"Chat," Ladybug screamed once she saw her partner get hit the akuma's attack. He was usually reckless with using his own body to protect his crush, but this time was different. Once the smoked cleared, Ladybug expected to see Chat hurt or frozen above her, but he seemed to have disappeared from her sight entirely. A small little whimper made her eyes drift down and before her was a tiny little toddler with black cat ears and shaggy blonde hair sitting in front of her, tears threatening to fall out the corner of his eyes. "Chat," Lady repeated, a little confused now.

The little kitten reached out for Ladybug. "Lady," he whimpered quietly.

::::

The escape was quick, but necessary. Just after the akuma turned Chat into a toddler, Ladybug scooped him up and kept him out of danger the best she could as she fended off the akuma the best she could. Even though the enemy got away, Ladybug had a bigger issue on her hands.

"What do I do Tikki," Marinette panicked as she paced her room while the little kitten slept on her bed. Just to be sure her identity stayed a secret, she waited till Chat fell asleep before transforming back into Marinette. "I mean, I can't take him home. I don't even know where he lives, or if anyone in his personal life knows about him being Chat. And even though I'm used to taking care of children, there's no way I can just walk up to my parents and ask for help without a ton of questions being thrown at me."

"Marinette calm down, everything's going to be ok," Tikki said, trying to calm the teen. "All you have to do is hide him till you can figure out how to reverse this, even if that means you have to defeat the akuma all by yourself."

"But what if something happens and he actually remembers everything after he turns back? My identity is revealed and then he has something to hold against me with his flirting."

"Marinette," Tikki interrupted, "everything is going to be alright. You can do this. If he remembers you taking care of him as Marinette you can easily say that Ladybug dropped him off here since she knew that you two knew each other and asked you to watch him while she went after the akuma. Simple."

Marinette smiled from Tikki's advice. "Thanks Tikki. How long do you think he'll stay like that," she asked as she looked over at the sleeping kitten curled up against her cat pillow.

"Well, a transformation can last as long as he wants it to, as long he don't use Cataclysm, or until you take his ring off. I'm actually kind of surprised it shrunk with him." Tikki was just as confused about the situation as Marinette was.

Marinette sighed. "I guess we'll just have to see."

"Mari," a small voice called out, catching Marinette's attention and making Tikki dart out of view. Marinette looked back to see two big green eyes looking at her. Chat had woken up and was smiling up at his accidental babysitter. "I'm hungry."

Marinette looked down at the little toddler a bit confused. "You're hungry?"

Chat bobbed his head up and down excitedly. "Can I have cake?"

"Well, kitty, you're a toddler, I don't think that's a good idea. Especially this late when you should be asleep," Marinette tried to explain.

"I want cake," Chat demanded, pouting in the way that most angry toddlers did.

"Chat, no. It's late. I'll get you a snack to eat, but no cake."

Chat crossed his arms and pouted. "Ok."

"Good kitten," Marinette smiled as she ruffled the toddler's hair. "I'll be back in minute, so stay here and be quiet. Understand?" Chat nodded his head in understanding.

Marinette quickly ran downstairs; happy to find her parents fast asleep, and quickly grabbed a small snack bag that would be good for a teen-turned-toddler from the kitchen. She then went to a small hall closet and pulled down a small box that was full of clothing she made and threw to the side when they became too small and grabbed a shirt to be makeshift pajamas. Once Marinette reentered her room, she was instantly greeted by a floating black figure with bright green eyes.

"Listen here girly, if I'm going to be stuck here all night, then I have some demands," Plagg said sternly as he stared at Marinette. The said teen looked at the floating kwami a little confused, wondering how he got in her room and where he came from. She then looked over and saw that Chat wasn't Chat anymore, he was a rosy cheeked, normal toddler who was now interested in Marinette's cat pillow. "So here's the thing," Plagg began, pulling back Marinette's attention, "I want all your camembert cheese. You do that then I'll stay out of your hair. Got it?"

Marinette just looked at the little kwami, still a little confused. "Sorry kitty, but we don't have any camembert."

"Then any kind of cheese will do. I'm not staying trapped in a toddler's body all night," Plagg complained.

Marinette soon just gave up. "There's cheese in the kitchen, help yourself, but please leave some for the rest of us and don't make a mess." Right then, Plagg darted out of the room and down to the kitchen.

Marinette made her way over to the bed and handed the snack bag to the toddler. "Thank you," Chat chirped before eating the little snack crackers. Marinette looked at the toddler, finding it weird that their rule of keeping their identities a secret was now partially broken but happy that she still couldn't put a finger on who Chat really was based on his current appearance. Chat looked up at Marinette and held out one of the crackers for her. "Here you go Princess," he offered.

Marinette smiled and accepted the cracker. "Thank you kitty."

Maybe this won't be so bad after all.