“Okay, you can open your eyes now!”

Alya lowered her hands and screamed. “Marinette! It’s beautiful!” She ran forward and tackled her friend, sending both of them falling over on to the bed. “Now I know why you won’t show me, you little devil-angel you!” She then proceeded to pinch her best friend’s cheeks and pulling them.

Marinette laughed as she pushed Alya’s hands away. “I'm glad you like it,” she smiled, rubbing her sore cheeks.

“Like it? I love it!” Alya already had the dress and was twirling with it around the room, hugging it to her.

“Will I fit in it, though,” she mumbled, eyeing the tiny waist on the dress, which was the traditional snow white, the bodice embroidered with soft apricot roses, each with a tiny pearl in the middle, the bottom of the dress beginning with the same apricot of the roses before ending with a light sherbet orange. It was droop-strapped, the straps thick lace with the same rose motif.

Marinette lightly punched her friend’s shoulders. “Are you doubting me?” she teased.

“Of course not! Just teasing,” she grinned as she twirled again gleefully. “To think, I'm wearing a Ma Petite Coccinelle exclusive!”

“It’s not even an exclusive; it won’t appear in any of my lines. I made this especially for you, Alya. Not to be made on a production line for countless others to wear.” She smiled fondly at her friend, who’s both the same as always yet different. Her hair was longer, tied perpetually in a ponytail. Her body was no longer that of a teen, as elegant as a woman. Her friend was a woman now, she thought wistfully.

Alya pursed her lips, deliberating on what Marinette just said. “Some people would pay me a pretty penny for a unique Ma Petite Coccinelle piece,” she considered.

“Alya!” Marinette groaned. “Are you serious?”

Alya grinned devilishly. “No.”

The dark haired girl rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's get you dressed. You don't want to be late for your own wedding, don't you?" Firmly, she plucked the dress out of Alya's hands and plopped her friend on the seat opposite the vanity. She began to untie the ponytail and brushed it, carefully detangling as she did.

"You mean like when you were late for yours?" Alya asked cheekily.

Marinette flinched and continued brushing Alya's hair. "I had some things to work out before going through with my wedding," she said slowly, eyes clouding at the memory of it.

"You want me to leave? But Marinette why? Did I do something wrong?"

Marinette shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. Her chest felt tight; she can't breathe. But she knew she needed to do this.

"You are a wonderful friend to me, Tikki. No one else has been this close to me. No one is as close to me as you have been. I kept you even from my best friend. You're very special to me."

"Then why are you sending me away?" The pink kwami closed her eyes slowly, like she was in pain. "What about Ladybug?"

"People will always need Ladybug. But we both know that I can no longer be the Ladybug everyone needs. It would be selfish for me to keep doing what I'm not fit to do, anymore. You know that more than anyone else."

Tikki was quiet for a long time. "I know," she whispered. "I know you're right. Doesn't mean I like it. Okay. I will find another chosen. Hawkmoth is not done yet. Ladybug is still needed. I will go." She zoomed over and nuzzled Marinette's cheek, longer than ever before. "I will miss you, Marinette. Remember, no matter what, you're still the cutest Ladybug." Tikki smiled as she went away.

Marinette smiled back, tears falling hot and fast as she felt her earrings disappear with Tikki. Trying to control her sobs, she turned away from the window and put on her diamond drop earrings for her wedding.

She shook herself to get rid of the cobwebs of the memory and to focus on getting the bride ready for her wedding. "Besides, I wasn't that late. It was only, what, fifteen minutes late?"

"Around that," Alya agreed. "But it was long enough that people began looking for you." She was quiet for awhile as Marinette brushed her hair. "You did a good job, though. Hiding your eyes."

"What?" Marinette's hands stilled.

"Your makeup was good. People didn't even know that you'd been crying." Marinette kept quiet for a minute before continuing to detangle Alya's hair.

"You knew," she smiled. She should've known.

"Did you think I wouldn't?" Alya turned around on her seat, forcing her friend to stop. She looked straight at Marinette's eyes, daring her to turn away. When she didn't, Alya continued. "Are you okay?"

"I wish you would stop asking that," Marinette chuckled. "I told you, I'm fine."

"Fine enough that you didn't even send Adrien an invitation to your own wedding?"

Damn. "I did send it. It maybe got lost in the mail." Or Chloé threw it out, she thought sardonically.

"Uhuh." She could tell that Alya was thinking of exactly the same thing. "Listen," Alya began uncharacteristically fidgeting. "You know Adrien's Nino's best friend, right?" She didn't allow Marinette to answer. "Despite everything, they've still kept contact-"

"He's here, isn't he?" Marinette interrupted, feeling cold all of a sudden.

"He might not come!" Alya said quickly. "Maybe his invitation got lost in the mail, too."

Marinette considered it for a moment before firmly turning her friend around to face the window again. "Maybe," she smiled. "Now stop fidgeting and let me get you ready."