Chapter | Thirteen

Lucas Valentino was one of the top people anyone in the designing world could work with, his name meant automatic attention. It was messing with Marinette's nerves even more now, and honestly she just wanted to be over this commission. After everything that happened the past few days, and yesterday making an appearance in Paris for her statement she just felt exhausted. She knew why Chloe was upset, and she understood where she was coming from. She understood the positions she put everyone in.

"Bug." Honey Bee called out, jumping down behind Ladybug with Chat Noir right besides her.

Ladybug could see how close the two had gotten, and it was to be expected. She left, she left them to deal with Paris and Hawkmoth. She could see the toll on Chat Noir's face, how his green eyes showed how tired he was.

"We need to talk, the three of us." Honey Bee continued, "It's time for the full truth, no half ass truths. We're a team right? We should be able to talk about these things and make a collective choice together."

Ladybug would give it to Honey Bee, she was a good leader. It was why she was such a good fit for the Bee miraculous, why Chloe was a true holder. Chloe was a leader naturally, she commanded attention and she was also a politicians daughter. She was smart, cunning and had wits. Yet she also knew that Honey Bee was right. They were a team, and she needed to start to act like she was a part of it.

"Away from the media, they are watching from all over." Chat Noir says, his green eyes looking around them.

"Eiffel Tower?" Ladybug suggests, her blue eyes slipping to look over at the horizon where the sun was now setting. "I haven't been up there in a while."

"Let's get going then. We have a lot to discuss." Honey Bee says, taking the lead and running along the roof tops.

"Don't mind her." Chat says softly as he came up besides Ladybug, "She's just a little hurt."

Ladybug gave him an unsure look, "I think I messed up a little big this time."

"It's okay Princess." Chat reassured before taking off after Honey Bee, yet Ladybug stood there for a second thrown off by the nickname. He only called Marinette that nickname, and suddenly her blood ran cold. She wasn't too sure what to think of that.

Quickly Ladybug took off after the two, using her yo-yo to swing her way across the city. It was a liberating feeling she had missed, one she itched to do in New York but for obvious reasons now she never could. She swung building to building, enjoying the breeze whipping past her until she landed on the landing of the tower.

"Can I start?" Ladybug asks, looking more at Chloe for permission. The blonde nodded her head silently. "I owe you both an apology for how I've been too absorbed in my own problems and completely disregard your own. I didn't mean to leave for so long, I wasn't planning to start something there and keep pushing back coming back to Paris. I owe you both my life for being the best partners and friends I have, for having my back and covering for me when I wasn't able to stand on my own for a while. I am so, so sorry."

Honey Bee was about to say something, but Chat Noir had stepped closer too Ladybug and in his green eyes she saw exactly what he was about to do before she could stop him. At this point Chloe knew he needed to do what he was about to do, more for himself than anything else. Gently he took her hand into his own, gaining Ladybug's full attention and confusing her with the emotions in his own eyes. She didn't understand those green eyes suddenly.

"I'm sorry too Mari." Chat Noir said it so softly, so timidly that he was afraid she actually heard him. He needed to apologize to her, he needed her to know that he knew. Yet he was also fearful of her reaction. His biggest fear was to be rejected by her once she knew who he was, even more now that he did wrong by her in their civilian lives.

Honey Bee watched as the emotions ran through Ladybug. The confusion, hurt, anger, and then nothing. It worried Chloe in that moment that maybe Marinette was broken or something, but instead she reached her hand up and cupped Chat Noir's cheek.

Inside Marinette wanted to be mad, she wanted to be mad that he knew or that Chloe confirmed her identity. Yet what right did she truly have to be mad? Chat Noir had stayed here in Paris and done his best to protect it while she was gone with Chloe. He had to put the pieces together at some point, and realistically she knew it was a matter of time with more and more people figuring her identity out. She couldn't be mad, not when an Avenger and a sorcerer knew her identity. Her partner deserved to know. She put him through hell in their hero lives, she could forgive him for his mistake too. God knows how many she's made.

"Why are you sorry? You did nothing wrong to me Chaton." She murmured, thumb rubbing across his cheek. "How did you figure it out?"

"I told you to take the high road with Lila." Chat Noir admitted as quickly as a sinner in church. His body was flooded with worry as he felt her hand leave his cheek, tensing to get a verbal lashing from her. It was one he needed to feel like he paid for what he did. "I pieced it together, wasn't told by our friend here."

Ladybug looked over at Honey Bee, who nodded her head. Now Ladybug saw what Chloe had meant by how she wasn't the only one hurting. Before her stood Adrien Agreste, guilt in his eyes that shinned with hope for her to forgive him. Truthfully she couldn't be mad at him, not when he was her partner. He was her kitty, still trying to protect her after she left Paris. It all made sense now, and she wasn't mad it was him.

Chat Noir could have cried when he felt Ladybug wrap her arms around him, effectively pulling him into a hug. His arms encircled her as he buried his face into her dark hair to inhale the scent of vanilla that always followed her around. He was grateful that he wasn't rejected fully.

"I'm glad it's you kitty." She whispered, looking up into his green eyes that peered down into hers. "I guess we both have things to be sorry for, but I forgive you. I am sorry for leaving you in the dark for so long, and you too Honey Bee." Ladybug looked over at the female blonde, "You have gone above and beyond for me as a friend, and it's time I returned the favor."

"Well how about telling us everything that happened in New York for starters?" Honey Bee says arms crossed, "Now that we are all on the same page and all is forgiven, fill us in Bug."

"Yeah Bug, I want to know all the adventures you've had over there too." Chat Noir says excitedly, "I heard you even met Tony Stark."

Ladybug sighed, "We'll be here all night guys."

"Then get too talking."

She had been there for most of the night explaining everything, just leaving out the most recent discoveries Tikki dropped when speaking to Tony and Stephen. She knew just by Tikki's threats that it was something not everyone should know, and so she kept that to herself. Which meant she kept Stephen's teachings to herself as well, just saying he was training her in meditation training and how to read some of the guardian language. She also said he was old friends with Master Fu.

A part of her was still in shock she knew Chat Noir's identity, and that it was in fact Adrien. Yet it also made sense because he was also the other one that wasn't effected by an akuma. He had been her partner the whole time, and yeah if Plagg was anything like Tikki's scoldings then he had enough time to suffer for bad advice. She honestly couldn't even be mad about that any more because she turned her back on his as Ladybug while he was Chat Noir. She hurt him more than he had hurt her realistically, and he still was apologizing. As bad as it sounded, they were even and past it.

Yet that lead her to her current morning being spent chugging coffee and coffee as she emailed Lucas his suit was ready for pick up. She offered to drop it off personally, but was told that he would swing by the office to pick it up. Which he did about thirty minutes later.

"Marinette! Darling!" Lucas grinned as he walked into the office she had here at Style Queen. "You've really gone above and beyond for this suit, finishing it early."

Marinette laughed lightly, "Yeah well I wanted to make sure it was top notch before sending it off with you. How does it look? Is it to your liking?"

Lucas looked at the suit that was displayed before him carefully, then broke out into a gleeful smile. "Absolutely perfect darling. I was originally going to wear it for a gala, but sadly I will be wearing it to a funeral."

Well that put a damper on her mood, but she was getting commissioned either way. He was free to wear this suit wherever he pleased, he owed it now. Yet it couldn't be helped when Marinette's curiosity peaked.

"I'm sorry to hear about your loss." She gave her condolences softly, "Was it someone close?"

"It was a colleague's parents." Lucas gave a sigh, "They died of carbon monoxide poisoning unfortunately."

"How awful." Marinette says, "Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

"Fortunately it was quick, in their sleep." He says, and shakes his head. "Sorry to damper the mood. I will have my assistant send you the invite to the gala in weeks time, a thank you on top of payment. As of now I do have something to attend too, but I will see you soon Miss Dupain-Cheng."

Lucas was gone as fast as he came and the day went by rather quick for Marinette. Most of the day she often found herself looking outside the office window and thinking back to last night. Now she had Adrien and Chloe back home on her side, people she could confide in. Perhaps it was time to bring in the others, but realistically she wasn't sure she was ready to reveal her identity to them yet. Then again in just wasn't her choice anymore, if Chloe and Adrien were on the same page then she needed to be as well. She just wished she didn't have these trust issues now, but part of her was scared to give out anymore miraculous.

"I'll have to talk to Master Fu about giving the snake and dragon miraculous out again." Marinette says softly so Tikki could hear.

The kwami poked her head out of the purse on Marinette's desk, "Maybe so. You're handling this all very well, considering you found out about Adrien last night."

"It's a lot to process Tikki." Marinette admitted, "But Chloe was right, I need to come back at some point and face the music again. I have to help finish what was started in Paris and get Nooroo back."

"New York is your new home though, will you come back?" Tikki asked, because she knew that Marinette was happier here in New York than she ever was in Paris, even before the fall out with everyone else.

"My parents are in Paris." Marinette says, unsure. "I don't know right now about that. There's already too much to think about and to deal with, I can't."

"You left Peter out last night." Tikki pointed out, "Was it because of Adrien?"

"They don't need to know that he's the reason why I want to stay." Marinette says before she realized what she said, "I mean-"

"He makes you feel safe." Tikki cuts her off, smiling. "You forget we're connected, I feel what you feel. He makes you happy and that's okay. I think you deserve to go after what you want after Hawkmoth is dealt with. Have you talked to your parents about it yet?"

Marinette sighed, "They haven't been answering their phones and last night it got too late to swing by to check on them. I'll have to call again later. They probably got a huge order or something last minute again."

The one thing Marinette didn't mean to fail on was the contact with her parents over time, yet they let her be. Marinette knew they were happy she was pursuing her dreams, and that she was safe. They did at least talk once a week, but this week was radio silence. It wasn't unusual for a last minute big order came in, and so Marinette would try again tomorrow.

"I'm sure they'll free up soon." Tikki reassured just as Marinette's phone rang.

Looking down at the caller ID, Marinette hesitated seeing Peter's name on the screen. She hadn't talked to him since she ran out of the apartment that morning everything happened. He had texted her a few times, asking if she was okay after her panic attack but she just got too caught up in everything to reply. Taking a deep breath she pressed answer and put her cell to her ear.

"Hey Pete." Marinette greeted softly, "I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner... it's been a crazy few days."

"You have nothing to apologize for Mari. I just wanted to see if you're okay, maybe come over later and watch a movie or something? " Peter sounded worried, and she felt bad she worried him in the first place.

"How can I pass up an offer like that?" Marinette teased softly, a small smile on her face. "I can pick up take out on the way, give Aunt May a break calling the pizza place."

"I can apple pay you for the food Mari-"

"No!" Marinette rejected the offer, "I owe you. I got dinner, you pick the movie."

"Are you sure? Marinette it's okay." Peter was trying, but Marinette wasn't going to budge.

"Nope, I'll see you in an hour." Marinette finalized, then hung up.

Tikki flew up then, "See, it will all be okay Mari! Just take a deep breath and try to use movie night as a distraction from the problems. Stop thinking about it for one night."

Heading Tikki words as she left, Marinette went ahead and ordered food from one of the local take out areas Ned showed her that was closer to Peter's. She paid the lady and started her journey to Peter's, which only took all of ten minutes to walk. Then she was standing in front of his apartment door, trying to compose herself. She needed to act normal, not stressed and everything would be fine. Yes, everything out be fine.

That is exactly what Marinette told herself as she knocked on the door, waiting for Peter or May to answer. Unsurprisingly it was Peter who opened the door with a smile on his face that welcomed her in like it did every time. Seeing that smile made her tense muscles relax a bit more.

"I hope you're okay with orange chicken." Marinette says, holding the bag up for him to see. "I wasn't sure exactly what you wanted, so I got a little bit of everything. Well the basics at least."

"You're rambling again. How much coffee did you have today?" Peter asked, eyebrow raised with a knowing look. "Don't even try to lie and say none." He says when she opened her mouth to give a reply.

Marinette sighed, "Maybe five? Six?"

"Mari..."

"I had a long night last night Pete,... then I had a meeting today." She tried to defend myself, "It's just been a crazy few days."

"Have you been sleeping at all?" Peter's voice was laced with concern, and Marinette hated she was making him worry.

"I've gotten a few hours the past few days." She gave a sheepish smile, "At least my commission is done now, so I'll sleep more later when I get home."

"But it's move night Mari." Peter reminded her, "You always stay the night during movie nights. I'm almost convinced it's the only time you get a full nights sleep."

Inside her purse Tikki couldn't help but agree with Peter. Marinette really slept peacefully right next to Peter, and it was cute. Even in Paris, Marinette would sleep on edge in case of an akuma attack but here with Peter she slept with all her defenses down.

"Do you want me to stay?" Marinette tentatively asked, "Last time-"

"It happens Mari, and if it happens again then I'll be right here like last time." Peter promises as he opens the door wider to welcome her in, "Aunt May got roped into covering a shift tonight too, by the way. She told me to tell you hi."

"I love that woman." Marinette laughs softly as she walked into the kitchen area with the food and set it down. She felt warm inside after his promise, because it meant a lot to her. Yet at the same time she wasn't really planning on having another panic attack. She needed to deal with her issues before even thinking of staying here in New York.

As a silence settled over the two of them, Marinette migrated around the kitchen gracefully to pull out plates and silverware for their dinner. She was even nice enough to go ahead and serve Peter and then herself. That whole time neither of them said a word, and it was weird. Glancing up to look at Peter, she already knew something on his mind was bothering him.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Marinette offered, taking a bite of her orange chicken.

"Will you ever tell me about Paris and what happened when you were there? Why you came to New York?" Peter asks softly after a moment of silence, watching how Marinette took in a breath slowly and set her fork down.

"Why do you care so much about what happened to me?" Marinette asks, looking up at him with eyes that were full of emotion. Defensive is what Peter noted in his head.

It wasn't a question he was expecting her to ask, and he was expecting not having an answer right away. It was a question that made him think, made him sort through his emotions as he looked over the girl he never expected to meet or affect his life the way she did. When he first met her, Peter would have never thought they would grow so close. Yet she came over, time and time again. He enjoyed her presence around him, how she smiled, laughed, and smelled of vanilla.

She was warmth personified, his comfort that he didn't know he needed. Marinette was every reason why he wanted to keep New York safe now, because she had become an essential part of his life for him to function. When she was with him, Peter felt at home. He couldn't imagine a life without her in it now. Which was why he wanted to know what bothered her so deep down she lied to herself.

"Because..." He trailed off, I love you at the tip of his tongue, "We're friends right?"

A scoff left her lips uncharacteristically, and so Peter tensed up for a comment. Yet it never came, instead she let herself slouch back in the chair and sat in silence. It honestly made Peter nervous that he had said something wrong. He knew this was a touchy subject for her to talk about, but now that he knew about the NDA's and the heroes of Paris he couldn't help but be curious.

For Marinette it made her think of Adrien, how he used to say she was just a friend. Deep in her heart she felt the familiar sting of rejection, and she ignored the bubbling feeling and wanting to cry at the irony of it. She knew she couldn't force anyone to like her, but having Peter as a friend was enough. She'd rather have him as a friend and keep quiet about her growing feelings then lose him from her life entirely.

"I was class president in my class," Marinette spoke softly, her eyes watching the floor, "I did everything I could to fulfill that role as best as I could, even when I was babysitting or designing, or even making commissions. I stretched myself too thin all the time. I had friends, good friends. Then we met Lila Rossi, a girl who can only lie. She made it her mission to isolate me because I didn't believe her stories. She told me she'd take my friends, and she did. She did just that and then I was the odd one out. I was told things no one wants to hear, and for a moment I believed it. I don't think I would have survived Paris if I never came here."

It was the first time she admitted the last part out loud, and she felt a weight on her shoulders lifted finally. The darkest thoughts she had back then came rushing back, and in was overwhelming. With everything going on, she wasn't sure how she was supposed to handle everything. Part of her believed she had to go back to Paris, mainly because the world knew and she was Ladybug. She was Ladybug and she wasn't there. What kind of hero was that?

After making her statement and brief appearance for the news outlets, she'd come back to New York. Part of her was hoping her and Peter might just work something out more than friendship, and she would have stayed for him. Yet at the end of the day it was clear, she was just a friend to him and eventually they'd grow apart when he met someone. Eventually she needed to go back to Paris and finish what she started with Chat Noir.

"I was bullied enough to lose my motivation for everything, school, designing, being social, eating. Anything you name I didn't want to do. Eventually that sadness turned into this violent anger, and in Paris with Hawkmoth that's dangerous. I was emotionally compromised, and a target because I had never been an akuma before. It was best if I left for a little while, and so I came here to New York after signing NDAs about Paris's heroes, met you on the subway and the rest was history."

Peter let her story process through his head, understanding more why now. It made sense, kinda, why she couldn't say anything before. She wouldn't have been able to share the whole story, but still it felt like it was lacking parts. Yet if this was all she was comfortable sharing, then he wouldn't push her. She had to open up at her own pace, it was something May told him after Marinette ran out from her panic attack. He wanted to help her all that he could, but he also knew she needed to let him in to do that.

Sometimes he swore girls were complicated, but he was trying to understand. At this point quantum physics was easier to understand than Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and he was okay with that. He could liked a good challenge.

"And you're still going back to Paris after the summer?" Peter asked, and if he was honest he wanted her to stay. He didn't want to go to the airport to say bye to her. If she stayed, then everything would be perfect. "You should stay here. In New York I mean."

This felt like a double meaning question to Marinette, and it caused hope to bloom in her chest. She wanted to come out and say yes, but at the same time she wasn't sure if she even could stay for another month. Not with how everything in Paris was going, or with Andre Bourgeois being investigated by Tony to find leads on the bank statements. Not with Hawkmoth being so silent she was starting to worry. Not with Paris needing Ladybug there before they started to question her loyalties more. She just couldn't physically stay longer, even though she didn't want to leave.

"I need to speak to my parents still." Marinette says, hating herself for the half truth, "I'm not sure if I'll stay with Style Queen, not when the company is talking about an investigation starting on them. And I miss my parents, sometimes I get homesick. I just don't know yet."

Peter understood, but it wasn't what he wanted to hear. At the same time he couldn't really demand for her to stay, and before this conversation got more serious he needed to end it. Taking his fork, he ate a bite full of rice and nodded his head.

"You're not going to ask what movie I picked out tonight?" Peter asks with a small grin.

Marinette gave him a look, "Either Aliens, Footloose, or Empire Strikes Back."

"First of all those three movies are amazing, and no. I picked out a movie I thought you'd like, and now I think it's cheesy."

"What is it?" Marinette asks still, now curious. She hadn't really watched movies until she started to hang out with Peter, and even then they were movies she didn't really go for typically. Yet that exposed her to new things, so she didn't really mind.

"Have you ever seen The Notebook?" Peter asks, and he couldn't help but rub the back of his neck and felt his babbling coming on, "I was having a hard time deciding what movie and so I called MJ and she said that you would probably like the movie, and it was something you might not have seen in Paris. It's an American classic."

Marinette couldn't help the laugh that left her lips, "Peter, I'm not picky with movies. I'm sure it's great."

"I haven't seen it. I'm don't watch romance, that's all Aunt May." Peter says, a laugh following in suit. "So I'm not sure what to expect."

"Want to guess what the characters will do and how predictable the movie is?" Marinette asks, grinning at the boy in front of her, "I think it will be fun."

"Lets do it." Peter agreed, as he got up, grabbed the remote and flipped through the apple tv to the movie.

The two spent the whole movie laughing and talking more than watching the actually television. Marinette had somehow ended up with her head in Peter's lap, talking mostly about her experience as Jagged Stone's designer and how she got into designing when she was younger. He sat there, running his fingers through her hair as she moved her stories to be about the bakery her parents owned in Paris, or just about her parents in general.

These were stories he had heard before, and he slowly realized the more she relaxed as he ran his fingers through her hair, the more sleepy she got and rambled on about little things. It was cute.

"Who's macaroons are better? Yours or you dad's?" Peter teasingly questioned.

"My dad's, he's always trying to make new combination flavors." Marinette couldn't help but laugh thinking about all the failed flavors, "I'm just the designer, my parents are the real bakers."

"I hope to try these famous macaroons one day." Peter says, looking down to find Marinette's blue eyes watching him tentatively. It was a soft looked she had, adoration was shinning brightly right then and there. It was a look he never really seen before, and he wanted her to look at him more like that.

"You'll have to come out to Paris then." Her voice was soft. Yet he could sense she was unsure about something, that there was something she wasn't saying.

"You have a hard time trusting people, don't you?" Peter asks without a second though, and he can see the surprise in her eyes. For a second he saw the flash if defensiveness, felt her body tense. It was a for sure sign that there was something else she didn't talk about.

"I want to say no, but yes." Marinette adverted her eyes to look at the ceiling, and in that moment she wished she could tell him everything. She wanted to tell him everything, but she was scared. What if Peter wanted nothing to do with her after she told him the whole truth? What if she out him in danger? It was a choice she couldn't make on her own, she would have to talk to Chloe and Adrien since it involves them. She needed to go back to Paris and defeat Hawkmoth for good. "Sometimes certain situations can make someone a little more cautious. I've trusted the wrong people, thought that people would stay when they didn't. I think I have this fear of being alone and left behind."

It was probably the most honest she had ever been with him, and Peter could hear every single heartbeat she had beat in a smooth sync. There was no lie there, and it was probably one of the saddest truths he had ever heard. It made his heart twist, and right then and there he knew he wanted to be in her life more permanently. Peter wanted to be there for her in every way he could.

Lifting his hand, he cupped her cheek- successfully regaining her attention. Those blue eyes were always mostly a calm blue, but right now they were a storm of emotions. Yet he could see every one clearly. Her fear, happiness, hesitation, and adoration all shined through. He couldn't help but watch as Marinette glanced down at his lips and then back up to his eyes. Peter couldn't ignore the spike in her heartbeat picking up, or how she slightly shifted on his lap. He couldn't help but glance down at her own lips, and decided no time was perfect.

In one swept of movement, Peter used his other and to cup Marinette's other cheek to hold her face as he bent over to press his own to hers. The first sensation was that her lips were soft, and she tasted like the fortune cookie she ate- like vanilla. The second sensation was that she froze for a moment before she responded by kissing back. The third sensation was the slight wetness of tears sliding down his cheek, her tears smudging against his skin.

"You won't ever be alone or left behind. Not while I'm around, I'm here to stay." Peter promised her with a heart full of conviction as he pressed his forehead against hers, kissing the skin there.


Tony Stark never thought that he would be doing the bidding of a wizard, teenaged girl, and pocket sized goddess but yet here he was. The pocket bug thing was a bit nerve wracking to Tony, especially when he found out that no camera could actually pick up the thing named Tikki.

It was a scary concept to be killed by the small goddess of creation, because even creation could cause destruction. It was a type of logic not every one thought about. If creation and destruction balanced each other, then it would make sense that creation could cause destruction and that destruction could cause creation. Yet he was told that was not how that worked.

He didn't understand it completely, but at the same time he wasn't meant to understand it. He was just the guy with the technology to hack into interfaces he had no business in taking information he had no business having in the first place. Then again here he was typing away and asking F.R.I.D.A.Y for assistance.

"You really can't tell us who she is really or what the hell is going on?" Natasha asks as she watches Tony work away. "It's not like we are going to go run and tell on you and the teenagers."

Tony shook his head, "Yeah can't exactly tell you why, it's basically a universal secret."

"And who would trust you with a universal secret?" Natasha rose an eyebrow, "You're not exactly discreet."

"I take offense to that." Tony matter of factly says, "Besides theres consequences that can happen that I don't really want to see happen again. Not like what happened in New York."

"That big of a threat isn't a joke Tony." Natasha frowned, "It has to be bad if you are hush hush about it."

"The kid is struggling." Tony looks the redhead, "They are all kids with no help. Who's teaching them? Guiding them?"

"You adopted one teenager and are thinking about taking on more? We can't get involved with Paris's affairs, not when she clearly stated we weren't welcomed anytime soon in the near future."

Tony shook his head, "The kid asked me to track these bank statements, see who the payer is behind these checks to the mayor."

"Any luck?" Natasha was now standing next to Tony, looking down at all the programming running different analysis.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y is using more advanced hacking software, give her a few more minutes." Tony knew that he was more the capable of finding the account owner. The software and measures taken to hide this information was expensive and worked for basic searches, but was cheap compared to his own software. It was funny how this issue in Paris could have all be avoid the hacking skills and a piece of paper, but then again teenagers didn't think like that.

"The account of the sender was hidden deeply under alias after alias." F.R.I.D.A.Y.S voice echoed in the room, "I was finally able to pinpoint the money coming out from an account off of China shores belonging to a woman named Emilie Agreste but is currently controlled by a Gabriel Agreste."

Natasha hummed, "Well that name sounds familiar."


Nino Laffie had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. In fact he had had it for the past couple days and it just wouldn't go away. It was like a feeling like something bad was going to happen, he just didn't know what was going to happen exactly. No matter how much he tried to shake the feeling, it just wouldn't go away.

Yet the feeling only grew stronger today when he walked past the Dupain-Cheng bakery, which had been closed since Monday. It was Thursday now. Most of his own time was now spent helping around the bakery, had been since Alya and him broke up. He just wasn't sure how to deal with everyone still. Part of him was still upset with both Adrien and Alya, but he did miss the two of them.

As he was walking back to school for a new day of education, Nino found himself stopping in front of the Dupain-Cheng bakery. He studied the closed sign that had been there for the past four days. It was clear no one was inside, and so he kept on his way to school. Yet when he caught sight of Chloe walking into the school, he couldn't help but ask since his worry was out weighing everything else.

"Hey Chloe. I have a question for you." Nino says, fully expecting the blonde to say a snide comment.

She surprised him by looking back over her shoulder and raising an eyebrow at him, "What is it?"

"Did Marinette's parents go visit her? The bakery has been closed since Monday and they didn't say anything." He scratched the back of his neck, "Man, maybe I really am just over thinking."

Chloe frowned a little bit, because she knew that Marinette's parents hadn't gone to visit. It was also very unusual for Tom or Sabine to close the bakery for more than a day, especially without a note on the door saying when they would be back. They were people who were always punctual, not leaving without notice.

"I'm not sure. Marinette hasn't mentioned anything about her parents visiting her." Chloe didn't want to lie, but she also didn't want to agree with anything she knew wasn't true.

Nino nodded, "Maybe they went to surprise her."

"Maybe." Chloe says softly, glancing out the window with a worried look.

Later in the evening Chat Noir and Honey Bee stood across the street on the rooftop of their school, watching as a police car pulled up to the Dupain-Cheng bakery and residence. A worried knot was in Chloe's stomach now, and Chat Noir wasn't fairing any better as an ambulance pulled up with the fire department.

"I hope they're okay." Chat Noir says softly, his tail twitching anxiously.

Chloe went to go answer that of course they were okay, but her words caught in her throat seeing two covered gurneys being rolled out of the residence. Her heart broke right there standing on the rooftop, because she knew that this would change everything for their friend. Chat Noir himself felt his world freeze over, seeing the two covered gurneys.

"Oh my god." He whispered with a shaky breath.

"This is going to break her Adrien." Honey Bee says sadly, looking over at him with sad eyes. "Let's go find out what happened."

Chat Noir silently followed Honey Bee down, his mind thinking over the times he had been in the presence of Tom and Sabine. They were warm and welcoming people who accepted anyone into their bakery and home. They were the type of people who everyone loved, and before everything happened he had liked coming by to feel the warmth that never existed in his household anymore. Now that warmth was gone.

"Chat Noir, Honey Bee, what a surprise to see you here. Can I help you with anything?" The officer asked the two.

Honey Bee was going to ask, but Chat Noir had beat her too it, "What happened here? We were patrolling the city when we saw the lights flashing."

The officer had a solemn look on his face then, sighing deeply. "We received a wellness check for this address. Apparently the couple hadn't been seen for a few days, and unfortunately they won't be seen again. The two were found deceased in bed, carbon monoxide poisoning. The boiler was left on, along with one of the ovens."

Honey Bee's eyebrows knitted together, because that wasn't something Tom or Sabine would do or just forget about. They been in this business for how many years?

"Foul play?" Honey Bee questioned, earning a shake of the head from the officer.

"None. Just a horrible accident." He says, looking back over where the news media was beginning to come in. "Please keep this under wraps, at least until the office files the report and announces it publicly."

"Of course." Chat says, grabbing Honey Bee's hand and tugging her away. "Come on Bee, we need to go."

Yet all she could think about was her friend, and deep down she knew this wasn't an accident. She just didn't know who would what Marinette's parents dead. A spark of anger ignited in her, because no one messed with her hive.

Whoever did this would regret it.


This chapter was a chapter I was waiting to write for such a long time, and I am so sorry! Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's a lot in one go, so I hope it didn't feel too fast!

As always, thank you so much for the constant support on this story! It mean the world to me!

I hope you're ready for the upcoming chapters! Stay safe and healthy everyone 💕