"I'm so sorry."

Ladybug and Chat Noir landed on their usual rooftop and launched into their apologies, both running towards the other..

"I'm sorry, why are you sorry?" They continued to speak at the same time, the look of bewilderment on each other's faces.

"Hold up," Chat said, holding his hands up, "lady's first."

"I went away and forgot to let you know, I asked Rena to pass on a message but she said there were no akuma's so she never saw you. I'm so sorry for not letting you know."

"Don't worry, little bug, I've been away myself. Ruuyko was meant to pass on the message to you too, but, same reason."

He walked over to his partner and scooped her into a hug, it didn't take her long to respond as she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him tight.

"Ouch!" He whimpered, and she let out a giggle. "You know sometimes, M'Lady, you can be quite mean."

"I take offence to that," she laughed, letting him go and pulling out her yo-yo. "Do you want to patrol and then perhaps we can hang out for a bit? I don't feel like I've seen you in weeks."

"That's because you haven't Bugaboo." They stood smiling at each other as they prepared their weapons. "First to the Arc de Triomphe?"

Ladybug didn't answer, instead she sent her yo-yo in the air and began to fly through Paris using the rooftops to accelerate her speed. All Chat could do was watch her. He needed tonight, he needed to see her. Ladybug always made him feel better, especially when he was in a slump, and at the moment he was in a deep slump.

Since he'd returned from the Alps he noticed Marinette had distanced herself from him. He messaged her, attempted to see her at the bakery, and even asked Nathalie for dates and times she would be in the office, but it seemed she was avoiding him and he couldn't help the sheer panic that he'd done something wrong. Something that had annoyed her.

Finally, getting his brain to react with his body, he took his baton and launched himself into the Parisian skyline, blending in with the dark shadows of the night and moving stealthy in the direction Ladybug had just taken off.

As he travelled along the rooftops, he noticed the 'Tom and Sabine Bakery' and noted that Marinette's light was off. He froze opposite and stared over at the room he knew she owned. He stood for a few seconds wishing the light would turn on, that she would appear on the balcony and beckon him over. She liked Chat Noir, she'd speak to him, unlike what she did to Adrien.

He let out a sigh, and continued on his way. Perhaps he could come back another night? Maybe she would accept him with open arms and lead him into her room, and maybe into her heart. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Her dark hair and bright blue eyes, the way she made him feel when she was around. She had made such an impact on him so quickly he swore he'd lost his footing on the ground and was plummeting. Plummeting so fast the only way he'd stop would be to hit rock bottom.

Lost in his thoughts, he ran right past Ladybug only to be pulled back to her by her yo-yo.

"Woah! Where were you off to?"

Chat collapsed by her side as she retracted the yo-yo string from around him and placed it back on her hip.

"Sorry," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck, "I was lost in thought."

"What to share?"

"Um - I would but it'd probably be towing the line of an identity reveal."

Chat looked out into the Paris night, listening to the cars honking in anger, people talking and singing in joy and lights twinkling like hidden secrets. His mind began to wander again and he wondered what she was doing right now, at this very moment.

Was she thinking about him the way he was thinking about her? Of course not. Why would she? It was obvious she wanted nothing more to do with him. He sighed and leaned forward, placing his hands on his upper thighs.

"Kitty, something is obviously bothering you. If an akuma attacks you'll be no good to fight. You know I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

Her hand moved upon his and his heart thumped a little harder. She still had an effect on him. After all these years of rejection his heart still craved her. A piece of him still wanted her and he couldn't help it. It was like breathing, something so natural, something that was part of his DNA.

"It's -" he rubbed his forehead, shaking his head side to side, could he really tell the woman he loved that he was falling in love with another? "There's a friend of mine and they've just stopped talking to me."

It was vague but he couldn't exactly tell her more.

"I'm sure he's just busy, I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"She," he corrected.

"She?" Chat noticed Ladybug's face change into something similar to a grimace. Her expression looked slightly uncomfortable with his declaration, and he could tell she'd already pieced together his feelings about his new girl..

"Is she - are you two - you know ..." her voice trailed off as she looked out into the distance. Now he was going to have two girls utterly annoyed with him, one was hard enough.

"No, not in the slightest ... well ... I don't think so. She doesn't want a relationship with me."

He watched as she visibly relaxed next to him. Did she still like him, like him? What was it with his choice in women? Unavailable and unattainable seemed to be his type.

"Oh,"

Oh, he was hoping for a bit more advice than just oh.

They sat in silence a little longer, both lost in their own thoughts as they looked out over Paris.

"Maybe she does like you and that's the problem." He turned his head and noticed she looked as though she was speaking her own thoughts. Speaking how she felt about something. "It can be scary to fall for someone when you have no desire to fall at all."

"It's sounds like you're talking from experience there,"

She snorts and turns towards him lifting one of her eyebrows, "maybe I am."

The silence returned as they basked in each other's presence. It was so easy to just sit with her, it was easy to just be them, but it was hard to know this was as far as they'd go. She was still against identity reveals, even if Shadowmoth was becoming infrequent and less powerful. He was still out there and they must still remain hidden.

He thought about who she might be under that mask. Someone kind and gentle and caring. Someone similar to Marinette. He'd compared the two of them a lot over the past week, each complimenting the other to create one complete person in his head, and oh, how much it would hurt if they were the same girl. If he'd fallen in love twice with the same person he couldn't have. He'd be forever in an endless cycle of pain and heartbreak. He wanted it to be right, but he also wanted to be wrong. His heart just couldn't keep up with these emotions.

"Do you love her?"

Chat sighed and crossed his legs on the rooftop, holding around his ankles. "Do I love her? No." He shook his head, "Could I fall in love with her? Well, it would be so easy too."

Ladybug turned to face him and he didn't realise how much his mood rebounded off hers. The small smile gracing her lips was mirrored with his own.

"Then don't give up."

Chat opened his mouth to reply, when a loud scream echoed around the skyline.

Both heroes jumped to their feet, weapons in hand and stances ready to launch away.

"Where's the screaming coming from?" Ladybug's voice was all back to business and back on track. Both heroes were on full alert surveying the area.

The scream sounded again, Ladybug and Chat Noir whipped their heads in the direction of the scream only to find a giant nutcracker toy in front of the Eiffel Tower.

"Last one there's a sugarplum fairy," and with that, Chat Noir launched himself into the air and began his chase to the next akuma victim, Ladybug moved swiftly on his tail.

As they approached the large structure it seemed the nutcracker wasn't the only object/person/thing flitting around. As a teen girl danced around in a blue sparkly nightgown, complete with matching ballet slippers, rats, dolls, soldiers and even a rabbit joined in on the smooth movements of dance. Gliding about the streets and roads, unable to stop for breath.

Ladybug and Chat Noir crouched down behind a vent and studied their latest rival.

"Yikes! Now there's an encore I've never seen before."

"You've seen the Nutcracker?" She looked at him shocked. He was a gentleman. Of course he'd been to the ballet.

"Almost every year since I was six. I go on Christmas eve. Don't look so shocked. I'm a fine gentleman, you know."

Ladybug snorted and flicked his bell. "I'm sure you are."

"Perhaps I could take you? Maybe this Christmas eve after the Cathedral service."

"I'd forgotten about that," she gasped looking at him, "what song are we performing this year?"

"I thought we could do 'O Holy Night', I've persuaded them to let me use the organ. It's a secret though, so I hope you're good at keeping them." He looked at her with a smirk on his face, only to be met with a punch in the shoulder. She had some power in her when she wanted to express it. "Ouch! Animal abuse."

"Man up, kitty cat. We've got an akuma to dance with."

They moved slowly across the rooftop, keeping the miniature ballerina in view. It seemed she had a ribbon on a wand which she was whipping at people. As soon as the colourful material touched them, they changed into a character of the Nutcracker. The last thing Adrien wanted to be turned into was a rat. Plagg would not appreciate it.

"Lucky charm?" he questioned his partner.

She nodded, calling the object into her hands.

A Kirby grip.

Really?

What were they going to do with a Kirby grip?

Chat watched as Ladybug looked around the area, marvelling at how her eyes grew wider as she pieced the plan together. Even so many years later, he still loved watching her work. Not many got to see this, and nobody had seen it as often as he did.

"Got it!" Chat jumped at her sudden exclamation. As usual, it appeared from nowhere. "It's in her ribbon."

Chat peered over the rooftop and looked at the girl's hair. There it was. A green ribbon, a complete clash to the outfit she was wearing.

"What do you want me to do?"

"What you do best ..." She dropped him a wink and threw her yo-yo towards the next building, and within a minute she was gone, leaving Chat Noir to once again distract the enemy and protect his lady. He didn't mind though. He excelled at it.

He noticed a fancy dress shop just down on the street below, and that's when his master plan came to sight. Extending his baton, he created a pole and slid down ending up a couple of metres away from the store. All he needed to do now was make it there without King Rat and his merry men spotting him.

One step, two step, three step, pause ... he made his way towards the door and let out a breath of relief when the chime sounded announcing his arrival.

"Hello?" he called, "anyone in here?" He moved about the racks looking for what he wanted.

Joker ... no.

Batman ... no.

Thor ... no, but he was certain he'd look good in that skirt.

Spider-Man ... Beetlejuice ... Policeman ... Fireman ... builder ...

"Can we help you Chat Noir?" An older lady and toddler appeared from the back room, both looking highly shaken.

"Actually you can ..."

Ten minutes later, Chat Noir was out the store in white tights and red jacket complete with golden trimmings over his black suit. Oh yes, he looked ... interesting, but this plan was fool proof. There was not a chance that this wouldn't work.

Leaping and spinning in the air, Chat landed on one knee in front of the girl, taking his body down into a bow.

"Du, du, du, du, du, du du du, dududu, dududu, dudu, dudu, du."

Chat stood up and began his many ballet movements around the girl as he hummed the famous Nutcracker Suite. The girl stood and stared at him, unsure what to do next. He was yet to notice Shawmoth's mask appear over her eyes so he upped the anti's and pushed on with his ballet.

"This," he jumped in the air, bending his knees and landing one foot after the other, "is called a Pas de Chat. It's my favourite move. It means 'jump of the cat', and look ... I'm a cat. Dance with me little lady. Lets do an allegro, I'm feeling brisk today."

His feet began to move faster as he performed jetes, and pirouettes, before stretching out for his 'partner'. "I can't do this alone." He dropped the girl a wink, and she slotted her hand into his.

Success!

She giggled as he lifted her into the air, and this is where he truly proved his worth.

"Be my sugar plum fairy, and I'll be your cavalier."

"Yes please," move for move, the two reenacted the dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. The most wonderful Pas de Deux, and his personal favourite. He thanked Plagg for the powers as he was quite certain without them he would be stumbling about like a fool at the moment.

The purple mask appeared on her face half way through, the girl shaking it off.

"I want to dance! This is what I wanted! I want to be the Sugar Plum Fairy." She began to argue with Shadowmoth as Ladybug made her way behind them.

She caught Chat's eye and in their usual silent conversation, Chat knew exactly what to do.

Thinking quickly, Chat took the girl into a spiralling lift, twisting her upside down and accidentally catching her hair. A single piece detached itself from her pristine bun and Ladybug gasped in shock.

"Oh no, Chat Noir. You've messed up our Sugar Plum Fairies hair. She looks all mismatched now with her five year old badly edged nightgown."

The girl screamed and stretched a hand towards her head, ignoring Ladybug's dig at her outfit. "A Kirby grip is missing! Where is it? I have to have twenty two or I can't perform."

They watched as the girl dropped to the floor feeling around, Chat and Ladybug mirroring her actions.

"Wait, Ladybug has found it." Chat exclaimed, holding out a hand to hoist the girl up.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you." She clapped her hands together and ran towards Ladybug who stood holding up the red and black Kirby grip.

"Before you go," Chat called after her, "can I at least have your name?"

Smiling, she faced him and held her hands to her chest. "Oh yes, silly me ... my name is -"

Purple bubbles surrounded the girl as Ladybug took the ribbon from her hair and ripped it in half.

"Bye bye little butterfly."

As the Miraculous Ladybug's did their thing, both heroes crowded around the girl.

"I can't believe I did that," she couldn't have been older than fourteen. They crouched down either side of her and soothed her by rubbing circles on her back. "I just ... I tried so hard at the auditions, and then I didn't get the part and now it's show night and I'm stuck in the chorus."

"There's nothing wrong with that. You know, in the theatre there's no such thing as small parts, just small actors. You matter to the show and they need you there. As you get older I'm sure you'll grab some of the leads, but if not ... just make sure everyone's watching you by performing to the best of your ability."

The girl threw her arms around Ladybug's shoulders and thanked her for saving her, before repeating it with Chat. He thanked her for the dance and she reeled back in shock. He explained what had happened, and a smile graced her lips. She looked so young, so full of life.

"Oh, um, Chat Noir -" she said, "do you mind if I tell my friends I did the Pas de Deux with you? It's just ... it's made my day, actually no, my year, wait ... my existence."

Chat chuckled and looked over to the footpath, catching eyes with the red head he was looking for.

"See that woman over there, the one in the orange coat?" the girl looked towards Alya and nodded, "go to her and tell her Chat asked if she could send you the video."

The girl's eyes widened and she gave him one more hug before jumping off after Alya. Chat straightened up and smiled at his partner. "What?"

"Nothing ... it's nothing!"

"You can't look at me that way and tell me it's nothing. Come on, share the joke."

At those words Ladybug burst out laughing. "You - your -" she couldn't stop, she looked slightly insane as she bent over. "It's your tail!" She finally managed to breath out.

"What's wrong with my tail?" He turned his head and looked behind him ... and that's when he noticed it. "Oh, har-de-har! You don't have to put up with things like this!"

Chat indicated his behind, showing where his tail had bulged under the trousers into a rather interesting shape ... a shape of a snail shell.

"No wonder you were slow getting to the scene, you moved at snail's pace."

"You're not funny, Bug."

"Actually, I think you'll find I'm hilarious!" She began to giggle again, only to be interrupted by her earring's signalling her transformation. "Looks like this bug needs to 'bug out'." She began to move away and Chat grabbed her arm to pull her back.

"I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for talking with me earlier."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm in a similar situation." Nope, that definitely didn't make him feel better, it made him feel a whole lot worse. "What will happen will happen ... but if you really like her, go for it. You'll only regret it if you don't."

She stretched up on her toes and placed a kiss to his cheek before holding her fist out.

"Pound it."

"Yeah, pound it." He bumped his fist against hers, and watched her fly away into the night sky, a dreamy sigh leaving his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck.

He'd arrived that night with one woman issue, but now he was leaving with two.

Would he ever stop loving Ladybug?