Hello, lovely readers! Thank you for continuing to read "The Best Friend Swap".

I hope you enjoy the last chapter! Right now, I am thinking of possibly writing a one-shot about their wedding...but we shall see. Let me know if that is something you would be interested in reading!

I appreciate all of your lovely comments. Thank you so much for reading and being awesome! Comments are always appreciated.

I cross-post on AO3 and on Tumblr.

Tumblr: gryffindorcls (I will be posting my fics to the "Princess In Training" blog. Also, come talk to me over there! I would love to discuss my stories and the Miraculous fandom with y'all!)

AO3: clslovegood47

I own nothing but the plot.

The remaining heroes worked diligently to return the relocated citizens to their respective places. When August was reunited with his family, Chat breathed a sigh of relief. It was always rewarding to liberate one of Hawkmoth's tortured victims. He knew that each Parisian lived in a state of distress. It was paramount for the Miraculous holders to assuage the fears of people lest there be more individuals captured by one of Hawkmoth's lackeys.

However, fear does not subside simply because one is given a Miraculous; instead, fear tends to increase ten-fold when you're given the power to make a difference. Like the rest of the holders, Chat constantly felt the pressure that came with the responsibility of protecting the city, and he knew that there were times that Ladybug was nearly crushed by her sense of duty. For this reason, he wanted to protect her...to be the partner that she needed in battle.

True, he didn't always do what she wanted. Chat still tended to be a little sacrificial at times, but he couldn't help himself. It was his job as the holder of the Black Cat Miraculous. Nonetheless, he trusted his lady with his life, and he would do anything for her. Marrying her would give him the chance to do the same outside of the mask. That's why tonight needed to be perfect. He knew that she loved him no matter what, but he wanted this to be the best night of her life.

Unfortunately, the rain started while the heroes were still helping the citizens return to their homes. As a result, some of the decorations had gotten wet by the time the group arrived at the monument.

"If only the Miraculous Cure could work on stuff like this," Adrien mumbled to himself.

Plagg peeked out from behind his holder's shirt collar. "And that's what Tikki and I were trying to teach you with the Atlantis story."

"Please don't bring that up ever again."

"Fine, but the Miraculous Cure still won't solve all of your problems."

"Yes, but I don't need the Miraculous Cure to make my life better. Sometimes it would be convenient...like being able to fix the soggy decorations. However, I have a wonderful group of people who will help and support me. Together, we can figure it out. After all, Marinette always says that there's a solution to every problem."

"And that's the real lesson here, kid," the Kwami declared, "You don't have to go through anything on your own. These people will always be there for you...just like Marinette...and me."

"I love you, too, Plagg," Adrien chuckled, "Now, let's get to work!"

He and the rest of the team worked unceasingly to decorate the indoor deck at the top of the Eiffel Tower. After several hours, he watched Kagami take a step backward as he and Luka hung the banner across a beam.

"How does it look?" Adrien asked with a strained voice, holding the banner above his head.

After taking a moment to assess their work, she nodded. "Luka needs to raise his side a little, but otherwise it's fine."

Adrien secured his half to the beam and allowed his arms to flop to his sides. He released a heavy sigh and surveyed the space around him.

"This place looks incredible, everyone." he announced to the room full of Miraculous holders, "I can't thank you enough for your help. I would not have been able to do this without each of you."

Luka patted Adrien on the shoulder. "Anytime, friend. We're not just superheroes who work together, we're a family...and family members always help each other out."

Adrien paused before continuing. "You know what? You're right. We are a family, and I would be honored if all of you would celebrate with us tonight."

Kim walked over and slung his arm around Adrien's shoulders. "You can count me in! We've been watching you two drool over each other for years, and I know I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

The rest of the holders nodded in agreement.

Alya cleared her throat. "As wonderful as this tender moment is to watch, Adrien and I have fifteen minutes to get to his father's house."

Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen to see the time. "Jeez, she's right. We have to go, but I hope you'll all be here later. Once again, thank you."

The Ladyblogger grabbed the model's arm and dragged him to the elevator before he could say anything else. He toyed with the ring's box in his pocket and breathed away another bout of nervousness.

"It's almost time," he thought to himself.

Nino checked the clock on his phone for the thirteenth time. "Marinette, we have to leave right now if we're going to make our two o'clock appointment."

Marinette grabbed a few more daffodils to shove into the bouquet she was helping him to construct. "Oh, calm down! We lost a little bit of time with the Akuma attack, but I think what we're doing now is a little bit more important than whatever Adrien has planned for us to do."

"No, it's not. He will not be happy if we miss this."

"Okay! Okay! What exactly does my boyfriend have us doing together?"

"Uhhhh….you'll see."

Marinette giggled. "Fine. Keep your secrets."

Nino tapped his foot on the ground and released a shaky breath. "We have to go."

She gently turned the flowers in her hands and observed her handiwork. She felt satisfied with the fullness of the brightly colored bouquet of daffodils and daisies.

Marinette finally turned to Nino and shook her head. "It's ready. I just hope she likes it."

The nervous DJ grabbed the flowers from her hand, rushed up to the counter, and pulled out his wallet. "It's beautiful, and she'll love it...but we have to go right now."

Seconds after the cashier handed Nino his change, he took Marinette's hand and dragged her out of the flower shop. To her surprise, one of the Agreste family cars was waiting for them by the curb.

"Why did Adrien send us a car?" she questioned, "We didn't follow the schedule at all. How did he know where to send it?"

"I told him where we were." Nino opened the door and pulled her inside the car.

"Where are we going? Why do we need to go by car?"

"Look, he didn't want us to get wet in the rain. Please stop asking questions that I'm not allowed to answer. Just go with the flow."

"What do you mean you're not allowed to answer?"

"Marinette!" he groaned.

She crossed her arms and playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, whatever he has planned, let's hope that he hasn't gone overboard."

Nino turned his head and mumbled. "It's too late for that."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

"Why is everyone so weird today?"

Hoping for a response, Marinette looked at Nino, but he continued to look out the window at the passing scenery. She slumped in her seat and released a huff.

"Do you remember the plan?" she said, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

The DJ whipped his head around and bit his lip. "What plan are you talking about?"

Marinette knitted her brows. "We only talked about one plan. OH! Are you talking about Adrien's plan for tonight?"

"NO!" He waved his hands wildly.

She chuckled. "Don't worry. I literally have no clue what's going on. I promise that I haven't figured anything out. I should have known that my boyfriend would have something up his sleeve. He always does stuff like this. No, I'm talking about your plan for Alya."

Nino breathed a sigh of relief. "Got it. That plan. Yes, I remember."

"I'm just excited that they still had space available for that moonlit cruise on the Seine tomorrow night."

"Me, too. I also can't believe that you were able to talk to the owner and convince him to let me play a song for her."

"If we're being honest, working for one Agreste and dating another one has its perks. I've made a lot of connections. I can't even imagine having a last name that powerful."

"Well, you should." Nino clapped his hands over his mouth the moment the words escaped his lips. "I mean...uhm…one day you're going to be a super famous designer right? You'll be a household name. Yup...it has nothing to do with being an Agreste...psh...like...could you imagine?"

"Wow...you are not good under pressure, are you? Adrien must have something big planned."

"I am not at liberty to say,"

"So...it is something big...isn't it?"

"You know what? I'm just going to stop talking now."

Marinette rolled her eyes and rested her head against the window. She pressed her forehead against the cool glass and allowed her mind to wander. She felt the faint sensation of anticipation bubbling in her gut, and while she didn't know why, the feeling put a smile on her face. Anything her wonderful, dorky boyfriend did made her smile (except when he put himself in harm's way during battle). She loved him more than anything, and she looked forward to their "happily ever after". Sure, she and Adrien had talked about marriage before, but they never made any solid plans.

"Maybe I'll have to start dropping some hints," she thought, "Perhaps I'll have Alya help me with that."

For now, she was content with where they were. Over the years, they had grown significantly as individuals and as a couple. At the beginning of their relationship, it broke her heart to see Adrien so desperate for love. She can still see the fear in his eyes every time they had quibbled over something small. Even more so, she remembers all the times he had lapsed into a panic attack when they argued over a bigger issue. Eventually, he began to believe that there was nothing that would make her stop loving him.

She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Just as the moon moves the oceans, she was caught in the gravity created by his love. Adrien was magnetic, and she happily stayed by his side. Marinette knew that she would love him for the rest of her life, and she was glad that he finally knew that, as well.

The car came to a stop, and the change in movement broke Marinette out of her lovesick reverie. She laughed upon seeing their destination.

"Why on earth are we at the Gabriel flagship store?" she began, "Adrien knows this is my day off, right?"

Nino grunted in frustration. "You know I can't answer any of your questions! Please just come with me."

"Oh, alright."

"Thank you!"

They both exited the vehicle and made their way into the building. Once inside, they were greeted by several friendly associates and a very exuberant stylist.

"Good afternoon, Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng," the man said with a smile, "Please come with me so we can get your hair and make-up done before we help you put on your dress."

"Dress?" she asked, looking back at Nino.

"Why yes!" the stylist exclaimed, "Monsieur Agreste was very specific about tonight's look."

With a flourish, the man grabbed a garment bag off of the rack. He then carefully unzipped it, revealing its contents.

Marinette gasped. "Oh, kitty. What on earth do you have planned for us tonight?"

Luckily, the rain stopped just as Adrien and Alya finished with the stylists. They stood next to the road waiting for Marinette and Nino to arrive.

Alya had picked out a black knee-length cocktail dress with lace sleeves and intricate beading on the bodice. Adrien wore a black tailored suit with a deep red tie.

He knew that he looked ready for tonight, but he was beginning to question whether or not he felt ready for tonight. Adrien wanted to do this, but he was afraid that his words would fail him when the time came...and that he would wind up screaming the question and throwing the ring box at Marinette. (That was only one of many scenarios that were running through his mind.)

Adrien paced back and forth in front of the curb. He fiddled with his cufflinks in an attempt to keep his hands out of his styled hair. He swallowed and released a shaky breath.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. Adrien turned to see Alya shaking her head with a smirk on her face.

"You are going to put a hole in the ground if you don't stop," she teased.

Plagg plopped down on Adrien's shoulder. "Yeah, kid. Making holes in the ground is my job. Right now, your job is to stand here and look pretty until your lady love arrives. Got it?"

Trixx popped her head out of Alya's hair. "Aren't you a model? Standing still really shouldn't be a problem for you."

Adrien threw his head back and groaned. "I know! I know! I'm just so nervous. Like, my tongue feels kind of fuzzy, and I'm suddenly aware of the fact that I can't feel my earlobes."

"That's...different," Alya turned to Plagg, "I think he's broken."

"It wouldn't be the first time." The Kwami flew in front of his holder's face and poked Adrien's nose with his paw. "Do you remember the time you finally worked up the courage to ask out Marinette on a date?"

"Yeah, I couldn't feel my elbows that time," Adrien's eyes grew wide, "OHMYGOD, PLAGG! IT'S SPREADING!"

Plagg growled, "No, kid, it's not. Think...what I did to snap you out of it last time?"

"Ummm, you bit…" Adrien's hands flew to his ears, "Do not bite my ears, Plagg. Your teeth leave marks, and we have a photographer here tonight."

"I will not hesitate to take matters into my own hands if you start spiraling again. Understood?"

"Ugh...yeah."

Trixx giggled. "Do you remember the time you bit that soldier in that little American town...what was it called again?"

Plagg sighed wistfully. "You're thinking of Concord, Massachusetts. Now THAT was a fun time."

"Do you even know who you bit?"

"Nope. I do know that it spooked the guy so much that it caused him to fire his musket. Ahhh...the chaos that erupted after that was truly beautiful."

"Wait a minute...I remember reading about that town in World History one time." Alya feverishly typed on her phone. "Aha! Here it is...blah blah blah...shot heard around the world...yadda yadda...hold on...Plagg, did you start the American Revolution?"

Adrien turned to her with a deadpan expression. "He also sunk Atlantis."

"What? How?"

"God, no. Please don't ask for details."

Plagg crossed his arms. "Hey! First of all, I didn't bring it up this time...you did! I kept my promise. Second, Tikki was part of the whole Atlantis thing. You can't pin it all on me."

"Yes, but Tikki was not the one who Cataclysmed the support beams," Adrien noted.

Plagg squinted. "Okay, that's technically true."

"Hey, you two," Alya chimed in, "Shut up! I think Marinette and Nino just pulled up."

Adrien could feel his heartbeat throughout his body. He swallowed hard, but it didn't help. When Marinette stepped out of the car, he lost the ability to breathe. He knew she would look good in the dress when he picked it out for her, but he didn't know that she would look this resplendent.

She wore a deep red evening gown with an asymmetrical skirt. The bodice clung perfectly to her form while thick sleeves draped off her shoulders. Her hair was fashioned into a cascade of raven curls, and a delicate silver chain sporting a diamond pendant rested on her neck.

They locked eyes. She smiled, ran over to him, and pulled him into a hug. "Hey, kitty. You sure do clean up well."

He rested his cheek on her hair. "I know I call you "Princess", but tonight you look like actual royalty."

"Does that make you my Prince Charming?"

"Maybe...or perhaps I'm just a lowly knight looking to sweep his lady off her feet."

"Why can't you be both?"

"I will be whatever you want me to be, Bugaboo."

She pressed her nose against his. "I think I'd be content if you were the love of my life."

"Done." Adrien leaned in and placed a gentle peck on her lips, eliciting a giggle from Marinette.

"If you two lovebirds are quite finished," Alya interrupted, "I think we have a dinner reservation to keep."

"Here?" Marinette asked, "At the Eiffel Tower? WAIT...are we finally eating in the 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant!? Did you get us a table overlooking the Trocadero? I've always wanted to do that."

Adrien scratched the back of his neck. "Ummm...not exactly, but it's something like that. Follow me and you'll find out."

He reached for her hand, but she pulled away and turned towards the car. "Hold on! Before we do anything else, Nino has something to say! Come on out, Nino!"

The dapper-looking DJ stepped out of the vehicle holding the massive bouquet of daisies and daffodils in one hand and a silver envelope in the other. He walked over to Alya and chuckled nervously.

"Hey, babe." He thrust the bouquet and the envelope into Alya's arms. "These are for you!"

The Ladyblogger cradled the flowers and gave her boyfriend a kiss on the cheek. "My silly, boy. What have you been up to today?"

"There's more, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow." He looked at the ground while he spoke.

"Is this what you've been doing instead of the scheduled activities?" Adrien asked while still holding Marinette.

She grinned. "Nino wanted to do something romantic for Alya, so I decided to help him. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all, Princess. It's very sweet. You're always thinking about others. That's one of the reasons I love you so much."

"Good...because he was hoping to sweep her off her feet like you are currently doing for me right now."

Alya put a hand on Nino's cheek. "Consider me successfully swept, wonderful you."

"Really?" Nino leaned into her touch.

She placed a lingering kiss on his lips. "Yes."

Adrien looked at the group. "Shall we continue this conversation over dinner? I'm really interested to hear about everything you two did today."

"Of course, kitty. Lead the way!" Marinette giggled.

The group walked towards the Parisian monument and boarded the first elevator. Marinette was shocked when Adrien led her to the second elevator that would take them to the top of the tower. When they arrived at the indoor deck, they were greeted by a room full of family and friends.

Marinette turned to Adrien. "What have you done, minou? What are all of these people doing here?"

He smiled. "They're here to celebrate us."

Adrien stepped closer to Marinette and took her hands in his own. She emitted a small gasp as he got on one knee and looked up at her.

"Princess," he began with a twinkle in his eye, "when my life fell apart five years ago, I didn't know if I would ever be able to recover, but you never left my side. Through my darkest days, you were a beacon of light. I have loved you since the day I met you, but your patience and understanding made me fall even more in love with you. Unfortunately, you and I live in a world of uncertainty. We never know when the next threat will come our way, and we will never know what tomorrow brings. There are so many things that we will never know. However, the one thing I do know is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

He released her hands and pulled the ring out of his pocket. As he opened the box, Marinette covered her mouth and suppressed a happy sob.

"Marinette," he took a deep breath, "will you marry me?"

She nearly tackled him to the ground as she fell to her knees and yanked him into a tight embrace. "Yes! Yes! A million times, yes!"

He laughed and lifted Marinette to her feet and slipped the ring onto her finger. She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss.

The room erupted into cheers and applause. Adrien could almost hear the fireworks going off inside him.

He pulled away from Marinette and looked out the window. "No, those are actual fireworks," he thought to himself.

Alya leaned over and whispered in Adrien's ear. "I thought you said there weren't going to be any pyrotechnics tonight."

"I did," he mumbled, "I don't know where they came from."

Trixx poked out of Alya's hair. "That was me! I remember you talking about them this morning, and I thought you might like them! They're not real, but they sure look like they are!"

Alya nuzzled her Kwami. "Awww, you're the best."

Marinette turned towards Nino. "You knew everything, didn't you?"

Nino chuckled. "Yeah, I was doing my best to keep my cool, but I messed up a few times."

She pulled him into a crushing hug and then turned to her best friend. "Thank you both for helping to make this night so special."

Alya embraced Marinette. "Anything for you, girl, but I have to be honest. It wasn't just us who helped out with tonight. Everyone in this room had a hand in this."

Adrien nodded. "It's true. The other Miraculous holders helped with the decorations. My dad and Nathalie made sure our outfits were ready, and your parents made a cake."

Nino's eyes lit up. "Yes! The Dupain-Chengs made a cake. We have to go eat some of that."

Alya rolled her eyes, grabbed her boyfriend's hand, and started to drag him away. "Come on. Let's go mingle."

Marinette turned to her fiancé and wrapped her arms around his neck. "And thank you, kitty...for making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

He rested his forehead against hers. "No, thank you for always being there for me."

"Now, we get to be there for each other forever."

"Forever...I like the sound of that."

She beamed. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you, Adrien Agreste"

He leaned in and gave her another kiss on the lips. "I love you, too, Marinette Dupain-Cheng...today, tomorrow, and always."