his spine as his mind raced. It was racing faster than normal and he couldn't stop it. Why were these thoughts coming back all of a sudden?

Why were his doubts and insecurities sprouting up again? He couldn't understand. Why were Nino's words affecting him so much? He shook his head, banishing his thoughts and opening Marinette's trapdoor. He slipped through and scanned the room.

Marinette replaced her journal as she looked at the supervillain crouched on her bed.

She had just finished her shower and had closed up the bakery half an hour ago.

"Well it seems cat's do always land on their-"She grinned but her comment was interrupted when she was unceremoniously slammed onto the wall and kissed heatedly. Her eyes had closed the moment his lips had made contact with hers and her words were swallowed up by his mouth.

For a moment, just before her thoughts became a jumbled mess, she wondered why Chat's movements were so tense. It seemed as if he was almost desperate to convey something to her.

He held her tightly against his body with one arm while the other tangled itself in her hair.

Marinette's left arm was hooked under Chat's arm while her hand splayed on his back. Her right hand moved slowly up his c.h.e.s.t, to his neck, into his hair and down to his jaw. For a minute he kissed her only with his lips, but it seemed that he remembered his French heritage as he tilted his head and slipped his tongue into her mouth.

The move startled Marinette but she never faltered as she kissed back with the same ferocity. If the noise that Chat's throat emitted was anything to go by, she was doing something right.

She tilted her head to the right, finding it easier to fully capture his kisses that way and Chat was more than willing to give her as much she wanted. He nipped her bottom lip and reveled in the whimpers and m.o.a.ns that she involuntarily made.

It was easy to lose himself in the kiss, the fiery passion and raw need from both sides made it easy for him to do so.

He loved her. He loved her so much, and as he desperately gripped her waist, he tried to convey just how much without taking advantage of her. He needed her so much. Every small quirk of hers, he needed. This wasn't even a game anymore. This had nothing to do with being entertained.

He hoisted her up onto his waist and she wrapped her legs and arms around him.

He put everything he had into the kiss, only breaking away to trail breathless kisses across her collarbone and along her jaw, extracting little gasps and m.o.a.ns from the dizzied woman, and when he was done, he was kissing her again.

He didn't want her to stop, he felt like she still didn't understand. In fact, he knew she didn't understand.

To her, he may have been just a case of charity and kindness, but even so, she was his everything.

Nothing made sense without her. He didn't want anyone to have her. Last night when he thought of letting her be happy with someone better than him, he banished the thoughts when she said she only wanted him…So why now, not even a day later was he so desperate to make sure she was telling the truth?

Why was he so scared? Why was he almost trembling as her hand grazed his neck, why was he so afraid that this would only be temporary. She had promised…But she deserved someone better, and he knew that.

He knew it.

He pulled back, gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers.

"Chat…Kitty…Why are you crying?" Marinette asked softly.

Chat blinked his eyes open before choking out a laugh.

"Because I'm selfish too." He said.

Marinette frowned and wiped his tears away.

"What do you want me to do if you love someone else?" He said, hating how his voice broke at the end.

Marinette looked at him in confusion.

"Chat I don't love anyone else." She said to him but he shook his head.

"What if three years from now, there's a guy who makes you happier than you've ever been with me, what then? What do you want me to do?" He asked almost desperately.

Marinette cupped his cheek.

"I only see you." She said as he let her feet touch the floor again and held her face with both his gloved hands.

"Things can change. Things change all the time. I hated you. I wanted to hurt you…But now I love you, and I'd do anything to protect you. I want you to be happy but I don't want to let you be happy without me."He said, slipping down to fall on his knees in front of her, his arms encircled her waist and his face was buried in the fabric covering her abdomen.

"And I'm sorry, because I don't want you to love anyone else but me... The worst part is that I know that even if you fall in love with someone else, I'll die. I will die. I will die Marinette."He said forcing back his tears.

Marinette became alarmed as the trembling rolled off Chat's body onto hers.

She dropped to her knees, lifting his face.

"I will not do that-"

"You don't know that, anything is possible-"

"Only if you believe it to be possible-"

"You don't understand-"

"Chat-"

"Everyone I have ever loved has turned on me. And I've protected myself from loving anyone else ever since, but somehow you've lodged yourself in my disgusting heart and if you go you're going to knock down the balance I have."

Marinette forced his head up.

"I'm not going anywhere,okay. You're insane. I know that. I know you expect me to run for the hills. But when I said forever, I meant it. I meant it Chat Noir or whoever the hell you are underneath this mask. I made a promise, it may be idiotic to be in love with someone whose name I'm not even certain of, who I've known for such a short time, who hates sugar, but believe me when I say I love you."

She kissed him and drew back.

"I love you."

She kissed him again, forcing every emotion she possibly could into the kiss, trying to make him understand that she meant what she said.

"Even when you don't believe me, I'll still love you."She whispered, but this time he was the one to crash his lips upon her. He eased onto the floor, taking her with him, he held her tightly,possessively,and eventually he drew back.

"I love you too."He murmured against her mouth, only for her to hear, and she heard it, and she believed it.

She lay in his arms and the couple stayed like that, still.

Marinette frowned into his c.h.e.s.t.

She was such an idiot. She wasn't even certain that Marcus was Chat.

She was working with assumptions. There was a huge possibility that he wasn't, and if he wasn't and Chat found out, everyone would be headed for a world of pain.

She would stay away from Marcus for some time, if he was Chat then she was certain she would pick up on the signs, but until then, she would stay clear of him.

Marinette scratched his scalp, running her fingers through his hair.

Chat caught her hand and brought her palm to his lips, giving it a kiss.

"Did you like your bear?" He asked and Marinette grinned as she propped herself up on his c.h.e.s.t, and glanced at the Panda bear that was double her size in the corner of her room. She had him thoroughly searched by one of her male employees before she let him in. He was the softest, cutest bear ever.

"I love my bear." She teased, pecking him quickly.

Chat growled. "That traitor, I never saw this coming." He said dramatically.

Marinette giggled as he sat up with her and hopped up to her loft.

"Did you eat today?" She asked him.

"Three times, princess." He said, shivering in disgust as they settled under the covers.

"Well, I did too." She said as she settled into his arms.

"So I was thinking, what happens to us when your parents come back?"Chat murmured against Marinette's neck.

Marinette grinned and turned in his arms.

"Is someone worried he may get caught by my parents?"Marinette said.

"Well actually, yes, I am."Chat said with a small pout.

"Fear not, Marinette has made arrangements." She smirked at him.

Chat grinned at her.

"Why is Marinette speaking in the third person?" He asked.

"Marinette thinks it's funny." She said.

"Does she now?"

"She does," Marinette said.

"And what would these arrangements be?"

"Well, I'm going to get an apartment." She said with a smile.

"Where about?" Chat asked with a raised brow.

"Well…This is 12 Gotlib street…And the Apartment I'm going to get it 38 Gotlib Street."Marinette said with a laugh.

"Sounds good, as long as this bed goes with you, it's incredibly comfortable and warm."Chat said, snuggling closer to her.

"That's because you're stealing all my warmth here." Marinette huffed.

"It could be that or it could be that this bed has magical properties."

"It's my warmth!"

"Is it? Is it really?"Chat asked.

"Yes, yes it is!"

Chat chuckled, "Now now, princess, I know you love me, but there's no need for screaming as yet." He winked.

"You little pervert," Marinette said grabbing a pillow and whacking him as he laughed at her attempts to knock him out.

God, he loved this woman.

*****************************************

Cable ties, check.

Gag, check.

Rope, check.

An assortment of wh.i.p.s, check.

Secluded area in abandoned warehouse, check.

Camera, check.

Matches, check.

Gasoline, check.

Two plane tickets to Italy, check.

Chloe grinned at her list. Marcus said that his date had gone well with Marinette. She advised him to leave her alone for a while, if she knew anything about Marinette, it was that she believed in signs and destiny, and Chloe knew that signs could always be manipulated.

She knew Marcus didn't know much about Chat, neither did she, but she knew overkilling Marcus' presence in Marinette's life would make the bluenette realize more with each passing day that Marcus was not Chat Noir at all. She had to be careful.

**************************

Gabriel looked at the man before him. He was young, no more than 28, but if his scars were anything to go by, this was a man of action.

"So you're telling me that you've not realized that his powers are not from this world?" The man snickered.

"Dear lord you Parisians are dumb!" The man laughed loudly.

Gabriel pursed his lips.

"I need to know now, can you find my son?" He asked, cutting through the man's laughter.

The man chuckled.

"I'm not a human tracker. But I can catch this Chat Noir guy, after that we can get your son back." He said.

"Chat Noir is dangerous. He's like nothing you've ever seen."

The man clucked his tongue.

"Be that as it may, he is most definitely human beneath that mask. That means there's something giving him power, if we take his power source, or find out how he attained his power, if it's within him like suddenly part of his DNA or triggered by a trinket of some sort, we have him cornered. Everything has a weakpoint. You find that point, and then you can destroy anything."

"How are you so certain something is giving him his power? What if he was born with it?" Gabriel asked.

The man smirked, toying with the little brooch in his pocket. He ran his fingers over the sapphires and smooth silver. He was certain the old man he had seen all those years ago was still wracking his brains, wondering why he could not get the woman out of the trinket in his possession, because the old man knew that even if the trinket was broken, it still worked the same. Oh if only he knew the truth.

If only the man in front of him knew the truth.

"Let's just say I have a miraculous gift of intuition."