"Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Mar-Mar..." I sang softly.

"Hey Prince Kitty," Marigold said, brightly, sitting beside me. I gave her a side hug from where I sat, "Hey Mar-Mar."

The sun had long ago set, and the moon was shining down on us.

"Mar-Mar...for a superhero? No. Way," Marigold objected.

"You know that just makes me want to call you that more, right Mar-Mar?"

"You're impossible!"

"You mean, impawsible???"

"I will drop your coffee off this roof right now-"

"NOOOOOOooooOOOO! My precious liquid happiness," I exclaimed, snatching the coffee, and gently caressing it.

"You need serious help..." Marigold murmured.

I laughed, and after taking a long swig of coffee, I stood.

Marigold watched me but didn't move. Then, I bent down towards her, and tapped her shoulder, "Tag," Then I ran.

I hopped from roof to wait, then paused to see if she was following. She was, "What are you doing?" She called.

I started running again, "Patrol!"

"Why tag, though?"

"Maybe if you weren't so slow, I'd tell you!" I yelled back. Then I sped up.

I heard the constant zipping of Marigold's top, and it helped me avoid her.

Suddenly, the zipping stopped. I jumped a few more houses then turned back. Marigold stood on a roof, looking down at the street. Expecting some sort of trap, and cautiously headed over.

"Finally give up, Marigold?" I teased.

She didn't answer. Finally, I came next to her...she looked stunned. Then I noticed what she was looking at. A couple was kissing in the moonlight...then I looked closer...A rock sunk to the bottom of my gut. IT WAS MARINETTE'S BOYFRIEND! But the girl he was kissing wasn't Marinette...it was someone-I KNOW WHO THAT IS! Princess Perfect...the girl with the sister...it was her!

Oh no...Marinette...

Suddenly, Marigold turned away and said, "Come on Chat Noir...let's go."

We finished our patrol route and sat back down where our cold coffees waited. Marigold hadn't said a word the entire rest of patrol.

Then, "Kitty...do you ever feel like you miss out? Like because you were so caught up in one special thing, you totally missed another one? It makes you wonder, how much do you miss? What has been going on that you're missing? What is going on right now that I'm missing? I..." Marigold sighed.

I was confused. What did Marinette's boyfriend have to do with any of this? Surely Marigold didn't know him in real life.

"I...ya. Sometimes I wish I could split myself in half...you know, be two places at once. Sometimes I wish I'd done something differently, like tonight. Tonight I should be with my friends, all going out to get ice cream as we had planned. But instead, I'm here...And while I know I'm missing out on the fun, I'm happy here. You're not just my sidekick, you're my friend. Doing stuff like playing tag, shooting back witty comments, making up nicknames and puns...it makes me feel like I'm not the one missing out," I shrugged.

"What about missing out on big events though? Like a baby's first word, a friend's first kiss...a brother's girlfriend...how do you...how do you balance?" She asked, looking at the Parisian skyline.

I frowned, then shook my head, "You don't. Being a superhero is a sacrifice...a sacrifice that no one can truly understand until they have to make it...not a lot of people get that. I think balancing two lives takes time...and patience...and practice. But what we can do right now is take steps to start balancing. Make an effort..." I suddenly realized with guilt that I was a hypocrite to my own words...I'd been neglecting my friendship with Nino lately....and Alya...and Marinette.

Marigold hesitated, then nodded and said softly, "I think you're right."

...

"Ya, hanging out would be really cool!"

"Sleepover Als?"

"Ya, tonight."

"How about tonight?"

"No, I swear I'm not busy. I'm ready to hang out with my best bud...I'm really sorry I've been neglecting our friendship recently."

"No Alya, I promise tonight is perfect. Nope...Ya, ya, you're right...Hey Als? I'm sorry. I've been a terrible bestie, not making time for you. I promise that from now on I'll be a model friend."

"Can you forgive me?"

"Can you forgive me?"

"Good...I really didn't want to lose you, Nino. You're like the brother I never had!"

"Perfect! I love you so much Alya!!!"

...

"Hey, Mic...can we talk...about the girl you were kissing Friday night?"

Micah froze and turned guiltily towards me.

We were on our way to school...so you know, the best time to have those deep conversations.

"I...You...She..." Micah sighed, "I tried to tell you, you were just always so busy and...and...well-"

I took hold of my cousin's hand, "What's her name Mic?"

Then Micah smiled, "Celestia...but she hates the name, so she goes by her middle name, Maddalena...but her friends call her Maddy-"

"Except you. You call her 'Messie'," I filled in.

Micah nodded, looking surprised, "Remember? Me? The superhero? Princess Perfect?"

"Oh...right."

"How'd it happen?"

"I...we knew each other as kids. Our parents were best friends. Apparently, they were in a dance group together when they were younger...anyhow, back then I called her Tia...well, I moved away, and apparently she moved to Paris, then I came here...and now we go to the same high school," Micah explained shyly.

"Aww! What a sweet love story. You should put it on the wedding invites," I sighed in mock romance.

Micah reached for me, "MARI!"

I dodged and giggled running ahead of Micah.

He raced forward and managed to brush my shoulder. I yelped/laughed in fake terror as I bolted forward. Ever since I became Marigold, I could beat him in any race.

But since I was looking backward at Mic, I wasn't looking forward... and I crashed into Adrien.

"Whoah, you good Mari?" He asked, helping me up as Micah ran up and said, "Nice wipeout, Buganette! You almost gave someone a concussion!"

I stood up and smirked at Micah, "Wow. Thanks, Mic," Then I turned to Adrien, "Ya, I'm fine...sorry for almost murdering you," I smiled.

Adrien seemed to blush, and he looked down, "All good. You can murder me anytime you'd like..."

I looked at him, confused. His face went bright red, "No! That's not what I meant. I meant that...I...you...Oh look, there's the bell! Umm, I'll see you in class..." Then he ran off.

I watched him go, a little sad...he seemed to always be running off like that lately.

Then, Micah came and whispered from behind, "Dang, he's cute, isn't he, buganette?"

I immediately whipped around, blushing, "No! I mean, yes. I mean he's just a friend!"

Micah watched...I could feel his ultimate judgment and smugness.

"Umm...oh! There's the bell! I gotta...ya...school...ALYA!" I ran towards her, giving Micah a rushed goodbye.

...

What was it with all these people and their imaginary school bells?

...

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

Marinette blushed, "Nervous...I know I shouldn't be, but I am. I really don't want to disappoint your father."

"Don't worry, Marinette. My father wouldn't have picked you for the internship if he thought you'd disappoint him."

"What if he was wrong?"

"Does my father look like the type to get things wrong?"

"No, but-"

"Oh look, we're here!" I said, cutting Marinette off. I jumped out of the car and opened the door for Marinette. She smiled, trying to look relaxed, "And they say chivalry is dead in this day and age."

We walked into the house. Nathalie immediately appeared and took Marinette by the arm, leading her away. She gave me a small wave as she brought into my father's office. Then the door closed shut, and I was alone...well, not completely alone. Plagg flew out of my shirt pocket, "ADDDDdddddDDDRRRRRrrrRIIIIEEEEEENNNNnnn! I need FOOD!"

I smirked, "Come on, Plagg...let's get you some cheese." We walked up to my room. I tossed my book bag onto my bed, and Plagg hurried to his cheese cabinet.

I went to my computer and sat down...a picture of me and my mom came up. I looked sadly at it, the familiar ache in my heart. On an urge, I reached up and opened a cabinet.

From it, I grabbed a box...inside the box were a bunch of odds and ends...odds and ends that all had one thing in common. They were my mom's. A picture of her on her wedding day, a random sock with the initials E-G-D-V (Emilie Graham de Vanily), and a few sketches of a rose...my mother loved roses.

I let myself feel sad...I really missed my mom...sometimes it felt like she was truly the only person who loved me...and without her, it feels like that a lot. Pretty soon, I found tears dripping down my cheeks.

It wasn't fair...how could she just disappear? She wouldn't have left. She loved me and my father too much...I took another item out of my mother's box. A hospital bracelet...Since the time I was twelve years old, I remember my mom coughing...she seemed to always be sick, going from hospital to hospital...but no one could tell what was wrong...and no one could fix her...then she disappeared.

More tears.

Plagg noticed, and flew over, "Hey are you...oh, you have the box out..."

I wiped my tears away and tried to smile, "Just taking a stroll down memory lane...you can get back to your cheese, don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Plagg looked back at his beloved cheese, then he floated over to me, and gave me a hug on my cheek, "Adrien...this is really out of my comfort zone and stuff, so I literally have no idea what I'm doing...but IT'S NOT OKAY! YOU'RE SAD, YOU'RE HURTING, AND THAT IS NOT OKAY!!!!" Plagg screamed.

I stared, eyes wide at my little kwami, "Let's get this straight Adrien. I might be awful at giving advice, being a supportive friend, and feelings in general, but I know this much. YOU ARE NOT OKAY! HIDING YOUR EMOTIONS IS NOT OKAY! NOTHING ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION IS OKAY!" Then to my surprise, Plagg started crying, "Adrien...I'm your kwami. You're one confident. You're supposed to be able to tell me everything. I'm supposed to be the guy who's always got your back. The kwami who you can tell anything to...AND I'M FAILING!!! I hate failing! I hate seeing you sad! And I HATE cheese that has fruit in it! WHAT AM I COMING TO!?!"

Plagg flew into my hands and sobbed.

I stared wide-eyed at my kwami, then I started sobbing too, "I hate my mom being gone! I hate how my father never has time for me! And I HATE feeling like I'm unloved! Is it so much to ask! I just want to be loved...I want someone to love me so much they'd die for me! IS THAT SO WRONG?!?!...is...is that so much to ask..." I said the last part softly.

Plagg sniffled, and looked up at me...then said, "I...I love you, Adrien. I'd go my entire life without eating cheese if it meant you could be happy."

I sniffed a bit too, the tears slowing, "I love you too, Plagg! I was so alone till I met you...and you're not failing at being a kwami. I couldn't have asked for a better kwami!"

Me and Plagg hugged tightly (As in, he hugged my face, and I gently put my hands around him)

Then, Plagg suddenly backed away, "Whoa...I feel weird...like...like...like a better kwami...OH NO! I'm becoming Tikki!" Plagg flew up to me, "We NEVER speak of this again."

I laughed, not fully understanding but being perfectly fine with it, "Whatever you say, Plagg."

...

"H-Hey Marinette...umm...I...I have to tell you something. I don't really know how to say this-" Adrien started.

And like the true reporter she was, Alya's ears (metaphorically) perked up like a fox...a story was brewing.

"Nino. Video. NOW."

Adrien sat across from Marinette, looking nervous.

"No way! He's gonna do it. He's gonna ask her out!" Alya whispered, shaking Nino in excitement.

Marinette's face filled with fear, "Your father's cutting me from the internship, isn't he?"

"What? No! No, on the contrary, he's very impressed...no...I...I want to talk to you about something else."

"Yes?"

"Here it comes..." Alya whispered.

"Well...you see, I was walking with my friend the other day we were playing a weird game and stuff and I saw this couple kissing on the bridge, which is no big deal because people kiss on bridges all the time and not that I watch people kiss on bridges a lot, I mean, that'd be kinda creepy, but anyhow I looked closer, and it turned out the persons, er, one of the persons, er, one of the people who was kissing was someone I knew...And it knew him because of you and it was like your boyfriend kissing someone who wasn't you I mean not that he's ever kissed you, though I'm not saying he hasn't kissed you, I mean why not, you're an amazingly smart, talented, beautiful girl and so any guy would want to kiss you, heck, I'd kiss you, I mean, if we were dating that is, but we're not dating we're just friends, reallY good friends, real pals, and stuff so anyhow I just wanted to let you know because if he's like cheating on you, I thought you should now and stuff so ya..." Adrien finished.

Alya and Nino stared in shock, then at each other, then back at Adrien, "Did you understand-"

"No."

Marinette, however, kept talking like Adrien had spoken normal french, "Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend..."

"What about the guy you were hugging? And you gave him a kiss on the cheek...the tall one with brown hair."

"Oh! Oh, Adrien...that's my cousin. Micah. He's kinda like my best friend, no offense to Alya of course."

"Offense very much taken," Alya whispered to Nino.

Nino elbowed her, knowing she was joking...mostly.

"You-your cousin?" Adrien asked, bewildered, then murmured something that sounded like, "Plagg was right..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing...oof...well now I feel stupid," Adrien admitted.

But Marinette just smiled warmly, "You shouldn't. I'm actually glad you told me...because if I actually had a boyfriend, and he did that...the fact that you were a good enough friend to tell me...that makes me feel really lucky, and happy! Because I am really lucky to have you as a friend Adrien. Thank you...I could tell it kind of made you awkward, but you did it anyway. You're a true friend Adrien," Then she leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek, hugging him.

"NINO DID YOU GET THAT!!!!!" Alya freaked out, shaking Nino so hard he dropped his phone. (It didn't crack)