"So anyone gonna tell me why there are a couple of creepy looking sphinx things glaring at each other?" the Vampire Queen asked as she entered through the open laboratory window, looking back at the pink and white creatures who seemed to be locked in the world's deadliest staring contest.

But there was no answer.

"Hello?"

Closing the window behind her, Marceline casually floated across the room finding it in an absolute mess. The floor was covered in papers with scribbled nonsense, random splotches of chemical spills and other odd bits and pieces of machinery.

The local mad scientist was hard at work today it would seem.

"Bonnie?" she called out once she spotted the only source of light in the dark room. A single desk lap and a princess hunched over, completely removed from the world around her as she focused on whatever it was she was doing.

Red boots gently met the floor with a small crunch of papers.

She still didn't move.

Marceline frowned, shoving her hands in her pockets she stomped over to the pink princess, ignoring the papers, spills under her feet and the disturbance she was making in the once silent room.

"I'm afraid I won't be aiding you in your sexual endevours tonight Marceline"

This made the Vampire Queen freeze.

The Princess remained as she was, hunched over scribbling furiously over papers that appeared to be crumpled beyond repair, rejected ideas that now seem relevant. Aware but not acknowledging the her presence.

"Uh…well…that's not exactly why I'm here, though always pleasant…"

No response.

She walked slower this time, there was something…distant in her voice tonight.

Marceline stood beside her princess and watched her for a moment. Today she was in her lab coat, though it was dirtied with the very same chemical spills found on the floor, her hair held in a low ponytail though that was also a mess but the most odd of all was her eyes.

Bubblegum's eyes were intense, and focused, moving quickly and processing information that was completely foreign to the vampire queen.

But upon close inspection, there was something else.

Her frantic hand writing and eyes scanning row after row of calculations and equations.

Desperate to find an answer as if her life depended on it.

"Are you ok?"

The pencil in Bubblegum's grasp snapped under her tight grip she wasn't even aware of.

Her shoulder's sagged as she left out a long sigh, "….No…no I'm not" she whimpered.

Marceline's hands shot up and gently cupped the princess face in her hands, "What is it?"

Bubblegum smiled slightly for the first time that day, she sighed in momentary content as Marceline's thumb gently stroked her cheek, her face lined with worry.

"I attempted to create an immortal…Someone who could live forever and rule over the Candy Kingdom" she stopped herself as Marceline's brows furrowed in confusion.

With another sigh she continued, "…When I'm gone"

The firm hold around her cheeks weakened.

"After the Lich incident…I realized…." she bit her lip, but pressed on despite how badly they fought the inevitable truth, "Marceline I'm not going to live forever"

Her face fell.

Bubblegum gently pulled away from the vampire's weak grasp, pointed to the notes before her and on the chalk board, a poor attempt to fight off the sting in her eyes, "S-so I tried to have a back up plan…you know…someone to watch over my people an-"

Her words were stolen from her as Marceline gently removed the large round glasses from her tired eyes, "Come on Bonnie, you should sleep. You're a mess"

"N-no! I have to figure this out and get it right for the future of my-"

A swift grey hand shot out and grabbed a hold of hers before she could get a new pencil and continue working.

"Bonnibel"

Earning the attention of the princess, Marceline reached up with her free hand to gently brush away the pink bangs out of her eyes.

"Go the sleep…please"

There was no point in arguing or asking what was wrong. They both knew.

"And I don't ever want to hear you talk about death ever again" she growled but her voice cracked despite the intention making it a threat.

"It's ok" Bubblegum reached up and brushed away the stray tear that managed to escape the vampire's eyes, "I'm scared too"

I actually wrote this ten minutes after watching "Goliad" but I wasn't too happy with it. Finally got around to fixing it. I think it's ok.

Review please?

~Swd