Nino:

He couldn't help the immense amount of perspiration dripping from his face. The quantity pressure he felt emanating from the seat behind him was terrifying. Nino could feel her eyes glaring into the back of his head with unsaid thoughts of death and torture behind him.

Somehow, Nino's dad had thought it would be good for him to continue his "normal" education. He was back in school… and toast, if Alya's hateful glare was any indication. In his mind, he was desperately trying to think of any scenario in which he could escape the vengeful looking red-head but alas, none came to mind. He was going to have to face his demise like a man… sort of…

When the bell rang, he quickly gathered his books and shoved them in his backpack before making a bee-line for the door. Just as he entered the hall, a small but strong hand clasped his collar, preventing him from moving forward.

If it was anyone else, he would have defended himself appropriately. But because he was in a public space, and Alya was… his friend, he allowed himself to be practically dragged into an empty classroom a few halls down. After locking the door, Alya shoved Nino behind a desk and she dragged the teacher's seat so she could sit directly across from him.

She glared.

Nino swallowed. "Yes?"

"Cut the crap Nino." Alya said through gritted teeth. "You knew!"

"Knew what?" Nino felt like shrinking into a small puddle.

"You knew that Marinette was the princess! You've known it all along! And not only did you know, you tried to keep me from finding out and you let me go off on wild goose chases! I thought we were friends!" Alya yelled.

"We are!" Nino raised his voice slightly.

"If we were friends, why didn't you tell me?" Alya demanded.

"Because my duty will always be first and for-most to my princess," Nino answered.

"So my theory was correct," Alya's temper simmered down. "You're her bodyguard or something?"

Nino sighed, "Or something… I was fired."

Alya gasped, "Really? Why?"

"I failed my mission. I was supposed to keep her safe. On my direct watch, she got kidnapped. On top of all that, I wasn't even the one to find and rescue her. An extremely dangerous criminal was the one to save her!" Nino threw his arms up in defeat.

"Ahh… that… was probably my fault then," Alya said softly.

Nino looked at her, "What do you mean?"

Alya replied sheepishly, "I may or may not have hacked into several databases in order to get a probable location of Marinette's whereabouts… for Chat Noir."

"What?" Nino exclaimed.

"I didn't do it on purpose! Well I did, but didn't! He basically kidnapped me at first and then when he said he wanted me to help find Marinette, I didn't think too much about it. He didn't seem that… dangerous… it was almost like he was familiar…"

"Alya," Nino stated seriously, "Chat Noir is a dangerous hitman who is notorious for getting the job, whatever it may be, done. He's often working with the terrorist Hawkmoth and is, to our current intelligence, working on something big right now. He is a threat."

"I see… sorry?" Alya tried.

"Its fine," Nino exhaled, "It's not like much could be done now anyway. I'm back to being a regular person and unless you could give me his identity, it's over."

A couple of wheels in Alya's head started turning. "Maybe that could be my new project!"

"What?"

"Finding out who Chat Noir is!"

"Well, if anyone could do it, you can," Nino gave her a small smile.

"Wait, you aren't going to tell me, it's going to be a waste of time? Or I can't do it? Because, that's usually the response I hear." Alya deadpanned.

"You found out Marinette's identity pretty quickly, all things considered. And you got her location faster than our secret service. Like I said, if anyone could do it, it's you." Nino replied.

A brief moment of silence commenced before Alya spoked, "I just wish she didn't have to leave."

"It wasn't exactly her choice. Trust me, if Marinette could be here right now, she would be."

"So she's in the castle now?" Alya asked softly.

"Yup, being protected by the best; she's probably getting ready for the spring Masquerade that's coming up."

"Does she like parties?" Alya questioned with a sudden desire to get to know the other side of her best friend.

"Not really. She barely finds them tolerable, especially if Chloe attends."

"Does-"

The loud familiar noise of the bell ringing reminded them both that they still had a school day to finish. Standing up so suddenly that the chair she was sitting on fell backwards, Alya ran to the door, Nino close behind. Right before she dashed to her next class she asked,

"I want to talk more about this later… "

"Sure," Nino replied without really thinking.

"It's a date then." With that Alya ran off.

"… Wait, what?"

Adrien:

Adrien paced back and forth in his room. He had to see her. It was driving him crazy. He needed to find her and talk to her, one more time. He wanted to see her laugh again, smile again. He remembered his kind of, sort of, not really a date, in which he had gotten so close…

But there were a few problems.

Adrien had no idea where Marinette was. Her family had disappeared. He had visited the Dupain-Cheng home many times under the cover of his mask and no one was there. Asking around, he quickly found out that their neighbors had no idea where the family had gone either. Finally, a stranger had told him that the family had moved back to China.

It just didn't make sense to him.

He needed some fresh air. Going out to his balcony, Adrien expertly climbed down some vines which were growing along the mansion wall. He hit the ground with no destination in mind, just simply leaving the house.

In a week, he would have to complete his biggest mission yet and if he failed, he would be stuck in prison for the rest of his life. As he walked along the side-walk, he questioned his entire life. Moments like these, made the young man really hate his father. Why should he, a seventeen year old boy, be worrying about facing a lifetime in prison? Why couldn't he be normal? He shouldn't be here, plotting to kidnap princesses, spying, and even… killing people.

He stared at the ground, feeling like the scum of the earth, wondering…

Where had his childhood gone?

"Maman!" a four year old Adrien warbled happily as his mother tickled his stomach.

"This is for disturbing me while watching my drama!" She proclaimed, digging her well manicure nails into little Adrien's stomach as he laughed.

"Stop Maman!" He squealed.

"What do you say?" she asked as her tickling slowly subsided.

"Please!" Adrien shouted.

"Alright," she said as she pulled Adrien into her arms and hugged him. "You are getting so big!"

"Yeah! And one day, I'll be so big," he spread his hands hitting his mother's cheek, "You won't be able to tickle me!"

"Oh ho ho, really, now? That won't happen for quite a few years."

"One day," he said snuggling into his mother's embrace.

"One day…" She responded as Adrien's breathing evened. Her tired, worn out son quickly fell asleep in her arms since it was late at night.

"I just hope I'll be there to see it…"

Adrien sat on a park bench, coming out of the memory. It had been so long since those days; when he had no cares in the world. Before he knew what his father was up to, before his mother had died. The depressing part was that his happiest memories were the ones that hurt the most.

Breaking him out of his thoughts, the door of a nearby house slammed.

He watched as a thin, tall man, dressed entirely in black leave a quant neighborhood house. He listened to the few screamed words coming from the inside.

"Fine! Leave! See if I care! You're wasting your time and I won't be around forever!" a high pitched female voice screamed in distress.

"I'm not the one who would be wasting time!" He yelled back. "You shouldn't pick trash up off the street!"

"You're not trash!"

"And you're too good for me!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"I love you!"

"So do I!"

This exchange confused Adrien a great deal. Although he didn't have much experience in social interactions, he was pretty sure that wasn't how couples argued. Intrigued, he began shadowing the stranger. It was an odd pastime, but Adrien would rather spend the night following a random stranger than locked up in the house. After a minute or two, the man spoke,

"You're not bad kid, but I've been doing this a lot longer than you have."

Adrien had the decency to come out of the shadows when he was called out. Running, he caught up to the odd person, and began matching his steps.

"Sorry," he rubbed the back of his head, "I was just… interested in that little spat you had back there. That's not usually how my parents fight."

"Shouldn't you be in bed? Isn't passed your curfew?" His raspy voice drawled, laced heavily with sarcasm.

"I was just-"

"Didn't your mom ever teach you to mind your own business?" The man snapped.

Adrien didn't have to act much to achieve the sorrowful sigh that he let from his lips. "No… she died when I was little. I have a stepmom now but…"

The man stuck his hands in his coat pockets and rolled his head in an exaggerated manner until he faced Adrien. He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Let me guess," he began. "Mommy didn't make it and Daddy got so wrapped up in grief, he forgot all about you. You had to fend for yourself until suddenly, Daddy remembered that he had a son and threw on a butt load of stupid expectations for you to follow. He replaced your mom and you snapped and ran away; eventually becoming a criminal and winding up neck deep in all sorts of trouble… scratch that last part… that was just me."

Adrien tried his hardest not to react.

"Well," he started, "I suppose that first part was pretty spot on. (Soooooo sorry….)"

"I would offer you a cigarette but I quit and I don't think a kid your age is supposed to be smoking so here," The stranger held out… a piece of cheese.

Adrien blinked.

"It's camembert… my new addiction."

Adrien politely declined.

"Suit yourself kid," The man shrugged.

"… so if you don't mind me prying… what was that all about?" Adrien inquired.

"What?" The man glared, "You've never seen two people fight before?"

"Not like that."

"She wants something for me, and I want something for her. End of story," He remarked.

Adrien stayed silent for a little bit before asking, "What did she want?"

The man sputtered indignantly, "What does it matter what she wanted? She can't have it! She's asking for something that I can't give her. She is so determined! It's her greatest quality yet her biggest flaw! She can't understand that she could do so much better! She said we were just friends and that we were just catching up! But how was I supposed to react when she kissed me!"

Adrien blanched; too much information.

"She's so sweet and kind and I'm not." The stranger fumed.

"She's perfect," Adrien said absentmindedly.

"So willing to see the best in everyone."

"Unaware of the darkness lurking within the human heart."

"Despite that, I just feel drawn to her."

"That's what scares me the most."

"So I have to push her away while I still can."

"But I long to be with her."

"There's just some sort of… completeness I feel when I'm with her.
"I feel whole."

"And I haven't felt that way in a long time…"

They both looked at each other.

While Adrien turned a deep crimson, the stranger threw back his head and laughed a hearty, rich, raspy laugh. He wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled.

"The name's Plagg."

"… Adrien."

"You're quite the kid, aren't you?" Plagg nudged his shoulder.

Adrien pushed Plagg's hand away. "I'm not a kid." He said somewhat childishly.

"So… who's the girl?" Plagg wiggled his eyebrows.

"Who's yours?" Adrien shot back.

"Touché," Plagg replied. "But you understand kid. She's pure, like a diamond. I'm a burnt out piece of coal. We don't belong together."

"But what if you love her?" Adrien asked.

"Then you have to let her go." Plagg sighed. "I know you've probably heard that line a million times, especially in all those stupid movies but there is some truth to it. Sometimes, the people we love hurt us… and sometimes we hurt the people we love. It's a vicious cycle. It doesn't leave much of a man left."

"So I need to just… let her go? Just like that?"

"I'm not telling you how you should live your life kid. I'm just warning you that every choice you make has consequences and sometimes people are better off without you in their life." Plagg said solemnly.

They found themselves on a street corner, in a dark isolated part of Paris. Plagg looked around before announcing,

"You better get home kid. These streets aren't safe at night. Do you need me to walk you back?"

Knowing that he could very well handle himself and that he was miles away from his home, Adrien answered, "No, I'm fine. I live just a few blocks from here."

Plagg stared at him a little too long, as if trying to tell whether he was giving the truth or not. In the end, he shrugged and said, "Your funeral."

Plagg walked away and Adrien found himself staring at his disappearing form. For a moment, he had felt like someone actually understood. It was a nice feeling. But at the same time, his words weighed heavy on Adrien's heart. He was right.

Adrien had to let Marinette go.

Marinette:

"WHAT IS LOVE? BABY DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HURT ME! NO MORE!"

The music blasted in Marinette's room, her so called revenge on the palace's inhabitants. In anger, she hoped her parents were able to hear and feel the vibrating pulses that exited her room. She knew she was being petty and childish but she didn't care.

She was through with being a princess, through with her stupid responsibilities and acting mature. If it wasn't for the guards posted throughout the hall, she would be long gone from the palace by now.

Her incomplete design for her spring masquerade hung on the mannequin, looking a bit squashed. Remembering a tip from Alya for anger issues, she had hung up a poster of Chloe and had thrown sewing needles like darts into the thin paper. Tissues littered the floor from when she had broken down and cried and she wasn't cleaning them up. She had also slipped back into some bad habits. Chocolates and their wrappers were everywhere along with a few phones… she had borrowed. The piece de resistance was the paint she had taken to the walls of her room. Lovely words littered the walls in colorful paints.

There was no one to bring her out of her juvenile tantrum.

There was a knock at the door but Marinette couldn't hear it. Finally, her door burst open and the queen found herself staring at a mess out of her worst nightmares. Steeling herself, the queen took a few steps forward towards the speakers which were destroying her ear drums. Marinette still hadn't noticed her.

The music stopped. Marinette turned. Her eyes clouded with anger.

"What do you want?" The words were spat like poison.

"To talk… and raise the flag of peace?" Her mother raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Well? Talk," Marinette snapped.

"Why are you so unhappy?" The queen sat on Marinette's bed, careful to avoid dirty tissues and the small pile of phones.

"I don't know, mother, take a guess?"

"You knew this day was coming." Her mother stated.

"But I didn't think it would come so soon!" Marinette yelled, trying her hardest not to let tears slip through. "And on top of pulling me away from my friends, you fired Nino, my best friend and you've forbidden me to have any contact with any of them! I've tried so hard to be the perfect princess but I just can't anymore!"

Marinette collapsed on the floor and began sobbing in her knees.

"Marie…" The queen lowered herself to the floor and scooted beside her daughter, letting the crying girl's head rest on her shoulder.

"I just miss them mom… I knew I would have to say goodbye but I always thought… I always thought that I'd still get to see them… talk to them… even text them." Marinette hiccupped.

Stroking her daughter's hair, the queen suddenly had an idea.

"What if… we invited them to the Masquerade? I'm sure your father wouldn't be opposed to it."

Marinette raised her head, "Really? They could come?"

"Of course, anything for my daughter." The queen said gently. "Who do want to invite?"

"The whole class!" Marinette burst out.

The queen blinked. "I don't think that many…"

Marinette deflated a bit before the optimism returned. "Well… if not the whole class, then may I have Nino, Alya, and… Adrien come to the dance?"

"You may," The queen patted her head.

Marinette wrapped her arms around the queen and said sweetly, "Thank you Maman."

It warmed the queen's heart to hear those words. She had never really played a bit part in raising Marinette; not as much as she wanted to at least. This act felt like she was making up for all the years she wasn't there for her daughter.

"Now… I believe you have a dress to finish and a room to clean up."

"Maman!"

Alya:

Alya stared at the invitation which was probably on paper more expensive than her parent's rent. The manuscript was done by hand and she couldn't help but pity the poor souls who had made the invitation. Still… she was trying to wrap her mind around the idea that she was actually invited the Spring Masquerade. The ball that was reserved for the elite of elite, where the rich danced in outfits that they would only where once… where the royal family hosted… and the princess would be coronated.

"So!" Her mom squealed in delight. "What are you going to wear?"

Any excitement Alya might have had for the dance was immediately squashed under apprehension. Her mother, who was probably a bit jealous of her daughter's opportunity, was going to go all out…

"I was going to wear your wedding dress." Alya deadpanned.

Her mother raised an eyebrow, "Very funny darling. You need something appropriate for the Masquerade."

"And how am I going to get a dress? Oo! I know! My college fund!" Alya exclaimed with fake cheerfulness."

Her mother gave her an evil smile, one that made Alya very nervous. "That's a great idea."

Alya paled. "Mom, that was a joke. I was being sarcastic."

"But you did mention your college fund and it does have quite a bit of money… you could spare a few thousand Euros…"

"Do you know how irresponsible that is?" Alya shrieked. "That's my future you're trying to spend!"

"Alya, I won't have you trying to reason with me! You are getting one of the nicest dresses in Paris even if it bankrupts us!"

Her mother then went on fantasizing about all the gowns and men, and masks, and pretty soon her mind was completely lost. Alya sighed. Her mom was a hopeless romantic and trashy novel reader. Alya loved her mom, but she didn't approve of her tastes.

Despite her uneasiness, Alya couldn't help but be eager as well. Obviously, Marinette had played a hand in getting her an invitation and wanted to see her. Her best friend wasn't gone.

"Let's go the mall!" Her mother trilled enthusiastically.

Alya groaned.

A.N.

What's this? An update? In like… five months? That was remarkably quick… and sad that five months is quick...

Anyway, I've gotten my mojo back and I hope to be cranking out the rest of the chapters as quick as I can. The next chapter, we will move into the meat of this story. I know there was a bit of filler and I had way too much fun with Marinette's and Alya's chapters but can you blame me?

And we got to see a lot of Adrien in the chapter too! Along with Plagg… who has his own issues…

But aside from that, thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story! You guys are amazing. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Smiles!

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