Name. Street address. City. Country. Reason for applying. Experience.

A pencil scribbled constantly, answering all the empty boxes with ease. It was basic information and she had already filled this out over a month ago. The application and entrance paperwork was the same thing and thus she breezed through it without having to hardly think.

In mere moments, she was done with the few pages and silently handed them over. A hand extended across the desk, a pair of eyes idly looking over everything. It was a formality, and then the pair locked eyes across the way in the quiet of the huge room.

Before, there was only ballet written on her paperwork. This time 'hip hop experience' was also listed. "I hope that's everything." She mumbled, feeling a twinge of pain. "I don't think I could do that again for a few hours."

Gabriel gave a noise of amusement. "I can assure you that you won't need to do such a procedure in this school a third time."

He set everything down and folded his hands over the small stack, watching as she massaged her poor wrist from so much writing. Eyes darted to the section she had shamelessly added this time and subtly cleared his throat.

He wanted to be honest with her and clear the air. What better time than now before she became engrossed in something else for the rest of her mornings. "Mademoiselle...Marinette...I must confess something concerning when I...barged in on you two in my son's room a few days ago."

Her eyes darted to his, brow rising in curiosity.

"I heard you describe your Underground creation to Adrien and what you had accomplished due to your previous failed auditions here. I admit that I had someone find and sneak into your place to check it out. I was impressed with the report to say the least. The popularity of those in attendance, the amount of information on the internet...you have spawned quite the undertaking."

Her lips twitched in a sense of pride, but she widely stayed quiet to anything else. She had heard nothing about some stranger sneaking in, but then, so many people came and went and she never paid too much attention to those around her whenever she danced.

"They also said that your other dancing styles were...quite advanced to put it mildly. You used that place as a means of dance therapy and did so after every failed attempt into my school. I find it amusing to think that, had I accepted your application all those years ago, your Miraculous Moves Underground would never have been created. Such issues would never have occurred, but perhaps my son would not have been as well off had he never set foot in your Underground. I've never seen him happier or heard him speak words of love since his mother died. He needs you more than you think and I hope you don't deny him your presence next to him."

Gabriel sat back in his plush office chair. Her story had been roaming through his mind ever since he heard it and it helped him look at her differently. Her history and the reasons for it, what she had created and how it had succeeded so well, never escaped him. More and more, he saw what his son saw in her and had resolved himself to see what she had to offer his school...perhaps put her in the spotlight as a means to allow her such an opportunity.

She flushed with a sheepish smile and looked to his desk. "I still remember that day..." She murmured, face becoming somber. "It was like watching the sun being snatched away from him. He was only around for a week in junior high before he was pulled from class. I...I will admit...that I...was very...upset with his leaving class... I felt sorry for him to have to witness such a thing, especially since he would occasionally talk ballet with me. I thought he loved it very much, just like he loved...loves...his mother. I still have both my parents whom I love with all my heart and I couldn't imagine the pain he had to face...what he still must face on occasion..." Her eyes closed, shoulder slumping a little.

Teeth suddenly bit her lip as she looked away. Fingers twirled around each other as an abrupt thread of anxiety raced through her. She may as well put everything out in the open now that Gabriel was much more forgiving after Adrien's debacle... "A – and...Monsieur...if I m – may...I also...have something to confess..."

Gabriel's brow rose at the tone. He found himself leaning in with a nod to continue when she finally looked his way.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times in attempt to find the strength to go with her words. Would he be mad at her again? She wanted to think that, after all they had witnessed between each other and had learned since the fall began, that he would take this information and consider it openly.

Her lips pressed together before she figured she couldn't do much more damage than she already had. "T – the time that Adrien ran away from home...h – he ran...to m – me... I found him in the park next to my house. He...he ran to me...in attempt for solace...shelter...anything. I...t – took him in while he was gone from your home."

"I see that you are well-fed and no worse for the wear during your time away from here..."

Gabriel's mouth opened a little in his shock; the sentence he had said to his son not so long ago coming back to him. He thought Adrien had run to his precious Underground, but that wasn't quite the case. Adrien remained homeless and Marinette saved him from the cold and weather out of the goodness of her heart, though it was a risk taking in his son should he be found.

Her eyes became a little pained and she directed them across the desk. "I understood him so much more after he stayed with me Monsieur Agreste. He's...so lonely... He..." She suddenly looked away, trying not to feel as sad as she had the day he spoke of his home life to her. "He seemed to enjoy eating with my family so much...of spending wasted moments playing video games with me... He even enjoyed helping out at my school once. When he was forced to attend ballet because I didn't want to leave him alone in my place, he was happy to help. I saw him genuinely smile as he helped out my students."

Her eyes went back to his, pleading and hope in them. "Please Monsieur...I hope that after this whole incident settles down, that you can find it in you to understand your son a little more...to spend time with him a little more. He's all you have left and you're all he has left. Please eat together with him, ask him about how his classes are going, chat about the weather, let him play video games in his room with his classmates... Let him be a teenager."

Her eyes lowered again, feeling slightly chagrined at the past. "I saw how lonely he was when I met him in the spring. I sent him an invite because I knew he needed the freedom that the Underground provides. He was healed through it; I know he was. He could be who he really is inside without fear of others around him judging him. He got to be with people who shared his same interests. He exhausted himself because of that chance to let loose, but I know he doesn't regret it for a second."

"I'd gladly trade the Underground for ballet any day of the week for the freedom it's granted me of my own free will. I chose to go and spend my nights there which is an option you've never given me!"

When she seemed to realize how much she was pressing upon him, she flushed and looked away in embarrassment. Gabriel's eyes lowered to his desk, not agreeing with everything she may have said, but definitely taking her words to heart. She knew his son in ways that he did not and that knowledge held a weight which he respected. Though she hadn't seen Adrien since junior high, she still sensed his troubles despite not knowing what they were and saw how unhappy he was.

Whether he would admit it to her or not, he would be grateful to her for taking his foolish son in for those many days. For giving him food and drink to keep him alive and a place to sleep so the police didn't give him trouble for being on the streets. In showing him the lighter side to life that had nothing to do with ballet...and even if it did.

In changing his personality to what a person in love could look like and see real happiness...

After heavy beats of silence, a small smile peeked through his features. Gabriel sat up in his chair and looked to the paperwork before lightly picking it up. "Your paperwork is done and only needs to be filed. At this time, you are considered a student in my school once again and may go back to class if you wish."

He let the papers flutter back to his desk, giving her a warm look. "Go practice with my son Marinette. I imagine he must be very antsy to see you in class by now."

She gave him a blinding smile, feeling that the ice had somehow chipped off. She nodded and stood, grabbing her duffel off the floor and the box from the other chair. "Would you like one Monsieur?" She held the box open and the fragrance was enough to drag in people inside the closed office door.

Everything looked beautiful, but Gabriel held a hand up in negation. "I appreciate the offer Mademoiselle. I'll let your classmates partake of them for me. I assume that's why such a box is in my school after all."

She gave a bashful giggle and nodded. She took a few steps back before stopping to face him at the door. She stared at the man whom she always thought was hard and cold.

No...he was a human being like any other who had adapted poorly since the loss of his beloved.

She knew how angry she had become after being thrown from his school and thought Adrien was the cause of it all. She was angry as well and she had been horrible to those around him. She beared this man no ill will and mentally wished they could get along better in the future.

With quiet well wishes for the rest of his day, she exited the classroom and tried not to run with the box in her arms. Her steps reverberated off the empty hallways louder than she wished. Muted voices of other students sounded through closed doors as she passed them all on her way to her locker room. She carefully sat the box on the bench and dropped her stuff in the locker she had previously used. It was still empty and she stared at it.

At length, she took a deep inhale, smile creeping up her face. A giggle broke through, fists futilely covering her mouth to stifle it.

In mere moments she was back in her tights, leotard, long-sleeved shirt, and slippers. She closed the locker, clicked the lock tight, and grabbed the heavenly-smelling box. She hurried from the empty room and down the hall, pausing at the door she needed with sudden trepidation. She harshly swallowed and took a deep breath for strength. She knew Adrien was on the other side of that door and just knowing that filled her with a sense of giddiness which made her grab the handle and throw the wooden structure wide open.

Everyone was in the middle of stretching before the eight o'clock class hour. She had precious few moments to make use of this box before the teacher waltzed in.

The door quietly clicked closed behind her as she stood in the doorway, wide-eyed and clutching the box from her family's bakery. It was a safe assumption to say that she had absolutely everyone's eyes right now. Such a thought made her more uneasy than she had been in a while.

She was here...and she looked a little panicked. It was adorable; the deer-in-the-headlights face she was giving to them all. His heart pinged as he slowly moved out of his splits with the intent of going to her and bid her welcome back to their class.

Sadly, he wasn't the first one to get the opportunity.

A gaggle of skirts and tights all but rushed up to her, chattering all at once. She eeped and inched back, looking to bright eyes and wide smiles.

"Is it true?!"

"It has to be true right, Marinette?"

"You're 'it' right?"

"If she was? Oh my god, that'd be so cool!"

"C'mon, you can tell us. Almost everyone in school has heard the rumor already. Almost everyone believes it after those who saw your fall audition."

"I heard you choreographed the whole thing yourself! That's awesome!"

Her mouth fell open, blinking and eyes darting around them all as each spoke. "W – what are you all talking about?!" She stammered, unable to pick her brain back up.

A hand waved as if she were being silly. "It's all over school! Everyone is talking about how you're the rumored creator of the Miraculous Moves Underground club!" Pairs of enthused and hopeful eyes inched closer, smiles widening.

"That's so COOL!" The squeals began. "Can you teach us some hip hop after class is over with?!"

"Yea...we all saw how well you danced with Adrien. You're so good!"

"Which personae did you have when you were there? Were you the Ladybug one? I read all about it online! She was the coolest and the most talented! That has to be you, right?"

She startled and looked over their heads to the only one who could possibly know and say anything. She found him just as freaked out about this news as she was and as she stared at him, she realized he had absolutely nothing to do with this.

If he didn't say anything...who...?!

"I found out everything about what happened to you from Chloe. She actually ratted you out from Sabrina who heard your phone conversation in the locker room that day. I even recorded it to prove it."

Said person was the only one to not approach her. She wasn't hard to spot in the corner of a room, quietly doing stretches with Sabrina and pointedly not looking her way.

Why did it not surprise her that Chloe had done something in the final attempt to spite her, only to have it backfire on her? In a place that was strictly ballet, Chloe may never have comprehended that those in attendance would like other dance styles outside what they had to practice all day.

Almost everyone in school heard the rumor, hmm? Chloe was clever and she just knew that Chloe would try to spread information without incriminating herself in the process.

"So...you'll teach us right? Can we have lessons during lunch break? I'll pay you for them!"

"I will too!"

"Hey, what's in the box? It smells great."

She jerked and dumbly held it out, showing her family's logo on the front. A timid smile appeared as she opened the lid. "I...uh...brought them with me this morning for everyone to have. I know that there are rules about such a thing, but Monsieur Agreste didn't stop me, so I figured it was okay to -"

Hands greedily reached in and grabbed one cookie each. Everyone already flocking around her dove in to the chocolate chip cookies. They went on and on about the flavor and how good they were. It was enough to entice the few males in the class, along with the remaining females, to swarm around her for one. She stepped further into the room, everyone trailing like baby ducks, and held the box out for all to take from.

He stood back en pointe, arms crossed with a happy smile and a tinge of pride as he watched her explain to his classmates about how she baked the cookies herself and that her family owned a bakery somewhat near the school. That got a bunch of the girls to swear they were going to visit and check out her family's other goods before the week was out.

He was happy that everyone seemed to like her so much, even after all that had happened. It didn't even register with them, like it had never occurred. He was completely ecstatic about this sudden noise...which may just draw The Beast since class was about ready to start.

"Hey...where did you buy that cute princess shirt? It looks good on you."

"Yea...you have really good style."

She gave a smile and turned to the latest voice with yet another question. "Actually...I made this."

That got gaping mouths and a few girls actually tugged on her shirt. She tried not to bat them off her, unable to see Adrien amongst the flock of the entire class encircling her and still helping themselves to the dozens of cookies she had baked.

"No way!"

"Oh my god, how cool are you?!"

"How long have you been interested in fashion?"

She smiled. "I've been making my own clothes since junior high." She shrugged. "It's just...a little hobby of mine."

"Little?!"

"I need to take you shopping with me one of these days."

"I agree. I think I need to pay her to make me a dress."

"Oh my god yes! Hey, do you do commissions?"

Her head was swimming at all the attention they were flaunting her with. She had never expected this in a million years! The first time was nowhere near this exciting!

She tried to answer all the rapid-fire questions she could, turning to meet them face-to-face as she spoke. She twirled around faster and faster, head bouncing around like watching a tennis match.

He could hardly contain himself as he watched her talk about other things she could do and how the girls gushed over her abilities. He was glad that everyone saw her on the same pedestal he had placed her on long ago. Perhaps that stupid rumor was exactly what she needed. A group of teenage girls who were friendly and nice weren't going to have qualms about approaching someone who could dance other styles...and so well at that, in his opinion.

In the span of a few minutes, Marinette had become the most popular person in class.

The door opened, a pair of hands harshly clapping over the noise and quieting them all. The Beast demanded silence and shooed the class away, ordering them all to break it up. The students hurried away to stretch, not wanting class to start. If they were all busy, they couldn't very well be forced to practice JUST yet...

She stopped before him and held the box open with a smile. He took in her happy flush and sparkling eyes. That crowd had worked its magic on her and he drank in how pretty she was right now. He took a cookie from the half-empty box and then she turned to head up to The Beast before he could bid her a good morning.

She closed the lid and held the box out to their teacher with a congenial smile. "For you Madame Dubois. Please take whatever is left that your students haven't already confiscated." She folded both hands behind her back as the box was accepted and met the middle-aged woman's eyes. "Would you like me to deliver your items tomorrow morning to your office before class starts, or would you like to stop by at your convenience and pick them up before we close for the evening?"

He gawked as did everyone else at the conversation, almost hearing their heads explode or short-circuit. They listened to The Beast, Madame Dupois as Marinette so easily addressed her, speak about some random order she had placed at the Dupain-Cheng bakery late last week that was ready for immediate delivery.

His mouth gaped open, but he honestly shouldn't be surprised. Her family's bakery was really good and he was happy that teachers of a famous ballet school were buying things from it.

"Oh my god! Madame orders food from Marinette's bakery?!"

"No way! This...I'm not seeing this am I?"

She stifled a giggle and turned to the class, feeling much more like a teacher in front of a group of students. Everyone was openly shocked that she wasn't calling her teacher 'The Beast' as they all constantly did. Whether they didn't know Madame's name or they just did so out of spite, she didn't know, but she wasn't able to ever do so.

Not after having been in the profession with the responsibilities of a teacher.

She looked them over, feeling her Underground personality rise up. A smirk overtook her face, arms haughtily crossing. "Well...my family DOES own a bakery... Anyone can visit it to buy things..."

"Holy...crap!"

"She can dance ballet and hip hop -"

"She makes her own clothes and she can really cook..."

"She tamed The Beast -"

"Madame goes to her bakery?"

"She's so nice!"

Pairs of eyes whipped across the space, pinning him immediately. He inched back with a slight cringe at their hungry looks, wondering if that was actually jealousy he was seeing amongst them. Their looks turned sly and coy and he actually took a small step back as he braced himself for the onslaught.

"You little devil Adrien..."

"Hehehe...yea...now we know why you fought so hard to get Marinette back in class."

One of the male students strode over and swung an arm over his shoulders. "Think you can convince her to bring some more treats to class, man?"

"Yea! Tell her she's not allowed to leave ever again!"

He shrugged off his classmate and walked to his partner, looking down as their teacher broke the class up and ordered them to finish stretching. "I have to admit, I did find the perfect girl to love and I'm highly aware of how awesome she is."

She went beet red. Midnight blue darted around him, to the class, back to him, the floor...anywhere to keep from standing still. Her fingers twirled together and she startled when a few squeals erupted. Her face kept heating up as the girls went on and on about how adorable they were.

She looked him in the eye, trying to act put out at that unnecessary attention, to find him giving her a soft look. She fizzled, smiling in her acceptance to his words and lightly taking his hand. She gently pulled him to the floor so they could stretch.

"Okay, okay! That's enough out of you girls! Hurry and finish up so class can start or there will be no more such foods in this class in the future. Such things aren't even allowed anyway! This was a special occasion for Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, but don't think you'll all get such soft treatment all the time."

Teacher and student locked eyes briefly. "Mademoiselle, I hope that you are ready to work hard after your extended absence. I expect good things from you after how highly Monsieur Agreste recommended you."

Adrien or his father? Madame Dubois wasn't clear. She looked to her partner as he helped her stretch her thigh muscles. He was looking all too pleased with himself, but refused to say a word.

She quickly looked up and nodded. "Understood Madame. I'm looking forward to working under your tutelage again."

The woman nodded back and turned for the rest of the crowd, briefly giving them a moment alone. She scowled lightly at him, trying to keep the smile off her face. "You didn't paint me out to be some kind of super heroine did you? You sneaky cat..."

His lips gave him away in an utterly sly grin. He tugged her hands up, kissing the inside of a wrist amidst the stretch before he let her move back to rest. "I have no idea what you mean my lady. I merely described your attributes with adjectives that you deserve. Our classmates did a fairly poor job in my opinion." He slowly pulled her to him one more time to finish out the stretch. "If you want, I can always regale you later this evening with the list I've created... Perhaps over dinner? My treat..."

Her face flamed, eyes darting to the giggling girls that overheard him. She floundered for words as the flush attempted to fry her brain. "Ch – charmer!" She hissed, taking her arms back and shifting her stance for the next stretch. Her heart beat roared in her ears, teeth gnashing her lower lip. She was silent until they were in the middle of it. "S...six o'clock...works for me..."

He beamed and gently moved her leg back. "Six p.m. sharp. I'll meet you at your house, okay?"

Oh god he was killing her! His hair was perfectly styled, his outfit well-fitting, his green eyes expressive, his charming smile in full bloom. The breath hitched in her throat at how close he was.

She felt herself falling, wondering...no...knowing that this time would be different. She had nothing else to worry about now; all roads were paved and road blocks cleared for them. Nothing was going to stop him from being with her...and visa versa.

"I – I...love you...I wish I could tell you, but I don't know if you'll ever feel the same way that I do toward you."

He had wondered for so long, but he wouldn't need to anymore. She would make it blatantly clear this time, as he had multiple times before, how much she had always loved him...how much she still loved him. She almost started laughing when she imagined such a scene. Perhaps tonight she would knock him for a loop...

Six o'clock suddenly felt so far away.

"Al...alright."

Marinette's ballet outfit inspiration: delkas tumblr com/post/141428982269/starrycove-au