I knew it was you

Chapter 9

Cat Noir met up with Ladybug for Patrol, and it was very quiet. Ladybug, on the edge of her seat, eyed him when they stopped on a building. he seemed distracted, which worried her, but she couldn’t talk to him as Marinette. she sighed, smiled then turned to him. “who’s the sad little kitty on the rooftop?” Ladybug asked, drawing Cat Noir from his thoughts. he looked at her, and smiled. he chuckled. “not me, I’m just thinking.” he said, turning away from Ladybug. Excited, Ladybug stood closer and poked him on the shoulder. “oh? the girl you like I presume.” she said, hanging on his shoulder. her heart skipping. Cat Noir chuckled. “yeah. we... we ah, kissed... twice.” Cat Noir said, grinning. Ladybug squealed. “okay, tell me everything!” Ladybug said, facing Cat Noir. “oh goody, girl talk. Maybe you should go ask her.”Cat Noir said, smiling. obviously joking. Ladybug laughed. “well, if I go find the poor soul who lost her heart to you, I would know your Identity. so, if I were you, I would start spilling.” Ladybug said, internally laughing at the irony of his situation. Cat Noir laughed. “okay, okay. I’ll talk.” he said, holding his hands up. and so, he explained some things, leaving out parts that would get him in trouble and other parts that may get Marinette in trouble. after he finished Ladybug smiled. she loved how he saw her, it made her feel special. well, she was special. in his eyes. Cat Noir looked out at the city. legs swaying back and forth. “and, if it wasn’t for you, I probably would have still had a huge crush on you.” Cat Noir said. blinking, Ladybug stared at him. “now... I know what Love feels like... when someone else loves me, and loving that person. all thanks to you, Ladybug.” Cat Noir said, turning to face her with a smile. Ladybug stared at him, her chest constricting. she is lying to him, secrets. the one thing he doesn’t need in his life. the reason why he told her. she swallowed down a lump in her throat. “I... I need to tell you something, Kitty...” Ladybug said, looking down. Cat Noir turned to her, his smile falling the second he saw her face. “what?” he asked, his hand reaching for her shoulder. “it’s about... me... and, you might get angry, but... you need to know.” Ladybug said, looking into his eyes. he stared back, worried. “yeah?” he asked, expectantly. she stared at him, hoping she will see his smile again. “Cat, I-” a large crashing sound cut Ladybug off. both heroes turned to the sound as they got up. the Eiffel tower had fallen over and slammed into a building on the other side of the river. Ladybug and Cat Noir wasted no time and went to go help out. Ladybug sent a message to Rena Rouge saying that she wasn’t sure if it was a Villain or something else, and to stay alert. Rena Rouge nodded as she headed in the same direction to check out the situation. Ladybug and Cat Noir immediately started to help the people who were in the way of the tower when it fell. Rena Rouge as their invisible backup. Ladybug felt like something was off, seriously off. but she paid attention to what she was doing. until. “oh looky, the Kitty Cat and the Rat Bug. I was wondering how long it was going to take you to get here.” a girl with colourful hair and Pink eyes stared down at Ladybug and Cat Noir as they helped a family out of their half-flattened car. “who are you?” Cat Noir asked. the girl laughed, her white-gloved hands wrapping around her stomach. she stopped suddenly, standing to the side with her finger on her cheek. “oh, how cute. you want to make friends already Kitten. well, Honey, I’m someone that can make your day a living nightmare. so, brace yourself kiddies, it’s about to get scary!” she said, moving her hand in front of her, the forceful movement making the earth shake. Ladybug and Cat Noir tried to stay steady as the ground trembled. she laughed hysterically, as the people screamed and tried to steady themselves. Cat Noir helped an old man get away from some falling debris. Ladybug helping a woman and her baby escape a part of the Eiffel tower as it broke and crumbled. “is that, cataclysm?” ladybug asked as she ran to Cat Noir. Cat Noir frowned. “it is. how is she even-?” Cat Noir was cut off by the girl as she landed next to them. “hello kitten. miss me?” she asked, grabbing his tail and throwing him across the street into a building. “Cat!” Ladybug said, reaching for him. “to late Buggy, he's already got a bruise the size of you on his back. he will be lucky if he can even stand after that one.” the girl said, laughing. “who are you really?” Ladybug asked, her heart seconds from leaping out of her chest. “oh, it seems that I have forgotten to introduce myself to you. oh well. My name is Queen Calamity. and I’m going to be the one to take your Miraculous from you and Cat Noir.” the girl said, her smile turning deadly. Ladybug leaped back, dodging Queen Calamity’s attack. “hold still, you tiny freak!” Calamity said, growling as she tried to grab the squirmy girl. Cat Noir slapped her hand away with his staff. “Cat!” Ladybug said, shocked. Cat Noir smiled. “it will take a little more than a small toss to hurt me, ma’lady.” Cat Noir said. “oh, you want to bite now ha, well, let's see how hard you bite with this.” Queen Calamity said, jumping up onto a building. a large cloud of smoke appeared around her. “she’s getting away!” Cat Noir said, his staff at the ready. “no, I... I don’t think so. she wants our Miraculous’, she wouldn’t leave without them. just, don’t move.” Ladybug said, staring at the villain. she reappeared with someone in her arms. she smiled evilly. “are you going to attack me now, Kitty Cat!” she said, laughing. Cat Noir looked like he saw a ghost. “Marinette!” he yelled, horrified. Ladybug stared at him, knowing exactly how he feels, Volpina did the same with her. she glared at Queen Calamity. angry. “Cat, stay calm. it’s not her.” Ladybug said, reaching for his arm. but he didn’t hear her. “let her go! she has nothing to do with this!” Cat Noir yelled, his voice pained. Calamity smiled darkly. “you want her? come and get her.” she said, holding Marinette away from her at arm's length. Marinette stared wide-eyed at Cat Noir and Queen Calamity. Cat Noir leaped onto the building and slowly put his weapon away. he held his hands up. “she isn’t involved in this. let her go.” Cat Noir said, his eyes furious. Ladybug stared. no, no, no. Cat, no. she thought. she looked around hoping to see what she could use to help out without anything bad happening. “oh, I know.” Queen Calamity said, looking at Marinette. Marinette looked up at her with fearful eyes. the building rose higher when Calamity started to speak. “but, I don’t really care.” she said, pulling Marinette to the end of the building letting her go right when the building stopped rising. “Cat Noir!” Marinette screamed. Cat Noir leaped foreword, eyes horrified. “Marinette!” he yelled jumping off the building in hopes of saving her. a large pit appeared under her, her eyes latched onto him, words only he could hear. why? Ladybug caught him before he could fall into the pit of lava that Marinette had disappeared into. “NO!” Cat Noir yelled. they landed on solid ground, Cat Noir tried to head back to the hole but Ladybug grabbed his arm and dragged him behind a building. “Cat, please stay calm.” Ladybug said, pulling him behind the wall, attempting to keep him hidden. Cat Noir struggled, refusing to do as Ladybug asked. “Cat! stop. look at me, it’s okay.” ladybug said, pulling him closer, attempting to get him to face her. he did eventually, but his face was the equivalent of murderous. he wrapped his fingers around Ladybug's wrists as she held his face. he breathed heavily. his eyes were the reflection of pain. “Cat, it’s fine. I’m fine.” Ladybug said, staring at him. hoping he will believe her. he didn’t seem to hear her. “Tikki, spots off.” Ladybug de-transformed, hoping that Cat Noir would just pull himself together. “Kitty, it’s me, Cat, look, I’m Fine.” Marinette said, looking into his eyes. he seemed to focus on her, but he still didn’t relax. “Adrien, I’m fine.” no response. “Please, you told me to tell you when you’re hurting me, you're doing it right now. your claws are digging into my wrists.” she said, looking down at her wrists, small angry red lines appearing under his fingers. his fingers slowly loosened a little and she knew she had gotten through to him, a little. “Adrien, Kitty, it wasn’t real, I’m right here. see? it was an illusion. she, she used it against you. she must have seen you on my balcony when we kissed.” Marinette thought, attempting to find out how to fight Queen Calamity while at the same time trying to calm Cat Noir. “the Akuma could be in her anklet. the small jeweled Anklet did look strange.” Marinette thought out loud, making sure to speak, so Cat wouldn’t go over the deep end. his fingers around her left wrist loosened completely, and he touched her face. she looked up, a little shocked. he seemed to see her, looking her over for any injuries. “I’m fine Kitty.” Marinette said, smiling. his eyes filled with tears as he pulled her into his arms. Marinette stared for a moment, shocked at his reaction. “you're okay. all this time, you were okay. and right next to me.” he said. Marinette blinked, smiled, and hugged him back. “don’t scare me like that. I... I thought I’d lost you.” Cat Noir said, his voice strained. “I’m sorry. I promise. I won't, any time soon, do something reckless.” Marinette promised. Cat Noir pushed her back at arm's length. “oh no, you can do something reckless, just be sure to tell me before you do it.” Cat Noir said, face serious. Marinette blinked and smiled. “now, are we going to go kick some Akuma butt? Ma’lady.” Cat Noir said, smiling. Marinette stared, blinked, and smiled. she nodded. “yeah. let's go.” she said. she transformed and they were off. they landed on a building not too far from Queen Calamity. Ladybug frowned and turned to Cat Noir. “you saw me?” she asked, referring to when she de-transformed. Cat Noir nodded. “I may have been going through something, but I’m not blind.” Cat Noir said. he smiled and looked at Ladybug. “besides, I was soooo hoping that you were Ladybug I basically called it.” he said, winking. Ladybug blushed, shook her head then concentrated on the villain. “come out, come out little bug. your knight in shining leather is halfway down the pit by now, so give it up!” Queen Calamity said, seconds from losing her patients. “oh, I don’t think so, you see, Calamity. we have trust and that trust needs to be ripped from us before we believe that you are actually going to throw someone down a hole.” Ladybug said, smiling. she had used her lucky charm and it seemed to tell her to get Cat Noir behind Calamity without her noticing. Ladybug being the diversion for a short time. the lucky charm was a piece of cloth. a blindfold. Cat Noir got into position and smiled. thumbs up, her turn. she smiled. “hay, Calamity. hold still.” Ladybug said, leaping foreword, she wrapped the cloth around Calamity’s face. landing next to Cat Noir after trying it, she looked back. Cat Noir leaped forward hand outstretched. “Cataclysm!” he said, destroying the small jewel. “NO!” Queen Calamity yelled, falling to her knees. “No more evil-doing for you little Akuma.” Ladybug said, readying her yo-yo to catch the black Butterfly. “Time to de-evillize.” Ladybug said, capturing the Akuma. “Bye Bye little butterfly.” Ladybug said, the now white butterfly fluttering off. “Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug said, tossing the lucky charm into the air to repair the damages that the Akuma had caused. Cat Noir smiled and turned to Ladybug. “pound it.” he said, a small twinkle in his eyes. Ladybug smiled. “pound it.” she agreed. they fist-bumped. “Ash!” a girl yelled from the crowd that had just started to gather. the blonde girl with light blue eyes looked up and smiled, seconds away from crying. “Ray!” the girl called back. the two girls hugged each other in a tear full embrace. Cat Noir crouched by the girls and tapped the blonde girl's shoulder. “hey. are you good here?” he asked. the girl nodded. “Reyna is my sister. I’ll be fine.” the girl said, wiping at her face. Cat Noir nodded. “good.” he said, getting up and stepping back to Ladybug. he nodded to the side, suggesting they leave. Ladybug nodded, and they were off.