Connected Skies

Part Ten

Adrien and Marinette walked home together.

"Jeez, look how late it is." Marinette said looking around at how the only light was the street lamps. "Maybe if you hadn't kept making us do mock interviews." She pushed him lightly, "What about you? You kept stuttering at the questions!" "Since we're coming home so late, I wonder if your parents will be mad."

"Hey, look up there! At the sky!" She pointed out at the stars. "You're ignoring me?" "The stars are so beautiful. It's like the stars are speaking to us!" Adrien's gaze went up to the sky and smiled.

"I'm home!" Marinette called through the bakery doors. "I should be heading home now." Adrien said when he was stopped by Marinette's father coming outside, "What do you want with my daughter?" "I— Uh..." "Adrien? Hey, if it isn't Adrien!" Her dad wrapped his arm around him.

"Adrien!" Her mom said coming outside and pulling them both inside. They sat him down at a table, "Here, here! There are leftovers from today." They put piles of sweet goods in front of him. "T-thank you!" He said nervously.

"My parents like you a lot." She said biting into the cookie she was holding. "We've heard all about you!" Her dad said behind him and he turned around. Her mom nodded, "Want to see some childhood photos of Marinette!" Her mom ran upstairs to grab a picture book. "She was so adorable!" Her father added. "No, he doesn't!" She yelled.

They all stood outside and her dad handed him a bag, "For your folks." "Thank you so much and thank you for all the cake." "I'll walk you down the street." Marinette said and left her parents who were both waving at Adrien.

"He's got manners, he's a good kid, don't you think?" Her dad asked his mom. "Yeah." She agreed.

"I'm so embarrassed!" Marinette threw her hands over her face. "It wasn't that bad." Adrien chuckled. "Really! They showed you pictures of me as a newborn! A naked newborn!" "You have cheerful parents." She turned around and rushed over to him pushing her face close to his, "Did you get taller?" "I don't know." "Oh, I see. It's because you're not looking down anymore. It's because you're looking up now." She turned on her heel, "It sure is hot this time of year, the school year is almost over.

A meaningless conversation. Familiar scenery. "It's so humid!" Marinette said turning around. Even so, the reason I remember it so well is probably... "Oh, but I do like summer for the fireworks! Have you ever seen them from the Eiffel Tower?" I'm sure, it's because of that summer night.

**

Alya, Nino and Kagami watched as the two argued about something they were keeping a secret from them. "Hey, I have an idea!" Marinette turned to all of them.

The all stood in the park with lit sparklers. "It was the last day of school, I can't believe it." Alya said lighting a new sparkler. "For some anyway." Nino rolled his eyes. "Oh babe, it's okay that you're in summer school. It won't be too bad."

"What do you have planned for the future?" Kagami asked Marinette. "I'm..." She looked down as her sparkler went out, "not even thinking about the future yet." She took the sparkler out of Adrien's hand. "For now, let me just say that I'm going to rock this summer." "That's the spirit! That's the spirit!" Alya said running over to her and lighting her sparkler on hers.

**

Today was the day of the Ladybug and Chat Noir's interview.

Chat was already there and they were waiting for Ladybug. "What does she think she's doing? Ladybug a no-show? That's just insane!" He paced around nervously. A producer ran back to where he was, "The show's started is she still not here?" "I've been calling her and she's not picking up! This is serious... I can't..."

The producer touched his shoulder, "Calm down, lets just get you ready. I'll go see if they'll move you guys down in the order of interviews. We can wait for Ladybug until the last possible moment. If she doesn't show, then we can just forget it." Chat was staring at the floor with his ears drooping, weren't you looking forward to this? I'm sorry I got carried away.

Alya was sitting in the audience, "I can't wait for their interview. Have you heard from Marinette?" Nino shook his head, "Nah, I haven't heard." "She's not picking up her phone."

"I can't move the interview. The program is already listed." The producer told Chat Noir who was still nervously pacing.

"For our next interview, we have Ladybug and Chat Noir." Only Chat walked out as the crowd grew silent. "Where's Ladybug?" Alya whispered. "Did she not make it?"

I know how much this means to you, Ladybug. Please come.