Hey everyone! Just when you think these two can't be more oblivious, we find out how absolutely wrong we are. It's such a shame.

Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! You guys support means a lot to me! And as always a special thank you to my beta SunshineMLB!

Chapter Note: Texts between characters are always in bold, just so things don't get confusing. Anyways, on with the show!^-^ (Oh and I own nothing. Just the plot. Yeah, that's mine. lol)

Interlude


Marinette glanced around the Trocadero, watching people pass by them as they went about their day. They were a little way's down from the main fountain, sitting on a bench in the shade of a bunch of tall trees. It was Thursday afternoon, and the Trocadero had people all over. Luckily, no one was paying the two girls any mind.

"They are all a bunch of idiots." Alya said suddenly, fuming from next to her and throwing her hands in the air, "What part of, 'The barrier flashed white.' did they not understand?"

Marinette said it again, idly doodling in her sketchbook, "I wouldn't trust me either."

Alya instantly turned to face her with a scowl, "Oh no, not this again. That mark doesn't mean any-"

"Yes it does. It hurt Plagg, the source of power for Destruction Alya, and I broke through a barrier being held by four Lieutenants." She said it sadly, "They have every right not to trust me."

Alya pursed her lips, saying it again, "Bunch of idiots."

Alya took her hand suddenly and told her softly, "I'm never going to abandon you, you know that don't you?"

She smiled shyly, "Thank you."

Alya sighed heavily, trying to calm down as she lifted her face toward the sky, closing her eyes, "It's just not right."

"I can't do anything to change their minds though. Until we find a way to get this, thing, out of me, I might as well be an enemy." She said trying not to sound as defeated as she felt.

The past few days, classes at Dupont had been somewhat tense. Master Fu had made the decision that she could stay at Dupont, but Queen Bee and a few others were no longer speaking to her, at all. Some of the other girls were starting to at least talk to her again, but she could tell that the giant butterfly in the room was keeping everyone on edge. Not that she could blame them.

"Chat will find a way. That boy is relentless once he gets his mind set on something." Alya told her, making her smile slightly.

"So I've noticed." She commented.

"They'll see, when this is all said and done, they'll see that they were all being stupid for no reason." Alya said strongly, her phone starting to ring as she finished.

Alya's eyes lit up and Marinette smiled knowingly, "Is that a certain turtle boy?"

Alya waved her off with a small blush, answering it right away, "Hey, how's the hunt?"

She heard Carapace's voice over the line as Alya leaned closer so she could hear too, "We are at a dead end. There is no record of something like this ever happening, so there is no record of how to undo it."

She heard Chat cut in, asking concerned, "How's my lady?"

Alya glanced at her, shooting her a wink, "Your Lady?" Alya asked in fake surprise, "I thought she was going to be with you guys?"

Chat said it hard, "Not funny Fox."

"Oh come on, you have to lighten up. She's fine." Alya said unbothered by Chat's tone, "It does suck that you guys can't find anything though."

"We've been at this yesterday night. I'm glad classes were cancelled today." Carapace said sounding relieved and tired. Chat Noir had been dragging him into the archives to dig for information all week the second classes were out.

"It's nearly one, are you girls hungry? Do you want to meet up for lunch?" Carapace asked before saying it shocked, "Damn dude what the hell, that hurt!"

Alya shook her head, "If I was there, I would have hit you too. We can't all meet up for lunch. Lady and I are sans masks."

"Oh, crap, I'm sorry Lady I forgot I,"

"It's okay Carapace. You guys meet up with Rena if you want. I can just head home." She said quickly.

"We aren't going to do that to you." Carapace said instantly in response.

"Really it's okay. I have a few things for work to get done anyways." She told them. Gabriel had not appreciated her disappearing act, especially since he had given in to her request to help Adrien get out of work too. She had been given a dozen designs to recheck and get ready before the weekend so that they could be integrated into the Autumn lineup.

Rena asked with a slight frown, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, giving Alya the brightest smile she could, "Yeah, it's fine, really."

Her phone pinged and she grabbed it from her purse, smiling as she saw the text from her Kitty, "Maybe I can come see you after?"

She texted back instantly, "Sounds like a date."

Alya rolled her eyes but was smirking, "It doesn't look like she is going to be alone long. Meet you guys at the usual place?"

"Of course." Carapace said quickly, "Meet you in twenty."

Alya hung up and stood, stretching her arms towards the sky, "This was nice, just hanging out with the two of us. I haven't done this in ages."

"Me either." Marinette said with a smile as she put her sketchbook in her bag.

They linked arms and walked back up the Trocadero when Alya asked with a smile, "So, you are going to meet up with Chat in a little while huh?"

"That's the plan." She said smiling, adding it lightly, "I mean, it's not like you, Carapace, and Chat are taking shifts to stay with me or anything."

Alya asked innocently, a small wave of panic running through her, "What? Why would we do something like that?"

She stared at Alya seriously, "Ever since I woke up on Saturday, one of the three of you have been with me all week, without fail."

Alya caved instantly, looking guilty, "We just don't want you to be alone."

She squeezed Alya's arm, "I'm not going to let Hawkmoth turn me into an Akuma."

"We aren't worried about that. All three of us know that you aren't going to let that happen." Alya said trying to explain, telling her what they had been keeping from her at Chat's request, "We are just worried that Hawkmoth might start trying harder to take you from us. Stormy Weather was certain that someone was supposed to be after you, and that she was just there to distract us while you were taken."

She stopped walking and stared at Alya in shock, "Why didn't any of you,"

"Chat didn't want you to be afraid every time you were out alone." Alya admitted. "None of us did."

"Alya that's something you guys should have told me! How can I be ready for something like that if you guys leave me in the dark?" She asked trying not to be upset.

Alya was shaking her head, "That's why we hadn't told you. We are going to make sure nothing happens to you. There is no reason for you to,"

"I can't keep relying on you guys to take care of me!" She said a little too loudly, catching a few wayward glances from passersby. "One of these days you guys aren't going to be there, and I can't keep expecting you to show up and save me at the last minute!"

"We are always going to be there for you." Alya said, pulling her into a tight hug, "Always."

She hesitated before hugging Alya back, asking her this time, "Will you please, at least stop keeping important things from me?"

Alya nodded, "Promise."

She smiled, "And I'll deal with my overprotective black cat problem later."

Alya instantly smirked, "YOUR black cat huh."

She blushed but tried to keep a straight face, "If he is going to constantly keep calling me HIS Lady, then why not?"

Alya asked instantly curious, "Are you guys an officially 'official' item then?"

She frowned slightly, "I don't know about that. I know we have strong feelings for each other but, there is the big red bug issue hanging over our heads. I think he is still hesitant to take that step because he doesn't know how he'll react if she does ever show up."

"He'd never you hurt like that." Alya said without a hint of doubt.

"Not on purpose." She said sadly, "But there is always the chance." She tried to be more positive, "And we are good with the way things are right now. I don't want him to feel pressured, especially when he has enough of that in his life already. I don't want to add to it."

Alya stopped with her just outside of the bakery, telling her seriously, "I think either way, whether she ever shows up or not, you'll always have a place in his heart that no one else can reach." Alya smiled at her, "You've changed him, for the better. I have never seen him smile or heard him laugh as much as he does when you are around. Chat," Alya hesitated for a second before telling her, "He's a creature who is used to being trapped in the dark. He's been trapped there for so long, sometimes I really worried that he'd never break free of it."

Alya smiled to herself, "Then you came bursting into his night like the sun, bringing a genuine joy and a contagious happiness that he had never had before. He may not be ready just yet, but he'll realize it one day, and when he does, you'll never be able to get rid of him."

Marinette laughed softly, hugging Alya tightly, "Thanks Als. You really are the best."

Alya hugged her tightly, "Just don't forget it."

They shared another laugh before she waved Alya off to go have lunch with the guys.

"Marinette, I can't believe I ran into you."

She turned around and smiled slightly, "Felix hey, yeah this is my parents' bakery. What are you up to?"

He smirked slightly, "You are sure I'm Felix?"

She looked at him seriously, "I have never, and will never, get you and Adrien confused."

Felix let out a small laugh, "Just checking. You are one of the very few people who can tell us apart, especially when I go out of my way to dress like him." He ran his hand through his hair once, giving it more of his usual sleeked back look.

"Why are you dressed like him by the way? You have always been a suit kind of guy." She recalled.

"Oh, I still I am, but I had a brush of bad luck and my trip is going to run longer than I anticipated. I ended up borrowing a few outfits from his closet until my ordered suits are tailored correctly." He said nonchalantly with a shrug.

She asked concerned, "Run long, did something happen?"

He nodded, saying it bitterly, "I had a big setback last Wednesday. I was supposed to be gaining a partner in this little endeavor and instead, my biggest competitor finds a way to keep that partner from me." His green eyes hardened, "I couldn't even find my intended partner or get a hold of them," she didn't like the way he smirked suddenly, "but he'll see soon enough. I'll get what I want in the end."

"It sounds like you are about to go to war." She said worried.

He smiled, some of the anger leaving his eyes, "It's business, it tends to turn out that way when things go wrong. This guy has been a thorn in my side long enough. He'll understand in the end that it is never wise to mess with the de Vanily family."

She tried to smile, still getting a bad feeling from him. Adrien's warning about him played through her mind and she said it carefully, "Yeah, just, be careful Felix."

He smiled without a worry, "Don't worry. Plan B is sure to go down without a hitch." He smiled a little wider, "Hey, if you aren't busy right now, would you like to go have lunch or grab some coffee?"

"Oh, uh, actually,"

"MARINETTE!"

She turned in shock, hearing her name being called so suddenly with such force.

Her heart did a small flutter, seeing the blonde model walking up to her. She asked seeing the frown on his face, "A-Adrien? What are you doing here?"

"Croissant craving." He said easily, flashing her a smile that made her instantly worried.

She frowned but he only smiled more, "And we are still hanging out today right? You said you wanted to go over the twelve new designs my father threw at you on Monday."

His eyes flickered to Felix and she nodded, going along with his lie, "Uh, r-right, that's right. Sorry Felix, it's a work thing. Maybe some other time?"

Adrien finally bent his head slightly to look past her completely, saying it with false happiness, "Oh, hey Felix."

Felix was practically seething, "Oh, hey Adrien. Fancy running into you here. I wonder if uncle knows you are out without your bodyguard."

She heard something that sounded like a low growl escape from Adrien and stepped up to him quickly, "You were meeting with me so he okay'd you to be here without a bodyguard, right?" She pressed him, hoping he would catch what she was doing.

He did instantly and smiled more genuinely, "Yeah, it took some convincing though."

She smiled at him in relief before turning back to Felix, "See, no reason to bother Gabriel with something so trivial. Adrien will be safe here with me." She grabbed his hand quickly, "We'll see you later Felix okay? And don't worry, I'm sure your business endeavors will work out."

Felix planted a hard smile to his face, "I'm sure they will. Like I said," he looked straight at Adrien, "I always get what I want in the end." His patience was reaching its limit. If it wasn't Chat Noir getting the way, it was his stupid cousin trying to monopolize all of her time.

She pulled Adrien with her into the bakery before he could say anything else to Felix. When she felt his hand squeeze hers, she let go instantly, feeling herself flush, "Oh I, I'm sorry."

"No it's okay. Thank you, for going along with my lie." He said shyly.

Her mother came out of the back and said it brightly, "Adrien dear! What brings you by?"

Adrien smiled brightly, "Croissants."

Her mother laughed, "I have some put away for you. Let me go get them, TOM! Adrien's here!"

Marinette's hand flew straight into her face in embarrassment, "Not again."

Adrien just chuckled to himself as the large man came out from the kitchen, a bright smile on his face, "Hey! Look at what the cat dragged in!" He was being lifted into his usual bear-hug as Tom asked, "How's it going son?"

Adrien couldn't help the genuine smile on his face. Marinette's parents treated him like he was their child too, and he basked in the warmth they so freely shared with with him. Tom finally set him down, telling him instantly, "You look like you haven't eaten in days. I have just the thing!"

"PAPA!" Marinette squealed as her father disappeared to the back.

Adrien told her what he had the last time, "I really don't mind. Your parents are great."

She just groaned, "They are embarrassing that's what they are."

Sabine came back with a box of half a dozen Belgian Chocolate croissants, and Tom had a plate with some sort of delicious-smelling quiche that made Adrien's mouth water.

He took them happily and Marinette said it quickly, "All right, you've done your good deeds and fed the starving model. We have work to do so we'll see you guys later!"

Marinette was tugging on his arm as he told her parents, "Thank you for the food!"

He followed her into the house connected to the bakery and wondered if his Lady was upstairs. He knew that she lived in the apartment above the bakery, her balcony was clear from the street.

He wished he could remember the entire conversation they'd had that first night about the bakery. All he remembered was that the balcony connected to her room above the bakery, and that the family who ran the bakery lived in the house connecting to it, but that was it. He knew there was something more important that the magic of her mask was keeping from him, but the more he tried to remember, the more it hurt.

He smiled as he watched Marinette slump against the counter in the small kitchen. What if Marinette actually knew his Lady? Wouldn't that be something?

He told her quickly, "We really don't have to work you know. I just didn't want my cousin bothering you."

She sat up and asked him a little confused, "You know he's my friend too. Why do you really hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him." He told her instantly, "I don't trust him. You are so nice Marinette, I don't want him using you."

She smiled as she watched him dig into the box of croissants after he sat down next to her, "Thank you, for looking out for me, but I can take care of myself you know."

"Friends look out for each other, don't they?" He replied with a mouth full of croissant before reminding her, "And you lied too. You have to know that he can't be trusted."

"I lied because I could tell something was wrong with you." She said instantly.

He looked down and she asked a little softer when he went quiet, "Is everything okay?"

He nodded, "Yeah, no everything is fine really. Some school stuff is frustrating me."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked quickly.

He smiled up at her, "No, thank you though. I'll figure it out, somehow." His phone started to ring and his face instantly fell, "That asshole." He answered sending her an apologetic smile, "Yes Nathalie?"

She heard the quick, low tones on the phone and Adrien said it quickly, "I understand that's not my area, but how am I supposed to understand the company as a whole if I don't learn everything? Mouse is the best person besides father to learn from, so I took it upon myself to take the initiative to understand the process from the designers end."

There was a longer pause this time, Adrien's face falling until it went into full blown shock, "You have got to be joking, that only gives me three days!"

She frowned at him and he said it defeated, "Fine. Monday morning, ten o'clock. Bye Nathalie."

He hung up and she asked instantly, "What was that?"

"See what I mean about trusting him? Felix called Nathalie to ask her what time I was going to be done here, and if I would be able to make it to join him for dinner tonight." He leaned his head on his hand, "She had no idea what he was talking about of course, and now because I dug my hole deeper, he wants a suit and dress designed by me to add to the Autumn Line by Monday."

Her eyes widened in horror, "He can't really expect you to,"

"Nathalie said since I was with you to 'learn' something, my father wants to see what I can come up with since you are so talented." He said, adding it feeling guilty, "I'm so sorry I never thought,"

"It's fine." She said, letting out a deep breath, "I only have two more designs left for the line to actually look over, and then if you want, we can work on something together."

He tapped his phone and frowned, "I was supposed to have a date tonight too."

She frowned, saying it out loud, "Me too. I hope he won't be too upset."

Adrien nodded, "I feel like I haven't had a chance to spend time with her lately and I hate it." He looked back at her feeling guilty, "I'm sorry to be ruining your night."

She smiled at him, "You couldn't ever ruin it. He'll be fine. I'll just, have to make it up to him later."

He asked curious, "So, has he made his move yet?"

She pulled out her phone and texted him, seeing Adrien on his phone texting already as she answered, "He has a lot going on, so no, not yet." Her text was simple, "Can we reschedule? A friend needs me to help with something."

Adrien told her quickly, "He better move faster before he loses you." His text to his Lady was similar, "Your black knight has found himself caught in a trap, do you mind if we go out for lunch tomorrow instead, just the two of us?"

Her message came through seconds after he hit send and he smiled, "Maybe there is some luck out there after all."

She rolled her eyes as his response to her text came back before she could respond to his, "Maybe. I'm sorry Kitty, I was really looking forward to seeing you."

She heard Adrien's soft sigh as his phone pinged, "Have YOU made your move yet Mister Agreste?"

He shot her a small smile, "No, not yet. There's some, complications that I'm trying to deal with. I don't want to make things worse for her, you know?"

"As long as you are there for her, I'm sure everything will be okay." She said trying to comfort him before asking, "Everything okay on your end?"

He nodded, "Yeah, she actually had something come up too. I'll have to find a way to make it up to her too." He was back to staring at his phone, typing it out quickly and hoping he would get a smile out of his Lady, "If you miss me that much, I can always come in the dead of night to the princess's tower to save her from another day of yearning ;)"

She groaned and rolled her eyes, Adrien asking concerned, "What happened?"

"He's an idiot that's what." She said, even though she started smiling, "But he wouldn't be him without it. He's a flirt," she explained, seeing that he was confused.

He started to smile, "It can't be all that bad."

"It's not really, but I would hate for him to get a big head thinking his corny lines work on me." She smiled as she responded instantly, "You are terrible, but no don't waste your energy. I don't know how long this is going to take and I don't want you to get caught here. Try to get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow at school."

She saw Adrien pouting as he responded, "Tomorrow then. Have a good night m'Lady."

"Good night Kitty." She replied.

She and Adrien both let out heavy sighs before smiling at each other.

"Let's get started then oh great Master. Teach me your ways so that I may best the beast at his own game." Adrien said dramatically, making her laugh.

"I don't know about besting him, but we'll come as close as we can my dear pupil." She said easily, glad to see him smiling again.

They instantly got into work, Adrien easily picking up the aspects of design that he had never considered before. They worked in the living room together well into the night as Adrien got excited about doing the designs. Idea's flew between them seamlessly, Adrien being able to tell her after a while what he wanted the two outfits to look like while she managed to start a rough sketch on paper. They were laughing and making jokes, being together like this was just, easy in such a natural way. Though, neither of them could say why.

Tom and Sabine found them sitting on the floor next to each other when they woke up the next morning. They were both sound asleep leaned over the coffee table, each of them using one their arms as a pillow. They each had an arm reaching towards the other, causing the two adults to smile seeing it.

Marinette and Adrien's fingers were unknowingly intertwined on the table between them as they slept more peacefully than they had in a long time.

...

He walked into the dimly lit room angrily, his tail snapping behind him. He walked up to the long white metal table and grabbed the nearest chair with a growl. A spark of white erupted at his fingertips as he threw it against the wall at full force, watching the chair shatter to pieces.

Damn it.

He was sick of this.

It was bad enough that he hadn't been able to find Marinette at all the day Stormy Weather attacked. He had been hoping to catch her at home. All he needed was a few minutes and the right opportunity, and he was sure that he could convince her to join him.

But of course, his stupid cousin had to go and get in the way today too. Another perfect chance to bring her in, and the idiot had to show up out of nowhere to ruin everything.

Volpina laughed from the far end, watching him breathing heavily in his anger, "So angry Blanc."

"Shut the hell up Fox." Chat Blanc snapped at her, "I was supposed to have my Anti-bug by now, and all we keep getting are setbacks! Why don't you get off your ass and do something useful instead of trailing after my idiot cousin!"

Volpina glared at him, containing her anger with a smirk, "Oh, is my little Adrien catching your pathetic little baker girl's attention?"

"That girl will be ten times as powerful as you once she comes to our side. I'd be very careful of insulting her." Blanc said hard before adding it, "Besides, maybe you should be worrying about things being the other way around. Every time I walk around Gabriel, he's following her around like a lovesick puppy. Maybe she's the one drawing him in, ever think about that?"

Volpina huffed, "Oh please, he isn't going to give that nobody the time of day."

"Yeah? Then why is he spending the afternoon at her house with her, alone?" He said in triumph.

Volpina looked shocked before starting to show her anger, "He'll never fall for her. That seal on her shoulder will make sure that she ends up alone."

Blanc sat down across from her, glad that it was just the two of them in the meeting room right now, "Until the holders find a way to break through it. The Guardian is sure to have noticed it by now."

Volpina said it crossing her arms, "I doubt it. If they had, I'm sure they would have her under lock and key already. That seal should repel any Miraculous magic, so if they have found it, I'm sure they are worried about what it could be." She smirked, "I bet it is eating her up inside, wondering why her precious powers aren't working."

"And yet somehow they still did." A hard, unforgiving voice said from door.

The two Akuma Captain's instantly stood, seeing Hawkmoth walking towards them slowly, "Somehow, she still managed to release such an intense force of power that she actually reversed the damage Stormy had done."

Volpina reminded him instantly as Hawkmoth stood at the head of the table, "She probably used up whatever reserve of power she had managed to obtain. She isn't a threat we can't handle, handled correctly of course."

Blanc said it hard, "Oh, we all know how YOU want to handle the situation."

Volpina didn't look the least bit ashamed and to their surprise, Hawkmoth nodded, "It's about time we stepped up the game. Stormy's setback was unprecedented. Something about that fight allowed them to win, and this time we may have to go in with a certain level of, subtly."

Blanc asked shocked, "You feel something from her. Don't you?"

Hawkmoth nodded, "I've been watching her carefully, and her emotions are ripe for Vopina's brand of manipulation. Done correctly, she'll fall farther than she ever has been, and she'll be mine for the taking."

Volpina smirked wickedly, "Then I can do it? I can move in?"

Hawkmoth asked sternly, "You are sure that you saw the power she released? You cannot make a move without knowing it in great detail. One wrong move on your part will send us back to stage one."

"Replication will be a walk in the park, barely worth the effort." Volpina said casually. "And unlike Stormy, I don't make mistakes."

Blanc threw it out there unremorsefully, "Unless Adrien happens to cross your path."

Volpina sneered at Blanc but Hawkmoth said it hard, "Keep your head Volpina, because if this goes wrong, you can kiss your end of the deal goodbye."

Volpina nodded seriously, "It won't."

"Then get ready." Hawkmoth told her. Volpina made her way out of the room, and Blanc told him the second she was gone, "Adrien is getting closer to Marinette. I thought you were going to separate them."

"I was, then realized I could use him against her." Hawkmoth said with a smile, "Before she realizes it's happened, she'll be losing everything all at once. No more powers, no more chance of being a holder, no more Chat Noir, no more Adrien. She'll be isolated, alone, and that's when you'll get what you want."

Blanc asked, trying not to let his concern for Marinette's well-being get the better of him. He just had to stick to the plan for a little while longer and she'd be his, "And the akuma seal? Her power was released nearly in full after Stormy. It's breaking, and you know it."

"She'll be in our hands before then." Hawkmoth said unconcerned.

Blanc kept going, "And when it breaks, that stupid mask she was given will cloud our memory of her. The akuma seal is the only thing allowing all of us to be unaffected by the Guardian's protection seal in the mask. If it takes too long,"

"Volpina won't waste time going after her, or after Chat Noir. Her obsession with having Adrien has always made it easy to manipulate her. Now is no different."

"Just like you are using my desires against me?" Blanc asked firmly.

Hawkmoth smirked, "You have some complaint?"

"Of course not. You gave me power that has nearly no rival. I just think you put a lot of trust in that manipulative witch." Blanc said, holding the cold grey eyes of the man staring down at him, "We at least have a real reason for wanting the Miraculous, and all she cares about is having Adrien on her arm like a trophy. She'll find a way to meet that end no matter what, even if it costs her the Miraculous."

Hawkmoth hummed, thinking over Blanc's words before nodding, "If that becomes the case, she'll be handled. As easily as I gave her power, that's how easily I can take it away, and the memories that go along with her time of being Volpina."

Blanc nodded, turning to leave when Hawkmoth added it at the last second, "That is something you would do well to remember too, should you ever think of crossing me, Felix."

He hesitated, saying it hard, "It's not something I'd ever forget with you constantly reminding me," his voice lowered as he walked out of the room, "uncle Gabriel."


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Au Revoir for now!