Marinette sat bolt up right in bed. She was gasping and struggling to calm down her breathing. Something fell from her head into her lap and she noticed it to be one of the pink flannels from in her bathroom. One of her best flannels. Whoever had used it best have a good excuse, she was saving those for ... well she didn't know what for? But she was definitely saving them.

Her body was clammy and she noticed she was in her Chat Noir pyjama's. They were some of the first items she ever sold online. Of course, they were inspired by Adrien. It was his character which had been the muse to her tiny shorts and cropped tee. Why would she be wearing these anyway? She hadn't worn them since she was about twenty one.

Something or someone made a noise next to her. A deep throated snore. Did she bring someone home with her? No, she couldn't have. She was there with Adrien, they were in a fake, family friendly relationship - unless ...

Slowly she turned her head to the side, heart pounding and legs ready to scram out the room. She looked down at the sleeping form beside her and let out a long held breath. It was Alya. She looked at her friends sleeping form wondering what Alya was doing in her house and more to the point her bed. She glanced at the digital clock screen and saw it was four-fifteen in the morning. That would mean the sun was about to rise.

Swinging her legs slowly out of bed she noticed her normal stability wasn't there, in fact her legs felt like jelly. Steadily placing one foot in front of the other she walked towards the door. Perhaps she could go to the toilet, grab a glass of water and watch the sunrise. She made her way to the en-suite in her room and did what she needed to before taking a quick look in the mirror. She winced as she realised she'd spent the whole night in her make up. Grabbing a flannel (not one of her posh ones) she gave her face a quick scrub with soap before washing it off. She'd have to make sure she cleansed properly later that evening.

Shutting off the light she headed towards her next destination still holding onto the wall as she walked. What was wrong with her legs? She couldn't remember drinking that much last night. Stepping out the bedroom door slowly she replayed last night through her mind. She remembered flirting with Adrien, and a shiver made a rollercoaster ride around her body. Yes, she'd definitely attempted to flirt. Closing her door behind her something else hit her memory. Adrien's almost clone, the doctor. He came to check on her, she wouldn't let Adrien leave, he carried her out the club ...

Her back slumped against the wall as realisation struck. She'd been drugged.

"Oh shit!"

"I didn't think Princess' swore?" A male voice boomed from in her lounge and she noticed a lamp was on. She headed towards the room only to be met at the door by her fake boyfriend.

"How you feeling?" He spoke with such tenderness Marinette found her legs lose strength and she collapsed to the floor. Before her almost bare ass cheeks hit the cold floor Adrien had scooped her up and was walking towards the sofa. He placed her down gently and she noticed the turned over book resting on the table. She bent forward and stroked the spine.

Want to Play? P J Tracy 

They'd both been obsessed with the book when they were sixteen, they read it together challenging each other to guess who the murderer was. They'd spend nights over FaceTime pretending to be Ladybug and Chat Noir to solve the crime, she smiled as she remembered what dorks there were. It was a great book, but the experience she'd had with Adrien reading it was so much more.

"I thought I'd reminisce." Adrien came and sat next to her positioning a glass of water on the coffee table.

"Is it as good?"

"Naa. I need my partner in crime." She looked at his smiling face and couldn't help mirroring it with one of her own.

"More like anti-crime." She replied giving him a wink. She picked up her glass gently and took a sip. He studied her mouth as the water slid through her lips. Even without make up on, after being sick most of the night and drugged, she was an impressive display of a woman.

She placed the glass down sighing as she leant back on the sofa.

"My head still doesn't feel quite right." She said. Adrien sat back next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Felix said it would take about twenty four hours so I hope you haven't got much planned."

"Well I was hoping to have gone home with you last night for some X rated fun so my schedule was cleared incase I couldn't walk." Adrien choked on his own spit, before starting to protest.

Marinette broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I'm only joking, Adrien. I know how repulsed you'd be by that." She leant forward again to take another drink and Adrien couldn't have felt like he'd been slapped round the face more if it had been physically.

Did she really think that's how he saw her? He thought he was doing a grand job showing her exactly how beautiful she was.

"Mari, that's not -"

"Adrien, don't worry. I know I'm not beautiful like all the models and pop stars you've dated. I'm family friendly remember." Adrien didn't know what to do. For the first time in his life he was speechless, uncomprehendingly speechless.

"Life was so much easier when we were younger." She said curling into the side of his body. She tucked her feet under her bottom and rested her head against his hard torso. He manoeuvred himself so they were lying comfortably, and horizontally against the sofa. Reaching for the blanket he'd been using, he threw it over the both of them.

"For you maybe. You had a wonderful family and home. Friends, good grades ... I had my mother and father trying to ditch me with the other so they didn't have to look after me. I don't know why they had me in the first place."

"Hey, don't say that." Marinette was lying on Adrien's side with her head under his chin. Considering how muscular he was, she was finding him very comfy to lie on. His hand stretched up and began to stroke her hair.

"It's true though. It was one of the reasons I started sleeping around so much. I didn't want to stay in that hell hole of a mansion. My father didn't care where I was, I was already going against him by then with my fencing. I don't understand though, he wanted me to do it. He pushed me into the lessons. Anyway, I could only stay with Nino and Kim for so long before they needed a night to have sex with their girlfriends which meant I was out on the street."

"You could have come and stayed with me. You know my parents adored you, they still do." He smiled at that and she could feel the deflation in his body. She truly was an angel.

"Thanks Princess, but I didn't want to make it uncomfortable, you were my best friend. You stood by me with everything, when no one else would. You were too good for me. It was easier to basically pimp myself out. A different girl each night, a different house." He sighed and placed his free hand over his face. He'd never said it out loud and the shame he was feeling right this second outweighed any feeling he'd ever experienced in his life.

"Until you met Kagami?" Marinette whispered. Something in her voice sounded choked up. Was she upset for him? For his life? Knowing Marinette she would probably guilt herself over this forever.

"Kagami was an easy option. She had things to hide, just as did I. It worked well. I never loved her though, I don't think I've ever loved anyone." Except you, a voice entered his head and short circuited his brain. Where the hell had that come from?

He continued to stroke her hair and her breathing became shallower. She was falling back to sleep. She snuggled her head into his chest and let out a deep breath.

"I was going to watch the sunrise."

"We can watch it another time Princess. The police are coming this morning to take a statement from you. You need to get some sleep. Do you want me to carry you to bed?" Adrien didn't want to move but staying here might not be there best idea.

"I'm warm and comfy. Can we stay here?" His heart pounded hard against his ribcage. "Please Adrien, I feel safe." He couldn't say no to that.

Wrapping his arms around Marinette he gave her a kiss on the head. He seemed to be getting strange impulses around Marinette at the moment and he wasn't sure how he was feeling about it. This was going to end in the matter of weeks, he really shouldn't be getting attached or needy.

They both slipped into a warm, cosy sleep ready to face the police in a couple of hours time, or at least that's what they thought. Marinette swore she'd only been asleep for a matter of minutes when Alya woke her up. As her best friend poked her in the shoulder Marinette was coming to terms with how she'd slept. She snuggled in to the warm comfortable pillow she was lying on, until it started to move.

With a sight scream she slammed her hands against Adrien's chest and threw herself to the opposite side of the sofa.

"Excuse me madam, has this gentleman been taking advantage of you?" A policeman was glaring down at Adrien, and Adrien couldn't  help the clearly audible gulp he made.

"No! No, he's my boyfriend." Marinette shuffled back towards Adrien who was now sitting up bolt right.

"Funny reaction to waking up to your boyfriend." The policeman raised one eyebrow and looked between them.

"Well, he's that amazing sometimes I forget that I'm with him." She tried to smile as Adrien grimaced. For the first time, he knew someone obviously didn't believe their lie.

"I can understand that." Came a second voice.

"Sabrina?" All three of the friends chorused as the small red head walked through the door.

"Hi guys. Marinette, how are you feeling?"

The hour was taken over by questions, waiting for blood test results and catching up.

"We've got the men who are suspects in custody so we will let you know what happens within the next few hours." Marinette and Alya walked with Sabrina to the door as Adrien thanked the male police in the lounge.

"Marinette, it's great to see you and Adrien finally together." Sabrina patted Marinette on the upper arm as she made her way out the door.

"Thanks. I can't believe my luck." Marinette looked back at the rough looking blonde. Even when he'd spent the night on her couch he still looked amazing. Messy hair, wrinkled clothes and a midnight shadow beard. Yep, Adrien Agreste was a whole lot of hotness and Marinette couldn't help but stare.

The police officers both left as Adrien walked to the door too.

"Adrien, go home and get some sleep. I'll be fine honestly. Alya's here with me and I don't plan on leaving the house." She could tell he was torn.

"Out!" Alya demanded, pushing him out the door. "Go and see Nino or something! Me and my girl are going to have a girly day to talk about you and whatever strange relationship this actually is." Her hands flew between the two of them.

"Alya!" exclaimed Marinette. Alya shrugged and walked out the hallway into the kitchen. Marinette sighed and  turned back to Adrien. Her hand placed firmly on her head.

"You ok?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think I just need more rest."

"Here." He stepped forward and placed his lips against her temple. "Call me if you need me."

He turned around and stalked down the driveway. He couldn't go home yet, his head seemed to be full of information he needed to talk about, so instead he decided to take a  right and make his way to Nino's house.

A couple of hours later, Marinette was feeling a whole lot more human. She was also enjoying the alone time with Alya. It had been a while. Not that she held anything against Nino, but she missed her best friend.

As the second chick flick was coming to an end the door bell rang. Marinette slowly made her way to the door, only to be greeted by a huge bouquet of red roses. Signing the delivery note she took the amazing arrangement and headed back into the lounge.

"Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln! Whose sent you those?" Alya was sat dumbfounded on the sofa.

Gently, Marinette positioned them in the centre of her coffee table, next to the still open book. She stroked the spine again before opening the small rectangular gift card.

To me, you're always beautiful.