"So you'll help me?" I asked.

Plagg was still grumpy, even though I apologized multiple times, "Fine... but DON'T MESS THIS UP FOR ME AGAIN!"

"I won't... let's just hope I can fix it," I murmured the last part.

Today was a big day... I had to make things right with Marigold. Even if we couldn't be back together, as long as we were friends, it'd be okay.

I shook my head at my love life. First Marinette, then Marigold, then somehow Chloe, and now Marigold again... ugh, it was all a wreck.

"Adrien, time to go! You'll be late for school, and don't forget it's Thursday. Marinette's coming to work with your father," Nathalie called.

"Ready Plagg?"

Plagg nodded, then flew into my bag.

Here we go...

...

For the first time in two weeks, I walked into school with a smile on my face.

Alya ran up, "Hey girl! What's up? How's the IDIOT boy issue?" She asked, practically spitting out the name.

I'd told Alya I found my secret boyfriend had cheated on me. She didn't press me, just threatened to beat him up, hugged me, and sent me some ice cream. My guess is she told Nino too because Nino had been extra sweet lately. Giving me a hug, cracking a joke, those kinds of things... and Adrien... well, I hadn't seen him since the day I went off on him about Chat. I still needed to apologize.

"It's okay, Als... Last night, I just kinda... let go of him. And I'm okay," I smiled.

Alya smiled too, "There's my girl!" Then, she raised her eyebrows, "Hey, I hear Adrien is still single-"

"Oh no!" I exclaimed, "No more 'Alya the MatchMaker'!!! Besides, I'm kinda done with boys right now."

"Well excuse you!"

I turned around to see Nino trying -and failing- to look offended. He looked more like a stuck up, Victorian British man mid-sneeze.

"All boys except Nino!" I laughed with Alya at his expression.

"HHhhmmmmmmm... well, I guess you're forgiven... maybe..." He said.

Then, the three of us laughed and walked upstairs to our first classroom.

Adrien was already at his seat. Nino and Alya started chatting, so I decided I should apologize.

I slid into the seat next to him, "Hey Adrien."

He looked up from his phone, "Hey Marinette. How are you doing?"

I smiled, "Good, good. What about you? I haven't seen you much."

He shrugged, "I..." Then, he frowned, "I've actually gotten myself in the middle of a big mess. I hurt one of my closest friends. But I'm going to fix it today... hopefully."

I gave him a pat on the shoulder, "Don't worry, Adrien. If you're honest, apologetic, and sincere, there's no way your friend won't forgive you!"

He smiled, looking hopefully, "You think?"

I nodded, "I know... oh, and a little present never hurts to sweeten things along," I winked.

Adrien thought for a moment. Then, "She likes roses..."

I nodded, "Then a rose would be perfect."

"Thanks, Marinette."

"No problem... oh, and Adrien, I think I need to apologize to you. The way I exploded at lunch Friday wasn't cool. I haven't been a good friend to you lately, but I'm going to fix that."

Adrien waved his hand, "Don't worry. Honestly, it was an eye-opener... I realize that what I was doing was hurting my friend... so thank you... and I forgive you."

We both smiled at that.

Suddenly, the bell rang, and our teacher walked in.

...

"Micah, sit down..." Pandora commanded.

Micah did, and frowned, "What's up Dora?"

"Do NOT call me Dora. Now, listen closely... I'm going to tell you what's going to happen tonight," She said.

Then, Pandora took out an old fashioned counting system called an abacus. It was golden, with little disks used to keep track of the numbers.

They were sitting in Pandora's apartment. Thalia was also there, quietly watching. Pandora had recently filled her in on everything, to keep her up to date.

"This is what tells me when the universe splits into different branches... and it tells me when those branches are close enough for me to sew back together," She explained, "Tonight, or rather, tomorrow morning, Marinette is going to become Ladybug. When she does, we're going to completely wipe Chloe's memory. That should be enough. You see, with every major choice, the branch gets closer and farther from the main trunk. I think these two decisions will make it close enough."

Micah nodded, "Okay... but what does this have to do with us?" He asked, nodding to Thalia and himself.

"I... I have a confession. I know why Chat Noir kissed Chloe...and why he went along with it... I gave Tikki the recipe for a Toxic Lipstick of Love... I knew Chloe would grill Tikki till she helped her... and that would be how. Of course, Chloe doesn't know the effects have worn off. But I did it to fix this mess! It brings the branch closer to the trunk... and there was no other way. When Marigold and Chat Noir began dating, it brought the branch so far from the trunk... this was the only way."

Surprising Pandora, it was Micah who seemed calm, and Thalia who nearly blew up.

"You. Did. WHAT? How could you ruin her chances like that! It's... it's... it's worse than being alone on Christmas! Poor Chat Noir was innocent?!"

At this, Pandora shook her head, "It's possible to fight it... if he truly didn't love Scarlet Lady, he would have simply been disgusted by her kiss. But, he wasn't, because deny it as much as he wants, a part of Chat Noir loves Scarlet Lady... or rather, what she should be... he'll always have a part of him that loves the holder of the ladybug miraculous."

"But that's supposed to be Marinette! Couldn't you have just told him that and-"

"Thalia, she didn't have a choice," Micah said, softly.

"There's ALWAYS a choice!"

"But it doesn't matter anyhow... we're going to forget soon enough."

"Forget?" Thalia asked, confused, the anger beginning to leave her.

Pandora gave a small sigh, "When I sew the branch back to the trunk, the two will merge... and this branch will disappear. In the correct version of the universe... Micah stays in America. He never comes to live with Marinette..." She looked at Micah, then at Thalia, "You will never meet us," Then to both of them, "you two never become friends."

"Oh," Thalia pitched in.

"And... you'll lose all your memories of your time here."

"Oh," Thalia said again, at a loss for words.

"But you both lead a good life. You have a girlfriend named Zoe," She nodded at Micah, "And you date a boy named Alex," She told Thalia.

Micah rolled his eyes, "Ya, because I totally rather have a girlfriend than the best cousin in the world."

Pandora shrugged, "You say that now... Falling in love is a gift, Micah."

"Like you'd know. Aren't you this immortal lady or something?"

Pandora looked offended, "I've been in love before!"

"Really?" Thalia said, curious.

"Yes. I've been married too."

"Let me guess, to the prince of Japan?" Micah asked, sarcastically.

"No, to the Pharaoh. I was a Queen. I had three children too."

"... You're serious?"

"Yes!"

"So, you've really been married?" Thalia asked.

"Yes. Three times."

"Three times!?! What happened... did you kill your husbands or something?" Micah asked.

Pandora sighed, "No you baboon! And it wasn't like I married one after another. There were at least three hundred years of time between each... As for what happened to them...Well, men get old... and they pass away. I, of course, would age with them, with the power of my miraculous... and I'd watch my children grow..." Then she frowned at the duo, "Stop looking at me like it's weird! How many women divorce their husbands, and remarry? Or widows. They remarry! That's what I am. A widow who remarried. Nothing wrong with that!"

"I guess... but still, why?" Micah asked.

"Why?" She asked, "Because it's my gift! Why not use it? I sacrifice and work for the Universe, and she, in turn, rewards me... sometimes, a girl doesn't want to feel extra ordinary... because ordinary is good enough. I've been lucky enough to have my fair share of both."

"Oh..."

Pandora let out an exasperated sigh, "Anyhow, you may go now!"

Micah stood, but then froze, "Wait... Pandora, I have a question."

"Question away..." She said, 'excitedly'.

"You know how when Marinette dies, she'll go to this weird place... the garden?"

Pandora nodded.

"Well... what about her family? Her parents... me..."

Pandora shook her head, "No, Marinette is born into a new, yet similar, family every time... the only way you'd join her is if you were a miraculous holder of the past."

"... Am I?"

Again, Pandora shook her head, "At first, I believed you were a boy named Leonardo. He was Marinette's brother in her first life, and joined her to wield the seal miraculous.... But it can't be. While you both look strikingly similar... no."

But Micah's eyes had gone wide, "No way..." Then, he grabbed his phone, and began scrolling through his pictures, "Pandora, I was adopted... but my birth mother gave me a name... my adopted parents just decided to change it..." Then, Micah stopped scrolling. He showed her a picture of a hospital record. On it said, 'Leonardo Justin Porter'.

Pandora's eyes widened. Then, she smiled, "Looks like I've been giving you the wrong miraculous, doesn't it, Leo?"

"Wait... Porter?" Thalia asked.

"Yes, why?"

"When I was five, I was given up for adoption. I already knew my name, so my adopted parents didn't change it... but I did take on their last name. However, I still remember my biological mother's name."

"It was Porter, wasn't it?" Pandora asked.

Thalia nodded.

Micah's eyes widened, "So... you're my sister..."

Pandora smiled, "I guess we found how Marinette is related to Thalia. You're cousins."

But Micah frowned, "But, not really... I mean, I'm not even technically her cousin, since I'm adopted."

Pandora nodded, "Yes, but you've been raised as her cousin. Do you think it would make any difference in Marinette's mind if you two were her 'adopted cousins'? It wouldn't. The relationship is still there. And that is how you're connected."

"...This just got real."

"And weird," Thalia added.

"Yes, but let me tell you, most things with siblings are... after all, I have two immortal sisters of my own," Pandora nodded.

"What?" Thalia and Micah asked together.

...

"She won't answer her phone," I said to Plagg for about the millionth time.

"I told you, she's mad... also, it's midnight. She's probably asleep."

"No... not Marigold... I bet she's patrolling!" I suddenly exclaimed.

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go get your girl back!" Plagg exclaimed.

I smiled, "Plagg, claws out!"