If we looked for each missing person, we would never have time to live or even battle akumas. If we only searched for the ones close to us, we would be revealing our identities one person at a time.

---Alya's POV---

I didn't have to wait long before Ladybug came to my house to find me. Talking to her about Marinette would be a lot easier now that she had some reference of how the class felt with Rose's akumatization today. I did have to wait a few minutes, but I assume that she went to recharge.

I didn't really know how the recharging worked. Trixx was always taken away before I really got to say anything. He (A/N I actually had to look up whether Trixx was a boy or a girl. It actually changes in different dubs, but for the most part, he's a boy so thats what im going with) always looked exhausted though. 

I wondered if I would ever see Trixx again. Ladybug was fairly certain that it would be safe after some time had passed, but she hasn't called on any help for a while now. Both me and Nino were getting worried. The longer the time passed, the more evidence seemed to point toward us never getting the miraculous back after that.

"Alya?"

Ladybug's voice caught me off-guard. It was soft, like it normally was when she was talking to civilians, but there was a definite edge to it. She clearly was still upset over our last encounter and whatever was bothering her today.

"Are you okay Ladybug? You seemed upset today."

"Personal stuff Alya. I can't tell you."

Of course. Ladybug was going to be cautious about telling me anything. I thought I had proven to her that she could trust me by now though. I guess the last time we talked had upset her more than I thought.

"You said you needed to talk to me about something?"

"I mean, right then it was just about what you were feeling. Now that you mention it though..."

Her eyes met mine. I couldn't get a read from her at all. There used to always be a certain connection between me and the hero. It took me a while to notice, but especially after becoming Rena Rouge, I could always tell at least a little about what Ladybug was thinking about. Like we had been close friends for a while. Now, nothing. Like she had cut me out of her life compleatly.

"... My best friend Marinette, she's been missing for a while. I know what I did in her room was wrong but..."

"Yeah, it was."

I cringed at the memory of the last time that the heroine was in my room. The conversation was hard, but necessary to knock some sense into me.

"Look. I get your mad at me, but Marinette wouldn't just disappear. I need your help to find her."

She thought for a moment before replying. 

"Can't help you. Sorry."

I was stunned. I never thought that Ladybug would ever deny helping a citizen in need. especially Marinette, who she had admitted to being close to last time we talked. I didn't even get a chance to voice my concerns before she sped out of my room.

I saw a dark figure hiding in the corner of my window, clearly trying not to be seen. 

"Cat Noir?"

He flinced at hearing his own name. 

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"I'll talk to her. We'll help find Marinette, I promise."

And with that, he vaulted out of view, chasing after his lady with frightening speed.

---Marinette's POV---

"How long have you been following me Cat?"

"Since the battle."

I turned around. I had transformed back for a minute to let Tikki recharge before I talked to Alya. If he had seen me...

"I didn't look or listen when you transformed back if that's what your worried about milady."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

He stepped back at my sudden outburst of anger.

"YOU JUST WHAT, WHAT IF I WENT HOME AFTER THE FIGHT?"

Yeah he didn't think about that. He ment well, but at that moment all I could think about was how irresponsible he was being. 

"WHAT IF YOU DIDN'T LOOK AWAY IN TIME? WHAT IF YOU..."

"Why won't you look for Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW CAT? First he followed me after the battle, nearly watched me transform back, then he followed me to Alya's house AND LISTENED TO OUR CONVERSATION?! For real?! What was wrong with Paris lately?

"We don't look for every missing citizen Cat Noir."

"But..."

"Thousands of people go missing a year Cat. If we looked for each missing person, we would never have time to live or even battle akumas. If we only searched for the ones close to us, we would be revealing our identities one person at a time."

"But she..."

"NO! We can't look Kitty. Try to find her as a civilian all you want, but if we do find her then Hawkmoth will know that we know her. That could put her or her family at risk."

I couldn't tell him the real reason I didn't want to look for her. I spent a long time trying to come up with a good explanation about why I would refuse.

"Marinette is important to..."

"Don't finish that sentence Cat Noir. I said that I wouldn't look and I ment it." 

"Is this about your fight with Alya?"

I stopped dead. I couldn't believe my ears. Tears started welling up in my eyes, but I didn't notice that much. 

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Without even realizing what I was doing, I walked right up to Cat Noir and slapped him across the face. Hard, across the face. It would definitely leave a mark, but at that moment I didn't care.

"DO YOU KNOW ME AT ALL CAT?!" I screamed at him, the tears in my eyes threatening to release.

He just looked at me in stunned silence. 

"You have no right to suggest that I would EVER put my personal feelings over helping a civilian."

That did it. My eyes were officially releasing the salty water that they had been holding back for so long. 

"I-I never..."

" Never what? Suggest that I would be so selfish to not help people just because I had a fight with their friends?!"

I barely registered what I was saying at this point. Words spewing from my lips with me having barely any control over them. Hearing waht I was saying only after saying them.

"I set boundries for OUR saftey okay? I would NEVER do anything to harm another innocent person. I thought you knew that!"

"I didn't mean to..."

"NO? Then what did you mean? What EXACTLY did you mean by saying that this was about Alya HMM?! Tell me how was I supposed to take that?!"

"C'mon Bugaboo!"

"Tell me! How was that supposed to go over?"

I waited there for a moment before throwing my yoyo and getting ready to jump.

"Don't ever follow me after a fight again."

And with that, I was off."