Hi Guys. Ok this is the first time I have ever struggled with the format on the Doc manager, but OMG It kept changing this story to like 3 different fonts and I couldn't handle it, so I am trying to upload a document to see if this works.

I want to thank everyone who has commented, reviewed and provided amazing feedback. I love and appreciate all the love and support in all forms. Please keep commenting so I can continue to grow.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I cannot lie I am super excited to write chapter 7. It has the two scenes I am most excited and anticipate the most. So please stay tuned for chapter 7. Enjoy chapter 6 and let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

Alya had been overloaded. First, she figured out Adrien was Chat Noir. Then, she managed to coax Adrien to tell her what Ladybug last said to her. Finally, she had received some sort of response to the post she made on the Ladyblog.

"i m her" ladybug emoji.

Alya couldn't continue that night. She left her laptop open and went to bed. Sleep was the only guaranteed thing Alya knew she could do right now. Tomorrow she would have to make sense of everything.

The next day Alya awoke to her phone buzzing. She reached for her glasses before she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Nino."

"Morning Nino. How's it going?"

"More like afternoon dude, but I'm doing well."

"Afternoon?" Alya looked at the time on her phone. One in the afternoon. "Well, you can tell I went to bed late."

He laughed. "Yeah, I was exhausted after the party last night too. I didn't see you at all last night."

"Everyone saw you! There were screen of you everywhere. Including Jagged Stone's producer, Bob Roth." Alya heard the gasp.

"Bob Roth watched me?"

"Yeah!"

"Dude! That's incredible! Who else was there?"

"There were a few others, If we meetup I can tell you. It might be better if you came over here. I actually need your help."

"Yeah sure. Help with what?"

"I'll tell you when you get here, partner." Alya could feel the DJ smirk.

"OK, I'll be over in a half hour."

"Sounds good. Guess that means I should get dressed. See you soon." Alya hung up the phone.

She rushed into the bathroom to get a quick shower. She would need to be quick if she wanted to look decent for Nina. A record five minute shower allowed the reporter time to quickly dry her hair and then curl it. She grabbed a pair of comfy, form fitting jeans and paired them with a button up, V-neck blouse. She finished up by applying some foundation and mascara. Satisfied with her look, Alya walked out of her room and sat on the couch five minutes to spare.

Nino knocked at her door about five minutes late. Alya opened the apartment door and welcomed him in with a hug. He hugged her back, pulling her closer to his body. Alya could his heart race with the hug. She smiled, and let herself lean into his body for a moment before breaking the embrace and shutting the door.

"It's nice to see you not being mobbed by a thousand party goers."

"Yeah that was a crazy crowd! I thought I would have had some time to break away, but I was up their mixing the whole party!"

"Oh wow! How long did that go until?"

"I think the party need at around 5 this morning."

Alya's mouth dropped open. "Did you sleep at all?"

Nino laughed. "Yeah I made it back to my parents at about six in the morning. I slept until one, got up, ate, and then called you."

"Wow, you called me after eating? How did I move so high up the priority list?"

The DJ slipped an arm around her shoulder as the two walked towards the couch to sit down. "I can't leave my partner hanging. Besides, I hoped you found something at the party to help Chat Noir."

"I actually ran into Adrien at the party." Alya paused. Should she tell Nino that she found out who Chat Noir was? It wouldn't hurt for Nino to keep an eye on Adrien. However, could Nino hold in such a secret? The reporter knew difficult learning this information had been for her. In fact it hadn't even been a day since she had learned Chat Noir and Adrien were the same person. She could share this information. Not until she had fully digested the consequences of knowing.

She thought back to the conversation she had with the cat kwami.

"So you are saying she is still hear in Paris?" Alya had asked.

"I believe so." Plagg had responded. That was such good news to here. She had wanted to cheer with excitement that this was not a hopeless case. She had feared possibly never finding Ladybug; that she had gone completely off the grid. Or even if she did find out who the masked heroin was, she wouldn't be able to find her in person for a variety of reasons.

Her optimistic thoughts had been paused from what else the kwami had to say. "Don't give Adrien that answer. Just in case things don't end well, I don't want him too hopeful. I just can't have another kitten sink that low."

Adrien, her friend, was in a very vulnerable state. The kwami had warned the reporter that her friend could not take in any room for possible failure. She had to control what Adrien heard. Therefore she had to control who knew what information. Right now less was best. Nino could not now that Adrien was Chat Noir. Adrien would need to tell Nino himself when he was ready.

"Oh man! Adrien was there? How did he get time off from work?" Nino ran his hands under his hat. "Now I'm kind of bummed that I couldn't get away at all. I've been trying to get a hold of him all week. What did he say?"

"We actually talked about you, me, him, and Marinette getting together sometime soon. He actually seemed kind of sad, so I think we should all get together sooner than later."

"We'll have to work some sort of magic to get that to work. The guy works like Sixty to seventy hours a week! And I have no clue if Marinette can get away from the studio."

"Well," Alya smiled, "I may have gone to Marinette before the party and brought up the idea of the four of us getting together." A cheeky smile crossed her face. "I needed a dress, and when we got to talking the idea came up."

"Sweet! Well then I know you can convince Marinette to meet up again, but what about Adrien?"

"He seemed really excited when I brought it up. I think I can convince him, but we may have to do an evening thing. He seems more available then. You and I just need to plan a time and get the two in the same place."

Nino smiled. "This actually seems possible. When do you think we should do this?"

"Sometime next week. I may even suggest Monday. I think Adrien needs to hang out with more people. He told me he hadn't really heard from many people since the trial."

"Well the whole class kind of fell apart, though I am not surprised that no one has reached out to him. How are you supposed to start a conversation? I feel awkward even asking him how he is doing. There is no way he has no problems, but I know there is no way I could relate or even help. So I can see why no one has really talked to him."

"I think I can get him out of the office," Alya flipped her hair with her hand, "I have a better touch at being forceful and dragging someone out."

Nino nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is kind of hard to stop you, when you want something. I think I could get Marinette to take the time to get away for an evening. Then she can work during the day and have an evening of."

"Alright," Alya whipped out her phone, "I will text each of them to let them know the plan. You and I will figure out where we are going, but our goal is to get those two out and interacting public."

The text message read: Monday, 6pm the four of us are having dinner. No exceptions! Be ready Nino or I will pick you up! :D

Pleased with her work, she showed Nino her text to each of their friends as she pressed send. Nino placed his arm around her. "Nice job, babe."

Alya felt her face warm. Blood rushed to her cheeks. She felt Nino's arm stiffen, and his hand turn into a fist. She looked to him to see a deep blush growing under his glasses. He opened his eyes and removed his arm from the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Its fine," Alya replied a little rushed.

"I made it weird. It's just so nice to see you. It feels so comfortable."

"I know what you mean. And we just made a date with Marinette and Adrien."

"Date?"

"I mean plans… plans with Marinette and Adrien."

"Alya, would you like it to be a date?"

Her blush spread down her neck. How could he have been that smooth? She couldn't think long, she just needed to answer, to not make the conversation more awkward.

"I wouldn't mind a date. I mean, I don't get dressed up for anyone."

He smiled. "And here I was thinking I had put you high up on my priority list with calling you after eating? So it's a date?"

The brunette laughed. "It's a date."

"You might want to add that in your text to Marinette. I think that will motivate her to make sure she has that day off."

Alya lightly punched his arm. "Scheming and coordinating a date at the same time. You are such a romantic."

"I do what I can," the DJ said rubbing his shoulder. "I find a place and tell you Sunday night."

"Perfect."

"So, was planning an impromptu date the thing you needed help with?"

"No, that is just a bonus assistant from and excellent partner. What I called you here to help me with is the," Alya picked up her laptop from the ground and opened it. The Ladyblog front page popped up.

Nino gasped. "Dude, you still have the Ladyblog? I remember when I helped you set it up!"

"Exactly why you are the one to help me. Look at this post I made."

Nino read the post and response. His eyes widened when he saw the reply. "Woah."

"Right!"

"This could totally be a troll."

"Absolutely."

"How do I figure out if it is not a troll?"

Nino thought for a few minutes. "You will have to talk to this..." He looked at the user name, "Bug1 and ask them questions."

Alya looked skeptical towards his suggestion. "I'm not going to have an open conversation with a possible troll on my blog for everyone to see.

"I'm not suggesting you talk to them on the wall of your forum."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"I could update the code and add a private messaging and monitor section."

"Nino, that's a great idea! Are you sure you can do that?"

He waved his hand. "Psha, piece of cake. I did that on the band's website so we could keep inappropriate comments to a minimum. It would only take me an hour tops."

Aly wrapped her arms around her friend. "I knew you'd be able to help!"

He smiled and hugged her back as a light shade of pink crossed his face. "Anything to help. Let me sit here for like an hour with your laptop."

Alya placed the laptop on his lap. "Done! Anything else I can do, besides stay out of the way?"

"Can you make some lunch?" A cheesy grin crossed his face.

Alya rolled her eyes. "I will make something." Alya made her way to the kitchen shaking her head.

_oOo_

An hour and a half later, Alya had made chicken cordon bleu with some simple baked potatoes, and Nino had set up a private messaging system on the Ladyblog. Together the two rested on the couch; Nino propped up by an armrest with his arms folded behind his head while Alya leaning against his chest. Both had their legs stretched out. The laptop rested on Alya's lap. The two were staring at the screen. A blank compose message to the correspondent 'bug1' staring back at them.

"What do even write?" Alya asked. The thought of this possible conversation being a complete waste of time. Was this comment really going to be that useful of a lead?

"Well you have to start the conversation first." Nino answered.

"I don't 'hi how are you?' is going to exactly work."

"No, but you do have to explain what you are doing. If they don't respond in a few days, they are a troll. Don't sweat it." He moved one of his hands to the top of her head. He twirled a strand of hair around his finger. "If they do respond start asking some personal questions about Ladybug that only you would know?"

Alya strummed her fingers against the keyboard. The backspace button leading the chorus on the screen. Finally her fingers stopped moving. "What do you think?" The reporter held the laptop up for DJ to read. He removed his hand from her head and grabbed the base of the laptop to bring it closer to his face.

The message read:

Hello Bug1,

If you are Ladybug, I'm going to need more proof than an emoji and your words. I am doing a serious search. If you are the hero I really would like to talk to you. But I need to ask you a few things before you respond. Answer these three questions.

Where would you and Chat Noir always start patrol?

What is your favorite color?

What was the last thing you said to Chat Noir?

Answer these correctly and I will know you are really her.

-A

Nino handed the Laptop back to Alya. "Do you know the answer to all of those questions?"

"I do." She placed the Laptop in her lap. "I had a talk with Chat Noir last night. I asked him what she said to him. I still haven't really wrapped my head around it yet, but If this Bug1 is Ladybug, she will know it. The other two things can be found in videos I have posted on the blog. If they get two of three right, they are a troll. I really only care about that third question because there are only two people who know the answer; myself and Chat Noir."

"Do I get to know the answer?" Nino asked playfully.

"If this Bug1 answers correctly, then yes."

"Fingers crossed Bug1," he crossed his fingers.

"Do you want to watch some videos while we wait?" Alya suggested.

"Pull up YouTube. I have a few videos to pass some time."

Hours passed. The two bonded by watching music videos, funny clips, and audition videos for singing competition videos. Between clips, Alya periodically looked at the Ladyblog waiting for a response. Each time she checked nothing showed up. Looking at the time Nino decided he needed to go home for dinner. He had promised his mother he would eat with his family that night. He offered Alya if she wanted to come with him, but she refused.

"I'm glued to my work. I will sit here all night waiting for a response."

"Alright, don't work too hard," Nino laughed. "I will text you later to check in. I will also text you with where we are going on Monday."

Alya walked Nino to the door. "Don't go too wild. Remember we are bringing friends along. We can't scare them off."

Nino laughed and walked out. Alya locked the door. She flipped over to the Ladyblog checking her inbox before she figured out what she wanted to eat. Her jaw dropped when she saw the number one next to the message icon. The reporter took a deep breath and clicked on the number one.

The response read:

Hi,

Do u belive me? Ladybug emoji

Where would you and Chat Noir always start patrol? eiffel tower

What is your favorite color? pink

What was the last thing you said to Chat Noir? adrien could never forgive me