Chat barely had time to drop onto an alley street before Ladybug detransformed. At the flash of light, he pulled her close. "My eyes are shut. There's no one around us. I didn't see anything and I don't think anyone else did either."
Confirming that Chat's eyes were indeed safely shut, Marinette pulled away. "Thank you chaton." She trusted her partner completely, but it calmed her nerves to see it for herself. After checking if Tikki was okay, she opened her purse to let Tikki rest until they found cookies. She glanced quickly at their surroundings. She recognized the area and took a sharp breath in surprise.
"Uh, could you chloro-fill me in on the plan here my lady?" he whispered, afraid of giving her away, "I really don't want to leave you detransformed with madame crazy flying around trapping people."
"Chat, we're near my house." She grabbed his hand. "Keep your eyes closed. If we go quickly, we can go in the back door and up the stairs before my parents see us." Without waiting for an answer, she started to jog down the alley toward the back door.
"But Ladybug what if I-"
"Ssh! Keep it down and we'll make it to my room!" Marinette flung the back door open and bolted to the stairs. Chat Noir likely hadn't been in her parents' bakery and even if he had, the connecting door was safely shut. She near dragged Chat up the stairs to her room and slammed the trap door shut. Marinette dropped her partner's hand. He smelled something vaguely familiar as they ran, but he couldn't put his claw on it.
"I don't think anyone saw us. Now I'll run down casually, get Tikki some food, and come back to get us out of here and transform."
Chat stood straight and saluted his lady. "And I'll stand here with my eyes closed until you come back and safely get us out of here to transform."
"Good kitty," she scratched him under his chin, earning a small purr. She reached into her purse and gave Tikki's head a small pet. "Ready Tikki?" With a small nod from her kwami, she lowered herself into her family's apartment.
Marinette tiptoed into the kitchen. She was hoping the batch of chocolate chip her maman made for the family that morning were still on the counter. Just as she rounded the counter, she heard her father's voice booming from the bakery.
"Could you bring me the extra powdered sugar bag dear? I forgot it in the top cupboard!" Marinette swore her papa had ears like a bat.
"Yes papa!" Glad he didn't use her name, she swept a few cookies into her bag and turned to face the top cupboard. "We meet again." She muttered.
Marinette dragged one of their kitchen chairs up to their countertop and tested its stability with her foot. Satisfied with it, she slowly crept up to the top cupboard, holding on to the others for balace. She carefully opened the door and started to slide the bag toward her. Gathering it in a bear hug, she pushed the cupboard door shut with her elbow and hopped off the chair. Marinette kicked it closer to the table and decided it was good enough. She trotted over to the bakery door, gave it a light tap with her foot, and felt her papa take the bag.
"Thank you!" He whistled his way into the bakery.
Marinette let out a sigh of relief. She checked her bag. "All ready to go Tikki?"
"Ready to go! But you should hurry back to Chat Noir!"
"Right!" After checking that the coast was clear and no one would see Chat Noir, she climbed up to her room in time to see a flash of green light."
Marinette was in shock. "No-"
"My Lady- I'm sorry I- I forgot about-"
Bless her cat his eyes were still closed.
"Adrien."