"I'm telling you, Plagg, it sounds so stupid and I hate it." Adrien complained as they got out of the office, "I never wanted to be in any office. Not the president's, not the CEO's."

He and Plagg were walking in the mansion and there were so many people today. Why were there so many people?

Plagg rolled his eyes, "Look, it's a good offer. You should think about it."

Oh that was right. The stylists were oriented today.

He sighed, "You don't get it, Plagg."

He was about to look away from the stylists when he saw it. At the back of the crowd, there was a blue haired woman with the reddest of lips. And…

Her eyes.

His heart stopped and so did his feet.

"P-Plagg!" He almost yelled patting the man's arm to get his attention, "Plagg it's Marinette!"

Plagg's eyes widened and looked at where he was looking. Well it was Marinette. Only he did not and should not know that.

Ugh. Tikki and her ideas of coloring her hair blue!

"Plagg, Plagg, come on!" The boy started running and calling her, "Marinette! Marinette!"

Plagg caught up and grabbed the boy's arm, preventing him from running even further, "It's not her Adrien, come on! It's not even the same shade of blue."

"Plagg it's her!" He pointed at her, "It's Marinette! Plagg let go!"

"It is not!" If Adrien was stubborn, he was even more than that

"Just look at her! It's Marinette, Plagg!" Adrien scowled

"Adrien!" Plagg yelled, stopping all movements in the room, or maybe from his point of view, "Marinette is dead, alright? If you think that it's hard for you, then it's also hard for me."

He breathed deeply, "You're not the only one who's hurting, alright? I am too."

Adrien stared at him for a while. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but the only thing that made sure his feelings would be expressed were his eyes.

"I-I just," he squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to make a fool of himself

"I understand, come on." Plagg led him to his and Chloé's room and locked the door, "It's fine. I'm sorry I yelled at you but just, come on, we have to move on someday, right?"

•••

Just keep walking. Just keep walking. Don't act like your ex-fiancé is in the room and-.

"Marinette! Marinette!"

Oh crud. Act normal. Pull yourself together. Don't look behind!

"Marinette is dead, alright? If you think that it's hard for you, then it's also hard for me."

Yes just keep walking, Marinette. Don't mind them. Don't mind your breaking heart. Don't mind the tear that just fell from your eyes.

You know what, mind that. Wipe it.

She held her hand up and wiped it away before anyone could see her crying. They finally entered the room and were all seated in a long table.

"Okay, designers. Big day! So here are the guidelines for the clothing during the chariot rides. As you can see,"

Marinette piped the speaker down but still took notes. Her mind was flying to Adrien and how he had acted. He was not even sure if it was her. Well it was her and maybe, just maybe he would notice that she did not look at him on purpose. Maybe she was tired of all this. Of all the fooling around.

But why? He's married and I'm long 'dead'.

Why didn't he come looking for me? All those years, he could've found me and now I'm here and he wants me back.

She was starting to scribble hard on her paper.

Well Adrien Agreste, rule number ten. Not anymore.

•••

"I can't understand him." Marinette groaned as she paced back and forth, "He promised to look for me anywhere I go but he doesn't and now he was yelling my name like nothing ever happened!"

"The boy's in denial. Besides, even I was shocked when I saw you there." Plagg responded

"Maybe he was just overwhelmed. I mean, it's not everyday that he sees someone familiar from the past." Tikki pointed out

"I know but my hair's not that blue and I look so different when I was younger. There's just no way he could've recognized me so easily." She sighed, sitting down, "What am I going to do the next time I see him?"

Tikki shrugged, "It's your call. Remember, we're only for advice not the actual thing."

"I hate that you're right all the time." She grumbled then the two tributes walked out with Louis trailing them, "Good, dinner time, guys. And what's rule number five again?"

"No attachment." The two answered sorrowfully

"Great, you know my rules, live by it. I don't want a seven year old asking me why at least one of you never came back." Marinette replied then brought her son to his seat at the dining table

They all gathered up and all the food was served.

"Tomorrow afternoon it's the chariot rides." Tikki spoke

"Already? But I was just starting." Marinette piped up

"Yes but you'll have your staff to help you with the actual sewing. As for the two of you, what cards are you playing?" Tikki asked

"I wanna be adorable." Manon grinned, "Just like her."

"Perfect, she's already adorable." Marinette chuckled

"I just want to be strong and fierce." Jalil shrugged

"You know what I think?" Marinette started, "I think you deserve the genius card. Doesn't he, Tikki?"

The woman nodded, "Absolutely. Very few people play it right but you, you're just the living image of smart!"

"Thank you." Jalil smiled to both of them

"So tell me, how was your life back in 8?" Marinette looked at her tributes

"It was fun. I was an only child. Mama was a seamstress and papa was a factory worker." Manon answered, "I wish I was there though. Papa promised that we'd have the best dinner the day after the reaping."

"I have a little sister." Jalil spoke, "She's a brat but she cried when I was reaped. Yeah I miss her and I'd rather be with her right now."

Marinette frowned at the mention of a sister. Alya's sister was reaped. Oh how terrible Alya must be feeling.

"Tikki can I go up at the twelfth? Please? I'll be quick." Marinette told the woman

"Why'd you need to?" Tikki raised a brow at the odd request

"Alya's sister, Anaya, you know her, she got reaped. I just wanna see her." She spoke, "I've been gone for seven years and Anaya's reaped. Do you think Alya tried to volunteer for her? She must feel so bad. I have to go to 12."

"Whoa easy there, we're at the Capitol." Plagg stated, "No one's going to anyone's floor and no one is going back to 12."

"Look, I know you're upset about Adrien-."

"This isn't about Adrien. Don't blame the kid. He's still my Chat Noir and he's still under my care. You can't not make up with him just because he's married. You're the legal wife here, you know that." Plagg huffed, "I don't want anything happening to Adrien, alright? He's like my kid now and I'd protect him like you protect Louis."

The table fell silent as Marinette looked at her food solemnly. She was not allowed to visit Anaya, she was supposed to make up with one of the people she was starting to hate, and she had to design two new clothing for tomorrow.

"Well isn't this just great." She grumbled crossing her arms

Tikki sighed, "What's wrong with you? You're twenty two! You're Ladybug! You're not a fifteen year old who's sent to the Games anymore. I understand where you're getting all this but please you need Adrien. You need a Chat Noir. There is no Ladybug if there is no Chat Noir."

"Mama,"

Marinette turned to her son who was looking up at her, "Yes, mon cher?" She asked softly

"Can you not fight with Adrien?" He pouted, "I don't like seeing Aunt Tikki and Uncle Plagg getting mad. Please?"

Marinette pressed a kiss on his forehead then turned to the two adults, "I'll make him suffer,"

There was a groan from the two.

"then I'll make up with him."

•••

"Mama, why were you fighting with Aunt Tikki and Uncle Plagg earlier?" Louis asked, interrupting his mother from her nightly stories to him

Marinette watched as her son looked up at her and pouted. She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, petting it.

"It was nothing." She shook her head, "Look, mon cher, adults fight but it's not right to do so. We do a lot of wrong things and we'd regret it after a little while."

"I know." Louis replied, "I always see people fighting. Sometimes the Peacekeepers fight with the people and they get scared so I get scared too."

Marinette gasped. That was the last thing Louis should feel. He should never be feeling fear from the Peacekeepers or the government. She was here because she was going to make everything he was supposed to be scared about gone. And fear was the last thing she wanted her son to have in his heart. He should have hope instead, hope never goes out so suddenly. Hope was what she needed.

"But mama, who was Adrien? And why are you mad at him?"

"Because he did something bad." Marinette replied

"Well couldn't you forgive him?" He asked

"But it's hard to. He lied and he broke his promise and what did I say about those two things?" She raised a brow

"To never do that." He answered, "But you also said to forgive anyone even if they did very bad things."

"I know I did. That's why I'll forgive him when the time's right." She smiled weakly

"Mama when did he do the bad things?"

"Seven years ago." Her smile was replaced with a frown

"That's like forever ago!" He exclaimed, sitting down on the bed, "Mama you have to forgive him!"

She sighed, "Louis you'll understand when you're older but right now, you have to go to sleep and mama has to design pretty stuff."

Louis pouted and laid down on the bed, his back facing his mother.

"Is there something wrong?" Marinette asked, hugging her son at his waist

"I'm not talking to you unless you say sorry to him." He grumbled

"You kind of are talking to me." She pointed out

"No I'm not!"

Marinette laughed softly and kissed his cheek, "Okay, but if I disappear by tomorrow it's because it'll be so long until you talk to me again."

She stood up and went over to her work table, closing the lights and opening the lamp on her table. She sketched for a while, waiting for that, "Mama I'm sorry." that usually followed soon after.

Only it never came.

•••

Saying that the chariot rides was stressful was an understatement. People were buzzing past her left and right. The chatter inside the small space that the chariots were were so loud that she could barely hear her own thoughts.

"Okay, come on, we've got the twelfth chariot." Tikki told the tributes

Marinette followed after the two, her holding Manon's long and poofy skirt for her.

She had dressed the girl in a white dress with the top in a jewel cut. The material she used on the skirt was light and she put in purple butterfly cut outs inside the skirt. Her waist was hugged by a thick purple strap with a handmade flower at its left. Manon had her hair down in curls and her face done in very minimal make up like what Tikki wanted her to have before.

Meanwhile, Jalil was in a pure black long sleeved shirt with streaks of gold running down his sides that would look like they were sparkling when under the sun. She placed him in a simple pitch black dress pants as well as leather shoes. In her arm, his coat was draped.

When they got on their chariot, Marinette put it on the boy, making sure that it was form fitting. She checked the coat for stray thread and unfolded the tail of it that ended just a few centimeters above the back of his knees. She dusted the back of the coat, making sure that there was nothing covering the back.

"It'll sound really creepy to you but once the sun hits the coat, there will be symbols showing." She explained then got down the chariot

"Outdone yourself, Marinette. Very good." Tikki patted her back

"Yeah." Marinette nodded then looked around, "Where's Louis?"

"Louis? I thought he was with Plagg?" Tikki raised a brow

"Uh, Plagg said he'd be somewhere and he left Louis with the two of you." Jalil piped up

"What?" she yelled, catching the attention of so many, "Louis! Mon cher where are you?"

"Attention everyone!"

Marinette turned to the right and instantly pulled Tikki in front of her for cover. Her heart started beating loudly. He was here. He could have heard her! The worst part? He was really really here!

"Who lost their kid?" He asked then carried a small boy about the age of seven with blond hair and green eyes

The spitting image of Adrien.

"His name's Louis." He continued

A few heads turned her way and she only sat down on the ground, not caring about her clothing getting messed up just as long as she was hidden, everything was fine.

"Tikki." She tugged at the woman's pants, "Please? Please it's my baby."

Tikki sighed, "You know that I was going to get him anyway."

She walked away to Adrien and called his attention, "Oh thank goodness! I was babysitting today and the chariot rides was just a mess."

Adrien handed her the child, "Oh Tikki, who's child is he? He said that he's an Agreste, maybe the parent's a relative?"

"Nope." She hugged the boy tight, "Wow you are so heavy how does your mother even carry you?"

"Let's go, Louis. Say goodbye to the nice man." She grinned nervously

"Buh-bye, uh,"

Adrien opened his mouth to speak but Tikki had already brought the boy away. Tikki glared at the mother who was still freaked out as she pointed behind ths woman. Tikki turned around and saw Adrien grinning from a few ways behind her.

"Um, I don't think you're allowed here, Adrien." Tikki spoke

"I'm not." He answered, "I'm just gonna go now."

"Yeah you do that." She ruffled the man's hair, "You're still my little boy, right?"

Adrien smiled and nodded, "Of course. That's always."

"Well your wifey must be waiting for you." Adrien frowned at the word Tikki pronounced all too clearly, "Go on, kitty cat."

Adrien sighed then played with the little boy's hair, "Bye child twin. Bye Tikki!"

He went out of the place and Marinette let out an exaggerated sigh, "Oh thank you Tikki!"

"Mama was that Adrien? His name is Adrien." Louis asked

Marinette tensed and looked straight at her son's eyes, "Yes his name's Adrien," she gulped, "yes he is that Adrien."

"I thought you were going to apologize." Louis pouted, his lower lip trembling, "You broke your promise."

"No," Marinette muttered, taking the now crying boy from Tikki, "no, mon cher. I am going to apologize tonight. I need time to think about what to say."

Louis sniffed, "Really?"

Marinette nodded, wiping his tears away, "Really. Now come on, we have to go to mansion before the chariots arrive there."

Louis hugged his mother's neck and snuggled closer to her. Tikki led the two to the car and drove away together with the other stylists and escorts. They arrived just in time to watch the chariot rides at the live telecast in the room for them. One by one, shimmering people went riding their chariots and trying to make the people love them.

"Ugh I should've thought of that." Marinette pointed at an orange dress, "It looks so beautiful."

"Manon looks so delightful." Tikki grinned, "And oh look at that, perfect timing on Jalil's coat. What does it mean anyway?"

"It's just a reviving spell from way back." Marinette answered

Everyone in the room clapped as the chariot rides ended. They exited the room and went to where their tributes were headed.

"You two!" Marinette squealed, holding Louis' hand tightly, "Spectacular! I dare say better than me but you two were just so perfect!"

The two attacked their stylist with hugs and Louis grinned wide at the three.

"Thank you! I'm pretty sure we already have sponsors." Jalil exclaimed, "I'm just so happy! We dressed so much better than the others! And the script at my back? Amazing! I saw it and how did you even do that?"

"It took some intense hand stitching and all but for you two, nothing less. Now come on, I've a little surprise waiting for you two." She smiled and waved them off all to the car