Marinette laid on her bed. Her bed that she would have to vacate soon so Alya and Nino could live in domestic bliss in peace.

Besides, she didn't want to overhear their nightly trysts.

She still had some time, though. If only cheaper apartments were available.

Then again, she could just move back in with her parents. They lived close enough to the Agreste mansion that it wouldn't be a bad idea. But going from independence to living back home? Could she bear it?

"Hmm," Tikki stated, munching on a cookie.

"What?"

"I was just thinking…"

"About?"

"There hasn't been an Akuma attack in a week."

Marinette gasped as she sat up. "You're right! With all this drama at work and with Adrien, I hadn't even noticed! Wow. Can you imagine how much more stressful this week would have been if there was even one?"

"Guess you lucked out! Maybe Hawkmoth also caught cancer-strep-pneumonia-bronchitis!"

"Oh come on Tikki, that's not funny!"

"I just think you need to grill him some more. He's hiding something."

"Obviously." Marinette checked the time. 10 minutes until her Thursday night patrol. "I could always ask Chat. He's good for bouncing ideas off of."

"Be careful," Tikki warned.

"I'll be as vague as humanly possible." Then she transformed, and left through the window.

Rustling of the leaves used to be my lullaby

Days so long ago when I was a tot, so high

And now that I have grown

I've found myself alone

Oh how Marinette missed the convenience of her parents rooftop hatch. This window worked, and it thankfully had a fire escape to step out onto, but man, it was a tight squeeze. With a little effort, she heaved herself through the alley-facing window and out into the night. Her next apartment was going to have a nice sized, inconspicuous window for Ladybug to go to work through.

She swung out into Paris, the fall air caressing her face. It was September, and the leaves were just barely starting to turn. School was back in session, and soon, the streets would be emptier. Since it was Paris, it would never be completely empty, but not having to wade through throngs of sweaty tourists would really make life easier. Especially when she was running late to work.

And while it was only September, and that day had seen plenty of people out and about as always, the night had an edge. The shadows seemed darker, the twinkling lights somehow dimmer, and the voices of nighthawks muffled by wind and doors.

These were all thoughts that Ladybug had as she started her patrol. Maybe she should have been thinking about how to tell Chat about what was going on with Adrien.

'Hey, I have a friend that's been ghosting me all week, and when I talked to him today, he was really weird. I think he's hiding something, but I don't know how to ask. I might have done something to make him mad, but he insists that I did nothing wrong. What should I do?'

Yes, this would work. Vague, and something someone would have written to an advice column.

Cradle me where summer skies can watch me with a million eyes

Oh, sing me to sleep

Lullaby of the leaves

She stopped on the rooftop of Notre Dame. Since the fire, the cathedral had been completely devoid of people at night. There weren't even any candles in the windows.

Just large black holes in the roof, ready to swallow her whole if she got too close.

Chat wasn't here. For the first time in what felt like forever, he hadn't beaten her to patrol. He once had told her that patrol was his favorite, as it gave him freedom to get out of the house. So he was always early, normally being out for a while before patrol. So he should be here, somewhere.

"Chat?" She called into the night.

There was no response.

Well, she was early. She'd give him some time, and then call him.

So she waited. Minutes ticked on slowly, like she was moving through water. Unease gnawed at her mind, the silence and his absence so loud it was hard to think.

Chat was larger than life, fun and flirty and everything this night was turning out not to be. Was she that lonely? That desperate for his company?

"Hey Bugaboo, I'm either busy or not transformed. I'll get back to you when I can!" His voicemail echoed in the night.

"Did you forget we had patrol?" She asked the machine. "I'll start without you. Just catch up when you can. I want to pick your brain about something, anyways."

She did a lap, trying not to think about her missing partner, and focusing on the world below her.

The world that seemed empty no matter where she went.

Sure, there were people out and about, but there wasn't life in them. They might as well be cardboard cutouts dancing in the wind.

Where was Chat Noir?

Cover me with Heaven's blue

And let me dream a dream or two

Oh, sing me to sleep

Lullaby of the leaves

An hour passed before she called him again.

"Hey Bugaboo, I'm either busy or not transformed. I'll get back to you when I can!"

She didn't bother leaving a voicemail this time.

What was it with cute blond boys ghosting her all of a sudden?

She finished patrol on her own, seeing nothing of interest. Not even a pickpocket.

Then she passed by the Agreste mansion.

Adrien was usually out when she did her rounds. Sometimes his light was on, sometimes not. But just passing by his room made her feel better, even if he wasn't there.

He was tonight.

The lights were out, and the only way to see him was some outside illumination from the streetlights.

He was standing in front of those huge windows, just watching the world.

As she passed, she stopped on the edge of the wall, and smiled at him.

He looked right at her, she was certain.

She waved.

He didn't.

I'm breezing along, along with the breeze

I'm hearing a song, a song through the trees

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

That pine melody caressing the shore

Familiar to me

I've heard it before

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

He held his phone in his hand, and it lit up in that moment, illuminating his face from below.

Adrien was always sweet. Even as he got older, his boyish charm remained. He was hot, he was cute, and maybe even a little sexy.

But in that moment, with the blue light casting harsh shadows on his face, he looked downright scary.

Eyes plunged into darkness, and a mouth set into a thick line.

The screen went dark, and Adrien faded into a silhouette.

Ladybug swallowed, and took up her yo-yo, calling Chat just one last time for the night.

"Hey Bugaboo, I'm either busy or not transformed. I'll get back to you when I can!"

The beep was so loud. She was aware of the hanging silence, waiting for her to speak, to relay her message.

"Chat, I…I finished my patrol. Everything is good, and fine. I guess. Got weird vibes tonight. So if you could call me, and just let me know you're okay, I'd appreciate it. I'm not even mad that you missed patrol. You'd have a good reason. Just…get back to me. Okay?"

The whole time she talked, she kept her eyes on Adrien.

He never moved. Not even a shift in his stance, he just stood and watched her.

Like a predator waiting for their prey.

Never did Ladybug fear him. Never any reason too. So why tonight?

That's heaven

Don't I feel it in my soul

And don't I know I've reached my goal

Oh, sing me to sleep

Lullaby of the leaves

"I'm being paranoid." She said aloud.

And she really hoped that was it.