I spent my days trying to stay occupied, but I was never really satisfied. Sometimes I'd go and sit with Gumball and have him tell me all about what he'd learned and listen to his new theories about "our" baby. Usually his information is pretty interesting, but it wasn't enough to keep my active brain and body entertained for long. Gumball lived more in the future, and I lived more in the present. And the present desperately wanted activity.

Marshall liked to hang out with me and walk with me in the gardens, but when I was with him, that was the extent of dangerous activity he would "allow" me to do. Going outside the palace was far too dangerous. I mean, what if the ground falls out beneath me in a freak accident? That totally happens. All the time. Or so Marshall thinks.

Cake was more of a saving grace than either of them. When Marshall took naps during the day because of the errands I would send him on, Cake and I would break out the wood swords and do some combat practice. That was usually the highlight of my week, but it was always cut short by something. And by something, I mean Gumball. He would tattle on us to Marshall if he found us practice fighting, and Marshall would get on my case like a scolding parent. It was annoying, but I tried to focus more on the fact that he would make a great authoritative parent, and Gumball would make a wonderful, caring father.

Sometimes, at night, I wouldn't be able to sleep well. Whether it be the hot flashes, the back aches, or the racing mind, there was something keeping me awake. When that happened, I usually snuck out of bed and wandered the palace for a while. Sometimes I would take a bath to try to cool down and relax, and sometimes I would get some great advice from Sam, who seemingly never slept. Other times I would hang out with The Seeress, who moved into the castle and covered her entire room in mirrors. She still watched over everyone and everything, but she did so more with observation than anything.

"Hey, Seeress, what're you up to tonight?" I asked one night while I was wandering the halls.

"Ah, I see the queen is having trouble sleeping again. Is the prince causing you discomfort?" She stared blankly into space, her white eyes wide open, not a hint of tiredness touching her childish face.

"You got me!" I said, grunting as I lowered myself into a chair. The bigger I grew, the harder it was to do simple things like that. "See anything interesting tonight?"

"I see your future, and I see your son. Would you like to know who he is now?" she asked sweetly, a mischievous smile across her face.

I just smiled and shook my head, leaning back in the chair to take pressure off of my belly. "You know I don't, Seeress. I want to be surprised. All I need to know right now is that it's my son and he's going to be a healthy, happy boy."

"Such a happy father I see," she teased, cocking her head slightly in my direction.

"I'm sure they'll both be delighted." I leaned my head on my fist, feeling tired, but restless. "So, Seeress. Now that you've lived here with us for two and a half months, how are things feeling for you? Are you doing alright here?"

Her smile slowly faded as she thought about my question. "I enjoy being here with you. I've made many friends. Peppermint Maid is still frightened of me, though."

I laughed and sat up again, trying to find a comfortable position. "Take it as a compliment. You're just about the only thing that scares her." A small smile curved her lips as she watched time go by in other places. She looked content. At peace. She didn't look like stone anymore. "How's your heart doing? Is the machine holding up?"

"It is doing quite well, thank you. Sam is hard at work developing a new heart for me, an organic one. I am excited to be whole again." Seeress turned and walked a few steps over to me, sitting on her knees in front of me in the chair, placing her small, pale hands on my growing belly. "I am more excited to meet the prince," she said, smiling up at me, her white eyes looking happy.

I laid my hands on hers and looked down into her small, round face. "I'm excited, too."

"No, you are worried. You worry that you will fail as a mother, that you will abandon your child as your parents did you. Fear not, my queen. I do not foresee that in your future."

Her big, confident smile eased my doubts. I pulled her hands up and bid her to sit on my lap. Or, at least, sit on it as best she could. I held her there with my arms wrapped around her and leaned my head against hers. She may have been a thousand years older than me, but she felt like my little sister. That's how I treated her, that's how I felt about her. "Thank you. I appreciate the fortunes you give me. They always make me feel better."

She closed her eyes and leaned her head on my shoulder, nuzzling into me. "Perhaps I shall give the king his fortune as well. If I tell him all he desires to know, maybe he will finally sleep!"

We burst out in giggles and I held her tighter, her small frame leaning gently against my round belly. After our giggles cooled and our smiles lessened, we sat there for a while, simply enjoying our time together.

I don't know when, but soon after, I fell fast asleep in that chair.

A few days later, I was laying in the royal bed, trying to find a comfortable position where my back wasn't cramping so much, when suddenly, Gumball barged into the room.

"Fionna!" he cried, panting and trying to catch his breath.

I sat up—or rather, rolled onto my side and pushed myself up—and looked at him questioningly. To be honest, that was the most enthusiasm I've seen from him in weeks. "What is it?" I asked suspiciously.

"I figured it out!" he said, smiling big and walking over to me. He sat on the bed next to me and held my hands in his lap, his eyes bright with excitement but his face drooping with a lack of rest.

"Figured… what out…?"

"I figured out what we're going to name our son!" He squeezed my hands with joy and smiled brightly into my face, waiting for my reaction.

"That's great…! What, uh, what did you decide on?" I was terrified of what he would come up with this time. The last three names were horrible, and I didn't know how to let him down gently. Instead, I told Marshall the names, and Marshall snubbed that out quickly. We would not have any children named Kraniel, Forkfit, or Samtron. It just wasn't happening.

"Okay okay okay, tell me what you think about… Felix!" Again he squeezed my hands, holding them up to his face in anticipation.

A small smile crept across my face as I let the name sink in. Felix. Prince Felix. It sounded… believable. Not just believable, though. It sounded good. It sounded strong and vibrant and kind. It was a name that I would be happy to give my son. "Gumball… I… I love it!"

"You do?! You really do?" he squealed, his eyes dazzling with success and triumph.

I laughed and pulled his hands to my lips, kissing them gently. "I really, really do. Prince Felix, of the Candy Kingdom. It has such a good ring to it."

He threw his arms around me and held me tight, whispering "Prince Felix" into my hair. Then, he pulled away and dropped off the bed, onto his knees in front of me, and leaned his face against my swollen tummy, laying his hands gently on both sides. "My little Prince Felix," he said, kissing my belly through my shirt.

I ran my fingers through his thick pink hair, smiling down at him as he laid his face against my belly and whispered sweet nothings to the baby. The moment was perfect. Everything about it. The sun shining through the windows, the gentle breeze freshening the air, the feel of his hair between my fingers and his hands on my belly, and the knowledge that inside of me grew a perfect little boy with a perfect, princely name. I slid my hand from his hair to his cheek, pulling his chin up to look at me.

"Gumball?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Will you lay with me for a while? Keep me and the baby company?" I stroked his cheek with my thumb, feeling the bags under his eyes and the tiredness in his skin.

He leaned his face into my hand, then nodded, kissing my belly one last time before standing up and crawling back onto the bed. I laid on my side, hiking up my shirt so his warm hand could stroke my tummy as he held me from behind. I felt his hot breath against my hair and his fingers making intricate designs along my side and belly.

"Fionna…" he said quietly, raising his head up on his hand to look down into my face.

"Hm?" I rolled over slightly to get a better look at him. His eyes were lidded and his face looked like he was deep in thought.

"Do you think I'll be a good father?" He raised his pink eyes to look straight into mine, searching for my honest answer.

I rolled completely onto my back and pulled him in against me, cradling his head against my shoulder, letting his sweet smelling hair tickle my face. "I think you'll be the best father the world has ever seen. This baby is going to be the luckiest baby in existence, just because he'll have you to look up to."

I felt him smile against me, laying his hand flat on the peak of my bare belly, rubbing his thumb back and forth on it. "You know what I think?" he asked, thoughtful.

"You think I'm a psycho pregnant lady and you can't believe you married a weirdo like me?"

He just chuckled, letting the mood brighten around us slightly before he went back to his train of thought. "No, silly girl. I think you're going to be a wonderful mother. I am so, so happy to know that our children will have you in their lives. I know you're afraid, but I think that, once the time comes, your son will be your life, and he will be your reason to live, your reason to fight."

I looked up into the canopy on the bed, twisting my fingers in his soft hair, laying my hand on top of his on my belly, and thought about what he said. My reason to fight. My reason to live. Memories of my mother flooded my mind, or at least, the memories of the vision of her I saw because of the Lich. My mother was a warrior, like my father. She fought for me until her dying breath. Even in the face of pure evil, she fought to keep me safe. Was I her reason for living? I wished so much that I could talk to her, to ask her all the questions I had. Sam was like a mother figure to me, like she was to Marshall, but she never had kids, so I couldn't ask her. I'd ask Bubblegum and Marcy, but Marshall would have a heart attack if I left the castle, let alone left the universe.

I sighed deeply and kissed Gumball on the forehead. Light snores were escaping his lips, sleep ambushing the poor man before he even had a say. I just smiled against his forehead and closed my eyes, holding him to me, letting him sleep on me, happy to have him finally get some rest. To me, at that moment, that was what was important. I just wanted him and Marshall and everyone to be happy and content. That was what mattered most.