I was unsure if I wanted to include this chapter. I wrote it when I was originally going to take the story in a different direction...so I'm not a 100% sure it belongs, but it still works with what I'm doing so I decided to keep it. Enjoy, R&R.

The clock beeped quietly as it turned the hour. Adrien glanced at it and saw that it was midnight. His hands rushed to his head. "Oh no! My dad is going to be so pissed!" he said, scrambling to collect his things. "Kong and Natalie have no idea where I am!" He pulled his cell phone out. He'd silenced it when he came into the bakery and there was 47 missed calls. "He's going to kill me!"

Marinette tried to help him gather his things and he dashed down the stairs. "Bye Marinette!" he shouted as he ran from the front door.

"Bye…" she said quietly. Her heart squeezed in her chest. She felt so conflicted. She was happy that Adrien was attracted to her, but disappointed that he wasn't interested in a relationship right now. Marinette felt a little sick at the idea that he was so heart broken at the moment. She hated that something had dimmed the ever present smile that decorated his face.

Adrien dashed behind the dumpster and transformed. He bounded from roof top to roof top at a mad speed toward his house. What would he tell his dad? What would he tell Natalie? 'What if he barres me from school?! I won't get to see any of my friends anymore!' he thought fearfully.

He snuck quickly past the house wall and landed on the roof. The night air was cold and he could see his breath. He used his staff to sling his way through the open bathroom window. In the bathroom he transformed back into himself. Natalie was there when he opened the door. Her face looked stern.

"Um…hi?" he said, unsure what to expect.

"That's what you have to say?"

"Um…hi Natalie?" he tried again. Adrien could tell her was ticked.

"Try again. Where have you been?"

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck shamefully, "I was hanging out with one of my friends. I just lost track of time…"

"Adrien, you know better than this. You missed fencing, and piano. Furthermore, when I called the school they said you were absent all day. What's going on with you?"

"Just…teenager stuff." Adrien said looking down.

"And Cat Noir stuff?" She asked

Adrien's eyes went as large as saucers, "Wh-what-what are you talking about? I'm not Cat Noir!"

The dark haired woman's face was flat, "Adrien, I know who you are. We have security cameras in several places, and it doesn't take much work to take a look at them when you've gone missing."

Adrien could feel his world crashing down around him. He could feel his blood pumping in his ears and he felt a little light headed.

Natalie smiled sadly at him, "Don't worry, I'm the only one who knows. I've also taken the liberty to erase the footage every time you leave."

The teen couldn't believe was he was hearing, "How long?"

Natalie thought about it, "Since your first day at school. You snuck out with out your body guard and I didn't see you either…so I checked the tapes. You're lucky that it was me first, if it would have been your father I would have never been able to convince him to let you go to school."

"Thank you Natalie…" the boy came to the full realization of his assistant's support. "Wait…you convinced him to let me go? I thought he'd had a change of heart..?"

Natalie considered this, "It was more like a change in …perspective."

Suddenly he hugged her, "Thank you Natalie. You really don't know how much it means to me to be able to go to school."

She pulled away from him and straightened her jacket. "I may be keeping quiet about your extracurriculars, but you need to get your act together. No more of this running off and staying out at odd hours. I can't keep making excuses for you forever."

"Yes ma'am."

"You're lucky your father had to leave for Germany this afternoon, or there wouldn't have been an excuse I could give him for this romp of yours."

Adrien nodded to her solemnly. Natalie gave him a small pat on the shoulder and left the boy's bedroom. Adrien felt exhausted. Today had really sent his emotions through the ringer. He finally fell into bed after what seemed like the longest day ever. As he pulled the covers up to his chin he could feel the ache in his chest return.

I know, short chapter. I'm working on several of the next chapters all together so its taking a little longer than usual.