Ch4- Memories or Nightmares?

As our young hero looked out of the boat on top of the house, he could see the gathering storm clouds. Somewhere a witch or a wizard was conjuring a spell. Finn sighed and looked at the clouded moon. He felt like such a butt. He let his anger and jealousy get in the way of him being happy for Jake… and now the dog was mad at him. He had spent a day less with Jake. He sighed again as the storm clouds rumbled. This was exactly how he felt inside, and not just, because he was hungry. He had mixed feelings. Not only was he letting go of the only thing he thought he knew, Jake, but also his heart kept mixing his thoughts. He had been with PB today, and although that wouldn't have been a problem before lately her, hugs would be more intimate- causing his heart to stutter and his cheeks to redden. He had also been with Aithne today. He felt pretty good with her too. He missed talking to her and for some reason, her words did not escape his mind "Thank you Finn." She never thanked anyone. And her smile! Glob. Finn lay under the tarp as it began to rain. What about Marceline? Her song? The hug? He became flustered with just the thought of her. And to top it off he was too exhausted from the lack of sleep to be able to ignore his thoughts. Finn closed his eyes, his and instantly opened them. His heart drummed in his chest... he didn't want another nightmare... What would Jake do in a situation like this?

"Yo, man you okay?" Jake's voice came as he climbed the stairs

"Yeah…" Finn lied

"Why don't you go to bed? Get some sleep?" Silence. "Finn… I'm sorry dude."

"It's not your fault." Finn sighed

"Well… Are you hungry?" Jake asked. Finn nodded. "C'mon lets get something to eat." Jake grabbed Finn and stretched down with Finn on his back. He entered through the kitchen window and shook the few water drops off himself. Finn walked over to the table. "What do you wanna eat?" He asked as he took out some pans. Thundering could be heard outside. Finn shrugged. "Bro, what's the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired." Finn yawned

"Ah. You did help a lot of people today." Jake grinned

"Yeah. I helped PB"

"Ah. Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum." Jake said suggestively

"And FP"

"And Flame Princess Aithne" Jake chuckled as he started making an omelet- although it was past midnight

"And Marcy."

"AND Marceline the Vampire Queen!" Jake grinned looking back at the young boy "My, my, Finny boy… you've been busy!"

"Shut up man." Finn said, his cheeks reddening. He rested his head on the table, covering it with his hands.

"I don't understand your problem bro." Jake said as he served Finn's omelet. Finn quietly munched as Jake spoke "You have three girls at your beck and call. This is not a problem."

"Jake, this is PB, FP, and Marcy we're talking about. I mess up and get jacked up, burned or killed. There's no beck and call!"

"Well, dude… it really just falls down on who you like. Which one is it?"

Finn rested his head on his hand and sighed. "I…I don't know. And they don't like me. So stop saying that." He frowned

"Humm… Let's see. Since because of their good things you can't decide, eliminate on the bad stuff."

"What are you talking about Jake?" Finn yawned again

"Well, Marceline, for example, she enjoys pointing out every bad thing about you. She's a critic… Now, PB… she's a skeptic. Always having to find everything out. But FP is spiteful… Then again, Marcy is an axe-slinging vampire. Don't wanna mess with her. But FP is a drama provider. Always has something. Bonnibel is always trying to update the world. She's never satisfied. Marceline is a first class liar. And PB is a constant forgetter. FP is attractive but bitter."

"They're ladies, man." Finn said yawning, "You shouldn't be talking junk about them."

"Its not junk, dude, it's the truth." Jake shrugged. "Dude?" Jake saw Finn rest his head on the table and was instantly fast asleep. That's when he noticed the dark circles around the boy's eyes. Jake chuckled "C'mon…lets take you to bed." Jake laughed as he stretched to carry Finn into their bedroom laying the boy on his bed. "I guess I'll eat the omelet." He smiled walking to the kitchen.

*Finn's dream*

"Is Finn tired…?" The female voice said with a smile. Again, he was in that comforting woman's arms. Her embrace providing incomparable comfort.

"Baby…" The girl's voice from below

"Yes…baby." The woman smiled kneeling over. Finn saw the familiar brown and black clad blur. He tried to speak but no sound would escape his throat.

Finn desperately reached out, squinting his eyes to see better. The environment began rapidly changing the little brown and black clad girl slowly drifting away "W-wait!" Finn's voice came hoarse. His eyes began to adjust. He saw the black cat hat and the blond hair, the green eyes as they stared. Then she was gone. That's when it all began to repeat. The screams. The heat. The merciless ocean threatening to swallow him up with the words of the woman in the background "Don't forget me Finn."

*Awakened*

Finn rose up panting and sweating. His heart feeling like it would rip out his chest at any given moment. "Susan." He mumbled looking around the dark room and at Jake's sleeping form. His stomach rumbled. Finn unconsciously stood and walked to his kitchen, raiding the fridge. As he ate an apple, he looked out his window. The pitter-patter of the rain hitting the window comforted him slightly. He was fine… Jake was in their room- even if it was just for the moment. He was safe in their home. B-mo asleep in the living room… Safe. "Don't forget me…?" Finn asked himself thinking over his dream. He sat at the table and thought, "Forget…? I don't…know…" He shook his head. He thought about what Princess Bubblegum had said. She was there. Yeah, that's what he was going to do. He was going to ask the princess for help. She was smart…she would know. Princess Bubblegum would help.

Finn walked back into his room and laid on the bed, looking up for a few minutes before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep. Not the best comfort, but not as restless as before. "The princess would help," He thought. And maybe those reassuring thoughts were that kept the nightmares away, because Finn slept. Not soundly, but not restlessly.

X

Finn woke up with a start. His eyes shot open, but he wasn't afraid. He could almost pretend he was fine without sounding too phony. "What's up brother?" Jake asked as he served himself coffee. Finn had jumped out the shower and raced to the kitchen.

He grabbed a handful of bacon strips and shoved them into his mouth "I'm going to see Bubblegum. You coming?" Hew asked, his voice a bit muffled thanks to the bacon.

Jake held back a laugh and nodded sipping his coffee.

X

"Welcome Finn and Jake." Peppermint butler bowed "The princess is just stepping out of a meeting with Lumpy Space Princess; I'll inform her of your arrival."

"No need. I'm here." Princess Bubblegum smiled as she walked over in her knee high pink and lavender dress with the puffy short sleeves.

"Princess, I need to talk to you." Finn said walking past Peppermint Butler and taking the princess' hands. "Its about my nightmares. I need you to help me." He was speaking hurriedly

"Sure Finn." The princess nodded leading him to her lab.

"Jake?" Finn asked looking back

"Go do you man… I'll talk to you when you're done." The dog replied following peppermint butler to the stables

Finn nodded going the down he hall and stairs to Bubblegum's lab. "Sit Finn." Bubblegum slipped on her lab coat and picked up her note pad "Tell me…of your dreams."

"Well… they start of good but then…they..." He stopped not knowing what to say, "I saw Susan… except she was a kid." He stated plainly. Bubblegum gave him a curious look "And I keep hearing this woman saying 'don't forget me.' … then I'm thrown into an ocean."

"Weren't you…afraid of the ocean, Finn?" Bubblegum asked now looking up. Finn hesitated, but then nodded. "Finn… did you know why?" Finn shook his head. Bubblegum thought, trying to find a way to form the words "Finn, have you ever heard of memory blocking?"

"No. What's that?"

"After a traumatic experience happens the brain blocks it out…trying to make it as if it never happened." Bubblegum informed

"So…you're saying…?" Finn asked confused, trying desperately to piece the information together.

Bubblegum sighed. She would have to spell it out for him... Finn still wasn't very bright, well, good thing he was cute "Maybe…your dreams are…memories."

Finn frowned "How? No…" He shook his head as he mauled it over "If they were memories, why did they appear now? Why not before?"

"The mind is a very complex thing." Bubblegum said standing over to a dusty bookcase "Subconscious…conscious parts… Blocked memories aren't gone. They're still imbedded in your head. Something must've triggered them…that's why you're remembering." She picked out a book and walked over to Finn. She flipped through pages as he thought.

"Why… why was Susan in there then? I met Susan… a few years ago… but not when she was so young." Finn stated

"I don't know Finn… that's something you need to figure out." Bubblegum said handing him the old book with the description of the human brain and picture "Maybe she can help."

Finn nodded looking at the book "Yeah…" He handed her the book back and stood "Thanks PB" He smiled.

The princess nodded with a smile "No problem Finn…I'm here for you." Finn approached her and gave her a small hug before he walked out the room, hiding his blushing face from her.

When he walked into the stables with peppermint butler Finn wasn't surprised to see Jake talking to Lady Rainicorn "Yo, Jake, I'm going. You coming?"

"Oh… Finn, I was actually-"

"I'm going to see Susan." Finn interrupted. Jake's eyes widened and he looked back at Lady then back to Finn "What?"

"I need to." Finn turned and began to walk. He felt Jake's paw on his shoulder and half turned to see him walking up to meet his out stretched paw

"I'm coming with you." Jake stated. Finn looked at Lady then back to Jake "You need me bro." Finn smiled and walked out of the stable Jake lacking behind "Later toots." He blew a kiss to his girlfriend before running out to meet Finn. "Why do you need to see her?" He asked stretching big to carry Finn

"I need to figure some stuff out." He said with a sigh

"Well, hop on my powdered donut boy! I'll get you there in no time." Jake laughed as he began to run through the woods in the direction of Susan's underground world hatch.

X

Halfway through the forest Finn and Jake heard the familiar frustrated cry. "Is that…?" Jake asked Finn looking up

"Marceline?" Finn asked into the woods.

The angry looking vampire with the purple umbrella walked out of behind some trees to the dog and boy. "Oh...hey guys." She sighed

"What's wrong Marcy?" Jake asked

"Oh nothing really…just…Ash stole my axe-bass." She said floating over umbrella grasped firmly in hand.

"That guy just doesn't learn." Jake shook his head

"We can help you." Finn said

"No…no... I got it. I'm not a silly princess, I can handle myself." Marceline smirked

"We know you can… but as your friends, we can still help you." Finn smiled

"Oh, very well." She rolled her eyes

"Mathematical. Which way he go?" Finn asked jumping from Jake's back and landing in front of the vampire

"That way." She said pointing to the path. "But he did that stupid flying trick of his and disappeared."

"Not a problem." Finn said taking her hand. Marceline's cheeks darkened as his fingers ran over Her's. "Jake."

Jake shrunk and took Marceline's hand, sniffing it "That way." He pointed

"What the heck just happened?" Marceline asked with a eyebrow raised

"Jake just tracked your bass." Finn grinned as he followed the running dog.

A/A/N

Took me forever to write this. I have the meanest writer's block…I really forced myself to finish this. Sorry if it wasn't very good. Next chapter will be: INTENSE. Not kidding.