Unbroken

Chapter 2

"What was I thinking Tikki?" Marinette asked as she cut up the sandwiches for lunch. "If Chat wasn't such a trustworthy person, he would have seen me. Not to mention him putting himself in danger like that again. I hardly slept at all last night worrying about everything that happened."

"It was a bad akuma Marinette, and I know how worried you were about Chat Noir." Tikki said, laying a napkin down on the tray. "You've been partners for six years now, maybe it's time you let him into your confidence." Marinette bit her bottom lip as she thought about it.

"I don't know. I...I feel confused when it comes to Chat Noir. It might be dangerous to let feelings get in the way of our job. Remember what I told you about Chat Blanc? Our love destroyed the whole world? What kind of love could be that powerful that it would create emotions that strong?"

Tikki knew the answer of course. That Ladybug and Chat Noir were meant for each other, because Marinette and Adrien were and the Kwami was tired of the barriers her chosen had kept putting up with both Adrien and Chat.

Plagg had come to see Tikki the previous night on Marinette's balcony and told her everything that was happening to his kitten. The Cat Kwami was becoming frantic over the idea of Adrien having to give up his miraculous if he had to leave Paris. Tikki tried to assure him Marinette would never do that, but Plagg just bristled his tail. He'd had a bad experience with a less caring Ladybug, and it had made him suspicious ever since. Both Kwami did agree however that this impasse between Adrien and Marinette needed to stop, and Ladybug and Chat really needed to reveal sooner rather than later.

"That was a long time ago Marinette." Tikki reminded her. "Things are different now. You weren't the Guardian then, you were a lot younger and far more vulnerable. You trust Chat more now, and I think you even care for him more now too." Tikki could see a tinge of pink on Marinette's cheeks.

"Of course I care, Tikki. He's my partner and I hate seeing him getting hurt on my account." She was deflecting, and Tikki knew that, but the Kwami let it pass for now.

Tikki quickly ducked away when Sabine came into the kitchen to collect the tea that had been steeping. Marinette followed her mother into the living room where her father was watching TV.

"Are you alright Papa?" Marinette asked, placing the tray on his lap. Tom let his daughter fuss over him.

"I'm fit as a fiddle sweetheart. In fact, I think I might make a few of those passionfruit macarons you used to like so much." Marinette smiled at him.

"They weren't for me Papa. I made them for Adrien when we were in school, remember." She also took them with her on patrol sometimes and gave them to Chat Noir. He really liked the passionfruit ones too. "Besides, the doctor said you're not to do anything too strenuous?"

"Pish posh. There's nothing to making macarons. In no time at all I'll be back banging bread like nobody's business and you'll be taking the fashion world by storm." Marinette paced a hand on her father's arm.

"Maybe we could make them on the weekend." She said. Tom patted his daughter on the hand as Sabine placed the tea on the table.

"Why don't you invite Adrien around dear. We haven't seen him in such a long time, not since Nino and Alya left for London." Marinette smiled shyly and shook her head.

"I'm sure he's far too busy these days between his modelling and working with his father. Besides, I'd feel weird calling him out of the blue now." It wasn't until after Alya and Nino left for London that Marinette realised that they were the ones usually responsible for organising get-togethers and making sure Adrien could be there. Once they were gone, Marinette was too nervous to contact him herself. She knew she was being silly because her and Adrien had gotten quite close before his father pulled him out of Lycèe. Part of her still really liked him despite her confused feelings for Chat and now she just felt too awkward to pick up the phone. Sabine shook her head as she watched her daughter.