When Sabine made her way back to the roof, she found Chat Noir sitting next to Ryuko and talking. He had a look on his face like someone had just taken his last Christmas present, while she had an arm around his shoulder. They both looked up when she arrived.

"Hi kids," Sabine said. She saw the looks on their faces. "Um, oh. Ryuko? Would you mind too terribly if I spoke with Ad… Chat for a moment?"

Ryuko squeezed Adrien's shoulder and looked at him, but Adrien smiled back at her and nodded. "I'll be okay. Go enjoy your morning."

Ryuko hugged him. "You are a good person, and you have worth," Ryuko said to him as she held him. "You remember that, no matter what. I love you."

Adrien pulled back for a second. "Kagami, I…"

"I always have," Kagami said. "And I always will. You're important to me, Adrien. Even if you're not mine anymore."

"Thanks, Kagami. I love you, too." Adrien said, smiling.

"Tell Marinette I said hello. We need to have lunch this week. She's been avoiding me, you know," Kagami said, smiling back.

"I'll let her know."

Kagami turned to Sabine and glared at her. "If you hurt him, you will answer to me, regardless of who your daughter is."

Sabine blinked. "Excuse me?"

"His secret was not yours to tell," Kagami said, her voice dripping with anger. "You hurt and humiliated him. Now, you need to make this right."

Before Sabine could answer, Ryuko glanced back at Adrien and waved. Then, she took off in a sprint towards the direction of her house, leaping from roof to roof as she left.

Sabine looked to Adrien, who was hugging himself and looking out over the city. She walked to his side.

"How did you know?" Adrien asked in a small voice.

"I figured it out after the museum, when Cheshire and I beat up that blue woman. You were the only blonde boy in the group. And just now? That was a pretty detailed breakdown of your life."

Adrien blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh." He looked to her. "Does Ladybug know?"

Sabine shook her head. "Honestly, I don't think she does, which just baffles me." She stared at Adrien for a moment. "You don't know who she is either, do you?"

Adrien shook his head. "No. We, um, we never told each other."

"Ah."

They stood for a while, each not knowing what to say.

"Hey," Sabine said. "Come with me."

"Sorry?" Adrien said, looking up.

"Come on," Sabine said. "I owe you."

She jumped, taking off towards the east as Adrien followed, slightly confused.

A few minutes later, they both touched down in front of the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

"Oh," Adrien said as Sabine-Ladybug headed for the front door. "I can't, um, I mean, this isn't the right time! I... Please don't make me out myself!"

Sabine froze. She turned to Adrien with a horrified look on her face. "Out you? Oh God, never. I mean, I didn't mean to before. I really thought she knew! I would, Chat Noir. I would never, ever deliberately do something like that to you or anyone. If you're not ready to tell someone something, then you don't have to. I promise."

She moved to hug Adrien, not sure if he'd want the affection.

Adrien wanted the affection.

He practically charged into her open arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank you so, so much. That was so nice to hear, you have no idea. But, um, why are we here, then?"

Sabine smiled. "Breakfast. It's early, and I need something to counter the liquor in my stomach. I'm not 20 anymore."

Chat Noir shuffled his feet. "Um, Ma'am? I, um, I don't have any money on me."

"My treat," Sabine said. "I owe you."

They walked in to find Tom working the counter, and beside him, a sleepy-looking Marinette. The crowd had thinned a bit, but it didn't stop at least a dozen people from whipping out their phones at the sight of two of Paris's heroes stopping by for a snack.

"Good morning, citizens," Sabine said, smiling at her family.

"Oh," Tom said. His eyes kept darting between his wife and his daughter. "Hello. You."

"Hhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii," Marinette said, wide-eyed and slack jawed.

"I'd like one cheese danish, a coffee, two sugars, and what will you have, Chat Noir?"

"He," Marinette interrupted as she came to her senses, "will have a mocha with an extra shot and heavy whip, and a strawberry danish." She got to work on his drink. "Morning, kittycat."

Adrien smiled at the sight of his fiancé. "Morning, Purrincess. I didn't know you were working the counter today."

"Well, since my mom just up and took off, dad needed help," Marinette said as she fixed up his order in record time.

"I'm sure your mother had a very good reason for taking off," Ladybug said, eyeing her daughter.

Marinette pressed the steam lever slightly harder than she needed to for Chat's mocha. "Did she? I think from what I've gathered that it was something say, I dunno, I could have handled?"

"And what if you'd been wrong?" Ladybug countered.

"I guess we'll never know, will we?" Marinette said, glaring.

"I guess we won't," Ladybug said back, a smug smile on her face.

Tom edged close to Chat Noir as they both watched the exchange. "You, um, you okay there, son?"

Chat Noir nodded. "Um, yes? What's going on?"

Tom shook his head. "Best to stay out of it with those two."

Chat's eyes went wide. His brain raced.

'Marinette knows Ladybug's mother! They were that serious? And this tension! Is it because Mari dumped Ladybug? DID MARI DUMP LADYBUG FOR ME? OhmyGodohmyGodohmyGod…'

"…So I, apparently, am not going out this morning," she eyed Sabine, who was grinning at her. "So, why not work the counter? At lest I can do this without causing a fuss."

"And you remembered my drink order?" Chat asked, impressed.

Marinette smiled back. "I remember all my friend's orders. Here you go."

"Thanks," he said, blushing.

"And your money's no good here, heroes of Paris," Marinette said to both of them. "I saw you on the television. That was an… Interesting way of taking down an akuma. Dunno if that's how I would have done it, but, hey, you're the hero."

Sabine shrugged. "Don't hit when you can talk."

"That's… Huh." Marinette smiled. "You're pretty wise, Ma'am."

"I know," Sabine said. She winked at Tom. "Thanks for the coffee, handsome."

Tom turned beet red. "You're beautiful, welcome. I mean I'm welcome, I mean, I'll heat your cups, I mean…"

Marinette nudged him to remind him to shut up.

"Right," he said, still blushing. "Thank you for your patronage."

"Hey," Marinette said to Chat. She leaned over the counter. "I, uh, I heard from Ladybug. Like, Ladybug-Ladybug."

Chat's eyes went huge. "You did?" His ears drooped. "Is she okay?"

Marinette nodded. "She wanted me to tell you she's sorry she hasn't been in touch, and that she'll be in contact with you soon."

Chat stared at her. "How come she contacted you instead of me?"

Marinette flashed a nervous grin. "Um, she just happened to come to my balcony the other night?"

Chat's imagination raced. As it did, two tiny Chat Noirs appeared on his shoulder, one with a halo, and one that, well, just looked like him.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Good Chat said. "They're friends, and it was so nice of your lady to leave you a message."

"Dude," Normal Chat said. "Our fiancé is totally cheating on us with Ladybug."

"That's not true!" Good Chat said. He put his hands on his hips. "Just because they used to date doesn't mean anything. After all, we dated Kagami, but that doesn't mean we were making out this morning, does it?"

"Yeah, yeah, but come on," Regular Chat said. He leaned on his pole and grinned. "Both our girls, alone together, a shared blanket to keep them warm on that sexy little balcony… Rwar."

"Marinette hangs out with lots of people," Good Chat pointed out. "If she were to hang out with Kagami, would that mean they were making out?"

Regular Chat paused.

Good Chat snapped his fingers at him. "Hey, you okay over there?"

"Wha? Sorry. Just… I just had the best mental image. Sorry? You were, um, yes? What? Marigami?"

Good Chat stared. "You already shipped their names together?"

Regular Chat shrugged. "Dude. Come on."

"Focus, numbskull. You know, maybe Ladybug stopped by because she knew Marinette could get a message to us. Maybe it was perfectly innocent." Good Chat suggested.

"Maybe," Regular Chat said. "And maybe, they were locked in a passionate embrace, their passions overwhelming them. Passionately."

"Well, I never!" Good Chat said. "And you said passion three times. Work on your game a little."

"You never?" Regular Chat asked, ignoring the criticism. He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Good Chat blushed. "Okay, yeah. I have. You win. They were TOTALLY making out."

"I know, right?" Regular Chat said. "Dude."

"Duuuuude," Good Chat said.

Both mini-Chats high fived as they vanished with a tiny poof.

"Hey," Marinette said. She leaned forward, getting close to Chat's face. "Are you okay, kitty? You look a little flushed."

Chat's eyes locked with hers for three seconds before his gaze drifted to her lips.

"Ineedtogooutsiderightnowthankyouforthedrinkbye!" Chat cried out as he bolted out of the bakery.

"Huh," Marinette said, confused. "Well, that was weird. I mean, even for him."

Sabine watched him go. "Um, so, yes. Right then. Thank you everyone! Bug off!"

"Bug out," Marinette corrected.

"Bug out!" Sabine said as she took off after him.


Notes:

Chat Noir is proof that book smarts and people smarts are two different smarts.

NEXT TIME!

Sabine and Chat Noir TALK THINGS OUT!

SEE! Sabine being a good mom!

SEE! Adrien being less sad!

SEE! An unexpected cameo for this arc!

All of this and MORE! Tomorrow, same Bug Time...

TOM: Yes, please.

SABINE: Tom, go work the counter.

...Same Bug Channel!