I'm different now..

Chapter Three, "This cat will protect her"

Marinette was hurt, she didn't know what to do, if Adrien was happy, and if he wasn't, what she could do to make him happy. All she wanted was to see his bright smile, that one smile that would light up the whole room.

The smile she loved to see, her brain was throwing around the images of her prince. Adrien being happy on one side, and the other was the image of how he looked the day before. She constantly had nightmares, of how Adrien wouldn't be her friend. Of how he would give into the stress and despair and Hawk Moth would get him.

But Chat was always there. He was always there to stay with her and cheer her up. 

"Chat go get sleep I'll be fine." 

"Not as my princess is hurting. I wouldn't leave her." He smirked as he pulled her in close, landing his lips on hers once again. They had an honest moment from the night before, Chat loved his princess, upset that he made her feel this way.

But upset, that he wanted to tell her who he was, and yet he couldn't do that. For one, Plagg was nagging him that Ladybug would be super mad, and for two, he didn't know how Mari would react.

He couldn't see what she was feeling and it was really bugging him. Marinette wasn't like the other girls, she wasn't easy to read, she told what she thought and didn't appreciate that people didn't mind their own business and thought everyone had to have the same opinion.

Chat liked how confident she was. Guess, he likes bold women? Eh, he didn't know a thing about women. He couldn't choose if he wanted his princess or his lady more. Marinette was growing on him, her laugh was like music.

The melody completing his song, the last puzzle piece to finish the 1000 piece puzzle, that took forever to build. 

"Chat you need to go. It's 2 in the morning." He pulled her close, not wanting to let the smell of fresh croissants go. "Fine but you are my priority. And I suggest talking to this Adrien."

Marinette, with her head buried in his chest, gave a slight nod and hugged him tighter. "Goodnight Chat." She let him go, placing a kiss on his cheek.

When Chat got home, he let go of his transformation. Plagg flew out of his ring, complaining about cheese as usual while Adrien sat on his bed. He couldn't stop thinking about how Marinette lit up when he was with her as Chat.

She would tell him everything, more than she told Alya. "You can't save her from the world Adrien." The small Kwami said between bites of his stinky cheese. Adrien sat up, walking toward the window and said with confidence,

"Oh believe me Plagg, This Cat will protect her." 

~~~

The next day at school Adrien couldn't wait any longer before searching for Marinette. He ran all over the school trying to find the bluenette, but she wasn't there. He decided to go to class.

She's just late. She's always late.

As class had settled in, there was still no sign of Marinette. Adrien started to get worried. He had asked Alya and she didn't even know where Marinette was. Marinette always texted Alya if she wasn't coming to school. He waited as he watched the door and clock, switching between the two.

Five minutes in, he checked the door.

Ten minutes in, he checked again.

Fifteen, once again.

Twenty, another time. 

"Can I go to the bathroom?!" Adrien shot out of his chair, practically screaming the words. Almost tripping, he ran to a closet. "Plagg, Claws Out!" Chat jumped around Paris, until he reached his destination.

He flung open the trapdoor to Marinettes room, "Princess?! Princess where are you?!" He received no response in the dark room. All the lights were off, the only source of light being the light that shown through the open trapdoor.

Reaching for the light switch, the lights came on. Her room was a mess, which it rarely never was. Papers thrown about, pencils, cloth, books, looked like they have been threw for protection, as they were only on one side of the room, with marks on the wall.

On the ground there was a crumpled piece of paper, Chat picked it up and read it, his eyes filling again with rage. He threw it back down, and jumped out the door to a nearby wear house