A/N - Hey guys, welcome back to the story! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Her mind was abuzz, and even when she got home all she could do was sit on the couch and think - about the pie contest, and especially about Dr. Agreste.

She was so lost in thought, she didn't even notice Luca come in at first.

"Luca! What are you doing home? It's Tuesday night."

"Well, thanks to the foreman I'm going to be home a lot more. He fired me."

"I'm sorry," Marinette said, putting away his things.

"Don't feel sorry for me," He replied absentmindedly, picking up his guitar and beginning to strum. "I'm celebrating. But it looks like you'll be paying the bills around here. How did we do today?"

"Here," She handed him the money.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"It was a slow day."

"Maybe you should move a little faster," He replied coolly. Marinette bristled at the remark, but remained quiet. "Where's my kiss?"

She pressed a quick kiss to his forehead.

"Hang on, come back here."

"Luca-"

"Why is that all you give me anymore?"

"I don't feel so good, Luca."

"You look fine to me. Don't think I don't see what you're trying to do. Do you think I'm dumb, Marinette?"

"No, of course not," She assured him, to no avail. She felt herself getting desperate. "Just calm down."

Luca advanced on her menacingly.

"I'll show you calm, Marinette. I'll-"

"I'm pregnant!" The words burst from her mouth before she could stop them. Time seemed to slow down as Luca froze, doing his best to comprehend the information.

"...What?" He finally spoke. "When were you going to tell me?"

"I know that you've been under a lot of pressure, I was trying to wait until the right time."

"You've got great timing," He replied sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, Luca," She said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Luca told her. "Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe this is just what we need."

"You really think so?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes, Marinette," Luca smiled. "I'm going to be a father. Little Luca Jr., the legend lives on."

Marinette forced a smile.

"Just one problem though," Luca continued. "What if you start to love this baby more than me?"

"What?"

"Women do it all the time. They love their baby more than their husband."

"You're jealous of the baby?"

"Not jealous," He defended. "Just promise me. Promise me you won't love this baby more than me."

"Okay," Marinette agreed.

"Say you promise."

"I said okay."

"I need to hear it, Marinette."

She paused. She knew this was a promise she couldn't keep. But what choice did she have?

"I promise."

"Good," He picked up his guitar once more. "Remember the old days, Marinette? We were just kids when we met. I was focused on my guitar, you were doing your own thing."

"You wrote me love songs," She remembered wistfully.

"And you liked that sad one, so I played it all the time," He added. "Especially that one line. I think it was something '\about sunshine, and I sang it every night. Where the sun don't shine? No, that can't be it."

"Til the sun don't shine," She sang softly. "You will still be mine."

"That's it," He grinned. "Alright, well, you're pregnant now. We better get you to bed."

Marinette obediently followed him into their room - but she wouldn't get much sleep that night. As she lay there in bed, she couldn't help but pray the sun stopped shining sooner rather than later.

The next day, Marinette returned to the shop with a heavy heart and a clouded mind. At the end of her shift, she felt no more happy. As she cleaned up, Chloe wandered in looking equally unhappy.

"Marinette, is it just my imagination, or is my left boob drooping even lower today?"

"Don't be silly, Chloe."

"I'm starting to feel like something Picasso would've made," She complained. Then she spotted something on the rack behind Marinette's head. She pulled out the book that her and Alya had bought Marinette. "Now, what is this doing here next to the cinnamon?"

"Oh… yeah, I was looking for that," Marinette told her briskly, yanking it from her.

"You can't write a letter to your baby from the spice rack," Chloe told her firmly.

"I'm not much of a letter writer."

"Marinette, are you okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, I'm alright"

Suddenly, Alya burst into the room.

"Guys, I'm having a small anxiety attack," She told them, panicked. "I just got a message on my profile!"

"You've been sitting on this news all day?" Marinette criticized jokingly.

"He's my age, has all his hair, kind smile, loves music, especially hip hop!"

"Congratulations!" The two girls echoed.

"I'm having a five minute date with him tonight!" She announced.

Chloe and Marinette exchanged glances.

"Five minutes?"

"That way, if it's a disaster, I can get back in time for History's Mysteries on TV."

"Alya," Chloe said, taking her hand. "You are such a natural beauty. But because this is such a special occasion, would you let me put a tad bit of makeup on you? And perhaps change up the hair, just for one night?"

"Well…" Alya paused. "It is important to make a good first impression."

"Yes!" Chloe cheered, fetching her kit from her purse.

"Oh, and Marinette, could you make me one of your pies?"

"I'll make a real special one, just for you." Marinette assured her. "One where you think all the ingredients wouldn't go together, but they do."

"What's gonna be in it?"

"I'm going to use creamy milk chocolate, and just a touch of passionfruit."

"Oh my gosh," Alya sighed.

"And I'll mix in something else. Some sort of spice, that'll make you see clearly before it's too late…"

Chloe and Alya looked at one another.

"What is going on with you?" Chloe asked.

"You know that pie contest in Paris?"

"Yeah…?"

"I'm gonna do it," She said firmly. "I'm gonna save up all my money and go there."

"That's the first thing you've said that makes any sense in a very long time," Alya told her with a grin.

"Yes! And if a miracle happens, and I win, I'm going to take that prize money and I'm going to…" She trailed off, unable to vocalize what she had wanted for so long.

"You're going to leave Luca." Chloe finished in a reverent whisper.

"Yeah," Marinette admitted. "Just run away from here."

"Marinette," Alya placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can leave Luca without running away from here."

"It's not that easy." Marinette refuted.

"Alright," Alya said slowly. "Alright, then. Get yourself a little pie shop somewhere, somewhere they could really use a little pie shop. Like somewhere in America… especially New Jersey."

"Marinette's Pie Palace," Chloe suggested. "Or Marinette's Pie in the Sky!"

"Okay, girls," Marinette rolled her eyes. "Let's get back to Alya. Chloe, is her makeup done?"

"Aye aye," Chloe affirmed. "And the pie is finished?"

"Yes ma'am," Marinette responded. "Alya, take a look."

Chloe handed Alya a compact mirror, and the girl's mouth dropped.

"You've made me almost pretty!"

The other two laughed.

"Alya, you're beautiful." Marinette insisted.

They paused as Kim marched into the room, grabbing his coat from the rack.

"I'm leaving," He told them gruffly. "Before I die of estrogen asphyxiation. Don't forget to turn out the light."

And with that, he was gone. Chloe took back her makeup bag, and began applying lipstick to herself.

"Who're you putting on lipstick for?" Marinette asked her. "You dolling up for your husband?"

"Maybe I've got a little secret," Chloe replied with a smirk. "Maybe I'm doing a little dreaming too, Marinette."

"What is it?" Alya asked excitedly.

"I can't tell you yet."

"What?" Marinette exclaimed. "Why not?"

"Anyway, bye-bye Alya!" Chloe gave the girl a brief hug. "Don't do anything I haven't done. Go get yourself some five minute condoms."

"Chloe!"

The blonde just laughed as she made her way out of the doors, leaving Marinette and Alya alone. Alya gave the girl a big hug.

"Marinette, you are the queen of kindness and goodness."

Marinette just blushed, and Alya gave her one more smile before she too headed out.

After a few minutes more in the kitchen, preparing for the next day, Marinette too headed home, where she found Luca already sound asleep.

As was tradition, she placed her tips on his bedside table… but not all of them. If she was going to make it to that pie contest, she was going to need money. And Luca would never let her go.

She retrieved a few dollars from the pile, and quickly scanned the house for a place to hide them. Eventually, she decided on the inside of a couch cushion.

From that day forth, Marinette resolved to work harder and harder, to manage to compensate for what would've been a noticeable lack of tips so she could continue to stash her money away in hidden places across the house.

If Luca wasn't home or was asleep when she got there, Marinette would be able to conceal the tips immediately. If he was home and awake, she would hand him what she had decided to give him, carrying the rest inside her clothing - her apron, her socks, her bra - until she could properly hide it.

It felt pretty damn good to have a plan.

The next day at the diner, Chloe approached one of her assigned tables. Sitting at it was a young man whose eyes seemed to be fixed somewhere across the room. He wore a plain red cap, black-rimmed glasses, and a pair of dark gray, blue, and orange headphones were around his neck.

"Hello, handsome, what'll it be today?" Chloe greeted him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh. Oh, no. I don't want you as my waitress," He told her firmly. "I want her - that lady right there."

Chloe followed his finger, and found that he was gesturing to Alya, who for her part was doing her best to hide behind the counter.

"Uh… I'm sorry, but you're sitting at my station, so-"

"Yeah, but I don't want you," He persisted. "I want her."

Chloe glanced back over to Alya, who was now pretending to be on the phone… until Kim snatched it from her hand.

"Are you her friend?" The man asked. "What can you tell me about her? Her likes, dislikes. Does she have any food allergies? Pollen sensitivities?"

"Excuse me," Chloe said slowly. "I'll go talk to Alya and see if she won't answer that herself."

"That would be wonderful."

Chloe made her way over to Alya, who pretended to be vigorously scrubbing the ketchup bottles, just as Marinette emerged from the kitchen to join them.

"Alya," Chloe said. "There is a man at table 5 with a mission with your name on it."

"His name is Nino Lahiffe," Alya sighed. "He's the man I met last night. He's an amateur DJ, and told me we were soulmates. I made a mistake and told him I work here."

"He looks like he's got potential!" Marinette told her.

"He took me through the entire medical and psychiatric history of his whole family."

"Well, he's laying it all on the table," Chloe remarked.

"I just wanted a quiet first date!" Alya huffed. "First man who shows any interest in me turns out to be a mad stalker. Marinette, your magic love pie was too good, I never should've brought it with me."

"Alya, I don't think it was the pie," Marinette assured her. "I think it was you!"

Alya paused for a moment, glancing back at the table where Nino was waiting expectantly.

"Come with me," She pleaded with Marinette.

"I really need to pee," Marinette admitted. "I'm sorry."

She took off towards the bathroom.

"Is anyone gonna take the stalker's order?" Kim asked dryly.

Chloe pushed Alya from behind the counter, and she slowly approached Nino's table.

"Hello - I told you I didn't want to see you again - may I take your order?"

"I'll have an omelette, please," He replied. "I'm a persistent man, Alya, I know what I want."

"What kind of toast with that, white or wheat?" She asked, before pausing. "Why am I even asking that, you don't like wheat bread. Wouldn't touch the rolls last night."

"You see," Nino said excitedly. "We already know each other so well!"

"You don't know me!"

"I do," He insisted. "You're Alya Cesaire, easily misunderstood, but I see your true beauty, dude. Normally I wouldn't do this - actually, I've never done this - but this is for you." He handed her a bouquet of flowers that he had hidden beneath the table. "Those five minutes felt like a whole fifteen. I'm certain we're meant for each other."

"I don't even know you!" Alya replied tersley.

"Well, I'm a DJ, and I compete in various showcases. I do film work on the side, and think movies are pretty cool. I love my parents. What more do you need to know about me?"

"Your dessert order."

"Alright, alright," Nino raised his hands in surrender. "I'll take a slice of the pie of the day."

"With or without whipped cream?"

"You choose. I trust you implicitly," Nino said solemnly, and Alya rolled her eyes. "If you do choose whipped cream, put it on the side, not touching the pie."

"I hate when it touches the pie," Alya agreed.

"It sogs up the crust," Nino added.

"And you can't control the whipped cream to pie ratio-"

"To create the perfect balance of cream to pie." He finished for her, and the two stared at each other. Alya couldn't help but giggle.

"That laugh is intoxicating," Nino told her. "It could inspire poems - or raps! Here, I've got one - All my life I've loved turtles. And you, Alya, are the… Okay, I'll work on the ending. But do you like it so far?"

"Please, just take the mixed bouquet and leave!" She pleaded. "Ready for your check?"

"Not quite," He told her. "I love you, Alya. And that means you're never ever getting rid of me."

"When you say never-"

"You can try," He assured her. "But it won't work. I'll prove it to you, just wait."

He gently handed the bouquet back to her, and Alya numbly accepted it.

"So," He said hopefully. "I'll pick you up Sunday at seven?"

"...maybe." Alya mumbled.

"Yes! A maybe!" Nino punched the air. "That's what Ladybug said to Cat Noir when things finally progressed in their partnership!"

Alya froze.

"How do you know that?"

"I played Cat Noir in 42 reenactments of the saving of Paris."

Alya dropped the bouquet of flowers out of pure shock, and Nino stooped to pick them up for her.

"M'lady," He offered with a bow, and Alya couldn't help but blush as he handed them to her and strolled out of the diner, leaving the most generous tip she had ever received.

"A fake Ladybug and a poser Cat Noir," Chloe chuckled. "An epic romance."

Marinette just smiled, stepping out of the diner to make a quick phone call.

"Hi, is Dr. Agreste there?" She asked after dialing the number.

"This is he," A warm voice responded over the receiver.

"Oh! Hi, it's Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm sure it's nothing, but you asked me to call with any questions or concerns, and I have a question that's also a concern, so-"

"Relax, Marinette," He cut her off gently. "What is it?"

"It's just, I was bleeding a little bit this morning-"

"Heavy or light?"

"Oh, no, it's very light."

"Okay, Marinette, well I'll need you to come see me tomorrow just in case."

"Tomorrow?" Marinette thought. "Okay, I can be there at seven, that way I can get to work-"

Kim snatched the phone from her hand.

"Whoever's calling, Marinette's got a perfectly fresh slice of pie to deliver to table four because she's a waitress and she's working. Bye!"

He handed her back her phone, and she rolled her eyes with a smile, before continuing her day.

A/N - I was super excited to introduce Nino this chapter as Alya's overeager mystery suitor! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did!

As always, leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)