"You help out a lot. I wouldn't trade you for the world." She kissed him. "God that sounded cheesy. You're rubbing off on me." she then noticed he still had lipstick on his neck. "I'll be right back." they were actually in a bedroom which happened to have a bathroom attached. She found a wash cloth and got it wet. She returned and started to wash off the lipstick. "I think your dad would have a heart attack if he saw this." she couldn't help, but laugh. "He already saw me in your clothes."

Tikki smiled at Plagg. She was happy that she won the battle. "Yes we'll tell Fu if we find anything. Everything will be fine. We won't get caught."

Adrien laughed as she wiped the lipstick from his neck.  "Oh yeah.  Not to mention the pictures that could come out of it.  We'd be the center of the tabloids for at least the next six months.  My father specifically told me to stop being on the front page.  You should have been there my first photo shoot after my break.  Everyone was talking.  People in the fashion industry are big gossips."

He was relaxed now and almost able to stand the idea of going back to the party.  They would have to at some point before the end of the night or people would notice they were gone.


Plagg nodded.  "We can do it as soon as possible."

Marinette sighed and sat the washcloth down the couch. His neck was clean. "I wish they would mind their own business. Whoever took that picture probably was able to tell I was upset. But I guess it didn't matter to them because they probably got paid quite bit for those pictures." She sighed again. "Oh, well just something I have to deal with." Marinette looked at the clock that was on the wall. "It's getting late. Should we go back? Will your dad be mad that we disappeared?"

Adrien sighed, "You get used to them after a while.."  He had dealt with tabloids for most of his life.  They took anything they could and found a way to blow it out of proportion in whatever way they thought would get the most profit. He felt bad pulling her into the privacy invasion that came with dating a celebrity.

He nodded when she asked if they should go back.  "He won't be too thrilled.. I've disappeared at enough parties that he probably expected it, though."  He led her back to the party room as the crowd was thinning. He glanced around the room briefly wondering if their enemy was still prowling around, watching them...  Then he shook his head and reminded himself that it was fine.  They were a team.  They could take on anything.

A few people curiously watched them re-enter the room, but thankfully they kept their gossip to themselves.  "There you two are," his father's voice came from the crowd as he approached. He looked unamused. "I've been looking for you.  Are you ready to go?"

Adrien was about to worry about Plagg and Tikki when he felt movement in his pocket. Apparently they'd made it back sometime between him and Marinette exiting the empty bedroom and getting back to the party. He nodded, "We're ready."

They left the party and rode quietly in the limo, heading to Marinette's apartment.  "Thanks for coming," he said to Marinette when they stopped in front of the bakery. He wanted to give her one last kiss, but he could tell by his father's gaze that he wasn't getting out of the limo and kissing her in front of his father would be weird. He wished her goodnight, and they waited in front of the bakery until she entered the building.


When they arrived, Gabriel went straight to his room. He wanted to know what Lycca had found out. He also had a question about the kwami's activities at the snack table. His disobedience had not gone unnoticed.

"So, did you confirm whether or not Marinette is Ladybug?"  He asked.  Of course, who else could it be when her kwami was at the party?

"Definitely," Lycca answered as he flew out of Gabriel's pocket and headed toward the sock drawer that he considered his room.

Gabriel nodded. "Why were you talking to their kwamis?"

Lycca paused before answering, "I couldn't help but pick a fight with Plagg.  Don't worry, they have no idea who you are.  There were way too many people for them to even guess it might be you, and I made sure I wasn't followed when I returned."

"You disobeyed me.  Do you know what would happen if they realized who I was?  It can't happen."  Gabriel paced as he changed into his pajamas. Adrien could not know who he was.  It might be too much for him.
  
"I know.  They're not going to figure it out.  It's fine.  I'm going to sleep," Lycca said, retreating through the front of the drawer, out of sight.

Marinette collapsed on her bed. It was a long night. She looked over at Tikki was still floating in the air. She frowned. Tonight's events were still fresh in her mind especially Tikki's heated argument with Plagg.

"Is everything okay between you and Plagg?" she asked her kwami. 

Tikki turned around. "Huh?"

"You two were fighting."

"Oh, yes. It was just a disagreement. That's all." Tikki waved her hand. She floated over to Marinette and pulled the covers over. "Now get some rest."

"Was it about Lycca?"

"Yes," Tikki replied reluctantly. She didn't want to discuess with her owner. "Plagg didn't want to tell you guys about Lycca. He was worried about how Adrien would react." 

"Well he somewhat panicked, but he's okay now. At least I think he is. I wish I could do more.."

"You're doing enough."

"Really?"

"Yes. Now go to sleep."

"Alright." Marinette curled up under her covers. "Goodnight."

"Night." Tikki landed on her stomach and curled up.

The next morning Marinette woke up bright and early. She got up and got ready for the day. She couldn't help, but think about last night. She was worried about Adrien. She should call him to see if he was doing okay. Marinette reached her phone and then an idea hit her. A sly smiled appeared on her face. 

"Tikki!!" Marinette called out to her kwami. She was still asleep in bed. Tikki had trouble falling asleep last night. Too many things on her mind.

"Yes?" Tikki replied in a sleepy voice. She floated down to her master.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette shouted not giving her kwami a warning. She transformed into Ladybug then exited her room through the rooftop. She traveled across the rooftops and eventually landed on Adrien's house. She walked to the edge of the roof and made sure she was on the right side. She then hang down upside using her yo-yo. She knocked on Adrien's bedroom window. Ladybug hoped he was awake.

Adrien didn't sleep well that night.  The nightmares had returned, this time with the added bonus of Hawk Moth using his name to talk to him rather than Chat Noir.  He gave up on sleep after 2:00am and laid in bed, staring up at his ceiling. He could hear Plagg shifting restlessly and wondered if the kwami was just as worried. He didn't bother calling out to him, though. Someone in the room had to get some sleep, even if it was restless.

Somewhere between 4:00am and 7:50am he was lucky enough to fall into a light sleep, free of nightmares but unsatisfying. Then he jumped when he heard a knock on his window. He looked at the time, his heart pounding; 8:00am. He sat up and cautiously peered towards the window before letting out a relieved sigh. Ladybug was hanging upside down outside his window.  He quickly crossed the room and opened the window to let her in.

"Good morning. What brings you here so early, my lady?" he asked with small smile. Hopefully, she couldn't tell how tired she was.

"A special delivery from Marinette," she spoke as she leaned in closer to him. Ladybug then kiss him. After the kiss, she smirked at him. "Don't tell Chat about this. He might get jealous."

A wave of warmth traveled through him as she kissed him. Somehow, she had realized he would need her this morning. He grinned, "Chat Noir will never know.  Although, I wonder.  Who do you think is hotter?  Me or Chat Noir?"

"Well aren't you curious, fluffy," she spoke in teasing voice. "Hmm." she tapped her finger on her mouth. "I'm afraid a cannot that answer that question. Why don't you ask Marinette? She might know."

"Hmm.. That's a marvelous idea. Unfortunately, she's not here right now. Why can't you answer instead?  Cat got your tongue?" He smiled. He really was curious which side of him she found more attractive now that he thought about it.

Ladybug chuckled. "I'll tell you this." She lightly tapped her finger on his nose. "Your puns are better than Chat's." She was trying not laugh any harder. This was too much fun. "Will you look at the time. I better get going. See you around, fluffy." With that Ladybug left and headed home.

Adrien watched from the window as Ladybug disappeared over the rooftops, a big grin on his face.  Suddenly, last night didn't seem as bad as it did.  He only wished she could have stayed longer. He'd have to pay her a visit as Chat Noir at some point.

"You two are disgusting," Plagg said from his spot on the bed; though, Adrien could hear just the smallest hint of amusement in his voice.

"You're always so negative, Plagg.  I don't know how Tikki puts up with you," Adrien said with a laugh.

He rolled his eyes.  "She puts up with me just fine, thank you very much.  But you know we remember everything you two do transformed, right?  I swear, you better never kiss her as Chat in a place you don't want to detransform, or you won't be Chat for very long.  Understand?"

Adrien nodded.  He hadn't thought of it that way.  He was quiet a moment before a thought from last night came to him.  "So what were you two fighting about last night?  You were yelling pretty loud."

The tip of Plagg's tail twitched back and forth for a moment as he thought about the question.  Adrien had a feeling he wasn't going to get a straight answer, which confused and somewhat worried him.  Sure enough, Plagg shrugged a moment later.  "It was a stupid fight about our next move.  Don't worry about it.  Everything's fine."


Another uneventful week passed with a few unthreatening akumas that, for the most part, continued to focus more on Ladybug than Adrien.  And even with focusing on Ladybug, they still seemed unconcerned with fighting and more concerned with trying to get close and take the miraculouses than fighting.  

It was a strange shift in strategy, and Adrien wondered if Marinette had noticed.  Should they be suspicious, or was Hawk Moth just busy and sending the bare minimum of what he considered worth it?  Adrien shrugged off his suspicions. It was probably the latter.  Hawk Moth was probably a very prominent businessman since he was at that party.

It was Saturday, and he and Marinette were hanging out at his house like usual.  Plagg and Tikki decided to stay out of their hair and hang out on the upper level.  Or so Adrien and Marinette thought...

Plagg led the way as he and Tikki flew near the ceiling, above the eyes of the workers below and able to avoid the multiple security cameras.  "His room is the third door ahead.  He's away for a business meeting today, so we should have the time to search his room and his office," Plagg said.  

They waited for a moment as Nathalie walked passed with one of the maids, giving her orders of where to clean next.  Then they entered the room, going through the door.  "Woah... There's color in this room," Plagg said, raising an eyebrow.  It was strange when every other room except Adrien's was some combination of black and white.

"Very nice," Tikki said. "I love the pastel colors." she shook her head. "Focus. We're not here to admire decor." she fluttered around. She wasn't sure where to begin. The room was very neat and organized. It looked like a room from a house model. "I guess search for any signs of Lycca."

Plagg nodded, "Sorry.  Pastel just really isn't what I'd expect from someone like him."  He glanced around the room, noting how unlived in it looked.  How did anyone keep such a tidy room when they were always busy?  Maybe that was it.  The bed was the only thing that needed keeping.  It was unlikely Gabriel Agreste would let the hired help come in this room since Adrien wasn't even allowed.

"I'll take this side.  You take that side," he said, pointing her toward the side that had more items.  Tikki was less likely to mess things up.


It had been a while since Marinette arrived when there was a short pause in their conversation.  A pause that let him notice just how quiet the kwamis were being.  Quiet was never a good thing with Plagg.

"Hey, they're being really quiet, aren't they?"  He asked.

Marinette looked up to where the kwami should be. "Yeah they are. Should we check on them?"


Tikki nodded her head. She turned to her side of the room and noticed a dresser that was quite feminine. She floated over to it and examined everything that was sitting on top of it. There brushes and bottles of perfumes, and other beauty care products. A ton of pictures of Adrien as a baby. She figured that this must of belong to Mrs. Agreste. Explained the colors in the room. Tikki then opened up a jewelry box and looked through it. Nothing. She closed it and went through the drawers being careful as possible. Again nothing. She let out a sigh. Maybe they should have checked the office first. 

"I've found nothing," said Tikki. "What about you Plagg?" she turned to him and saw him playing with a watch. She let out a groan. She floated over to where he was which was above Gabriel's dresser. Tikki decided to look through the dresser since Plagg was clearly into something else. She was about to open a drawer, when Plagg dropped the watch. It made a noise, when it the floor. "Plagg!! Be careful!!" She quickly picked the watch off the floor. She examined it and breath in a sigh of relief. It wasn't damage. "Don't touch anything!"