A.N.- Did you all miss me? I wanted to thank my beta for fine-tuning the chapter for you all and to you all and your supportive comments. You are the best. I won't keep you from the chapter, but make sure you read the ending author's note.

Chapter 6

It was a highlight to visit Mrs. Petit's apartment every week, even if she could only spare a few minutes so they could catch up. They had a chance encounter on the stairs and Marinette had offered to help carry her groceries back and the whole way they talked. After that day, everything changed. Marinette would often come over to talk about various subjects from school to her future dreams. The elderly women would offer her advice but only when asked. The knowledge that someone gave up her time, effort and energy at a moments notice to listen brought her comfort. She wouldn't trade the laughter and conversations for anything in the world.

Her friend's face lit up at the sight of the baked goods and she stepped aside ushering Marinette towards the couch before starting a pot of tea for them to share.

"How are your studies?" Mrs. Petit asked.

Marinette started pacing the room, smiling softly. Education was the first thing Mrs. Petit asked in their time together, Marinette assumed that it was important in her upbringing. It was prompted when one day she had brought over her sketches, and although Mrs. Petit knew nothing about fashion, she could still appreciate Marinette's sketches.

"Everything has been a dream come true. My teacher slipped that I'm in the final pool for the Agreste internship. It would be an opportunity of a lifetime; not only would I be working with the most talented man in the business, the exposure to other contacts would jump start my career."

During her response, she couldn't help but notice how lined the walls were with old photographs of Mrs. Petit and a man assumed to be her husband, prompting Marinette to ask, "Whatever happened to your husba- Mr. Petit?" Her heart panged inside her chest partly out of guilt that she had never asked before.

The old lady patted a space for Marinette to sit next to her before letting out a sigh. "He passed on 5 years ago, God bless his soul. The doctors said that his heart just gave out...I was at the store at the time, and as crazy as it sounds, I knew something was wrong. It wasn't until I came home and found him that I…" Mrs. Petit's voice trailed off into silence as she relived the memory.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-" Marinette couldn't even begin to describe how she would feel if that happened to her.

"It's ok, child. I love and miss him so much. And when you love someone like I loved him, he is a part of me. It's like you're attached by this invisible tether and no matter how far away you are, you can feel them. When they're gone it feels like part of you is ripped open, but when reunited there is nothing better."

Surely Mrs. Petit wasn't insinuating that only one person was completely compatible out of everyone in the world?

"I'm not sure I understand," She confessed picking up her cup of tea.

"For example, Ladybug and Chat Noir..." Marinette almost spat out her tea. "It's clear from watching them in a battle that they're opposites, but that's what makes them strong. He raises her up when she needs it most, and visa-versa."

The only question racing through Marinette's mind at that exact moment was: how many fights did Mrs. Petit witness, putting herself in danger in the process?

"So-So you think that Chat Noir an-and LadyBug are soulmates?" Marinette was lucky not to drop her cup in the process of setting it on the table. It seemed to be the safer option.
Mrs. Petit simply smiled before answering, "I would bet my life on it." Such a bold statement made Marinette even more curious about what her relationship was like with her husband.

"Would you tell me more about him?" Since her project was completed and Amelie had Adrien over, she was in no rush to return to her apartment.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Can you get me a drink, sweetie?" Amelie raised her head from its comfortable spot on the blonde's chest batting her eyelashes. Her words snapped Adrien out of his thoughts, pulling his eyes from the fire. He hadn't meant to drift off, but his girlfriend seemed to be more interested in her Instagram account.

But it was a simple enough request, so Adrien threw back the fuzzy blanket left the comfort of the warm fireplace. On his way to the kitchen, his eyes landed on Marinette's door. He hadn't seen her since he arrived. The model glanced back at Amelie who was too busy taking a selfie to notice when his feet veered off course. He pushed open the door to a semi-dark room except for the lamp that illuminated the designs on the desk. His heart dropped as his shoulders slumped down, no wonder he hadn't seen her. He was about to leave when some of the designs on the desk caught his eye. They were for Ladybug and Chat Noir. He shouldn't, but Adrien couldn't tear himself away. His fingers brushed over the sketch. Is this what Marinette did in her free time? Maybe he could persuade her to move forward with these and then he wouldn't freeze to death on patrol this winter.

The only thing that could draw his attention further was a piece of paper with his name underlined. Curiosity got the better of him and he reached for what looked like a list and pulled it out of the magazine. His eyes narrowed as he started reading:

Never be alone together

Keep conversation to small talk

What was this? The list seemed to go on and on of regulations set in place against him. The Marinette he knew wouldn't have come up with this on her own. Adrien picked up the magazine and instantly zeroed in on one name; Amelie.

"Adrien?" Her voice startled him, and, in a panic, he shoved the list in his pocket and closed the door.

He grabbed a glass of water but with every step back to his girlfriend, his anger stoked into a fire. When the cup was slammed on the table, it finally caught her attention.

"What's wrong with you?" She tried to clean up any spilled water from damaging the end table. Amelie leaned back in her seat to notice Adrien with a permanent frown sulking in his blanket.

"Talk to me," she cooed as her fingers played with the fluff of hair on his neckline.

"Why, so you can boss me around like everyone else?" Adrien thought that he mumbled it quietly enough for only him to hear, but a stern cough drew his gaze to meet an electrified stare.

"What did you say?" Her tone drew goosebumps, and Adrien knew it was too late to turn back.

"Don't you get tired of ordering everybody around all the time?" This was giving him flashbacks of some of his conversations with Chloe. "I saw the way you talked to people at your mom's company, and the way you twisted Marinette's arm into her date."

"My mom has been grooming me to take over the business for a year. What kind of boss would allow their employees to submit subpar work with the fashion shows only a couple weeks away?" From the business side she made a point but in all his years he had never witnessed anything like that go down in his dad's company. His dad would never admit it, but Adrien had seen the number of hours he had poured into its success. "And like it or not, Marinette agreed to the date all on her own."

"What do you even know about this guy anyway?" With those words, the fight exploded.

Marinette allowed her feet to wander the familiar worn path from Mrs. Petit's apartment to her own as her mind mulled over the wisdom she was given. If she was honest she had never given much thought to her stance on soulmates, but the way that she had talked about her late husband was persuasive. Even if she was off base with her examples, her heart was in the right place.

As she neared her apartment, she heard shouting, slowing her stroll to a stop. It was only a couple steps to the door, but she didn't need to venture any further to hear the words that were being said. She shouldn't listen, but as soon as she heard Adrien's voice say her name she knew that she couldn't move even if she wanted to; they were arguing about her? Her skin crawled as her chest tightened on the spot, she never wanted to be the reason that they would fight.

"Maybe we shouldn't be. I'm done, Amelie." An icy sensation shot down her spine at the anger in his words. Did she hear what she thought she heard?

The sound of approaching footsteps caused her to jump, regaining control over her limbs, but there was no place to hide short of bursting into a stranger's apartment which would bring about more trouble in the long run. Marinette froze like a deer in headlights when he slammed the door shut. Immediately his face softened when he caught sight of her a couple feet down the hallway.

"Marinette," one hand flew to the back of neck out of instinct reaction. "I guess you heard that, huh?" His voice was heavy almost as if whatever was in mind had spilled out through his vocal chords.

"Not all of it, but these walls are paper thin so I'm sure the neighbors did." It was supposed to be a joke, but Marinette couldn't even bring herself to laugh. She was waiting for him to excuse himself right then and there, but it never came. Wasn't she supposed to be overjoyed that the boy she had liked for so long was finally free? But she couldn't budge this feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong. So, she did the only things she could do; retreat into the sanctuary of her room. "You should probably go. If she catches you out here she'll chase you down to the street." Her roommate had a temper when she was fueled enough. Marinette turned towards the door of the apartment but before she could push it open, Adrien's hand gently grabbed her arm.

"We're still friends right, Marinette?" The question caught her off guard because she had known Adrien longer than his relationship. It was hard to think as his eyes were wandering in hers searching for an answer.

She slipped on a smile, "We'll always be." However true the statement was it still left the stale taste of a lie on her tongue. 'That's all we'll ever be,' her mind corrected.

His body seemed relaxed as if the simple words lifted a burden he didn't know he was carrying. He glanced warily at the door before giving a slight head nod as his farewell.

Marinette watched as Adrien walked out of site before letting out a sigh she was holding. If her conversation with him was any indication of what was waiting before the door, she wanted to take a couple moments to herself first. When Amelie got into her moods, it shifted the feel of the apartment. There wasn't talking, and they would stay mostly in her room.

"Amelie?" She asked as she slid through the door, she heard a muffled cry in the kitchen. Marinette rounded the corner in time to see her roommate wiping tears from her eyes. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Adrien he- something came up and he had to cancel the weekend trip." Amelie's voice cracked slightly, but she managed to keep her composure. Even though that may be true, Marinette had a feeling that wasn't the only thing that was wrong. It wasn't like her to hide things but pushing the matter more might only cause a fight to break out between them.

"It's ok, you can always go another time." Her response elicited a muffled sob. "I finished my dress for the final. We can celebrate." It was the perfect excuse to give her roommate the comfort she needed without bringing up the real reason she was upset.

"I don't feel up for going." Amelie crossed her arms allowing her eyes to fall to the floor.

"We can stay in," Marinette suggested, cutting off the excuse she was receiving. "I can make chocolate chip cookies, have ice cream and drown in Chris Evan movies." If that didn't sound like an enticing night, Marinette didn't know what did. Amelie's face softened before she wrapped her arms tightly around her roommate. They stayed there for a moment before she buried her face into the crook of Marinette's shoulder.

"I don't deserve you as a friend." The redhead's mumbled words barely reach Marinette's ears, but they spurred a frown. She often wondered after interactions like this what her relationship with her parents was like. There were similarities between Amelie and Adrien with their behavior, but it wasn't something that got discussed.

"Nonsense," Marinette quipped in her upbeat tone. "We are lucky to have each other. Now go pick out the first movie and I'll put the dough in the oven." Amelie didn't hesitate to leave her friend's side to pick out the entertainment for the night, it was good to see her small pep talk aided.

Marinette let out a sigh as her feet stumbled back until the small of her back hit the counter. From what she had seen of Adrien from their encounter, the break had to be his idea. It only sparked further questions to what Amelie did to push him over the edge in the first place. If she had arrived a couple minutes sooner, she would have filled the holes in what knowledge she was lacking.

What happened now? As silly as it seemed, she had gotten used to Adrien around her apartment, but now he had no reason to be there.

She allowed her mind to wander to a fantasy of the blonde returning to their apartment, but not for Amelie. Adrien confessing his feelings was a dream* that looped in her mind constantly since he walked back in her life to the point where it played out in front of her. Despite his taller frame, their eyes would lock, and he would lean further in, his breath tantalizing every nerve in her body as it mixed with hers.

"It's always been you." He would say as his thumb stroked her cheek. His touch would leave a fire wherever he went, and she could feel her body craving him. Suddenly his lips crash on hers and she is overtaken by the urge to explore every crevasse of his mouth with her tongue-

"Mari, are you coming?" She had inadvertently been caught red-handed in her daydream. She thought the advice that she had received from one of Amelie's magazines was supposed to prevent this kind of behavior. Making the list had only increased the number of times her mind wandered.

"Just a moment," she responded quickly as she fumbled over the dough. No, Adrien was just a friend. The thought that she was the reason for the break up made her stomach churn. There had to be a reason that her name came up during the fight.

Once the cookies were in the oven and the timer set, she sunk comfortably on the couch next to her roommate. They exchanged smiles and the movie began. The timer was the only thing that pulled her away only for the fact she didn't want the sweets to burn; it was an important part of girl nights after all. When she placed the tray on top of the stove, her phone in her pocket buzzed. She glanced back at Amelie, pulling it out.

Adrien: I'm sorry about earlier.

Her fingers hovered over the screen. Her first instinct was to respond but that went against everything that the magazine that Amelie had given her stated. She had made a list earlier that afternoon that she could reference in her moments of weakness.

He's only texting you because he is alone.

She had to be strong. It was the only way she would get over him. As much as she hated to admit it, him dating Amelie changed things that couldn't be overlooked. She didn't want to be second place. What she was feeling now would fade over time and with any luck, she would be able to have some resemblance of a friendship with him further down the line. She shoved the phone into her pocket without responding and retreated to the living room, cookies in hand.

"You know, a watched phone never rings," Plagg stated in between bites of his Camembert. He was shot an annoyed look from the blonde. The list that he found was getting inside his head, and as much assurance as he tried to convince himself, he was worried. What did he do to Marinette to that made her react this way?

"She'll text back, I know her." Even though some years had separated them, Marinette was still the girl he knew. She was always there for her friends no matter what. Even though he assumed he was no longer welcomed in the apartment, he was going to make a conscious effort to keep her in his life in some capacity. She made him want to be better, she could take one look at him and call out hidden potential even he didn't know was there. Now that she was back in his path he craved her friendship.

"If you say so," his kwami replied, not fully convinced. He needed something-anything- to distract himself. He placed his own movie in the player and settled back into his seat; he would much rather be engrossed in Batman's world than his own. The phone was still in his view, so he could reply when she texted him.

Halfway through the movie, his confidence was wavering, but he still had faith that she would. It wasn't long after that sleep overtook him. Plagg pulled the blanket higher on his chosen and rested on the top of the couch. Adrien had his ups and downs just like any other Chat Noir in the past, but he started to worry about what this would mean for the dynamic of the team. There was no doubt that Tikki was giving Marinette a pep-talk tonight, but that wasn't an option for him. Adrien was sinking into a tailspin but refused to acknowledge it. If he couldn't show that he came to care for the sleeping boy on the couch with his words, he would have to show him with his actions. His eyes remained glued on Adrien's phone waiting for it to light up with a text message. He must have watched it all night, but nothing ever came.

A.N.- And the end. Ok first, I hope you enjoyed this chapter ( as much as your feels might hurt). I'm so excited for the next chapter so you might get it early. I'm working on it. Second, if you want spoilers for this story ( and any others) go follow me on Tumblr. I'm going to be putting bits and pieces out there for you all. User name is rosegardentwilight. Feel free to message me or what not, love to talk.