Undiscovered Melody |COMPLETED|

Chapter 22

Later that day, Luka stood in an alley a block away from Marinette's house, peering around the corner and warily eyeing the crowd of photographers gathered outside the bakery. Apparently Marinette's identity had become public, which wasn't really surprising since she'd been seen briefly on the reality TV program "Fill My Shoes" when Jagged Stone was trying out being a baker at Marinette's family's bakery. It probably didn't help that Marinette's Adrien photo-covered room was shown on the show, reinforcing the fake headline idea that Marinette could be in relationships with both Luka and Adrien.

Luka had managed to get this far without being recognized but there was no way he could get into the bakery without someone taking his picture. He didn't know what to do. He really wanted to see Marinette, but he also didn't want to attract attention to himself.

"That's quite the crowd there, huh?" said Cat Noir as he jumped down next to Luka and stuck his head out to see just how big the crowd looked at sidewalk level. He'd been up on the rooftop watching the photographers surrounding the bakery when he spotted Luka. "How's Marinette dealing with all of the attention?" he asked as he retreated to the safety of the alley. Cat Noir was a bit disappointed that he didn't seem to have even surprised Luka by dropping down next to him. Nothing seems to faze him, he thought, wondering how Luka managed that.

"I'm not sure. I didn't know that this had happened and I didn't tell her I was coming over in case the photographers were too aggressive and I couldn't get over to see her. I didn't want her to be disappointed. I guess I'm going to have to go home. There's no way I can get through that," said Luka, sticking his head out again to see if there was any way for him to get into Marinette's without being seen.

"Let her know you're here," said Cat Noir.

Luka turned back into the alley and quirked an eyebrow at him, wondering if he hadn't understood what he had said.

Cat Noir grinned. "She won't be disappointed. I'll help you, just not in through the front door," said the superhero, angling his head to the rooftop. "If you don't let her know you're coming, she might scream when you climb down the ladder. That would probably attract a lot of attention that we don't want now."

Luka smiled and texted Marinette what he was going to do.

"Let's go around the other side of the building, so it's less likely we'll be seen," said Cat Noir and he and Luka took off running through the alley so they could circle around from the other side of the bakery's entrance.

Marinette had at first felt relieved when she got Luka's message but now she was waiting at the end of her bed's ladder feeling nervous, her head craned up as she watched for Luka. There was no real reason to be nervous, but everything was making her feel on edge today. Just too many people and too much focus on me, I guess, she thought. She heard a noise on the rooftop and then Luka was climbing down the ladder, followed by . . . "Cat Noir, what are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"Not really the welcome I was expecting since I delivered Luka to you," he said as he jumped down into her room and started to look around. "Did Luka not mention how he was getting to your rooftop?"

Marinette blushed.  She brought the message back up and saw that Luka had told her, but she had just been focusing so much on the fact that he said he was coming over.  "I somehow skipped over that part," she said.  "So, sorry and thank you, Cat Noir.  I appreciate your help," she added with a tired smile.

She walked over to Luka and gave him a hug and then a kiss.  "I've missed you.  I'm so glad you're here, it's been a crazy day. Everyone's been calling and texting to make sure that I'm okay, which I of course appreciate, but it's been a lot of talking.  I just got off the phone with Alya- she's on her way to Deauville with her mom and little sisters, did you remember?  Because with everything that's been going on, I totally forgot, and she's kind of upset she's not here to support me."  She finally stopped for a breath and then took his hand, leading him over to her chaise and pulling him to sit down next to her.  "Anyway, I'm exhausted!" she said.  She leaned her head against his shoulder and felt her eyes starting to close now that the stress of whether he was going to make it there okay or not was gone.