Staring at his hands, all he could see was blood. Bloody hands, bloody murder. For all he knew, it was the wrong choice. Why he did it though, now that's a story. A story that will be told another day at another time. But now, this story is the story of how the Lands of Ooo, the very fabrics of its universe, was changed all because of that unfaithful day.

The halls were quiet that day, too quiet she thought. It had only been a day since it had happened, but she couldn't help but hate him for what he had done, for he had destroyed her life. He tore down the walls of her very world. Never had she cried so much that day.

Turning every which way, she found herself in the castle dungeon. She continued until the faint noise of sobbing was heard, from which she followed it, until it was at its loudest.

"Why did you do it..." She heard, before she stopped and hid around the corner, listening in on the conversation.

The man looked up, tears welled in his eyes. "I love her... I just couldn't... I just couldn't let it go..."

"You think you can just.." Tears starting to burn down his face, the man, Bubblegum recognized as Marshall, a friend of… a friend of her. "...just.. Ruin someone's life like that?" He grabbed the killer, the man she would never forgive, by the collar and lifted him into the air, "Look at me!" The killer, weakly, looked at him, both men filled with sadness, having lost something dear to them.

"I'm... I'm sorry.."

"Don't you give me that crap!" Marshall punched the wall, inches away from his head. Bubblegum had wished he had just ended his life, kill the man for his misdeeds, it would save her from having to talk with him... Having to look him into the eyes, and berate him for killing her. "You don't get to be sorry! The one you love... The one you love is alive! But... Marceline.. She'll... She'll never come back... She'll never come back to me..." Marshall released the killer, Finn, sunk to the ground, feeling as hopeless as ever. Marshall couldn't bear looking at him anymore, so he turned around and tried walking away... Walking away from the man who killed Marceline, unscathed, but Marshall knew he would never be the same because of it. Marshall walked out, and turned to notice the wary monarch. Tearfully, he asked "How long... How long have you been listening?"

Bubblegum, looking at his tear filled eyes and said, "Long enough." She couldn't help but look away as she said it, for his spirit was broken, for Bubblegum had now learned, the woman he loved... the women... They.. loved... Was gone.

"Please.. Please give her... The funeral she deserves." Marshall said as he walked away, a single tear dripping down to the edge of his face off his chin.

Bonnibel, watching as he excused himself, said "She'll get a funeral... Fit for a queen." She didn't know why she said it, for he had already left, but she felt that it was something she needed to reassure herself. That she would be able to give the woman they loved a proper burial, but by then, Finn had recognized her voice and scrambled to pick himself up.

"Bubblegum? Is that you? Bubblegum? Princess, I'm sorry! I did it for us!" he shouted.

"There is no us... There will never be an us."

"Bubblegum.. Forgive me, I just wanted us to be together! Think about it, we could just forget about..." He stopped himself from continuing. She would have cried if he had said her name. Bonnibel realized what she was going to say to him was no different from what Marshall had already said to him, no different from what he had already said to himself. So she turned and walked away. "Bubblegum.. Please.. Don't leave me..." The last words she would ever hear from him.

"Princess, please come out of there, it's been days since you last ate." Peppermint Butler said knocking on the doors to her lab. Letting out a heavy sigh, he placed the tray of food on the ground next to door, another tray of food that would never be eaten by her. Dozens of trays of food, left to rot at that door, for she would never come out. What Finn had done had destroyed her. Peppermint Butler continued down the countless corridors of the castle, until he came across the dungeon, intending to leave a tray of food for Finn as always. Waiting at the entrance of the dungeon was Jake.

"Another visit to Finn, Sir Jake?"

"Yes, I need to tell him something." Jake said impatiently tapping his foot against the ground, a box in hand.

"As you wish, Sir Jake. If you will, can you take this tray of food off to him as well?"

"I always do." Jake said, taking the tray into his arms. Peppermint Butler put the key into the door, and opened it for Jake.

The Ice King looked into the mirror, he looked different, but he knew what he was about to do would make him unstoppable. "Gunter! Hand me the King." Gunter wobbled up to him and placed the snail in his hands. Holding the snail up to his eyes, Ice King said, "Together, nothing shall stand in our way. Now possess me you fool."

"So... I ask you again, will you join me on another adventure Finn?" Jake said, holding his hand out for his old buddy so they could relive their glory days. Finn merely looked at his food; the only thing on the tray was candy. Jake thought to himself, why do they keep giving him candy as food? It's killing him. It's making him remember what he did to try and win the candy princess' heart.

"I can't... I can't Jake, I'm sorry."

"You have too! You're the only one who can stop him!" Jake unwrapped the package to show the Ice King's crown and the words "Defeat is Inevitable" crudely written on a piece of paper. "You gotta use your sweater to stop him!"

"The sweater... It's useless now... The love in it... It's gone, merely replaced with hate." Finn looked up and for the first time, Jake could truly see the pain in Finn's eyes, the pain further deepened by the guilt. "Walk away from it Jake... You know you can't do it alone... Just leave.. Leave with her... Leave Ooo... It's your only chance..."
"I can't Finn… You of all people know that... We swore to protect this land."

"Promises can and always have been broken Jake…"

"I never knew you'd be the one to cower from a fight, you truly have changed haven't you?"

"And you were always the one to protect what you believed in. Protect her Jake, it's your only duty, nothing else matters."

"I won't Finn. She knows what I need to do, she'll support me. She always does..."

"You'll regret it Jake... You will..."

"If I do, I'll make sure not to turn into what you've become."

"Good...One less moping soul in the Land of Ooo." Finn stated glumly. And with that, Jake walked away, leaving Finn alone again to drown in his own guilt and sorrow.

Marshall sat on the tip of the castle; he could see an army coming, ransacking the land. As long as they don't come here, he thought, it's not my problem. He looked down at Marceline's grave. I will protect you. A broken promise he thought. I failed you. He couldn't help but think back to those days, the day his dreams were crushed.

Marceline had invited him to dinner that night. Laid out on the table was a plate, and plenty of apples, strawberries and tomatoes. The henchman had laid the table out well today, Marshall thought. Tell her, he said to himself, tell her or you'll lose her... I can't lose her... Marceline floated down the stairs and laughed, "Ha, look at you, all dressed so neat, what's the special occasion?"

Looking away, Marshall said, "Nothing, I just thought I should look nice. It's been a while since we last ate together." The moonlight shining on her, Marshall thought, You look beautiful… You always look beautiful...

"Huh, I guess you're right, well guess I should've dressed up better. I guess I'll go change right now…" Marceline said, turning around back up the stairs.

"No wait!" Marshall stammered, as Marceline paused on the stairs. "You... You look great..."

"Wow, Thanks, I didn't wanna change out of these clothes anyway, too much of a hassle." Marshall and Marceline took a seat at the table, and he watched as she sucked the red out of the strawberries. God she looks beautiful, he thought. Tell her, tell her what you've came here to do.

"I have something to tell you," they both said at the same time.

Looking away, Marshall said, "Uh, you go first."

Marceline looked at him and said "Sure, but I wanted to hear what you had to say first."

"No, it's okay, you can go."

"Alright, well... I asked you out to dinner because I had something important to tell you..."

"And that is?"

"Well, I asked Bonnibel to marry me." Marshall looked down, his dreams crushed. No, the thought, no... "And she said yes."

Marshall looked up from the food, putting on the best fake smile he could, and said, "That's great... I'm happy for you two. Looks like there's gonna be two queens in town huh?"

"I guess so... I guess so..." Marceline said, looking into the distance, and then turning to look back at him. "So, what did you have to say?"

"Uh... I was... I was gonna say, that if you needed anything, I'll be there for you." Marshall couldn't tell her now, it was too late.

Marceline smiled, "That's great! Well we need a best man, and a bridesman, and you're the closest guy friend I got so..." she continued on. Marshall thought, the closest guy friend she has huh. Well I made it this far. So close, and here I am, as it slipped through my fingers. The woman I loved, out of my grasp for romance, but as long as she's happy... I guess... I guess I'll be happy for her sake... I'll protect her too. As long as she lives, no, as long as they both shall live. Marceline snapped her fingers in Marshall's face. "Hello? Ooo to Marshall? Have you been listening to me?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, yeah." Marshall said, snapping back to his senses.

"Good, so you'll do it!" Marceline exclaimed with her toothy grin that he would do done anything to see.

Slowly, Marshall faded back to reality.

Marshall shook his head to snap out of it, clearly he had been daydreaming. He rubbed his eyes until he could see clearly again, and noticed on the horizon, a lone figure charging towards the army. That fool, he thought, won't last a minute... Whatever, it'll be some nice entertainment. Marshall leaned forward, intent on what was about to happen. Marshall saw the figure change his hand into that of a hammer, and Marshall immediately recognized who it was. Jake, what are you doing? He stood up, ready to help, but then out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed the Lich King's soldiers marching towards Marceline's castle. No, he thought, why now...

He looked between the soldiers approaching the castle and Jake's lone figure combating the army. Is there enough time to protect them both? Marshall thought. The distance is too great. I can't make it between the both of them, protect the castle, and save Jake at the same time. Marshall's gaze wandered to Jake and then back to the soldiers. Jake's a good guy, he can handle them right? But what if he can't, he'll die. Marshall took a deep breath, having made his decision, he leaped and charged towards the soldiers, assaulting Marceline's castle.

"I promised I would protect you... even if it was only a memory... I will protect you" Marshall said to himself, as if by saying it, it would wash away his doubts of Jake's fate. No, don't think about it. Protect her castle, protect her memory.