Chapter 28: From Best-Friends to Lovers

That night, some of the members of the Miraculous Team slept like rocks, while others were unable to sleep a wink, even though they were exhausted, and felt like they could sleep for a whole week. Among those were Marinette, Adrien and Sabrina, and all for different reasons. Marinette kept having nightmares where Hawk Moth would show up and try to strangle her, that after the fifth or sixth, she decided not to go back to sleep, fearing that if she closed her eyes, Hawk Moth would once again appear in her dreams, and try to kill her. She just wanted to wake Tikki up and tell her about those nightmares, but after the day they had, she did not have the courage to wake her up, knowing she was just as exhausted, if not even more, than she was. And in the end, she called Adrien to tell him about them, and the two spent a good hour talking.

Adrien himself, was between sleeps, not being able to sleep straight, because he was worried about Chloe. So, when Marinette called him, to tell him about her nightmares, he was more than happy to listen to her and reassure her that there was nothing to worry about. Marinette's exhausted, yet sweet voice was music to his ears. From the way she was talking, Adrien could tell that the nightmares had been pretty real, and after what happened, he could not blame her. It was not every day that the psychopath who wishes to kill you and your friends shows up and almost succeeds in doing it. But it was not just to Adrien that Marinette's voice was music to his ears. She too felt that Adrien's voice was music to her ears. Because she kept talking, she did not give him much chance to talk back, but the few times he answered back, she could tell he was listening to her every word.

And as for Sabrina, she just could not stop thinking about Chloe. The kiss she had given her that night had obliterated any shred of doubts she had in her heart. She was in love with Chloe. She did not know how she had fallen in love with her best-friend, but she made an educated guess that the special bond they shared for years had evolved to the point where she did not want just her friendship alone, and was willing to try and see if that friendship could evolve to something a lot stronger. She knew the odds of that happening were pretty slim, if not absolutely none, but her brain could not stop thinking about the very slight possibility that in the end, the two would end up together, like in a fairy tale.

"And what if she doesn't return your feelings? You know that's a possibility… I mean, it's not a possibility, it's most likely a fact and the reality of things." -Sabrina thought to herself. –"Why would she want to date you? Chloe never showed any interest in girls before…but neither have I. She's the first girl I actually showed interest in." -she admitted to herself. –"Aargh, this is giving me an headache and an ulcer! I really don't want to screw up our friendship!"

The more she tried not to think about it, the more her brain bombarded her with images of Chloe. Tossing her sheets aside, she sat on the bed, looked at Mika, who was sound asleep on his little bed on the bedside table, and envied him for being able to sleep, while she could not.

"I really wish I could sleep like you, Mika." -Sabrina whispered, as she checked the time on her cell phone and was greeted by a photo of Chloe and herself, on the cell's screen. –"Do I really want to tell Chloe about this? She already has so much on her plate, thanks to her mom, who probably grounded her until the next millennium. Also, I would be risking out friendship… and if she says "no", which she most definitely will say, things would be awkward between us, with her knowing that I am in love with her. And let's not forget that she's the mayor's daughter. It would be a scandal if people found out that she was dating a girl. That alone is enough for her to not even want to ever think she could love a girl." -she thought to herself. –"I don't want to lose her friendship, especially since she ditched her diva persona, and went back to being the wonderful and fantastic girl I knew. Not just to me, but to everyone… No! I'm going to tell her! I need to, otherwise I'll end up in the same hospital that two of the last three Akumas came out. And even if she doesn't return my feelings, it's okay. We'll continue to be best-friends… I hope."

The following morning, as they headed to school, the first piece of news they heard or watched were related to the Miraculous Team, and how another Akuma had been stopped by them the night before. Most of the newspapers and news websites praised the heroes, but there were some that continued to point out that the heroes were the real reason why the Akuma had showed up in the first place. And among those that put the blame on the heroes, was Ambroise Delay, who once again called them menaces and other kinds of insults and slanders, which were anything but pretty.

Already on their classroom, waiting for Miss Bustier to arrive, so the class could begin, Marinette and the others that had already arrived, all decided to catch up on the subjects of the previous' night's fight and the gala at the Le Grand Paris, which some of them had realized that something had happened, but failed to find out what, with all the confusion that resulted in the post-battle. And while talking about it, they also continued to say nothing but bad, yet truthful things, about Ambrose Delay. As always, all the things they heard from him

"Now I'm really sorry I didn't punch that guy in the face last night. And back then, I already had enough reasons to punch him." -Adrien commented, in an upset tone. –"S-Sorry, guys, I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Me neither." -Marinette sighed. –"I know I said this, but I'm really sorry if I kept you up last night." -she apologized to Adrien.

"It's okay, Marinette. I couldn't sleep anyways." -Adrien forced a smile. You could see the bags under his eyes, even if he did his best to cover them with a little make-up.

"That guy was at that party you guys went last night, and he still had the time to make that video about us and post it online, before most people woke up this morning." -Alix commented. –"He may be a bastard and slime ball, but he's a fast one." -she said.

"You bet he is. It's bad enough he was half the reason why Chloe got into trouble with her mom yesterday, but he also doesn't lose an opportunity to get under our skins." -Marinette said.

"We should have really punched him and broken all his teeth." -Sabrina sighed, as she remembered when Chloe shouted at him and called him every name in the book. –"For partly getting Chloe into trouble, he deserved no less." -she said, before looking at Adrien. –"Did you try to contact her? I sent her almost ten texts, and she hasn't texted any of them back."

"No. I've texted her as well, but she didn't text me back." -Adrien said.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she's fine." -Tikki said, as she peaked from inside Marinette's backpack.

"Can't you guys find out anything through your link with Pollen?" -Sabrina asked Tikki and Mika, as the wolf kwami also decided to leave her backpack to get some air.

"No, sorry. Pollen isn't answering. But that's quite common. We kwamis don't always have our psychic channels in synch." –

"Especially, when we don't want to be disturbed." -Plagg said.

"Which in your case, is pretty much all the time." -Mika said.

"What can I say? I'm a kwami that appreciates his solitude." -Plagg declared, which made Tikki and Mika roll their eyes. –"What? What did I say? Oh, forget it, you guys are too serious." -he said.

"I'm with Tikki. If something had happened to Chloe, by now we would know." -Marinette said.

"After what happened last night, I don't know…" -Sabrina sighed, worried.

"Don't worry. I bet she'll show up in a couple of minutes." -Mika said, trying to cheer her up.

"And while we wait, why don't we talk about something else?" -Adrien suggested.

"Yeah, it's a good idea." -Max said. –"You want to know what I think is the worst part of this video from Delay?" -he asked them, as Ivan and Mylene arrived, followed by Nino. –"It's the part where he states that he might think about running for mayor, later this year."

"Good morning." -Ivan and Mylene said in chorus.

"Hey, everyone… oh, you guys are talking about that guy's latest video, huh?" -Nino asked them, as he sat next to Adrien, and placed his backpack on the floor.

"What do you think?" -Alix said in a sarcastic tone. –"I don't think there's a person in Paris with a cell phone and an Internet connection, who hasn't watched it yet." -she said. –"And the idea of having as mayor, instead of Chloe's dad? Get me out of that picture."

"I agree. Can you imagine what would happen if we had Ambroise as mayor of Paris?" -Mylene asked them, as Nathaniel and Alya arrived.

"I can easily imagine it." -Adrien said in a grim tone. –"It would be hunting season, and we would be the prey." -he stated in the same grim tone as before.

"Mayor Ambroise Delay… just thinking about it, it makes me want to throw up." -Kim said.

"Just that? To me, it makes my skin crawl… oh, and good morning, everyone." -Alya greeted them all, before placing a kiss on Nino's lips. –"Good morning, turtle boy." -she smiled at her boyfriend.

"Good morning to you too, foxy fox." -Nino smiled at Alya.

"Well, you ain't the only one. And I hope that if he ever runs for mayor, that Chloe's dad wins." -Rose said. –"If that man ever becomes mayor, we'll have to worry about both Hawk Moth and him. I think that if he had the power, he would get the police to chase us and lock us up."

"Yes. We're lucky that Chloe's dad supports us so much." -Nathaniel said. –"It's not that I'm into politics or anything, but I'm glad we have a mayor that doesn't see us as menaces, who ought to be locked up in cages, like common criminals." -he said. –"It makes our job as heroes easier."

"You're right." -Rose said, as Juleka entered the classroom. –"Good morning, Jules." -she smiled at Juleka, as the Goth approached her.

"Good morning, Rose." -Juleka smiled back at Rose, before leaning forward and kissing her.

"But changing the subject again, I still can't believe you actually stopped that Akuma with that crazy new power of yours." -Alix said. –"I know you already told me this, when you arrived, but you've got to tell it to me again." -she said.

"Alright, alright, I'll tell it again, so those who weren't here before can also understand what happened." -Marinette agreed to do it.

And so, Marinette told everyone about her experience in the Astral Plane. How she had unlocked the ability to access it, as well as the ability to temporarily borrow an ability from another hero, along with how was her encounter with Hawk Moth, who she did not

"So, in short, it was… interesting, to say the least." -Marinette sighed. –"But I wasn't expecting to running into Hawk Moth. If it hadn't been for Lorayne, he would've killed me." -she declared. –"I had nightmares all night because of that."

"And they were just nightmares, Marinette." -Tikki reassured her. –"Remember, Hawk Moth can't track you or pull you into the Astral Plane, without knowing who you are." -she said. –"You can relax, that he won't be able to track you while you sleep."

"She's right, you know? And after that stunt you told us, I bet he won't try to mess with you so soon." -Adrien also reassured her.

"But just in case, maybe we ought to ask Master Fu to cast a magic protection on everyone on the team, to make sure that Hawk Moth won't try to pull any of you into the Astral Plane, while you're transformed." -Wayzz said. –"Hawk Moth hadn't demonstrated that power yet, but I'm quite certain that he will attempt to use it again, in the near future." -he declared. –"And you'll also need to train inside the astral plane, because if you get pulled into the astral plane, you'll need to know how things work in it, and how you can defend yourselves."

"More training, then." -Ivan said.

"Yes, a lot more, big guy." -Muria told Ivan, as he peeked from the pocket if the jock jacket Ivan was wearing that morning. –"And you better not slack off. There's no room for slacking around here." -he said.

"I never slack off, and the last thing I need is a drill sergeant, Muria." -Ivan shot back at his kwami.

"Oh, trust me, if I was a drill sergeant, I would be a lot harder than you than I am right now, Ivan. And I wouldn't mind calling you maggot, wimp and other things, just so you could prove me wrong." -Muria declared.

"This is the last time I'll let him watch Full Metal Jacket, or any other war movie." -Ivan thought to himself.

"Well, I say this. Let him come! I'm not afraid of him or any idiot he throws at us!" -Kim declared in a cocky voice.

"That's a good thing. But you shouldn't be that cocky. Remember, he's got powers that you still haven't seen, and every day it goes by, he becomes stronger." -Imp told Kim.

"Then, it's a good thing we're also getting stronger." -Alix said. –"But what I'm really eager for, is to learn how to borrow the powers from you guys, and then use them against an Akuma, or one of those idiots that Hawk Douche employs, or even Hawk Douche himself." -she declared, while rubbing her hands in anticipation.

"Tikki told me that once I use it on you guys, you'll also be able to use that ability. But that it takes practice to use it and we should use it wisely, because it takes a good chunk of our energy to use it." -Marinette said.

"Either way, that ability will come in handy." -Nathaniel said.

"In your case, you practically won't need it." -Kim told him. –"I mean, you can draw anything you want, bring it to life and use it as a weapon, or as an object that can help us." -he stated.

"Yeah, but my powers also have limits. If they didn't have them, that would be a whole different story." -Nathaniel reminded him. –"Also, it would be cool to have superspeed, or invisibility, or being able to manipulate shadows, without the need to create something that would allow me to have them." -he said.

"Well, just because one of us won't need it as much as the others, that doesn't mean it won't come in handy." -Alya said, as Trixx landed on her head. –"I love to be able to create illusions and all, but I personally wouldn't mind having other powers, even if it's just for a minute or two." -she said.

"The only part of having new powers and abilities, that I don't like, is that it means we'll have to train even harder than before to perfect them." -Juleka commented.

"You aren't the only one, trust me." -Mylene smiled at the Goth. –"But because we'll be training together, it'll be easier and more fun." -she declared.

"And when will we start training for that?" -Rose asked Marinette.

"I've called Master Fu this morning, before breakfast, and I explained him everything. He told me that regarding the ability to borrow powers from each other, we can start on the next training session. As for the training in the Astral Plane, we'll have to wait until I can fully perfect my access technique, so I can then pull you guys inside it. He also told me that he would be helping me with it, though it has been a couple of decades, since he has stepped into the Astral Plane. And once he thinks I'm ready, I'll take you there and he'll teach us how the Astral Plane works." -Marinette answered her, when Chloe entered the classroom.

"Morning, Chloe!" -Sabrina exclaimed with a smile, as she saw the blonde entering the classroom. –"Remember, don't rush things. Play it cool, and when you see you have the opportunity to talk to her alone, go for it." -she thought to herself.

"Good morning, Sabrina." -Chloe said, as she sat next to her. –"Hey, everyone. Good morning," -she smiled at the rest of the class.

"I was just telling everyone that Master Fu is going to help me with the training to access the Astral Plane, so we can then all learn how to move and act inside it, in case Hawk Moth tries to pull us into it." -Marinette said. –"Oh, and that on the following training session, I'll help everyone to unlock the ability to help us share powers amongst us temporarily." -she said.

"Really? Well, I'll be more than glad to let you guys borrow one of my powers, if you also let me borrow one of yours." -Chloe declared.

"You look pretty cheerful, for someone we thought was going to be grounded for life, and then forced to leave the country." -Alix pointed out, thinking it was a little bit strange.

"Well, guess what, Alix. You'll have to put up with me for a very long time." -Chloe said in an amused tone. –"And I guess that everyone here already knows what happened last night at the gala, huh?" -she asked them, this time with a more melancholic voice.

"Yes. But not because of the papers or any lifestyle magazines." -Marinette said. –"Just like Adrien told me it would happen, there's not even a mention of the fight between you and your mom." -she said

"I'm not really surprised." -Chloe admitted.

"So, you're not going to be sent to a boarding school?" -Adrien asked her, just to be sure he had heard right.

"No, I'm not, Adrikins" -Chloe said, calling him by his nickname. –"You're all stuck with me." -she forced a smile.

"But how did you manage not to be sent to a boarding school? From what we were told, your mom was pissed at you." -Kim asked her.

"Let's just say that things that didn't happen as we expected them to happen." -Chloe said. –"In fact, things happened in a way that I wasn't expecting them to happen." -she said, as if she was talking about an world-shattering mystery.

"Girl, you better stop with the whole mystery, and start explaining yourself, or I'm going to pound you in the head." -Alya told her in a playful tone. –"You know I hate when people take too long to get to the point." -she said.

"And you would like that, wouldn't you, Alya?" -Chloe asked her, with a friendly smug on her face. –"But just to you know, I would be able to take you down, with one arm behind my back." -she told her.

"Yeah, yeah, we know you're the best, your Royal Highness." -Alya joked.

"No. Not your Royal Highness… Your Royal Majesty. I'm a queen, remember?" -Chloe joked back.

Even though she sometimes talked with a more sombre voice, Chloe seemed quite cheerful that morning, and everyone noticed it. For someone who on the night before, had supposedly gotten in a lot of trouble with her mother, she did not act like it. And it was not until she finished telling them what had happened, when she got back to the hotel, that they understood why she was more cheerful than they thought she would be.

"All that sounds… like the complete opposite of what I thought would happen to you." -Marinette admitted.

"And how are things between the two of you now?" -Mylene asked her.

"They are… well, it's a little hard to explain." -Chloe admitted. –"The truth is, I don't know exactly how things are. But I want to believe that from now on, things will get better." -she said. –"She addressed me by name yesterday, without calling me a name that wasn't mine."

"That's great!" -Rose chirped, happy with that piece of news. –"That's a good sign." -she said.

"That doesn't sound like the woman your mom is." -Adrien told Chloe. –"That sounds like the opposite of the kind of woman she is." -he added.

"I know. I was just as shocked as you are. She never demonstrated a single display of affection, or apologized for anything she did wrong. So, when she showed up in my suite last night, telling me that she wanted to apologize to me, I couldn't believe it myself." -Chloe said.

It was hard to believe that a person could change so much in a matter of hours, and repent about the things it had done, but it had seemingly happened and Chloe was a witness to it. When she entered her suite, and saw her mother there, she immediately believed she was going to be grounded, and forced to apologize to her for what she did, before being sent to a boarding school. But instead, she heard her mother apologizing to her. The whole thing was surreal to her.

"But you'll be able to see if she really meant what she told you, now." -Rose said. –"That is, if she sticks around for a while. Since you told us she's always

"Actually, I won't be seeing her for a while." -Chloe declared.

"She's gone back to New York already?" -Marinette asked her.

"No. She has decided to seek medical help in a clinic in Switzerland. It was all in the letter she wrote me… and my dad told me she left for it, before I was even awake."-Chloe answered her. –"From what he told me, she's going to stay there for a few months, dealing with some of the issues she has, and with it, try to become a better person." -she said.

If there were doubts that Audrey Bourgeois was seemingly trying to change, then, what Chloe had said was proof that it was real.

"But enough about me. I love being the centre of attentions, but even I get tired of being it." -Chloe declared, which made some of the others to playfully raise an eye at her. –"What? Oh, okay, it's a lie, I always love being the centre of attentions." -she giggled. –"But seriously, let's talk about something else, before Miss Bustier arrives and we have to hit the books."

"Alright, if your Royal Highness insists." -Marinette joked, making some of them laugh.

"Your Royal Highness, no, Dupain-Cheng. Your Royal Majesty, yes." -Chloe joked back at her, making the rest of the class laugh once again with that joke.

"Whatever." -Marinette laughed. –"I wanted to tell you all, that I brought us a little sweet treat, for us to share." -she said, as she pulled a box of macarons from inside her backpack. –"I've brought all our favourites, plus a few new flavours, so you guys can tell me what you think about them. My parents are hoping for you to help us choosing which two are good enough to be a part of our new Springtime flavours."

"Knowing your parents' culinary and pastry skills, it's going to be hard to choose, because all of them will be delicious." -Juleka said.

"Great, we're going to be guinea pigs." -Nino joked, after which Alya playfully elbowed him on the side. –"Ouch! I was just kidding" -he said.

"Oh, don't be like that, Nino. You are tougher than you look." -Alya playfully told him. –"Plus, you earned that. The way you said that, sounded like you're expecting for any of them to be poisoned." -she said.

Just looking at the macarons that were from all colours of the rainbow, they all knew they were in for a treat, and that it would not be easy to choose which ones would be the best. And as always, someone did not feel like waiting until lunch to eat one of them. And that someone was Kim, who tried to grab one from the box, only for Marinette to quickly slap him on the wrist.

"It's only for after lunch, Kim." -Marinette warned him, after preventing him from stealing a macaron. –"Don't you even think you're going to get your hands on one of them, before lunch." -she playfully told him.

"That's what you get for not being fast enough." -Alix joked.

"Warning! Miss Bustier's coming!" -Pinn exclaimed, warning everyone.

"How do you know?" -Mylene asked her kwami.

"I recognize the sound of her heels. She'll be here in five seconds." -Pinn told her, as she quickly disappeared out of sight, along with the rest of the kwamis.

And just like Pinn had said, five seconds later, the classroom door opened and Miss Bustier entered, carrying her white leather satchel with the books she was going to use that day. And like always, she had a beautiful smile on her face, which was powerful enough to light up even the gloomiest of spirits. There was something about Caline Bustier's smile that made it unique, and her students could feel it, whenever she smiled at them.

"Good morning, class." -Miss Bustier smiled at the whole class, who had already taken their designated seats.

Chloe had managed to hide just how much of a mess her head was that morning, by pretending that everything was alright, along with a couple of jokes and some smiles. But once she got home, she felt like she had been run over by a truck. She felt exhausted, but not physically. She felt psychologically exhausted. During classes, her mind kept reliving what had happened the previous night, when her mother came to apologize to her, and she continued to ask herself if her mother was being sincere in what she said, and if so, would that last or not? Miss Bustier was forced to call her to attention more than once, with her excusing herself.

"You looked so cheerful, that I almost bought it myself, you know?" -Pollen told her, as she landed on Chloe's shoulder.

"I know. I guess I'm a better actress that people give me credit for it." -Chloe sighed. –"I think I even managed to fool Mylene, and she considers herself an aspiring actress." -she sighed once more. –"Truth is, my head's a mess."

"I can only imagine it." -Pollen said.

"Last night, I felt like giving my mom the benefit of the doubt… but now…" -Chloe said.

"You're having second thoughts?" -Pollen asked her.

"Maybe, I don't know." -Chloe sighed, as she sat on the couch. –"I think I'm afraid, Pollen. I'm afraid of getting my hopes up again, and having them obliterated, like it happened before." -she declared. –"I'm afraid that all this that happened, ends up the way so many other things regarding my mom ended. That things go back to the way they were."

And that was not just the reason why she felt like that. It was not just the matter of her mother that was running wild in her mind. There was also the kiss between her and Sabrina the night before. She could not stop thinking about it, and she did not know why. In her mind, she remembered feeling like she had hit rock bottom and that she was unworthy of anyone's love, especially her mother's. And she also remembered the moment when Sabrina kissed her, and every worry she had, every doubt that was consuming her, disappearing and her feeling safe, when next to her. It had been a beautiful feeling, which she did not mind feeling again.

"That kiss she gave me, it made all the bad thoughts and all the insecurities I had inside my head, disappear. It also gave me a fuzzy feeling, knowing that there was someone who cared about me and loved me. It's the kind of fuzzy feeling that I wouldn't mind feeling again, especially coming from Sabrina." -Chloe thought to herself. –"W-Wait! What are you thinking about, Chloe?! The way you're thinking, it's like you have a crush on her! That's ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! You're not a lesbian! You're straight! You like boys!" -she thought. –"The mere thought about it… and if Sabrina was here, she would be telling you the same thing! Frankly… just because you're thinking about the fact your best-friend kissed you, it doesn't mean anything! She did it to help you, that's all! The idea that she might even like you in any romantic way, is just ridiculous and those thoughts are just filling your head with nonsense! We're best-friends that's all we'll ever be... Best-friends."

But even she did not believe her own words. There was something inside her that was making her doubt her own words, though she did not know what exactly.

"It's only fair that you feel afraid. You would be foolish if you weren't afraid to get hurt." -Pollen said, bringing her back to reality. –"But if you want my opinion, I think that your mom was sincere, when she came here to apologize to you. And the fact that she travelled almost immediately to that clinic in Switzerland, is a clear sign that she wants to treat herself and become better." -she stated.

"O-Oh, yes… but what if it doesn't work? What if she comes back from that clinic, and just goes back to being like she is now?" -Chloe asked, pondering about the matter.

"Then, you'll have to be strong. You'll have to be strong in case that happens, but at the same time, you must be hopeful that it never comes to pass." -Pollen said. –"Remember, you may be your mother's daughter, but just like she said yesterday, you have a lot of your dad in you, and that makes you different from your mom. It makes you a completely different person… your own person, who may share some traits with her, but that's it. You are you, and nothing will change that." -she declared.

There were a lot of things Chloe had come to love about Pollen. But one of them, that made her love her that much, was just how she always able to say the right words, which were also the sweetest words, Chloe needed to hear in a specific situation. She did not know if Pollen just knew what to say, or if she had a secret power that allowed her to do it, without much effort.

"Have I ever told you that you are the wisest kwami I know?" –Chloe told Pollen.

"Well, all the kwamis are equally wise. But I'm glad you see me as the wisest of all." -Pollen smiled at her.

The rest of the afternoon was peaceful, and though she continued to feel bothered by the thoughts inside her mind, Chloe tried her best not to ignore them, by doing something else. Like she had promised Sabrina, she had decided to see if she could still play the violin. Going through her wardrobe, she looked for her old violin, which she knew Jean had kept it inside, but not exactly where. Luckily, Pollen was able to give her a hand in finding it. Placing the case where it was kept, on top of her bed, she opened it and saw that it was still in pristine condition. Though it was not a Stradivarius, it was still a very expensive violin and Chloe knew it. Holding it, she instantly remembered the last time she had played it, and how it seemed to have been an eternity ago.

"It's a little too small for me." -Chloe said, as she held it and caressed it with the tips of her fingers, like it was a living, breathing being. –"If I'm going to start playing this again, I'll have to get a new one." -she said.

"How long has it been since you held it?" -Pollen asked, as she glanced at the beautiful musical instrument.

"Years… I don't know if I can even play it anymore." -Chloe admitted, as she placed herself into position –"Let's see, if I can still play it." -she said.

"There's only one way to know. Play it." -Pollen said, as she sat on the bed.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe readied herself. Playing it, the first notes sounded completely out of tune, hurting both hers and Pollen's ears. But the following notes came out perfect. Concentrating, she started playing a melody that she had learned a long time ago, William Tell Overture, by Rossini. It had been years since she had played it, but as if by magic, she remembered all the musical notes by heart. And as she played it, she felt like her fingers and her arm were being guided by an invisible hand. Music filled the bedroom to the delight of Pollen, who was enjoying it.

"It sounds so beautiful. What's it called?" -Pollen asked her

"William Tell Overture, by Rossini." -Chloe answered her, as she continued to play it. –"It's the first thing I learned to play, after learning to play Frere Jacques and Alouette." -she said.

"For someone who said that she did not know if she could still play the violin, you're playing it quite well… with the occasional error, but that's understandable." -Pollen said.

"I'm surprised myself that I can still play this with so little errors." -Chloe admitted. –"It's almost like riding a bicycle." -she thought to herself.

Chloe continued to play for a little longer, enjoying the melody that was being produced by the violin. It was both soothing and beautiful. She was amazed with her own skill, as she believed that she would not even be able to remember how to play the violin, when she first grabbed it. As she finished playing, Pollen applauded her.

"Bravo!" -Pollen exclaimed, as she continued to applaud her.

"Thank you." -Chloe said, while taking a bow. –"But like I said, I'm going to need to buy a bigger violin, if I'm going to start taking lessons. And I'll have to tell daddy if he can find me another violin teacher. The one I had must have retired by now." -she said, as she tried to remember the name of the old man, but without luck.

"Well, if you take violin lessons, that'll mean you'll have less time to go shopping." -Pollen playfully teased her.

"I don't mind. I mean, some of the others have extra-curricular activities, and they manage to survive. I'll also be able to survive not going shopping every day of the week." -Chloe smiled at her. –"Besides, I haven't felt this excited about something in a very long time." -she admitted. –"I guess I really needed a new challenge. And practicing the violin certainly is a decent challenge… and all thanks to Sabrina, who convinced me to give it another chance."

After mentioning Sabrina's name, Chloe's thoughts went back to the kiss between them, and just how nice it had felt, when she kissed her. She was about to push those thoughts away, when her cell phone rang, warning her that she had received a text. Putting the violin on the bed, she pulled the cell from her back pocket and saw it was from none other than Sabrina.

"Need to talk to you. Can you come and meet me at Notre-Dame, after dinner?" -Chloe read the text. –"I wonder why she wants to meet at Notre-Dame? Could it be because of what happened last night? She seemed to be acting a little less Sabrina-ish than usual today. I mean, I felt like she had her head in the clouds, but… nah, you're just imagining things. Why would she want to talk about it?." -she thought to herself. –"Guess we'll be going out tonight for a little bit, Pollen."

Sabrina was the first one to arrive at the cathedral, after dinner. She told her parents that she was feeling tired, and that she was going to sleep earlier that night. Her dad was doing nights that week, so she knew she would not have to worry about him checking in on her. And her mom was busy with yet another court case, which was sure to have her occupied until it was time for bed. When she sent Chloe that text, she did not tell her why she wanted to talk to her, and was surprised when she texted her back, and did not ask her the reason for that nocturnal encounter.

"Where could she be?" -Louve Grise asked herself, as she leaned against a gargoyle. –"I didn't specify an hour, but she knows that I usually finish having dinner around this time." -she thought.

Her not showing up was making the redhead feel more nervous than she already was, when she left her house. After failing to tell Chloe how she felt about her, she decided to call her, so she could put that business to rest. She had already accepted that after telling her the truth about her feelings for her, that Chloe would tell her that she did not feel the same way, and just wanted to get that off her chest. She had accepted that they would not be more than best-friends, and she was cool with it. She valued their friendship more than anything, and would be content with it, even if it was not what she truly wanted. But for the sake of their friendship, which had already gone through so much, Sabrina was willing to ignore her true feelings for Chloe.

"Calm down. She'll be here. Just give her time. You didn't tell her it was an emergency, which it isn't. So, try to calm down a little bit." -Louve Grise told herself.

And a few minutes later, Chloe did show up as Queen Bee. Flying above her, the bee heroine began to make her descent, landing next to Louve. As always, she looked fantastic, and Louve Grise noticed it, as she looked at her.

"Oh, my God, she looks even more beautiful than she did this morning. It's the Queen Bee outfit. It makes her look both cute, gorgeous and sexy at the same time." -Louve Grise thought to herself. –"No! Stop having lewd thoughts about Chloe! Nothing's going to happen between you two, so stop having them!" -she thought. –"Let's just get this over with! The faster you do it, the better."

"Well, here I am." -Queen Bee told her. –"Sorry it took me so long to get here, but Adrien called me to see if I was doing alright, and we ended up talking for a bit." -she admitted.

Looking at Louve, Queen Bee immediately knew there was something up with her. She could not tell what it was, but she could feel it. She knew her well enough, to notice the tiny little signals that were telling her there was something she was not telling her. Wondering what it could be, she decided to go straight to the point, and ask her if she was alright.

"Sabrina, what's going on? You looked a little bit less Sabrina-ish than your usual self, this morning, and now… now you're… I don't know, you look like there's something bothering you." -Queen Bee commented. –"Tell me. Am I right or wrong? Is everything alright with you?" -she asked her.

"N-No." -Louve Grise sighed. –"Not everything is alright." -she practically whispered.

"Then, why isn't everything alright?" -Queen Bee asked her. –"Please, tell me." -she told her, worried.

Louve Grise was terrified. She had more fear inside her then, than any of the times she had to go up against an Akuma. She was terrified to tell her best-friend what was going on, afraid of what her reaction would be. She could feel her heart feeling heavy, as if someone had placed its hands around it and was slowly squeezing it. She was beginning to have doubts of her idea of telling Chloe the truth, and she just wanted to get out of there. But remembering her own words, that if she did not tell her the truth, that she would go insane, she pushed on. It took her all her will-power and all her courage, to tell Queen Bee what was going on inside her mind, and her heart.

"C-Chloe, there's something I need to tell you." -Louve Grise declared, while hoping her voice would not fail her. –"For a little while now, I've been… I've been having these thoughts about you. Ever since that slumber party at your place, where we kissed, that I've been feeling certain things about you…" -she pressed on.

It took Queen Bee's brain a full five seconds to realize what her best-friend was trying to tell her. And when her brain realized it, she was shocked by it. But she was not shocked because of the content of what she was trying to tell her. She was shocked because of what all that meant. It meant that the idealized thought she had about Sabrina had kissed her the night before, had been torn apart. It meant that she had kissed her, not only because she wanted her to help her to snap out of that depressive state, but because she loved her. In sum, it meant that she was in love with her, and the bee heroine was okay with that. She did not know why, but she was okay with it. She was okay with her best-friend, a girl, loving her and having romantic feelings for her. Feelings those that she did not mind giving back to her, knowing that they would be given back in return.

"I know I shouldn't have them, but I do. I have these romantic feelings for you, and I know it's wrong. Not because I have them, but because I know you don't feel the same thing for me, as I do about you." -Louve went on with her speech. –"I know I should keep these feelings to myself, because I know that there's no chance you would return them the way I want you to, but I needed to tell you this, otherwise I would go insane." -she sighed. –"I just wanted to tell you this… and that I want you to know that this changes nothing. I… I… I'm okay with just being your best-friend and your partner in this crazy adventure that we're having, because I value our friendship more than anything, and…"

Not being able to wait until she finished her speech, Queen Bee just grabbed Louve Grise and kissed her on the lips. This surprised both her and Louve, who was not expecting that to happen. The kiss lasted more than ten seconds, after which they pulled their lips apart, and stated into each other's eyes.

"W-What?" -Louve Grise said, practically speechless with what happened.

"You aren't the only one who has feelings for someone." -Queen Bee said, before pulling her into another kiss. –"Mmm… sorry, but you're a really good kisser, you know, Sabrina?" -she asked her.

Right then, Louve Grise did not know if that was a dream or not. Her best-friend had just kissed her on the lips, and told her that just like her, she also had a crush on her.

"C-Chloe, I…" -Louve said.

"I'm sorry for stealing you the spotlight, but I also only realized that I have these romantic feelings for you last night… I don't know if it was because of our kiss last night, or not, but something changed. Something that started on that slumber party at my place." -Queen Bee confessed to her. –"And I… I don't want it to end." -she said.

"W-What do you mean?" -Louve Grise asked her, as she tried to get her ideas straight.

"I don't care just how wrong this feels or is. I don't care if I'm a lesbian, or bisexual, or whatever! I don't care if I'm the daughter of the Mayor of Paris and the editor-in-chief of one of the world's most important fashion magazine, and how this will affect their careers, when people find out about it. I only care about what I'm feeling right now. And what I'm feeling, is that I'm also in love with you, Sabrina." -Queen Bee smiled at her. –"Since we've met, you've always been by my side. You've been my best-friend, my confident, my conscience, my moral compass… even when I was at my worst, and I treated you like a slave girl instead of the true friend you've always been, you still didn't abandon me." -she said. –"I don't know if this relationship will even work, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I'm willing to see if this will work, if you're also willing to."

Louve had prepared herself for every possible negative scenario. But she had not prepared herself for any of the possible positive scenarios. She never believed that her best-friend harboured any romantic feelings for her. And so, when she told her that she also had feelings for her, she was taken by surprise. In the blink of an eye, all kinds of things went through her mind, among them if she was dreaming, or not.

"Y-You… You l-love…"

"I love you, Sabrina. I'm in love with you too." -Queen Bee said, as a single tear of happiness ran down her face.

Hearing her say those words, Louve Grise kissed her again, just to make sure that what she had just heard, was not a dream. Chloe Bourgeois aka. Queen Bee had just told her that she was in love with her, and her mind felt like she was on cloud nine, while her heart was skipping beats. Hearing her say those words, felt like the greatest feeling in the world, and she could not help but to start crying, overcome with so many emotions.

"Why are you crying?" -Queen Bee asked her, when she noticed the tears in Louve's face.

"B-Because… I never thought that you would…" -Louve Grise said

"That I would love you back?" -Queen Bee finished her sentence. –"Well, guess what, Sabrina, I do." -she tearfully smiled at her. –"And even if I didn't love you back, I would never be mad or angry, or disgusted at you, for sharing your feelings for me. Never."

That speech from Queen Bee made Louve Grise smile become broader than before. She could not believe that her best-friend had told her she was in love with her. But like everything else, a sudden thought brought her back to reality, and a question showed up in her mind: "What if it doesn't work?". She had not anticipated a happy conclusion to that reveal of hers, and as such, she never pondered that question. And now, she was wondering just that.

"But what if it doesn't work?" -Louve Grise asked her. –"I was so sure about this, but now I'm not any longer. I'm scared." -she thought to herself. –"What if it doesn't work, Chloe? What if we find out that we don't… that we can't work as a couple? I mean, we're so different… I know that's cliché, but it's the truth."

"You're right, that's cliché. And it's utterly ridiculous. The old me would've pointed that out, but not the new me. I don't care how different we are. That's the reason why we're such good friends, and it was you who taught me that, a long time ago… If it doesn't work, then… we'll go back to being the best of friends, and that will be it. And this might help to strengthen our friendship bond, by allowing us to know each other even better than before." -Queen Bee said. –"But if it works, and I'm willing to believe it will, because you're an amazing girl, who knows me better than I know myself. Someone who I know will always have my best interests at heart, and who I know that deeply cares for me and is always there for me. In sum, you're someone who I wouldn't mind becoming my girlfriend, and even spending the rest of my life with." -she smiled.

Queen Bee was getting a little ahead of herself with that last statement, but Louve Grise did not mind. When she heard the blonde saying those words, the wolf-heroine smiled. Getting on the tips of her toes, so she was at the same height as Queen Bee, she placed her arms around her neck, and gently pulled her into another tender kiss, this one lasting longer than the previous ones. Kissing her, she felt like anything it was possible, no matter how impossible it was, and she felt filled with confidence. And as a cherry on top, when they broke the kiss, and the bee heroine looked her in the eyes and smiled, it was enough to obliterate any doubts she had in her mind and her heart about that not going to work out.

"O-Okay… I guess we can try." -Louve Grise smiled. –"We can try and see if this works out." -she said.

"So… it's official? We're a couple?" -Queen Bee asked her, also smiling.

"No, not yet. You still have to let me ask you that old question first." -Louve Grise answered her.

"Why should you be the one to ask me?" -Queen Bee asked, pretending to be outraged. –"Why can't I ask you instead? I'm just as in love with you, as you are with me." -she continued to pretend she was outraged.

"Because I was the one who texted you to come here, and I was the first one to admit that I had feelings for you." -Louve Grise declared. –"It's only fair, Chloe." -she told her.

"Uh, fine… you can have the spotlight this time, Sabrina." -Queen Bee sighed, with a smile on her face.

"Just this time?" -Louve Grise asked her in a teasing voice, while playfully raising an eyebrow at her.

"Okay, whenever you want…" -Queen Bee smiled.

"Thank you." -Louve Grise smiled tenderly at her, while caressing her face and looking her in the eyes. –"Then… Chloe Bourgeois, would you… would you like to be more than my best-friend? Would you like to be my best-friend and my girlfriend, at the same time?" -she asked her, trying not to stutter.

"Of course, I want to, silly." -Queen Bee smiled, before pulling her into another kiss. –"Sorry, but your kisses are really addictive." -she said in a playful tone. –"Also, you have Halls breath."

"Halls breath?" -Louve Grise asked her, not understanding what she was telling her.

"Yeah, your breath feels like you've been eating cough drops." -Queen Bee answered in a playful tone of voice. –"It must be because of your ice breath ability… I kinda like it." -she admitted.

The first thought that went though the wolf heroine's head, was how her now-girlfriend was able to kill off the romance, with such a lame joke. Truth be told, the blonde was never good with jokes. But she did not mind. While repeating the joke in her head, Louve felt that it was definitely not funny, but the way she said it, made it funny.

"How about we make a deal? I'll stick with the jokes. And you stick with the snarky and savage outcomes. How about that?" -Louve Grise suggested to her.

"Why? You don't think I can be funny?" –Queen bee playfully shot at her.

"No, but snarky and savage outcomes are more you." -Louve Grise told her.

"We're both in a relationship for two minutes, and you're already trying to pull the shots." -Queen Bee smirked at her. –"I like that." -she told her.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I want us to make a promise to one another." -Louve Grise said. –"I want us to promise to one another, that even if this doesn't work, we'll remain the best of friends." -she said. –"If there's one thing I never want to lose, it's your friendship, Chloe."

"Okay. I promise you that." -Queen Bee promised. –"Shall we seal this promise with a kiss?" -she asked her.

"A best-friends hug, and then a lovers' kiss." -Louve Grise told her, with a naughty smile on her face.

Complying with her request, Queen Bee hugged Louve Grise as tightly as her arms allowed her to, and then kissed her tenderly, with both girls taking their time to savour each other's lips. When they broke the kiss, they looked into each other's eyes and just stood there for what felt to them like an eternity, gazing into each other's beauty.

"I know I'm going to ruin this romantic moment we're having, but you know what? Right now, I'm really in a mood for one of those funnel cakes, you know I love so much." –Queen Bee told her. –"It's not that I'm hungry, but I really wanted something sweet that I could share with you, right now." -she admitted.

"You want to know a funny thing? I'm also in a mood for one of those." -Louve Grise smiled at her. –"And I happen to know a place where we can get one at this time of the night." -she told her, which made the blonde smile. –"Will you follow me?"

"How about if I carried you instead?" -Queen Bee asked her, as she did just that. –"It'll be my pleasure to carry you, anywhere." -she smiled at her, making her giggle. –"Just point the way."

From best-friends to lovers... I couldn't have said it better. Oh, wait! I did, when I wrote this. xDD

It took me so long to get here. As I planned this fic, I knew that Chloe and Sabrina were going to end up together in the end... but I never thought that it would be so hard to write it, especially since this particular fic was to be focused on Chloe and her relationship with her mother. Still, it's done. I know that in the OG show, this ship doesn't make much sense, but in here, it totally makes sense, given just hwo different Chloe and Sabrina are, and how their friendship is... and before anyone asks, no, Chloe and Sabrina aren't ful blown lesbians, like Juleka is, they're both bisexuals.

I've already had people asking me if I had seen the first episode of season 4, and the answer is yes, I have. And unfortunately, I've seen the mess Thomas and Jeremy are making of the story... more and more, we fans have to rely on each other and rewrite the whole thing in a proper way. More and more we get the feeling that they are constantly gaslighting us fans (This never happened with series like Voltron, MLP: Friendship is Magic, Avatar: The last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, among others, just saying). But let's not talk about it, because I don't want any toxicity around here. This saga is a place free of fandom toxicity, and I want to keep it that way.

The only thing left now, is the epilogue, and I'm already writing it. I can promise you two things: it's going to be extra sweet and there's a treat in it, which I think you're going to like. Also, if you want to, check out my page on DeviantArt, where you will see my latest commission acquisition... an illustraton of Alya and Rena Rouge, drawn and coloured by none other than Bárbara Lourenço, the portuguese voice actress of Alya and Sabrina. :)

As always, feel free to comment, fav and leave suggestions to improve this and other future fics... oh, and I will also be revealing the title of the following adventure, on the epilogue, so be ready. :)