The next morning, Marinette wakes up on the sofa at Adrien's  place.  She feels arms around her.  She thinks, this is nice for a change!  Wait, who is it that holds me?  She looks and sees Adrien asleep beside her.  She blushes.  

           A few minutes later, Adrien wakes up as well.  He blushes when he realizes he feel asleep next to his crush last night.  He stands up.  

     "Oh, uh, Marinette, what would you like for breakfast?" Adrien ask.

         "Breakfast, well what do you have available?"  Marinette ask.

      Adrien replies,  "Well, there is cereal, toast, eggs, bacon, stuff for pancakes or french toast, oatmeal, poptarts, and also there is coffee, orange juice, apple juice, raspberry grape juice and water."

     "Oh, I will have the eggs, bacon, toast, and apple juice please."  Marinette says.

      "Okay, good!  I will fix it for you!"  Adrien says.

       Adrien goes to the kitchen and begins to fix the food. As he cooks, Marinette stares at him, but when he catches her glances in his direction she looks away.  He smiles.  He has no idea what sort of effect he has on this girl just yet.

        "Adrien, where is the bathroom?"  Marinette ask sweetly.

       "Oh, it is just down the hall to the right."  Adrien answers.

      "Thanks,"  Marinette says.  She goes in the direction he says and finds herself in a bathroom with black and green paint, a green rug, green towels, black shower curtain with green paw prints on it, a black sink and matching toliet, and a green medicine cabinet.  She thinks it strange colors for a bathroom.  She figures, maybe these are his favorite colors.

       Marinette sees a comb on the counter.  She removes her hair from the usual ribbons.  She borrows the comb to brush her hair and then, fixes it back in place in her typical pig tails, only this time she braids them,and holds them up in two loops with a few bobby pins.  She adds the ribbons in last.  She uses the restroom, makes sure to flush and when she finishes with washing her hands, exits the room without to much trouble.  She goes back down the hall and finds herself back in the kitchen.

      "Oh, hey!  I am glad you did not get lost on your way back here!"   Adrien teases her.

      "Goodness, no!  I am not that hopeless, you know!"  Marinette remarks.

      "The breakfast is ready!  I know you did not say a thing about coffee, but I made some anyway.  It is decafe by the way, and there is so creamer for it if you like."  Adrien says.

       "Thanks, Adrien!  This is really to much!" Marinette says.

       "It is okay, I did not mind."  Adrien says. 

        Marinette eats the food, drinks the apple juice and a little coffee as well.  Adrien notices she is rather quiet.  He figures this makes sense because of the crazy day she had yesterday.  It is not like is every day she gets kidnapped and rescued in the same day.

      After the meal, she ask, "Is there a way for me to get some extra stuff?  I do not feel comfortable going home just yet?"  Marinette says.

      "Sure, that will be fine. I can drive you to the store." Adrien says.

     "Thanks, that sounds swell!"  Marinette says.

      Adrien drives Marinette to the store where she buys a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, some extra hair ties, shampoo and conditioner, some blush, deodorant, lotion, a set of pjamas, some other spare sets of clothes, and so on.  When she finishes with the purchases, he takes her back to his place.  Then, he goes to her house and gets her phone, and charger.  He figures she might want to have them with her for some reason.  Next he returns to his house once more.

     "Adrien, where were you?"  Marinette ask.

     "Sorry, I just got you these." Adrien says as he hands her the cell phone and charger.

    "Oh, thanks so much, Adrien!"  Marinette says.

     "Sure, it was no problem."  Adrien says.

     "Why did you do all this for me?"  Marinette ask.

      "Well, we are friends and besides,it was my fault you got taken in the first place."  Adrien remarks.

       "Oh, nonsense, Adrien!  None of this was your fault!  Besides, you did rescue me."  Marinette says.

      "Yes, I know!  I had too!  I could not let the crook just hurt you or worse..." Adrien says.  His voice is one of concern for her.

      Marinette smiles. She goes back into the bathroom and puts on one of her new outfits. She sighs as she does.  She takes her hair down, combs it once more, takes out her new bottles of shampoo and conditioner, washes her hair in the sink, towel dries it and then blow dries it with the blow dryer.  When she finishes, with her hair, she leaves the room and comes back.  

      "Whoa,you l-look, b-beautiful!  I mean you look great!  I mean..."  Adrien says as he blushes big time.

      "It is okay, I get it.  Thanks!"  Marinette says.

     "So, you want to go sit on my back patio on the swing?"  Adrien ask.

    "You have a swing?"  Marinette remarks.

    "Yes, it is a nice long one with room enough for both of us to sit on it.  I mean if you would like too."  Adrien says.

   "Sure!"  Marinette says.

    Adrien and Marinette goes outside to the patio.  Once there, Marinette sits down on the huge swing.  Adrien sits beside her.  He reaches out and holds her hand.  He notices she does not pull it away from him.  

      "Adrien this is kinda cozy."  Marinette says.

     "Yes,it sure is Mari."  Adrien says. He can smell the scent of her lotion, deodorant and shampoo.  

       "Is something wrong, Adrien?"  Marinette ask.  

       "No, everything is just fine."  Adrien says.

      " Look over there!"  Marinette says.

     "Wow, it is an owl!"  Adrien remarks.

     "Yes, it sure is!  It is a pretty owl  to with such a massive wing span."  Marinette remarks.

      "It is not the only pretty thing I see here."  Adrien says in a soft spoken voice.

       Marinette does not say a word.  She just sits still in the swing and places her head on his shoulder.  She smiles at him as she does.  She thinks, if only we could stay like this forever. 

       Adrien sees her relax in his presence.  He dares not move so as not to make her uncomfortable the last thing he wants to do is scare her off.  He longs to be more than her friend, but thinks there is no way she could ever like me romantically.  He smiles as she falls asleep next to him.

     Adrien's  POV:  As Marinette sleeps, I can not help, but wonder what does she think of me?  I mean I feel as if I get mixed messages from her all the time.  One minute she begs me not to worry, the next she makes me fall more in love with her.  What am I to make of it all?  She claims she does not like me.  She denies any feelings to her ex boyfriend, yet she does not seem to mind if I hold her hand.   She says she is just a friend, but does she really mean it?   

   Adrien's  POV:   If you are not gonna be my girl, than why sit so close to me?  Why smile at me?  Why hold hands with me?  Why place your head on my shoulder?  Girl you have me all confused!  Girl you have me all confused!   So, I say to you now, even  if only in my mind,  Make Up Your Mind Woman!   Make up your mind of  how you really feel about me!  Oh, please just do not lead me on!  Go ahead, and Make up your mind!

     to be continued in Chapter  10  Rainy Day Siesta (Nap)!