AN: This will be a Bubbline story, rated T simply for creative freedom. I do not plan on anything to become racy or sexual. This story will focus more on a cute aspect while dealing with some heavier things, but nothing ever too graphic. On a side note, all characters (unless I say so) as well as the show, Adventure Time, is property of Pen Ward and his studios. I do own the plot, so stealing will have consequences. Enjoy.

Chapter One – A Visitor After Dark

"Finn," Marceline called out. She came to the tree house a little after dark. She looked the house up and down while she waited. They've done a nice job with it, she thought, looks better than when I lived there. The sky was dark and littered with very few stars. The wind was nowhere to be found, nor could any noise of animals be detected. It was as if they knew of her sudden epiphany.

"Hey, Marceline!" came the reply from an open window.

"Whatcha up to, girl?" asked a bombastic little dog.

"Eh, y'know. Not much," she said slowly. She was unsure of how to handle such a situation. She was over a thousand years old and she found she lost touch with her sensitive side. "Just let me in guys."

She heard footsteps descending stairs and before long the door opened to reveal Finn and his dog, Jake. Finn was already in his red flannel pajamas complete with his usual white hat. He looked mildly tired but happy enough to see her nonetheless.

"What's shakin', Marcy?" he asked. His voice cracked and Marceline emitted a giggle. The throws of puberty were upon him. Such things did not affect her anymore and so she found them amusing.

"I just wanted to ask you about something," she started before gliding past them and into the house. She flew into the living room and hovered in a laying position over the couch, just an inch from the cushion. "Y'know, relationship stuff."

"Oh," Finn breathed as a blush crept across his cheeks, turning his face the very color she liked to eat. "You know I don't much about that stuff."

"Yeah, maybe," she teased, "but you know about you know about Bonnibel- I mean Bubblegum."

Finn's eyes grew wide in surprise, his boyish innocence not fully grasping the concept. "PB?! You like PB?!"

Marceline scoffed. "Don't be immature, Finn. Yeah, I like her. We used to date, remember?"

"Nah, I think I'd remember that," commented Jake. Marceline rolled her eyes.

"Remember when we were fighting the door lord? And we had to open the door to his liar with a song?" Finn nodded. "Well, I gave her my rock t-shirt while we were dating. She never wore it. Or, at least that I ever saw. Anyway, I just want things to be like they were before, y'know? I can't do it alone."

Finn was thoughtful for a moment. Whether he was digesting the news of her relationship with Bonnibel or thinking of things he could do to help her, she would never know. Soon a smile replaced his confusion and he put a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'll do what I can."

The vampire queen sighed a lengthy sigh and placed the back of her cold hand to her forehead in a dramatized fashion. She had come here to enlist the boy's help and she'd done so. Even with that, she had no idea how to go about this. Did she come outright and tell Bonnie how she felt? Did she ask her for a second chance? Did she ask to go on a date? She felt so utterly dumb. "I don't know what to do, Finn."

"Well, what does your heart say about all this junk?"

"Finn, my heart doesn't even beat," she hissed.

"Oh, right. Hmmm," the boy rubbed his chin in thought. "Maybe take it slow? That's what I did with PB."

"Yeah and all you got was a piece of her hair, remember?" Finn blushed red and hung his head. "I just don't want to do something stupid and mess it all up. Like I always do."

"Oh, Marceline, girl, you could never mess anything up!" Jake said with enthusiasm that caused the undead girl to smile. He stretched himself up onto the couch then and sat beside her hovering boots.

"I so do! I messed things up with my dad. I messed things up with Bonnibel. I just mess everything up! It's like my heart-guts hate me," she said, her voice barely a whisper at this point. Finn saw it in her cold eyes- the yearning to do better than she thought she was. To him and Jake, she was pretty rad but she couldn't see that. All she saw in herself were the failures and missed chances she'd encountered throughout time.

"Your heart-guts don't hate," the human smiled. "And neither does Princess Bubblegum! We'll help you win her back, I promise."

She couldn't help but sigh and pull her hovering knees to her chest. She laid her cheek on her knees and stared blankly at the wall. I shouldn't have come here, Marceline thought bitterly. It's a waste of time. She'd never want to get back with the likes of me. I'm like evil and stuff, after all. A monster. "I wouldn't even know where to begin," she whispered.

"Me either, but I think I might know someone who might," suggested Finn. "Lumpy Space Princess! She's all about mackin' on dudes!"

The vampire buried her face in her palm and tried her hardest not to hiss. Her frustration got the better of her, however, and she let her emotions take hold. Her face morphed into that of a demon's with dark eyes and red glowing pupils, razor sharp fangs extended, and forked tongue squiggling around as she yelled. "BONNIE ISN'T JUST SOME DUDE, FINN!"

"Yeah, well maybe not," shrugged Jake. "But LSP is sure to know something about picking up dates."

Another sigh fell from Marceline's lips. She looked back and forth from dog to boy and saw the sincerity in their tiny mortal faces. Finally she uncurled herself and floated down to the couch and actually sat upon it. She looked down into her lap in a saddening doubt. "Are you guys sure?"

Finn the human boy nodded with a grin. "Yeah. We'll go see Lumpy Space Princess tomorrow, okay? We're exhausted from saving that village of tree-people from the birds who don't pay rent."

The vampire queen smiled then. "Okay, boys. See you in the morning." She left the house as quickly as she came in and reentered the night. It seemed different now. The few stars in the sky seemed to shine much brighter than before. Marceline gained newfound hope from this. If something that was once so dull could truly brighten at a second glance, perhaps where she messed it up with the Princess could be forgotten and they could begin anew.

I hope Finn's right about this. I hope I have a second chance.