4. No Good Deed

Unfortunately, that cough and sneeze turned into a cold for poor Marinette. It was rather unfortunate timing too for very important reasons. Count the first reason, being that exams commenced the following week and today were the final review day before. But the second (and quite possibly more important) reason being that Marinette knew that Alya and Nino were probably planning on bombarding Adrien and her with questions about being Chat Noir and Ladybug. After the events of last night, they had been much too overwhelmed to ask anything. But now that they had had time to process the information, questions were going to be flung at them.

Marinette had attempted to sneak off to school anyway, but her parents had intercepted her and forced her to remain at home. So here she was, stuck at home being sick.

What a fantastic Friday.

"Cheer up Marinette!" Tikki said, floating in front of Marinette's bed, where Marinette sat huddled with a cup of soup and box of tissues. "It's just one day!"

"But today is an important day, Tikki," Marinette retorted through one of her sniffles. "I'm sure Alya and Nino are going to have a bunch of questions and –"

"I'm sure Adrien will be able to answer them just fine," Tikki comforted. "And Alya and Nino are reasonable people. I'm sure everything is going to be okay." Marinette wiped her nose with a tissue, her nose feeling super stuffy and ready to explode. Okay, so maybe her parents had a point.

"I hope you're right," Marinette said. Marinette took a sip of her soup, and the warmth from the broth spread through her. Her parents maybe bakers, but they were pretty good cooks too. Even though it was the standard chicken noodle soup that basically anyone can make, it still was exceptionally good. She took another sip and smiled.

Gabriel Agreste would like the narrator of his life to note that he never intended to become a super villain. Well, once he decided to become Hawkmoth, he guesses he did intend to do. But he never wanted to be villain was perhaps the better wording. It was more of doing the wrong things for the right reasons than actually being evil.

Not that the people of Paris really knew that. To them, he was one of the most influential fashion designers in the world.

" ," the disembodied voice of Nathalie said on the intercom on his desk, "there is someone here to see you."

Gabriel – was sitting at his desk, going through last quarter's sales – furrowed his brow in confusion. He had no appointments today, he never took appointments on Friday unless absolutely necessary. He leaned forward to answer.

"I don't have any appointments today," Gabriel said.

"I know sir, but he says that it is important," Nathalie said in a nervous voice. "Something about someone named Nooroo."

Everything stopped. Nooroo? Nooroo? How did they know about Nooroo? No one knew about Nooroo. He made sure about that.

"I'll be there soon," Gabriel quickly said, standing in a rush. "Oh, and Nathalie, take the rest of the day off."

"But sir –"

"Thank you, Nathalie," Gabriel said, leaving without waiting for her answer. Gabriel rushed to the main foyer – whoever this was going to feel his full wrath. He landed on the top of the stair landing, and his scowl deepened so much that it was hard to believe that a smile had ever rested their.

"Fu," he seethed. Said man stood on the marble floor, his trademark easy-going smile on his face and his Hawaiian shirt the same shade as it had been when he last seen him. His companion was a bit curious; she was a small girl with dark hair pulled back. She was familiar; this was fellow designer Bridgette Hummel. She had come in contact with him once or twice in the past few years, but her place her was surprising (and not to mention unwelcome).

"Gabriel!" Fu said warmly. "It's been years!"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and walked slowly down the stairs, every step deliberate. What was he doing here? How dare he be here? After everything that had happened?

"What are you doing here?" he asked, skipping any pleasantries.

"Wow, straight to the point," Bridgette mumbled in her Irish lilt, crossing her arms. She appeared very uncomfortable to be here, and that alerted Gabriel that maybe something was going on.

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Gabriel asked rhetorically.

"Gabriel," Fu said, taking a step forward. "Please, we need your help."

"My help?" Gabriel asked. "And why would you need that?"

"A great enemy has returned," Fu said. "And we need your help."

Gabriel blinked once in surprise. Was Fu…coming to him for help? That was unexpected.

"My help?" Gabriel said coldly, folding his hands behind his back. He let out a short, cold laugh. "My help? You dare come into my home and ask for my help, when not too long ago you rebuffed my plea for help."

Fu visibly shrunk back at his words. Good. Gabriel met for them to sting. Any kind feelings he had for the elderly man died years ago – why make him feel okay about leaving him in his time of need.

"She's never coming back," Fu whispered. "You know that."

"I don't know anything! Neither do you!" Gabriel exploded. How dare he? His wife was coming back. She had to. She….had to. Any other possibility was too painful to even consider. She had to come back for his and Adrien's sake.

"Ok, so we struck a chord there," Bridgette said in a sarcastic tone. His anger flared against this ….this brat. His wife was missing – and this girl dares make jokes about it?

"Get out of my house," he said, motioning to the door with a cold and calculated look. He turned to leave, not daring to even entertain a glance from either of them.

"We need Dusuu," Fu called. Gabriel stopped his march and looked over his shoulder. No. Fu could never have Dusuu. She belongs to his wife – and when she returned she would have her back.

"I already told you once. Get out of my house."

And with that, he took his leave.

"That egotistical son of a biscuit!" Bridgette seethed the second the y stepped onto the Parisian sidewalk. Fu rolled his eyes at the young girl and continued to walk calmly, as if he hadn't just spoken with the greatest terror of Paris. Bridgette crossed her arms and marched angrily beside him, anger radiating off her.

"Don't be so angry," Fu consoled. "This was only the first step."

"First step?" Bridgette said. "We don't have time for first steps. We have time for here and now."

Fu gave a sigh and shook his head. Bridgette had always had a short temper; he hoped when It finally ran down that maybe she would be easier to speak with.

"Bridgette, I've known Gabriel longer than I've known even you," Fu said. "He may be cold and vengeful, but he is still a good person beneath all that." Bridgette gave a humph and continued to walk with a bit of rage. Thankfully she wasn't marching anymore – so they weren't attracting anymore unwanted attention.

"How do you even know him?" Bridgette asked. Fu gave a smile, the smile of remembrance as his eyes glossed over with memories. A small laugh worked it's way out of his lips, and he remained silent for a moment.

"Time will reveal it," Fu said after a moment. Bridgette furrowed her brow in confusion – time would reveal it? What kind of answer was that? Bridgette – far too concerned with the topic at hand then traffic – opened her mouth to say something at the exact time that she stepped into oncoming traffic. The car zoomed toward her, but yet she did not notice.

"Look out!" called a shrill voice, and it pulled her back towards the sidewalk.

Bridgette blinked in surprise, as one does when they almost die. She turned to the voice, finding it to be a teen girl with blonde hair not much taller than her. Fu looked at the young girl, and something in his eyes told Bridgette that he knew the girl somehow.

"Are you ok?" she asked with concern.

"Oh, um, yeah, sure," Bridgette said, still in a slate of shock from the traffic incident. The girl gave a small smile at that, before she caught notice of the clock on her phone.

"Oh my fairy godmother!" the girl shrieked. "I'd love to stay and chat, but daddy is expecting me for lunch in ten minutes. " She didn't wait for a reply, and instead sped off, giving hurried goodbyes as she did. Bridgette cast a glance at Master Fu, who sent a proud glance in the direction of the girl.

"I know that look," Bridgette said cheekily. "What are you thinking?"

"Oh, nothing," Fu said. "Just that Queen Bee is about to join our favorite band of heroes."

Felix sat in the small, wooden apartment he had managed to commandeer, a sneer on his lips as he stared at the photos on the wall. Bridgette, Fu, Adrien, even Marinette were pinned along the wall, marks from scratches slashed through them from when his anger got the past of him.

His eyes were zeroed in on Marinette. She had gotten sick at some time in the middle of the night, which was a sign that the plan was working. That spell he cast in her room was draining her energy, in about a week he should have all of it. It took nearly all of his energy to maintain Chat Blanc, the added boost from this girl should give him enough to carry out his plan.

"It's not going to work," came the sing-song voice from behind him.

"Go away, Bridgette," Felix murmured. But she didn't. Instead she walked around to face him, a smile on her face and her hair still in their trademark pigtails. God, he missed her. No. Felix missed her. Chat Blanc didn't.

"It's not going to work," she repeated, but there was no malice in her voice. It was still the kind voice that so often visited him in dreams.

"Yes, it will," Chat Blanc countered back, looking over her head and towards the photos on the walls. "I've planned it all out."

"You always plan everything," Bridgette said, rolling her eyes. She took his hand, and Felix couldn't find it in himself to take away her grasp. It feels so nice. "When was the last time a plan ever actually worked for us?"

"They never worked for us," he said. "But it'll work for me. I know it will." Bridgette laughed and stepped closer to him, his hand still firmly in her grasp. Her smile was still present, it was large, presenting her perfect teeth and her hair was perfect and she was perfect.

"Felix –"

"My name is Chat Blanc!" he hissed at her, taking a step back. Her smile still did not waver and she didn't flinch.

"You'll always be Felix to me," she countered sweetly. "You always have been."

He shut his eyes. No, she couldn't be here. Not now. Not ever. She was poison, come to stop his plans. Not when he was so close! Bridgette can't be back. Not now. Not ever.

"Go away, Bridgette," he whispered.

And when he next opened his eyes, he found that this time she complied.

"Okay, pretty boy," Alya said, dropping into the seat opposite of him in the library. "Me and you and Nino are going to have a little chat." Adrien looked up from the book he was studying from, seeing Alya sitting across from him and Nino holding the back of her seat. Adrien had hoped maybe that they would hold off asking questions about Chat Noir and Ladybug until Marinette felt better, but no such luck.

Sometimes he really wished he had some good luck. Just once.

"Okay," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Proceed with this chat. I'm all ears. "

Nino quirked an eyebrow. "Really? No fight?"

"I have the Historie-Geographique test to study for," Adrien said easily. "The exam is Monday. I'd prefer to be ready. So, I'd rather get this down quickly."

That was true – but mostly he just wanted to not cause a scene of fighting in the middle of a library. That would not be a smart way to keep cover.

"Okay," Alya said, her reporter instincts kicking in. "Why did you hide a secret like that from us?"

"Well, see, Plagg gave me the same disclaimer I assume you two got," Adrien said with a shrug. "Marinette did too from Tikki. Don't tell anyone. And, well, we listened. I didn't even know that Marinette was Ladybug until six months ago."

"But we were your best friends," Nino said. "Didn't you trust us?"

"Of course!" Adrien quickly said, seeing the look in their eyes. "But I also had to trust Plagg. And I didn't want to endanger you guys."

"Okay, makes sense," Alya said, tapping her finger to her chin. "But did you ever plan on telling us?"

"Uh…..it was complicated," Adrien conceded. Nino and Alya appeared hurt at that, but Adrien knew lying to them would have been worse in the long run. "But we were going to do – when it was safe. And can I just point out that you two were more than willing to hide your superhero lives from us?"

They blushed in embarrassment at that. Adrien did have a point – they were going to hide it from him and Marinette. True, it wasn't as long, but they still were going to do it. Oh, was this complicated.

"I wish all these secrets weren't floating amongst us," Nino said wistfully, and Adrien smiled in agreement.

"No good deed goes unpunished," Adrien said. "We fight as superheroes. But we also ran the chance of losing you guys."

Alya and Nino blinked at that, before starting at him with incredulous looks. What? Had he said something wrong? He must have. He opened his mouth to make it better, but Alya quickly cut him off.

"Lose us?" Alya said. "We're upset – but we're not going to drop you like a tomato. We get why you hid it, we had to do it too. "

"Besides, you're my best bro and Marinette is my dudette," Nino said. Alya looked him pointedly. "After Alya that is," he tacked on.

"The point is," Alya said. "Is that we love you two. We're not going anywhere. Besides, it'll take all four of us to defeat Hawkmoth and this Felix-guy."

Adrien smiled a bright smile. So they weren't leaving him – that felt liberating somehow. They didn't mind his other life, if anything it brought them closer. Would father react the same way if he told him?

"An Akuma at the Louvre!" Rose screeched from across the library, staring at her phone.

Well, looks like things would have to wait.

"Sure I meant well, but look at meant well did." - Elphaba, Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked.

Finally, an update. My original draft of this chapter was longer – but it got messed up and I couldn't do anything about it. But I like this version better, in some ways.

This is on the shorter side, I know, but I wanted to get something up.

Next chap: Another poorly written Akuma attack via me, but also some more nice!Chloe and some Core Four bonding.

Question:

What do you guys think I'm using two versions of Bridgette's name (Bridgette Hudson and Bridgette Hummel)?

It'd not a typo, I'm doing it on purpose. I wanna hear your guys theories on what's going on.

Jg13145: I think ML could work with them, but it would just be different. And I'm attached to Marinette and Adrien too. They are my children. I will protect them at all costs.

Rose Tiger: Took forever, but I did continue.

Kitty Crescent: And I give you that more! Glad you think it's good. I'm really doubting the story right now.

shadowpixie01: *takes deep breath too* The intensity is just starting. It gets even better. Now - *slips on Darth Vader mask* Pleather.

mayuralover: I think I explained the swirl some this chapter in the scene with Felix. Probably not very good, though. And I was scared of changing Bridgette, I didn't want to make her a terrible person.

Thanks everyone for your follows and favorites, you mean so much. Hugs and kisses to you!