The excessive beeping was getting increasingly louder minute by minute.

"Are you ever going to turn your alarm off? Aren't you late for school by now?" Plagg questioned, floating over to his chosen, a half eaten piece of Camembert in his tiny paw.

With a groggy groan Adrien flipped over on the bed to face his tiny companion, his face felt like it was ablaze and his whole body dully ached. "What?' he asked cracking open his eyes just enough to see the exasperated look on the Kwami's face.

Plagg rolled his eyes, tossed the piece of cheese in his mouth and carried the beeping phone over to the boy, "This, you stupid alarm is giving me a headache."

Adrien sat up a little his face contorting in pain, he grabbed the phone, turned the alarm off and tossed it across the room as a wave of nausea washed over him. He scrambled out of bed, almost sprinting to the bathroom. Plagg sighed and followed after him, finding Adrien with his face in the toilet bowl and a foul smell filling the room.

"Yuck, what is that awful smell? Are you sick or something?"

Adrien sat back, drenched in sweat he felt as though he was going to pass out, wiping his mouth he turned to Plagg, "Plagg, can you please bring me my phone, I need to call the school."

He felt like he was dying or at least something close to it. He had to use all of his strength to stand, flush the toilet and plop back down on the seat, mentally thanking everything there was to thank that his father and Nathalie were out of town for the next week, the last thing he needed was to be sick with his father around.

Marinette couldn't help but worry when the seat in from of her was empty for the past two classes, it wasn't often Adrien was absent from school. She was concerned, she knew he didn't have a photo-shoot today, as he proudly proclaimed last week that his father was going away for the next week and all his activities were canceled.

Pouting she leaned over toward her best friend, "Hey Alya, any idea why Adrien isn't here today? Did Nino say anything?"

"Naw girl I haven't heard anything, maybe he overslept or something. I wouldn't worry, this is Adrien we are talking about." She winked at Marinette and went back to taking notes.

"Yeah I guess so..." Her voice trailed off as the bell rang, signaling the end of the first half of the day and the beginning of lunch. She gathered up her belongings, shoving them into her backpack and waited for Alya by the door.

"So you wanna get some pizza today? I'm craving that stuff hardcore!" She laughed and nudged Marinette in the side with her elbow.

"Sure sounds like a plan, I'll text my mom and let her know we won't be over today."

Just as they were about to leave the school, a out of breath Nino plowed right into Alya.

"Hey! What is your problem Nino?" She squawked as she snatched her bag up off the ground.

Nino stood up and took a deep breath, "I was looking for you two, I just got a text from Adrien. He's home sick and wanted to know if one of us could stop by and drop off his homework. I can't, I have stuff planned after school today, can one of you do it?"

Alya shook her head and frowned, "Sorry dude I have obligations too, need to watch my sisters tonight."

They both turned to Marinette, she flushed bright red, "Y-you want me to t-take something to Adrien's h-house? Adrien's house?!" She felt her heartbeat in her ears at just the thought.

Alya laughed at her best friend, "It's just homework, it's not like you have to stay or anything, just drop it off and go. I'm pretty sure even you can do that without blubbering to much," She put her hand on Marinette's shoulder and grinned, "Oh wait this is you we are talking about, I can just see it now 'H-hey A-A-Adrien bleh blag blah...homework!' and then you run away red-faced."

Marinette poked Alya in the chest, "Hey now! I can do this, it's not that big of a deal. Maybe he did ended up staying and I can just drop it off with his assistant."

"Either way I know you, you will figure it out. Now let's go get that pizza!"

"Pizza? Did I hear pizza?" Nino shouted from behind them, "Wait for me!"

"Adriennnnnnnnnnnn... I'm hungry!" whined Plagg as he floated to the mass of blankets and comforters which housed his chosen. He heard rustling of fabric and grinned when Adrien's flushed face emerged from beneath a thick, heavy comforter.

"Plagg, there is cheese in the mini-fridge, I told you that," his voice was strained and weak.

Plagg pouted, and floated over until he was right in Adrien's face, "But my tiny paws are to weak to open that big heavy door, puh-leaseeeeeeeeee Adrien. I'm going to die of starvation."

Groaning, Adrien kicked the blankets onto the floor. Willing himself, he stood on shaky legs and stumbled toward the mini-fridge. Every muscle in his body ached as if he had just pulled a semi-truck across the whole of Paris. He opened the fridge door for his Kwami, staggered back to the bed and flopped down face first.

"Oh and you grot a twext."

Adrien rolled his eyes, Plagg was such a pig he couldn't even wait till he was done chewing to speak. Flipping onto his back he prayed to the heavens the Ibuprofen he took earlier would kick in soon and kick out whatever funk he had. He grabbed his phone, unlocked it and opened the text, 'Oh Nino got back to me.'

Nino: sry bro I can't do it & neither could Alya, but Marinette wl b ova after school with ur h/w. Feel btr dude.

He let out a revealed sigh and promptly texted Nino back.

Adrien: Thanks a ton Nino, I really appreciate the help. I'll try.

The bell rang and as the students flooded out of the classroom, Marinette held back. Grabbing a empty folder out of her binder she slid all of Adrien's homework inside, along with a handwritten copy of all her notes from today for him. It didn't take long for the classroom to empty and to leave her standing with the folder clutched against her chest as she slowly began to turn red. 'Marinette you can do this! It's just homework, not a big deal right? Ah! What if I trip and fall walking up his driveway and drop the folder, then all this homework blows away and all because of me he fails the next test. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing I'm the reason Adrien failed something.'

"Marinette?" The small, high-pitched voice snapped her back into reality, "Adrien is waiting for you."

She sighed and patted her Kwami on the head, "You're right Tikki, his homework won't walk itself there, let's go!"

The walk to the Agreste mansion was a nerve-wracking one, every step she got closer more and more negative scenarios filled her head. She stopped on the corner, the mansion in clear view now, "I can't do this Tikki."

"Marinette you can do this, Adrien needs your help, don't let him down," the small Kwamis voice was filled with encouragement.

"You're right Tikki, he needs my help. I'm going to prove Alya wrong, I'm not going to make a fool of myself this time." Quickly she closed the gap between where she stood and the mansions gate. Taking a deep breath she pressed the button on the intercom system, "Um... I-it's umm... me Marinette, I've brought over A-Adrien's homework."

Without skipping a beat the gate opened, looking around she started up the driveway. She could see the front door was already open and standing inside was Adrien wrapped in a blanket, cheeks bright red.

"Marinette," his voice was hoarse and weak, "thank you for coming over, please come in." He moved out of the way and gestured for her to step inside.

She nodded and moved to stand inside, he shut the door and engaged the security lock then turned to face her. She swallowed hard, "I didn't expect t-to see you, I was j-just going to drop it off with your assistant."

He let out a weak chuckle and smiled faintly at her, "Oh, I had to come down. My father still went on his business trip and Nathalie went with him, so I'm here alone."

"Alone?!" She choked out then quickly continued, "Ohh okay, well I really should let you get back to resti-" she stopped mid sentence as he swayed in front of her before stumbling forward right into her chest. "Adrien! are you ok?" She slipped one arm around her waist and brought her other hand up to feel his forehead. He had a fever, and a high one at that. "Adrien can you hear me?"

He moaned, his eye fluttering open trying to focus on her, "Mari-"

"Hold on Adrien lets get you back upstairs," she shifted him so that his arm was around her shoulder and did her best to get him up the stairs without causing him anymore discomfort. Making their way into the room she internally gasped at the sheer size, only being snapped out of her awe by another groan from Adrien.

Gently she sat him on the bed and laid him back, lifting his legs onto and throwing a lightweight blanket over him. His head lolled to the side and sweat beaded on his forehead, "S-so cold," he mumbled.

"Oh Adrien I know, but it's not good to cover with a heavy blanket when you have a fever, it just makes it worse. Stay here, I'll go and get a cold compress," She ran into his bathroom, scanning the room for a cloth, finally her eyes landed on a washcloth hanging from a hook on the wall, an elaborate 'A' embroidered on it. 'Perfect,' She thought as she ran it under ice cold water and wrung it out. She made her way back into his room and gently pressed the cloth to his forehead. He winced at the touch, but then his face smoothed out revealing an almost childlike expression.

Pulling a chair up beside the bed she plopped down and stared at the sleeping boy, her chin in her hand. That's when the realization of the situation came crashing down on her. Panic spread over her like a dark cloud, she felt her breath hitch in her throat. 'I'm sitting here, in Adrien Agreste's bedroom, next to his bed... with him in it! What am I going to do? What can I do? What did I get myself into?'