"THERE'S MY GIRL!" My Dad shouts waking me from my slumber.

"Good morning to you too." My voice croaks from how dry it is.

"So this is our welcome back is a grumpy grouch? Not my kiddo, where's my big welcome back party? Did you not miss me?" He pouts.

"Oh please, were you expecting a big breakfast from me? at-" I look at my clock. "7:30 in the morning?? On a Sunday???"

"Well, whenever we go on business trips, you usually welcome us back with a surprise. I guess it was pretty surprising to see you still sleeping." He laughs.

I realize my Dad's voice sounds different. I sit up in my bed, fully awake now, taking in my surroundings. It seems like I have the same interests as I did before, so that's a relief. "CRAP! I'M SO SORRY I'LL START MAKING BREAKFAST. What's your favorite again?" I rush towards the kitchen.

He bursts into laughter. "Ah, mon chou! Don't fret, I was joking! Your mother is already making breakfast, and it's nearly ready. I just came to get you to help me set the table."

As I'm setting down the silverware, my mind traces back to yesterday. If Hawk Moth is now Monarch, why did he just do an akuma when he has all the miraculous? Why so basic?

"Is the fork okay? You've been staring at it for a while." Dad chuckles as I snap back into reality.

"Sorry! There was just a weird akuma attack yesterday, and I can't figure out why Monarch just used a regular akuma and not an akuma with a miraculous power like he's done before."

My parents stared at me for a second, then looked at each other before my mom finally spoke. "Are you alright, dear? What do you mean Monarch uses miraculous powers? He's been terrorizing the city with unnatural natural disasters. How would he use miraculous powers?"

It's my turn to stare at them. "Wait, so he hasn't taken the miraculous?"

My dad chimes in. "Oh no, that was announced last week. We saw it on the news and nearly canceled the trip, but the company needed us to go, so we had no other choice. You assured us that you'd be fine, I mean, it's not like you leave your room much."

"Hey! I do too leave my room! I even went on a walk yesterday." I huff and cross my arms over my chest.

My dad raises his hands in defense. "Alright, alright, mon chou. I'll give you that one."

I finish my breakfast and rinse my plate in the sink, then step over to the small balcony, looking over a beautiful section of the city. 'So he hasn't used the miraculous yet. He's probably still building the machine. He also hasn't announced the Alliance rings yet. Ok, definitely in between episodes. That's the only way to explain this. It has to be.'

My thoughts are interrupted by my dad walking over. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem to be spacing out a lot. Did you get enough sleep?"

"Yeah, dad, I'm okay, I promise. I just got a lot on my mind." I reassure him.

"Is it a lot about a boy?" I smack his arm, and he chuckles. "Alright, you can think and help clean up the kitchen. Deal?"

I smile at him. "Deal."

I plop onto my bed and start doomscrolling when I get a text notification from Adrien.

'Are you free this afternoon?'

'Really need that coffee, huh?'

'Haha, it's not about that. It's about my friend Marinette she needs a volunteer, and her other friends are busy so I thought you'd might want to help?'

'I'd love to! Where is she right now?'

'I'll send you the address :)'

I'm welcomed with the sweet smell of chocolate and cake as I open the bakery door. Marinette's parents look as busy as ever.

"Ah, welcome! Would you like a sample?" Sabine holds out a metal tray with assorted sweets, and I pick out a piece of what looks like a mini layered cake. "That's our raspberry cake with cream cheese frosting! Tom, my husband, likes to experiment."

I pop the sample into my mouth, and it bursts into a sweet and slightly tart raspberry flavor before the cream cheese frosting waves over my tongue, creating a creamy raspberry aftertaste.

I look at Sabine dead in the eyes. "Tell him to keep experimenting, and my life is yours."

She laughs, and I see Marinette walk through the bakery towards me.

"Hey! You made it. Come upstairs, I'll explain everything." She grabs my wrist and starts pulling me towards her apartment.

"Thanks for the sample! I will be back for more!" I shout as we disappear from the bakery.

We make it into her room, and I sit on her chair near her crafting station. "So what did you need help with?"

"I need you as a model for this design I came up with for the dance that's coming in the next few weeks." She grabs fabric and other sewing objects from her chest and behind me on her desk.

"There's a dance in a couple of weeks? Is it prom? Why haven't I heard of this?" Man, how late did I join the party? This also wasn't in the show. Something weird is going on.

"Kind of? It is the end of the year dance. You just transferred here, and they announced it in advance to let us prepare. I guess maybe they forgot to tell you? I also haven't heard anyone call it prom, though. That'd be a first for me." She lets out a small laugh masking her nervousness. She then walks over to her her computer and grabs her sketchbook on the desk. Opens it to the page with the design sketch on it and shows it to me.

"I'm no fashion designer, but it looks like the night sky sewn into a dress. This is insane, Marinette!" I gawk at the drawing.

"Just wait till you see the fabric!" She squeals.

I'm standing on a mini pedestal in the middle of her room, and I suddenly understand Adrien's modeling frustration. "I feel like a Barbie doll, but more pin cushiony. Also, you have a mannequin right there. Why did you need me?"

She laughs and continues adding pins to get the shape right. "I needed a specific look that mannequins just don't seem to capture." She places another pin. "I also wanted to talk with you if that's okay."

"Yeah, that's fine. I thought Adrien said your other friends are busy, and that's why I'm here." She walks around to the backside of me.

"Aha, right, well. I wasn't sure how you'd react if I said I needed to talk to you, and I really did need help with this. I want more practice on different body types for my designs. The more people that can wear my designs and feel beautiful, the better. It's my dream to become a fashion designer." She walks to the front of me and takes a few steps back, pondering her next move.

"Okay then, what did you want to talk about?" She does a spinning motion with her hand, and I do a little spin.

"The first day you showed up to class -"

I interrupt. "If it's about secrets, I may be incorrect with the information I do have. It's kind of how I got Adrien's number. He wouldn't stop bugging me, and I feel that this won't be the last I hear of this. I'm dreading the thought of going back to school. I didn't think about this, I just wanted to shove it in Chloe's face that I could ruin her if I wanted to."

She laughs. "You sound like her right now. If you weren't here helping me without knowing what it was first and if Adrien didn't trust you. I would think you were related to her somehow."

"Adrien trusts me? I just met the guy like two days ago, and believe me, I am nothing like Chloe. Even after her "growth," she still acts like a class-a bitch." My eyes widen. 'Am I even allowed to curse? I haven't heard anyone else say anything. Shit.'

She giggles. "He's very trusting, and amen to that I don't know why I ever trusted her with a-ANYTHING. You can't trust her for shit." 'Ohmygodyes'

"I can see that, for both of them. I think I know who to place my trust into." I look towards her with a smile, and she smiles back.

I start making my way back home with a bag of sweets in my hand. Sabine told Tom about what I said, so he gave me a bag of experiments to take home, and I couldn't refuse. I walk in and head to my room, and as I set down the bag of sweets on my nightstand, I notice a little box with a green ribbon and note attached. "Gee, I wonder where this came from." I laugh to myself.

I pick it up, and the note reads. 'Sorry I couldn't make it last night. Something came up. I hope this makes up for it?' With a little cat smiley face drawn in the corner. The object inside is a necklace with a little cat paw pendant made out of peridot green gems. "Oh my...you've really outdone yourself, Cat Boy."

"You think so?" I turn around quickly and throw the box in panic, but it's caught by a black clawed glove. He laughs. I smack his shoulder.

"Why are you here?? Besides nearly scaring me half to death!" I let out a sigh of relief.

"What? I can't come visit after the lovely night we shared together?" I smack him again.

"No, in fact, there is such a thing as knocking. My parents just got back today. I don't need them to find stray cat superheroes in my room." I send a playful glare in his direction.

"I'm sorry, I'll remember to knock next time." He chuckles slightly and looks around the room nervously. "Is it okay if I stay?" There was a slight tone of desperation in his voice. "I just don't want to go home right now."

"Of course you can stay, Kittycat." I smile at him. "The fact you didn't even mention the stray cat bit is more than enough for me to know how serious this is." I sit down on my bed and pat the space next to me. "Come sit and tell me your troubles."

He practically leaps over and lands next to me. "So a lot of things happened. Both good and bad. I stood up to my father today and told him I wanted to have more free time to pursue the things I wanted to do in my future, and he agreed! I was so excited I went to tell Ladybug on our patrol and also confess my feelings being extremely serious this time, I wanted to finally move forward at least know if I had any chance whatsoever, but she rejected me. She's rejected me before, but there was always a playful tone behind it, and this time, I've never heard her sound more serious outside of a battle. It was the final nail in the coffin, and she hammered it in herself."

"I'm sorry, Chat. I've heard that the first person you usually fall for never works out, so maybe there's someone else you're meant for that'll be guaranteed to last and, at the least, reciprocated." I try to make light of the situation.

"Thanks, I actually do have someone in mind. She's always been there for me, and I just didn't see it before, I'm gonna try and pursue her next! This time, she's not a superhero, at least one like me, I think she's her own kind of superhero. She'd make an amazing one if she was." He dreamily looks off into the distance.

"Well, she must be one lucky gal to catch the attention of a superhero." I nudge his arm, and he chuckles.

"She's caught more than my attention, I'm gonna try and approach her as my civilian self to make it easier on her, and she won't worry about me during battles if she doesn't know I'm Chat Noir." He puts his hands on his hips in a half superhero stance, emphasizing his heroic stature.

"OoOooo! Chat Noir making moves as his civilian self! I wish I could see the attempts, I bet that confidence deflates like a balloon." I tease.

"Oh yeah? You'd be surprised, my confidence actually sky rockets, thank you very much!" He turns away from me while pouting and crossing his arms.

I laugh at his childishness. "Was there anything else you wanted to say?"

He thinks for a moment. "Not really, it would just be- oh wait! Your necklace! It's not just a necklace!"

"Is it a horcrux?"

"No? I don't- nevermind. It's not just a necklace. Press the big gem in the center there." He points to the necklace.

I press the gem, and it makes a little click sound and begins to glow. He holds up his hand with his ring on it, and it's also glowing.

"It's a way to contact me. If you're ever in trouble or need anything, I'm now only a click away!" He jumps up and down a bit on the mattress, showing his excitement.

"That's so cool, thank you! I can't think of a reason I'd need you for other than if I was in trouble, so this is a relief to have. I was almost in the middle of the akuma attack yesterday." I walk over to my mirror and put it on.

He stands up, looking towards me in the mirror. "You almost got in the middle of the attack? Did you not get to high enough ground in time?"

"Oh no, I did." I turn around and face him. "I got to watch from a safe distance. You two really make one hell of a team, I can see why you fell for her."

"Yeah, it's her loss, really." He brushes a hand through his hair dramatically.

"Over her already? I thought there'd be at least a few days worth of depressive episodes and nightly visits just to cheer you up." I say sarcastically.

"You want me to come visit?" He raises an eyebrow with a smirk.

I wave a hand in his direction. "No way, you, for whatever reason, have visited me unexpectedly almost every night, I don't need more."

He puts his hands together and brings his pointer fingers to his lips. "If I remember correctly, which I usually do, it was one night, and it was about the secrets you know which you still haven't fully answered. Then tonight to deliver a gift. Is someone dreaming about me?" His tail flicks as he leans forward with a smug grin.

'Dammit, he's right, maybe I have been dreaming about him'

"Cat, got your tongue?" He laughs.

"NO... TO BOTH. My dreams don't even make sense, I can't remember them to even try to anyway." I huff and turn away from him.

"Then you can't say you haven't~" He pokes his head into my view and stands in front of me. "Regardless, I seem to be on your mind a lot. Specifically at night while in b-" I pinch his lips together.

"If you finish that sentence, I will throw the necklace in a firepit." I stare at him, attempting to make a dead serious face.

He puts his hands up and steps back. "Alright, I get it. You don't appreciate my gift. I'll just take my leave along with my many sorrows." He turns toward the window.

"Wait! No, I do appreciate your gift. I don't appreciate the cattitude." I smirk.

His eyes widen a bit, and he smiles. "I'm saving that one for later. It'll piss off Ladybug now that I have another cat pun to throw her way." He rubs his hands together evilly. "I do have to leave, though. My father has something big planned tomorrow and I need to be there for it." He steps towards me and grabs my hand, and places a light kiss on top. "Au revoir!"

I change into pajamas, do my nightly routine, and get cozy under my sheets. 'Maybe I'll remember this dream.' More thoughts about Hawk Moth and my life here pass through as I slowly drift to sleep.