I snuck out of school, looking every which way so I could avoid a certain cousin...there was no way Micah could not know about me and Chat...Alya's blog had gone viral overnight, and the entire school was covered in 'Marigold+Chat Noir' drawings...lots of them of me and Chat Noir kissing.

Great...just what I needed. Lots of people talking about what a cute couple me and Chat were right to my face without even knowing it was me they were talking about...the news was everywhere.

As I hurried out of school, walking along the streets of Paris, I tried to ignore the posters, billboards, GRAFFITI (Seriously. Who could illegally graffiti the wall of a flower shop so quickly? Do people just randomly say to myself, 'You know what? I'm gonna go paint the side of a building of my new favorite couple!') of Chat Noir and me. I wanted to blush, wring my hands, crawl into a hole and die of embarrassment, do something to react to this...but I couldn't. I couldn't talk to my mom about it, I couldn't talk to Alya about it, and sweet Pollen didn't know the first thing about romance...and most of her sentences either started or ended in, 'whatever you think my queen' which wasn't exactly helpful.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice the gutter until I stepped right off the curve, my foot sliding in and causing me to fall flat on my face.

I heard a soft giggling, and looked up to see the Lady in Purple staring at me, holding out her hand. But I didn't take it, instead just sinking my head back to the ground.

"Marinette...get up," Came the Lady in Purple's gentle voice.

"I...I don't want to...I don't wanna see my face everywhere...my face with Chat Noir's..." I admitted, starting to get emotional.

The Lady in Purple made a small sound, then suddenly lifted me to my feet, "Come with me, Marinette...I'll take you away from the city for a little while..."

Unsure what she meant, but eager to get away, I stood and took the Lady in Purple's hand. We walked quickly into a side alley. Then, the Lady got out her golden rod...and we stepped into another dimension.

...

I watched carefully as Marinette swung her legs under the railing of the Eiffel Tower. Below, Ladybug and Chat Noir fought their newest foe...a giant baby.

"Would you like to talk?" I asked her.

She hesitated, then told me everything having to do with her emotional history with Chat Noir...about the first time he saved her as Marinette...then when he told her to go 'paint her nails' and yelled at her as Marigold...and about when they told jokes and drank coffee, and how cute she thought it was that he called it 'Liquid Happiness'.

Then finally, she came to how she felt about everyone knowing about her and Chat Noir, "I...I love him, and I know it shouldn't bother me...I mean, people are just excited, right? I...I don't know...I guess I just was hoping we could keep our relationship a secret...pretend we were normal teenagers who went on dates, and ate donuts, and drank coffee without all of Paris freaking out over us...but we're superheros...I...I guess I was stupid for wanting that."

I shook my head, "It was not stupid Marinette...we all wish for things we can't have. But the sad life of a superhero is dotted with sacrifices... but you already know that..."

Marinette put her head in her hands, "I'm such a baby..." I realized she was beginning to cry, "I don't just have one perfect life, but two jam-packed with amazing friends, family, people, and the most amazing boyfriend," I noticed her hesitation when she said the last word, "but here I am, crying because...because...WHY AM I CRYING?!?!"

From there, she started to completely break down. After a moment, I sat beside her, and let her hug me as I stroked her hair. Then, I began to speak, "Once upon a time...there was this girl... her name was Ma-Ebony. Ebony lived in the time of Queens and Pharaohs in the great capital of Egypt. She led a simple life-the daughter of a baker- and was happy...but one day, monsters started attacking her city. There was nothing anyone could do... But then, Ebony found a small box in her room. Inside were a pair of earrings...the ladybug miraculous," I smiled, looking down as the Ladybug from this universe tackled Chat Noir out of the way just as the giant baby tried to grab him.

Marinette watched them too, waiting for me to continue.

"Ebony told the kwami she couldn't do it...she wasn't good enough...she wasn't strong enough... but in the end, when she realized people needed help, and she was the only one who could save them, she accepted her role. Ebony had a partner...Chat Noir...and pretty soon, she found herself in love with him..." I sighed, remembering that cod-fish looking cat, "But because Chat Noir was Chat Noir, he was of course oblivious, and did lots of stupid-and I mean REALLY stupid- things...especially on the night of the ball. The Pharaoh had thrown a celebration to honor the superheros...Chat Noir showed up, and began dancing with a girl...then he danced with her again...and again. What he didn't know was that ebony had been watching the entire time, hidden...seeing him with another girl...seeing him happy with another girl...it broke her heart. She left the party just after Chat Noir realized she'd been there... he did some idiodic things in between of course, which caused her to run...anyhow, he found her crying on a roof... "Milady." was all he'd said.

"Good evening, Chat Noir."

He stood awkwardly then said, "You left."

"I did," Ebony was not planning on making this easy for him.

Silence.

"Why?"

Ebony thought for awhile, then went with a kinda truth, "I wasn't enjoying myself."

Silence.

"You didn't go home?"

"My parents aren't there, my friends are at the party. I would be sitting in an empty home. There would be no point."

Silence. Then, Chat Noir came and sat beside her."

I looked at Marinette, "This is when the stupid cat finally started to see some sense...

"My lady...I know I did wrong. I was at the party for hours now and I didn't even notice you were there. Then when I did notice I wasn't considerate and asked what was bugging you. Then I went to have fun and left you. I know...I was really stupid and I promise to never do it again."

Ebony frowned. That hadn't been what she was looking for, "And?"

"And? And what?"

"And why are you sorry that you went off to have fun?"

"I...Well...Umm...Because something was hurting you and I didn't take time to figure it out...I think."

"Chat Noir, why didn't I tell you I was here?"

"Umm...because I said something last time I saw you that upset you?"

"And why did it upset me?"

"I...Umm...Is..."

"Good night Chat Noir. Go back to the party. Lila is waiting."

Ebony had then stood to leave, but Chat Noir suddenly grabbed her and whipped her around towards him. She'd never seen him like this...he was very fierce and...and almost scary.

"Ladybug! Don't you see? I don't care about Lila! I care about you. I don't want to go back to the party, I want to be with you! Don't leave me. I know I've done some stupid things, really I do. But let me make it up to you! Tell me how! Please."

Ebony was frozen...Chat Noir...she then realized she'd been so wrong. She didn't know what to say. But then she did, "Tell me. Tell me how you feel."

Chat Noir looked into her eyes, "I'll tell all of Alexandria!"

Then he ran to the edge of the roof, but he turned around, "No. I'll tell the whole world!" And he walked back to Ebony.

Then he whispered very very very softly, "I love you."

Her heart raced, "Why did you whisper?"

"Because you're my whole world."

Then he leaned down and kissed her...."

Marinette was closing her eyes.

"They had one of the most beautiful love stories I'd ever seen...and one of the most tragic..."

"Why? What happened?"

I smiled, "Nothing I can tell you about right now...come on, sweet thing. We should be heading back," I pointed to where ladybug caught her akuma, "You know who Scarlet Lady is, right?"

"Chloe...but it's so weird...she doesn't seem to remember I'm Marigold," Marinette explained.

I just nodded, "Of course she doesn't...Chloe is dangerous, Marinette...and for some reason, she hates you...a lot... Fu performed a memory wipe of her, that's all...she's perfectly fine...but we couldn't have her knowing who you were...plus, she was a statue at the time so it was easy."

"Oh..."

"Marinette, how would you feel having to fight Chloe? Could you do it?" I asked her.

Marinette hesitated, but then nodded, "Why?"

I took out my golden rod, and drew a circle into the air, "Because it's almost time to get your miraculous back...and to defeat HawkMoth once and for all."

We walked through the glowing circle, and were immediately at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Marinette's universe. We walked to the elevator, and began to ride down, "lady in Purple-"

"Pandora," I corrected.

"Pandora...why did you tell me the story about Ebony?" Marinette asked.

I smiled, "Because you needed to hear it."

"But how did you know?"

I kept on smiling, "Marinette...I know everything there is to know about you...I've been watching you for a long time my dear..."

"Like? Since the day I was born?" She asked as we stepped off the elevator and onto solid ground.

I nodded.

Marinette's phone suddenly rang, and she took it. Her face suddenly went right, "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry...I totally forgot! Don't worry...I'll be there in a few minutes!" She turned to me, "Thank you Pandora...I gotta go!"

Then she ran off.

I waved quietly, then let the smile slide from my face, "I have been watching you since the day you were born...and thousands of years before that."

...

I checked my cat phone again...Marigold was nearly an hour late for patrol...I was beginning to wonder if she was even coming. But then, she was suddenly there. She was running towards me.

Before I could even say 'Hello' she engulfed me in a hug, "Hey kitty..."

"Hello, milady..." I looked at her eyes...they looked a little red and puffy, "Tough day?"

She nodded, letting me go, "You could say that...but I'm better..."

I looked her over, then smiled, "Ready for that date?"

She giggled, "If Paris wasn't gossiping about us before, they sure will be once news get's out that superheroes are dancing on the street!"

I smirked, glad to see her in a good mood...I was afraid that all of Paris talking about us was going to...affect her. But as I looked down at my honeybee, I realized I underestimated how strong she was... Because the truth was, she was strong...and whether she believe it or not, I knew she was stronger than me.