Okay, chapter 2 is up and running! Now, I really intend on doing my best to twist things around for this story, so please be patient with me.
In this chapter, Marinette once again has to deal with Félix, but luckily she's got one clever vixen on her side. But then the poor girl has to go and get her father out of a bad situation. But what price will she have to pay for it?
Like in the last chapter, I'm reworking some of the songs from the 1991 movie.
Back in the village, Marinette was in the living room of the cottage, reading one of her design books and working on a dress that she had on a mannequin. She had Alya with her, who was watching and helping where she could.
"Where do you want these pins, girl?" Alya asked.
"On the table, Alya." Marinette said as she was sewing some tuile onto the dress.
"Okay," Alya said before putting the pins on the table. "So what's the plan for this dress?"
"Something elegant and luxurious. Floor-length, lavender with some silver stitching or embroidery on a draped skirt. Wrist-length melon sleeves with a sweetheart neckline... What do you think?"
"Sounds like a lot of work, but you'll pull it off," Alya said as she laughed. "I think this has more advanced techniques than you've done before."
"I know! I can't wait to try them out!" Marinette said as she took a piece of lavender silk that Audrey had let her use.
"Marinette! Alya!" Sabine said as she came into the living room.
"Hi, mom," Marinette said. "What's going on?"
"I need to go into town to get more ingredients for the bakery," Sabine said. "I should be back in about an hour or so. Have fun, you two."
"Thanks, mom," Marinette said. "Alya and I are going to have so much fun making this dress."
Sabine gave a nod before leaving out the door to the cottage. She started walking down the usual road into town.
But she didn't notice there was movement in the nearby bushes and trees. A hand pushed a branch away to reveal Félix in a much more formal suit than usual. His hair was still the same, though. He had a wicked smile on his face.
"Good, her mom's gone. And that stupid dad of hers isn't around, either," He said with a wicked smirk. "This is Marinette's lucky day."
He turned around to look at the crowd that he'd assembled. Most of the townsfolk had arrived. He'd brought in the priest from the nearby church, called in a local band, had the florist create a rose archway where the priest was standing, there was a huge table with a large spread of food (and a cake that he'd asked the family chefs to make).
"Everyone, I'd like to thank you all for coming to my wedding," Félix said to everyone before putting on a sad act. "It's my honor to marry the woman my departed cousin loved so dearly. I'm sure he would've wanted me to take care of Marinette for him."
Everyone's faces fell sadly.
"Now, time for me to get in there and pop the question to the young lady." Félix said as he started walking to the cottage.
Everyone started laughing (though some of the women were sobbing at this news).
In the cottage, Marinette was still working on the dress. She'd asked Alya to get some snacks for them in the kitchen.
Outside, Félix was at the door of the cottage. He straightened out his tie and he rang the doorbell.
Alya was on her way to the kitchen when she heard the doorbell, and she approached the door. She looked through the peephole, only to see Félix.
Alya groaned and covertly locked the door before running back to Marinette.
"Marinette, we've got company." Alya said.
Marinette turned around and saw the annoyed look on her best friend's face.
"Let me guess: Félix?" Marinette questioned. All it took was a nod from Alya for Marinette to understand. "Ugh, can't that guy take a hint?"
"I locked the door," Alya said, only to hear the doorbell again. "There he is again!"
Marinette's face grew stern, before smiling mischievously. She said, "Alya? How would you like to help me get that guy to back off?"
"Oh, I am so in!" Alya said with a smile. "You've got a plan?"
"I sure do." Marinette said with a giggle and a smile before motioning for Alya to come in and listen to her plan.
Félix, growing impatient, rang the doorbell again. This time, however, Marinette answered.
"Why, Félix... What a surprise." Marinette said as he rudely let himself in the house. Inside, Marinette was smirking.
"Hello there, Marinette," Félix said as he walked into the common area of the house. He saw the dress. "Still dress-making, I see."
"Yes," Marinette said neutrally. "But what brings you by?"
"I have good news for you, Marinette," Félix said as he approached. "Today, I intend on making your dreams come true."
"Um... What do you know about my dreams?" Marinette asked. While he wasn't looking, Marinette quickly looked behind her and cued for Alya to go out the back door.
"I know all about them," Félix said as he started talking. "Imagine this: the Agreste-Graham de Vanily mansion on a snowy, winter day, with a beautiful feast laid out."
He sat down on the couch and started rolling his shoulders and looking at Marinette, saying, "My little wife, massaging my shoulders."
Marinette nearly gagged.
"While the little ones are practicing their posture or playing with the hamsters," Félix continued as he stood up and got into Marinette's space. "We'll have six or seven."
"Hamsters?" Marinette asked, playing dumb, all while thinking, 'WHY is he hijacking the idea of me and Adrien having a hamster?!'
"No. Children, Marinette," Félix said. "Silly as ever."
"Doesn't sound realistic to me." Marinette said as she started walking away.
She made it into the hallway near the front door. She looked out the window and saw Alya was in position. Marinette smiled.
"And do you know who that beautiful, little wife will be?" Félix asked as he approached.
"Um, I have an idea, but I'm not looking forward to the answer..." Marinette began, then Félix snagged her hand and whirled her around.
"YOU, Marinette." Félix said with a wicked smile.
Marinette began to sweat.
"Félix, I... I thought I've told you my true feelings before." Marinette said while feigning surprise as Félix started dragging her to the door.
'All according to plan.' Marinette thought with a smile.
"Yes, you have," Félix said as he stopped in front of the door and held both of her wrists. "But Adrien's no longer with us. I'm going to take his place. So, marry me."
Marinette took her hands away just as Alya ran to the front door while being quiet. The redhead put her hand on the doorknob.
"I'm sorry, Félix," Marinette said as she went from smiling to giving him a firm frown. "But you're not Adrien, you will never be Adrien, I'll never replace him, and the idea of marrying you makes me want to throw up! So my answer is, HELL NO!"
Alya opened the front door from outside just as Marinette punched Félix in the jaw, sending him flying out the door and he fell face-first into a mud puddle. Alya was laughing as she ran back inside, slammed the door shut and locked it.
Everyone who saw Félix face-plant into the mud started laughing at his misfortune. He stood back up, realized what'd just transpired, then he snarled in rage.
"Judging by your mud-covered suit, I'm going to assume she said "no?"" One of the guests asked, still laughing.
The jilted "groom" growled angrily and he snagged the guest by the collar of his shirt. He said, "I'll have Marinette as my Missus! That, I guarantee!"
He threw the man away before stomping off in anger, wiping the mud off his face.
Back inside the cottage, Marinette and Alya were laughing their heads off, almost to the point where their faces were turning blue.
"Oh man, Marinette! That was a riot! You got him!" Alya laughed.
"That should get the point across!" Marinette laughed, agreeing.
"I can't get that messy image of him out of my mind! That won't get old for a long while!" Alya guffawed as the girls went to the front door.
Marinette hid out of sight.
"Is he gone?" Marinette asked as Alya looked out the window.
"Coast is clear, girl." Alya said.
"Good." Marinette said, relieved. She unlocked the door and the girls went outside.
"He's got some balls." Alya spoke, not amused about Félix's stunt.
"Yeah. Can you imagine? He asked me to marry him!" Marinette said before starting to sing. The girls started going around the house. "Me! The wife of that boorish, pushy..."
Alya followed.
"Madame Félix! Can you just see it?!" Marinette asked in song, then acted like a stereotypical demure woman. "Madame Félix, his "little wife.""
Both girls then faux gagged, sticking out their tongues.
"No ma'am! Not me! I guarantee it," Marinette sang, then took Alya's hand. "I want much more than this provincial life!"
The girls then ran out to the hill behind the cottage. It overlooked a beautiful mountain range scene with a large, sparkling river at the base of the mountains, lush, dark forest green evergreen trees and picturesque autumn trees with their leaves changing colors.
"I want adventure in the great, wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell..." Marinette sang as she and Alya sat down on the grass. Alya put a hand on her BFF's shoulder.
"And for once, it might be grand to have someone understand," Marinette sang as she remembered her beloved, departed fiancé. "I want so much more than they've got planned."
Marinette noticed a few birds up in the sky, flying around before flying far away, and out of sight.
She sighed before saying, "Like I said: since Adrien passed, it's like I've lost my reason to stay in this town."
"I'd be so sad if you left, girl," Alya said. "But if you were to leave, at least let me go with you."
"I'd never leave without you, Alya," Marinette agreed. "You're my best friend. I feel like if I were to have an adventure outside of this village, it'd be great to have you with me."
"Agreed." Alya said before the two girls shared a high-five.
The sound of a horse whinnying rang out from the nearby woods. Levain charged through and started running to the girls.
"Levain?!" Marinette asked as she and Alya stood up. The horse slowed down before stopping in front of Marinette.
"Uh-oh..." Alya said. "The carriage is here, the breads are still there, but... No Tom."
"Any ideas what could have happened?" Marinette questioned.
"I don't know," Alya said before Marinette mounted Levain. "What are you doing?"
"Levain, do you know where dad is?" Marinette asked. The horse gave something of a nod. "Then take me there! Please!"
"I'll tell Sabine what's going down! Go and find your old man!" Alya said.
"Got it!" Marinette said as she cracked the reigns and started riding Levain, while Alya ran to the house.
Marinette rode Levain like she was a woman at war. She was focused on the goal, and that was to find her father. By the time the sun set, when Levain ran through the tree pathway in the woods, and they came upon the same mansion.
"Wow... This is beyond weird," Marinette said. She swallowed a lump in her throat before breathing. "Let's go."
The horse reared up on his hind legs before charging for the mansion.
Once Marinette got into the yard and rode Levain through the gardens, she looked around at the moon-kissed flowers and said, "This... What is this place?"
The horse brought Marinette to the door of the estate. She dismounted before walking up the stairs to the door. She gently pushed the door open, only to reveal a beautiful, luxurious hallway with bad lighting.
Marinette took a deep breath before walking in. She walked through the halls, intending to find her father. She did notice the interior was tasteful, well-maintained, and screamed wealth, but that wasn't important.
As she passed an ajar door, she failed to notice a small, dark magenta tiger cub with copper-colored eyes and dark stripes. Marinette turned another corner into the next corridor.
The cub silently ran behind her and came to a door with large handles. She used her front paw to push the door open before silently slinking away.
Immediately after, Marinette heard hoarse, loud coughing coming from somewhere. Marinette looked around, and after a few sweeps of the hallway with her eyes, she saw the open door. She could tell that's where the coughing was coming from. Marinette ran to the door, saw that there was a spiral staircase that went down into the dark. Once again, she heard coughing. Marinette then took a candlestick before rushing down the stairs.
"Hello?! Dad, are you down here?!" Marinette asked.
"Marinette?" Tom asked.
Marinette gasped as she saw her father behind the dungeon cell bars, sitting on a bench and coughing heavily.
"Dad! Are you okay?!" Marinette said as her father ran to the bars and grabbed them.
"Marinette, how did you find me?" Tom asked.
"Levain brought me here, but that's neither here nor there," Marinette said before her father coughed heavily. "Let me find the keys to let you out."
"No, Marinette, listen to me," Tom spoke, before coughing again. "Please, leave me behind and go home!"
"Why?" Marinette asked. "And more importantly, who put you in here?!"
"No time to explain, but it's more like what put me-" Tom began.
"Hello?" Someone spoke from behind.
Marinette whirled around, noticed a silhouette in the dark, and she stood up confront him.
"Who are you?!" Marinette asked.
"I'm the owner of this mansion," The voice explained. "But... Who might you be?"
"My name is Marinette! I'm here for my father! Please, set him free! He's sick and he could die!" Marinette pleaded with him.
The person said, "Well, I..."
"Why is he even in the dungeon anyway?!" Marinette questioned. "My father wouldn't commit a single crime!"
"I... Actually did," Tom admitted. "All I remember before fainting was picking a rose."
"What?!" Marinette asked her dad. "The rose I wanted?!"
"Yes." Tom said.
"But that isn't fair!" Marinette said before turning her head back to the other person. "Listen, I'm the one who asked for the rose! Please, let me take the punishment!"
"But..." The voice tried to reason.
"I'll take his place here if you want!" Marinette offered.
"What?" The man asked. "You... Would really do that?"
"Marinette, no! You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" Tom pleaded.
"Would you let him go if I stayed in his place?" Marinette questioned, taking a step forward.
"Yes, I will," He said, taking a step forward. "But... Only if you swear to stay here forever. Either way, it's up to you."
Marinette saw there was some light coming in through the ceiling window - which led outside, she assumed - and saw there was a spot between her and her father's captor.
"...Come into the light." Marinette said in request.
"Are you sure? I... Don't think I'm very easy on the eyes." He asked.
"Please?" Marinette asked again.
"Okay..." He said before slowly coming forward.
As he came forward, Marinette's eyes widened.
Before her stood a giant snake-like creature who stood at least three or four heads taller than her. The bottom half of his body was a giant, long snake's tail that had a rattle, and it was covered in murky teal scales. The top half of his body looked like the arms, chest, and neck area had similar scales that were absolutely covered in skin lesions, which looked disgusting. His hands had claws that were about an inch long, and there was a bangle on his left wrist.
But his face looked like a snake's head in a human's shape, scales and all, with big, blue, snake-like eyes.
Marinette gasped and covered her mouth at the sight of him. She turned around to her dad, who pleaded to Marinette, "Don't do this, Marinette!"
Marinette looked at her father, then told him, "I love you, dad."
She stood up, turned back to the beast, and with her eyes closed, she approached him and said, "I swear on my life."
"Deal." He said before slithering over to the dungeon cell. He unlocked the door.
Tom ran to Marinette as she collapsed to her knees, about to cry.
"Marinette, please! You've got your own life to live! Go back to the village, chase your dreams!" Tom pleaded.
"No, dad... There's nothing in that town for me anymore. Might as well be here." Marinette said as she hugged her father back.
The beast, who was staying back to give them space, watched sadly as father and daughter said goodbye to each other.
"...Are you two ready?" He gently asked after a few minutes.
Marinette stood up and gave him a nod. He nodded in reply, then snapped his fingers. A pair of snakes took Tom by the arms and started dragging him to a carriage that was outside the castle.
"Please, don't hurt my daughter! Please!" Tom pleaded with the snakes.
"Don't worry, ssssssir," One of them said as they dropped him next to the carriage. "Your daughter will be perfectly sssssafe with ussssss. Our massssster is a benevolent perssssson, and will treat her with nothing but the upmossssst ressssspect."
The other snake ushered Tom into the carriage, which started moving on its own accord out of the garden.
Marinette, who was watching the scene from one of the windows, began crying as she saw her father disappear from her sight.
The beast slithered closer to her, tempted to put a hand to her shoulder for comfort, but he backed off, since he wasn't sure if she wanted it.
"I'll show you to your room." The snake monster said as he started slithering to the stairs, then began climbing them up without an issue.
"My room?" Marinette asked as she followed.
"Yeah, your room," He replied as he opened the door and led Marinette out. "Come on."
Instead of questioning him, Marinette just fell quiet as she looked around at her new surroundings as he led her through the castle with a candle. She saw how dark and brooding the colors of the interior of the castle were, including gargoyles on the walls.
Spooked, Marinette ran closer to the beast, and he turned his head around to look at her. His face fell when he saw the tear streaming down her face.
He soon stopped in front of a door and he opened it, saying, "Here's your room."
Marinette looked inside and saw a beautiful, queen-size bed in a large room. The bedding was in pink and had a few dark grey accents in it. She saw that the bedroom had a window out to the garden and a large wardrobe.
"It... It's beautiful." Marinette said as she walked inside the room.
"Listen..." The beast began, getting Marinette's attention. "You can go anywhere in the estate that you want. And if there's anything you need, I'll have the servants help you out."
"...Thank you..." Marinette quietly said.
"Also... I know this probably isn't going to make the situation any better, but I want you to feel at home here," He said as he took out a small box that was red with black spots. "So... Here."
Marinette was silent, but she took the box into her hands. She still refused to look the beast in the eyes.
"Dinner will be ready soon. I hope you'll be there so we can get to know each other a little more." He said before slithering away.
Marinette's face fell, thinking, 'That was very kind of him, but...'
But she cleared that thought from her mind, then shut the door and locked it before running to the bed. She threw herself onto it and started crying into her pillow. Outside the perimeter of the estate, it was nothing short of snowy and the weather was only getting worse.
In the Agreste-Graham de Vanily mansion, Félix had cleaned himself up and was now in the living/dining room area, angrily sulking in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea.
"Marinette has some nerve! She's pissed off the wrong man! No one denies Félix Graham de Vanily!" He griped.
"Indeed." Amélie Graham de Vanily, his mother, agreed. She had the same hair and eyes as her son and was wearing a black dress.
She'd walked in with a tray that had a teapot, complete with a cup, saucer, sugar cubes, and a few small desserts.
"It wasn't enough that she chose Adrien over me, but for her to shoot me down in such a mortifying way... This is too much!" Félix ranted.
He grabbed the tea tray and threw it into the fire, breaking it.
"More tea?" Amélie asked her son, instead of addressing his fit.
"That's not going to help, mother," Félix said. "The bottom line is that I'm degraded."
"You? No way," Amélie insisted. "You've got to pick yourself back up."
Félix pouted before his mother started singing.
"Gosh, it disturbs me to see you, my son, looking so down in the dumps," Amélie sang as Félix took a vase and threw it on the ground in a huff. "Every guy your age wants to BE you, my son, even when taking your lumps."
He blew a raspberry in response.
"There's no boy in town as admired as you. You're everyone's favorite guy," Amélie sang as she put her hands on her son's shoulders. "Everyone's awed and inspired by you, and it's not very hard to see why."
Félix pouted again as Amélie began to dance.
"No one's slick as my son, no one's quick as my son. No one's hair as incredibly thick as my son!" Amélie sang before putting her hands in his hair. "There's no one in town quite as manly. Perfect, a pure paragon!"
Félix looked at the portrait of him and Adrien together. They were cousins, but they were easily mistaken for twins - the fact their mothers were identical twins didn't help.
"You can ask any Tom, Dick, or Stanley," Amélie sang as she sashayed around the room, waving her hands to the male servants in the house. "And they can tell you who's team they'd prefer to be on."
Félix looked at Amélie. She snapped her fingers and more of the butlers and maids in the estate came into the room.
"No one's been like my (her) son! A king pin like my (her) son!" Amélie sang with the servants playing the chorus.
"No one's brain is as sharp as a pin like my son!" Amélie sang as she came over to Félix and tapped his forehead.
"As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating!" Félix sang, smirking wickedly and crossing his arms.
"My, what a guy, my (her) dear son!" Amélie crooned with the servants in the background.
"Give five hurrahs! Give twelve hip-hips!" The chorus sang.
"My son is the best and the rest is all drips!" Amélie sang as she twirled around before posing like a model.
"No one fights like my (her) son, can do right like my (her) son!" The group sang as they kept praising Félix.
"No one's got a knack for trickery like my son!" Amélie crooned.
"For there's no one as clever or brainy!" The maids sang, all clearly kissing up to the Graham de Vanily heir.
"As you see, I've got tactics to spare!" He sang as did a counter-riposte against his mother before parrying and they got back to fencing again.
"Not a bit of him acts like a baby!" Amélie giggled.
"That's right," Félix agreed before gesturing to his bookcase. "And I've got advanced books stored everywhere!"
"No one hits like my (her) son! Matches wits like my (her) son!" The chorus crooned as Amélie and Félix continued their fencing match.
"In a fencing match, no one can fence like my son!" Amélie sang as she took two of the picks for the fireplace and tossed one of them over to Félix.
He caught it in his hand, then started doing some fencing poses. Amélie said, "En garde!"
The two of them started to spar and were having fun.
"I'm especially good at a ceding parry!" He sang before Amélie lunged to her son. She tried to touch him with her pick, but he rotated his pick around hers before knocking his mother's weapon away. "Ha!"
"Touché for my (her) son!" The chorus crooned.
"When I was a lad, I practiced once a day, so my skills could make me a star," He sang as he pretended to fence with the fire pick. "And now that I'm grown, I practice three times a day, so my talent is way above par!"
"No one... lies like my (her) son, gets what he wants like my (her) son!" The chorus sang, with Amélie leading.
"Then messes things up for others like my son!" Amélie sang, praising her son's trickery and cruelty in his moves.
"I use trophies in all of my decorating!" Félix crooned as he spoke about his room and saw how many trophies, medals, etc., he had on display.
"My, what a guy, my (her) dear son!" Everyone sang and the song wrapped up.
There was a frantic knocking on the door.
Nathalie Sancoeur, the assistant to Adrien's father, Gabriel Agreste, a woman wearing black with some red accents (her black hair with a red streak in a bun and glasses) came to the door and opened it.
On the doorstep was Tom, who was covered in the snow that was covering the village. He was breathing heavily, his face frantic, and shaking in his shoes.
"Why, Tom, please, come in," Nathalie asked. The man came in before dusting himself off. "You look very frightened. What brings you by?"
"I'm very sorry to bother you tonight, but I need to borrow a horse!" Tom said.
"A horse?" Félix asked as he and Amélie came to look at him. "What's the matter? Is Levain not doing well?"
"No, it's not that. It's something else completely... He's got..." Tom said. "He's... He's got her... He's got Marinette! She's locked in a dungeon! I..."
"Tom, slow down," Félix began, but his face screamed amusement. "Who's got Marinette in a dungeon?"
"A... A beast... A huge beast!" Tom spoke.
Amélie and Félix started laughing at this notion, but Nathalie remained neutral on the issue.
"I'm not lying!" Tom insisted. "The beast took Marinette prisoner in exchange for my freedom, all because I picked one of his roses!"
"Roses? This time of year?" Amélie asked, laughing.
"ALL OF THIS IS REAL!" Tom shouted. "Marinette is in trouble! I need help to get her out!"
"Crazy old Tom." Amélie giggled.
Affronted, Tom said, "I'm not crazy!"
"Is he a large beast?" Nathalie asked, still neutral.
"At least three heads taller than Marinette!" Tom insisted.
"Furry?" Félix questioned, crossing his arms with a cruel laugh.
"No, scaly! Like a huge snake!" Tom described.
"Claws?" Amélie asked.
"Yes, about an inch long!" Tom said.
"How about fangs?" Félix asked once more.
"Giant, long ones!" Tom groaned, fearful. "Please, help me!"
"Of course, Tom," Amélie said as she subtly tried getting Tom to the door. "We'll help."
"Oh, thank yo-" Tom began, but Amélie tossed him out the door and into the snow.
She then locked it before giggling to Nathalie, "Well, that old man's out of our hair now. Shall we get some dinner?"
Félix's face grew thoughtful as his mother made her way to the dining room.
"Crazy old Tom, huh...?" Félix muttered before his face lit up, inspired.
He took Amélie by the shoulder to stop her.
"Mother, I'm afraid I've been thinking." Félix sang to his mom, a smirk coming onto his face.
"It's not the worst pastime." Amélie sang.
"I know. That old coot is Marinette's father. Seems his sanity's starting to go," Félix continued. "Look, the gears in my head have been turning since I looked at that bakery man. See, I swore to myself that I'd wed Marinette, and now I'm evolving a plan!"
"Ooh, let me hear it." Amélie said, before Félix motioned for her to lean in so he could whisper into her ear.
"If I..." Félix began, before whispering.
"Okay..." Amélie began.
"Then we..." He continued, whispering again.
"No! She wouldn't-" Amélie gasped, a smile coming on to her face.
"She would." Félix said.
"Now I get it! Go for it!" Amélie encouraged. "No one plots like my son!"
"Takes cheap shots like your son." Félix sang.
"Plans to persecute harmless bakers like my son!" Amélie crooned.
"So my marriage we soon will be celebrating!" Félix sang as he took up a glass of red wine one of the butlers brought him.
"My, what a guy... My son!" Amélie sang as Félix raised his glass in triumph.
Outside in the snow, Tom was making his way back to the house, saying, "Won't anyone help me?"
He soon got to the cottage, meeting up with Alya and Sabine.
"Any luck?!" Sabine asked frantically.
"No! The Agreste-Graham de Vanily family didn't believe a word I said!" Tom began.
"Damn it!" Alya groaned with a stomp of her foot. "I told you that asking Félix for help was a bad idea!"
"You were right about that, Alya. But now what are we going to do?" Sabine asked. "We only had Levain as our one horse."
"I'll go ask my family if you can borrow one of ours!" Alya said. "If it means saving Marinette from that beast, then I'll do whatever I can."
"Thank you, Alya." Sabine said as Alya ran back to her house to get one of their horses.
"Oh, Marinette... Why did you have to sacrifice yourself to a monster... For me?!" Tom wept.
Okay! That's it for chapter 2! Coming up, Marinette's present from the beast turns out to be something very beautiful. All the while, she's being stubborn and trying to avoid the beast as much as she can, and yet she inevitably runs into him.
Now, I know I'm not characterizing Luka as very mean in this story, but let's get real: the only time we've seen Luka actually get nasty is in "Silencer," but it was with damn good reason.
Review goal time! Let's see about 13+ before we see chapter three!