A/N: Company names listed may or may not be real (as per a Google search). Positions and names for employees of those companies are totally made up by me. If you recognize it, it's most likely owned by someone else.

Chapter 4

Marinette walked off the stage, shaking a little. I'm going to KILL Alya, she thought. What was she trying to do to me? And Adrien just... she sighed out loud. … said I'm a "friend". Again.

"Marinette, are you okay?" asked the sweetest voice. She looked up, blushing, as Adrien once more entered her field of vision. "You seemed really nervous out there."

"I wa-was." Come ON, Marinette. Pull yourself together. What did Tikki say? Trust yourself? Yeah, that. She took a deep breath. "I was really nervous. After all, I don't really think I did a lot with the video."

"But you did," protested the blond supermodel. "Making those masks, our Everyday Ladybug was at it again. Speaking of which, what was up with that question from Alya?"

Marinette blushed. "I don't n-n-know what you mean."

"Are you sure," he asked his shy, sweet classmate as he noticed her blush deepen. Why does she stutter only around ME. And only when I'm Adrien? he thought. She's not this way around me when I'm Chat Noir. I wish I could just see that sassy side of her when I'm not wearing the ears.

"I-I-I-I'm sure," she said, looking down at her feet.

Adrien knew she was lying, but didn't know why. "I meant what I said, Marinette," he said as he grabbed her hand. "You are one of the first friends I ever made at Francois Dupont. And about what that little girl asked Clara Nightingale... I wouldn't mind doing a video with you sometime in the future. I don't know if we 'belong together', but I can't see my life without you in it. You're too important to me."

"You're important to me, too, Adrien," she said shyly. "I …"

"There you are!" The unwelcome voice of a stagehand called out to the pair of teens. "M Agreste, your father is looking for you. Something about needing to take a call from his assistant. And Mlle Dupain-Cheng, your next panel starts in about 30 minutes. Your mother is waiting for you in the green room."

"Thank you," Adrien said to the stagehand. Looking back at Marinette's flushed face he smiled. "What's your next panel?"

Checking her schedule she smiled a little, "Um, Graphic Design for Popular Media."

"I know you'll do great at that one! You're an awesome designer." His smile brightened as he squeezed her hand once more. "Just relax! Remember you were invited to be an expert on that panel for a reason."

"Thank you, Adrien. I really needed that."

The stagehand cleared his throat. "Mlle Dupain-Cheng, let me escort you to the green room. M Agreste, I believe your father said he'd be by the convention center business office."

"See you soon, Marinette!" Adrien waved cheerfully as she walked toward the green room.

Adrien quickly donned his costume's mask and made his way toward the convention center's business office. He was very conscious at trying to act differently from his Chat Noir persona, so people wouldn't make the connection - but Plagg was right. People were blind.

For his part, Gabriel was trying to find a quiet place but with all the noise around him it was hard to think. The emotional white noise was also deafening. He'd received a text from Nathalie regarding a supplier that he simply couldn't put off - hence the search.

"Father!" Adrien called as he came around the corner. "The stage hand said you'd be around here."

"Yes. Nathalie has informed me of some business that cannot wait, so I'm looking for a quiet place to take a private call. I know I said I wanted to do this together, especially because it's… difficult for me to let you wander around by yourself… because of the dangers in the world. However, I also that know you know how to protect yourself. So I'm trying to compromise."

Adrien couldn't decide if he wanted to roll his eyes or drop in shock. So he settled on staying stock still. "What is the compromise?"

"I need to know where you plan over the next two-to-three hours so I won't have to worry about you as much. Plus your bodyguard is nearby, so he can watch over you while I am not available. When I am done dealing with this issue, we can meet up."

Adrien couldn't help but smile. This would work out purrfectly! He gladly gave his tentative schedule to his father, then ran off to find the best merch in the Dealer's Room.

Marinette was led to the green room in preparation for her next panel, and just like before, her mother was waiting.

"Marinette, honey, you did great! Are you ready for the next one?"

"Yes? No. I don't know, Mom. I was really nervous."

"For the panel subject, or the cute blond sitting next to you."

"Moooom!" Marinette's blush started all over again. She took a calming breath, then squeaked, "... both?"

Sabine Cheng just elbowed her daughter lightly. "Mmm hmm."

"He tried to calm me down you know… by placing his hand on my knee."

"Oh, so that's why you went so red in the middle of your intro."

They were interrupted by the stagehand. "Same as before, Mlle Dupain-Cheng. We'll be starting any minute now."

"I'll go out front now, Marinette. You'll do great! After all, isn't this the panel on design you were looking forward to?"

Marinette smiled at that before hugging the smaller woman. "You're right, Mom. And… thanks."

Although Adrien wasn't there to say encouraging words, Tikki made her presence known by patting her holder. This was enough to calm Marinette down enough until she heard her own introduction.

She calmly (on the outside, at least) walked past the other panelists to her own seat. Come on, Marinette. This is what you love to do… when you're not saving Paris. Trust yourself.

"I am your moderator, Leo Martin, TVi's Assistant Director of Marketing. Before we begin the questions, I just want to say thank you to all our panelists for joining the discussion today. Each one of our panelists has some experience in designing for popular media. So, let's get to it, shall we? So panelists, please introduce yourself and tell us how long have you been designing professionally. Shall we start with Gabrielle?"

"Professionally, I've been designing for about fifteen years at various companies. Currently, I'm a Graphic Artist for Hachette Livre, focusing mainly on creating cover art for novels."

"Thank you. Philippe?"

"My name is Philippe Gauthier. I am the Lead Graphic Designer for Fondamentale. I've been designing professionally for about five years now, though not all of our advertisements need graphic design."

"Perfect. Next, please?"

"I'm Gemma Rousseau, the Artistic Layout Lead for Mode. My job is more making sure the layout of the magazine looks good rather than doing the actual graphic design myself, though I do still keep my hand in the ring so to speak. I've been at Mode for about two years, though before that I worked as a printer for a poster company."

"And now our final panelist."

"Hi, everyone!" Marinette waved somewhat shyly. "My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I guess you could say I'm an independent contractor. As for my time designing professionally, I guess it depends on how you count it. But not nearly as long as my fellow panelists."

"Would you explain what you mean?"

"Oh, um. I designed Jagged Stone's most recent album cover and that poster of his that came out last month, so in that way I guess you could say I've designed professionally for less than a year. But I also did the logo for our bakery about two years ago."

"Your bakery?"

"Yes, the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Mom and Dad liked the design I drew and put it on all the bakery's signage. I'm just not sure that counts as being professional."

"Wait," said Philippe. "The T&S graphic surrounded by laurel leaves? You did that?"

"Yes."

Philippe was stunned for a moment. "I know it's not polite to ask a lady's age, but you look younger than my daughter."

Marinette was startled for a moment and looked at her mother, who gave her a cautious smile.

"Let me answer you this way. I am currently still in school, which is one reason why my designs are done by commission only."

Philippe gave a low whistle while shock clearly registered on the other panelists' faces.

Leo knew his moderator duties well, so took advantage of the stunned silence.

"I guess that leads us into our next question for the panel. Do you have a process you like to follow while creating?"

"It depends on what I'm trying to do," said Gabrielle, "If I have to do a cover for a specific novel, I try to get a feel for what it's about. This usually means reading the book, or at least the synopsis. On the other hand, I guess you could say that I've always been an artist. Always drawing. You never know when inspiration is going to hit."

Marinette couldn't help but agree with that, and noticed other heads along the table nodding.

"Any others?"

"I like to people watch a lot as it helps me visualize what I want to design. On the other hand, for Jagged's album cover I put a playlist of his songs on repeat. It helps that I love his music."

"Along those lines, Marinette, how did someone your age end up designing an album cover for a rock and roll star?"

Marinette laughed, "Well that's a story and a half. He actually commissioned me for the album cover because he liked the Eiffel Tower shades I made, so why don't I start with that?"

"Please do."

"Hang on a moment," interrupted Gemma. "You made Jagged Stone's famous Eiffel Tower sunglasses?"

"Yes. It all started with a school project. We were to see what various jobs were like in a real-world environment, and Mayor Bourgeois generously allowed our class to work in his hotel. I was assigned to be a gofer. Just as the assignments were made, Jagged Stone checked into the hotel. He had some interesting demands - one of which was for a pair of red, white, and blue shades shaped like the Eiffel Tower that he would wear to that night's concert. So, as a gofer, I was sent to find some.

"I looked all over Paris, but the closest I could come up with was a pair of gray sunglasses with little yellow Eiffel Towers on the sides. Penny - that's Jagged's assistant - knew that he would not be impressed. So I took them home and, um modified them. I was so nervous turning over the second pair. But he absolutely loved them.

The next thing I know, Bob Roth is at the bakery talking to my parents about designing an album cover. He actually tried to get me to do it in the style of XY, saying that it was a new direction they were moving in, but it just felt… blegh. Know what I mean?"

"We've all been there," said Gabrielle.

"But I finished that first attempt by the deadline and took it to his hotel. He complained - honestly, that first attempt looked like a perfume ad. Not very Jagged at all. So he said to ditch Bob Roth's idea and follow my own designer's heart because it was that heart that gave him those shades." Marinette laughed at the memory. "So I did, and the result is the cover that was released. The poster came later."

"That's some story," said Leo.

"I've been very lucky," Marinette dismissed. "I'm actually a bit overwhelmed to be sitting up here among you."

"In my experience, luck is 99% hard work that nobody else sees," Gabrielle said kindly.

"Does anyone else have any stories about how they started designing for popular media?"

"Mine's nowhere near as impressive as Marinette's," said Philippe. "I started working for various ad agencies doing everything from putting up billboards to trying my hand at sales. I was always drawing, always designing on my own, even if it was never chosen. Eventually someone liked my design for an advertisement and the rest is history."

"Any other stories the panel would like to share?" Nobody said anything. "In that case, let's open up for questions from our audience."

A twenty-something brunette at the microphone spoke. "This is for all of you. If you weren't doing graphic design, what would you like to do?"

"I've dabbled at painting landscapes," said Gabrielle. "There's just something about holding the brushes in your hands, the smell of the oil paints, creating something from scratch that can convey a feeling to another."

"Hmmm," mused Philippe. "I'd like to try my hand at writing. Hey, Gabrielle," he chuckled, "maybe you could design my novel's cover?"

"You'd have to write it first," she teased. "Though if you ever do, then drop me a line. I'll point you to the online submission forms." That got a laugh.

"I'm pretty much already doing what I love," said Gemma. "It's true that if you find a way to be employed for doing what you love, you'll never work a day in your life." She turned to Marinette.

"I have my heart set on becoming a fashion designer," admitted Marinette.

"Follow up question, if I may," said Gemma. "Other than Jagged Stone's sunglasses, what is the favorite fashion item you've designed?"

"Probably the feathered derby had I designed for a school competition. It won, and was featured in a Gabriel fashion show."

"Well aren't you full of surprises," she responded.

"Oops! Looks like we've run out of time," interrupted Leo. "Thank you for your time and questions everybody, and follow those dreams!"

And with that, the panelists stood up and went backstage. Before they could go too far, Gemma reached out to Marinette and handed her a business card.

"I remember that derby had you created, Marinette. I was there during the Style Queen fiasco. I'd love to see some of your other creations some time."

"Well, uh… thank you. May I call you Gemma?"

"Absolutely. Take care, Marinette. Keep at it."

"Wow." Marinette decided she had to go sit down in the green room.