The bell above door jangles happily, which does not reflect my mood. I came to the jewelry store to sell my crystals that I've collected and have risen in value over the years. If luck is on my side, I'll be able to buy a home far away from Paris, and leave behind all the painful memories.

"Ah, Miss Dupain-Cheng," the manger comes out with a smile, a monocle hanging from his eye. "Right on time. This way, please." My mood brightens slightly as I think about what Cat would say about the eyeglass. No doubt he would make me laugh. No, you fulfilled your mission as Ladybug, so Cat is free to live his life. It just hurts he left Paris before me, but at least he said goodbye.

"My, my, you do have an exquisite taste in jewels and crystals, my dear. I'll have to examine them and then appraise them, but you have a decent sum of money coming your way." I press my lips together, trying not to giggle.

I'm still owner and Guardian of the Miracle Box and the earrings I wear in my earrings could bring me millions, if not more. But that will never happen, and at last I nod and smile. "I'm perfectly comfortable leaving the box with you overnight, Sebastian. You have my number to reach me in the morning, right?" "Indeed I do. As soon as I can, I'll give you call." I stand up and shake the kindly man 's hand. Sebastian is also one of my clients that I made ties for, and I always took great care with his, as he loved the whimsical look.

The night air is cool as I step back outside, and head towards home where dinner and bed are waiting. During the day, the streets are full, but tonight I can hear my footsteps and Tikki, my Kwami, flies out of my purse. "So, do you think we have enough money to leave town?" "Marinette, I know you miss Cat, but running away from Paris isn't going to solve that." I sigh, knowing she's right. "Its not just about Cat, Tikki. I just need a new start at life."

I make a pot of tea and eat my leftover fried chicken in front of the TV. Before long though, I can barely keep my eyes open.

I fall asleep even before my head hits the pillow, and I fall into a dream….

Cat's baton that I hold in my hand clashes against Hawkmoth's staff. The blow is so hard I can feel it in my bones. "You thought you two had gotten rid of m for good, didn't you? Thought you could live your fairy-tale life? Well, your sadly mistaken, Ladybug, for I'm still here, your living nightmare!"

I gasp, and plummet to the ground with a loud thump, and slowly sit up. Morning sunlight streams in through my window, the promise of a beautiful day. But a nightmare about my former nemesis is not the way I wanted to start my day.

But I'm not going to let it control me, and after showering and dressing, I head towards my favorite place in Paris, Starbucks.

I'm just sinking my teeth into a warm bagel cream cheese, when I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and I find a quiet corner to check my messages. "I have your total for your jewelry! Feel free to drop in anytime." I smile and stand, not wanting to waste a moment.

"Marinette, I didn't expect you so soon," Sebastian smiles at me. "But its always good to see you." "Guess I was just excited." "Well, I'm pleased to inform you that you have more then ten thousand dollars here. Some of these were rare and quiet exquisite, if I do say so myself." My mouth drops open. Over ten thousand dollars? That is more then enough to buy me a house and a few extras.

I thank Sebastian for his time, and he clears his throat. "Before you leave, would you like to take one crystal with you? Surely there was one you had trouble parting with." I immediately pull out the red crystal Adrien gave me for my birthday just two years ago when I was sixteen, and I am eighteen now.

Smiling, I rub the crystal and press a kiss to the cool stone. Little did I know I just made a wish, and my wish is about to come true. A sudden wind rushes up, tossing around my long black raven colored hair like plaything and I look around for Tikki. Then, a yawning portal looms towards me, and before I can blink I'm sucked in.

I'm falling in a black void, and I briefly wonder if this is it what's its like to be sucked into a black hole, and then I'm spat out and I land on the ground with a bump!

I stand up, rubbing my sore bottom and brushing off the dirt. Wait. The bright sun that shone down on me has vanished, blotted out by the trees above me. "Tikki, I don't think where in Paris anymore." "Maybe your crystal was a magic crystal, and you made a wish." "Well, that can't be helped now. Let's look around."

I begin to travel down the dirt path, hoping to find someone, anyone, with a friendly face and will tell me where I am. But the only sounds I hear are birds chirping. Taking a deep breath, Tikki and I set off down the dirt path. I can see a cottage in the distance, and my feet quicken. "Come on, Tikki!"

When we get to the cabin, I knock on the knocker, but to my surprise the door swings open with a creak. "Marinette," Tikki squeaks, "Look, a note!"

"Welcome, traveler from Paris! If your reading this you rubbed my crystal and made the wish. All will be explained in good time. In the meantime, relax and enjoy your new home!"

"New home? Does this mean...Tikki, my wish has come true!" Okay, it wasn't exactly the way I was expecting but that's okay.

I peek at the cozy living room complete with fireplace and picture window. A spinning wheel stands in the corner and I try not squeal with happiness. The kitchen is incredible, pots and pans gleaming just waiting to be used hanging on racks above the stove.

I peek at the cupboards, finding all the ingredients for cookies and decide to make a batch. All this wishing as made me hungry after all.

I bake my favorite, oatmeal chocolate chip and set them in the window sill to cool. "Now, don't go sneaking a taste, or you'll burn your mouth!" I warn my Kwami, wagging a finger at her. I head upstairs and find a very cozy looking bed, complete with patchwork quilt. Another window seat sits in the corner, but what I'm most happy about in my new room is the wardrobe.

I flop down on the bed, sighing with contentment. Hee hee, making wishes is fun! But then I hear a wail coming from downstairs and sit bolt upright. That's not my Kwami. Is there a ghost in here? Don't ghosts sometimes show up in fairy tales? Hmm, I'm trying to remember.

Heart beating fast, I creep downstairs and grab a rollingpin. I realize it wasn't Tikki after all who made the noise, for I can see her hiding in one of the cabinets.

I peer out the window, but the noise and whoever made it is gone. I slump into a chair, breathing a quivery sigh of relief.

And then I see it: A black gloved hand, or is it? Is now on the windowsill, where I put the cookies. I grip my roller pin tightly and creep over to the window, ready to attack.

"Please, Princess, I'm just hungry," a very familiar voice calls out below the window. "Cat Noir, is that you?" I hold my breath, waiting for a reply. "No, its just a huge hungry black spider ready to eat some cookies."

Cat's head pops up, and grins at me, and my sad feeling dissolve like morning mist. "Oh, Princess, its so good to see you again!" I laugh. "You just missed my cooking. And my baking."

I'm about to run outside to give him a hug, when something drops down behind Cat in one of the trees. "S-Spider!" I stammer, pointing behind him. "No, Princess. Cat. Did you hit your head while coming through the portal?' "No, behind you!"

Rolling pin still clenched in my hands, I run out the door, ready to save my partner. But I'm to late as I hear a shriek, and gasp as the spider now has Cat in its clutches.

Without thinking, I give a wail and run towards it, and bash it over its head. It goes limp but then quickly recovers scurrying back up into the trees. "Come on, hurry!" I grab Cat's hand and run, back to the safety of my home.

I slam the door behind me, catching my breath. "Marinette, you saved my life!" I give him a shaky grin. "Yeah, well, you saved me plenty of times in Paris, so we're even now." Cat steps closer, pulling me into his arms. My breathing evens out and I snuggle into his embrace. "I missed you." I step back.

"Did you make a wish too?" Cat blinks with confusion for a moment before recovering. "Oh, yes! That's why you haven't seen me around!"

"Seeing the dangers past now, care to share a cookie?" That smile I love so much is back, making my breath catch in my throat. "Those words are like music to my ears. Let's eat!"

Cat finds a jug of milk in the fridge, but just as where sitting down the windows all black out. "Its that spider, he's getting his revenge for you whacking him." "What do you mean?" I ask. "Marinette, we're trapped in a giant spider web."