Felix rolled his eyes in sheer terror.  He could not believe his brother would get food from the poor folks in town.  This is how he felt about the people at the bakery because he had never met them and his family had always been prejudiced against the Dupain-Cheng family.  He growled in protest. 

     Adrien ate the crescents thinking about the kind and beautiful Marinette. She had given him the food without question. She had not asked him his name. She had not judged him either. He knew his appearance must have been a shock to her. He had barely exited the place when he heard someone else speaking to her. It must have been her sister.

       He smiled. He knew the cooks at the mansion were okay, but the bakery people did far better. Why had they been tossed aside so easily in the past? It was obvious they were honest people, and the food was delicious. He sighed. 

      Back with the girls...

     Marinette smiled as she worked. She did not tell Bridgette about the beast. How could she? She did not want anyone to know. It could be her secret, as far as she was concerned. The guy could not help it; she was sure he was someone else, someone trapped. She felt sorry for him. The way he had groaned, and she was almost sure she had heard him weep as he left—the poor dear.

       "Marinette, are you sure? I thought I heard an animal down here. You better set up a trap in case of returns. We can't risk a rodent getting into the baked goods; the whole thing would be bad for business." Bridgette remarked. "Bridgette, I am sure it was a customer. He had a bad cold, but don't worry,  he did not touch anything. He paid a decent amount for the crescents more than enough." Marinette answered. Bridgette shook her head. She thought for sure Marinette was hiding something from her.  What could it be?

        Time skip!

     Two months later...

     Adrien dropped by at night while Bridgette was asleep. He did this every Wednesday and Friday.  He always paid more than enough, and Marinette gave him some extra crescents, cookies,  occasionally a few brownies, and a loaf of bread. She felt sorry for him.

       "Are you alright, sir?" Marinette asked softly. "Sir, I am hardly a sir-I am a beast. So is my brother, and the rest of the family is far different than they once were. I could not expect you to understand," He said. "Oh, well, you are no beast to me," Marinette responded. She heard him sigh.

         Tonight before he could go, she reached out and touched his paw. He gasped in surprise at the contact. He hadn't expected this. She had been more than kind to him. She even warned him about the mouse traps under the counter and- in other places because her paranoid sister was convinced there was a mouse or rat problem.

         "Marinette," he growled. "Yes?" "I wish we had met under better circumstances," he said.  She smiled. "Well, friend, you are welcome back anytime," she said. He pulled his paw away. "I-I uh, I must be going." He muttered.  He did not know how to tell her that these past few months he had started to care about her deeply.

           He left and she sighed. She wished they could meet without it having to be in secret. She liked him. Bridgette woke up as Marinette entered the bathroom to brush her teeth. "Marinette, it is late, why are you still up?"  "I could not sleep,"  Marinette told her.

           Bridgette muttered something about a man. Then rolled over and went back to sleep. Marinette finished brushing her teeth.  She closed the bathroom door and finished getting ready for bed. She barely slept much thinking about her new friend.

                Slowly, over time, Marinette and Adrien drew closer despite Marinette being confused about the name he had given her. She sighed. Why was it he refused to come other than at night? She wished to tell the world how much she loved him. She gasped. Loved. How had she gone and fallen in love with him?

               Felix arrived at the bakery one evening alongside Adrien. He did not see what the fuss was about. To him, Marinette seemed like a dull girl. He could tell Adrien was smitten with her. Felix tried to convince him- not to show up there again. Only before he got him to leave, he heard footsteps approach. "Marinette, what is going on?  I am starting to get worried." A voice called out.

          "Go away!" Felix shouted. Bridgette peeked into the bakery with a flashlight in her hand. She saw Adrien and Felix and gasped. "W-who are you?" She asked. The boys did not say a word. The two were shocked at the presence of this young lady. Felix was surprised because she was prettier than he had heard. Adrien was shocked because she seemed furious. Why was she upset?

          "Marinette, what is going on?" Bridgette asked. "My customers came by for a late-night snack. They already paid me," She said. She handed them a sack that held- crescents, cookies, a loaf of bread, brownies, and a slice of cheesecake.  Then, Marinette reached up to the surprise of both Bridgette and Felix, and kissed Adrien's left cheek. He felt a teardrop. "Marinette?" He whispered.  "Shoo, go away and never return. I banish you." Bridgette shouted.

      As they left, Marinette wept. She also slapped Bridgette. "How could you?" She shouted. With that, she ran upstairs, packed a bag, and ran away. Bridgette tried to follow her but dropped her flashlight which shattered. Marinette found her way through the shrubs onto a thick path full of vines, briars, and more, she shuttered in fear.  She must find him. She ran and ran but tripped over a tree root. Something grabbed her foot and she screamed, "Ah!" 

       Bridgette ran back inside the bakery and slammed the door. Oh, that girl. What would she do now? Their parents were to return soon. What would she tell them? She groaned. She locked the doors and went back to bed. Perhaps, Marinette would come to her senses in the morning.

      Marinette braced herself. She closed her eyes. She trembled afraid she might die. Someone stepped out of the shadows and carried her to safety. He held her in his arms. He saw she was terrified. How had she gotten here?  He did not notice the bag she had packed because she had dropped it- in the struggle to run from something. He took her into his house and without a word up to a bedroom.  He set her on the bed and tucked her in. "There, you are safe and sound now, Marinette." He said. 

       She looked up in surprise. He stood there smiling at her. She had not realized who her rescuer was until now. "Y-you are my banished love," Marinette muttered. "Yes, I was banished, but say that last part again?"  "Love," Marinette whispered.  He grinned. "You love  me?" "Y-yes," She said. Marinette pulled him closer and kissed him. This time she made sure her lips met his. He responded by kissing her while holding her hand.  He closed his eyes. She did the same.

      A light flashed, then another and as they kissed the beast in the room disappeared and a young man was there in his place. The same young man he once was only wiser and kinder. Thanks to his Marinette.  He pulled away, "Marinette will you marry me?" "A-Adrien, you are Adrien Agreste," She muttered. "Yes, and I love you," He said.  Marinette felt fresh tears fill her eyes. "What is the matter, darling?" He asked.

          The others in the house looked in the mirror surprised to see they had returned to normal. Felix rolled his eyes. He was convinced the others were making a deal over nothing. Had not the entire thing been a nightmare?

      Bridgette had a bad dream. She dreamt she was thrown into the dungeon for treason. She tried to object but no one stood up for her. Not until Adrien and Marinette entered the room, did they take pity on her and insisted she be set free at last.

      While she was having this horrible nightmare, Marinette looked at Adrien in surprise. "My grandma, it was her who did this to you, I am so sorry," Marinette said. She was worried he would be ashamed of the past. "I know, but I am to blame. You see I laughed when she begged my parents, brother, and me to allow your family to attend some party in the past. So, it is all my fault.  If I had not laughed and stood up for you sooner, none of this would have happened." He said.  "But if it had not happened we wouldn't have met," Marinette stated.  She held his hand. "Yes, I will marry you, Adrien." She said. 

          "Good, now that is settled what shall we do about your sister?" He asked. "Oh, I would not worry about her. I am sure will come around eventually," Marinette remarked. 

           Felix entered the room and saw them together. He smiled. "Wow, Adrien, who is the fine girl here?" "She is my fiance, Marinette Dupain-Cheng,"  Adrien explained. "Congratulations to both of you," Felix said. He tipped his hat and left the room.

        Adrien and Marinette went to share the good news with his parents. His folks apologized for their ill-treatment of her family. Marinette forgave them.  Also, Emilie and Gabriel congratulated the couple on their engagement and insisted the rest of the Dupain-Cheng's arrive for a celebratory party.  

      Marinette's parents arrived home to find Marinette missing and Bridgette asleep. They woke her and demanded they tell her what had become of their other daughter. "I am not sure, she went crazy when I dismissed some inappropriate guests she dared call customers and ran off,"  Bridgette said. She got up and showed them the direction Marinette had run off towards. The vines, briars, etc. were gone and the long-forgotten mansion could be seen again. Sabine, Tom, and Bridgette left their home, locked the doors, and headed toward the mansion. They arrived to see the Agreste smiling at them.

    "Do come in please, as our guests," Emilie said. "Yes, please do," Gabriel added. The Dupain-Chengs entered the place for the first time in years. They thought it sure seemed like a splendid place indeed.  "There is a party in honor of our families uniting as our son, Adrien is to be wed to your daughter, Marinette," Emilie and Gabriel explained.  "It is to take place tomorrow night at five o'clock sharp.  Now, it is late, let us show you to your rooms," Gabriel said. "Hey, follow me, Miss," Felix said winking at Bridgette.

         Tom and Sabine followed Gabriel and Emilie up the stairs to a guest room. They thanked them and went to bed.   Bridgette followed Felix who showed her another room, She entered and gasped. It was all laid out in light blue and yellow.  They were her two favorite colors. "I see the lady is pleased," Felix said. "Yes, thank you. Oh, and My apologies for my harsh words to you and your brother earlier," Bridgette said. "Thank nothing of it, my dear," Felix said kissing her hand. Then, he left the room leaving a blushing lady behind.

         The next day, the mansion was busy with the plans, for the big party that evening. The maid and The Gorilla were busy decorating with extra help from Sabine. She insisted on helping with this area. Tom helped get the food orders all figured out so they could be ready on time, and Bridgette assisted with this while Felix watched her. He sighed.

           The end...

    Until the next Multi-fandom two-shot story,

     bye-bye,

 little owlets!

Summer out!