How Light Gets In

(This one is for all of you, thank you so much for your reviews, you keep me going. :) - Ari)

Tenth mission as Ladybug, and she's gotten the hang of being the Parisian hero, is she dare says so herself, though, her clumsiness hasn't gotten better.

She races into school, having been ten minutes late, and she doesn't notice the racing blond also running up the stairs, and much like dominos, the two collide and fall back onto their bums, their bags and content spilling onto the steppe of the school.

"Ah, sorry Marinette!" Adrien says, getting up and grabbing her by the hand, pulling her up. She stutters unintelligently, and he smiles, before he sees the mess of their notebooks, "ah... let me help you.."

"No!" She squeaks, gaining a surprised stare from him, and she smiles, "I got it. I have loose papers in them and they'd fall out if not picked up properly." She says, waving him off, and he smiles understandably, leaning down to grab his black notebook.

She picks up her belongings, and stuffs them into her bag, before scrambling up the stairs, and Adrian stares after her. She goes into the building, and Plagg pops his head out from his jacket, "what's that about?"

Adrien shrugs, and looks at his black kwami, "maybe in a rush?" The kwami doesn't seem to agree, but doesn't say anything, going into Adrien's bag and staying there as his holder stands up, and goes into the school.

He stares blankly ahead, listening to the teacher as she talks, but, also thinking of this morning, the reason he was late. They had just purified the akuma, and Broken-Hearted turned back into Annie.

He remembers the poor girl almost instantly burst into tears after seeing what had happened, and how Ladybug immediately handled the situation, ignoring the press and sitting down next to her, rubbing her back and listening to her as she explained.

Apparently, her fiancé broke off their engagement to have some time to 'fix himself', which they both knew was a lie, and ran off to some other country, leaving her alone, and in her agony, Annie was turned into Broken-Hearted.

She talked to Ladybug and him for a while about how she had so many flaws, and just as soon as the tear feast was over, Ladybug smiles sweetly, and patted her back, saying, "we are all broken. That's how the light gets in." And the sob feast began again, but it was more happy this time.

And that's what he loves about her, even though they've only been together for so short. He remembers talking to Plagg on the way over here, Plagg criticising him for being in love with appearance, and Adrien shook his head at his kwami. "No, Plagg. It was never the way she looked. I could've fallen in love with her with my eyes closed; I think I love her because of who she is..."

And the kwami gagged, making Adrien question how he got stuck with the black cat of animosity.

And he sighs happily, recalling the memory. "Adrien?" He jumps, and he finds a teacher smiling at him questionably, "did you hear what I said?"

He grins and rubs his neck, "ah, no. I'm sorry..." and the teacher smiles, "do pay more attention, please, Mr. Agreste." He nodded almost immediately and smiles, embarrassed, "yes ma'am."