Day 22

"I'm going to kill that cat." Marinette muttered to herself as Emma started crying for the third time that night.

Tikki was also awakened by the crying and heard Marinette mumbling. "Oh, come on, Marinette. It's not that bad, is it?"

"Oh, I don't know. I have school tomorrow though and I'm going to be running on what - two, maybe three hours of sleep?"

"That reminds me. Did you ever do your homework?"

"Of course I - well, at least I think I - did I? Um… I don't remember, Tikki."

The Kwami sighed and shook her head at her chosen. "Marinette, why don't you go check? That way you'd know for sure."

"Right. Yeah." Marinette swore under her breath as she stubbed her toe going down the stairs and reappeared a moment later with a panicked expression on her face.

"Ahh, Tikki, help me!" She scream-whispered at her Kwami so as not to wake her parents or disturb Emma.

"You didn't do it, did you?"

Marinette hung her head. "N-no. I didn't."

"Well, you should get started then. School starts in just a few hours."

Marinette checked her phone and groaned. "It's already almost 5:00."

One research project, an hour and a half of other homework, and two crying fits later, Marinette was finally getting ready to go back to bed.

"Ah, finally. Now I can get at least a little bit of sleep." Tikki looked at Marinette's clock and considered telling her that she only had about twenty minute to sleep, but she thought better of it and let her chosen rest for a little while.

~~~~~ Twenty Minutes Later ~~~~~

"Rise and shine, everyone! It's a brand new day!" The voice from Marinette's alarm clock startled everyone in the room. Tikki was the first to wake up, followed by Emma, whose crying served as a rude awakening for Marinette.

"Ughnnnn." Marinette mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow over her face. As she began dragging herself out of bed, there was a knock on the trapdoor to her roof. She looked up with bleary eyes to see an all-too-familiar cat with a nervous smile. Sighing, Marinette opened the trapdoor and signaled for him to come in before turning her attention back to Emma, who was still crying.

"Morning, Princess." Chat Noir greeted her cheerfully, receiving a glare from Marinette. "Um… I just stopped by to see if you needed anything."

"Was this your idea?"

"Hm?"

"The baby. Was it your idea to give it to me?"

Chat chuckled. "Ha, well, yeah it was. I figured - well, you're good with kids, so-"

"Where did you get the idea that I was good with kids?"

"Huh? Oh, well I saw you with that girl that you babysit one day at the park when I was - um, I was - patrolling. Yeah, patrolling! And you seemed to be handling her pretty well, so I figured you were good with kids."

Marinette arched an eyebrow at his half-hearted explanation. "Don't think for a minute that you're going to get away with this. If you don't stop by a few times over the course of this week, then you're going to wish you never gave me this baby in the first place. Trust. Me."

"Um… okay?"

"Good." Marinette shoved Emma into Chat Noir's arms. " I have to get ready. Have fun!" Chat Noir stood awkwardly for a few moments while Marinette prepared for school. He was just praying that Emma wouldn't decide to start crying, or spit up, or whatever babies did. He wasn't totally sure.

"Hey, Marinette? I have to go, if that's okay. I have school too, and my - um - dad won't be happy if I'm late."

She responded from the other room. "Just set her on the bed. I'll see you later, minou!" She held her breath for a moment hoping Chat Noir wouldn't catch on. She had accidentally called him by a pet nam she only used as Ladybug.

Luckily, he wasn't at all fazed. "Okay. I'll stop by tonight if you want me to." He set Emma down onto the chaise opposite Marinette's bed on the other side of the room.

Marinette walked in and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you."

"Oh, no problem." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"No, seriously. Thank you. I'm glad you care enough to not just abandon me for a week." She giggled a little and Chat Noir felt his blood rising to his cheeks.

"Um… yeah! Well, see you later, then? Yeah. Okay… bye!" He climbed back up onto her balcony and left for his house, all the while trying to figure out why he felt weird around Marinette all of a sudden.

Marinette, however, was more worried about school. One day of interrogations had been plenty for her, but a couple students in her class had been absent, and no doubt they were going to wonder.

"Oh, snap!" Marinette exclaimed, startling Tikki.

"What is it, Marinette?"

"I said I would try to get Chat Noir to come to school today. If I don't, no one will believe me!" She walked out to her balcony, trying to see if she could spot him in the distance, but alas, he was nowhere to be found.

"Simmer down, Marinette. It's not that big a deal. He said he would stop by later, anyway, and you can ask him to come to school with you tomorrow. Then everything will be okay, right?" She looked expectantly at her chosen who bit her lip.

"Yeah, okay." By now, Emma had stopped crying, so Marinette picked her up and went downstairs to the bakery.

"Marinette, I don't know if this whole baby thing is the best idea." Marinette's father stopped her before she could walk out the door.

"Tell me about it, Papa."

"Your mother and I barely got any sleep last night, and I can only imagine how little you got. It's not healthy to try to function like that, Marinette."

"I know, Papa. But it's only for a week and it's for Emma, not for me."

Tom Dupain sighed in resignation. "Alright, sweetie. As long as you're okay with it, I'm okay with it. Now get some breakfast."

"But what about Emma?"

"I'll take her!" Sabine cut in, walking towards the other two. "Her formula is all ready, so you go ahead and eat breakfast while I feed Emma."

"Are you sure, Maman?"

"Positive. Get something to eat, now. You can't go to school on an empty stomach!"

~~~~~ Later ~~~~~

Thirty minutes later, Marinette was on her way to school with Emma in her arms. She walked up the steps of Collegè François Dupont, met halfway by Alya.

"Hey, girl! How's it going with the baby?"

"Um, it's okay, I guess."

"I thought you said you were bringing Chat Noir today to prove that he was involved."

"Oh, yeah, he couldn't make it, but he's going to come tomorrow, for sure." Marinette said, hoping for her sake and Alya's that he would be able to come tomorrow.

Alya inhaled. "Girl, that's not good. I so wished he would come today."

Marinette laughed. "Yeah, you'll have to get your interview some other time."

"No, no. That's not what I meant at all." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You see, Chloè started this rumor-"

"She didn't." Marinette's face paled, knowing just how horrible Chloè could be.

"I'm afraid she did."

"What is it this time?"

"She's been convincing everyone that the baby is yours." Alya winced, bracing herself for Marinette to blow her top.

"Ugh! That-that-that awful-"

Alya put a reassuring hand on Marinette's back. "Hey, calm down. It's not that bad. Besides, Chat Noir can clear it all up when he comes tomorrow."

Marinette groaned. "Somehow, I think that might make it worse."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, what's stopping Chloè from telling everyone tomorrow that I had the baby with Chat Noir? She would be the person to stoop that low. I just know it."

Alya sighed. "You know, you're right. But as long as you and I know that's not true, it's fine. Besides, any idiot can tell that you weren't pregnant. You're still skinny as a twig and you have been for years."

Marinette giggled, but she didn't really feel any better. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that this whole thing was going to blow up in her face by the end of the week. And she was definitely right about that.