A/N: I often hear that sometimes things have to become worse before they can become better.

Chapter 45

~Adrien's POV~

The last time Marinette was this upset with me was when we first met. She thought I had put chewing gum on her seat on the first day of school a year ago, but really I was just trying to take the gum off of her seat. Chloe had put it there to spite her. I thought that was bad, but it was nothing compared to what I was experiencing from her now.

But I fully deserved it.

I wanted to try to talk to her and apologize for being stupid, but she never gave me the chance. I'm sure that she ignored me when I tried to send her a text earlier in the morning, and even now while we were at her house preparing for our second to last scene together in this movie she finds anything to do to avoid talking to me.

I can tell that she knows she's doing it too. She's making her annoyance with me painfully obvious.

But I fully deserve it.

When Alya told us to get into our places I could see the director looking at me with a mix of emotions. I could tell that she was angry with me and I'd bet that Marinette told her what I said to her a couple evenings ago. But I also saw sympathy in her eyes as if she knew how terrible I felt and how desperate I was to talk to Marinette about what happened.

Alya said nothing to me and instead turned her attention to Nino, asking if he had the camera completely ready for our scene. As I watched the co-directors, I happened to notice a movement from the corner of my eye. I turned to see Marinette facing me, and despite the hurt that was still obvious in her eyes, I felt a sliver of hope that she'd allow me to apologize.

"When we're done with this scene, you can see yourself out."

My heart sunk at her words as I watched her turn away from me again. The hurt in her voice was painfully obvious. It was like she wanted me to know how upset she was with me and wanted me to feel guilty.

But I do! I've felt so terrible since the moment the lie left me!

I just wish she would give me a chance to try to make up for what I did. Though I also knew that I deserved to be treated like this. I never should have lied to her about that kiss.

I kept my eyes on her for a moment longer after she turned away from me then turned myself away from her and walked out of the kitchen to get to where I'd be for the start of this scene. When I leaned back against the wall just next to the doorway that would take me back into the kitchen for the scene, I heard a scoff.

"Why do you look so miserable?" I heard a voice I recognized well enough.

"If you've come to scold me, save it." I said without looking at the girl while I kept the back of my head against the wall, keeping my voice low enough so the others in the kitchen wouldn't hear me. "I already feel terrible."

"I see that, but I don't understand why. You're the one who hurt her."

"Kagami, I know that." I said with a sigh. "I don't need to be reminded, thanks."

When she fell quiet I turned my head against the wall to look at her. She was holding Queenie who would appear with Marinette, shifting her slightly in her arms as if she were a little uncomfortable, yet her eyes still gave away that she wasn't happy with me either.

After giving me a long, disapproving look Kagami walked past me into the kitchen. A few moments later she walked back out to where I stood in the hallway.

"I didn't mean to hurt her." I admitted after she walked past me, though she had only taken a few more steps away from me. "I was just trying to keep things from becoming awkward between us if she knew."

"She was sure that you liked her." Kagami snapped quietly as she stopped walking and turned back towards me, obviously assuming correctly that I figured out Marinette had a crush on me too. "She was nervous to talk to you about it though in case she happened to be wrong. Alya and I encouraged her to because we could tell that you've started to like her too. But you ruined it with your stupidity."

I looked away from her while she was in the middle of speaking. I didn't need to hear all that because I already knew it was true. I ruined everything. "I just don't know how to get her to give me a chance to explain." I muttered when she finished her rant.

Kagami let out a long sigh before she heard Alya call my name for us to start the scene. "Just finish the scene, Adrien. You can figure out how to fix your mess later."

I stood there for a moment listening as she walked away to go to her area to wait for the cue to release Ambrose, who was waiting in his cat carrier, into the end of the scene. After a couple seconds passed I let out a quiet sigh, bracing myself to encounter Marinette again. However, when I walked through the doorway I was not expecting to see a small, very discreet smile on her face as she was leaning over the kitchen island, writing a note.

She was wearing a big dark brown winter coat over a pale light blue shirt that almost looked white and dark blue jeans. Queenie was laying near her among two bags that were supposedly full of the last of her things on the island. "Hey." I said, looking at all of her things, slipping my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"Hey." Marinette said, looking at me as if she'd been caught by surprise. Our eyes locked for a moment and I could see a hint of hurt in her eyes despite that barely noticeable smile. "I was just writing you a note. I thought I'd be gone before you got home." She looked down at the pen in her hand and took the cap off the end to recap it.

"Gone?" I questioned, still looking at her while she put down the pen and looked at me, all traces of any smile of hers gone.

"How was work?" She asked, changing the subject.

"It was fine." I answered, not feeling very comfortable as she looked at me accusingly. "Where are you going?"

"I finally got a job." She said, turning to the island to pick up a large bag with a long strap and pulled it over her shoulder. "And found a place that takes cats." She continued as she pulled her purse over her shoulder on top of the large bag.

I let my mouth fall open slightly in surprise. She sounded happy that Marilee was leaving, and not just because she was playing the role of Marilee. Part of me thought that she was happy that this was the last we would be filming at her home and that I wouldn't need to come by anymore. And it hurt.

"Thank you so much for letting Queenie and me stay here." She said as she picked up Queenie and cradled her in her arms, looking at me with what I could tell was forced gratitude. "It was really kid of you."

"You—You don't have to go." I said quickly. "You can stay."

"I really appreciate everything." She said after taking a step closer to me, the gratitude vanishing as she looked at me coldly, obviously wanting me to know she was upset. She paused, gently petting Queenie. "I hope you have a wonderful Christmas."

She looked at me for a second longer before turning and walking away. I stared helplessly as I watched her go, staying put as I watched her walk to a different doorway that was closer to the front door. "What—What about Ambrose?" I called after her. "He's—He's going to miss you guys."

I watched her stop in the doorway and slowly turn towards me. "He is?" She asked, and I could sense the slightest hint of hope in her voice. It caused my heart to skip slightly as I filled a little hopeful myself that she wasn't completely angry with me.

"Yeah." I said, not taking my eyes off of her as a slight smile made its way to my face. "Yeah, he has a real connection with Queenie." Although these were the words I had to say for the scene rather than the ones I wanted to say to Marinette, I hoped that maybe she'd see how much I wanted to talk to her.

She looked at me for a moment and I saw that same hurt, disappointed look from earlier. "Well, maybe I can bring her by sometime." I was about to give up hope again, but then I saw her smile slightly.

"Really?" I asked, the hope traveling to my voice as I smiled a little more. "That would be great! You should definitely do that."

I watched her smile a little more and give me a slight nod. "I'll call you. Set something up in the new year." Although she was still smiling slightly, a new thought crossed my mind that made my heart drop.

What if Marinette really didn't want to try to talk again until the new year?

My smile faded and I watched her look at me for a moment longer before she turned to leave. "In the new year…" I muttered to myself in disappointment. After I let out a breath I started after her, following her to the front door. But I was too late.

Just as I reached the doorway that she walked through I heard the door opening then close. I looked towards the door and saw that she had indeed left the apartment. I walked towards the door and peeked out the peephole as if I were looking for her to see if she really left, but I saw something else that really twisted my stomach.

I couldn't look out there for long because soon I glanced down and noticed Ambrose walking towards me. "Hey, Buddy.." I said to him quietly as I bent over to pick him up. "Hey…"

I slowly stepped towards the stairs and took a seat on the second step from the bottom. I looked down at nothing in particular as I recalled what I saw when I looked outside. Marinette had gone to the opposite wall of the hallway outside, leaning back against it as she silently cried.

It broke my heart to see her so upset and all I wanted to do was go out and at least try comforting her, but I knew that if even tried I doubt I'd think of the right words to say and she'd probably get even more upset with me for ruining the end of the scene and having to start another take.

I sat there, quiet for a moment as I pet Ambrose before I remembered I still had a few lines left. Drawing my eyes to Ambrose, I frowned at him. "Why are you so sad?" I asked him then looked up towards the door again, my heart aching. "This is what we wanted right?"

I looked at the door for a moment longer before looking down at the ginger cat again. "Yeah, maybe not…" I spoke just a little louder than a whisper.

Even though in Zachary's case he changed his mind about wanting to stay single, I'd never really had much of a desire not to want to be with Marinette once I started developing feelings for her. Instead, I told myself that it would be better to wait until this movie was over to admit to her that I loved her. I thought it would be better for the production of the video, but now I knew I was wrong.

She was out there crying, and I had no idea what I could do to make her feel better. I was sure the moment I tried to go outside to be with her that she would walk back inside and not give me a chance to say anything. I wanted to see her smile again and hear her laugh. I wanted to see that sparkle in her eyes when she was happy, not that dull look she had now that made it obvious she was upset.

I knew I had to do something to make it up to her, but what? She didn't even want to talk to me. How was I supposed to tell her I lied to her and not make her hate me more? I didn't want to do it, but I was stupid enough and did anyway. I missed her.

The last though sent another pang of longing to my heart as I stared towards the door that separated us. I really missed her. I wanted her and I to talk again. But most of all, I just wanted to see her happy again.