Marinette was being led on a tour around the castle along with Tikki, Plagg, Pollen and a dull teacher/lecturer voiced Wayzz.

They had just turned down a new corridor lined with about 20 suites of armour, when Wayzz pointed something else new and boring out.

"As you can see, the pseudo-facade was stripped away to reveal the minimalist Rococo design." he said as Marinette politely looked around surprised that she was getting some new ideas for outfits, and the suits turned their heads at her as she passed.

"Note the unusual inverted vaulted ceilings. This is yet another example of the late-neoclassic Baroque period. And as I always say: 'If it's not Baroque don't fix it.' Hahaha hmm..." Wayzz said laughing to himself as Plagg and Tikki just rolled their eyes and carried on.

Spotting the suits Wayzz turned to them and said "As you were." making them return to their original poses. "Now then, if I may draw your attention to the flying buttresses above the... Mademoiselle?" Wayzz said moving to the next subject, pausing when he saw Marinette wasn't there anymore and moving towards a flight of stairs.

Quickly Plagg, Wayzz, and Tikki raced to get in front of her and block the way large 'Pretend nothing is wrong' smiles on their faces.

"What's up there?" Marinette asked curious.

"Oh nothing much, odds and ends, boring stuff, all in the West Wing," Wayzz said gasping when he realized what he just said.

"Ah, so that's the West Wing," Marinette said looking up more curious then before.

"Nice going..." Plagg said to Wayzz sarcastically as Tikki was lightly banging her head on the edge of the stairs, not believing how dumb boys were sometimes.

"I wonder what he's hiding up there." Marinette said really wanting to look now.

"Hiding? The Master is hiding nothing," Plagg said trying to stay calm, but not doing a good job.

"Then it wouldn't be forbidden," Marinette said stepping over them and taking a few more steps before they block her again.

"Perhaps mademoiselle would like to see something else?" Wayzz said hoping "We have a library with books filled with all the information you could possibly..."

"Maybe later," Marinette said once again stepping past them and up a few more steps, and blocked by them again.

"The gardens, or the stables perhaps," Plagg said trying to think of something human girls might like.

"Not really," Marinette said once again passing them this time only being blocked by Tikki.

"We have tapestries and a sewing room which I'm sure if we don't break anything Chat Noir will let us in." she said thinking.

"You have a sewing room, and tapestries?" Marinette asked a new light in her eyes as she turned to check with Wayzz and Plagg.

"Why of course we do," Plagg said smiling and lightly pulling on Marinette's dress pulling her back down the stairs.

"And in there are patterns and books with ideas that will fill your imagination!" Wayzz said smiling and leading the way, Plagg and Tikki following, Pollen bouncing along with them.

Marinette was about to follow them, when she looked back up at the stairs and felt her curiosity get the better of her, and went up them towards the West Wing.

Her first few steps were small and slow as she got used to the darkness of the long cold corridor, surprised at all the statues.

Soon she came to a large pair of doors and reached for the handles wondering if she should do this, but having a feeling in her gut that she had to, she opened them to reveal a large room full of cobwebs and broken furniture.

Taking a deep breath, Marinette went in passing a smashed mirror and some scratch marks on the wall.

A little further on she saw a few portraits but saw to the confusion that the father figure's face was cut or burnt out, and the child's face was scratched though.

Then she came to a painting that had the canvas torn to shreds, of a young man with golden hair and bright green eyes.

Trying to work out why this painting was here, Marinette's attention was drawn to a bright red glow over to the side and saw a beautiful odd looking rose on a table under a glass jar.

Carefully she went over and lifted the jar for a better look slowly reaching for it to turn it around but then...

A shadow loomed over her, making her look up and gasp at the sight of Chat Noir in the window, backing away as he jumped down, put the jar back over the rose hugging it tightly and growling loudly as he turned to look at Marinette.

"Why did you come here?" he asked standing on his hind legs to make him look taller than before.

"I'm... I'm sorry," Marinette said meaning it.

"I warned you never to come here!" Chat said, his temper rising.

"I didn't mean any harm." Marinette said quickly trying to calm him down.

"Do you realize what you could have DONE!" Chat asked swiping at something that was just here Marinette was standing, smashing it to bits.

"Please! Stop!" Marinette said getting really scared now.

"GET OUT!" he scream letting his temper out at breaking more things, as Marinette ran away "GET OUT!"

It was only as he finished screaming as he realized what he did and sighed deeply.

o0o

In the entrance hall, Plagg Wayzz and Tikki, all say Marinette coming down the stairs in her cloak (she went back to her room and grabbed it before coming here) and running for the door.

"Where are you going?" Plagg asked worried.

"Promise or no promise, I'm sorry but I can't stay here another minute." Marinette said pulling up the hood and opening the door letting in the cold night air and some snow.

"No wait," Wayzz said running after her "Please. It's dangerous!"

But she wouldn't listen.

Soon she was on top of Pepper and they were heading out into the forest not knowing where they were going, but feeling anywhere was better then back there.

Except here... Marinette thought as she spotted a large pack of wolves coming out their eyes shining and their teeth sharp.

Quickly pulling on Pepper's reigns Marinette span around and they started racing the other way the wolves quickly after her.

It was working for a bit until they came to a frozen lake, the force of Pepper's running breaking the ice and slowing them down allowing the wolves to catch up.

Soon they were out and on dry land again, running once more, but it seemed the wolves knew a short cut because they came out in front of them and scared Pepper, making her throw Marinette off and her reigns get tangled up in the branches.

Scared, Marinette, picked up a fallen branch and and started swatting at the wolves not leaving Pepper, but the cold and fear were making her sloppy and a wolf managed to pin her down snarling at her.

Closing her eyes tightly, not wanting to see this, Marinette was surprised when she felt the wild dog get pulled off of her and even more surprised to see it was Chat Noir that saved her as he roared into the wolf's face and threw him away.

Marinette stayed where she was, being as quiet as she could as Chat Noir fought the wolves getting bitten and scratched all over but soon he won and they ran off.

All Chat could do was look at Marinette give a small chuckle and then he fell to the ground.

Quickly Marinette ran over to see if he was alright.

Yes he did still seem to be breathing. but he looked really hurt.

Quickly Marinette ran to get Pepper free and pulled her over to him and as best as she could, lifted him onto the mare's back and began heading back to the castle.

o0o

In the living room Marinette set Chat Noir in his chair before the fire and went to look for things to tend to his wounds.

Finding Pollen, Plagg, Tikki, Wayzz, Alya, Nooroo, Trix and a basin and some clean rags she brought them back just as Chat was waking up.

Slowly, Marinette poured some warm water from Alya into the basin and soaked and rang out the rag and looked up to see Chat Noir licking at the scratch on his arm.

"Hey now... Don't do that..." she said gently trying to make him stop she he ignored her and snarled a bit.

"Just... hold... still..." Marinette said trying to get to his arm succeeding but causing him pain.

"OW! THAT HURTS!" Chat Noir screamed into her face, and scaring everyone.

"If you held still it wouldn't hurt as much." Marinette countered.

"If you hadn't ran away, this wouldn't have happened."

"If you hadn't frightened me I wouldn't have ran away."

"Well..." Chat said trying to think of a new argument "You shouldn't have been in the West Wing."

"Well you should learn to control your temper." Marinette said firmly, ending the argument and taking his arm. "Now hold still. This might sting a little."

As gently as she could, Marinette took Chat's arm and pressed the damp rag against his arm, earning a hiss of pain and she did.

"By the way..." Marinette said more softly than before "Thank you. For saving my life."

Surprised Chat looked at her and saw that she meant it.

"You're welcome." he said seeing everyone come back over confident that the arguing was done.


Back in the village, a light was on in the tavern and a cart was pulled up outside, saying 'Hawkmoth's Asylum for Loons'.

Inside, at a table in the far back corner with only one candle lit, sat Kim, Max and the man who was in charge of the asylum – Hawkmoth.

"I don't usually leave the asylum in the middle of the night," the man in a purple suit said looking down his nose and over his fingers at Kim "But he said you'd make it worth my while."

At this, Kim put down his tanker of beer and pulled out a bag of gold and threw it to Hawkmoth who opened it and checked they were real.

"Hm... I'm listening." he said smirking evilly.

"It's like this," Kim began "I've got my heart of marrying Marinette, but she needs a little... persuasion."

"Turned him down flat," Max said laughing a little trying to let Hawkmoth know the whole story, only to be hit by Kim getting him to shut up.

"Everyone knows her father's a lunatic," Kim carried on "He was in here tonight raving about a cat like beast in the castle in the woods."

"Tom Dupain id harmless," Hawkmoth said not seeing why he was called here.

"The point is, Marinette will do anything to keep him from being locked up," Kim said banging the table meaningly.

"Huh yeah," Max said grinning "Even marry him." he said a little loudly and got hit by Kim again.

"So, you want me to through her father into my asylum, unless she agrees to marry you," Hawkmoth said making sure she understood. "Oh that id despicable... I love it!" he said grinning menacingly.

o0o

At the bakery, Tom was collecting things for an expedition into the woods to get his daughter back.

"If no one will help me, then I'll go back alone." he said checking he had everything and taking a lamp. "I don't care what it takes. I'll find that castle and somehow I'll get her out of there."

.

As he was at the end of the road, the Asylum's cart pulled up outside the bakery.

Kim and Max jumped down and entered through the front door.

"Marinette? Tom?" Kim called out looking around and listening but not finding anything.

"Oh well," Max said shrugging "I guess the plan's not going to work after all." he said turning to leave when he was grabbed my Kim.

"They have to come back sometime, and when they do, we'll be ready for them," he said dragging Max outside and setting him down "Max. Don't move from that spot. Until Marinette and her father come home." he said jumping back onto the cart and driving away, leaving Max there.