From my Tumblr: "The issue I'm running into right now after posting that last chapter of Reach, is that the readers are wanting more? Like literally the entire point of the fic was Chat falling for Marinette. He literally got the girl. It was Mari and Chat struggling with their feelings for each other. It was Chat trying so hard to give her up for her safety, but he simply could not stay away from her. It was Adrien falling for this he knew he shouldn't. It was watching Adrien see Marinette struggle and wanting nothing more than to solve all of her problems. It was Chadrien wanting to keep his Princess safe.

He went through so much and he finally got the girl. That was the main plot.

I know I included subplots like the dance, hinting at Adrien's temper, Mari's risk of being akumatized, and an even greater battle approaching. But this fic was to breach the gap between season 1 and 2. I'm mostly afraid that if I continue, Reach will become a monster of a fic if I have to include those plots.

Basically, everything was just for Mari and Chat to be together. That's why I didn't include a complete reveal. It was about Mari and Chat struggling to be together.

I'm blessed to have such great readers and if I could, I would continue Reach. But I really want to work on other projects."

Final Part 2

"Claws off," Chat breathed against her lips. As the green magic swirled around him, Marinette snapped her eyes shut and kissed him. Her arms tightened around him further. His cool leather melted into soft cotton behind her fingertips. The sharp smell of his cologne intensified and she gasped around his lips as she drank deeply from the intoxicating smell of him. He used her moment of distraction to kiss her harder and deeper. His lips dragging against hers with a few nips of his teeth and drags from his tongue. Marinette melted further into his arms with a soft moan. Her curves pressed hotly against the firm muscles of his body.

He pulled away slowly and Marinette followed him and his magical mouth an inch or two. They both panted and Marinette kept her eyes firmly shut, slight wrinkles creasing her eyelids with the pressure. His fingers returned to stroking her cheek as if he was still searching for small mark from his attack the night before. "Mari," his voice was strained and it plucked at her heart. She loved this boy so, so much. He never deserved to sound that way. "Mari, look at me. Please," the beg in his voice was palpable and her fingers trembled where they clung to his tee shirt. Slowly, Marinette opened her eyes.

Her mouth dropped open on a gasp. "Adrien?"

She was so confused. Fu had told her to stay away from Adrien? That if she didn't Adrien would get hurt.

Adrien tilted her head back ever so gently so their eyes were better locked. "Do you still love me?" The strain had melted away into fear. "You told Chat you loved Adrien, but Fu…" He bit into his pretty lip. "I know Fu told you some things that may have changed how you feel. And I know you were trying so hard to get over…" He struggled with continuing and she understood.

For so long she had considered Chat and Adrien two separate people. She even considered Marinette and Ladybug two separate people and she was both. Chat had always said they were same regardless of a mask or name, but she found herself wondering if that was still true. "I loved Adrien for a long time," Marinette started. "Ever since you gave me that umbrella." She felt her cheeks heat once more. "And I would have fallen for Chat sooner if Adrien hadn't…" She shook her head. "This sounds so bad. I'm sorry."

His hold tightened. "I understand. My kwami has been teasing me non-stop about both of you since day one. And I think, if I had met Marinette you first…"

She glanced away for a moment before looking back into his eyes. "I still don't understand. Master Fu had me so scared. I couldn't let you get hurt. Why didn't he just tell me reveal myself?"

"It's because we fell for the wrong side of the mask." At her confused look, he chuckled. "I fell for the side of you that you didn't like. I had thought after Stoneheart, I had eased your nerves, but I was wrong. If I had known you still felt that way, I would have said something. Then, after Volpina I thought you only liked Adrien because he was a model. But then I visited you as Chat so today when I realized you were Ladybug, it made sense. You could see me beneath my masks. The reason Ladybug was willing to give up her Miraculous was because she was you."

Her chin twitched down and Adrien loosened his hold so that she could look down. She appreciated his effort to ensure her comfort. Truthfully, she didn't deserve him after everything she had done. "It's not that I don't like being Ladybug…There's just so much…"

"Pressure." She peaked back up at Adrien. "I'm sorry I pressured you so much to reveal yourself. I should have never done that to you. Me of all people should understand what it's like to uphold an image."

His words broke her. "I don't want you to ever feel like you have to be that way around me, Adrien."

He folded into her smaller form and forced her chin to rest on his shoulder with his ear near her ear. He held her silently before he whispered, "You either. I never want you to feel insecure. You mean so much to me. I don't want any more secrets between us, My Lady."

Marinette choked. "I don't deserve you. I never have."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Don't say that. Please, don't ever say that."

She shook her head and pulled away. "It's true though." Marinette turned away and paced away a few feet. "Every time you came to me as Chat, I should have pushed you out the door. It wasn't fair for you to tell me your feelings. Especially…" She cupped her mouth as the tears began to prick at her eyes once more. She felt rather than saw Tikki rush out from her hiding place and land on her head. The small goddess patted her head and Marinette basked in the small comfort. "I used your feelings for me against you. I made this big deal out of nothing and I've hurt and lied to so many people. And you're still here trying to make me feel better." She wanted to look at his face. She wanted to see his reaction. And yet, she could not bring herself to do it. She could not peak back at him. Marinette knew she deserved the ire that was no doubt burning in his gorgeous eyes. She was a coward. "You should go…" Her fingers brushed her lips that still tingled from his kiss. "We'll pretend that none of this happened, okay? We'll go back to the way things were."

"I can't do that."

He wrapped his arms around her and she felt Tikki shift away from her head. Tikki whispered something to who she assumed was Adrien's kwami and then silence. "Yeah, we've got some damage control to do. Especially with Alya because if she ever finds out about last night…" She felt him shiver against her. "We'll think of something because now that I know you're Ladybug, I can't keep myself from being around you. We can use last night as the catalyst for your breakup with the 'other guy.' I'll say and do whatever you want me to if you let me stay with you. Just, please, don't shut me out again."

Marinette leaned back against his chest. "Why? Why would you do this for me?" The fingers of her opposite hand traced the Miraculous on his hand resting against her hip. "I've brought you nothing but trouble."

He spread his fingers and hers slipped between them. "That's how relationships work. You mess up, but you get through it. You work things out. We've always worked things out on the battlefield so I know we can get through this. Whatever is coming at us, whatever reason Fu had to force us together, we'll get through it."

"Together?" She whispered. All of this was much more than she could have hoped for. Adrien was willing to help her fix her mistakes? He was willing to be with her? And he was the partner she had started falling for?

Another kiss to her head. "Together."