A.N.-Two updates in a week, you all must be special! If you didn't read Tuesday's update go back a chapter and read that. You all continue to astound me, I feel so loved.

Adrien stood outside the door to his father's room rubbing his sweaty hands together. He didn't have much of a choice, and the worst-case scenario would be that he would be yelled at for the next hour at how reckless he had been and how he brought down the Agreste name. His father's name still held some power, maybe if he begged and groveled, his father would be able to come up with a solution that would save Marinette's career and allow him to not marry Amelie. Even if Marinette never spoke another word to him, it was the first step in the right direction. He knocked before he lost his nerve and a shiver shot down his spine when he heard the cold voice beckoned, "Come in."

"Father? Can I speak to you for a moment?"

"This must be important if you took time out of your wedding planning to come and visit me." Adrien cringed, this wasn't off to the best start.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." His shoelaces gained his interest instead of his father's gaze.

"I want to call the wedding off." Gabriel's eyebrows narrowed.

"I see, well I'm sure you're capable of informing the right parties of your decision." Adrien couldn't tell if his father was disappointed, but he couldn't dwell on that. He came here with a purpose, he wouldn't let his intimidation overcome him when so much was on the line. "Is that all?"

"No sir," he swallowed hard. It was one thing to imagine having this conversation, but it was another to have the fear rush through his veins. The thought of Marinette popped through his mind; he was doing this for her. "It's not that simple, I'm not allowed."

"You have my blessing," his father replied as if that's all he needed. If only it was that easy. Although his curiosity started to stir, what caused him to change his mind about Amelie. If Adrien's memory served him correctly, his father favored her for a wife.

"As much as I appreciate that sir, it is not you that is holding me back from my decision, it's Mrs. Marlone."

"What are you talking about?" Gabriel's tone became sharp as his lips sunk into a frown.

"I'm being blackmailed." Adrien could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He already had trouble reading his father's expressions on a normal day, but whether his father agreed to help would change everything.

"I see," his voice hardened. "And what pray tell, do they have on you?" Adrien winced at the question. He hadn't come to terms that telling his dad might mean revealing what he did in his extra time, although his father didn't have complete control over him anymore, he could still make his life miserable.

"That's not important," he brushed off, hoping the subject wouldn't be brought up again. "She wants me to marry Amelie, so she can gain control over the company. She's willing to blacklist Marinette to do it." Gabriel's fingers stroked his jaw pensively as he began to circle his son.

"That woman has been eyeing this company since our first merger, but this is too far to be considered not personal. I will handle the situation."

"Thank you father!"

"Does Amelie know?" Adrien shook his head in response. "Very well, I will leave minimal impact on her. "But we can't lead them on that I know anything, we have to strike at the right time. Continue on with the wedding process as normal. I will step in at the right time." Adrien didn't know if he was elated or nervous, but either way, the wedding wouldn't continue as planned. He wanted to ask about Marinette's future but didn't want to push his luck. He retreated towards the door when his father's voice stopped him once more. "You do realize if I investigate this matter further, I will discover the content that they were blackmailing you with?" Adrien's heart stopped for a millisecond, he couldn't let that stand in his way. They would cross that bridge when they got there.

"Yes sir." He only hoped that his father's opinion of him wouldn't diminish greatly.

"Next time come to me sooner, it will leave less broken hearts in the wake of your decisions," Gabriel added leaving Adrien's feet to turn to stone. Did he know? His father's grasp to gain information never failed to surprise him, he had resources oozing from his fingertips.

"Yes, father." He answered too stunned to be sure of what else to say.

The artist market lined a particular corner of Paris seemed to call Marinette to stroll through it. Whenever she was among the artists she found that her body was more at peace. At first, she didn't think about it, she was a crafty person but the more she thought about it, the more the thought lingered. Maybe it connected to the ladybug spirit inside her for creating or it was inspiring to see what people left as their mark in the world. Either way, it was a solace for escaping the apartment and avoiding Adrien. She couldn't deal with thoughts of the blonde, it only seemed to drag her down further into the muck her mind offered. The fight from the previous mind mingled with her newfound knowledge of Amelie and Bellamy. Not that she could get her hopes up about anything with knowing that a wedding would still take place in a couple weeks regardless of how she felt.
Marinette knew that getting her mind in order was the best thing for her before facing him again. Otherwise., she might let her lingering feelings for him dictate her actions. As angry as she was those months of love and years of adoration wouldn't fade quickly.

There was a stand of a guy that had a series of hand-carved clocks for sale but over the table, she saw him pouring his craft into one not yet complete. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Master Fu's voice caught her completely off guard and she jumped. He always had a way of being around when she needed advice the most, she wondered how he knew.

"Master Fu…I wasn't…I mean, how did you find me?" She rambled knowing that the answer could wait. It was abnormal for her to see him outside his safe haven, with the fear of Hawkmoth and the new villain at an all-time high. It must be important.

"The inner workings of a clock are delicate; each piece is unique and has different functions. They work together for the greater good, much like a team." Her eyes glued to the clock, ready for the lecture to come.

"You heard about the fight, huh." It didn't surprise her that he found out, Master Fu always had his ways as the guardian. Sometimes it felt like he was more in tune with Ladybug than she was.

"The balance shifted." He corrected with a hint of a smile. Didn't he know what this could mean for the duo?

"Chat Noir betrayed me, how am I supposed to get past that?" It was the question running through her head since the previous night. The thought that caused sleep to slip through her fingers as she tossed and turned. She loved him, but how could she trust him? Despite all the sleep she lost, she wasn't anywhere near finding an answer.

"Throughout the years there have been fights between Ladybug and Chat Noir, but there was nothing that they couldn't fix. Time is the best healer if you let it. Just like the clock, you two need to work together and unify the team otherwise they will eventually fall apart." He glanced over at her for a brief second before offering another reassuring smile. "Walk with me and tell me everything."

Marinette's mind was spinning making her dizzy among her own thoughts. Master Fu had a point, and the last thing she wanted was to affect the team, but it wasn't that easy to forgive him, not after what he's done. Despite the wisdom he had given her he failed to provide practical steps so she was back to square one.

She allowed her feet to wander back to the apartment but took her time in doing so stopping to glance through a couple of fabric stores trying to distract herself further. When she finally did reach the apartment there were muffled shouts sinking through. She reached out for the doorknob and hesitated. They could be arguing about any number of things, she told herself, it wasn't always about her. She took the courage she needed and cracked open the door.

"This close to the wedding, are you sure you can't put the trip off? I want you to stay." Amelie crosses her arms against her chest.

"I'm can't, my father needs me. You went on a trip a little while ago, how is this any different?"

"What's going on?" The pair of green eyes flocked to her and she started rubbing her arm nervously.

"Adrien is choosing now of all times this close to the wedding to go on a business trip. Talk to him Mari, make him stay." Green pools met blue and she swore the contact stole air straight from her lungs.

"I-I don't think I can make him do anything." Marinette gathered enough willpower to cast her eyes to the floor instead.

"I'll be back before the wedding." He picked up his suitcase and headed to the door without planting a kiss on Amelie's cheek and headed out the door. It took Marinette 10 seconds before her restraint was broken and she ran after him.

"Adrien!" He immediately turned away from the elevator towards her and Marinette slowed as their eyes made contact.

"Yes, Princess?" Goosebumps littered her arms at the nickname. It was one thing for Chat to say it to her, but this was Adrien. Be strong was the mantra chanting in her mind.

"You don't really have a trip," Why was her question getting caught in her throat, maybe it had to do with the endless pools of green she was staring in. If he did have a business trip then she would look foolish, but there was something in the way that they interacted that screamed otherwise. "do you?" She asked, her tone betraying the cold distance she wanted to portray.

"You said you needed space, I'm just giving you what you want." She actively pushed down the lump in her throat. He was doing this for her. Adrien was giving her what she wanted but not what she needed.

Master Fu's words circled back around, she couldn't fix the problem if he left. 'Say anything,' her mind screamed so loud Marinette swore it was audible.

"Thank you." She kicked herself mentally.

"Well, you know where to find me," he adjusted his shoulder strap his facial expression never wavering.

"Goodbye Marinette." This was her last chance, but her pride pushed down any apologetic feelings that lingered. "I hope you find what you're looking for." It wasn't until the elevator doors closed that she was able to whisper a goodbye of her own.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Alya's words tumbled out the moment she laid eyes on her best friend. Her hair was slightly disheveled, clothes wrinkled, and bags had made a home underneath her bluebell eyes. She had heard through the grapevine that Adrien had moved out temporarily into another apartment, and her best friend instincts immediately kicked in to check on Marinette. However, do to the ever-piling homework she had to wait a couple days. It seemed that her best friend was already paying the toll.
"I'm just not sleeping well, that's all." Marinette lead her inside and they both retreated into her room for more privacy.
"Is it the fight?" Alya watched as Marinette's eyes dropped to her shoes that were lightly digging into the ground.
"It's too much to process," she confessed. "I don't know how he could do this to me. How can I ever trust him again, as Ladybug or Marinette? Things are different now."

"Yes and they'll change again, but I have a feeling that some things won't change."

"Like what?" Marinette said as she cocked an eyebrow skeptically, she knew that her best friend was trying to cheer her up, but she failed to see how this helped.

"His feelings for you." The answer earned a snort from Marinette.

"Those will fade in time just like his feelings for Ladybug. After all, if that were really true he would have called off the wedding by now." Silence dropped after her words as Alya stared straight at her. The reality was catching up inside her mind.

He didn't tell her.

Whatever happened in that fight he didn't bring up the one thing that could explain (while not necessarily justify) his actions. He sat there and gave in to whatever Marinette said to him. Not that she knew the exchange of words between the two, but her mind raced with possibilities.

"Alya," she drew out her words cautiously. "What do you mean, you don't know."

Her face flushed in embarrassment, she hadn't meant for that to slip out, but she had promised to tell Marinette if he didn't...so why did it feel like she was crossing a line when she made a quick decision.

"Adrien hasn't called off the wedding because he can't."

"What do you mean, he can't," confusion with a touch of hurt laced through Marinette's voice as her eyes search the hazel ones in front of her.

"He can't because he's protecting you." Why would she need protection, she was Ladybug for goodness sake. It wasn't like Hawkmoth truly cared who Adrien Agreste married unless there could be an akuma attack.

"Protecting me? Alya, I don't understand." Marinette could feel the rug being pulled up from under her as Alya continued.

"He's being blackmail."

"What?" Her breath hitched, and she fought the dizziness that slowly overwhelmed her. The bed provided support when her legs grew weak.

"Mrs. Marlone, Somehow figured out that he was Chat Noir and is forcing him to marry Amelie. She put some extra insurance to make sure he would comply; you. She threatened to blacklist you." She stayed silent at first, no matter how fast the room was spinning until a question bubbles to the surface.

"How long have you known," the question hung between them, but by the way Alya suddenly refused to look at her spoke volumes.

"That's not important," she replied quietly.

"How long?" Marinette pressed again.

"About two weeks." Something here. "It wasn't my secret to tell Mar. He swore that he would tell you." It wasn't that Marinette held resentment towards her, she just hated that every time it seemed like things settled and she got her bearings, new information was thrusted at her.

"Marinette," Amelie called through the door. "You left your phone on the table. This guy Luka has been texting you non-stop. He said he can't wait. Something about going out after the concert?" Marinette cursed under her breath as she started rifling through what clothes made themselves available in her closet.

"I don't have time to deal with this." It was just her luck that Adrien crept into her mind before she saw Luka. Tonight was supposed to be fun after dragging herself off one of the most miserable weeks of her life. She missed Adrien, the thought of him ached her bones. But if she kept herself distracted enough it would only be a dulling pain inside her. She tried to convince herself as she held up a possible outfit against her body that this new information didn't change anything...but it had. If he didn't have a choice- she shut down the thought before it could continue.

"Are you seriously going on a date with coffee boy after everything you learned?"

"It's not a date," Marinette growled. "I'm just going to one of his shows." Alya three a hand on her hip in response, but Marinette ignores it. "I can't keep hoping that things will line up and we can be together Alya. He didn't even trust me enough to tell me the whole truth." There was no way Alya could dispute her logic. He didn't tell her, but it seemed like her friend's persistence grew stronger.

"Because he knew that you would never let him go through with it." She wouldn't have. That was too big a sacrifice for him to make, especially since she knew how much he hated the idea of working under his father and amount of anxiety that plagued him all throughout high school because of it. She fixed up her hair and decided that her outfit must do.

"I'll visit him tomorrow afternoon after work and hear what he has to say." Alya tried to protest but Marinette grabbed her purse and headed to the door. With a repressed smile, she was gone. Alya released a frustrated sigh.

"I just hope you know what you're doing M."

Alya landed gracefully on the windowsill. Chat wasn't expecting her, but after her conversation with Marinette, she couldn't help but worry. She imagined that Adrien normally would have people he could discuss his problems with, but if they revolved around his alter ego that list shrunk exponentially. As she was clearly on Marinette's side through this whole debacle, he deserved to know at least one person cared.

"Adrien?" She called out as she easily pushed open the window. "Are you here?" Looking around his apartment revealed take up out boxes lying about and the only question that ran through her head was: why hadn't she come sooner?

"Are you here to rub salt in the wound?" Her hazel eyes searched for the owner of the voice only to find him lazily draped across the couch. He must have stayed home for the week because Alya knew that his father would throw a gasket if he saw his son sporting this rugged look.

"You look terrible," Alya replied crossing her arms across her chest.

"Thanks," he snorted in return lifting his drink to his lips. What happened to the strong confident Adrien that she grew up with? The man in front of her had allowed himself to become a shell.

"Trust me, it wasn't a compliment," she huffed.

"Is there a reason you decided to come into my apartment and insult me Césaire?" His words lazily danced across his lips as he rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe I'm saying this…You're going to lose her if you keep moping around." As much as Adrien screwed up, but Alya believed that he was repentant.

"Haven't you heard?" He snorted. "I already lost her. She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you," Alya shot back quickly. Her conversation with Marinette proved that she was still pining over Adrien whether or not she would be brave enough to admit it.

"Then why after I've given the space she said she needed, she hasn't reached out. Why is she going out on a date tonight with that Luka dude?" Alya's mouth hung open and Adrien answered the question hanging on her lips. "You should really watch what you tell your boyfriend."

"She doesn't hate you, in fact, I think she's just as miserable as you are. She doesn't have the luxury to call out of work for a week."

"She's..." his voice faded out as he sat up from the couch and looked attentive for the first time in their conversation.

"Miserable," Alya repeat with confidence. Adrien stood up and brushed past her and stopped at the counter and his knuckles gripped tightly. He couldn't let this get inside of his head, if he did he would back out.

"She might be miserable now, but she'll be better off if I ask my father to transfer over to the branch in Milan." Milan would put the space needed for him to get over her.

"What about Chat Noir?" His knuckles turned white as his grip tightened as he closed his eyes and released a sigh.

"We all have to put away the childish notion at some point Alya." The words clung to the air desperately, and he felt his throat start to constrict. It was hard enough coming to this decision on his own.

"You're giving up your miraculous? What about the team, Hawkmoth, Le Paon? We need you." He didn't need the reminder, the thought of telling Ladybug made him nauseous.

"No, you need a Chat Noir. I'm sure Master Fu can find someone more deserving of the title." The team would have to manage until a replacement was found. "I destroy everything I touch Alya. Chat has the powers of destruction, remember. It has infiltrated my life now one of the people in my life won't talk to me. I refuse to hurt her anymore." He couldn't bring himself to match her gaze, shame coated his skin.

"You really do love her, don't you?" The question sunk into his skin and burned, after all this time she was still questioning his feelings.

"It doesn't matter how I feel...I don't deserve her."

"But Adrien-" He cut her off before she could get any more out.

"You won't be able to talk me out of this Alya. I've made my decision, I'm meeting Master Fu in the morning and I'm returning my ring."

A.N.- I'll just leave it there...Let me know what you think!