"Adrien, my parents are going to freak out if they see our hair like this. Wait. Ha! Only yours!" "Hey, we're in this together, Bugaboo!" "Yeah, but my parents don't know I'm Ladybug." A sly smile crosses my face. "Adrien Agreste. You wouldn't dare." "I don't have to. I think they figured out on their own." "Fine. We'll tell them! After we tell them that we dyed our hair!"

"Marinette?" "Yes?" My voice goes up a octave. "We packed a picnic, so can you and Cat be ready in ten minutes?" "No problem!" "Ten minutes? How are we going to get normal hair in ten minutes?" "Um, M'lady?" "What?" "We can just transform back you know." My mouth drops open. "You...you…" Deep breath. "Spots off. Yipes, still pink!" "Caps." "Excuse me?" "Baseball caps. If we can find caps that are big enough, we can hide our hair." "Love, your a genius!" I bounce up on tip-toe, giving him a quick kiss. Then I take out my baseball caps, praying one will fit.

Apparently, Kagami and Felix came to hang with us, and my mother invited them too. Great. I know Felix is going to have with us. We clatter downstairs, holding hands. "Matching caps?" Kagami asks. "Is that a new trend couples do?" "Er….its not a trend yet, but maybe it will catch on."

Even if our hair has seen better days, the weather is beautiful outside. We head to the nearby park and set things up for the picnic. Mama and Papa give us some privacy. I open the basket, reaching for an egg salad sandwich as Adrien reaches for a tuna. His brush of hand makes my skin tingle and I look into his eyes. My sillies fears evaporate as I stare into those eyes which have comforted me since I was a teen.

"Their so in love, they have a staring contest. The question is which one wins?" "The fridge," I mutter beneath my breath, trying hard now not to catch Adrien's eye, as a image of Cat sitting in front of the fridge with tail lashing, hoping that the magical food door will open. Adrien coughs. "Will call it a tie. Hey, how's the bookstore going?" I listen, laying back on the blanket, letting the sun warm me like a shawl.

I'm totally relaxed when I sip my juice box, and go to crawl into Adrien's lap, when I forget I'm still wearing my cap, and it falls off. "Oh, no," I whisper, and I bury my head in Adrien's chest. "Marinette, when did you dye your hair pink?" "I think its actually more watermelon colored," Adrien winks. "Your dead, fur ball." "Adrien's hair is green," I confess. "Ha. Now, we're even."

"Oh, I know what's going on. They were doing a science experiment, and they couldn't tear their eyes away from each other and poof!" I wince, he's so ever close to the truth. Sort of. "To much smooching and not enough studying!"

It feels good to laugh and soon we can't breathe right. But then its time for cake. Though it is a short picnic, I feel much better after getting out in the fresh air and hang out with my friends. That happy feeling doesn't last long though. For there's a police car waiting at the bakery.

I gasp in horror as a officer steps out along with Gabriel Agreste himself. "Tom Dupain, pleasure to see you. Gabriel wanted to talk to you." Before I know what's happening, I rush up to the evil man. "Isn't bad enough you don't care about your son, but you set fire to my family's business and ruin my father's livelihood?" "Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

I freeze. Papa never shouts at me. Never. I slowly turn to face him and wish I hadn't, for his face looks deeply ashamed. "Marinette, leave the talking to me. Your embarrassing me." "Papa, I…." "Adrien, how about you take her for a walk?" Adrien nods, face pale.

But something strange happens. "Wait here. Claws Out!" "Cat!" I clutch at empty air as Cat dashes away. He's back within minutes and we head down into the sewers were no one will hear us. "I know you want to cry, but we need to watch this." He pulls out his baton, and turns up the volume.

Gabriel and my parents are discussing some kind of fundraiser, but I know he's up to no good. But what? Isn't burning my family business enough for him?

The tears start splattering onto the floor, and Cat turns off the audio. "Marinette, I'm sorry." "Papa doesn't know I'm Ladybug, or that Gabriel is Hawkmoth. Cat, I think…." I take a deep breath. "I think its time I told them who I am. And about your father." "I'll be right there to support you, M'lady. Now, let me kiss your tears away."

Cat's kisses soothe away the pain and the world blurs to only us…. "Cat.." I gasp, as his lips graze my ear, and I tip my head back. The world is red with heat, but this is certainly a different kind of fire.

I apologize as soon as I get home, causing more tears. "You don't know this, but there's something you should know about Gabriel, Papa." All of us are sitting around the kitchen table, drinking tea. "My father is Hawkmoth," Adrien says. "But how does that effect you, Marinette?" "Because," I slide off my stool and stand in front of my parents. "Because I am…." I look at Adrien, with love shining in his eyes. He gives me courage to utter my next words. "Because I am Ladybug."

Gabriel wore a mask of a smile as the officer drove him back to prison. It was all the ruse to know where Tom Dupain's safe was. Tom was a prideful man, and had declined Gabriel's offer. But if he could somehow get the safe money, the Dupain-Cheng's would be forced to leave town. It was a good thing he knew the tunnel system….but how to get into the safe. It was time to put on the charm for Ivan, for who could resist a tempting bait?