Marco lay motionless on the hospital bed. Marco tried hard to latch onto Star, but he began to sink deeper and deeper into his own mind, falling until, Star's voice was nothing more than a faint whisper. Marco's descent came to a slow halt as he entered the deepest part of his Unconscious

mind~~

"Star! Star!"

Marco yelled as loud as his thoughts would carry him. Marco reached out in all direction for something tangible, but found nothing. He drifted aimlessly floating along his brain waves. He peered into the deep. The airless, textureless deep

"Wait… is this the Void?!" Marco thought, coming to the realization, suspended in the emptiness.

Marco, closed his eyes, trying his hardest to conjure something, but to no avail. Marco began to panic, flailing in the neon blackness, unable to see even his hand in front us his face. He wasn't even entirely certain he wasn't just a floating conscious with no body.

"Whah?"

Marco caught a glimpse of a bright golden object off in the distance, as he spun. He halted his momentum and began slowly swimming through the thickness toward the light. He felt no physical fatigue, but the mental strain was intense, as if trying to solve complex math all in your head. He moved for what seemed like an hour and stopped in frustration. He speculated that maybe he wasn't moving at all.

"Wait a minute…"

Marco took a long look at the light. The light slowly began to fade, but not as if it was getting dimmer.

"It's getting smaller?"

Marco perked up as he came to a sudden realization.

"No… It's getting… further… It's moving!" He noticed the light slowly drifted away from him. The irreveridescent glow mocked him, but Marco was determined to reach it, no Matter how long it took. He continued to swim, this time changing his style with a Butterfly stroke. He wept as he persevered, the mental anguish unbearable.

"He's seizing." Exclaimed a paramedic.

Marco's body began violently thrashing on the gurney as the vehicle made its way to the hospital. Star felt a deep pain in her chest. She ran past Mr. and Mrs. Diaz who were speaking with a police officer. She made her way up the stairs into her room. She closed and locked her door and threw herself into her bed, and weeped. They followed her and stood outside her door.

"Star, are you alright sweetie?" Mrs. Diaz asked.

She pressed her ear to the door. Mr. Diaz stood behind her.

"I'm sure Marco is gonna just fine, honey." Mr. Diaz stated sweetly. They looked at each other in confusion, uncertain how a simple staring contest escalated into such a catastrophe, and Star didn't have the strength to tell them the truth.

"Star… What exactly happened?"

Star winced. How could she tell them that she was responsible for their son's hospitalization

"I… I…" Star started

"Star?" Mrs. Diaz said.

"I… don't know…" Star said, her face bright red, her voice muffled by her pillow.

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz looked at one another, completely trusting Star. The door suddenly opened and Star tightly hugged them both tightly.

"You really think He's gonna be okay?" Star asked, her face and eyes, red.

"We're sure of it sweetie." Mr. Diaz said hopefully, placing a hand on Star's head.

His words only slightly brought Star some peace. Star melted in tears. The three of them embraced tightly. Star soon released her hold on them and returned inside her room

"Sup. Blondie."

"AAH! Janna!? Y-You were just outside… how did yo-"

"Nah nah nah. I'm asking the questions here, Star."

Janna moved closer to Star until Star's back was against the door.

"You and I both know this wasn't just a karate accident. Star talking."

Star's eyes began to water again. She caught Janna off guard.

"S-Star?"

Star reached out hugging Janna, pushing them both to the floor in the process.

"I was all my fault Janna"

The two girls held onto each other tightly as Star wept.

Star's guilt rested heavily on her conscious, she screamed out to Marco, begging for a response, but to no avail, Marco too deep, drowning in his own Brainwaves.

Marco inched closer and closer, but every time he swam within arm's reach the glowing mass drifted away from him faster, leaving him mentally fatigued. Marco stopped, floating stagnant in the void. He watched as the golden blob of light floated off into the distance. Marco closed his eyes, giving up. Marco sat alone with his thoughts. He no longer thrashed or flailed in the deep, now unafraid of the Void. Instead of being afraid of it, he sought to understand it. He thought of everything he knew about the human brain. He knew the locations of the pituitary and pineal glands. He could feel the circadian rhythm of his body pounding like a drum.

The glow continued to drift further. Marco didn't panic. He realized fear was an obstacle. He closed his eyes. This whole time Marco had believed he was in his brain, but it's deeper than that. The brain is just a shell.

"The brain is just a container for the mind." Marco said.

He recalled the theoretical sections of the mind he learned from an extra credit project he did.

"The surface is the conscious mind… then there's the preconscious… and then the unconscious."

Marco opened his eyes, checking the distance of the light. It was smaller than ever, but Marco closed his eyes again.

"I'm not awake right now so I must be in the unconscious or prconscious mind."

Marco remembered something Star told him, "You think too much".

"That's it! My subconscious has the answers to how to get out of here… I need to stop over thinking…."

The light drifted off beyond sight, but Marco kept his eyes closed, meditating, completely still, dipping down into his own mind, searching for his subconscious. Marco began to sink further into the deep, no longer skimming the surface.

"Oh! I didn't know you were coming to visit today, Star. Janna said, opening her front door, "Just kidding, I know everything."

Janna stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

"What have you been up too?"

"Oh, you know… Stuff."

"I'd let you inside, but it's a total mess. The dog got loose."

"Aaaw. when did you get a dog."

"I didn't…" Janna said with a casual tone.

"Hehe, yeah… I just came by too-"

"You want me to come visit Marco with you?"

Star, timidly nodded her head.

"See. I know everything"

"I can fly us there if you want. I'm pretty much a pro with my butterfly form now…"

"Nah. That's cool. I have Marco's scissors."

Janna pulled the scissors out of her back pocket.

"Luckily Marco never locks his window."

"What! I was looking everywhere for that!"

Star pulled the scissors from Janna's hands, and stared at it's design. Marco's name etched in bold letters. Star saw her own reflection back in the blades and felt sick to her stomach.

"Earth to Star…" Janna said.

"Wuh?"

"You been staring at those things for like 2 minutes."

"Oh. Uh… actually… you hold on to them."

Star handed the scissors back to Janna. Janna took them with a raised eyebrow.

"You sure?"

Star looked away from the blades, rubbing her shoulder. She wore a white T-shirt with a poorly designed graphic of a ninja performing a roundhouse kick, and her hair in a large ponytail with a few curls from her bangs draped over her right eye, and she wore a pair off jegging, earth pants that Jackie gifted to her.

"Y-you look pretty…"

"Oh… thanks… Marco gave me this shirt."

"Uh huh… How often do you wear it since the incident?

"... Twice a…" Star started, but cut herself short. her face growing red.

"Twice a what?"

"... Twice a… week."

"Aaaw c'mon, Star. That's not healthy."

Star looked embarrassed.

"C'mon, walk with me, talk with me."

Janna and Star began walking down the road together.

"Star, don't you think you should go see Mr. and Mrs. Diaz?"

"No! I can't even look them in the eye after I lied to them. You didn't tell anybody about what happened, did you?"

"Hehe, no, Star. Besides your story sounded so made up. Nobody would believe me if I told them."

"sigh, If only that's what it was… a story."

"... So how's Mewni hanging with out it's favorite squire?"

"Hehe, Marco was far from being anybody's favorite anything… actually… I didn't tell anybody he was asleep."

Janna stopped dead in her tracks, in disbelief.

"YOU WHAT?!"

"I mean, I kinda did… I told them he had a sickness, only Earth medicine could cure."

"Gee, clever lie."

"Believe it or not, Tom misses him the most. Marco is the only guy that doesn't run screaming around him, and Marco never gets his feeling hurt when Tom says harsh things."

Janna and Star made there way to a nearby bakery and sat at a patio table planted outside the shop, and continued their conversation. the table was small with an umbrella coming out of the middle of the table, casting a shade in the surrounding area. Janna grab a glass of an unknown liquid off a the tray of a passing waiter when he wasn't looking.

"How are you and Tom by the way?"

"We're… great… yeah, great." Star said with a phony smile.

"Don't lie to me, Butterfly. Remember, I know everything."

A few kids can be heard, one slipping and falling, clearly in pain, but plays it off as if it doesn't hurt to her friends.

"sigh… I guess we look great on the outside, but I'm certain Tom knows I'm hiding something from him, something bigger than Marco's coma."

"How big we talking?" Janna said before taking a sip of her drink.

"I kinda… proposed to Marco."

Janna immediately spat her drink out, attracting the attention of other patrons of the bakery.

"Man this drink stinks! And you did what?!"

Star hid her face in her hair.

"Proposed? As in MARRIAGE?!

Star slowly nodded her head.

"I didn't know that's what the bond was in the beginning. My mom always said "Do the Bond when you get married", not "The Bond is a legal marriage proposal between two consenting parties".

"Geez Louise…"

Janna grabbed another glass off a passing waitress and handed it to Star. Star took a sip of the liquid and immediately spat it back into the glass.

"Ugh. This taste like how Glossaryck smells."

"Tell me about it…"

There was an awkward moment of silence between the two.

"Sooo… I get to be bridesmaid right?"

"I can't marry Marco, Janna… I'm with Tom."

"Well if you're not gonna take him somebody else will." She said deviously.

"Ooo, you wouldn't dare, Janna."

"You know I love a good dare, blondie."

"I dare you to stay as far away from Marco as possible."

"Oh, C'mon. You can't have Tom and Marco. Pick one."

A short man with glasses approached the table, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Unless you intend on purchasing an item from our menu, I'm afraid I have to ask you two ladies to leave."

Pinned to his shirt was a name tag that read "Manager" in capital letters. He attempted to sound as assertive as possible, but was completely unmenacing.

"Make us, shorty!"

Janna brought her face close to his, giving him a menacing glare.

"JANNA!"

Star pulled her away from the frightened man.

"I am so sorry, mister. We'll leave right away."

Star pulled Janna away from the table, snickering quietly, holding back an even larger laugh. Their little display causing a series of stares and murmurs from the other customers. The made their way back onto the street and continued their journey to the hospital. The Summer air was thick, and a hot wind blew through their hair.

When out of earshot of the bakery, the offensive teens began laughing loudly. The heat penetrated their bodies like a knife, burrowing deep, coaxing a heavy perspiration. The sweltering blonde was the first on the sun's victims, her pale skin at risk from exposure. She raised her hand above her brow, keeping the sun out of her eyes.

"Star, if you think it's too hot to walk I can cut us a portal."

Janna removed the scissors from her pocket. They glistened brightly in the sunlight. Star briefly gazed upon the tool.

"No no, Janna, really… It's okay." The blonde said upon looking away.

She lazily removed her wand from her signature star shaped purse, waving it in a small circle above her head, with no verbal command the wand became a parasol. She held the parasol above her head, casting a deep shade around her. Though the parasol was small, the circumference of the shadow it cast was large enough that her foot stayed within the shade with every step.

"Woah! You got room for two in there."

Janna jumped into the shade, wrapping one arm around Star's waist. She pulled her close and matched her commoner footsteps with the princess'. The Mewnian girl fully embraced Janna's behavior. To Star, Janna's complete lack of shame and total inability to feel awkwardness were her most admirable qualities. Janna leaned her head in close to Star's. The misunderstood teen enjoyed the company of someone as open minded and loving as Star. Star never judged Janna or felt uncomfortable around her. Instead, when Janna greeted the princess with weirdness Star replied with a weirdness level to match. Janna would never admit it, but she cherished Star's friendship. She plays it cool when ever Star calls or comes to visit, but secretly dreads the periods of time Star travels to Mewni.

"Hehe! of course Janna. I always have room for you."

The Mewman grabbed hold of Janna as well, tightening their union. This gesture softened Janna's heart, putting butterflies in her stomach. Janna caught a subtle hint of Star's scent.

"Woah! Are you wearing perfume?"

"Huh...Oh!" Star laughed briefly, "No no, I'm just sweaty"

Star raised her arm to Janna, some beads of perspiration glistening at the surface.

"Wait… you mean to tell me that you smell exactly like vanilla beans and air freshener whenever you get sweaty?!"

"Hehe, yeah. A perk of being Mewman, I guess."

"So you just live in a world where everybody smells nice?"

"Hehe, No. It's really only a Mewman girl thing."

Janna closed her eyes and took a deeper whiff of Star's scent.

"mmm…" Janna sighed.

Star lowered her face, her face slightly blushed. She smiled slightly.

"Jannaaaa… people are staring…" Star said cutely, through closed teeth.

Janna released her grasp from the princess, backing off slightly, and for the first time in a long time, gave somebody the personal space they deserve.

"Hehe, sorry bout that."

The two girls continued on their journey, regaling each other with stories from their individual lives and experiences. The laughed the entire journey, Janna taking away a great deal of the anguish on Star's heart. Time flies when you're having fun and in no time the hospital came into view. The both approached the entrance, Janna a little more eager than Star. Star's parasol dematerialized, leaving only her wand behind. She pushed it back into her purse. The dark haired girl walked several times faster than Star. Marco's scissors, sticking out of her back pocket, mocking Star with it's shine. Star clutched her stomach, on the verge of retching.

She stopped just before the front door. Her hand trembling as she reached out to grab the handle. Tears began to well in her eyes, not yet rolling down her cheeks, but close to it. Janna's heart stopped at the sight. She had never felt so empathetic toward any person so strongly before. she felt as if she would weep herself, watching someone as strong as Star in a moment of weakness.

"H-hey, Blondie? What happened?"

"I… I…" star stuttered.

She froze, her hand just inches away from the handle, but she felt unworthy to grasp it..

Janna grabbed hold of Star's hand, slowly moving it away from the door handle. She held both of Star's hands in hers and looked her in the eye, tear's now rolling down Star's face.

"I… can't do it…" The heartbroken girl admitted.

"Hey, tell me why, Star."

"Marco hates me!"

"Oh, c'mon Star… I'm sure Marco doesn't hate you."

"Sniff, It hurts… whenever I think about w-what I d-did to him..."

"Oh… Star…"

"He hates me, I know it."

"Hey! Look at me!"

Star was startled by Janna's sudden assertiveness. She look up at her - her eyes wide, giving Janna her full attention.

"I've known Marco for years. I know things about Marco that his parents have no clue about. I've seen him do things that he's made me swear not to tell you or any other person about. I have dirt so dirty on Marco that if any of it were to get out he would pack his bags and move to a different continent, but of all the things I know about marco, the one thing I know for certain… is that he loves you, more than ever other star in the sky, and could never hate you… Ever! Trust me. Janna knows everything."

Star reached out and embraced Janna, holding her tightly. Janna matched her embrace, running her hand along star's upper back.

"Thank you, Janna."

"Hey, don't sweat it Blondie. I didn't tell you anything you didn't already know."

"Sniff, I don't think I'm ready to see Marco."

"That's fine… I wanna hold onto his scissors a little longer anyway."

Both girls laughed and broke their hug, starting to walk away from the hospital, and away from Marco. Janna glanced at Star out of the corner of her eye. She's already smiling again, but Janna now knows the struggle ripping Star apart on the inside, cleaving her heart and her conscious. Janna took a deep breath, hesitantly lifting her hand, but building up enough courage to reach out and hold Star's hand as they walked. Star looked down at their now interlocked hands, then up at Janna. Janna didn't match her gaze, but instead looked forward, her face holding a subtle, but noticeable blush.

"Hm… er… uh…" Janna cleared her throat, "I just want you to know that I'm always her for you, Star… no matter what."

"Aaaw! Thank you Janna Banana."

Star gently squeezed Janna's hand. Janna was certain Star saw this as nothing more than a friendly gesture, and she was okay with that. She knew she could never make her happy like Marco could. They both smiled lightly as they walked hand in hand back toward Janna's house, the summer sun now a little lower in the sky, behind vast, gorgeous, clouds. Janna savored the feel of Star's hand. She had calluses where she grips her wand.

"This is all I need." Janna thought to herself, looking at Star's glowing face, a true star, a little piece of space on earth, here just for people to admire. A diamond in the flesh, suspended in a sunbeam.

"Hurry up and wake up, Marco… I don't think I can handle seeing Star cry again."

"so… about this dirt you have on Marco…. You've gotta tell me." Star pleaded, a mischievous look in her eyes.

Janna smiled.

"With pleasure, Blondie!"