"Hmm," Marinette examined the photo in her hand as she stood on a chair. Marinette had been trying to retrieve a pen for her mother thinking it was in the top drawer only to come across a picture of a boy. "F-Fe-lix. Felix." Marinette read the name on the back aloud to herself as her mom came in.
"Ma mere? Whose Felix?"
Sabine examined the picture and grinned.
"That's Zumu's first boyfriend," Sabine laughed setting the picture back into the drawer. "It was when she lived in Paris. She was crazy about him." Sabine fixed Marinette's pigtails before hugging her. "Pere and I will be back later. Be good for your Zumu."
Marinette saluted her mother and raced off into the kitchen to help her grandmother in the kitchen.
Bridgette Cheng hummed to herself as she pulled out the ingredients to bake her secret recipe of chocolate chip cookies. She tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear that had fallen from her neat bun. Bridgette had gotten used to her quiet life after all she had raised her daughter, Sabine on her own so she could use the peace and quiet. Right?
"Zumu? Where are the chocolate chips?" Her young granddaughter's voice rang out from inside a cupboard in the small kitchen.
Bridgette smiled warmly, her blue eyes twinkling as she pushed the door of the cupboard open gently squatting down to meet Marinette with her pigtails whom was holding a bag of chocolate chips in her tiny hands.
"Mari, you don't have to call me Zumu," She ruffled her bangs helping Marinette out of the cupboard and to the stool next to the counter. "I lived in France in my youth Mari. Grandmere is just fine."
Her granddaughter was a blessing she just knew it. Sabine and her husband Tom, and Marinette had decided to visit her in Shanghai for Christmas. Christmas Day was tomorrow, and her little Bugaboo was off the walls excited filling Bridgette up with joy.
"Okay, Grandmere!" Marinette exclaimed as she began to help Bridgette mix the ingredients. "Grandmere we should play a game."
Bridgette looked over and smiled. "Oh, what would that be?"
"I ask you questions, and you answer them." Marinette informed Bridgette as she dumped more chocolate chips into the dough stirring them in with her tiny spoon.
"Alright, I'll give it a try," Bridgette smiled as she rolled up the dough placing the small mounds onto the tray. "But only after we finish putting these into the oven little bug."
Marinette nodded quickly jumping down from the stool to open the oven for her grandmother. Bridgette brushes her hands on her white apron before she places the cookie tin in the oven high fiving Marinette as she closes the oven.
"Alright now we can play," Bridgette smiled warmly as she was pulled into the porch and was sat down on the love next to Mari who kicked her feet in the air. "You go first."
"What's your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Favorite cookie?"
"Sugar."
"Favorite Place?"
"Hmm…. I'll say Paris, France."
"Who is your favorite petit fils?"
"You are my only petit enfant."
"Winter or Fall?"
"Winter"
"Who was your first love?"
"Felix Agreste." Bridgette covered her mouth with her hands immediately after she blurted out his name.
"A ha! Ma mere was right!" Marinette grinned
"N-No! Mari it was just you know a name. Impulsive reaction. Uh- Nothing at all!" Bridgette stammered her dark hair falling out of her bun and framing her aged face. "Okay, let's go get those cookies now!" Bridgette quickly stood up with Marinette railing behind her beaming widely.
"Ooh! Is Felix the boy in the photo you keep in your dresser drawer?' Marinette squealed as Bridgette blushed a deep red as she sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen. "I see why you like him. He has real pretty eyes. What color are they?"
Bridgette sighed as she gave her granddaughter a pointed look before walking to her bedroom. Carefully, Bridgette pulled open the door to retrieve pictures from the sraer and made her way back into the kitchen laying them out on the table spread out. Bridgette watched Marinette climb up the chair to look over at the pictures with a teasing grin.
"This is my favorite," Bridgette exclaimed picking up a picture of Felix. "This was when we were at the cafe a few blocks away from our school." Bridgette held the picture out for Marinette to see who preened with big eyes. In the picture a young Bridgette was holding the camera taking a picture with a big grin as she tugged on Felix's arm to be in the photo. She laughed softly as she remembered Felix giving a rare smile for the picture, small but there.
The curl on Bridgette's head shaped itself into a heart as she rested her chin on her hand watching Marinette grin and ask questions about Felix.
"Why is he so cold in all these pictures? Why does he look so grumpy all the time?"
"Mari."
"Why does he look stuck up?"
"Mari."
"Ooh, he was rich wasn't he?"
"Marinette."
Marinette stopped blushing lightly as she looked down at her shoes which were toe to toe her hands behind her back.
"Sorry, Grandmere."
"It's alright bugaboo,"
"Why did you like the grumpy pants?" Marinette asked.
"Mari," Bridgette laughed as she sat down. "Well, you see Felix is-" Bridgette paused as she closed her eyes remembering. "He is smart, he always had bad luck it was like a plague, he has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, Felix had a way about him that made everyone turn when he walked in." Bridgette counted off the things about him memories playing in her head of the grumpy boy and the playful cat. "He cared but he showed it in….well not very well, but he was mine and I was his. That's all that mattered to me."
"You really loved him didn't you?"
"I really did love him M'lady." Bridgette ruffled the younger girls bangs as the front door opened. Bridgette dived for the pictures quickly stuffing them in her pocket before turning to Marinette kneeling down to her height. "This is our little secret. Can you keep him a secret for me Ladybug?"
"Okay," Marinette nodded after a pregnant pause as she jumped down. "But why can't I tell mere or pere?"
Bridgette winked at Marinette as she fixed her pigtails ruffling them a bit before setting her hands on Marinette's shoulders with a small smile.
"Your mother likes to tease me, and your father will eventually ask about him," Bridgette kissed Marinette's temple before standing up. "Felix is someone I had hurt very badly. I've never forgave myself for that."
"Muquin? Marinette?" Sabine called as she entered the kitchen her short black hair glistening in the daylight. "There you are Marinette."
"Mommy!" Marinette exclaimed as she hugged Sabine around her waist.
"What did you two do today?" Sabine asked
Bridgette and Marinette yelled out at the same time with guilty looks. "NOTHING!"
Sabine raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she took Marinette's hand.
"Come Marinette, Pere is waiting in the car."
Bye Grandmere see you later!" Marinette waved happily as she skipped outside holding her mother's hand tightly.
Bridgette waved back as she watched them take off to visit the rest of Shanghai and to visit Bridgette's brother. She smiled as she took the cookies out of the oven and placed the tray on top of the stove. Bridgette picked one up blowing gently on it.
"This was your favorite, Tikki." Bridgette spoke softly as she gently touched her earlobe that no longer held any earrings. "I miss you. I know you'll take care of the next Ladybug when the time comes." Bridgette smiled as she took a bite of the cookie before dropping it.
"AHH! HOT!" Bridgette exclaimed as she fanned her tongue. "Why do I always forget to wait?"
Bridgette swept up the crumbs then proceeding to dump the crumbs into trashcan. She took off her apron placing it on the chair before moving to her bedroom. Instinctively she locked the door before sitting in front of her vanity mirror to stare at her reflection. Gently she pulled her hair out of her tight bun letting her long dark hair spilled around her tumbling to her waist.
Bridgette ran her fingers through her hair brushing her hair as she reached into her drawer for two red ribbons. She combed her hair with her fingers before tying one ribbon around one bunch of hair, and repeating the process for the other bunch producing two long pigtails with red ribbons tanglling with it. Bridgette couldn't lie about the fact she missed her teen years when she was Ladybug, and when Felix was Chat Noir. Then she would remember what she had done and immediately moved on. Avoiding the past made things easier, some thing Felix had told her long ago. Bridgette felt a tear roll down her cheek, startling her as she realized she was crying.
"Tikki. Spots on." Bridgette whispered as she gave a bittersweet smile to her reflection. She hated doing this, making herself pathetic. If she was Ladybug then there would be Chat Noir.
If there was a Chat Noir, there was a Ladybug.
Bridgette walked away from her mirror to look up at the sky smiling softly as she gently touched her earlobe. She never wanted to leave Paris. Bridgette didn't want to be sent back to Shanghai for an arranged marriage, but she had. And Bridgette couldn't bear to tell Felix why she was leaving Paris. Leaving him. If she could do it all over again she would have ran away with Felix, and disobeyed her family. Bridgette would never have given Tikki to Master Fu to obey her family's wishes. She would never forgive herself for what she had done. Bridgette pulled the pigtails out throwing the ribbons into the chest walking away once more.
What was Ladybug without Chat Noir?