Marinette finished her text and suddenly stiffened as a different ringtone came from the phone. It was a classic, impersonal tune, the kind a phone would come pre-programmed with, and Adrien felt a sudden sense of foreboding.

"Don't tell me…"

Marinette held up a hand and answered the phone.

"Hello? Oh, Miss Sancoeur! Yes, he's right here."

Adrien took the phone with a grimace, already hearing the disappointment and cold irritation in Nathalie's voice.

"Yes, Nathalie?"

"Adrien!" the voice came, peremptory. Well, at least it was actually Nathalie and not his father. "I have been calling you - why haven't you picked up?"

"I left my phone at home." Adrien said simply. Marinette turned away suddenly, and he sensed she might be trying to hide a smile - even from the side, her dimples were clear to see. Nathalie, on the other hand, was not amused.

"And you didn't see fit to mention this, why? I have been calling you for five minutes - your father is asking for you, he says there's a last-minute shoot correction tomorrow directly after school, and you have to be down here as soon as possible to get the outfits fitted correctly."

Adrien knew he shouldn't, but he rolled his eyes at Marinette as she watched inquisitively. She turned away again, this time with a barely concealed snort of laughter.

"Okay, send the car around and I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

"This is the last time I'm covering for you, Adrien. You've got to stop sneaking out like this! It's not the first time this has happened - your father's contemplating getting a tracking device to see where you go whenever we can't find you. I don't like that option any more than you do, so get back here, spout whatever lie you've decided to tell your father, and stop adding years onto my life!"

Adrien was shocked at Nathalie's outburst. She was usually so reserved and in control of her emotions, but this was something else entirely. He knew he was partially to blame for her predicament, and he nodded, even though she couldn't see him.

"Yes, Nathalie. I'll be back in fifteen minutes and we can talk about it then."

Not that he'd actually stop slipping away - he'd just stop messing it up. He hung up the phone and handed it back to Marinette.

"I've gotta go - my driver will be here in a few minutes. Thanks for getting me away, though. Again."

He was rising to his feet at the moment, and he thought he saw a flash of anger in her face as he offered her a hand, but when she saw his outstretched hand, her face went a little pink and she quickly rose herself, almost toppling over in the process.

"Careful!" he said, reaching for her, but she had righted herself.

"Sorry. I'm a little more klutzy than usual today." she said, leading him toward the stairs. He was following her down when a flash of color caught his eye. Unlike the rest of the room, the item hanging on the pinboard was in tones of green and yellow, with a little yellow rooster on the end.

"Hey, you have it!"

Marinette looked up, and her face, instead of going pink, went deathly white.

"W-what?"

"The little bracelet I made for your birthday last year! I thought it would be so badly constructed that it would fall apart the moment you wore it - that's a good idea, to hang it up like that."

Marinette turned away again, and Adrien heard a note in her voice that almost sounded like relief.

"Y-yeah. Yeah, I did. I really like it."

Adrien took one last look at the hanging beads and smiled as he followed her down the stairs.

Her parents were still in the living room of the apartment - at least, he assumed it was the living room. Their apartment was too small to have any other space big enough to be called that. Her father gave a broad grin when he saw them.

"So, finished already?"

Marinette nodded, but Adrien didn't catch what he said. He was smelling the aroma of baking.

"Do you always bake after the bakery is closed?"

Mister Dupain laughed.

"I'm baking for the bakery, actually. It's just some pastries to be made into breadcrumbs tomorrow, and it's better if they're not fresh. You're welcome to take one, if you like."

Adrien didn't need to be asked twice. He stepped toward the counter and reached for a pastry. It was warm and sweet, but he could see why this recipe would only be used as crumbs.

"Delicious!" he said, earning a big smile from everyone else in the room. "I wish I could make something this good. Or anything, really. It's quite a gift you have, sir."

He failed to notice the glances passed between mother and daughter, because he was too busy watching Mister Dupain's face fall in shock.

"It's nothing of the sort! Come back anytime and I'll teach you - there's nothing to it, and you're always welcome."

At this, a sound was heard from the street. Adrien knew it well, and started walking toward the door.

"That's my ride. Thank you all for the food."

Marinette looked like she was about to walk with him to the door, but her mother beat her to it.

"Come on down, and I'll smooth things over with anyone who needs it." she said, leading him down the narrow staircase.

"That's quite alright, ma'am. I'm sure it's just my driver."

"Well then, I'm sure he'd enjoy a quick bite himself. We have some leftovers, and they're just going to be thrown away if you don't want to take them."

Adrien just followed helplessly as she grabbed a few little odds and ends and set them in a box, then walked toward the door. Gorilla was waiting there for him, his face as placid and unconcerned as always. Adrien gave him an apologetic smile and turned to Madame Cheng, only to have the box thrust into his hands. He watched in surprise as she handed a little bag to him - he hadn't even noticed her fill it - and smiled kindly, saying

"Thank you so much for coming to pick him up - it was so kind of you. And please do thank Madame Sancoeur for me, won't you?"

Adrien nodded blankly, and suddenly smiled.

"You know, Madame Cheng, you're a lot like Marinette. I'd never really noticed."

She smiled back at him, her eyes twinkling.

"That's quite the compliment, Adrien. We're happy to have you back anytime you want."

The Gorilla grunted and gestured toward the car, and Adrien quickly ducked inside. He waved back at the woman on the street and noticed, just before they turned the corner, that Marinette was out on her balcony.

He wondered idly what was different about Marinette as he opened the box and selected a pastry. She was usually so shy and nervous - unless someone needed her help, of course. Yet tonight she'd been much more forthcoming, even joking around with him. He wondered what he could have done to cause the shyness to come back at the last moment.

Perhaps she had been able to overcome her shyness and nerves simply because he needed help? He'd heard of people being able to do things like that - the Mom Friend, they were called - and he was disappointed to think that might have been the case. After all, the two of them had been getting closer over the last few months. They were the only ones who knew Lila's stupid tricks, they had been strangely close in New York, and since then he'd been trying to express his gratitude to her - yet she kept staying away. Something in New York must have hit her strangely, he supposed. He hoped it wasn't anything he had done.

The car pulled into the drive of the large mansion and Adrien stepped out, only to be grabbed by Nathalie, who dragged him into the house, speaking all the while.

"Your father has been asking for you. I had to put him off again, but you can't keep doing this, Adrien. I'm the one he takes it out on, you know."

Just as she had seemed on the phone, she was much more frazzled than Adrien had ever seen her, and he felt a sense of deja vu. He stopped for a moment, then grabbed her into a hug.

"I know, Nathalie. I'm sorry."

She stopped speaking abruptly and sighed, embracing him gently.

"I told him you were at a friend's house, and he didn't ask whose. Next time, you should come up with a better story than that study session. He wouldn't believe it, either."

Adrien nodded with a tiny smile, remembering Marinette' look of innocence as she glibly got him out of trouble.

"I will. Thanks again, Nathalie. You're the best."

She sighed and smiled down at him.

"And keep that in mind the next time you go to that bakery. You know what I like."

Adrien grinned and jerked his head toward the door.

"As a matter of fact…"

Nathalie actually laughed at that. A small laugh, but one nonetheless.

"Go on. The designers are waiting for you."

Adrien smiled as he walked away. His life might be difficult, but it was what he knew. And no matter how bad it got, he could always draw a little bit of happiness from his friends… couldn't he?