As the days passed by, Adrien found it harder and harder to function. Every little movement felt wrong, and he couldn't help but think he did more harm than good now a days. Was that the curse of the black cat miraculous? Or was it really that he was that naive like Kagami mentioned to him during their fencing practice one day a few weeks after Marinette had left?

It was getting to the point where he wasn't sure what to do anymore. Not even when Ladybug was emotionally compromised and had to leave Paris. He even saw the signs she was struggling, and as her partner he should have been able to ask what was wrong but he didn't. He let her take her anger out in battle, let her be danger too herself.. He was a failure as a friend and super hero, and it became more evident as the days passed as Lila spun her web of lies.

The very web Marinette had wanted to stop when it begun, and the one he told her to leave be. He had really thought Lila would get caught up in her own lies, but she never did. It was scarily impressive.

Weirdly enough, he had noticed a shift between Alya and Lila that wasn't there before. How Alya remained more quiet than before and observing the brunette liar. What had happened there? Adrien wanted to ask Nino, but his best friend had distance himself more recently from the class. The last Adrien knew was Nino was doubting his relationship with Alya, and it all came back to how they treated Marinette. That and Nino was upset with him since Adrien decided to tell him the truth on what happened with Marinette. It strained their friendship too.

"I grew up with her Adrien." Nino tells him, sitting at the park bench as they waited for Gorilla to come pick the blonde up. "I knew her better than anyone else, including Alya. At one point we were best friends since childhood."

"What happened?" Adrien asked softly, watching as guilt consumed his friend next to him. He couldn't help but keep an eye out for a possible purple butterfly who would try to take over Nino.

"I wanted to be the better boyfriend." Nino huffed out, "I wanted to support Alya in her choices, and because of that Marinette was hurt. Lila, she lies. She is lying to everyone and I wouldn't bbe surprised if she bullied Marinette. The signs are all there. Marinette was acting the same she had when Chloe would bully her. Withdrawn to herself, silent, tired, sad. I chose to ignore it and god, I wished I was a better friend. The friend she deserved."

It was then Adrien realized how much Nino cared about Marinette. How close they had been and what he had seen her grow through. Nino had told him stories how Marinette grew in her confidence, how she came out of her shy shell and spoke up for others. How she forgave Chloe as the years went by, never telling anyone but never one to hold a grudge.

"You aren't the only one to blame." Adrien says before even thinking it.

Nino gave him a look, "What do you mean?"

His nerves came back in full force, because how was he suppose to say this? There was no good way to say thing, and Chloe already chewed him out for it. A fear took hold that Nino would leave him, that their friendship would be in turmoils. Yet maybe that was what he deserved, and Adrien would accept that.

"I knew." Adrien couldn't look Nino in the eyes, so he settled on looking at his shoes. "Marinette wanted to expose the truth of Lila lying to the class, because that's how good hearted she is. I told her to wait it out and take the high road, that Lila's lies would catch up with her and an akuma could be avoid. I know now that was wrong, how thoughtless it was for her emotions."

Adrien was expecting anger, ready to be yelled at. Yet he was met with a laugh, a laugh full of sardonicism. It was anything but humorous, so being daring Adrien looked up at Nino who's face contorted into disbelief.

"That had to be the icing on the cake coming from you." Nino spat, glaring at the sky. "Chloe would be the one to tell you off first, but I doubt she told you why that hurt Marinette more than anything."

Adrien knew it was a set up, that this was Nino wanting to hurt him for hurting Marinette. Yet curiosity killed the cat, "What are you talking about?"

"Marinette had a crush on you." Nino finally tells him, "It actually means a lot she told you this rather than anyone else, because she would get flustered around you. Yet you told her that fucking horrible advice. I'm surprised it didn't akumatized her. In thinking about Lila's feeling you completely disregarded Marinette's."

Adrien could see Nino's fist curl out of the corner of his eyes, and took a deep breath. Nino wasn't violent, but even Adrien could see the anger in his eyes and how much he wanted to punch something. Punch him. At the same time, his heart broke altogether at the new information. He had really hurt Marinette, more than he could imagine.

"If I could change the past, I would." Adrien tried, but Nino cut him off with a huff.

"The thing is that you can't Adrien. None of us can." Nino took a deep breath to keep himself calm and off Hawkmoth's radar, "We can only hope for better and we can only hope Lila gets what she deserves."

"What she deserves?"

Nino stood and gave Adrien a side glance, "Karma works in mysterious ways, and karma will get us all."

Maybe this was the karma meant for him. He had it coming for being the friend and partner he had been. He deserved the cold shoulder from Nino and the distance.

"Kid, you need to be easier on yourself." Plagg says, feeling the emotions his holder was experiencing. It was one of the side effects of true holders, being able to feel every raw emotion, and Adrien's emotions were raw in every sense.

The blonde teenager longed to belong, to be loved and to love. He was a true cat at heart, and because of how he was raised and kept by his father in an isolation. It had damaged Adrien's ability to socialize and how to navigate the world. He was still learning, and Plagg knew he felt guilty.

"You didn't know what would happened or how it would effect others. Mistakes are natural for humans to make, and that is how you learn." Plagg rarely offered advice, and was rarely nice but Adrien needed to hear this from someone.

"I was a horrible friend-"

"Then fix it kid. Right your wrongs, starting with Lila." Plagg looked Adrien in the eyes, floating there. "Be a partner to Chloe, support Ladybug's choices. Everything will work out the way it needs to work out."

Adrien looked at his kawmi, taking a deep breath and nodding his head. He would do the very thing Marinette was told not too, he owed her that much. "Who knew you could be nice?"

"Don't get used to it. Not even sugar cube sees this side of me." Plagg says, flipping a piece of camembert into his mouth.

"Sugar cube?"

Plagg nodded, "My nickname for Ladybug's kwami."

"That's cute Plagg, you have a crush."

"Shut up."

Peter Parker was trying to keep his focus, but his mind often wondered back to a certain french girl. It was weird how a person could change the normalcy of your everyday life with such a great impact. When they first met, he never thought she would be this involved in his life and she only became more anchored in his life as the days went by.

Yet he should have known she was something else when his spider senses went off and their first touch. The sense of an electric feel that ran down his spine when his brown eyes met her blue eyes. How those blue eyes held sadness and secrets so deep they were buried under a current of practices happiness.

He wanted to know more, but anytime he tried the topic she shut down in a different way. She gave the basic story she had first given MJ, and then nothing more. Her eyes would grow distant as she looked away, muttering how it was in the past and the past should stay there. And maybe it was true, and she wasn't ready to open up the bottle of memories yet. A complex story for a complex girl.

Not that he could judge about being complicated, given his daily life. Currently he sat at Stark Tower in Midtown Manhattan, working on different sketches for upgrades to his suit. It was newer technology that Midtown High didn't offer as an elective to learn, then again it was also out of their budget and belonged to Tony Stark. It was something his inner geek couldn't say no too.

He was so focused on the screen in front of him that he jumped when his phone gave a shrill ring. Grabbing his iPhone, Peter couldn't help the smile that adorned his face seeing the name that popped up on the incoming call.

Marinette.

"Crap." Peter muttered, realizing he had the designs of Spider-Man's suit pulled up and that was a quick way to blow his cover. With quick fingers, Peter closed all the documents for his suit and pulled up some random equations in a saved file before sliding the answer button and watching Marinette's face pop up. Right away he knew she was nervous.

"What's wrong?" Peter asks her, his full attention on the dark haired girl.

"I'm nervous about this meeting and getting a client through this internship. It can really get me a place in the fashion world." Marinette admits to him, and just by hearing her talk and seeing her body language he could tell she was jittery with nerves- which was understandable.

"You're going to do great Mari." Peter tells her sincerely. "The designs and work you've shown me so far have been amazing. I have no doubt you'll blow this client's mind away with your skillset. Deep breaths, you got this."

He watched as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves, how the stressed knit in her eyebrows relaxed slightly. He didn't know what advice he could offer her to pacify her worries but he would try. It was all he could really do for her anyways.

"Thank you Peter." She offered him a smile, her blue eyes seeming to really take in the background of the room he was in and raised an eyebrow. "That's not the apartment or a class room. Tony Stark's?"

She was too observant, it was one of the things Peter had picked up quickly about her personality traits. She was observant and smart, quick to analyze a situation. Sometimes he wondered why she would shrink into herself, despite having confidence and being an amazing person that obviously saw more than she spoke on.

"Yeah, I had some intern-y things I needed to get done today for Mr. Stark." Peter says, scratching the back of his neck. He was a horrible liar, which was ironic having a secret identity and all.

Marinette looked around at the equations, the technology there was something she personally never seen before. It was fascinating to say the least, but it was also not her area of expertise. Her and technology simply didn't mix, and that was including every one of her incriminating phone heists.

"Math? I'm assuming it's some engineering work with the equations. I'd ask what it is but I don't think I'd understand anyways." Marinette gave a side smile, causing Peter to laugh at her honesty.

A random thought came up, "Hey Mari, are you free for a few hours at the end of the week?"

Marinette paused, thinking for a moment and nodded, "I have some hours to spare to spend with you, Parker. What's up?"

"Want to come experience the American education system for the day with me, MJ and Ned?" Peter asks without a second thought. "It's okay if not but openings for possible students to shadow current students are coming."

"I'm not a possible student though, Peter." Marinette says, "I'm not even sure if I'll be here after the summer either."

It wasn't his business, and Peter told himself this constantly but he couldn't hold his tongue, "Maybe there's more for you here in New York than Paris. I don't know what happened at your old school, but at least check it out."

She took a moment to think it over, an d Peter swore she glanced to the side at someone else, before nodding. "Okay I'll check it out to see if the American education system is as bad as I hear it is. But I have to go! Text you later!"

Peter offered her his good luck as she ended the face time call, laughing to himself. Yeah, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was something else for sure.

"Was that your girlfriend? Why didn't I know you had a girlfriend?" Tony's voice caused Peter to jump in his seat.

"I don't have a girlfriend Mr. Stark." Peter says as he felt the familiar warmth in his cheeks that came with MJ's teasing. "She's just my friend."

Yet Tony looked as unconvinced as the excuse sounded. From above he had heard the teenager talking to the girl on the phone and it intrigued the billionaire playboy philanthropist. Never had Peter mentioned this friend, who had a cute little french accent. How did Peter Parker come to know a french girl? It was beyond Tony.

"New friend?" Tony inquired.

Peter nodded, "Her name is Marinette, she's an intern for Audrey Bourgeois."

Audrey Bourgeois was an expensive designer, so if this teenaged girl was an intern for the female wolf of the fashion industry then she must be madly talented. That was something for Tony to say because he didn't often give out compliments as such.

"And she's french?"

Again Peter nodded, "Yes, she's from Paris. She's been here for a few months now."

"Months? And this is the first time I'm hearing about her?" Tony raised an eyebrow, "How did you meet a french intern for Audrey Bourgeois in New York? Does Aunt May know?"

"We ran into each other on the subway and I offered to show her around." Peter answered, "Aunt May loves her, always inviting her over for dinner or too bake."

"And she isn't your girlfriend?" Tony asked again for clarification, "Or are you just binding your time?"

"Mr. Stark!" Peter groaned, shaking his head. "Like I said, we're just friends. Besides I'm Spider-Man, I don't want to risk her safety. Plus she might not even be staying in New York past the summer."

"Maybe she'll stay if you, I don't know- ask her out." Tony pointed out. "Woo the girl with you Peter tingle-"

"That's not even a thing-"

"Yes it is, Aunt May said it so. Anyways, give her a reason to stay if you really like her." Tony says, because there was something in Peter's eyes that were more lively mentioning the girl. He knew that look, he got it when he was around Pepper and only for Pepper. It was a connection that was rare and yet neither teenager probably even knew. "What did you say her last name was?"

"Dupain-Cheng." Peter was quick to answer, a littler too quick.

Tony nodded, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The name was really all he needed and he'd have answers on the girl. A quick background to check that Peter was in fact safe. Cute french girl or not, he would make sure Peter was safe from anyone new entering his life. Sometimes you just couldn't trust the people around you.

"Okay, well get back to work, chop chop." Tony says, shooing Peter back to the right files and making his own way back up stairs.

Getting into the elevator, Tony rubbed his face. He understood where Peter was coming from, keeping his friends and friends. The kid was on his way to becoming an Avenger, all the makings of a hero was there in Peter. He just needed guidance, both as a hero and as a teenager. Pepper liked to joke how Peter was his adoptive son, and sometimes it felt like that. Though Tony will never admit that to anyone, not even Pepper.

"Jarvis." Tony calls out.

"Yes Mr. Stark?" The AI answered back.

"I need you to run a background check on a Paris native that goes by the name Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Tony requests.

"As you wish sir, I shall look into it."

The nerves that Marinette had woken up feeling would not go away for a single reason. Her steps had an extra bounce, the butterflies in her stomach would not settle. Today was a day that would change her life even more than being a designer for Jagged Stone. She knew rationally she was more than capable of this, that she worked hard to get to this point. All the contests, commissions, the multiple hours in the city getting inspiration had gotten her here.

And yet it was bitter sweet.

She was here, but who did she have to cheer her on? All through the years she had her friends there to support her, model for her, and just be there. She always thought Nino and Kim would be the first ones to cheer her on, watching as she started her stick figure drawings while she fell in love with a dress in the third grade that got her into fashion.

She thought Alya would be there, that she would be her best friend that supported her through it all. Yet she was wrong. She had new friends that didn't know how much thus meant. She had her parents that worked so much that she didn't even want to bother them with this, just in case she somehow managed to mess it up.

Then there was Chloe, who was going through her own thing as she accepted her parents weren't who she thought they were. That was something Marinette couldn't make about her, or bother Chloe with. It was something Chloe had to go through, figure out her feelings, and Marinette could only offer to be there as her friend. Then again, Marinette should really be getting on finding a person the track the routing number on the check, because even Audrey wasn't that trust worthy anymore. Money spoke to the older Bourgeois's.

Calling Peter had calmed her nerves a bit, but the nerves still lingered under her skin once they hung up. He was also working for his internship, and she would only provide a distraction. Naturally she was nervous, scared she was going to mess up this somehow. Anything she desperately wanted to go her way always back fired on her instead, no matter how careful she was.

"Maybe there's more for you here in New York than Paris."

Marinette could never really stay here in New York, not permanently. She had to eventually go back home, find Hawkmoth and defeat him. It was a given she probably wouldn't have known about Paris's hidden secrets if she had stayed and never left, but she had a responsibility to get back to. She already felt like she was lacking but the statement kept going through her head, "Maybe there's more for you here in New York than Paris."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I have to go back to Paris eventually."

Tikki watched her chosen, watched as Marinette tried to make sense of things. Now everything was slowly falling apart for her to put back together the way it was meant to be. This was her path, and Tikki could only support the young heroine.

"It doesn't mean you have to stay there forever." Tikki tells her softly, "You're going to be the next guardian. After we defeat Hawkmoth and get the missing miraculous back, theoretically you can move the box with the mirculi anywhere you see fit. We weren't always in Paris, and we don't have to stay in Paris."

It was something to think about, so Marinette merely gave Tikki a smile. It wouldn't hurt to visit an American school, to experience the difference between what she knew and what she saw on television's portrayal of American culture. Plus she'd be spending time with Peter, Ned and MJ. That was always a plus.

"Tikki, let's go before we're late." Marinette says, grabbing her cross body she made specifically for Tikki as they navigate their way through New York. The subway had some sketchy characters in there no matter the time of day.

"You got this Marinette!" Tikki cheered on, going into the purse and munching on one of the cookies stored in there to snack on as Marinette worked at the design studio.

New York's city streets were busy as usual with people rushing to get one place to the next. People yelled at each other, taxis honked their horns. Marinette got to Audrey's building without issue, early by ten minutes as well. Style Queen fashion, it was a dream to even be here- let alone intern. Just being here meant the world to Marinette, she got to watch design projects, organize meetings and deal with people within the industry. It was an amazing experience.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng." Sara called, who was Audrey's receptionist that greeted every person who came through the doors and had amazing customer service. Plus she had the most patience a person could ever have. Marinette respected her for that knowing that just the receptionist job was stressful keeping meetings organized and over all keeping the office area functioning.

"Good morning Sara." Marinette smiled at the red head, "Is everything alright this morning?"

"Yes." Sara nodded while motioning Marinette to follow her, "Mrs. Bourgeois wanted me to show you to your new office."

"Office?" Marinette blinked, surprised.

"You have potential." Audrey's voice surprised both Marinette and Sara, causing the two to turn around. "Thank you Sara, I can show Marinette to the office myself since I arrived later than normal due to traffic."

"Of course." Sara already was use to the dismissive tone. " Mr. Valentino is already waiting in your office."

Audrey didn't nod in acknowledgement, instead she kept walking towards the elevator with Marinette. The silence was awkward for Marinette, but Audrey had never been the talkative type. It would explain why she let her mayor husband pay her off to keep her silence. If word got out that she had known, well then the company would be done for.

"You are one of the most, if not the most, talent designers I have encountered. The passion you have is raw, different, fresh." Audrey complimented her, slowly looking down on the girl. "Mr. Valentino will be your first client, and I know interns don't typically get clients but he requested you specifically. The office is temporary for you to use as needed work space, and if all goes well with Mr. Valentino then the office is yours as an employee of Style Queen."

Excitement ran through Marinette at the prospect of what was being offered. She could seal this deal, secure a spot here under Audrey and make her mark on the fashion industry. This was the chance of a lifetime, a chance she could only dreamed for and here it was. It seemed to good to be true, and despite everything she knew- Marinette nodded her head.

She wanted this. Something that was hers that she worked for. Not something given to her, or magical, or because of her thinned out luck. This was because of her drive, her determination and dreams. All her aspirations coming true, but the excitement left as soon as it came. Could she balance this out and be a super hero? Go to school, be a designer with a career, be Ladybug and the future Guardian?

"I look forward to working with Mr. Valentino and you." Marinette found herself saying, maybe she just needed to take this chance for herself and deal with whatever consequences came later.

Audrey nodded as the elevator doors opened, revealing the main entrance for Audrey's office where a dark haired man stood waiting. He gave a big smile upon seeing them, his brown eyes warm and kind. He was tall, around six feet and well built- a perfect model. Which made sense because Mr. Valentino turned out to be Lucas Valentino, actor and model Lucas Valentino.

Big shot client she was being trusted with.

"Hello, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Marinette offered a smile and her hand to shake.

He smiled back, "Lucas Valentino. Big fan of Jagged Stone and your work I've seen so far."

"Thank you." Marinette felt flattered and seen. Not many knew she designed for Jagged Stone, nor tried to see who his designer was. Since she was a minor, Jagged didn't publicly call her. by name but he kept her name on the internet to give her credit to anyone who cared to look.

"I'm amazed that you're so young for a designer. It's simply miraculous, or maybe even lucky." Lucas says, and briefly Marinette felt Tikki stir in the purse.

"Just lucky enough to get the chance and intern under Audrey." Marinette waved off the comment, ignoring how Tikki bristled again the the purse. She could have sworn she saw Lucas's eye glance to her purse, but brushed it off as looking at her design.

"Maybe you're Lady Luck and you just don't know it yet." Lucas winked with a chuckle.

Was it even legal to talk to a minor that way? Given she was sixteen not eighteen. Perhaps that was why Tikki was a little antsy in the purse. Usually the red kwami was calm but right now she was restless. Maybe there was an akuma and somehow Plagg was telling Tikki? That wouldn't make sense since her own akuma alerts hadn't gone off.

"Not luck, unfortunately." Marinette smiled sheepishly, "Just very motivated. Maybe you can tell me some of the things you want in your design? Designs?"

"Design." Lucas clarifies, "I have an event to attend to in about six weeks that required a tuxedo, but I want an original made that is tailored to my sizing specifications already before hand."

"Which shouldn't be too difficult to do. Six weeks is a due able time frame." Marinette says, pulling her phone out of her pocket and unlocking the home screen. "If I can get your number and email, we can set up a day to get those measurements."

Tikki sighed feeling the excitement and giddiness coming from Marinette. The teenager was about to be running off caffeine again, and she could only hope Marinette didn't bite off more than she could chew. Yet Tikki was relieved that Marinette was finally doing something for her.

Maybe there was something here in New York for her chosen after all.

I'm working on being faster at updating and keeping quality of my writing haha. This was more of a filler chapter, but I hope you enjoyed!

Let me know what you think and some character interaction you'd like to see more of! Thank you again for all the support on this story! It means so much to me! ❤️