Chapter 16: The Bee and the Cat

After a dinner, in which she hardly spoke a word, Chloe wished her parents a pleasant evening, telling them she had some homework to finish. But she did not have any homework to finish. She just did not want to be in the presence of her mother, for longer than it was needed. After a whole afternoon, where she was nearly forced to help her out with the decoration of the ballroom, she did not want to spend a single more second with her. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

(Flashback)

As she was driven back to the hotel, Chloe believed she was going to have a calm afternoon. She knew her mother was going to be busy dealing with the preparations for the gala, as well as deciding on who she was going to send a personal invitation. And that meant that she would not have to be in the same room as her. That thought alone was enough to put her in a good mood. At first, she pondered about going shopping and take advantage of being in such a good mood, instead of going straight home. But she then changed her mind, knowing that going shopping all by herself was no fun. She knew that Sabrina was not available to go with her that afternoon, and she knew the rest of the girls all had things to do as well. So, she decided that she and Pollen would have to find something to do together, until dinner time.

Unfortunately, as soon as she arrived at the hotel and entered the lobby, Jean, who was waiting for her, handed her an envelope with note from her father. Even before she opened it, Chloe's gut told her that whatever it was inside, it could not be a good thing for her. Opening it, she pulled the little piece of paper from inside it and read it. In it, was written that once again he would not be able to help her mother with the decorations, due to some unexpected meeting in City Hall, and asked her to lend Audrey a hand. After she finished reading the note, she read it two more times, to make sure that she had read it correctly.

"Fine, daddy, I'll do it…" -Chloe thought to herself.

Telling Jean to take her backpack up to her bedroom, Chloe sighed and made her way towards the ballroom. She was still half-way there, when she heard her mother yelling at someone.

"You imbecile!" -Audrey yelled at one of the staff members. –"You drop one more of those forks, and I'll have security drag you out of here and into the unemployment line, you hear me?!" -she threatened him. –"And pick up the pace! I've seen snails that are faster than you! And where is my cell phone! I've asked for it, for almost two minutes! Where's the person who was supposed to go and get it?!"

Just hearing her treat people like that was making her feel sick, not only because she hated when she did that, but also because it reminded her that she too acted like that once. Entering the ballroom, she saw that her mother had changed the whole decoration, just like she had predicted before. What had not chanced was the way Audrey was yelling and treating everyone like yesterday's garbage. She did not want to stress out, but Audrey's actions made it hard for her to remain calm. Looking at Audrey, who continued to complain that the person she had sent to get her cell phone, had not returned with it yet, Chloe had to mentally remind herself of the advices Pollen had given her, when dealing with her mother.

"At least, Pollen's not here, but upstairs. I know she would be telling me that she wished to be near me, no matter what. But I prefer if it's just me losing my head, instead of the two of us." -Chloe thought to herself, not knowing her kwami had decided to get out of her backpack, and follow her. –"Now remember, don't let her get to you with her snarky comments and observations about you, but especially about anyone else. Try to keep cool, and also remember that it's not because you're going to be near her, that you'll revert back to your old ways. You're better than that, Chloe." -she mused to herself.

Moving as swiftly and silently as a ninja, Pollen followed Chloe into the ballroom, while always being on the lookout, for anyone who could see her. Using the tables that had once again been placed in a different pattern, as a hideout, the bee kwami was determined to be near Chloe, even if she did not know.

"Chloe… why must you think that you need to be the only one to take bull by the horns?" -Pollen thought to herself, as she looked at the blonde, from under the table.

Stopping in front of Audrey, Chloe waited until her mother finished yelling at another member of the hotel's staff for not doing something the way she wanted it to. Taking a deep breath, she kept repeating the words Pollen told her, so as to calm herself down, and not do something that she might regret later, though the odds of regretting it were very slim.

"Mother…" -Chloe said, as she stood in front of Audrey.

"What?! Oh, it's you Chlodine." -Audrey said, as she realized it was Chloe.

"It's Chloe, mother." –Chloe corrected her. –"Would it be so hard for her to remember my name?" -she thought to herself.

"Oh, yes… and what are you doing here? Can't you see I'm busy?" -Audrey asked her, with an impatient voice.

"Daddy asked me to come and help you with the ballroom's decorations… again." -Chloe answered her, whispering the last part.

"Oh, yes… that father of yours and his meetings. Sometimes I wonder why he just doesn't move into City Hall. He spends more time there, than at home." -Audrey said, before turning her attention to someone else. –"You! What did I tell you about those curtains?! How much time is it going to take to change them?!" -she asked, clearly upset that it was taking too much time to complete such a task, for her taste. –"As for you, Cecilia, you're going to help me choose the menu for the gala's dinner. I would do it myself, but I'm not in the mood to try appetizers and such, and I need to talk to that incompetent secretary of mine in New York, while also personally inviting some people for the gala. Go to the kitchen and take care of that for me. Once you're finished, you can come back and help me with something else… Hey! Hasn't anyone told you that you don't clean crystal with any cleaning product, you blundering imbecile?! Do you even know how much that crystal chandelier costs?!"

"It's Chloe, mother!" -Chloe thought to herself, furious because her mother had once again failed to call her by her real name. –"Yes, mother." -she answered, while putting on a fake smile on her face, which she knew Audrey would not even notice it.

"Good… Finally! What took you so long! I've asked for this cell phone, hours ago!" -Audrey exclaimed, as she took the cell phone form the person's hands. –"And you better not have smudged it with your fingerprints, or else, you'll be in trouble, you hear me?!" -she said, as she checked the cell phone's screen.

Leaving her mother to go and complete the task her mother had given her, Chloe felt that it was going to be a long afternoon, and for a brief second, she selfishly wished that an Akuma would attack the hotel, just to give her a reason to transform into Queen Bee, and not be Chloe Bourgeois for a couple of minutes.

"Hang in there, Chloe. Think that this will be over soon. She'll go back to New York, and you'll only see her, maybe after Summer." -Chloe thought to herself.

(End of Flashback)

Just thinking about it, was making her feel down and depressed. It took most of her energies and positive thinking, to pretend that everything was alright, at dinner. The last thing she wanted was for her dad to thinking there was something wrong, because if that happened, she would be forced to tell him the truth, and she feared that he would not understand her. Entering the elevator, she pressed the button and hoped that no one else showed up, as the doors closed. She just wanted to be alone, right then. Having her mother around, ordering everyone around, yelling at them and insulting them, not to mention ordering her around, without ever calling her by her real name, it was more than what Chloe could stand. More and more, she wondered how she could have looked up to her mother and wish to be just like her.

Arriving at her suite, she was greeted by a smiling Pollen, who as soon as she saw Chloe's depressed expression on her face, knew the blonde needed for someone to lift up her spirits. Landing on Chloe's left shoulder, she leaned against her neck and gently patted it, knowing that that sometimes cheered her up. Understanding what her kwami was trying to do, Chloe allowed her to continue to do it, while she too petted her on the head with her index finger. This went on for about a minute, after which Pollen decided to ask her how dinner with her parent went. The bee kwami already knew that dinner could have gone better, but she did not just how bad things had been. And it was not until Chloe told her the details of what happened, that she understood the reason why she looked so down.

"And your mom didn't even praise you once?" -Pollen asked her.

"Not even once, Pollen. And the few times she referred to me, she did not even get my name right… again! She spent practically the whole dinner just talking about how hard it was for her to organize the whole thing, and badmouthing everyone that did not do what she told them to do." -Chloe told her, as she grabbed one of her pillows and pressed it against her chest. –"Every single word that came out of her mouth was like a drop of venom, Pollen. And what hurts me the most isn't that she didn't praise my work once. It's the fact that she didn't have a single word of praise to say about the people that helped her assemble the ballroom. Believe me, I had to appeal to all of my strengths to not scream at her…" -she said, as she pulled the pillow even closer to her chest, with her frustration mirrored in her eyes. –"More and more I feel like I have only reasons to hate my mother, Pollen. Part of me doesn't want to do it, but the other part just wants to do it."

"I can only imagine the whole scene. And what about your dad? Didn't he say anything?" -Pollen asked her.

"He did. He agreed with almost everything she said, though he also told her that she was being a little unfair towards the staff." -Chloe said. –"I don't know why my dad puts up with mom, anymore! I mean, he sees everything she does like it's a natural thing!" -she sighed, as she threw the pillow against her bedroom wall.

"I don't know what to answer, regarding that. But you only have to hang in there, for a couple of more days, Chloe. And then, your mom will leave." -Pollen told her, trying to cheer her up a little.

"I know. But I don't know if I'll be able to hold my mouth shut for that long, Pollen." -Chloe sighed in exasperation. –"I am this close to tell my mother a couple of truths, and believe me, she's not going to like what I have to say to her." -she sighed, once again.

"I know it can't be easy, and it pains me to see you this way." -Pollen said, as she flew over her head, and landed on top of it. –"But tell me the truth. Would yelling at your mom do any good? Would it change anything? Because from what I've seen and heard of her, I'm afraid to say this, but you would only be wasting your breath on it." -she declared.

Chloe wanted to tell her she was wrong. That yelling at her mother would perhaps make Audrey realize that she was wrong to behave and speak the way she did to everyone she deemed unworthy of even addressing her, which was pretty much everyone. That telling her a couple of truths, would make her realize that she was the worst mother one could have, and that that would make her see that her daughter longed for her understanding, her love, and everything else that made a mother a mother. Chloe truly wanted to believe that that would be possible, if she yelled all the things she wanted to yell at her mother. But deep down, she knew that thinking that was incredibly naïve from her. Audrey would never change just because someone yelled at her. That was not how the world worked, and she knew it.

"You're right." -Chloe said, frustrated. –"I could slap my mom until my hands were numb, that she would went on acting the way she does." -she sighed. –"What did my dad see in her?! I wish I knew, so I could understand why he puts up with her!"

Pollen was not a stranger to that kind of hypothetical questions. Over the course of millennia, she had some of the holders of her miraculous ask her and themselves about why one, or both of their parents had fallen in love with one another, or had done something that did not seem right to them. Still, even after of several millennia, she did not know what to answer, when one of her holders asked her one of those questions. Human emotions were quite conundrum, even for kwamis with all their knowledge about the world and the universe. And that pained Pollen, for she wished she knew what to tell Chloe, who desperately needed an answer.

"That, I don't know, Chloe. But I do know that if your dad hadn't fallen in love with your mom, you wouldn't have been born, and I wouldn't have you for a holder. So, for me, it's a good thing that they happened to fall in love and marry each other." -Pollen said. –"And I also know that your dad loves you very much. Every time he has the chance to show it, he does it." -she smiled, hoping her words of comfort were enough give Chloe a little peace of mind.

"That I know. I couldn't have asked for a better dad. Even when I was my nasty self, he never denied me anything, never once grounded me, even if I did deserve it. From my dad, I only knew love… my mother on the other hand…" -Chloe sighed.

"I know I already told you this, but I'm going to tell you once again, Chloe. Try not to think about your mom. She'll be leaving soon, after the party she's going to throw, and it will be months before you have to see her again." -Pollen said.

Pollen was right. All she had to do was wait a couple of more days, and her mother would go back to New York. And with her the depressing feeling that was inside her, along with her anxiety and the panic attacks, would all disappear… at least, until she came back again. But that was something that Chloe did not want to think about. If there was one thing that she had learned through her friendship with Pollen, was that when she reached that bridge, she would find a way to cross it.

"That's probably the only good thing that gives me the strength to endure, what I'm enduring. And the day that started so well." -Chloe sighed –"Well, for the most part of it, of course. Sabrina was acting a little strange today." -she pointed out. –"I don't know why, but she seemed like she had her mind somewhere else."

"Maybe she was thinking of ways to make you feel better?" -Pollen suggested.

"Well, if she was, then she's proof that I don't deserve to have her as my best-friend." -Chloe said. –"After what happened last week, you would expect her to never want to talk to me again. And yet, she acts like nothing happened." -she sighed.

"There you go again with that speech." -Pollen sighed. –"I thought we had talked about this and how you shouldn't blame yourself." -she told her.

"Well, I can't help it, Pollen. I didn't tell you this, but ever since my mom arrived and made me humiliate Sabrina the way I did, that I have nightmares, where I replay the whole scene in my head." -Chloe sighed, frustrated. –"I don't want it to happen, but my brain seems to want to remind me about what happened." -she said. –"And because of that, I've been thinking a lot about Sabrina."

"May I recommend you drink a soothing chamomile tea with honey, before you go to sleep? It's the best medicine, for those who want a quiet night of sleep." -Pollen told her. –"Believe me, it's guaranteed to give you nothing but sweet dreams." -she assured her.

"Did you learn that from one of your previous holders?" -Chloe asked her.

"No. I learned it from Master Fu." -Pollen told her.

"That figures. He's probably the person who knows more about tea, in Paris." -Chloe smiled at her. –"Well, I've got nothing to lose. I'll ask for a cup of chamomile tea with honey, just before going to bed." -she said.

She was about to say something else, when she heard a knock that startled her.

"Did you hear that?" -Chloe asked Pollen.

"Heard what? –Pollen asked.

"Someone knocking. I think I heard someone knocking at the door.

"Are you sure? We're too far from the suite's door to be from it. And usually, if someone knocks at it, they tend to say who they are, right after knocking." -Pollen told Chloe. –"You're probably just imagining things." -she said.

Pollen had just finished talking, when the same knocking sound was heard, this time by both of them.

"Hey, over here! Can I come in?!" -a voice was heard.

Looking to their left, who should be on the balcony, but a certain black feline superhero, by the name of Chat Noir. To say Chloe and Pollen were surprised to see him, would be an understatement. It was the first time that Chat dropped in on them like that, at night.

"Adrien!" -Chloe exclaimed, as she got up from her bed and went to the window, to open it. –"What are you doing here?" -she asked the feline hero.

"Give me a moment to come in, okay?" -Chat Noir said in an amused tone, as he entered the bedroom, closing the balcony's door behind him. –"Sorry to drop in unannounced, but I decided to come and see how you were doing." -he said.

When she heard those words coming out of Chat's mouth, Chloe wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as she could. After the afternoon she had, she was happy to see a friendly face, especially the face of one of her dearest friends.

"You could have called me." -Chloe told him, while still hugging him.

"True, I could have done that. But truth be told, I needed to go out for a walk, after dinner. So, I decided to check in on you." -Chat Noir said, as they broke the embrace. –"So, how are you?" -he asked her.

"I've been better." –Chloe answered him.

"Do you two want me to give you some privacy?" -Pollen asked them.

"No, there's no need for that. Whatever I'm going to say, you can hear it. Besides, if I know Chloe, and I do, she would tell you every single detail of this conversation, once I leave. It's in her purr-sonality." -Chat joked.

Hearing him use one of his famous cat puns, Chloe burst into laughs. The pun was so good that it took her about 15 seconds to stop laughing.

"I don't know how you do it… but you have a talent to make people laugh, when they need the most." -Chloe told him, while still giggling.

"Blame my feline nature." -Chat Noir said, using another cat pun. –"Still, I'm happy I got to make you laugh. You seemed like you were in desperate need to do it." -he pointed out

"And I was." -Chloe said, this time with a more serious voice, as she sat on her bed. –"After the afternoon I had, putting up with mom, I really needed that hug you gave me, as well as to laugh a little bit." -she admitted, as Pollen landed on her lap, and she petted her on the head.

"Well, I'm all ears, if you want to talk about it." -Chat said, as sat next to her.

Taking on his offer, Chloe told him everything she told Pollen earlier, without leaving a single detail out. Hanging on every word she said, Chat allowed her to tell him everything, without ever interrupting her. As she talked, Chloe could not help but to feel once more, the feelings that she felt, when she told the whole story to Pollen, and this left her on the brink of tears, only for her to burst into tears, as she finished the story.

"Hey, come on, no more tears, okay?" -Chat Noir told her. –"I told you that I'll be by your side, no matter what. And the same thing goes for the rest of our class. We will always be here for you, and we're keeping our promise, just like I'm doing now." -he said, as he embraced her. –"And remember, you're not your mom. Just the fact that you continue to fear that maybe one day you'll be just like her, will give you the strength to make sure that that never happens."

"I keep telling her that." -Pollen pointed out.

"You sure do." -Chloe smiled tearfully at Pollen, who was now hovering in front of her. –"I'm just too stubborn to fully believe in that." -she sniffed.

"Well, being stubborn isn't a bad thing, if you use that stubbornness to your advantage." -Chat told her, trying to cheer her up. –"And let me tell you this, Chloe. It's that stubbornness of yours that has given you the will to continue to change into the person you are now, and that has also helped you stand up in the battlefield." -he said. –"I know I don't say it often, but my goose would've been so cooked, if you hadn't saved me a couple of times."

"I did what I had to do, to keep you and the others safe." -Chloe said, casually, as if it was no big deal.

But it was a big deal, and Chat Noir was determined to use that to continue to cheer up Chloe. When he aived, he knew she was in desperate need of a friendly shoulder, and he did not mind to be that shoulder. He knew that if he was feeling as bad as she was, that Chloe would also be there for him.

"Even so, that proves that you have a heart." -Chat told her. –"And I know that you have heard this from me and pretty much everyone in our class, but I'm going to say it, once more, because you need to hear it." -he smiled at her. –"You're a great person, with a heart of gold, who may have strayed from the path in the past, but found its way back to it, and we're lucky to have you in our lives."

Before he said those words, Chloe's face was already filled with tears. But when he said those words, twice as much tears began to roll down her face. And these tears, were not tears of sadness, but tears of happiness. As she tried to stop crying, Chloe once again felt incredibly lucky to have people like Adrien in her life, that were always there for her and that would not abandon her, no matter what.

"T-Thank you, Adrikins." -Chloe thanked him.

Tears continued to run down Chloe's face for a little longer, as they slowly changed the subject, and she asked Chat Noir if his dad had received an invitation to the gala her mother was organizing.

"I know. She personally called my dad and told him about it. But he's not going to be able to attend it, because he's flying tomorrow morning to Berlin, and will only come back on Saturday." -Chat Noir said

"And let me guess, you're going in his place, Adrikins?" -Chloe asked Chat, calling him by the nickname she had given him.

"I've got no choice. You know that he sees every party or gala that he's invited to, as a way to promote his brand. Still, not everything is bad. I'm taking Marinette with me. I invited her over the phone, before coming here to check on you, and she said she would love to be pair for the gala. So, I'll be able to spend time with her… even if we have to skip patrol that night. I'll have to ask one of the others to do it for us." -Chat admitted. –"What about you? Who are you taking to the gala with you?" -he asked her.

When he asked her that, Chloe realized she had not even thought about it. All that stress regarding her mother, had made her completely forget about that issue.

"I don't know… I mean, if I could just skip the gala, I would. I could just say that I wasn't feeling very well, and I would be able to stay here, all night. That way, I wouldn't have to be in the same room as my mother." -Chloe answered him.

"Oh, come on, Chloe. If you don't come, Marinette will be the only person in that party that I know." -Chat Noir said.

"I don't think that's a problem, Adrien." -Chloe told him.

"You know what I mean." -Chat Noir said. –"Sure, I can spend the whole night dancing with her. But even if do that, we'll have to take a break, every now and then, and it would be nice to have someone else to talk to. Someone who happens to be my oldest friend, and who herself needs some cheering up?" -he told her, with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, stop that!" -Chloe laughed, as she picked up a pillow and smacked Chat with it. –"I'm not your girlfriend, who you always manage to hypnotize with your smile!" -she playfully told him.

"Really? And here I thought it was my smile that was always making you run towards me, trying to kiss me every time you had the chance." -Chat Noir joked with her.

"No, when I had a crush on you, it wasn't your smile that attracted me. It was your eyes." -Chloe told him. –"You should know that if there's anything that attracts me in a person, it's its eyes. And yours are quite pretty." -she declared.

"Thanks." -Chat Noir told her. –"But going back to what we were talking, who are you going to take with you?" And don't tell me that you're thinking about not going. I know that you're not going to let me and Marinette all by ourselves in that party, are you? And before you say it, yes, we will be alone, because other than your dad and your mom, there will be no one in that party that I know… but more importantly, that I want to talk to." -he said. –"So, can I count on you to show up?"

Looking her in the eyes, Chat could tell the blonde was still unsure if she was going or not. But he hoped that his words of encouragement, would change her mind about wanting to attend her mother's gala. And he did not have to wait long, as the expression in her eyes changed, showing now a Chloe who was beginning to change her mind about it, but still needed one final push for it to happen.

"Look, I know it can't be easy to be in the same room as your mom, but think about your dad. You know that he loves to have you in these parties, because he gets to brag about how beautiful you are and how proud of you, he is. If you don't go, you'll worry him, but you'll also deny him one of the things he likes to do the most at this kind of parties. And trust me I wish my dad bragged himself about me, the way your dad does." -Chat Noir declared. –"Besides, I'll be sad if I don't see you there." -he told her.

And with that last sentence, Chat managed to convince her to go. But to say that it was just that last sentence of his that made Chloe change her mind, would be false. The truth was that it was that sentence, combined with the fact that Chloe felt like she owed it to Adrien, with him being one of her oldest friends, that made her change her mind regarding the subject. Smiling at him, she told him her answer.

"Okay, you convinced me. I'll go to the gala." -Chloe told him. –"But consider this a special favour, because you're a very dear friend to me. If it was someone else asking me this, the answer would most likely be no." -she said.

"I knew he would convince you." -Pollen smiled.

"You did not, Pollen!" -Chloe told her in a playful tone.

"Well, I'm glad I can count on you to keep me and Marinette company." -Chat Noir smiled at her, before hugging her. –"You're one in a million, Chloe."

"Thank you, but I bet that you're always saying that." -Chloe chuckled.

"Only to the people who truly are one in a million. And you certainly are one of those." -Chat Noir said, as they broke the hug. –"So, now that I have convinced you to attend the gala, what are you going to wear? Oh, wait, that's not what I was going to ask…" -he joked. –"I meant to ask, who are you going to take with you?"

"I'll ask Sabrina if she wants to be my plus-one." -Chloe answered him. –"I mean, it's not like she's got anything better to do that night… or maybe, she does?"

"It's a weekday, the only thing she probably has to do, other than doing her homework is to watch TV or talk to you over the phone, like you do, from time to time."

"Am I that predictable, Adrikins?" -Chloe asked, while raising an eyebrow at him.

"No, but you do tend to tell everyone what you're going to do, after classes are over, once in a while." -Chat Noir joked, only for Chloe to hit him on the shoulder. –"Ouch! That hurts!" -he told her, as he rubbed his shoulder. –"Now you're acting like Alix, who uses Kim as her personal punching bag, whenever he says something stupid."

"Oh, come on, I barely touched you. And I know you hardly felt it." -Chloe playfully shot at him.

"It's clear you don't realize your own strength. You pack quite a punch, even when you're not transformed." -Chat Noir said.

"You bet I do. And if you want to go one on one, right now, to see who punches the hardest, I'll be glad to do it." -Chloe declared, as she looked at Pollen, who smirked at her.

"No, no, no, there's no need for that!" -Chat told her, pretending to be scared. –"I know that you can wipe the floor with me, if you want to." -he winked at her.

When he knocked at her balcony window, Chat Noir imagined that Chloe was feeling down and depressed, and that he would have to cheer her up. But what began as a pep talk, turned into yet another heart-to-heart moment between Chloe and him, and he was thankful for that. But he was not the only one who was thankful for it. The words that Chat spoke to her, resonated on her mind and heart, and reminded her once more that even though she was her mother's daughter, that she was not like her and that she had friends who loved her, and who would be there for her. And as he left, Chat knew that on that night, Chloe would sleep with a smile on her lips and a serene conscience.

"Well, it's time for me to get going. I'll see you in school tomorrow." -Chat Noir said, as he opened the door and stepped into the balcony.

"See you tomorrow, Adrien." -Chloe smiled at him, as she followed him into the balcony.

"Don't you mean, Adrikins?" -Chat Noir asked her, teasing her.

"You're a teaser, you know that?" -Chloe giggled.

"I know. And you love it." –Chat smirked at her, as he extended his staff and readied himself to use it to jump into the nearest building. –"Goodnight, Chloe." -he said, this time with his regular smile, before leaping out of the balcony.

"Goodnight to you too. And thanks for the pep talk, Adrien." -Chloe said in a whisper, as she saw the black cat hero leaving.

"I guess you won't be needing that chamomile tea with honey, after all." -Pollen commented, as she landed on Chloe's left shoulder.

"Probably not. But it won't hurt drinking it, just in case." -Chloe told the bee kwami. –"And don't worry, I'll let you lick the honey from the spoon." -she smiled at her.

This one was written in an almost record time. I was going to post it yesterday, but because of the new lockdown in Portugal, I spent most of my day buying groceries and fill up the pantry, so I don't have to go outside. Anyways, here it is. Originally, this was going to be a chapter focused solely on Chloe, with Miss Bustier playing a small part on it. But then, I decided that instead of Miss Bustier, Adrien should be the one to play a part on the chapter, not only because he's one of Chloe's oldest friends, but also because he knows what it is to have a parent that is not exactly perfect (though, to be honest, in this AU, Gabriel is an angel, compared to this AU's version of Audrey). And truth be told, I loved to write a chapter where the two of them interact like this. I wish we could have something similar in the show, but the odds of that ever happening are slim with Thomas and Jeremy at the helm...

Next time, we're going to a gala, where we will all see a healthy dosage of MarinettexAdrien, as so many have been requesting, and things will get pretty hot for our heroes. Until then, feel free to comment, fav and make suggestions to improve this or future fics.

P.S. Check out Cogamori's page on DeviantArt to see another drawing I commissioned her, featuring Mylene and Ivan, as Forest Doe and Grizzly Bear.