Cat looks exhausted when I wake the next morning, so I get out of bed quickly and quietly. He had a hard day yesterday, so its good if he has the chance to sleep in. I change in the kitchen, chomping down a granola bar as I scribble a note.

"Kitty,

I'm off to school but I'll see you this afternoon.

I love you.

Kisses,

Marinette

Starbucks is relatively quiet and I'm glad for it. When I get to school, Adrien is sitting at his desk and I walk up to talk to him. "Good morning…." My voice trails off at the look on Adrien's face. His normally sculpted cheeks look sharper and he's pale, sleep rings under his eyes. I feel a shock go through my system. "He took everything me, Marinette. I'm sure it will be all over the news by tonight." I listen quietly. "Adrien Agreste, son of famous fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste moves out and cuts ties with his father. Little did they know his father would take everything he had." "Adrien…"

Adrien slams a fist down on the table. "Why, Marinette? I have been nearly the perfect son. Obeying got me nowhere, no friends, no going out. I did everything asked of me. Where did I go wrong?" I clear my throat. "Adrien, I know this is hard now, but its for the best. Your father shouldn't keep you locked away like that. Its unforgivable." "What's unforgivable is why he never loved me and told me about Mother. I miss her so much…"

Adrien buries his face on my shoulder, and I let him cry it out. Just like me, Adrien wears a mask, but its not visible. "let it out. Its good for you." Adrien wipes his eyes, smiling at me. "At least I have you, Marinette. He'll never be able to take away my love for you." "I'm here for you." "Would you mind if I gave you a kiss?" I shake my head. Those soft perfect lips touch mine, and suddenly Cat and Adrien merge together. Could Adrien be Cat? Its certainly possible. "Thank you, Marinette."

During class, Adrien keeps a hold of my hand, and I have a hard time paying attention, not because of Adrien's hand wrapped firmly around mine, but the smilarites between Cat and Adrien's situation.

After school, I take the long way home, telling Adrien to call if he needs anything. I find myself looking at the Agreste mansion, and suddenly I know what I have to do. I hit the doorbell and a voice answers. "Yes?" "I'm, here to speak to Gabriel. Its about Adrien."

I don't know if its the sternness in my voice, or if they just want this over and done with, but the gates swing open.

Gabriel stands in the foyer, stern and intimating, but he doesn't scare me. "Marinette, I was sure you'd never escape my maze! Are you sure you don't have hidden powers!" "I'm a clever girl, Gabriel. But I'm not here to talk about me, I'm here to talk about your son!" "That's the family matter." "He has done everything you asked and yet you lack to spend time with him. Give him love. Give him freedom!" Gabriel shrugs. "He made his choice." "That doesn't mean you have the right to take what's rightfully his! What you did is unforgivable!"

"My, my. You do have a temper, Miss Dupain-Cheng. It's almost if you were…." Gabriel gives me a chilling smile. "Ladybug." "If this comes back to hurt you, don't expect her to save you!" I turn to walk way, but I pause looking back. "You can make the right choice, and fix your mistakes. The choice is yours." I walk out watching as the iron gates swing open.

"So, your convinced she's Ladybug?" Night lock, the magician asked once Marinette had gone. "Yes. The mannerisms, the looks, the hair. But as she said, she's clever. How do I get those blasted earrings?" "Sir, there is a way, if you'd like me to try. But you may want to go to a place that has no doors or windows." Gabriel strode over to Night lock, grabbing him by the collar. "No doors or windows? Don't play games with me, Night lock!" "Its a sleep potion. Made with the scents of lavender and lilac and a touch of magic. You'll need to get me a flute and as many bouquets of lavender and lilacs as you can." "And when I do?" Night lock smiled.

"Paris will be put under a sleeping spell that Ladybug and Cat Noir won't be able to escape from." Gabriel smiled. "Its brilliant! I'll put the plan in motion right away!"

I need to cool down before I head home or before Cat finds me, and best place for me to do that is at the flower shop. "Hey, looking for anything special?" One of the attendants asks. My eyes fall on a tank of aphids and my ladybug senses start tingling. "How much for the tank?" "Oh, we would put them in little jars. As for the price…"

I duck into alleyway a few minutes later, and Tikki pops out of my purse. I look up at her alarmed that someone might see her. "What are you doing, Marinette?" "I need to transform and put these into my bug phone. I just have this feeling, Tikki. Spots On!"

I put jar after jar into my phone, so it will be an easy access. My arms start to ache but I keep going, feeling a sense of urgency. When I finish, I stretch. The sky seems to be growing dark and its only the middle of the afternoon. Is there an another akuma at large?

Cat jumps down into the alley next me. "Good timing, Kitty. I was just about to call you." The sky is taking on a lavender color, but there's sparkles in the air. I yawn, suddenly feeling like I could take a nap, and my head jerks up. "Cat, this is a sleeping potion! We have to get to safety!" Cat is swaying on his feet, his eyes half-closed. "Lucky Charm!" A cold bottle of water drops down into my hands. "Sorry, love," I mutter and pour it over his head. It wakes Cat instantly and I grab his hands. My eyes dart around, looking for a building.

The glass greenhouse is directly in our path, and its our best option. Even running, and twirling our weapons, we fight the sleeping mist with all we've got. Luckily, its just us here, and I hurry Cat inside, going straight for the coolers where there aren't any doors or windows.

I slump down, shaking slightly. It seems like Hawkmoth has come up with a new plan. Just then a terrifying roar shakes the ground, and I leap up, throwing the door open to see giant thorns wrapping the greenhouse in its clutches. As the vines wrap the building, the sleeping mist fades away, but the sunlight gets dimmer and dimmer. The magician! He and Gabriel have trapped us inside, with no exits and no way out.

I hear sounds coming within the greenhouse too, and shut the door quickly. Cat is asleep, I got him here just in time. I'll let him sleep for the moment.

Gabriel won't stop until he has Cat and my Miraculous. But we'll think of a plan, for we are stronger together and we have the power of love on our side.

"M'lady, what happened?" Cat sits up, holding his head. "Easy, Kitty, take it slow. Hawkmoth trapped us in a prison of thorns and roses at the greenhouse." Cat smiles at me. "You'll think of a plan." I smile at Cat. "So, what's first, Ladybug?"

"We find a spot to camp for the night. Then see if we can find some food. But we're in luck, I know where the kitchen is."

Cat has to use his baton flashlight as we venture into the green jungle. We hold hands, not to lose each other. "You suppose Paris is back to normal?" I give a hard short humorless laugh. "Of course, now that he has us trapped."

But my mind is already planning, and as we go deeper, a light catches my eye. "Look, Cat! Turn off your baton!" Cat does, and the space is filled with light. "Of course! Luminescence!"

These plants are glowing, showing us the way. I can hear a waterfall up ahead, and my mouth feels dry and cottony. "Let's head for the water!" Cat nods, and I realize he can see me easily with his night-vision.

We drink our fill, and rest, listening to the water tumble onto the rocks. I feel Cat freeze beside me. "I thought I heard something. Something buzzing, then nothing. Oh, its gone now."

We make our way back to the path, but it seems different then before. Almost carpeted. Cat leaps out of the way in time, but suddenly I'm caught in the mouth of a giant Venus flytrap imagining from the earth. "Don't move, Ladybug! If you brush the trip hairs, your a goner!" I try to calm my beating heart, but when a insect collides with me, I topple over and the plant swallows me whole.

Its dark and smelly down here, in its stomach. "Ladybug, should I use Cataclysm?" "No, its to large, let me think of a plan."

Wait, the aphids! A aphid could munch its way out of here. I call up my lucky charm and pluck one of my precious aphids and set it against the stem. It begins to munch, and slowly a opening is starting. Hmm, if a aphid can get me out of here, maybe a swarm can free us of this prison. But for now, I must be patient as this will take awhile.

I just hope Cat is being careful, for one false move and he could end up in here too. "Just stay still," I whisper. Just a little longer and I'll be free, but in the meantime I sit and wait patiently.