Thursday morning, Ella and Adrien waved goodbye to Nathalie and got into the car for school.
"You ready?" Adrien asked, reaching a hand over and giving Ella's a squeeze.
"No... but there's no turning back now..." She sighed, her free hand playing with the strings on her bag.
"Everyone's excited to see you. They know not to crowd you-"
"Cause I have panic attacks and freak out thanks to my father?" Ella filled in, making Adrien frown.
"That's not what I was gonna say."
"I know, but it's the truth."
"Hey. It's gonna be okay. I'll be at your side all day if I have to be."
Ella sighed, giving Adrien's hand a squeeze as the car stopped at the café down the street from school. She opened the door and stepped out, turning back to peer in at the blond.
"As far as the school population knows, we're awkward friends. I know it's hard but I promise it won't be forever. I love you, mon étoile. I'll see you in homeroom." Shutting the door, the noirette frowned sadly as Gorilla drove off to drop Adrien at the school two blocks away.
Ella stopped in the café before actually finishing the walk to school. The owner behind the counter smiled and welcomed her back, handing over her usual 'Café Viennois' and fruit crêpe.
"Thank you..." Ella smiled, handing over the euros and exiting the small shop. With a deep breath, she began to trek to school.
She crossed the street and was a handful of feet from the steps before a call of her name made her smile.
"Mari!" Ella called back, jogging over to her best friend. The blunette opened her arms for a hug and Ella obliged, holding the girl tight- careful not to spill her coffee down the blunette's back. Alya grinned like a fox at the two and pulled the noirette in for a hug once Marinette let her go. Ella flinched but gingerly returned Alya's gesture with a hand patting her back, swallowing the growing panic.
By this point, the rest of the class that was still outside noticed the teen's return and joined the two girls in welcoming back their classmate. They were all considerate and let Ella have her breathing room- though her chest hitched and her hands began to shake at the crowd forming around her- as well as they didn't ask any questions about what happened. Rose did ask for a hug, being the touch-feely girl she was, and Ella hesitantly let her- holding in the flinch at the tight contact.
"Maunt."
Ella recoiled but turned at the name, her eyebrows raising at seeing Chloé standing just outside the crowd with Sabrina.
"Good morning, Chloé." The blonde didn't acknowledge the greeting but continued her own.
"Just so you know, your father will never do business in Paris again if daddy and I have anything to say about it!"
The blonde turned and sashayed off into the school, with her lackey following behind. Ella watched her go, before turning her questioning gaze to Marinette, who just shrugged.
"That's Chloé's way of saying she's glad you're okay."
Adrien's voice traveled over the whispers, making eyes find the male blond. Even though she just saw him minutes ago, Ella couldn't help the pink tint on her cheeks and the small smile that wormed its way onto her face. Beside her, Marinette immediately flustered and blushed red, almost dropping her bag. The other two just looked on at her, shaking their heads.
"Morning, Ella!" Nino waved, holding out a fist for a bump.
"Good morning, Nino." Ella lightly hit her fist against the teens before turning to Adrien.
"Morning, Adrien..." She spoke, her voice light and sweet. The blond fought the rosy color invading his face and gave her a wide smile.
"It's great to have you back- music's been boring without you!" Ella nodded with a smile, before the five teens were interrupted by the warning bell ringing.
"Come on, Ella! Let's go!" Alya grabbed both Ella and Marinette's hands, dragging them up the stairs ahead of the boys. Their chatter turned to the 'Ladyblog' and Alya meeting Raven at the Prime Queen fight, as they ran up the stairs to get to class on time.
"Never imagined this was how my Thursday was gonna go!" Raven shouted as she swung through Paris with Ladybug and Cat on either side of her, as the trio chased after a bus.
School had gone by for Ella with not much trouble, only a few students from other classes who felt the need to try and pry at her for details- especially since the school had announced the reason behind her father's arrest. Her friends were quick to put a stop to all such attempts, and Ella swore Adrien was gonna punch the last guy in their music class, that tried to get into her personal space and flirt with her- claiming damaged girls were more fun- if Nino hadn't held him back.
But as the final bell rang, news came out of a bus rumbling through the streets of Paris- out of control due to a failed brake line- bringing the whole afternoon back around.
Landing on the roof the bus, Ladybug turned her head to her partners.
"Ready, you two?"
"You bet!"
"I'm always ready, LB. Who needs brakes when they've got us?"
Raven ran for the back, her grappler already spinning in her hands. She jumped off the bus and hooked the vent, quickly wrapping the end around a light post. Cat threw his staff to Ladybug, who caught it, dove under the bus, and wrapped her yo-yo around the staff. After the bus passed over her, she threw the staff back for Cat to catch. He extended his staff in between two lampposts. The combined effort of the grappler, staff, and yo-yo all manage to stop the bus. Ladybug and Cat began helping passengers off the bus as Raven jogged to join them. Ladybug smiled at her partners, as the bus driver got off and shook their hands.
"I've gotta go, you two. Bug out!" Raven and Cat waved to their leader as she zipped away, before Cat turned to the girl.
"So, Raven? What would you say if you and I met up tonight for a little dinner? Rooftop style?" He asked, his hands uncharacteristically wringing together and his eyes dancing everywhere but on the heroine.
"Like a date, kitty?" Raven asked, her tone light but the words serious.
"Well, uh, yeah. That's right. We've gotten together a handful of times when we're not saving Paris. But, would you actually like to get to know one another?"
"...I'd love to. I just have to make sure my civilian schedule is clear." Raven smiled, reaching forward and taking Cat's hand. The blond hero grinned like a child.
"Well, if your plans are clear, come and join me."
"Of course."
"I'll be waiting, mon belle ange."
Cat grinned like the Cheshire Cat for a moment before he leapt away. Raven sighed in contentment, her eyes following the black-clad hero until he vanished from view, and she too decided it was time to go back.
De-transforming, Ella stretched and put her bag on her desk. She sat, pulling out her homework and beginning the assignments; she still had a bit of time before dinner, anyways.
Two hours or so later, Nathalie knocked on the door and called Ella to dinner. The girl followed the woman to the room, Adrien coming down the staircase to join them. The pair sat at the table, Ella to Adrien's right, and the cooks brought out their food. Hesitating for a few moments, Adrien sighed and reached for his fork.
"Might as well eat, Elle..."
The girl frowned at the defeat in her boyfriend's voice, but followed his lead and began eating.
The meal was quiet, before they finished and Adrien checked the time. It was after 7:30 and Nino had texted him asking if he was coming to get ice cream with the group. He typed out a sullen 'my father said no', noticing Ella typing away on her own phone.
"Marinette or Alya?" He asked, drawing Ella's eyes up to meet his.
"Alya. She was asking about ice cream."
"Nino was asking the same thing." Adrien sighed, as the door opened and Nathalie stepped in.
"There's no point in waiting for your father, Adrien. He'll be eating in his office."
Adrien frowned, standing up from his chair. He moved to scoot Ella's chair back for her to stand before returning his attention to Nathalie, his voice quiet and angry.
"Then what's the point of keeping us here if he's never gonna show up, Nathalie?" The teen walked away, heading to his room.
Ella frowned, stopping at the bottom of the steps; Nathalie stopping beside her.
"Don't forget to practice your piano before you go to bed." The older woman spoke, turning to Ella afterward.
"Mr. Agreste would like you to go over the jewelry pieces he picked for the photoshoot he rescheduled, Ella. The clothes the jewelry will be accompanying are hanging in your closet." The noirette nodded; she couldn't voice what she wanted to say: that Mr. Agreste really needed to give Adrien the time of day, not her- especially after the holiday misunderstanding... but Ella bit her tongue on that conversation and turned to the door.
"Ella, where are you going?" The teen halted, her head moving to gaze back at Nathalie.
"Meeting a friend and some others for ice cream..?" She spoke, confused. Nathalie studied the teen before she sighed, stepping up to stand in front of the noirette.
"When I said Mr. Agreste would be regarding you the same way he does his son, it was meant as you will follow the same rules and orders as Adrien. So I'm sorry, but you will need to text your friend back and tell them you cannot meet them."
"Umm... what?" Ella couldn't help the anxiety spike in her chest. She was finally free from her father's control- she didn't want to suddenly be under someone else's thumb!
"Mr. Agreste wants you to abide by the same rules, so when Adrien is not allowed out, neither are you."
Aaaaand... Cue the panic attack.
Ella pushed past Nathalie, running into her room and slamming the door. Her fingers scrambled to lock it, as her breathing flew past erratic and her body shook hard. Finally sliding the bolt, Ella collapsed against the wood. Her body curled into a ball and she rocked back and forth, hands gripped tight in her hair and pulling taut.
She's gone from staying away from her home in fear of getting hurt, and now she's gonna be trapped inside this new home... this isn't the freedom she thought she was getting- she's happy to be free from her father, but now she's trapped within a whole new set of walls...
Adrien slammed the door to his room, leaning against the wood with a sigh.
"You could've at least grabbed the piece of Camembert on that platter!" Plagg complained, floating up beside the teen.
"Fuel up, Plagg." Adrien tossed the kwami a slice of cheese, turning on some piano music from his phone. He placed the phone in the speaker atop the piano and moved to the window.
"Adrien may not be allowed out of the house, but Cat Noir is!"
"Not gonna hang out with your little friend downstairs before your two-timing date?"
"Plagg!"
"I'm just saying kid- you gotta pick a girl."
Adrien frowned, knowing deep down the kwami was right... and that he would eventually have to end things with Raven if he and Ella went public with their relationship...
"Well that's a problem for future me. Plagg, claws out!"
"Don't I even give me a minute to digest my fooooood?!"
Cat Noir left the room, hopping out the window. He then leapt from roof to roof till he found the perfect spot for tonight.
Marinette smiled as she reached the Trocadéro and found her friends already waiting.
"Hey, Alya!"
"Hey, Marinette!"
"Where's Adrien?"
"Don't get upset, okay? But Nino just got a text. Adrien's dad isn't letting him go out."
"Once again..."
"And Ella said she could meet, but she isn't answering her phone now."
"Yo, Marinette!"
"What's up, M?"
"How are you, Marinette?"
Nino, Ivan and Mylène spoke, smiling at their blue-haired friend.
"I'm fine. Thanks. Hehe. So, do you know where André is today?" Marinette asked.
"The deal with André and his ice-cream cart is that you never know where he's gonna be. You gotta follow his clues to find out where he's going to set up." Nino answered, pulling out and checking his phone.
"The first time Mylène and I wanted André's ice-cream, it took us three hours to find his cart! Do you remember?" Ivan reminisced, making Mylène giggle.
"Hey! Someone posted a photo! He's on his way to the Pont des Arts." Nino called, clicking on the image.
"Let's hurry!"
"Come on, Marinette!" Alya smiled, grabbing Marinette's arm and dragging her after the others.
"Yeah! Awesome!" She chuckled as she and her friends run to the Pont des Arts bridge.
Meanwhile, on a balcony overlooking the Seine, Cat placed candles around the railing, setting up the mood for his dinner date with Raven. He looked around, satisfied with what he's done. He then sat down and waited.
Kiismet floated helplessly in the air above her holder, as the girl recovered from that rather horrid panic attack. This one was hard to watch, as Ella grappled with the abrupt knowledge of becoming like Adrien and being trapped in the house. Kiismet wanted to cry for the girl, as she watched her uncurl and scrambled over to the window. Ella pushed the glass open and crawled over the ledge into the garden. Kiismet flitted after her, as Ella pushed herself up to her knees.
"Kiismet, touch the sky!"
In that purple flash, Raven hopped from the garden up to the rooftop across the way. The remnants of the panic attack washed away as the persona of the feathered heroine took over, and let the teen focus on her date with a certain kitty.
She leapt from roof to roof, eyes scanning for her elusive black cat. After a few minutes and lots of jumping, she finally spotted a black and blond figure sitting on a balcony by the Seine.
"Looking for some company, mon chaton?" She asked, touching down behind him. Cat jumped up, a huge smile on his face.