Marinette had learned from the previous day to hide her true 'excursions' from Alya a bit better. She raced along London's roof tops as Ladybug, and ducked down to find a discrete spot to drop her transformation. Around some touristy sites she was able to snap a few selfies. She posed with a statue. She bought some cheesy souvenir hats, and posed for more pics. She made sure to stop by a bakery and buy a large supply of cookies to keep Tiki energized for at least the next couple days. As an added bonus the bakery also advertised their specialty coffees, so Marinette added a couple large cups to her order. Then she picked up some takeout for her and Alya for dinner.

By the time she returned to their apartment, Alya had already beaten her back. Marinette found her friend leaning over her laptop, typing away furiously.

"Honey, I'm home!" Marinette san, "….and I brought dinner!" She called, holding aloft the bag of food triumphantly.

"Oh my gosh! You are the best!" Alya broke herself away from the screen with the promise of food.

"And coffee," Marinette added.

"Now you really are the best!" Alya reacted to the call of coffee, and charged Marinette, relieving her of the steaming dark liquid.

Taking a deep gulp, and sighing in satisfaction, Alya mumbled, "I love you."

"Well thanks Alya, you're great yourself," Marinette smiled amused.

"I was talking to the coffee," Alya smirked at her, raising the paper cup to her lips again.

"Since when did you start this love affair with coffee?" Marninette raised an eyebrow.

"Since I've been working nonstop on this global Ladybug story," she replied going back to the table, and turning her screen so Marinette could see. "I've been trying to find the pattern to the sightings that have been popping up, but it is hard to validate some of the sources. My supervisor has me tracking down leads all tomorrow." Then she looked sympathetically at Marinette. "I know I said I would try to tour around with you more, but the next couple days I'm going to be swamped. I probably won't even get a chance to get away from my computer till the weekend."

"Don't worry Alya!" Marinete reassured her, "actually that might work out! There was this tour thing out of London I was wanting to do, but I might be gone for a couple nights. That would give you time to focus on your story, and I wouldn't distract you."

"You don't…" Alya protested.

"Come on Alya, really, then you don't have to worry about me just sitting up waiting for you to get off work," Marinette insisted. "This is the break of a lifetime! You need to go for it!"

"I do love you ya know," Alya smiled.

"Coffee again?" Marinette put her hand on her hip.

"No!" Alya giggled, throwing a packet of sugar in her direction. Then she looked seriously at Marinette. "You are sure you want to? I feel like I've ruined our whole spring break in London together."

"Not at all! We'll both have an amazing time, and then we can tour around together once I get back! Best of both worlds, and we both have the freedom to have some fun!"

"Some fun hmmmm," Alya leaned towards Marinette suspiciously. "And is there a particular someone you will be meeting up for all this 'fun'?"

"Wha…what do you mean…huh huh someone?" Marinette stumbled.

"I can't believe I've been so blind!" Alya shook her head and smiled gleefully at Marinette, "of course you want to head off for some time 'alone,"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Marinette mumbled, busying herself with unpacking the boxes of food onto the table.

"You have been distracted, getting home late, totally wiped out, and you are eager to take a 'tour' away overnight," Alya winked at her. "You really think after all these years your best friend wouldn't notice."

"Notice what!?" Marinette said flustered, "What 'someone' do you think I'm meeting?"

"hmmmm, let me jog your memory…tall, handsome, mysterious, golden hair, and dreamy green eyes?"

Internally Marinette was screaming. How could Alya have found out she, Ladybug, was meeting up with Chat Noir all week. Of course she would find out! She was in the middle of her investigation, and she had let something slip. All this went on in Marinette's head. But on the outside she only stared at Alya wide-eyes, and emotionless.

"I'm not upset!" Alya smiled. "I just can't believe you've been touring around with Adrien all week, and didn't tell me!"

"Adrien?!" Marinette asked in confused relief. "I haven't been with Adrien."

"Come on girl, you don't have to keep that up. I just got off a video call with Nino. He was complaining how bored he'd been with everyone gone…especially since Adrien had just phoned to tell him he couldn't get together because he was on some trip with this 'amazing girl,' he was head over heels over."

Marinette's face dropped.

"You haven't been with Adrien," Alya said realizing the devastating impact her false assumption had on her best friend. "Oh Marinette, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I really though…it just seemed like he was finally clueing into how much you…oh Marinette, I just feel horrible, having you find out that way!"

"It's okay," Marinette said quietly, trying to give her friend a smile. "I really do just want him to be happy."

"But I want you to be happy too," Alya gave Marinette a heartfelt hug. "That oblivious boy doesn't know that he is missing out on being with the most incredible girl in the world." Then Alya pulled away, so she could look her friend in the eye. "There is no one like you Marinette!" She said sincerely, "You're going to find someone amazing who will see that!"

"Thanks Alya," Marineete said sitting down at the table.

"So before I made a total idiot of myself, you said you were interested in a tour." Alya transitioned, trying to get off the topic of Adrien. She sat down with Marinette, and handed her a box of noodles. "What is the tour to see?"

Marinette took a bite, and thought for a moment before answering, "Oh you know…scenery, history…wildlife."