AN: Chapter prompt: Flowers.

Sorry about the gap; I wasn't well over the weekend. Hope the longer chapter makes up for the wait!

Chapter Five: Rumbled

"Thank you," Nathalie said gratefully as Miss Bustier handed her a cup of coffee.

"You're welcome, Ms Sancoeur."

"Nathalie, please."

"Well in that case, it's Caline." The teacher stirred her own coffee and sat down on the chair next to Nathalie's. "Thank you very much again for coming in to talk to the students."

Nathalie felt her face heat up again at the memory. "Er … least we could do, after all those requests."

"How long have you worked for Mr Agreste?"

"Twelve years. But we've known each other longer."

"I thought it must have been a long time. You're obviously very close."

Nathalie almost choked on her coffee. "Wh-what makes you say that?"

Caline Bustier smiled. "Well for one thing, the fact that you can get away with teasing him in front of a classroom full of students."

"Oh." That. "Yes, well … it was quite a personal question; I didn't really know how else to answer."

"I can imagine it being awkward in front of all those people."

You don't know the half of it, Nathalie thought. "You could say that."

"So what's the honest answer?" Caline asked, smiling. "Just between us. I promise it won't go any further."

"Well …"

If most people had asked, Nathalie would have told them to mind their own business. But this sweet-mannered woman was surprisingly hard to be rude to.

"… it's not easy," she said slowly. "Mr Agreste can be a … challenge."

Caline raised her eyebrows. "So the 'slave-driver' comment wasn't a joke?"

"More like hyperbole. He can be quite demanding, but that's not really the issue."

"What is?"

"I'm sure you're aware that he and Adrien … don't have the greatest relationship. The hardest part of the job is trying to mediate between them without breaching professional protocol. It's almost impossible most of the time."

"You obviously care for Adrien a lot," Caline said softly.

Nathalie allowed herself to nod.

"And … for Mr Agreste too?"

A casual "Mm," felt like the safest response to that one.

"They're lucky to have you looking out for them."

"That's kind of you to say."

"It's no wonder Adrien likes you so much."

Nathalie didn't know what to say to that, so she simply took another sip.

When Adrien reached the staff room, he didn't knock, but pressed an ear to the door.

"What are you doing?" Plagg whispered.

"Shush!" Adrien grinned as he heard the sound of laughter inside.

I knew it. Miss Bustier can befriend anyone.

In truth, this step had not been part of the plan originally, and wasn't really entirely necessary. But when Marinette had suggested it, Adrien had liked it very much. Not even because it was another opportunity to subtly point Nathalie in the direction of his father—but for the mere fact that Nathalie was severely lacking in friends outside of their household. If nothing else, this was a chance for her to make some new ones.

He stepped back and knocked on the door. "Nathalie? Are you in there?"

It opened after a moment. "Sorry, Adrien; I lost track of the time. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Of course I am!—Wait, how did you know where I was?"

"Mr Damocles told me he'd seen you go inside with Miss Bustier," Adrien replied flawlessly.

"I'm sorry for keeping her, Adrien," Miss Bustier said, appearing in the doorway as well.

"That's okay. See you tomorrow, Miss."

It was so hard not to smile triumphantly as Nathalie and his teacher, already on first-name terms, quickly said goodbye and exchanged phone numbers.

There was no opportunity for Nathalie to talk to Adrien about his matchmaking plan on the way home; instead, she was relaying details for a last-minute photo shoot that Gabriel had just sent her details for.

I won't get the chance afterwards, either, Nathalie realised when she noted the expected finishing time. By then she would be getting ready for her unexpected social engagement.

"Don't dawdle," she said to Adrien when they arrived. "We're running late."

"I'll be quick!" he promised, already hurrying up the stairs.

Nathalie entered the atelier. "He's just getting ready, sir."

Gabriel looked up from his work, and nodded. "Fine. Something else arrived for you, Nathalie."

"Something else?" Nathalie turned to her desk, and her mouth fell open.

Clustered on the surface were a dozen bouquets of flowers.

Great. I really, really have to talk to Adrien. Goodness knows what else he's got planned.

They were beautiful, and well-picked; dark blue with purple and magenta accents, tied with silver ribbon. And the scent filling the room was delicately intoxicating.

"The same admirer?" Gabriel queried.

"Probably." Nathalie checked the card, and sighed.

I really lilac you. My feelings for you grow and grow each day.

Your secret admirer xxx

Nathalie couldn't remember the last time she had gone out on a girls' night. It was most likely during her student years. Oh, goodness, has it really been that long? she thought to herself with a groan.

Gabriel frequently called her a workaholic (very hypocritically), and he was right. She could hardly remember the last time she had taken time off work either.

Her nerves were in a tangle as she entered the bar where they had arranged to meet, looking around for a familiar face.

"Over here!" She spotted Caline waving her over.

Nathalie recognised the other two women with her, though it took a few moments to place them. The one in the cheongsam was Marinette Dupain-Cheng's mother; she had met her several times in the run-up to, and on the day of, Gabriel's last show. The pink-haired one was Jagged Stone's agent.

I wouldn't have pegged those three for being buddies, she thought idly, but didn't give it any more thought as she joined them.

Despite being very rusty at this, the other women did their best to put Nathalie at ease, and it worked. She found herself relaxing quickly (which was only partly to do with the Sidecar), and enjoying herself immensely. Within a short time it felt as though they had known each other for years.

Penny entertained them with several weird tales about Jagged's 'baby', Fang the crocodile. Sabine told a long and just as funny story about a misunderstood customer order which had led to a somewhat inappropriate cake being made for a five-year-old's birthday party. Caline related a story about discovering a colleague of hers (not naming any names) who had accidentally locked themselves in the school basement for an entire weekend.

In turn, Nathalie told some tales from inside Gabriel about the more chaotic side of the fashion industry—accidentally damaged prototypes; tantrums from models who thought they owned the place; the time Nathalie had got concussion after a critic had thrown a stiletto at Gabriel and missed. One particular story had them all in stitches regarding Gabriel's theatrics over a dry-cleaning fiasco, which was a side to him not many people got to see.

"The next round is on me," Caline insisted once they'd all finished laughing. "No, I insist," she added as Nathalie tried to argue. "Same again, everyone?"

"I'll help you carry them," Penny said, getting to her feet.

They took a while returning because of a very talkative barman who appeared to be trying to flirt with Caline, and returned looking disgusted. "Some men!"

"What did he say?"

"It wasn't what he said; it was what he clearly wanted, which was to find a single woman desperate to get any old date in order to not be single on the fourteenth. I wanted to throw my drink in his face."

"I'll do it for you," Nathalie offered.

"That's sweet of you to offer, but I don't want us all to be thrown out."

Nathalie immediately made a note to do it when they were about to leave.

"Has Tom got something special planned for Valentine's Day?" Penny asked Sabine, and Nathalie tried not to groan as that subject came up again. Well, she supposed it was inevitable so close to the day, and after what Caline had said.

"Oh, yes. He's keeping the details close to his chest; he insists it's a surprise every year. Whatever it is, it's always followed by ice cream at André's; and this year of course we've got the party at the school afterwards."

"I don't believe I'm familiar with André's," Nathalie said, keen to get off the subject of the party. Gabriel had read the letter with raised eyebrows, and she had expected him to immediately dismiss the idea, but for some reason he had said he needed time to think about it.

"Really? Oh goodness, we have to correct that!" Sabine immediately told her about the legend of André Glacier and his magical ice cream, followed by the story of the engagement ring which had almost been swallowed, and set them all off laughing again for several minutes.

"What about you, Penny?" Sabine asked. "This is yours and Jagged's first Valentine's Day as a couple, isn't it?"

"It is," Penny replied, blushing. "He's got a gig in the evening, so we're celebrating in the morning; we're exploring the Petite Ceinture rail line. With a picnic."

"That man spoils you," Caline said, and they all giggled.

"It's where he first asked me out," Penny said. "We were running from an akuma attack and got a bit … lost."

"This sounds like a story I have to hear," Nathalie said.

"It is. But first, I want to know what you meant when you told that sleaze that you had a boyfriend," Penny said, turning to Caline, who immediately blushed heavily. "And don't say you were lying to get him to back off, because you went as red as you're going right now when you said it."

"I …" Caline smiled down into her drink. "I may have some Valentine's Day plans now."

"Ooh, do tell!"

"A couple of days ago I met this really sweet man …"

"Who?"

"He works at the Grand Paris; his name is Jean—"

They all winced as someone at the next table accidentally knocked a glass over with a loud crash, and then laughed.

"Where did you meet?" Nathalie asked.

For some reason, a moment of panic seemed to flit across Caline's face. "Er—I was at the hotel for … er … a parent-teacher thing," she finished quickly. "Anyway, it was love at first sight."

"Ahh," Sabine sighed.

"Do you have any plans, Nathalie?" Penny asked.

The million-euro question. "Well …"

They all seemed to tense expectantly.

"… I think that depends on who you ask," Nathalie finished with a sigh.

"Sorry?" Sabine asked.

Maybe it was the alcohol affecting her judgement, or just the good feeling about being around people she liked and didn't feel she had to hide her feelings from, but after a few moments' consideration, Nathalie decided to tell them.

"Adrien is trying to set me up with his father."

Maybe she should have waited a moment before saying that, because Caline, Penny and Sabine all choked on their drinks.

"Wh-what?" Penny asked, as the three of them exchanged strange looks. "What makes you say that?"

"He's been sending me anonymous Valentines which are supposedly from Gabriel."

"Maybe they are from Mr Agreste," Caline suggested. "How can you be so sure they aren't, if they're anonymous?"

"It started off with a love letter in Gabriel's handwriting. Or at least it was supposed to look like his handwriting, but it wasn't."

Sabine raised her eyebrows. "You … think it was forged?"

"I know it was. I think Adrien's roped your daughter into helping him."

"Oh. Well, Marinette is a romantic as well," Sabine said. "I'm sure neither of them meant any harm by it."

"No, of course not. But he followed it up with gifts of chocolate and flowers … I know I need to talk to him, but I don't know how to tell him that it's not going to work."

The others glanced at each other. There was a short but awkward silence.

"Excuse me," Sabine said, getting to her feet. "I've just remembered I have to call Tom about something. Back in a minute."

Adrien had just got into bed when his phone buzzed. He sat up and reached for it, then frowned when he saw the caller.

"Mrs Dupain-Cheng?"

"We have a problem, Adrien," Sabine said.

"What? What problem?"

"Nathalie knows what you're up to. Something must have given it away."

"Sh-she knows?" Adrien smacked himself in the forehead. "Oh, no!"

"Don't panic, dear. Let us handle it. She has no idea any of us know about the plan, so we'll see if we can steer her in the right direction."

"Thanks. But … if you can't?"

"Then we'll have to come up with a Plan B. But let us try some damage control first."

"Do you want it to work?"

Nathalie's head shot up. "What?"

"It's just … the way you were talking about Mr Agreste earlier … it sounded like …" Caline trailed off.

Like I want to be with Gabriel, Nathalie thought as Sabine returned.

"Is it that obvious?" she half-whispered.

"Um …" That's a yes, clearly. "… Only to us very astute people," Penny finished.

"Is what obvious?" Sabine asked.

Nathalie took a deep breath, staring down at her glass. "That I … have feelings for Gabriel."

Wow. That was the first time she had admitted it out loud. Ever. She'd never had anyone to talk to about it before.

"I think if Adrien knows how I feel … it will only encourage him."

"That's understandable. But I'm not sure I understand why what Adrien's doing is a problem," Caline said.

"Because …" Nathalie hesitated, looking for the right words. "… Gabriel's not over his wife. I don't think he'll ever be able to let go."

"Never say never," Sabine said kindly, putting an arm around her shoulders.

In this case, Nathalie was pretty sure she could say never. But she dared not get into why she was so sure.

"It's certainly not a possibility right now. And I'm afraid that whatever Adrien's got planned—it's just going to backfire and make things horribly awkward between all three of us. I really don't think I could—could continue working for Mr Agreste if he knows how I feel about him. I wouldn't just be losing my job; I'd be losing both of them as well."

"But you don't know how to explain that to Adrien," Penny said. Nathalie shook her head.

There was a short pause. "Why don't you let me talk to him?" Caline suggested.

"You?"

"He knows me, after all. Though if you think that's stepping out of line—"

"No—no, not at all. Thank you, Caline."

"I'll try and catch him at school tomorrow, but he doesn't actually have any classes with me. He's has Literature with me first thing the day after, though, so I can talk to him then if I don't manage it tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow is Valentine's Day," Nathalie pointed.

"Yes, but he won't have a chance to do anything first thing in the morning, will he?"

Nathalie considered. With this party in the evening, she was positive whatever final move Adrien was planning to make, would be then. "Alright. But he's probably got more gifts lined up for tomorrow …"

"I'm sure you can handle it," Penny said, and the others nodded.

TBC …

AN: I'm thinking I might write that Rolling-Stone story now. And maybe Caline and Jean's meeting. Two ships I'm very fond of but haven't written anything for (yet!). But I'll finish this fic off first.

Also, sorry there's very little actual Gabenath interaction in this chapter. There will be more in the next one!