Despite his assurances to the contrary, Adrien did not really have anything else to keep himself occupied - at least not this early in the morning. He lingered around the bakery.

He'd not been lurking for long outside the door before Marinette's father had wandered out from the back, waved him inside. "C'mon in."

He had followed automatically as Tom held the door open.

"There's not much time until our regular customers are due to arrive. While there would be an advertising bonus for them, certainly, it was the sort of attention that the hero surely didn't need."

When he explained why he was here on a secret mission, seeking out Marinette's help far, far too early on a Saturday morning. He'd left out the transformation this time, but it was clear that Marinette's father was more than proud that his pride and joy had been such a great help.

Tom smiled softly. If his transformed ears were any less acute, he'd not have hear the whispered, "That's my girl."

He didn't even realize he'd spun around, until he found room to pace the open floor below his feet. How was it that in one (repeated) day, this place felt far more like home than his own home had felt in a long while? Marinette's parents were just so welcoming and so considerate. His home had felt like that once, long ago.

But now it felt like he was intruding.

If the older man had noticed his discomfort, he'd said nothing. Instead, he'd pulled up a second stool near the workbench and set back to decorating cupcakes.

Chat settled on the stool beside Marinette's father as he set to decorating, his claws gripping the metallic sides of the stool. He had offered to help, but it quickly became apparently that claws were not so conducive to decorations.

Nor probably to health code.

Restless, his limbs still moved, spinning him slightly on the stool as he watched. He had only the vaguest memories of watching his father work like this when he was very small, before success had propelled him into the international spotlight.

Chat cleared his throat, desperate to not focus on the memories when there was much more important things to focus on today. "Marinette's mother is trying to wake her up now, but she said it might take a while."

"Probably good that you came down here then." The older man smiled as he leaned over, his large hands surprisingly precise as he decorated each in sequence. "Marinette always has a little difficulty getting up in the middle of the week, but trying to wake her up early on the weekend is next to impossible."

"Her friend Alya actually has a good bit of luck, but I'm pretty sure that Alya just blackmails her."

Chat blinked. "Huh?"

"There is a boy my daughter has a crush on," Tom chuckled. "I'm pretty sure a threat of sending a picture of her drooling and in bed would set an unholy fear into her."

Chat chuckled, filing that little tidbit away with amusement. It seemed the Princess had a crush after all.

Absently, he'd wondered who it was.

"Now, if you want to see Marinette panic, make sure you stand next to the bookshelf. If I know Sabine, she might threaten to pull out the baby pictures…"

Chat snorted. He needed to stay on Marinette's good side in order to get through the day.

On the other hand, now he knew those books existed.

And he was curious.

Tom had practically ordered him to have another pastry. "I remember how hungry I always was when I was around your age."

As the buttery layers felt apart in his mouth, Adrien found that he didn't mind in the least. In fact, the only perk of these repeating days - so far as he could tell - was the fact that he literally could eat whatever he want without fear of his dietitian.

He'd eyed the chocolate croissants greedily. But not subtly.

"Here." The larger man had snagged the pastry and nestled it in the tissue wrapping they had in the front of the shop, placing it his opened claw with practiced ease and an easy smirk. "Don't stop now. You're on a roll."

Chat's grin could not possibly have been wider.

"Would you mind if I had just one more? The thing that gives me powers can eat and really loves cheeses. And it might be best to re-charge while I can."

"Say no more."

When his transformation has released, Plagg had only fussed for a few seconds before demolishing the danish in entirety in the bakery stock room.

With a sigh, he'd sent a message to Nino on his civilian cell phone, telling him that he'd see Chat Noir while he was out on his morning run. Chat mentioned he'd needed help filming the days festivities, and Adrien said he'd had a friend or two that might be willing to help and post their footage online.

He'd looked at the watch on his clock. There was still 15 minutes left.

But now his curiosity was getting the better of him.

Marinette had run down as quickly as she could, skipping entire steps. Her hair was still damp and clothes were in mild disarray, but the alternative was somewhat terrifying.

Spending the past year mastering the art of the ten minute shower and scramble to school had finally paid off.

She gaped as soon as she spotted Chat Noir standing in front of the bookshelf containing years and years of pictures.

Embarrassing pictures. She'd seen them recently enough to know that for sure.

With his claws and eyes hovering, dangerously close.

"Chat?!" She'd half shrieked. "What are you doing here?"

He'd just grinned, calm and happy as he pleased, his claws weaving behind his neck as he meandered over to drop into the guest seat at the dinner table. "I'm afraid that's a bit of a long story, Princess."

Her mother snorted indelicately, tossing a glance she'd long ago decided to interpret as "behave" at her partner in justice.

Shower or not, she'd was not awake enough to make much more if than that.

"I'll just take this down to your father while you both catch up."

Frowning at her orange juice, Marinette pondered whether or not she should have taken up her mother on her offer of coffee.

She could swear Chat just told her-her of all people-that a secret Akuma was plaguing the city. With everyone none the wiser but him.

Not even her alter ego.

She sighed, picking at the edge of her toast "That's a pretty tall tale."

He waggled his brows. "There's a good deal more to tell, Princess."

She was too tired to bother masking her eye roll. "And yet there is only so much time until you have somewhere to be."

Chat nodded, his shoulders slumping.

Marinette bit her lip, feeling far too much like she'd kicked her kitten. "You said there was something I found…?" She took a hasty sip, hoping the rush of sugar would kickstart her brain into higher gear. Clearly he'd come because he needed the help.

Chat's eyes narrowed, focused. "Someone - a police officer - had been standing guard during the ceremony and then disappeared inside city hall. He didn't seem to come back out, unless he went back out another door we didn't have a camera on."

"So your plan is what exactly? To go in and find him?"

He nodded. "He's really out only lead at the moment. The only one we see moving away from the ceremony. I know for certain I had seen him after the ceremony previously."

Marinette nodded. "That makes sense. So either he or someone around him was affected and changed by the altered course of the day."

Chat's smile was the same reckless, devil may care one he wore when the cooked up plans side by side nearly every day. The one that never really affected her so much in costume. But here at her own breakfast table, it chased butterflies through her stomach.

Marinette exhaled. She was clearly sleep deprived.

Thankfully, Chat hadn't seemed to notice. He had laid his head down on the table, looking more than a little lost. More than a little tired. "During the ceremony is the time I am getting any sense of an Akuma. Like I said, this one is weird. Ladybug and I can usually follow the screams and the destruction. But without that, I'm a little lost."

Marinette chewed her lip. Somehow, she really needed to figure out some way for Chat to "contact Ladybug." But it needed to be something that would be both safe to actually tell him, provided she didn't remember all of this tomorrow and directly contradict herself.

If only she and Tikki had devised some alternate emergency path of communications with Chat before today. She crossed her arms over her chest, mentally puzzling. It had always seemed fraught with security risk, but wasn't this just as dangerous for them all?

She didn't notice Chat staring at her until she looked up and their eyes locked.

She arched an amused eyebrow, as he had the grace to blush as he looked away first.

Chat really was such a flirt. Was he like this with every girl or was she just particularly lucky?

She made a mental note to ask Alya if there was some sort of hidden intel she had on that before she realized the futility of that.

Not only would she probably not remember, but she'd also have to spend the rest of this day deal with Alya's questions of why. Why now? Why Chat? What about Adrien?

And with her luck, Adrien would probably be nearby.

Chat leaning his head on the table. Marinette really was totally animated. Her mother had mentioned that it took her a little while to get moving in the morning, but once she was off and running, it was a full tilt speed.

It was fascinating, watching her free of whatever hang ups she had around him at school.

Until she caught him, then he felt the fiery blush hit him like a freight train. He felt everything a bit more in the suit, his senses were more acute. More pain, more joy, more fear, more laughter. He frequently felt the sharp spike of adrenaline set his heart to racing when the wind was rushing through his hair as he chased his Lady over the rooftops of Paris. This moment, it was quieter, but he felt that rush all the same. And he was filled with nervous energy and a fear of looking her into those too blue eyes.

It was reminding him too much of LB. Reminding him that his mind was off mission. That she'd want him to be focused - need him to do so really - to ensure they could keep Paris safe. Until she could know and could help.

Until they could find whatever they needed to stop this awful day from repeating.

"I think we need to find some way for you to reach out to Ladybug earlier." Marinette pressed her lips together. "I'm not sure how, but there is really only so much we can do to help. Maybe Alya might have some way…?"

He frowned. "It might be too risky. Until we know what we are dealing with, I'm not sure more than subtle changes would work. If Alya put a call out for Ladybug to contact her, it might put her at risk."

"Then that's no good."

"And I can't get away from home all that much," Chat frowned. "They think I'm sick in bed today, but I lost so much time in the evening because someone kept checking in…"

Marinette tilted her head, considering. "You're about my age, right?"

Chat nodded. "I'm still in school, if that's what you mean."

"Yeah. Wouldn't your family understand if you had a class project with a due date coming up."

"Oh." He blinked, stunned. And then, he belly laughed, as unrestrained and free as his costume allowed. "Oh, that's brilliant."

Her eyes fairly sparkled at the compliment, but it was her smile that was magnetic. Her far too pink lips curled upwards slowly with more than a bit self-deprecation.

Well, that wouldn't do. Didn't she know just how much trouble that would save him? How much more help he could be now?

Chat didn't think, he just moved. His arms wound about her waist careful of his claws, swooping her up out of her chair spinning her around merrily in cozy of the kitchen.

Her cheeks flushed, but her eyes were vaguely panicked. Her hands tapping at his shoulders. "Yes, yes. I'm clever. Now put me down, we have work to do."

Chat's smile lost a bit of it's force in the confusion, the speed of the spin slowing to a stop setting her down to the floor as gently as his claws could manage.

Had she been afraid? He wouldn't have let her get hurt.

There was no way he would have allowed it.

"Now." She breathed, taking a half step back. "We still have one more thing to figure out. How do we get someone inside City Hall to find that police officer?"

Author's Notes:

So, my sick day is your benefit. New chapter...and finally a bit more plot advancement! Not beta read, so I might need to do some minor word-smithing tomorrow if I've missed something glaring.

If I am very lucky, I might get a good chunk of the day tomorrow to write (unless there are secret birthday plans). Thanks for all of who left birthday wishes. You are all very sweet!