Chapter 12: Tea Time

Marinette felt like she was in one of the many wonderful dreams she had had over the years, when it came to dreaming about Adrien. But what was happening was not a dream. She was in the gardens of the Agreste manor, having tea with Adrien and his father. Joining them was also Adrien's aunt, Amelie, by Zoom. The whole thing still felt surreal to her, and she had to pinch herself more than once, to be sure that all of what was happening was real. At the same time, she was feeling more nervous than ever. It was taking all of her self-control to not say or do anything that would embarrass her, or make Gabriel or Amelie think that she was disrespecting or mocking them. Luckily, she had Adrien seated by her side. Looking at him, his warm smile made her heart beat a little faster, but also helped to sooth her nerves. Just like her, Adrien had dressed for the occasion, wearing an outfit that consisted of a white shirt, a black jacket, and black pants, and on his feet, he was wearing a pair of black and silver Converse All's. Looking at him, Marinette could not help but to notice that he was basically wearing a civilian version of his Chat Noir costume. The only thing left was a belt for a tail and a domino mask.

The table had been set with all kinds of tea biscuits imaginable. Some Marinette recognized from the numerous cook books she had read, while others, she had never seen. Still, they all looked delicious. There was also a beautiful rectangular-shaped sponge cake, cut into thin slices, which from the looks of it was either an orange or a lemon sponge cake. But what stood out the most was the tea china set. Marinette recognized the golden and black logo of the Bernardaud Limoges brand on both the tea pot and the china. Just the logo was enough to make anyone realize that that was both a special occasion, but it also emphasized the fact that everything in Adrien's home was on a whole different level. Still, she was determined to not let that scare her or make her uncomfortable, because if it did, she would have even more reasons to panic.

"I must say that Adrien has good taste. You truly are a beautiful young woman, Marinette." -Amelie said. –"Ever since I met you a few months ago, you've seemed to become even more beautiful than before."

"Thank you, Miss Graham de Vanily." -Marinette thanked her, while blushing a little. It was a bit strange to talk to someone through a computer, when everyone else was present, though she assumed Adrien, and even Gabriel were used to it, given that ever since she knew Adrien, they had used that way to talk to one another. –"Calm down. Try not to blush… oh, who am I kidding?! I must look like a tomato, right about now." -she thought, cursing her tendency to blush at the slightest praise.

"Please, call me Amelie, or aunt Amelie, if you prefer. There's no need for that kind of politeness with me, Marinette." -Amelie told her. –"I'm sorry I can't be present for this event, but that's the problem with being an archaeologist. You never stand in one place for very long. And please, I beg you, try to relax. We're all friends here. Don't let Adrien's dad intimidate you." -she playfully told her. –"He may bark a lot, but he doesn't bite."

That comment from Amelie was not to Gabriel's taste, but he did not say anything. Ever since he and his sister-in-law buried the hatchet and put the past behind them, Gabriel had tried his best to respect his late wife's wish for him and Amelie to stop arguing and bickering with one another. But it was not easy. Gabriel was not the kind of man that enjoyed becoming the butt of jokes. And when he heard that last one, his first thought was to make some snarky comment about Amelie. Still, he decided to let that one slide, as he remembered Emelie's words.

"Where are you now, aunt Amelie?" -Adrien asked her.

"Oh, I'm currently in Scotland. More specifically, in Arthur's Seat, near Edinburgh." -Amelie said. –"I'm helping out a friend on a digging site, which is where I am right now, as you can see by my surroundings. I'm actually inside my tent, so sorry about the mess." -she apologized in a playful voice. –"They found some new human remains that supposedly date back to the Iron Age. It's fascinating, really."

"Sounds very interesting." -Marinette said.

"And it is. It's not something like the content of Thutmosis III's tomb, but it's still quite interesting, from an archaeological point of view. Either way, we're here for you, and not for me. Please, tell us a bit about yourself. I want to know everything about the girl who managed to snatch my favourite nephew's heart." -Amelie said.

"Yes, tell us. I only know what Adrien has told me, apart from the fact that you have continued to focus on your dream of becoming a fashion designer." -Gabriel told her.

Marinette was already a little bit stressed and afraid, and when Adrien's dad and aunt asked her to talk a about herself, her heart stopped momentarily. She was once more, afraid to say something she should not. Adrien's sixth sense noticed his girlfriend needed a little help, so he decided to intervene and choose the first thing she ought to tell them about herself, and that was her love for fashion. Marinette told them that she had always been fascinated by the world of fashion, ever since she was little. She told them that when she was little, she loved how the brides looked in their wedding dresses and it was her dream to make her own wedding dress, that made her want to learn all she could about fashion about design. After that, she began to talk about her family and about her dreams and projects for the future, as well as her triumphs, which Adrien did not let her forget.

Little by little, Marinette started to feel more comfortable, with the fear of saying the wrong thing disappearing. And with that fear gone, she was not afraid to even showing some of her work, which she always kept photos of in her cell phone. As she showed them, Amelie could not help but to be amazed by the photos that Marinette quickly shared with her. Gabriel was not as vocal as Amelie was on that matter, but he also expressed his opinion, when he saw something he liked or not, on Marinette's work.

"Jagged Stone commissioned you that face paint? I've read about it online, that he had done something like that, but I didn't know that the Marinette Dupain-Cheng in the article, was you, Marinette." –Amelie said, surprised. –"I'm not a big fan of his music, but I know a good work, when I see it." -she told her. –"This was very well done. You have a gift."

"Thank you. I have to admit that it wasn't easy to do it, especially on the short time that Jagged gave me to do it. But I would be lying, if I said that I didn't like the whole experience." -Marinette admitted. –"It's not everyday a famous musician commissions you." -she said.

"And that's not all she has done lately." -Adrien said, before turning to Marinette. –"Why don't you show them what you did for Alya's birthday?" -he suggested her, as he placed his left hand on top of her right hand.

Marinette hesitated for a second, but then, she scrolled the cell's screen, looking for the Rena Rouge-based hoodie she had done for Alya, until she found it.

"Here it is." -Marinette said.

"She made it to Alya, who's a very big fan of the Miraculous Team, especially Rena Rouge." -Adrien said, proudly smiling at his girlfriend.

"I thought it was a good idea to make her something that she felt it was both fashionable and comfy, for her to wear during winter." -Marinette admitted. –"And I have to admit that I was not prepared, for when the rest of my friends also asked me to make them hoodies based on the other heroes. I still have to begin working on them, but I already have the sketches ready, for when I have the time to make them. One of my objectives, if they prove to be popular, is to make more of them and sell them online." -she said. –"But I'll probably only be able to even think about that, in a couple of months, when the school year ends. I need to focus on school."

"Gabriel here, could help you with that. I'm quite sure that if those hoodies prove themselves popular, it would be a good business opportunity, and you could certainly make use of the money, for when you start attending college." -Amelie hypothesized. –"And if he says that you have the talent, I'm quite sure that it would be in his interest to have such a promising talent under his wing, before one of his competitors snagged you." -she playfully said.

"T-That would be incredible… but like I said, first I need to focus on school, before doing something like that." -Marinette told her.

"Now there's an intelligent answer. Education should always come first. There's a right time for everything." -Gabriel said. –"There will be time for you to pursue those ventures." -he said. –"And I'm quite sure that your parents also share this thought as well, am I right?"

"A-Absolutely." -Marinette said. –"My parents are always telling me that my job, right now, is to get good grades." -she said.

"And what do your parents do for a living, Marinette? I completely forgot to ask you that, and I'm curious." -Amelie asked her.

"Oh, they both run a bakery that's been in my dad's family for more than a century." -Marinette declared. –"My dad worked with my grandfather Roland, until the day my grandfather retired, after which, my dad continued with the family business on his own. And after he got married to my mom, she began to help him." -she said, with a smile. –"You could say that I've been surrounded by freshly baked bread and delicious pastries, all my life."

"They make the best macarons in Paris. And I'm not only one saying it. Jagged Stone himself has told Marinette that." -Adrien added. –"In fact, I think there's nothing in her parents' bakery that isn't delicious." -he said.

"That's quite the compliment." -Amelie said. –"Next time I'm in Paris, I'll be sure to pay the bakery a visit and try one of those famous macarons." -she admitted.

"Our door is always open." -Marinette told her. –"Oh, and I almost forgot. We also have a small catering business that caters to any kind of event in town. That was my mom's idea. She studied business management in college, and a few years ago, decided it was a good time to put her degree to use." -she said. –"I have a couple of photos of some of the here in my cell phone too, if you want to see them… here they are. Please, try to ignore the photos of me with that maid outfit."

"You did that maid outfit?" -Gabriel asked her.

"Yes, sir, I did." -Marinette said. –"It's not much to look at. It was one of my earliest works, where I didn't ask my mom for any help." -she admitted. –"After it, I already made a new one, because this one was beginning to feel a little too short for me."

"On the contrary. I think it looks quite good." -Gabriel said, as he leaned forward to get a better look at the photo. –"It has some minor issues that needed to be perfected, like the sleeves, which you should have made a little shorter, and the apron could have but given things, it was a good attempt to create a functional, yet fashionable maid outfit." -he told Marinette

And as the conversation continued, up on Adrien's bedroom, Tikki and Plagg were looking out the window, observing how things went. When Plagg told Adrien the good news, regarding the conversation between Marinette and his father, he suggested that he and Tikki should skip tea time, and leave him and Marinette alone with Gabriel and Amelie, saying that it was one of those moments where it was best for kwamis to stay away from. The truth was, he did not want to hear any sappy stories, and just wanted to stay in the bedroom, eating cheese. But he never revealed that truth, and he and Tikki ended up leaving the two of them alone. Even so, curiosity killed the cat, and Plagg and Tikki decided to see what was happening.

"Those two seem to be having everything under control. Don't you think so, sugar cube?" -Plagg asked Tikki, calling her by her nickname.

"It seems so… and don't call me sugar cube, Plagg. You know I don't like that." -Tikki warned him.

"Relax, I'm just teasing you a little. You can't take things so seriously." -Plagg joked, as he closed in on the ladybug kwami. –"Look at them. It seems like it was a lifetime that we both found out that those two were in love with one another, even if it's just been a couple of months." -he said. –"This isn't the first time our holders end up together, but… I don't know, this time feels like it's more special than all the other times. Am I the only one who feels that?"

"No. I also feel that." -Tikki said. –"Perhaps it's because Marinette and Adrien, are younger than most of our previous holders, and you know quite well that young love is a lot stronger than all other kinds of love." -she declared, as she looked out the window. –"You know, they make a really cute couple."

"They sure do." -Plagg said, as he too, looked out the window. –"In a couple of years, we'll be attending their wedding. And then, we'll probably

"Are you saying that you think we're going to get stuck with them through all that?" -Tikki asked him. –"Not that I mind, of course. Marinette is an incredible and wonderful person, and I'm super lucky to have her as both my friend, and my holder." -she smiled.

"I do. I mean, even if they manage to defeat Hawk Moth, I think that unlike our previous holders, they won't renounce us or our miraculouses." -Plagg answered her. –"Adrien told me one night, that even after they defeat Hawk Moth, he plans on continuing to be Chat Noir. He says it gives him a purpose, and that it's something he would like to do for a very long time." -he confessed. –"And you know what? I like that. It beats going back into that ring and wait for that Hawk-psycho to show his ugly face again."

"Well, Marinette hasn't said anything about continuing to be Ladybug, after Hawk Moth is defeated. But I believe that in her heart, that's something that she'll want to continue to do, as well." -Tikki said. –"Unlike the last group of heroes, who after they finished their mission, decided that they did not want to continue carrying the weight of the miraculouses, with the exception of Master Fu, of course, Marinette, Adrien and the rest of our current holders enjoys this. They like to help people, and on top of that, they have a great sense of responsibility with the power that has been given to them. They want to use that power to make the world a better place." -she commented. –"And who can blame them for trying? More than ever, the world needs heroes who inspire people to be better, and they are all the right people for the job."

"That's a great thought to have, you know?" -Plagg told her. –"But all this serious talk is making me hungry. I'm going down the vents and into the kitchen, and get me a piece of cheese. Do you want me to bring you anything?" -he asked her.

"Something sweet, if you don't mind." –Tikki told him.

"I'll see if they have any cookies in the pantry." -Plagg said. –"I'll be right back, sugar cube." -he said, as he passed through the vent's protection grid.

"Don't call me that!" -Tikki protested, annoyed. –"That Plagg… after all this time, he should know that I don't like it to be called that." -she sighed. –"Well, just for that, when he comes back, I'll call him cheese breath, to see if he likes."

In the garden, the conversation was going well, when suddenly, Nathalie showed up to warn Gabriel that he was receiving an important call, that demanded his full attention. Excusing himself, he said that he would try to be as brief as possible. At the same time, Amelie feeling like Marinette and Adrien deserved a little time alone, said that she had just remembered she had something to do, and would be back in a few minutes. Saying that, she ended the call.

And as she did that, Marinette and Adrien were left alone for the first time that day. Usually, when they were alone, the first thing they did was to kiss. But afraid that Adrien's dad might come back, without a warning, they decided not to risk it. Both felt that they needed to give him time to process everything that was happening. Also, they did not like the idea of getting caught kissing. So, they stood there in silence, for a couple of seconds, before Adrien decided to break it.

"You're really beautiful today." -Adrien declared. –"I really like seeing you with your hair like that." -he smiled at Marinette, who blushed lightly.

"Thanks. I wasn't too sure on how I should wear it today." -Marinette admitted. –"I thought that my usual pigtails would look rather childish." -she said.

"What are you talking about? They're not childish. They're like your signature haircut. And you look absolutely beautiful with it." -Adrien told her. –"But truth be told, your hair looks beautiful, no matter what hairstyle you wear it." -he declared.

"Thanks, Adrien." -Marinette thanked him.

"So, how are you holding up?" –Adrien asked Marinette.

"Honestly? I think I've battled Akumas that were a little easier to deal with." -Marinette answered him, in a sarcastic voice, before laughing.

"That bad, huh?" -Adrien laughed.

"Sorry, but having your dad and your aunt asking me all kinds of questions, it makes me a little bit nervous." -Marinette said, between laughs. –"I'm actually surprised I'm not sweating, because of my nerves." -she said.

"That coming from the girl who kicks and Akuma's butt, with her eyes blindfolded, and without breaking a sweat." -Adrien teased her. –"Just relax. The worst is over. We're officially a couple in the eyes of my dad. Also, my aunt already liked you, so there's nothing to worry about, regarding her. From here on out, it's smooth sailing." -he said, reassuring her.

"I don't know if I'll be able to calm down, until this is over, and I'm back at my home." -Marinette sighed. –"Which reminds me, I should have brought a treat or two from my parent's bakery. I'm sure your dad would have liked." -she said, lamenting not having thought about that small detail.

"It's okay. You can bring it with you, the next time you come. But, a word of advice, bring something that's not too sweet. My dad's not a fan of cakes or desserts. But if you bring him something a little saltier, he'll eat it on the spot." -Adrien told her.

"Dully noted." -Marinette said, as she took a mental note.

After that exchange of words, there was a little bit more of silence between them. Looking at Adrien, Marinette felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world. Sometimes, when she got up, she still found it hard to believe she was dating the most handsome young model in all of France, who was also her partner in crime, per say. As she kept looking at him, she noticed that his eyes were trembling lightly. She knew that usually happened whenever he had something on his mind.

"You've got something on your mind, don't you?" -Marinette asked him, in a sweet tone of voice.

"Am I that transparent?" -Adrien asked Marinette.

"Yes… yes, you are." -Marinette told him, with a mischievous smile on her face. –"But seriously, what's going through your mind, Adrien?" -she asked him, this time with a voice filled with concern. –"Is it something regarding your mom? I remember you telling me that when you talk to your aunt, you sometimes feel like you're talking to your mom."

"No, no, it's got nothing to do with my mom." -Adrien told her. –"Honestly, it's not important. I was just thinking about Chloe." -he admitted.

"About Chloe?" -Marinette asked him. –"Why?"

"Well, it's because of what my aunt said before, about how my mom and her were inseparable." -Adrien stated. –"When she said that, I couldn't help but to think of Chloe." -he said. –"The two of us were also inseparable, when we were younger… standing here, right now, I remember us playing hide and seek, over there, by the hedge maze. And that was just one of the games that we played. I had tons of toys in my bedroom… you've seen how it is, well, a few years ago, there were less toys and games, but they were still quite a lot, and Chloe and I could play with whatever we wanted to. But we didn't. Instead, we preferred to come here and we played to our hearts content."

The way he talked about it, Marinette could tell that Adrien was quite fond of those memories. The way his green eyes sparkled, when talking about, it made it look like he was talking about one of the wonders of the world, or even a once in a lifetime marvel. And that made Marinette happy.

"You and her have quite the history together." -Marinette commented. –"It's amazing that somehow, along the way, you remained close, but distant at the same time, and it was necessary each of us getting a miraculous, for the two of you to become as close as you once were ,again" -she said.

"It's true. But in the end, that's a good thing. It means that our friendship was always there, but we both needed to be reminded of it." -Adrien commented. –"And what a friendship we had, when we were kids… I mean, it was like now, but only stronger. No, not stronger… different. We were both just kids, and we didn't have a care in the world. We only cared about having fun." -he sighed, as he continued to reminiscence about the past. –"They were happy days, no doubt about it. And this garden is filled with memories of those days. But even the happiest of days have something to them, that doesn't make them as happy as one might think they were. And in our case, it was Chloe's mom."

"Chloe's mom?" -Marinette asked.

"Yeah. When we were kids, she spent most of her time in New York, just like now. But whenever she was in town, she and Chloe's dad, brought her to play with me, instead of Jean, and while we played, our parents discussed businesses." -Adrien said. –"I can't really remember what businesses those were, but I remember one thing that happened every time Chloe's mom showed up here, and that was the fact that she insisted that one day we would get married, and our families would become one." -he commented.

(Flashback)

The sun was already high in the sky, and the few shadows in the garden of the Agreste manor, were about to disappear for at least an hour. But none of that mattered. Not to Adrien and Chloe, who were playing hide and seek in that garden. The only sounds one could hear was the sound of the wind, along with the footsteps of little children, as well as their laughs. Thanks to the high walls that surrounds the manor, one could hardly hear the sounds of traffic and of the bustling everyday life, making it look like the manor and its gardens were located in the middle of nowhere.

There were numerous statues, bushes, trees, benches and even a fountain that decorated the manor's garden. Perfect places for a child to hide behind or even underneath. But no matter how beautiful those things were, there was one thing that was a lot more beautiful to the eyes of two young children, and that was the hedge maze. For a child, a hedge maze represented countless possibilities, when it came to choosing what to play. It could be what it was, which was a labyrinth, or it could be a castle, or a fortress, where an evil dragon lived, thanks to a child's imagination. But on that day, the hedge maze had been left alone, as Adrien and Chloe were playing hide and seek, and that particular part of the garden was off limits, when playing that game. It was Adrien's turn, and he was trying to find Chloe for the past five minutes. She was very good at that game, but so was he, because Chloe always giggled or laughed, whenever he got close to her hiding place.

"If you keep giggling like that, I'm going to find you, Chloe." –Adrien muttered to himself, as he turned the corner, and saw a bush moving. Tippytoeing, he closed in on the bush, believing Chloe was hiding behind it. –"You can't hide from me, Chloe!" -he exclaimed, as he looked on the other side of the bush, and found no one. –"Where is she?"

"Boo!" -Chloe exclaimed, scaring Adrien. –"Got you!" -she laughed. –"I wasn't hiding on that bush. I was hiding over there, silly!"

"That's not fair! We're playing hide and seek, not tag! You can't do that." -Adrien protested.

"You're just saying that, because you can't find me and Mr. Cuddles, no matter how much you try, Adrien." -Chloe giggled. –"It's your turn again."

"Again? But… but you were the one who exited your hiding spot and tried to scare me. I found you. It's my turn to hide, now!" -Adrien protested.

"Don't care! Start counting!" -Chloe told him, as she and Mr. Cuddles disappeared, behind a tree.

And as they continued to play, their parents had tea in the living room, like they had, every time Chloe's parents paid a visit. It had become a sort of ritual for Chloe to come and play with Adrien, every Saturday. Because Audrey spent most of her time in New York, it was André who brought Chloe. Gabriel was not a fan of that kind of things, as he appreciated the silence and the monotony. But Emilie loved to have guests over. If it was up to her, whenever she was not working, she would have the house filled with guests, who could brighten up her day.

"Just listen to them. They're having so much fun." –Emilie said, as she poured another cup of tea.

"Maybe we should call them inside? It's starting to get a little hot outside." -Gabriel suggested.

"Oh, leave them be, Gabriel. They're having so much fun, that they hardly notice the heat." -André said. –"But you were talking about your latest movie, Emilie." -he said.

"Oh, yes. I was saying that I enjoyed playing a baroness. I was a little afraid that I wouldn't feel right in the part, but in the end, I was sad to see that experience ending." -Emilie declared.

"And when will the premiere be? I'm quite sure that Gabriel there, has already started working on the dress that you will be wearing for the premiere, or am I wrong, Gabriel?" -Audrey asked him.

"I already finished it last week. But as always, everyone will have to wait to see it." -Gabriel said, before turning to his wife. –"That also includes you, Emilie. I'm sorry, but you know that I never let anyone see it, before time. Call me superstitious, but…"

"Whatever you designed, I know that I will love it, as always, Gabriel." -Emilie smiled at him.

"Sometimes I wish I had married Gabriel, instead of you, André. With him, I would never be short on clothes, that's for sure." -Audrey told her husband, in a playful tone.

"Are you trying to steal my husband, Audrey?" -Emilie giggled. –"Because if you try do it, I won't hesitate in stealing yours." -she joked. –"Being married to the mayor of this city, must also have its perks."

"And you're right, it does." -Audrey said, in a playful tone. –"Though, as of next week, I won't be able to make use of them even more. I'll be spending the next four months in New York, without being able to come here for a visit." -she admitted. –"But, there's nothing we can do about it. The fashion world demands these sacrifices of me."

"Indeed. Chloe and I will miss you very much." -André told Audrey, as he helped himself of a biscuit.

"That reminds me that I'll be leaving soon, to start shooting another movie." -Emilie sighed. –"I just hope that I can wrap it up quick, so I can be here for Adrien's birthday." -she said.

"I'm sure you will, Emilie." -Gabriel said. –"And if not, we can post-pone it, until you're back. That way, you won't lose his birthday." -he told her.

"Oh, no, no, Gabriel. If that happens, there's no need for that. You know how Adrien loves his birthday parties. It wouldn't be fair for him, to have to wait for me, to celebrate his birthday." -Emilie told him.

"Speaking of parties, you'll never guess what I dreamed about, again." -Audrey said, as she nibbled one of the macarons she had taken from the tray. –"I once again dreamed about our daughter and your son's wedding." -she said. –"And what a beautiful dream it was… a dream that one day will come true. I have no doubt about it."

"Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, Audrey? I mean, they're just little kids." -André said. –"Besides, one doesn't know what the future holds." -he declared.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous André. And please, don't bring me the "one doesn't know what the future holds" remark here. That's politician talk, and you do remember what I told you, don't you? You leave the politics at City Hall, when you come home." -Audrey said. –"Don't you agree with me, Emilie? Don't you think our children would make a beautiful couple?" -she asked her.

"Uh, well… I don't know. I mean, I'm with your husband on this one. They're still so young. They have time to think about that." -Emilie answered her.

"Oh, nonsense, Emilie. They should be taught to think about that from an early age. That's what happened with me. My parents raised me to always think about what I wanted for my future, from an early age." -Audrey said, before sipping a little tea from her cup. –"And I think Adrien would make a lovely husband to my Christine."-she said.

"It's Chloe, honey." -André corrected his wife.

"Oh, yes, right." -Audrey acknowledged her error. –"Anyways, they would make a fantastic couple. It's obvious that my daughter inherited my good looks. Give her a couple of years, and she'll become one of the prettiest girls, if not the prettiest girl in all of Paris. And we can all see that little Adrien is growing up to be quite the handsome little man. He certainly has inherited Gabriel's genes, but one can clearly see, that he's borrowing his natural handsomeness from your side of the family, Emilie." -she insisted on the matter. –"I can already see the engagement party, and of course, the wedding in Notre-Dame. A wedding fit for a king and queen… no, not a king and queen. An emperor and an empress. Mark my words, it will happen, if we all have a saying on the matter."

(End of Flashback)

"At first, it sounded fun. I mean, we were kids, and that sounded a bit like a fairy tale, I'll admit it. But after a while, she continued to insist on it, and the more she insisted, not to mention the way she insisted in it… it made it look like it was imperative for us to fall in love with one another, dating and eventually marrying." -Adrien sighed. –"I know she's her mom, but Audrey Bourgeois is a lousy mother." -he said. –"I can't even remember a time, when she showed any kind of affection towards Chloe. Other than the occasional kiss, or hug, and I remember that it was Chloe's dad who insisted that Audrey did those things, I can't remember a single time, when Audrey acted like as a mother should, you know? It's no surprise that eventually, Chloe began to sound and act like her. With a role model like her mother, I'm surprised she didn't turn out worse than her."

It certainly looked like Chloe's mom had planned her life in detail, since she was a little girl, as well as filling her head with nonsense, and Marinette did not know if that was scary, or unfunny, or even both, given things. She knew there were parents who planned their kids' whole lives, for one reason or another. But she always believed that when doing that, people did not have into account the kids' personalities, tastes, or even their free-will. Which was why, she believed that no matter how much parents planned their kids' lives, said plans would not likely succeed. And when it came to Audrey Bourgeois, it felt like she had planned Chloe's life, in the same way, a little girl plans on what her favourite doll will do next, once she starts playing with her. Just the thought of being a pawn in her mother's plans for a future she had planned for her, made Marinette shiver.

"Well, fortunately, she had good friends to help her see the light." -Marinette said. –"And more importantly, whatever plans her mom had for her, they were flushed down the toilet, when she realized she did not have any romantic feelings for you, and helped us realize we were in love with one another." -she smiled.

"Yes, I know. But what if things had turned out differently? What if instead, she had turned into an even worse version of her mom?" -Adrien asked her. –"Such thought… it makes me wonder if I had done things differently, maybe she would never have become a bully, in the first place, and she would have never hurt so many with her words acts, including you." -he said. –"I don't know if I ever told you this, or anyone else for that matter… well, maybe I told Nino once or twice, but anyways, Chloe and I, we were not just friends, or the best of friends. I saw her as the little sister that I never had, and I always wanted to believe that she saw me as the little brother she never had. But then, my mom died, and things changed… I continued to see Chloe, but things were different now. She started to change into the bully she was, before last summer, and I didn't even notice or truly cared about it. Even after she became the way she was, I simply accepted it, and assumed that she had changed because she wanted to, and not because of something bad had happened to her. Do you think that makes me a bad friend or a bad person? Because I think it does."

The words that were coming out of Adrien's mouth revealed just how guilty he felt, regarding Chloe and their friendship. She could tell that he blamed himself for not truly realizing the reason why Chloe had changed. And more importantly, he blamed himself for not being there for her, when he should have.

"A bad friend? Maybe. But a bad person? Definitely not. You were also going through your own problems. I can't even imagine what it was for you to lose your mom, when you were so young. It's not your fault that she was dealing with problems of her own." -Marinette told him. –"It doesn't matter what happened that made things change. What matters is that things have changed, and this time for the better. What truly matters is that Chloe found the strength to change and you are here now for her, just like I am, and everyone else in our class, Adrien. That's what truly matters." -she told him with a soothing voice, as she caressed his face. –"Also, I know that what I'm about to say is perhaps meaningless, regarding this issue, but you're not the only one who screwed things up with her."

"What do you mean?" -Adrien asked her.

"I mean that I also screwed up things with Chloe. Over the years, every time she bullied me, instead of trying to find out why she insisted on bullying me and others, I simply believed that she was plain old mean, and a rich bitch. I allowed my rage and anger towards her, to cloud my judgement. And the same thing happened with almost everyone in our class, Adrien. Chloe has a talent to push people's buttons, and that just made things worse. Nowadays, she uses that talent of hers, to help others and to fight Akumas, but back then… she used it to turn people's lives into a living Hell." -Marinette confessed. –"And that affected the way we acted towards her. Instead of trying to understand and talk to her, most of us just assumed she was a bad person, because she was a rich girl, and just like those you see in so many series and movies, she was mean and horrible, because she had everything, and only cared about herself. And by doing that, we didn't even think that maybe she acted like that, because there was something wrong in her life. We just assumed the worst." -she said. –"She was a bully, but we too became bullies, by assuming the worst. We didn't have to be friends with her, but we should have tried to at least be better than her, and we couldn't. It's like Miss Bustier always tells us. Two wrongs, don't make a right."

Adrien had never thought about things that way, and that made him realize that Marinette was right. Chloe had been awful towards everyone, but they had also been awful towards her, by simply not seeing the signs of her being bullied as well. Only her bully was not someone she could run from.

"Guess we all messed up." -Adrien sighed. –"But it's like you said. Things have changed for the better, and that's what truly matters. You know, when Chloe told us about what happened to her, the other day, when I hugged her… I know I said this before; I know that I've said that I felt like I had gained my oldest best-friend back. But this time, this time it was different. I felt that the Chloe I used to play with in this garden, had finally come back. I could see it in her eyes." -he smiled tearfully at Marinette. –"I could feel that the girl I felt was like my little sister, had come back to me."

"I believe that." -Marinette said, smiling tearfully as well. –"Just like I believe that she needs our support, now more than ever." -she said. –"I'm not saying that we are going to perform a miracle and have her mother realize that she's a horrible person, and that she has a daughter like Chloe, who needs her, but… we've got to be there for Chloe and catch her if she falls. As her friends, it's our duty to do that. To protect and guide her, like she has already done, and will do once again."

Adrien knew Marinette had a way with words, but even so, she still managed to surprise him, with one of her speeches, in which she had put her heart into. And that speech of her, had surprised him, by just how simple, and yet, how deep it was.

"What did I do to deserve a girl as thoughtful, as loving, as generous and as awesome as you?" -Adrien asked her.

"Simple… you showed up in my classroom with those beautiful green eyes of yours." -Marinette smiled, at him.

"And perfect smile." -Adrien playfully reminded her.

"Yes, and perfect smile, too." -Marinette giggled, before pulling Adrien into a small peck on the lips. –"Though the rest of you also sweetened the deal." -she giggled.

"I don't know if I preferred when you were a little shier, and you stuttered, every time I showed up." -Adrien joked, which earned him a playful hit on the left shoulder. –"Ouch! I always forget that you've got a killer right." -he said, as he rubbed his shoulder

"Well, try not to forget about it next time, then." -Marinette playfully told him.

Created by Jean Paul Favand, an actor and antiques dealer, from his private collection, the Musée des Arts Forains, opened to the public in 1996, containing a variety of objects dating between 1850-1950. These objects included 14 amusement rides, 16 fair stalls and restored attractions, 18 sets of historical works, and 1522 independent works. The collections include merry-go-rounds and carousels, German swings, hundred-year-old bicycles, Japanese billiards, a Parisian Waiter Race and a Hooghuys Organ, and the grand vizier Ali Pasha. It was a wonderful place, that allowed its visitors to see just how carnivals has evolved, and to also get a glimpse of the past. And on that afternoon, it was going to get the visit of Mylene and Ivan. Mylene had visited it a few years prior with her parents, and when looking at some of the pictures of that day, the day before, she invited Ivan to come with her, knowing that it would be a place he was going to love.

"Trust me. I know you're not the kind of person who likes museums very much, but trust me when I tell you that this is one museum, like the Louvre, that you're going to love." -Mylene said, as she and Ivan were walking down the street, while giving hands.

"I trust you, always." -Ivan said. –"If I didn't, I would have said that I didn't want to come with you." -he smiled at her. –"Though, if I did that, that would make me a very lousy boyfriend."

"No, it wouldn't." -Mylene smiled back at him. –"You know that the last thing I want you to do, is something that you're not comfortable with, or that you don't like." -she told him. –"Which is why, we take turns in choosing where were going on our dates. One date, I choose, and on another date, you choose."

"I know that. And just so you know, I already decided where were going during our next date, and I think you're going to love it." -Ivan told her.

"Really? Where is it?" -Mylene asked him.

"It's a secret. You'll have to wait and see." -Ivan answered her.

"You're really mean, you know that?" -Mylene said, pretending to be angry with Ivan. –"Oh, look, we're here!" -she exclaimed.

"There doesn't seem to be many people. Are you sure it's open?" –Ivan asked her.

"It's open, alright. I've checked their schedule online." -Mylene answered him. –"Besides, the less people there are, the better, because that way we can ask all kinds of questions to the tour guide. And you know the best part? It's that tour guides pretend that we're in the19th century, and so, they pretend they don't know what a cell phone is, or a television, or even an iPod." -she chuckled. –"It's really funny."

"That does seem funny." -Ivan smiled at Mylene, before leaning and kissing her on the cheek.

Just like Ivan had pointed out, there seemed to be almost no people in the ticket line. Getting in the line, they waited for their turn to buy the tickets. And as they waited, their cell phones began to ring. But it was not just theirs. The cell phones of the people in front of them also started to ring. It did not take long for them to understand why everyone's cell was ringing. The reason was simple. The Akuma Attack app was warning them that a potential Akuma attack was taking place nearby. A second later, the Akuma attack went from potential to real, as the app identified the threat as real.

"You've got to be kidding." –Ivan said, as he saw the warning of an Akuma attack on his cell's screen. –"We really can't have a regular Saturday, without having one of these things attacking." -he sighed, as he and Mylene started to walk away from the ticket line. –"Guess our date is over."

"You wished, silly." -Mylene whispered to him. –"There's no way I'm going to abdicate from our date. What do you say we go and defeat this guy, and then come back to visit the museum?" -she asked Ivan.

"It's not like we have a choice, am I right?" -Ivan said, in a sarcastic tone, while slipping his cell phone into his pocket. –"Get ready to work, Muria." -he whispered to his kwami.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill, big guy. But there better be some pudding for me, at the end of this." -Muria told him, with a grouchy voice.

"What about you, Pin? Feeling like taking down an Akuma?" -Mylene asked the deer kwami.

"Absolutely, Mylene." -Pin enthusiastically answered her.

So sorry to have made you wait a little longer than I wanted, for this chapter. But as Christmas is getting closer, it gets harder for me to just sit down and write. Every year is the same thing, and this year is every worst, because of this pandemic. Anyways, this was quite the chapter to write, because it allowed me to explore a little more As I wrote, I realized that this is the first time that I write Adrien's mom, Emilie, and I must say that I enjoyed writing her. Since we don't know how she acts in the show, I based myself on her twin sister Amelie. Oh, and for those of you, who have been following my fics, you clearly noticed that I've changed Emilie's sister's name from Elodie to Amelie, to match the name in the series. And I'll be changing it as well, on "Miraculous Team: Sands of Time", when I find the time to do it. Regarding Emilie, I hope to write a few more flashbacks with her, as the adventures of our heroes continue. Who knows, maybe when I do that, we'll know a little bit more of her, and my version of her will be closer to the original. This chapter also allowed me to flesh out a little bit about Marinette's parents (I've been wanting to do that lately), as well as delving a little bit more into the past, regarding Chloe and Adrien's friendship, before she became a lot like her mother (thank God, around these stories, she's no longer like that), and also show that Audrey was a bit nicer in the past, even though she had plans for Chloe and Adrien to be married, one day.

Regarding trivia bits from this chapter, for those of you, who don't know about it, Bernardaud Limoges is the most expensive china in France. I figured that would be something that would be quite common in Adrien's home, given how rich the Agrestes are. Arthur's Seat is a real place, near Edinburgh, and has several connections to the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Oh, and the Musée des Arts Forains exists, and it was Cupidcomet77 who suggested it as a spot for one of the couples in my stories to visit... turns out, Mylene loves this kind of museums. Thanks so much for the suggestion, my friend.

As always, feel free to comment, fav and leave suggestions to improve this fic, or future ones. Oh, and before I forget, you might want to check Cerumoce's page on Deviantart, to see the latest drawing I commissioned her, featuring Rena Rouge and Carapace in their winter outfits. Something tells me that you will like it. :)