Once the alarm had been turned off and things had been declared safe, Caline arrived at the gym just in time to see her class taking bets on sprint races between Alix and Kim.

'Yeah, we're not doing anymore learning today,' she thought as she called class for the afternoon.

"I'll send out a link tonight to let you finish the test," Caline told them. "Now get out of here and take care."

Her students rotated between grumbling about the test and thanking her for an early release as they shuffled out. Eventually, it was just her and Marinette in the blissful quiet of the deserted gymnasium.

"How'd it go?" Marinette asked.

Caline shrugged. "Oh, you know, the usual. It was the baby this time."

"August?" Marinette's face instantly contorted with worry. "Is he okay?"

Caline nodded. "He's fine. Little guy just wanted a snack and a story." She took the earrings off and handed them back to Marinette. "So you know? I'm happy to help. I'd rather it be me than you every time with you in that condition."

"God, I'm not paralyzed. I can still do things," Marinette pouted.

"Sweetie, you've got a passenger now. You really don't need to take a hit to the stomach from an akuma."

Marinette sighed. "I know. I just… It really doesn't feel fair."

Caline sighed and patted her shoulder. "It doesn't, does it? How are you holding up?"

"Oh, fine. I'm taking it easy now, drinking more water, you know. All the things the doctor says to do."

Caline nodded in understanding. "So," she said. "What is your plan for handling things? I mean, I trust you, kiddo. Whatever you decide, you know we've all got your back." She frowned as she thought about it. "Fair warning; I'd have to tell André. He'd wonder where I was running off to in the middle of the night."

"You shouldn't have to," Marinette said, smiling. "I've got a couple helpers. One of them is working the night shift. Still, it feels like it would make more sense to hand things over to someone full-time, at least until I'm ready to come back." She looked to Caline. "I wouldn't put that on you, I promise."

"Who were you thinking of?"

Marinette shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. I wanted to see how some people did, I guess? In the meantime, I trust you and I trust my friends. Heck, even Chloé would be a good in a pinch."

Caline relaxed a little. "Well, she'll love hearing that. That's good that you've got some options." Caline said as she stared at the earrings in Marinette's hand. Her eyes went wide as she suddenly remembered something. "Normally I wouldn't do this, but I just realized I made a promise earlier today. Um, this is awkward. I, well…"

Marinette shot Caline a knowing look. "I think," she said carefully, "that Hawkmoth might try something later today. It would be a huge help if someone could maybe patrol for me this afternoon and drop these off at the bakery this evening?"

Caline took the earrings back. "I think that can be arranged."

Chloé was sitting on the floor of her suite making goofy faces at Camille as the one year old haltingly walked across the room. As Camille would start making her way towards her big sister, Chloé would cover her face for a moment and then peek out and yell, "Boobooboo!"

Camille would fall over giggling hysterically every single time.

This had been going on for twenty minutes.

"She's getting better at walking every day," Butler Jean said from behind her.

"Of course she is," Chloé said in a haughty tone. "She's my sister, after all. And you know what that makes you?" She reached out and grabbed Camille, who shrieked and laughed as Chloé brought her close and laid her down.

"That makes you exceptional! Yes, it does!"

She raspberried Camille's tummy.

"Yes, it does!"

Chloé smiled at her little sister. "You are so loved!" She cooed.

"Awww!" Sabrina said from the doorway. "You're so good with her!"

Chloé smiled. "Of course I am. This little booger is hearing how loved she is every day. And if anyone says otherwise, of mispronounces her name, or even thinks of giving her trouble, I will fuck them up. Yes I will! Yes I will! I will fuck them up!"

Camille giggled as Chloé tickled her.

"Fuk dem op!" She cried.

Chloé froze. "Oh no," she said. She looked to Butler Jean. "Um, how do I undo that?"

Jean smiled at her. "You can't," he said. "If you'll excuse me, madame. I do have duties to attend to."

"Hey, wait!" Chloé cried out, but Jean wasted no time in booking it out of there.

Chloé turned back to Camille, who was sucking on her toes. "Fuk dem op!" The toddler gurgled.

Sabrina drifted to Chloé's side and patted her on the shoulder. "Good job, big sis."

They both jumped as they heard a knock on the patio glass. They looked up, wide-eyed, to see Mamabug standing there. She slid the door open and stepped inside.

"Hey you two," she said as Camille stumble-walked to her. She swooped her up and nuzzled her. "You recognize me in this, don't you sweetheart?"

"Fuk dem op!" Camille chirped.

Caline glanced to a red-faced Chloé and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry?" Chloé offered.

Caline just shook her head. "Sabrina? Can I impose on you?" She handed Camille to her.

"Of course. What's up? Is everything okay?"

Mamabug shook her head. "Well, not really. Queen Bee."

Chloé snapped to attention. "Um, yes mom? Ma'am? Yes?"

"I believe we discussed a patrol for the afternoon." She grinned. "You still game?"

Chloé started to tear up as she nodded. "Yes! Um, yes. Of course I'm up for it. I thought you forgot and I came home and… HELL YES! Pollenbuzzon!"

She transformed in a flash and giggled. "You're sure?"

"Of course," Caline said as she ruffled Chloé's hair.

Chloé paused and looked back to Sabrina. "Um, are you okay if we...?"

"Go on," Sabrina said. Her attention was on Camille. "I've got the squirt."

Chloé stared at Sabrina for a moment. "Um, you wanna borrow Pollen later?"

Sabrina glanced at her. "Would you just get out of here, Chloé? She's waiting on you."

Chloé smiled. She quickly skipped to Sabrina's side and kissed her cheek. "You're the best." She turned to Mamabug. "Alright, let's go!"

"Fuk dem op!" Camille cried after them as the two ladies ran outside and leapt off the balcony.

Later, after taking down a street gang and doing all the punching, mother and daughter sat atop the Palais Garnier to watch the sunset, each with an ice cream in hand.

"Thanks for coming out with me today," Mamabug said.

"Thank you," Queen Bee said back. "This was just incredible! We've never really, um, you know, fought crime together? That sounds weird. This was really fun. Usually it's me and Ladybug, or the alley cat."

"I know," Caline said, sighing. "But it looks like that's gonna change soon."

Chloé glanced to her mother. "Yeah, about that. What's up with Dupain-Cheng? Like, last night we had a team meeting, but it was only half the team, and she sent her fill-in to tell us she wasn't gonna be around anymore. And then boom, she shows up in class looking fine, but then you stepped in and…"

Chloé's eyes went wide. She glanced to Caline. "Is, um, is she sick?"

Caline shook her head. "No."

Chloé breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good. I was, um, that's good to hear."

"…But she won't be up to any hero stuff for a while, at any rate."

"Why not?" Chloé asked, annoyed. "I mean, being out with you is incredible, 'cause, like, you're easily my favorite Ladybug, but why can't she step up? What's wrong with her?"

Caline bit her lip. "I think… That's something she should tell you." She glanced at Chloé. "So, she does has a fill-in?"

Chloé shrugged. "Yeah," she coughed as her cheeks turned red. "There's, um, there's a night-shift Ladybug."

"Anyone I know?" Caline asked.

Chloé shook her head. "I don't think so? Like, I can't recall you ever meeting her. She's no one special, just her annoying, hot daughter from the future."

Caline choked on the bite of ice cream she was eating. She coughed and wiped her mouth on her jacket sleeve. "Her, um, her hot daughter from the future, you say?"

Chloé blushed. "Wait, what?" She sputtered. "I didn't, um, I didn't say hot. She's not hot." Chloé looked away. "She's just… Dammit. I did say it, didn't I?"

Caline nodded as Chloé buried her face in her hands.

"Look, she's just… I got in her face last night, you know? Mostly to give her shit and all, because she's new? And she's, um, she got right back up in mine. We got into it, and um, she put my face into the side of a dumpster."

"Are you okay?" Caline asked, concerned.

Chloé waved it off. "Me? Oh yeah. Um, I'm fine. She, um… It's just been a while since someone stepped up to me, you know?" Chloé fiddled with her ice cream. "It was just, I dunno, different? Nice?" She swallowed. "Slightly hot?"

Caline thought on that. "Okay, I can see that." She glanced at Chloé. "What about Sabrina?"

"Please don't tell her I said that," Chloé begged. "I'm not, look. I'm not gonna, um… I love Sabrina. I can separate like from love. It's just, like, when you walk by someone and appreciate the view, that's all. I'm not going to do anything to ruin that. At least, I don't think I will." She looked to Caline. "…Will I?"

Caline nudged her with her shoulder. "I trust you to make good choices. You're big enough to resist a little temptation from some future vixen." She eyed Chloé. "She didn't hit on you back, did she?"

"No!" Chloé said a little too loudly. "She just stood there looking awesome and not being phased by how awesome I was, which made her look more awesome and she's, ugh. She's got some boyfriend or something she was going on about last time she was here. I dunno. Stupid, gorgeous bakery family genes with those stupid eyes."

Caline shook her head. "You're a damn mess, kiddo."

Chloé sighed and leaned on Caline's shoulder. "I know."

They watched as the sky was beginning to shift to the orange hues of early evening.

"Thanks for today," Chloé said.

"Of course," Caline said. She put her arm around Chloé's shoulder. "We should do this more often."

Chloé smiled. "We should."