I wake before dawn, and out the window is a thick blanket of gray clouds. I dress quickly, not wanting to waste time, for I want to get back to Cat. After all, he was the first thing I saw when I woke up, and that was a great comfort to me. "Voyage!"

Felix and Kagami looked surprised to see me, as they are just sitting down to breakfast. "Is everything okay, Marinette?" "Yeah. I actually need to borrow Dussu. I'll explain when we get back to the Temple." "Let's go," Kagami says, decisive, and we make the quick journey. As we walk the halls, I give the quick update about what's going on. We reach the door where we're keeping the birds hostage, and I bite my lip with worry. Sunrise waits for no Ladybug, and I don't want Cat to wake alone. Still, getting information from the birds will take awhile, as I don't think they're just going to start chatting.

Kagami must see or sense my distress, because she places her hand on my arm. "I'll make sure Cat has company. You gather information from the birds," she says. She starts to back out of the room, and I call out to her. "Wait, Kagami?" "Yes, Marinette?" "Tell Cat I love him." She nods, and is gone.

The birds are snoozing in their cages, and Felix stares up at them. "So, they attacked you?" "Mostly they attacked Cat. I guess they thought he was the stronger of the two of us." "Birds and their shiny objects. You holding up okay, Marinette?" "Yes, but if it wasn't for the birds, we could have been back to traveling by now. Hawkmoth could launch a attack at any time, and I wouldn't be ready. Look what happened to Paris, to my family." Possibly to Adrien, but I keep my mouth closed. I feel like if Adrien would have died in the fire, I would have felt it, or heard about. It wasn't like Adrien wasn't famous, and we were very good friends.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Felix asks, and I jump. "You wouldn't want them, and there not worth anything anyway." My voice comes out sharper then I planned. "Your worried about Cat, aren't you?" I nod. "He's in safe hands."

Just then, one of the birds wakes up and stares down at us with his black eyes. He's really beautiful, with the rising sun mixing orange with his black feathers. Dussu flies out and seeing the bird, hides behind Felix's shoulder. "That-that bird is huge. And he looks hungry." I slap my forehead. "Why didn't I think of that? Food will make the birds talk." We're speaking in whispers, though the birds who are all awake now, could hear every word.

"I'll be back with some fruit and biscuits," Felix says, striding out of the room. I detransform, sighing as I walk over to the window watching the rising sun. I hope Felix brings….Unexpectedly, tears start to slide down my cheeks and it scares me. I have to check on Cat. Scribbling a quick note to Felix, I transform back and head down to the sick room.

When Cat sees me walk through the door, its like an another sun is rising on Cat's face. We stare at each other a moment. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away long. I ordered him a bowl of broth from the kitchens. I'll send up something for you." I give her a hug. "You always think of everything I don't. That must be why we're such good friends."

"M'lady, I'm hot," Cat says, as I sit down in the chair by his bed. "Just because your sick, doesn't mean you get to vain about it," I tell him, pressing a kiss to his forehead and stop. His forehead is warm, and I realize Cat is burning with fever. One of the cuts or scratches must be infected. "Be right back, Kitty."

I sprint into the bathroom where I pick up some towels and some antiseptic wipes and then find my pack. "Detransform, and take off your clothes, one of your wounds must be infected."

Cat does what he's told and when I examine his naked body, I gasp, finding a gaping wound. The suit must have trapped the bleeding, thus causes the infection. I walk over to the sink to make the cloth wet then dab it gently on the wound. Cat hisses softly as I wipe the antiseptic wipe over it, and realize the wound is now open and bleeding.

The wound will need stitching, and I'm the only one in the room. Kagami comes with a breakfast tray, looking at me worriedly. "You okay?" "Yeah, the yogurt looks good. You want some Cat?" Secretly, I drop some sleep syrup into the mixture. Cat narrows his eyes at me. "Are you hiding something from me?" he asks, taking a bite of the creamy yogurt. "Not that you won't remember," I mumble. Cat struggles to stay awake, but my potion is strong and within a minute Cat is snoring softly. I feel horrible for deceiving him, but I had no other choice. I clean the wound thoroughly and quickly, then taking a breath and saying a small prayer, I begin to sitch the wound closed.

I can see beads of sweat breaking out on Cat's face, and I know that even when the wound is stitched up, Cat will need medicine. But I focus on the task at hand, my mind wandering back to when I was young…..

"Marinette, dry your eyes. You can fix your doll good as new." I wipe my eyes, blurry from tears as I accidentally ripped the arm of my favorite dolly, and stuffing peeks out of her shoulder. Grandma hands me my needle and thread. "Take your time and focus. You might be sewing a doll's shoulder today, but you never know when a sitch could save someone's life."

I pay careful attention after that, even after my dolly's fixed. Mama and Papa serve many doctors and nurses their coffee and morning doughnut. Every year, I make mittens for the workers that come in.

"Nice work, Marinette. Just caught the string here, and your done," Aria makes me come back to the present. "Cat's running a high fever. Are there pills in can take?" The room is suddenly a flurry of activity, and I step back out of the way, bumping into Felix. "Any luck with the birds?" He shakes his head. "There beaks are firmly shut. What kind of bird can't resist a delicious biscuit?" I click my fingers. "I may have an idea, but I'll need a bucket and for you to come down to the gardens." Felix smiles at me. "Are you ever without a plan, Ladybug?" I grin, shaking my head. "I have plans from A to Z."

Back at the castle, Hawkmoth set up the tripod, nodding to himself when the blinking red light came on. "People of Tibet and throughout the world, I have a announcement for you. I will not stop hunting down the Miraculous of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Maybe your down on your luck, or are feeling the pains of hunger. Bring me their Miraculous and I could make that all disappear. A healthy reward and riches beyond your wildest dreams could come true, if you can track down these two vigilantes."

Hawkmoth was about to head his speech, when he remembered to add one last detail to his speech. "Oh, if there are any magicians out there, I'll be waiting at my castle if you dare."

I make a face as I drop the last aphid into the bucket. "The things you don't do, Ladybug," Felix tells me as we pour over the leaves for aphids for the captive birds. "Yuk! I can see why these bugs are my enemy."

I pause a moment, looking towards the direction that Hawkmoth's castle is supposedly is. "I think we have an enough aphids for now," I tell Felix and we head back inside.

"Look what we have," I sing to the birds who eye us. "Some yummy aphids for birds who talk and give information. Yum, yum!"

One of the birds glares down at me, cawing harshly. "Tell me what you know, feather-brain!" I yell, whirling my yo-yo at it.

I'm trying to keep my patience, buts its wearing thin. Don't these birds want freedom, the chance to take wing?

By now, its late afternoon, and I can't believe how fast the day has gone by. Soon, the darkness will return and we'll be forced to sleep, waiting for sunrise to begin again.

"See what you can do with the aphids," I tell Felix, "I'll be back soon." I wander back to Cat's room, and find him sleeping deeply and peacefully. At least one of us will get a good night sleep.

Once again, I find my spot in the window, watching the red ball of sunlight disappear behind the mountains.

Kagami and Felix keep me company during supper, and Felix shakes his head. "No luck with the birds." "We'll just have to try again tomorrow," I tell them, putting on my brave face. We decide to play cards in my room so Cat isn't disturbed.

I love playing cards with them, for its a chance to hear their news, and hear what's normal in the world. We order hot chocolate, and some of the tension eases from my shoulders and I watch Kagami and Felix flirt and banter.

I'm feeling warm and sleepy and almost relaxed. Just then, Aria bursts into the room, her face pale and her braid slips over her shoulder. "Ladybug, I think you should watch this."

I growl underneath my breath as Hawkmoth comes on the screen, spreading lies about Cat and I. I will make your pay dearly for what you have done to me, my partner, the people of Paris and my family.

But the last part of the message worries me the most. If Hawkmoth is giving out a reward, who can we trust now?