Marinette was talking on the phone as she rode the bus home "I'm sorry mama, its just something came up."

Sabine was as quick on the ball as ever with her reply "Marinette, you know we would have him anytime, its not a problem. But what's happened? Is-is he -is he back?" the last part of her sentence trailed into a whisper and she knew the answer from her daughters sigh in response.

"Don't tell Lewis, I need to sort things out first, it may take a few weeks." she paused and bit her lip, wondering if she should really be voicing these thoughts out loud on a public bus. "its just- I've waited so long for this to happen – now I don't know what to feel"

she couldn't see her mother on the other end of the phone but she could feel the warmth and comfort of her smile. "I understand," Sabine replied "time my dear, and patience. I'm sure all will work out"

Adrien had sometime to kill before meeting Nino, he wondered around the familiar streets and ended up outside a very familiar bakery. By far the best in Paris he thoughtfully smiled to himself. He pushed the door open just as Sabine was hanging up the phone. "OH ADRIEN!" she shouted and ran round the counter to hug him. "Its been so long! How long are you here for? Here take a seat I'll get you something to eat, you look so thin, your as bad as our Marinette" she smiled fussing over him, mothering him.

Adrien heard some giggling from the back of the house but didn't inquire. "thank you Mrs Dupain-"

she cut him off shaking her head. "Sabine, please Adrien"

He smiled at her, "thank you Mrs...Sabine" he caught himself as she raised her eyebrows at him "I cant stay but I couldn't not stop by without picking up one of the best croissants in France"

She blushed at him and put 5 or 6 in a bag, "here dear, on the house."

Adrien smiled, he knew better than to argue with her. Thanking her graciously he turned to leave, he hesitated. "er...Mrs...Sabine? Hows Marinette these days?"

Sabine eyed him suspiciously. She had known the likely truth for a while, she hadn't told her daughter. Her daughter had pleaded with Tikki to not tell her his identity. She needed him to reveal that to her. She smiled warmly at him. "she s good, I'm sure you will catch up with her soon enough" He took that as his cue to leave.

Walking to the bar that Nino had told him to meet him at. It was a new bar called 'The Lady' with a picture of a black cat chasing a butterfly. He felt that pang in his heart once more. How apt the signage was with his former life. He was going to have to face her sooner than later. He walked into the room which was decorated cosily. He saw Nino and Alya waiting for him.

"oh Adrien" Alya sighed and pulled him into a deep hug.

When she let go Nino threw his arm around his old friends shoulder "Dude, how long you down for?"

Adrien let out a long sigh, "Well at least a year to sort out the legislation stuff about my Fathers empire. Apparently I cant move headquarters from Paris until a year of working from here for some unknown reason. The lawyers handle that stuff."

His friends were elated. They soon got chatting catching up and reliving old times. He frequently emailed them or spoke to them on the phone but more just to keep in contact then anything else. Alya was recalling one of the times Marinette had fallen into his lap during school. He was laughing at the memory.

"Oh boy, she had such a crush on you back then" Alya smiled reminiscently.

Adrien almost spat out the drink he was drinking "wh-what!?"

Alya and Nino laughed mercilessly. How could their friend be so oblivious! Alya caught her breath. "Hang on, she confessed to you? Didn't she?"

Adrien racked his brains trying to think and a memory of talking to her not more than a few months before he left "ooohhhh..." he went a bright shade of red "I didn't know she was- well she said- oh god I'm an idiot" he hid his face in his hand whilst his friends doubled up with laughter all over again.

Nino gripped his shoulder "hey man, don't sweat it. It was a long time ago and she has Lewis now anyway"

An odd pang of jealousy came to Adrien which he dismissed rather than dwell on it. Alya added to Nino's comment. "yes, that's true" she added thoughtfully.

Adrien didn't want to pry. If Marinette was happy with another man then that was great, he would love to see her again sometime but he didn't want to get in the way of anything. The look on Alya's face was a little sad though. Maybe she wasn't happy with this Lewis.

"So, is she a big designer now?" he added changing the subject.

Again Alya's eyes went sad "no, she managed to find a job in a fashion magazine, she wanted to go into her own business designing but, well it didn't work out"

"Well I'm looking for a designer" Adrien stated. "I know Marinette always had an eye for it. If she drops by her portfolio Id love to consider her for the job. My father was always the design genius. I just modelled and now after Business school... well I can draw stick men" he laughed rubbing the back of his neck "unfortunately I'm more …. destructive than creative"

Alya was already tapping out a frantic message on her phone. And a reply within moments. "says, she will drop it round tomorrow after work if that's OK?"

Adrien was shocked at the fast reply but nodded. "oh, tell her if I'm not in then leave it with my assistant, oh- and-say hi-from me" he smiled and Alya nodded returning his smile with an all knowing sparkle in her eyes.

Marinette had always had a special place in his heart. She was fun and kind and one of the few friends that genuinely seemed to care for him and not his money. He felt bad when they lost contact but always asked to see how she was. He had herd the name Lewis crop up in conversation before. It seemed like he wasn't that good for her. Last time he heard the name he had been driving Alya mad with his antics and Marinette was being run ragged. Hopefully things were better between them now.

Adrien glanced at the clock behind the bar. "shoot, sorry guys" he hugged them both "I got to go but Ill see you again? Really soon, I promise"

he smiled and waved at his friends as he quickly ducked behind the bar into a small ally. "This is it Plagg."

"about time!" the kwami huffed turning his back to him

"claws out"

A/N - sorry for the long delay in updates, hopefully will crack out some more over the next week. Im not happy with where it went in a couple of chapters so Im going to spend some time rewriting it. keep the reviews and comments rolling, I love them, and thank you all for following my story. - Bug-Out -