A/N: Thank you so much for everything! I hope you enjoy this part too!

3.

„I'm home!"

"Daddy!" The enthusiastic toddler wrapped his short arms around the man's legs. Adrien leaned down and picked the boy up.

"I heard you got into trouble, Hugo," he teased. He wasn't mad at his child. A little upset, sure. Worried, definitely. But not mad.

"Sowwy." Hugo looked at him with the most apologetic look he could muster. His eyes were big, but there was no hiding the fact that he was extremely proud of his disobedience.

"Kid, you gave your father quite a scare." Nino appeared from around the corner, a bag of cookies in his hand. "Hey, dude."

"Hey."

Adrien had called Nino over for an emergency meeting right before boarding the plane. His friend had rushed over immediately. Hugo was always happy when uncle Nino visited. Then he could stay up late and play games to his heart's content.

So when Nino arrived, Hugo pulled him into his bedroom and asked him to set up his favorite video game. Nino did so begrudgingly, his mood improving when Hugo offered him possibly the cutest of cat cookies.

"These are pretty great, by the way," he informed Adrien, throwing the half-empty cookie bag at him. Adrien caught it instinctively. Nino picked up Hugo and carried him back to the bedroom. Adrien, exhausted, followed behind. He placed the cookies on the counter without bothering to inspect them closely.

"Daddy, let's play Kitty Wars!" Hugo carried his favorite game to his father as soon as he had sat down on the black sofa.

"Not today, Hugo." He handed the game to Nino who wisely put it away. "You did a bad thing today. We have to talk about it."

"No."

"Come here, Hugo."

"No!"

Afraid of punishment, Hugo tried to escape. Nino blocked his way effectively. Hugo was a clever boy for his age. He knew then that there was no way to escape. But he tried anyway. He ducked under the coffee table.

Adrien anticipated it and caught him before he could hide. He sat Hugo down on his lap.

"Hugo!" he spoke sternly, when the child began to wriggle. "I need you to explain to me why you didn't come straight home today."

Hugo stilled and his eyes drifted to the empty bag of cookies. Adrien followed his gaze.

"Cookies?" he guessed.

"Yes."

Nino sniggered behind them. Adrien sent him a warning look, but Nino's reaction comforted Hugo enough to speak a little more.

"And Malinette."

"Malinette?"

Hugo nodded enthusiastically in response. He wriggled and sensing he would get some answers, Adrien let him ago. Hugo began to talk animatedly.

"Malinette is pwetty! Her eyes are blue! She makes cookies! She likes cookies!" He took a deep breath before yelling on top of his lungs: "I like Malinette!"

Hugo ran to his schoolbag and carefully took out the picture he had made earlier. He held it out for his father to see.

Adrien's heart skipped a beat. He had naively hoped that Malinette was some new kid from his preschool. Boy how wrong he was.

Hugo had made an addition to the picture once he had gotten home. Now, instead of Hugo and Marinette standing under the same umbrella, there were three people. Hugo had added his father. They looked like a family.

Adrien took the photo from his hand.

"I'll put it on the fridge, alright?" he lied smoothly. He was resolved to continue this talk at a later date. "Let's get you to bed now."

He got Hugo to change into his pajamas, brush his teeth and get to bed, where Nathalie would read him a bedtime story.

Adrien left the bedroom, sighing. He found Nino in the hallway and handed him the drawing.

"Look at this," he spoke quietly.

Nino whistled. "I told you this was going to happen one day."

"I know… I just never thought it would be so soon."

"What are you going to do about this woman?"

"Find out who she is and tell her to stay away." He rubbed his eyes. "Want to play a round?"

"I thought you'd never ask, dude."

The two entered Adrien's old bedroom. After Hugo was born, he had converted it into a soundproofed entertainment area. It didn't get much use though. Huge was too young for most of the games there and Adrien's friends rarely came over, most of them busy with their own families. Nino was an exception. A welcome one.

They gamed into the night. Just like they used to as kids.

The lights in the bakery were already on. They shone in stark contrast to the dark night. Alya Césaire stopped in front of it, yawning. Getting up before sunrise was definitely not her thing. But it was the only time she could catch up with her friend Marinette sometimes.

She knocked on the door, only for "The door's open, come on in!" to be shouted at her from the inside.

"Girl! You can't do this!" Alya dropped her bag on an empty chair. "You have any coffee?"

"Help yourself." Marinette pointed towards the door leading to the customer area before turning her attention back to the cookie dough. Alya jumped up and made a dash for the door. In a couple of moments, she returned, sighing dreamily as she breathed in the drink.

"So, where's that atrocity of an umbrella?" She asked, looking around. "You know, the one you've had since kindergarten."

Marinette laughed. "I gave it to one of the kids. It was raining a couple of days ago."

"Yeah, I remember. I got soaked after the interview. Jagged's still rock-n-roll, through and through. He says hi, by the way." Alya took a sip. "He's doing some kind of radio special…" She thought about the date the artist had told him, "on fifth?"

"Yeah, his mother's anniversary. I read somewhere that she gets all her news and all from the radio."

"Yup! That's it!" Marinette's words sparked the interview in Alya's memory. "He said he's doing something special for his mother. I'm not allowed to post about it on social media, but he figured you would like to know, Miss Number One Fan."

Marinette blushed. As a teenager, she had won a cover design contest for one of his albums and they'd hit it off with the rock star right away. After Jagged had learned that Alya was Marinette's best friend, Alya's career as a journalist was on the fast track to success.

"Thanks, Alya!"

"But that's not why I'm here." Alya placed the coffee cup on a counter and stood up. She circled Marinette, putting arms around her in an affectionate hug. "You didn't tell me. How did your date go?"

"It went." Marinette answered vaguely. She tried her best to not let her feelings show.

"Oh no, I know that look! What happened?"

"We broke up." Marinette bit her lip. She wasn't as upset about that as she thought she would be. "He… He wanted me to quit the bakery. Like, on the spot. I can't do that to Tikki and let's be honest, I don't really want to either."

Alya let her go, returning to her coffee. "I always said you were too good for him."

"Yeah, you did." Marinette was too tired to argue. "That doesn't mean it's true though."

"True enough. But at this rate, both of us are going to end up old spinsters with a dozen cats and no one but each other for company!"

Marinette lifted the tray of cookies to the preheated oven. She called over her shoulder: "The three of us! Don't forget Tikki! Besides, that wouldn't be so bad."

Alya snorted. "Yeah, no thanks. What are you making?"

"Kitty cookies. They're a best seller."

"No way!" Alya laughed. "Who buys them?"

Marinette smiled softly to herself. "Children, of course. This bakery is right across the preschool. Some actually step by here with their parents. Some even without. You know, Chat Noir is the biggest thing among them."

"Hold on, go back there… Did you say some kids come without their parents?"

"Yup."

"What the heck? How old are these kids? Like… six at most? Seven? Seriously, some people shouldn't be parents." She shook her head disapprovingly. "Don't get me wrong, Marinette, but you could be like a kidnapper or something."

"Yeah, I know. I've asked Tikki to keep her eyes open too, when she works the counter. For any new faces. It's a pretty safe neighborhood, but you know, it never hurts to be careful."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, these kids are not your responsibility whatsoever." Alya chucked the last drop of coffee down her throat. "Promise me that you'll kick the ass of these irresponsible parents."

"Oh, that's a plan, honey," answered Marinette cheerfully. "Have a great day at the office!"

Alya groaned.