As soon as they were on the café rooftop, Chloé transformed back to normal and slipped Pollen a biscuit she had snagged from a table below.

Caline and Gina considered each other for a moment.

"Nice jacket," Caline said.

Gina nodded and blushed. "Thanks. I, um, I got the idea from you, actually."

Caline smiled. "It looks good on you. How'd you get him to do black? He always gave me white."

Gina shrugged. "I'm grumpier than you?"

"What was all that about, new girl?" Chloé cut in. "We saw your little lovers quarrel. What did you do to that poor kid?"

"That's not, I didn't do anything!" Gina yelled. She looked ready to throw down, and Caline was about to restrain her when Gina turned away from Chloé and quietly said, "and that was the problem."

Chloé and Caline waited as Gina composed herself.

"I, um, I might have, I mean, I did, take him for granted. A lot." Gina said. "I've been so wrapped up in being a hero that I didn't consider the fact that I was, um, kind of neglecting him."

Gina leaned against a utility door. "Look, tonight was my fault. I'm sorry you had to meet me like this," she looked at Caline. "I should have handled this better."

Caline put a hand on Gina's shoulder. "Hey," she said. "You handled it just fine. Akumas are terrible to deal with, and when you're possessed, you don't have any control." She shuddered. "Trust me, I know from experience. Don't let what happened color your thoughts about your friend down there."

"Doubt it'll matter," Chloé said. "From the look of it, he's already moved on with miss tight-pants."

"He's not like that," Gina growled.

"Is this the guy you were talking about the last time you were here?" Chloé asked. "Like, the one you cheated on?"

Gina stepped forward. "Change into Queen Bee," she said.

"Why should I?" Chloé asked.

"Because if you don't, I'm pretty sure I'll take your head off when I punch you," Gina said as she advanced.

'Oh, fuck yes,' Chloé thought. Her breath hitched in her throat.

"Hey!" Caline said. She grabbed Gina and yanked her back. "Chloé, dammit, retract the claws! I would like to go home and not fight another akuma tonight."

Gina shook off her hand. "You won't have to. I can take the night shift. I, um, I was on my way to Ladybug's to pick up the earrings when, um…"

Chloé raised an eyebrow. "Pretty far from Ladybug's, aren't we?"

Gina crossed her arms. "Fine. The truth is I… I got dropped here and I was following them, alright? Tonight was my night off anyway, but now I really need to hit something, so I'd like the night shift."

Caline looked at Gina and noted the green eyes, the angular jaw, the freckles, and how famimliar everything about this new girl was. She smiled.

"Well, okay. You want tonight? I'm fine with that. Tell you what, future Ladybug. Howsabout I step behind this utility entrance and get you my earrings, and Queen Bee can take me home. Sound good?"

Queen Bee looked to Mamabug, wide-eyed. "Seriously? You're going to hand over the miraculous to someone you just met?"

Caline looked to Gina. "I'll hand it over to someone Ladybug trusts. You're her daughter, aren't you?"

Gina paused, and then nodded. She didn't need Caline to go into further detail about who 'her' was.

"I thought so. I could see it in your face. Actually, I can see both your parents."

Gina blushed heavily and looked away. "Not sure what you mean," she mumbled.

Chloé looked to Caline, her eyes widening. "You know who her dad is?"

Caline shrugged, but her terrible poker face told Chloé that of course she knew. "Out of curiousity," Caline said. "Do you know who I am?"

Gina stared for a moment. She had heard stories. Like, a lot of stories from her aunt about Mamabug, the greatest Ladybug of all time. However, that didn't mean it was necessarily her place to spill.

"Um, erm... Not sure?" Gina lied.

Caline eyed her for a moment. "Right," she said. "If it makes you feel better, I can play this game, too." She innocently whistled as she stepped behind the wall for the utility entrance. There was a flash of red, and Chloé grumbled as she took the earrings from Caline and then handed them to Gina.

"Not that I care?" Chloé said, "but you might wanna get your shit together before your guy decides that other girl is worth it."

Gina snatched the earrings from Chloé. "I can handle my love life without the commentary," she snapped.

"Obviously," Chloé said as she rolled her eyes. "Buzz On!"

She transformed in a flash of light. "Well, go on. Get out of here and do your job I'll get, um, Mamabug to her home."

"You know who she is?" Gina asked. She may have looked cool on the outside, but inside, she had mentally put her palm to her forehead. 'Of course she knows who her freaking mother is. So stupid!'

Chloé laughed and flipped her hair. "You silly little girl. I know who all of Paris's heroes are."

Gina growled. "Sure, whatever." She paused, staring at Chloé like she wanted to say something more. Finally, she got out, "Thank you for your help tonight. I didn't… I didn't want to fight him."

Chloé was about to snap back, but the look of pain on Gina's face struck a chord.

"It's no big deal," Chloé said. "We, um, everyone's been there at least once. Just, get your stuff together, would you? And, um…" Chloé looked to the side for a moment. "Is, um… Is Ladybug okay?"

Gina nodded, noting the temporary look of concern on Chloé's face. "She's okay."

"I mean," Chloé continued. "I know she's not in the hospital or anything, but, um, something is going around, you know? One of my classmates passed out the other day. Or so I heard." She shot a look to Gina. "Is, um, is she sick?"

Gina snorted. "She wishes. No, she's not sick, but, um, like I said before, get used to seeing me until April."

"But, like I know you didn't want to tell the group, but seriously, why would…?"

A throat cleared from behind the utility entrance wall. "Queen Bee? I'm sure Ladybug will tell you and everyone else when she's ready to let you know. Maybe you should go see her after school tomorrow and check on her?"

Chloé crossed her arms and tisked. "I mean, I could I guess?"

Gina saw Chloé look at the figure behind the wall. She wasn't sure what the person known as Mamabug had done, but Chloé's facial expression went from haughty to resigned in the space of a second.

"Fine," Chloé grumbled. "I'll go see her. I mean, I guess it wouldn't be the end of the world. Um, oh yeah. Uh, you, um, you fight pretty good. Well. You fight well. It's hot…" Chloé coughed "…Tempered of you and all, but it works. Still, um, would you like to practice on me? With me? Fight with me?"

Gina stared. "Um… Sure? To be clear, you want me to fight with you?"

Chloé looked off to the side. "Like, if you want to and stuff. I dunno."

Gina continued to stare. "Um, yeah? Sure? Okay. Just, um, yeah. I need to take care of some stuff tonight, but I'll, um, I'll call you on your top. Is that cool?"

Chloé blushed. "You're cool. It's cool. The call. Calling is cool. Call me. On top. On my top. We'll, um, we can set up some Bug Time."

Gina tried to read Chloé, not quite sure what had just happened.

"Okay then. Right. Um… Thanks again. I'll, um, I'll see you, Queen Bee."

"New girl," Chloé said back, still blushing.

Gina awkwardly stood there for a moment before she took off in the direction of Gilen's apartment.

Chloé watched her leave as Caline came out from around the corner to stand beside her. "You okay there?"

"That didn't happen," Chloé mumbled. "It's just training. I… Oh, just give me this. I'm not doing anything, um, out of sorts."

"I didn't say you were."

Chloé's voice grew small. "I'm not cheating on Sabrina, am I?"

Caline bit her lip and thought about it. "I don't think it's cheating if it's just fighting, but it's up to you on how far you're going to let this go. And between you and me? I don't think this is just fighting for you."

Chloé looked away and frowned as Caline continued.

"I would seriously sit down and consider why you're attracted to this new girl, and what attracts you to Sabrina. Ask yourself why you're so flustered and what you hope to get from this. And if this is something more for you? Then do right by Sabrina. You at least owe her that."

"I'm not, I, I never said, I am NOT flustered!" Chloé said, clearly flustered. "And I always do right by Sabrina! She's... She's incredible. I'm just... Ugh. I don't know what I'm doing. But, I've got this. Yeah. I've totally got this."

Caline put her hands up. "If you say so." She sighed and shook her head. "Well, regardless, I get what you were saying. She was a bit intense, wasn't she?"

Chloé laughed. "That's a word for it, sure." She glanced at Caline. "You're sure you made the right call just now?"

Caline stretched. "Sweetie, I am bushed. I did not feel like hoofing it across town to Marinette's to drop those off. Ladybug Junior there sounds like she needs to work through some aggression, and it was either have her run around as Ladybug tonight, or you, and you need sleep, young lady."

Chloé's eyes went wide. "I… Me? You want me to, to take a shift as Ladybug?"

Caline patted her on the shoulder. "It was Marinette's idea."

Chloé scooped up Caline as a huge smile grew across her face. "You don't say?" Chloé said. "I wonder what my hero name could be? Would I have to say I was Ladybug? Could I do my own thing? Maybe Honeybug? Ladybee? Ooo! Scarlett?"

Caline held her daughter tight. "Workshop it. For now, let's go back to the hotel. There's a garden tub with my name on it."

"Yes mom," Chloé said, still smiling. "She really suggested me?"

Caline nodded. "She did."

Chloé had a huge, goofy grin on her face. "I guess I could swing by the bakery. You know, just to make sure she's okay and all, of course."

"Of course," Caline smiled back.

"Alright. Hold on, mom." Chloé looped her arm around Caline's waist and cast her line.

Caline noticed that Chloé called her mom every chance she got.

It still gave her butterflies every single time she heard it.