"Is it a bird? A frightened bird? A panicking bird? A dying bird? A collapsing with laughter bird?" Adrien could hardly get the words out between his own uninhibited laughter.

"That's time." Called out Sabine. "It was an airplane."

"What? Oh come on Mari, since when did airplanes have flapping wings?" Marinette was laughing too hard on the floor to answer.

"That's another point for the parents and we win. Boo-ya!" Tom gloated, striking a triumphant pose.

Adrien couldn't remember the last time he had played charades, but he was sure he had never laughed so much in all his life. As the sun had gone down, the lights on the Christmas tree had been turned on and the room glistened with a warm glow. Above the fireplace Marinette had put up a stocking for Adrien that she had made especially for him the night before, and hung it next to her own. He watched her as she cleared away a space on the coffee table. When her eyes met his, he felt a warmth and a comfort he hadn't felt since his mother had gone, and when she smiled at him, he knew he was safe and warm in her gaze. Marinette put on a playlist of her favourite Christmas songs before heading with Sabine into the kitchen to make hot chocolate and some treats. Tom threw himself onto the couch next to Adrien, hanging his arm over the younger man's shoulder.

"I know that look Adrien." Tom said with a knowing smile on his face. "I've been giving my wife that same look for over 20 years." The baker could see the flush in the teens face. "Have you told her yet?" Adrien looked down and shook her head. Tom chuckled slightly to himself. "Well, I suppose as her father this is where I should be threatening you with ten rules for dating my daughter and what I'll do to you if you make her cry." Adrien froze slightly. He remembered all too well that misunderstanding when he was Chat Noir causing Tom to be akumatized. That was definitely something he did not ever want to revisit. Tom could see the boys sudden increase in discomfort and started laughing.

"Don't worry son, I'm not going to do that. I know your a decent lad who will always treat my little girl as the princess she deserves to be." Adrien let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. Tom continued to laugh at the boys expense, giving him a good natured slap on the back. As the ladies of the house began approaching Tom leaned in to whisper into Adrien's ear. "She loves the colours of Autumn you know. I always pictured her as an Autumn bride." Marinette saw Adrien's eyes go wide and his face turn an alarming shade of red as her father whispered in his ear.

"Papa, what on Earth are you saying to him?" She queried, placing the tray of hot chocolate on the table and putting her hands on her hips.

"Secret men's business." He responded with a wink. Adrien just smiled shyly and shrugged his shoulders although having her father's approval certainly gave him an extra boost of courage and determination.

The music turned upbeat and Tom was suddenly on his feet pulling his wife up with him. He twirled her around before pulling her in closer and dancing her around the room, channeling his very best Fred Astaire but failing miserably. Marinette was once again in fits of laughter at her father's antics as she collapsed against Adrien's shoulder. Sh looked up at him and he gave her a mischievous smirk before dragging her up onto her feet too. Marinette squealed as Adrien spun her around before dropping her into a low dip. Bringing her back up he froze momentarily as his eyes caught hers before he was swept up into a series of bizarre and hilarious dance moves with Tom.

After a few songs, they all sat to catch their breathe and finish their supper. Adrien helped Marinette clear away the cups and plates as her parents retired for the night. Adrien had been set up with bed on the lounge. It was one of those fold out day bed types, so there was more room. Marinette helped him get organised before she excused herself to change for the night, promising to be back soon to keep him company. Honestly, she wasn't sure how she was ever going to sleep anyway.

Closing the trap door to her room behind her, she called her little kwami out of her hiding spot. "Tikki, I have to tell him I know he's Chat Noir. I feel guilty for keeping it to myself these last few days." Tikki nodded in agreement.

"Are you going to tell him you're Ladybug?" Marinette nodded nervously.

"Oh my gosh Tikki, how am I going to do this. I was always terrified to tell Chat the truth about how I felt and reveal who I was and now I know he's Adrien he might not want me being Ladybug and he'll leave and I'll lose my partner and..."

"Shhhh." Tikki soothed, rubbing Marinette on the nose. "You just have to be honest and be yourself. Adrien loves you, Marinette. I can see it. You just have to be brave enough to claim what's right in front of you."

"Plagg I have to tell her how I feel. Being this close to her and not be able to hold her and kiss her is driving me up the wall." Plagg emerged out of Adrien's bag, having retrieved himself a large piece of cheese.

"Are you going to tell her about being Chat Noir?" Adrien sat on the lounge bed rubbing his face with his hands.

"I have to Plagg. I told you I'm not going to keep secrets from her." The black Kwami regarded his chosen for a moment.

"And what if you find out she is Ladybug?" Adrien looked at his Kwami.

"Then I'm extra lucky, but I told you Plagg I love Marinette regardless. I just hope she can believe that and accept that I'm Chat Noir too." As Marinette's footsteps approached, Plagg ducked into Adrien's pocket.

"Come put your coat on, I want to show you something."

Adrien put his coat on over his pajamas. Marinette picked up his scarf and carefully wrapped it around his neck "We wouldn't want you catching a cold again would we." She smiled before taking his hand to lead him through her bedroom and up onto her balcony. With night came a chill in the air, but thankfully it wasn't particularly windy, just a gentle breeze. Adrien looked up at the twinkling fairy lights that adorned the balcony before he found a small bunch of levees tied with a red ribbon. Marinette was looking towards the night sky.

"There it is." She pointed up. "The North Star. Now we can make our Christmas wishes." Adrien could hear a small amount of apprehension in her voice like she was nervous about something.

"Oh, I thought it was to show me that." He laughed, drawing her attention to the mistletoe hanging above their heads.

"Wha-what? I didn't put that there." Marinette knew that when she turned the lights on only a few minutes earlier, that was definitely not there. She started to panic that Adrien would think this was some kind of trick.

"Marinette, it's okay, really." He stepped closer to her, taking her hand in is. His heart was racing, but he was going to say it. "Truth is, I really would like to kiss you under this mistletoe, but I need to tell you something first. Truth is I've been trying to find a way to tell you this for days." He took a deep breath trying to arrange his scattered thoughts and not just diving straight in to kiss her.

"I need to take you back to about a year ago. The official release for my break up with Kagami was that it was a mutual agreement due to other commitments. But that's not even close to the truth. The truth was I had rejected her advances, and she said it was because I was in love with you." Marinette just looked at him with wide eyes as he swallowed before continuing. "I convinced myself she was wrong because I thought you were with Luka. But then when I found out that wasn't the case, I couldn't stop myself thinking about you all the time, wanting to be closer to you." He raised his hand and gently caressed her cheek. There was a glint of tears in her eyes, but also a smile of happiness on her lips as he felt her lean into his touch. "Marinette, I know what I want to wish for. I wish to be with you."

Marinette let out a small giggle. "Oh Adrien, there is no one else I would wish to be with. When Luka asked me to go with him to London I told him my heart would always be in Paris." She placed her hands on his chest before looking up into his eyes, her voice just above a whisper. "Because you were here." Lifting up onto her toes, Marinette's lips met his. Adrien's other hand came behind her back, pulling her even closer as her fingers found their way into his golden hair. The kiss was soft and sweet, and maybe a little unsure. Adrien pulled back first, his mind still preoccupied with one more matter.

"Marinette, there's something else I have to tell you. There's something about me you don't know, that nobody knows. It's a secret I've kept for three years but I want you to know all of me because..." Marinette silenced him with a finger to his lips.

"It's alright Adrien. I know who you are." Adrien looked at her in confusion as she touched his face. "My Chaton."

"How did you know?" He watched her as she carefully unwound the scarf from around his neck. Looking at the back there was a secret flap that wasn't immediately visible if you didn't know it was there. Lifting it revealed a small green stitched paw print.

"Because I made this for you silly Kitty." His eyes widened slightly in realisation before softening.

"So you are my Lady after all." Marinette stepped back slightly.

"You knew?" Adrien shook his head, taking both her hands in his.

"No, not for certain. I've had suspicions on and off for a while, but it was only the last few days I really entertained the possibility. No wonder I called you our everyday Ladybug." He stepped forward closer to her as she steadied herself against the rail of the balcony.

"But, you loved Ladybug Chaton, not Marinette." Her voice was shaking and unsure. Adrien pressed his forehead to hers, his hands on her waist.

"But Adrien fell in love with Marinette, and perhaps if Chat is a very good Kitty, maybe he can have his Lady too." Marinette's laughter filled the air around them. She began to see just how ridiculous she had been. Tikki had tried to tell her that Ladybug and Marinette are not two different people, but two sides of the same person. She could no more separate Adrien from Chat anymore than he would separate her from Ladybug. She gently cupped his face in her hands.

"My dear sweet Kitty." She said tenderly. "I've always been yours, and I always will be." Adrien leaned in to capture her lips on his again. This time there was no uncertainty as he pressed her body to his, his hand cradling her head. The breeze blew her hair around them as the years of their love poured out of them conveying to the other through their impassioned kisses what words could not. When they finally stopped for air he embraced her to him and held her tight. He couldn't have wished for anything more than for the woman he loved to love him back and accept him for all that he is. That future he had seen with her the day she had given him the Christmas tree suddenly became more real than ever. He felt her began to shiver from the cold in his arms.

"Come on m'lady, let's get you warm under a blanket." Heading back down to Marinette's room they were greeted by the sight of both their Kwami's huddled up on a fluffy blanket.

"Well it's about time you two came back in, I'm starving." Plagg whined amid Tikki's shushing.

"Your not stinking up my blanket up with your stinking old cheese you stubborn Stinky Sock. Hello Adrien, it's been a while." Adrien smiled and waved to the red kwami, his own Kwami giving Ladybug's an indigent look.

"You don't hear me complaining about the crumbs in it from your sweets addiction." He shot back. Marinette and Adrien just looked at each other. Although both had met each other's Kwami's before, Adrien had never seen the two of them together. Plagg floated over to his chosen with a grin on his face. "Guess the mistletoe worked then, nice to see you again Marinette?" Marinette greeted the cat kwami as Adrien narrowed his eyes at him.

"That was your idea?" Although he found that a little hard to believe. Romance was not exactly Plagg's strongpoint.

"What, no! I leave the lovey dovey nonsense up to Sugarcube. She is the Kwami of creation after all." Adrien thought it best just to let that comment slide for now. Marinette looked over at Tikki who was still on her blanket.

"Okay, I can believe that." She laughed. "Although I don't think I'm going to ask about that whole Sugarcube and Stinky Sock thing." 

"Yeah, you sound like an old married couple." Adrien teased as Plagg snuggled back next to Tikki.

"Yeah, well, so will you two one day, might as well get used to it." Plagg grinned at the blush he caused on both teens and completely ignoring the chastising he got from Tikki for it.

Adrien and Marinette left the two Kwami's to catch up and headed back to the lounge room. It was a little late to watch a movie now, so instead they snuggled up on the lounge bed under a blanket, Adrien reclining against the back with Marinette leaning her head against his chest and her arms wrapped around him.

"I'm so glad it was you Marinette." He said as he kissed her hair. "There is no one else I would have wanted Ladybug to be." He passed her a small box. "Here, it's almost midnight anyway, you might as well have this now." He grinned. Marinette took the box and carefully opened it. Inside was the Ladybug heart shaped pendant. Taking it out she turned it over and saw engraved on the back 'Everyday Ladybug' with a small paw print.

"Adrien it's beautiful." She exclaimed as she undid the clasp and Adrien helped her put it on.

"It's true though Marinette. You are Ladybug everyday, with or without the mask." She reached up to kiss him and Adrien decided this was definitely his most favourite thing, kissing Marinette.

"You know, you didn't say what you were going to wish for." Marinette sat up slightly, running her fingers through his golden hair.

"Oh, just the same thing I've wished for the last three years." Adrien looked at her puzzled.

"Really, what was that." Marinette shook her head. He definitely drove her crazy at times, but she still loved him to pieces.

"You silly." She then looked down, her face dropping slightly. "I'm sorry I rejected you all that time Kitty, because I did love you, so very much." Adrien shook his head.

"You don't ever have to apologise m'lady. We were both blind and dense." He cupped her face in his hand. "But we have all the time in the world to make up for it." Yes, Adrien thought has her lips found their way back to his, if they lived to be one hundred he would never tire of kissing her.

In the early hours of the morning, before the dawn light, Sabine quietly made her way to the kitchen for a glass of water. Looking into the lounge on her way she smiled to herself at the sight of a sleeping Adrien and Marinette still half sitting up and tightly wrapped in each other's embrace. She carefully pulled the blankets back up over both of them. Adrien felt the movement and opened his eyes. He was about to apologise for Marinette still being with him when Sabine lifted a finger to her lips to silence him. Giving him a soft smile and a nod, she patted him on the arm to let him know it was alright before gently kissing her daughter on the head. Marinette was sound asleep and never stirred. Sabine quietly tiptoed out of the room, leaving the two of them alone again.

Adrien rested his head on Marinette's, a feeling of pure contentment washing over him. He had found his Lady, the love of his life and it was the same girl he had fallen in love with twice and he just knew that he was never going to stop falling in love with her. No Christmas present could ever be greater than that, he thought, as he drifted back to sleep with her in his arms.