Remember when the chapters had 1000words? Good times.

Anyway, I hope you all appreciate this chapter and in regards to the ending. We just going to have to wait for chapter 18 to find out how everything plays out.


Chat reached her balcony filled with excitement, but sadly... she wasn't there. There also didn't seem to be any light in her room, so he resigned to remain outside, sitting with his legs crossed... waiting patiently.

Just downstairs was a very nervous Marinette, fearing to confess to her parents about her pregnancy. After yesterday's disaster, she figured this was a good idea. First, it would lift a weight off her shoulders. Second, it gave her something to think about that wasn't Adrien. As long as she was freaking out about revealing the truth to them or their reaction, she didn't dwell about refusing the proposal or how she decided she would never tell him. Third, it was about time.

She had reasons to do it. The question is if she had the strength. The bluenette invited Alya over just to have some emotional support, because she just didn't know how to break the news to them. For them, she was always their little girl. How would they even take it once they learned of the new crazy plan she came up with? How would they react to her pregnancy, and the fact the father would not be around? A single teenage mom! What would they think of her? What would people think of her family?

Her blue eyes glanced at them from the hall, before turning to Alya and declaring "No! Perhaps I'll tell them another day. They're busy right now."

The redhead stared behind the bluenette at her parents. Sabine and Tom were sitting and relaxing, playing video games. This was the most chilled she had seen these two bakers in a while. Frowning at her friend, she ironically stated, "Yeah. They seem really busy, maybe we just wait and let the baby tell them while we're at it."

"Good idea!" Marinette replied quickly, already beginning to climb the stairs.

However, before she could go further, her friend grabbed her arm. "You've waited long enough! If you won't tell them, I will!"

"But Alya!" Marinette pouted trying to persuade her friend, but it proved to be ineffective.

The reporter seemed unconvinced by the bluenette. "No buts. You asked for my help. So you have to do this." The bluenette huffed in annoyance. Despite the ultimatum she was just given, she still appreciated the fact she didn't have to do this alone. Alya tugged her friend into a hug and reassured her. "Don't worry. I'll be by your side all the way. You can do this." After that sweet gesture, she pushed Marinette awkwardly into the living room before she followed her friend.

The parents were startled by the commotion. But knowing their daughter so well, they quickly resumed their calm state... but this time with the game paused and their attention on their daughter. Sabine with her motherly love asked, "Everything alright, Sweetie?"

"I'm pregnant," Marinette blurted out knowing if she waited she might not have been able to do it.

"Well that was quick," Alya commented and the room became silent. Her parents exchanged looks and then stared at her. The bluenette looked to her friend pleading for rescue. The tension rose and Tom was the first to break it with a smile.

"This is something unexpected! Not exactly the right timing in your life, but there's going to be a little one running around. I will definitely teach him or her to bake. Wait! We have to childproof the house and maybe use the backroom as a nursery. I can't believe my baby girl is having a baby. I'm going to be a grandpappy?"

Marinette just nodded to her father while her mother proved a little more apprehensive. "Sweetie, are you sure? Being a mom, it's really hard work and... at your age... it won't be easy. Your father and I will be here to help, but still..."

Tom argued with his wife, "A child is always a blessing... and this one will be too. She might be young, but she has us and the daddy. My little girl can do anything... and I won't let anyone judge her or the baby." Turning his back to his wife and towards his little girl, he began excitedly, "Do you think it's a boy or a girl? Do you have names already?"

Sabine knew her spouse too often got overly excited with these things, but there were sides he wasn't seeing. "Tom, don't you think you are overreacting? I know you love the idea of grandkids, but this? This is..."

Marinette's father didn't seem to pay attention, as in his mind he was already beginning to build his daughter and grandchild's future in his head. "I can imagine you and the daddy running around trying to catch the baby once it learns to walk. It brings back so many memories." Tom, clearing a tear from the corner of his eye, proceeded to grab a picture of Marinette as a toddler from the shelf, remembering when she was little. "You never stopped when you were younger. Even if you fell, you were always running and dancing and jumping. Those moments make the best memories in the world. You and the father will be so proud over every little thing. Speaking of which, maybe he could join our family business. That way, we would all be bakers, including the child... once he or she gets old enough. If he doesn't know how to bake, we can teach him of course. This is a family trade, so he would be welcomed to join us. I mean, he already is part of the family in a way."

Alya, understanding this was a hard topic, choose to hold Marinette's hand. This seemed to give her a friend some strength. "The father doesn't know about the baby," the bluenette finally intervened, trying to interrupt the constant talk about kitten's dad... and the pain it caused in her heart.

"Well, that's okay. You'll tell him soon and he will be so happy." Tom spoke, hugging her closely. And at that moment, she broke into pieces. She turned into a kid crying in her father's big arms, feeling reassured knowing he was there.

"Sweetie." Sabine came closer and joined the hug, trying with her petite frame put her arms around her daughter and her husband. "Who is the father?" Her mother asked, in a tone displaying nothing but affection for her daughter.

Alya adjusted her glasses, expecting to see if her assumptions on the paternity on her best friend's baby were correct.

Marinette froze for a second. "The father is... is... is... not around. Actually, he is very, very, very, very, far away from here." In her mind, it wasn't exactly lying because according to Adrien's schedule, he was probably home studying... or more likely, pouting (if she had to guess). So, that meant he was relatively distant. With tears in her eyes, she continued and she admitted to her parents, "And, he can't be a part of this child's life."

"He needs to know." Alya spoke before the bluenette's parents could say a word.

"He can't. Things between us are so complicated. Don't you understand?"

Sabine and Tom looked at each other, confused and trying to come up with words... but they didn't even have the chance since the redhead beat them to it.

"I don't! You assured you me you would tell him." Alya fired back. She had given Marinette time and was being supportive, but she couldn't let her best friend go through this alone.

"How could he do this to you, and not be a part of the baby's life? The daddy should be by your side." Tom spoke... and inside Marinette's fears he turned into Weredad. He at least showed the same anger and sadness as last time he was akumatized, but hopefully Hawkmoth wouldn't do such a thing. Although inside, he suffered in a similar way to when Chat Noir broke Marinette's heart.

The bluenette, not wanting to give time for one of those evil butterflies get to her father, began to explain, "We made a mistake. It wasn't all his fault. We were safe and everything, but it happened. So please don't blame him. I know it's hard to understand, and I swear it hurts me to do this, but it's better if he doesn't know. Please trust me. It's not that he doesn't want to be a part of my baby's life, it's more that he can't."

"But, he is the daddy so he has to be around!" Tom retorted.

But the bluenette quickly jumped into his arms begging, "Please Daddy! Believe me!"

Her father seemed disappointed, but tried to understand since she was his little girl. He might not comprehend her reasons, but he trusted her. Very slowly, his mind drifted from that sad topic as he once more began to wander back to the baby... and the excitement of being a grandpa.

Her words might have done the trick with him but the others didn't seem convinced. "But what about your life? What about the child's life? That baby deserves a father." Sabine spoke and Alya's reporter side seemed to agree with her.

"I can't... He can't. No!" The girl replied with sobs. Sabine looked at her daughter and could tell this was painful. So, she decided to change the subject. There would be a better time for that conversation, preferably one where her daughter was calmer.

Sabine placed her hand on Marinette's stomach, and asked, "How far along are you?" Alya proved disappointed with the change of topic, but could understand why Sabine did that.

"I'm about 8 weeks." The bluenette replied, thrilled with the change in topic and smiling at her mother's touch.

"Do you have a plan on how to deal with this?" Sabine endearingly asked.

Marinette took a deep breath before confessing what she intended to do. "It might seem crazy, but I actually was thinking I could live with Grandma Gina in Italy when I'm further along. I'll come back later and raise the child here in Paris. Simple, right?"

"Sweetie, that makes no sense," her mom pointed out, still confused as she was not expecting that kind of answer.

"Say what? Why would you do such a thing?" Alya snapped at the bluenette.

"Because it's what I plan to do. It would be nice for the baby to meet its great grandmother. And besides, that way, there wouldn't be so much of talk... and Italy is really beautiful." The truth was much simpler, but also had to remain unspoken. Adrien would be going to university relatively soon, so all she had to do was stay away and avoid him knowing until then. Afterward, it would be easier. Of course, that meant being far from her parents and her other friends when kitten was born, but that was a price she was willing to pay for her secret.

"We won't be there at the beginning of our grandchild's life?" Tom spoke, desolated. So far he had remained almost silent imaging many happy futures for the newest member of the Dupain-Cheng family, but this brought him back.

Marinette didn't look at anyone but her father. In his eyes, she found disappointment and sadness. He seemed even worse than when she admitted she couldn't tell the father. She also wanted them to be there, but while Adrien was in Paris, they couldn't be.

She dropped a few tears, and sobbed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She sprinted upstairs, not turning back.

Alya rushed after her friend, but Sabine stopped her just before she opened the door. "Give her time. This must be incredibly hard for her. I think she needs some alone time to calm down. I think we all need it."

The reporter seemed unsure, but knew her bestie probably needed to recompose herself. She couldn't stop feeling a little guilty for not being more helpful. "If she needs anything, or if I can help in any way, call me."

"Will do. Marinette is lucky to have a friend like you."

"Thank you. I just hope we can find a way to get those crazy ideas out of her mind. I didn't even know about that plan."

"I'm sure we will convince her otherwise... with time and patience."

Alya nodded and left. Sabine went to her husband, trying to comfort him and discuss possible ways to help their daughter.

Meanwhile, already in her room, Marinette cried. Grabbing one of her posters of Adrien, she held it close to her chest... only to toss it away. It swung a little in the air before finally resting over her bed.

"I can do this!" She reassured herself before falling back to bed. "No... I can't," she whispered, admiring the image of Adrien by her side blissfully smiling. If only he knew.

In the midst of her sobs, she suddenly began hearing a strange sound on her balcony. While wiping the tears from her eyes, she climbed up there... soon realizing the noise was actually snoring.

Once up there she found Chat. He was so peacefully asleep, he didn't see Marinette coming close to him until she poked him. "Adrien, what are you doing here?"

He opened his eyes and rejoiced at her presence. His smile was short lived when he noticed the still fresh tears on her face. "Are you okay?"

Marinette nodded affirmatively. "What are you doing here?"

"I really wanted to see you." He examined her closely, that reddish tint in her eyes meant she had been crying. All his plans of asking her out went away. His new primary goal was to comfort her. "You seem like you could use a friend. Want to tell me why you were crying? Maybe not here, but inside your room?" His worriedness slipped into his words and he barely resisted the urge to hold her close. He just wanted to make her feel better.

"Chat, I don't think it's a good idea!'

"Marinette, please! You can talk to me about your problem. That's what friends do! Let me be here for you," he begged her.

Her problem was staring at her and refused to leave. The bluenette didn't want to talk to anyone right now, especially the one guilty of everything. Her voice unwillingly echoed her anger and sadness. "ADRIEN! NO!"

He stared in shock at her. She rarely treated him this way. Marinette was always welcoming and kind and good. These were some the reasons he liked and trusted her. He painfully turned his back to her and prepared to leave... however before he did, there was something he had to say.

"Great just another thing to add to this day. I hoped we could talk and laugh over the anime I brought over. I was hoping that being with you would make my day better, but now seeing you were crying and I can't do anything to help... I guess it's just my luck for things to get worse... and that I can't do anything right. Sorry for ruining your day. I didn't want to bother you. I hope things turn out for the best."

He sounded bitter... a bit more than he usually sounded at least, and certainly more than he should have. But that was because he really needed her. He waited for her and everything... just to see her with her lovely smile.

She didn't deserve to be all by herself. She shouldn't cry alone. At least let him help her. The minimum she could do was let him be there for her, because right now that was all he wanted. He didn't care about his broken heart or love troubles as long as he could fix whatever made those bluebell eyes fill with tears

Marinette sighed regretting her harsh tone. He deserved it, but at the same time, it wasn't fair... since he had no idea what he had done. She also still had guilt for breaking his heart with the rejection.

"Wait! Just come in already, before I change my mind." Adrien jumped inside smiling and sat on her bed with his legs crossed. Shaking her head she followed him. She noticed his eyes were focused on her.

"So want to tell me why you were crying?"

"Nope! All I want to do is watch that anime you brought. Do you want to tell me what happened for you to come here?" She grabbed the poster from her bed and carefully stored it. Marinette faked not knowing, but her best guess was that it was still because of the proposal.

Adrien's blissful smile vanished as he asked, "Did you ever fall in love with someone, but they didn't seem to understand how much you loved them no matter how you tried to show them?"

Her theory was right so it was about her alter ego. Still, Marinette froze. She could tell by his eyes he meant it. She understood perfectly. She had the same problem with Adrien. After so many years of trying, he never seemed to understand her love for him. He was too blinded by his love for Ladybug to see it. She should hate him, but just couldn't when he was so sincere.

Grabbing his hand nicely, "Let's watch the anime. I think that might make me feel better." She gave him a weak smile.

He had more to say. For example, he was ready to move on and that he wouldn't make the same mistake again. But after spending so much time weeping and talking to Master Fu, he didn't want any more weeping. What he really wanted, was a smile on her face.

Nervous about his choice in entertainment he began, "I don't know if you'll like it or not. The truth is, it's one of my favorites. It's not mainstream, so I never can find anyone to watch it with. But since you like anime too, I thought maybe you could give it a try?"

Marinette looked at the box and smiled widely before pulling a pillow with the main characters out of her closet. "Guess what? I'm a fan too!"

Adrien could barely contain his enthusiasm. "Really? So you'll watch it with me while we eat macaroons and chocolate croissants? That would be a great snack if you could get us some."

He was energetic because he had some actual company... and Marinette seemed to be better. In turn, it was his presence along with his excitement for being the main reason she wasn't with her face down on her pillow.

The bluenette sighed at glutton Chat before discreetly heading downstairs to pick a full plate of baked goods. She went very carefully, getting the different kinds of sweets. Her parents were distracted talking about her and the baby, but she didn't want to hear it. She wanted anime and macaroons and Adrien. Nothing else existed at that moment but that.

By the time she came back, he had already set everything up and was cuddling under her blanket. Marinette sat near him and Adrien immediately covered her under the blanket too. She placed her head on his shoulder and the tray on his lap.

"Are these passion fruit macaroons?" He asked picking a wrapped macaroon.

"Yeah. I know you didn't exactly ask for them... but since they're your favorite. I brought some."

His eyes sparkled. "Marinette, I love you." He grabbed the pastry and began eating it before finishing his sentence. "yo... your macaroons. They are so good!"

It was almost a slip of the tongue... and Adrien hoped it wasn't too on the nose. It was a mere reaction of her bringing his favorite sweet. How much more awesome could a girl be than that?

Marinette didn't notice and rejoiced knowing he liked it.

With her head firmly on his shoulder and both cuddling under her blankets... and him feeding her macaroons, which surprisingly were staying in her stomach... she felt comfortable and happy. For a few brief seconds, as they watched and laughed together, she almost forgot everything around her.

After a while, Sabine did come up to check on Marinette. But, since she didn't hear any crying (hearing laughter instead), she presumed her daughter was talking to Alya. So, she decided not to come into the room and interrupt.

The teens watched the anime until it was completely dark outside. Sadly, it felt like it was over way too quickly and they had to wait for the next episode to be released. Still, that didn't stop Adrien from being upset with the way things ended between the two protagonists. "How can he reject her so many times? He clearly loves her! Just look at those two so close together. The way he looks and acts around her shows that. So why can't he just admit it's love when it clearly is? This show is so frustrating! If he just opened his eyes, he would see she is his soulmate." Marinette nodded in agreement as Adrien feed her some more snacks.

The bluenette was as addicted to the show as the blond, so she commented, "Yeah! And how can't she see that he does love her? Just because he is dumb and can't say it? He is so frustrating, but she isn't any better either... with all of those secrets. I mean it's obvious there's something there between them. She needs to pay more attention to his actions. Get some courage and tell him the truth. Those two are so meant to be, so why are they the only ones not seeing it? Just get together already!"

Both huffed in annoyance before Adrien continued, "They are both so oblivious. They love each other and could be such a perfect couple. But in retrospect, this is a show with magic, Giant T-Rex's, flying dragons, monsters, and full of clichés. I mean it's nothing like our lives, so it can't be realistic."

"Agreed. But it's still fun." She admitted as she fed him a passion fruit macaroon. With that, they went to watch something else playing on the TV. It didn't matter what... as long as they could remain like that for a few more seconds.

Eventually, Marinette was barely able to stay awake with him petting her hair. He was even more tired. "This feels nice," he spurted out... getting more sleepy every second.

She nodded in agreement, too tired to speak. She would miss this and his touch and his smell and his gorgeous smile and everything about him... even his lame jokes. This was for him too, she wished there was a way he could understand.

She, slightly more awake then he, whispered, "I'm sorry," before giving a kiss on his cheek and placing her head back onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes slightly, blushed, and blurted out some incoherent words before completely dozing off. She soon followed his cue... in her dreams, she knew she would find him.

With them both in dreamland, neither noticed her phone buzzing with a message from Luka. "Hey Marinette, have you ever heard of this place called 'Amour chassé-croisé'? I was thinking... if you wanted, you could check it out with me? I'm planning a huge surprise for my girlfriend there, and I could use your opinion on the place before I take her. It needs to be absolutely perfect. It has to be unforgettable, so I was hoping I could count on your help. I went ahead and got a reservation next month on the 16th at 9 PM because it's so hard to book it. Hope you don't mind of course. It would mean so much if you help me. Kisses Luka."