Tikki worried sometimes when she felt Marinette's moods shift up and down. Recently she had been better, happy and looking forward to the next day. After what happened with Luka, well she had more mixed bad and good days. She was happy, Tikki knew that and felt it the most when Marinette was in the presence of Peter. Yet when she was alone in the apartment, Tikki knew that was when Marinette's mind turned on her and the overthinking began.

Tikki had tried and tried over and over again to tell her what happened with Luka was not her fault. That she was valid to have feelings for anyone she wanted, and that it was okay her feelings for Peter had grown much more faster than she had thought. Tikki had been around a long time, had many holders and witnessed a lot. She knew true love when she saw it, and she had seen it the moment Marinette met Peter. It was like something had shifted in the world around the two.

Their connection was something ethereal, something so divine that it was extremely rare. The way Peter unknowingly pacified Marinette's soul was reassuring to Tikki that in the end Marinette would be okay. Tikki knew that he was going to be the one to save Marinette from herself, and it wasn't because she loves him but because he loves her. Yet realistically Tikki knew the two teens hadn't come to that realization in their feelings and that they were working their way there. She just knew.

Marinette had thrown herself back into her work once again, sewing long nights or staying up late to rereading lessons Stephen had given her to practice. There wasn't a book she hadn't read by now that was given to her. There wasn't a lesson she hadn't gone over with her eyes while sipping coffee.

Yes, Marinette was still frequently texting Peter, Ned, and MJ. She face timed Peter when she was sewing, talking to pass the time by while he was all too happy to lend an ear. When she wasn't talking to him, she was talking to her parents. Often she asked what was new with the bakery, or how their day had gone. Simple conversation she would have daily with her parents if she was still in Paris.

Currently Tikki watched as Marinette sat in Stephen's study, looking at techniques she could potentially use. It was amazing to see how far the teenager had come in learning the ancient magics, and even Stephen was impressed. Of course Tikki knew it was a feat that Marinette would overcome, she was smarter than she thought she was. She was also the future guardian, she had a knack for understanding more complicated things.

"It's been a few months since you started reading these books and learning lessons." Stephen says, stepping into the study peering at his student who merely looked up at him, "Have you tried to channel magic of your own yet through the learnings?"

Marinette gave a slow shake of her head, "No. Nope I have not."

"She's nervous." Tikki tacked on at the end, earning a glare from her holder.

"Tikki!"

Stephen nodded, knowing well enough that he was going to have to push the teenager out of her comfort zone. Yes, she was a quick learner and he knew she had more than the right capabilities to be one with the ancient magic as well. More than enough ability to do this.

"Let's go." Stephen says, opening a portal to a very high mountain in the middle of Alaska.

Marinette raised an eyebrow at the portal, but not thinking much of it she followed Stephen through it. The first thing she felt was the biting cold, causing her to rub her arms since she had no jacket on and was in shorts.

"What are we doing here?" Marinette asks, frowning at Stephen.

"You are going to open a portal back to the study without the help of a kwami. Tikki, let's go." Stephen says as steps back into the portal with Tikki who gave Marinette an apologetic smile.

"Tikki!" Marinette called, sighing when the portal closed and the cold became worse.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself and nerves, Marinette raised her hands to blow warm air into them. She thought about every lesson, every reading and every small detail she could recall as she closed her eyes. Searching deep within herself, Marinette tried to grasp that magic. The creation that was always just there.

"Believe in yourself. Focus." Marinette chaste herself, relaxing her muscles.

It was a weird feeling, the magic she felt. With Tikki, transforming felt like a warm blanket around her. She always felt safe and secured. This time the magic was flowing inside her, a rush of power that was hot and there. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Redirecting her focus, Marinette opened her eyes to find the very similar rune magic that had an orange glow like Stephens. Using her hands, she positioned them to open a portal and willed that portal to show itself before her back to the Stephen's study.

Just like that it opened, and there stood Stephen and Tikki waiting for her to come back. With quick movement, Marinette damn near launched herself back into the New York building that had warmth that would warm her.

"I knew you could do it Marinette!" Tikki cheered, nuzzling up against Marinette's warming cheek.

"A promising student is what you are, Marinette." Stephen says, watching the girl before him. He always knew she would accomplish this feat, especially when there was a magic surrounding her that blocked his view of the future that involved her. As of now he could not see Marinette's future or what was in store for her. Why? He wasn't sure.

"What next?" Marinette questioned, nuzzling Tikki back with a smile.

Stephen walked over to the library shelf and put back to the book she had perviously been reading, "You practice more. You learn more of what you can do, but as of now you know a lot more than I thought you would in this time frame. I say practice the magic."

Marinette grinned, "So I'm a wizard now?"

Stephen sighed, "It's sorcerer, which would make you a sorceress."

"Ohhhh." Marinette grinned at Tikki, "Hear that? I'm a sorceress." She wagged her eyebrows, in turn causing Tikki to giggle.

"I'm sure you'll be one of the best!" Tikki cheered her on, "The very first Guardian of the Miraculous as a sorceress! Oh Marinette, you're going to be making history for us kawmi's. I'm so proud of you."

Marinette smiled at her kwami lovingly, "Thank you for everything Tikki."

"Well, yes it's true Marinette is a sorceress-technically, there is still much to practice and master about the mystic arts." Stephen reminded the two of them, but a soft smile was on his lips watching the teenager.

For him personally it was a weird sense of pride he felt seeing Marinette succeed in so much in such a short amount of time. Before he even knew of the mystic arts, back when he was a surgeon he would have called a person stupid for telling him he was where he was now. He was never truly a family man, still isn't but the teenager in front of him had wormed her way into his cold heart. It was kind of nice to teach someone, be the mentor and watch as they grew.

After all when Marinette had came to New York she had been dealing with a lot more in Paris that was probably too much for the average teenager. Yet she was anything but an average teenager. She was a superhero that wielded the power of a tiny goddess, a guardian in training for multiple said tiny gods and goddess, and now she was training as a new sorceress in the mystic arts. She was a bridge, a wild card. He wasn't sure how yet, but she was important. She was now important, but she was something so important that she needed to be kept secret.

"Do I need to read more books?" Marinette asks him, a smile still adoring her face. It was a smile that frequented her features more often, Stephen noted.

"Probably to refresh on techniques but you've been through most of the beginner things. Once you master the beginner lessons, then we move to more advance things." Stephen says, earning a nod from both teenager and kwami.

"Let's get back to reviewing then." Marinette says, feeling motivated now to learn more about this world that was slowly becoming hers.


Ever since the day Luka was akumatized and Ladybug had made her appearance in Paris Chloe had been forced to watch Adrien grow more and more distant from the others around him. She knew he was Chat Noir, she'd known for a while now after she pieced all the dots together and quite frankly it all made sense.

She was the only one who had grown up with Adrien, who understood him as a person no matter what anyone said to disagree with that fact. The popular belief was that Gabriel was a horrible father, and the truth was he always wasn't. Not when Emilie was around before her disappearance anyways.

It amazed Chloe how much the Agreste disappearance was kept mostly under wraps, not much information was public knowledge. Yet she always knew the most effected was Adrien, who had been close to his mother. In her early memories of the Agreste family, Chloe remembered envying the warmth they radiated compared to her always broken family. Emilie had been a beckon of light, someone who could do no harm. In fact, she was a literal angel.

Emilie would be the one to gather the families for dinners or for play dates. She was the one who wiped Adrien's tears when he cried and soothed his fears when he woke up from nightmares. She was everything to Adrien, but in never changed the fact that he was sheltered. Gabriel had always obsessed with being in control, and in turn Adrien never set foot into a public school and part took in private lessons for fencing and language speaking.

Yet Emilie had tried her best to teach Adrien right and wrong, good and evil. Chloe knew this, she knew she tried her best but one can not learn social cues through lessons from someone else with no practice. And when Emilie disappeared everything had changed for Adrien. He grew lonely in that house, and sometimes Chloe wished she had been a better person back then.

Those green eyes she had come to see the light and life come back into had once again receded back to the lost and unsure ones she had seen after Emilie disappeared. God, she hated those eyes. It was one of the things that Chloe couldn't stand at all. Yet ever since Marinette had visited as Ladybug, she saw those very green eyes she hated with her whole being. It ate away at her not knowing what caused it now, and that was because she didn't know how to help him. She wanted to help him, because in all honesty Adrien had spent most of his life not knowing the joys of life outside those mansion walls and she knew Emilie would agree he needed to find himself and be true to who he was.

Chloe owed Emelie's memory that much, and she owed Adrien even more after everything he's gone through with her.

"What's wrong with you Adrikins?"Chloe forwardly asked the blonde model when she saw him sitting alone at lunch.

If anything the question had caused Adrien too curl in on himself even more, almost as if she had raised a hand against him. The action caused her to quirk a curious eyebrow his way as she further observed him. Never had he acted like this before, nor had he ever reacted to anyone like this. She wondered why so suddenly. Did Gabriel hit his son all of a sudden? No, the man would never risk it, so why?

"Am I a bad person Chloe?" Adrien asks her in a soft tone of voice, almost broken. In that moment she truly saw the little boy who had lost his mother, his light and lifeline. He had been strong, and trying, and learning. Trying to find himself. Which made since since this persona and his hero persona was exact opposites.

He didn't deserve to be alone anymore, and that's why Chloe reached over and took his hand into hers. Gently she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and mulled over what words to say next. She was horrible at comforting others.

"No." Chloe answered back just as softly, "I don't think you're a bad person at all. In fact I think you're an amazing person. Strong and kind too. Have you made mistakes? Yes, you have but so have I. It's normal to make mistakes and not be perfect Adrien. We have to learn from those mistakes, grow from them and try not to make them again. I don't even think you could be a bad person, not even if your life depended on it."

Chloe wished she realized it sooner, how his shoulders slumped as if he held the weight of the world. His eyes shinned with secrets, pain and guilt that it was worrisome to her. His green eyes, she had seen them before months ago. His green eyes held the same haunted look with lingering defeat Marinette's had before she'd gone to New York. Now he held the torch, he bared all she did here as a hero and it was taking it's toll now on him. Adrien needed someone to lean on for once, and he had no one once again.

"I hurt Marinette." Adrien looked up into her own blue eyes, "I finally told Nino what I told her and he got mad. He has every right to be. He told me she liked me, had a crush on me and I gave her that stupid ass advice. I hurt her and probably broke her heart! Like an asshole! I'm horrible Chloe-"

"No." Chloe cut off his rambling by tightly squeezing his hand, "No you are not horrible. There is a different with guilt and punishing yourself. You need to stop torturing yourself." Her voice fell a few octaves down, a mere whisper in his ear, "After all, you have a city to protect."

Adrien acted as if she just burned him, reeling back with wide green eyes with his hand cradled to his chest. It would have been comical, given this been a different situation. She watched as multiple different emotions went through those green eye. The disbelief, panic and a hint of relief. She could only imagine it was something along the lines Marinette felt when she realized someone else finally knew and suddenly there was some to talk to besides the kwami's.

"How?" Adrien hissed in a whisper, wondering what the hell he did that gave it away.

"Do you really think I wouldn't figure it out? I've know those bad jokes you sputter out my whole life. It just took times to put the pieces together."

With those words it was like something suddenly clicked for Adrien. It was like something clicked so suddenly in his brain at those very words Chloe said about the pieces fitting together. His conversation with Ladybug echoed in his head, and everything made so much sense. Ladybug knew Chloe personally, it's why Chloe was permitted knowledge and her miraculous. It was why she was here in Paris before, because he had watched Ladybug swing away towards the hotel Chloe resided in and thought nothing of it.

"I'm emotionally compromised, Kitty. I'm a liability if I stay here, which is why Honey Bee is in full effect as a holder of the bee miraculous."

"Things happened in my civilian life that led to certain outcomes. It was agreed that my well being would be better away for a little bit. To help me heal emotionally and mentally."

"I'm learning and I'm training. I am working from the outside in to figure out who Hawkmoth is, and I may have a lead."

I always wanted to tell you everything. All the reasons behind my decisions. To include you in things like picking the other heroes and these big master plans, but I was never allowed to by the current Guardian. I'm sorry for that Chat Noir."

"Tourist rates went up, so expensive not many people even try to travel here. It was a way to keep people out. The more I dug I eventually found a third party was putting major funds into Mayor Bourgeois bank account."

"Have you told Honey Bee?"

"She's a true holder Chat, like us. She's made mistakes but she's helped me a lot recently. She's a good person, so please trust her. We won't defeat Hawkmoth if we aren't a team."

It made sense why he felt so guilt as Chat Noir and as Adrien, because he hurt the same fucking person. Those blue bell eyes haunted him because he hurt her multiple times. He wasn't there for her, and it made sense. Why Chloe and Marinette became friends. Why Marinette left to New York. It explained why he saw a brief glimpse of tall buildings when Ladybug portaled away.

Marinette is Ladybug.

She is emotionally compromised.

It made sense with why Marinette suddenly left, because of Lila. It was because she was caused so much greif, almost bullied, that she had to go. Her being akumatized would mean game over, Hawkmoth would win. It explained how Marinette got Alya the interview with Ladybug, or knew things that Ladybug would know or that Marinette would know when she was Ladybug.

It explained the akumanzation of Nathanial, how she was stuck with him as Chat because Ladybug conveniently couldn't be there. How they thought so a like and made plans, or how they were with other people. They were always the same and right there. Chloe was her eyes and ears here in Paris and he wasn't sure how he felt about that suddenly. Realistically he understood that Chloe had too pieced the puzzle together because there was no way Marinette openly admitted her identity.

And yet he needed to be sure.

"Is that how you figured out Mari?" Adrien asked, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

This time it was Chloe's turn to looked surprised, her mouth opening to say something to close when no words came out. She could only nod her head, figuring that was easier to say for now since they were in public where anyone could hear.

"We shouldn't talk about this here, Adrien." Chloe says, already knowing that this could possibly blow up in her face, but at the same time Adrien deserved to know the truth.

Chloe had never said this before, but even a part of her believed Marinette could have had a better time handling everything had she just let Chat Noir, her partner, into her life a little more. Even then Chloe understood Marinette had more on her plate than Adrien, she proved that by using the miraculous and combining the powers. There was more to the story not even Marinette told her, and sometimes it made Chloe wonder everything that went on in the designer's mind.

"Will you tell me the truth?" Adrien asks his childhood friend, his green eyes shinning with a hope that Chloe couldn't deny. He needed someone to just tell him the truth for once.

"Tonight we can speak at the usual spot." Chloe assured, offering a smile as they stood and earning a nod back.

The rest of the day passed in a blur when the two blonde socialites parted ways after their lunch. Both knew that they couldn't suddenly be close, or be super good friends. It would draw too much attention from certain people. Chloe was the one who was indifferent to the class now, she kept to herself and spoke to berate those around her. Adrien was still loved and adored by the class. The two simply had two different roles to play.

And play those roles they would. Chloe wouldn't have it any other way, because that was who she was. She wasn't easy going, or easy to forgive and forget everything everyone else did. That included the other secret heroes in their class. It had been a matter of time really before Adrien would piece it together. Marinette had given him all the pieces of information, even if those pieces were scattered around between her hero persona and civilian persona.

Eventually the afternoon turned to evening and the evening turned into night. The light faded from the sky and the stars gave the city a natural glow. Chloe herself could feel herself buzzing, feeling change was coming. She was unsure what to make of it, because things were changing. Identities were being found out, Hawkmoth was quiet again, and crime rates were going up. Marinette leaving had effected Paris, but she didn't know that and Chloe didn't plan to tell her. She knows the designer would leave New York to fix her absences here if that was what was needed.

"Everything will work out the way it's meant to, my queen." Pollen says, trying to reassure her holder. It was interesting and surprising to see how well the blonde had fallen into the side effects true holders get from the miraculous. She was already protective of her hive with her senses feeling possible incoming danger.

"I can't help but worry." Chloe admitted softly, "Mari went from not having anyone know her identity to me knowing and now Adrien. Im pretty sure Luka himself has a good idea as well as Kagami. The magic is all fading for the users it seems, but then that would mean we can find Hawkmoth."

"She can't be mad." Pollen says, "From what I understand Master Fu scared her into believing that if her identity were figured out then she would have to give Tikki up. That is not the case. Once a Guardian gives a kwami to their true holder, then the Guardian themself cannot keep the two a part forever. It is one of the most forbidden laws of The Order of the Miraculous."

"Which was something Marinette wasn't aware of." Chloe stated in a matter of fact tone.

Pollen nodded, "Exactly, my Queen. You and I cannot be separated, only in death. Same with Plagg, Trixx, Wayzz, and Sass's holders."

"What about Marinette?"

Pollen hesitated for a moment, but it would be found out soon enough. "Tikki's holder is a special case. Not only is she to be the next guardian, she and Tikki share a soul. It is very rare, yet not impossible."

Chloe grew confused, "Share a soul? What does that mean? And she is going to be guardian?"

"Yes. It is why she had so many secrets from Chat Noir. As for her soul, she is pure creation. Same as Tikki. One and the same, it's why she was such a good match." Pollen explains, pausing again. "Yet not much is known about this situation. It has never happened and only Tikki seems to really understand. She never said anything to anyone."

It was something for Chloe to put a pin in and revisit at a later date. The topic was never brought up before, and not only that but apparently Marinette was the next damn guardian. Which made so much more sense. Looking over Pollen's head she could see the city lights shinning and hummed softly.

"We have to met Adrien tonight to discuss things." Chloe reminded her kawmi kindly.

Pollen nodded, buzzing in excitement. "Oh yes! Of course, my queen."

"Pollen, buzz on!" The familiar yellow glow flashed for only a few seconds, and there stood Honey Bee.

Sometimes Chloe wished she had parents who really cared about her whereabouts or what she did, but the reality was she didn't. Her father was a dirty politician that was too worried about his image for the next campaign and her mother wanted nothing to do with the family in general. Marinette could tell her different about her mother, but Chloe knew the truth. Years on years of the same behavior only could change so much. Yet at the same time it worked for Chloe when she went on patrols, making it easier for her to slip out.

The rooftops of Paris were warm in the night air, a sign that summer was right around the corner rolling in. The streets themselves were quiet, almost empty with a few residents still out and about. Once again not a single thing out of place to draw attention on as she made her way to the Effile Tower. Already in the in distance she could make out the familiar form of Chat Noir, who was over looking the city.

"Hey alley cat." Honey Bee greeted as she landed softly on her feet behind him, walking next to her childhood friend as he watched over the city.

"Hey Queenie." He greeted back softly, his green eyes distant and almost unfocused. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but instead opted to stay silent and wait for him to talk. It took all of three minutes for that to happen.

"It's been bugging me all day that it took me this long to figure out they were the same person. It all makes sense, it was right there the whole time. They even wore the same hairstyle! Had the same sad eyes and fake smiles."

Honey Bee put a hand on his shoulders, ignoring how he tensed under her touch. "She's okay now though. I know you thought you were doing what was right, but she had so much weight on her shoulders with being Ladybug and dealing with the she devil in class. Her mental health was going down, she wasn't happy here anymore. I figured her out months ago when I found Tikki by accident-"

"You found Tikki? Her kwami?" Chat Noir's green eyes snapped into focus. "How the hell did you manage that?"

"I though she was a toy." Honey Bee shrugged, "My point is that she's doing better in New York. She's not feeling the weight of the world and I know she can finally breath. She's designing again, finding inspiration. She will forgive you and everyone else. She has to eventually if she can forgive me."

"You aren't a bad person-"

"I was though, and you know it too." She cut him off, offering a sad smile of regret. "I was absolutely horrible to her and other people. I was a bully who tormented her for years and thank whatever god is out there that Hawkmoth wasn't here back then. My point is, everything will be okay."

Chat gave a humorless laugh, "I failed her not once but twice. I was supposed to be her friend and her partner. I wasn't there for her either way, and guilt tripped her for shit as Ladybug that she didn't have control over. I gave her bad advice as a friend that caused this domino affect. I made mistakes that cost her to leave to New York. I caused her to have a decline in her mental health."

"No." Honey Bee argues , "It wasn't your fault. Were you part of it? Yeah. We all were but instead of wallowing in your self pity, you need to get up off your ass and pick up the broken pieces. We will bring her home, we will fix things between the two of you but right now I need you to be okay. I need you to be here, and not drowning in guilt that isn't just yours. Not entirely at least. This city needs you. I need you. I promise you, everything will be okay."

She saw the tears in his eyes, and she knew that right now he needed to feel in the moment. He needed to be allowed to feel the wave of the emotions that have been pushing and pulling at his heart like the current deep within. The tears broke free from his eyes and Honey Bee found herself pulling him into her arms, holding him tightly in a way she didn't even know she was capable of.

"I'm keeping a look out for you." Chloe promised his gently, feeling him hug her tighter. "It's okay to feel and it's okay to let people in. You aren't alone anymore. You never will be again."

And for once in a very long time, Adrien felt his worries ease as if his mother were still with him.


This chapter was more of a filler chapter, sorry! I had a certain scene planned but it works better in the next chapter that might end up being pretty long altogether- so here's this one!

I hope it was enjoyable! Thank you all for the support on this story, it really motivates me to work on it and continue the updates. I already have planned up to chapter 14 so far! I'm so excited to bring you more into this story and writing it out!

Thank you again! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! Sorry it wasn't too exciting, but we are about to pick up so traction on this story as we head into the next story arc!