Previously….
The room is silent. I take a deep breath.
"I agree with Uncle Simon. But I don't think Ember is the truly dangerous one. I think there's something worse than Ember. Something that could kill us all."
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The room is too silent now. It's like the silence there is after the doctor tells you that you have cancer. The eerie kind of silence, where bad news sinks in. When you realize, that you might die. I look around the room. I look at Uncle Simon first. His face is solid stone. I can tell he's processing this information, and I can see the gears turning through his once twinkling eyes. Marceline is trying to play it off. To make herself seem like she doesn't care. But I've spent too long with Marceline to fall for that. There's that look in her eyes that she's scared. Very scared. I look at Finn. I see that same look in his eyes that he had the night he told me about his parents. I just now realize that he's gripping my hand, and I squeeze it lightly, just to reassure him that it's going to be okay. I looks at me slowly, and kinda does a half smile. But it tears my heart apart. I try and give him a smile, but it's more of a grimace, so I turn to look at Bubblegum. Her lips are pursed in a line so tight they're white. She's glaring at the corner and mouthing words to herself. Then she stands up. Everyone looks at her.
"Marceline, go get the tools. Finn, Fionna, we're going to be fixing the maze. Simon, can you make a pheromone that can cause confusion?"
"Well duh."
"Can it be configured to a certain person?"
"If I had a sample of DNA I could infuse their hormones and pheromones with it."
"English please?" Marceline monotoned.
"Yes." Said Simon simply.
It took an hour to make the new symbol. Our new symbol is a blocky fist with the infinity sign over it. It's supposed to represent our never ending fight. It took four and a half hours to tear down the walls, and six to put them up and secure them to each other. It took ten minutes to kill a zombie, and it took twenty to make the new symbols. We made sure all the old symbols lead to a turn around and right to the exit. Tomorrow we're planning to add more to the maze. But it's been a long day. And I'm tired. And sore. And I just want to relax and sleep. But before I can do that, Marcie, Finn, Bubblegum, Uncle Simon, and I have to have a talk about where Uncle Simon will be staying.
"Simon please, I don't want you to be alone."
"Oh Bonnie, I'm fine."
"But Uncle Simon, please listen to her?"
"Fionna, you're not on her side, are you?"
"I am Uncle Simon. I don't want you to be alone. And since Ember is gone, Finn needs someone to look after him at night. I know you do fine by yourself, but I think you'd be happier sharing a room with Bubblegum." My Uncle Simon looks from me to Bubblegum. He sees two almost identical puppy dog pouts, and he sighs.
"Oh, alright. It looks like I'm beat. But Bonnie, I'm bringing my bed into your room. I don't want you pulling on it."
"That's quite alright Simon. I have an extra bed in my room. Marceline and I shared a room when we'd come out here before we got used to it. I never got around to taking it out, and now I'm quite happy with that decision." Bubblegum beams at Uncle Simon, and he gives her a loving smile. It warms my heart seeing Uncle Simon have that look. It's the look that he used to give my dad on Christmas, or any holiday we'd spend with him. The look of admiration and pride. I guess Uncle Simon did help to raise Bubblegum, seeing she probably grew in in the lab with Simon. Finn turns to me and leans down to my ear.
"Do you think you could help me get my stuff out of that room?"
"Yeah, I can do that." We walk slowly to the other room. I open the door, and Ember fills my nostrils. The room is… okay. There's trash on the floor, the garbage can is overflowing, and there are dirty clothes lying next to an empty basket
'It's probably be worse if he had more than four or five outfits…
Finn walks to the basket and picks it up, grabbing his clothes on his way to the bed. He pulls off the blanket I got for him and wads it up. Placing it on top of his clothes, he turns and loos at me.
"Could you grab my pillow?"
"Sure." I grab the pillow quickly and leave the room. I don't want to be in there more than I have to. I make my way to the washing basin. Finn walks up to me.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry, but I really don't want to smell Ember in my room. Give me your blanket and clothes."
"Fi, let me wash them. You don't need to. You're not my maid. You're my best friend."
"Then, as your best friend, I'm inclined to help you wash your glob gobbin' clothes." I cross my arms across my chest, and set my jaw. He sighs, falling onto his butt. He grabs the second washing board and we set out washing his things.
Thirty minutes have passed, and I throw the shirt I'm washing now into the basin.
"Screw this! I'm too tired." I grab Finn's arm and I pull him into our room. Jake's head lifts up when I open the door, and his entire butt begins to wiggle when he sees Finn.
"Finn! My very first best friend! I'm so happy that you're back to being you. I missed you my human!" Finn's eyes begin to water, and he drops to his knees.
"I missed you too Jake. I missed you too." He rubs Jake's side, and he flips over on his back. Finn rubs his belly, and laughs while I pull the bed across the room.
"What are you doing Fi?"
"I'm customizing. I know you need a bed to share, so why not make a big bed?" Finn smiles and shakes his head at me. I roll my eyes, and pull the sheets off the beds. I bunch them up and throw them across the room. I walk across the hall to Marcie's room and knock on her door.
"What?"
"Marcie, it's me. Do you have an extra bed sheet?"
"A big one?"
"Yeah." I hear her shuffling around in her room, and in a few minutes she opens her door and shoves the sheet in my hands.
"Thanks Marcie."
"No problem. Have fun." Marceline winks at me and I make a horrified face.
'Ew. That's totally gross!' I turn and walk back into my room and put the sheet around the mattresses. "Finn, help me move this to the middle of the room."
"Alright." Together we move the room around, and finally fall into the soft cushy goodness of the bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow I'm out.
**Finn POV**
I lay in the bed and watch her sleep. Her shoulders rise and fall slowly and her face twists into a smile. I can't help but smile with her. She is so peaceful. It hits me right now how much I really missed her. Yeah, I had slept in bed with Ember, but I always had to push her off of me. I'd make her put on clothes when she'd try to sleep naked. I couldn't do that ever again. It defiled her, even if she wanted to do it. I still can't believe that I had chosen Ember over Fi. But laying here with Fi now, it feels right. Although I keep my hands off of her, I still feel like I used to. I feel like I'm home. I feel Jake stir at my feet and I stop thinking so loud. I'm sure he's felt some of my thoughts, and I don't want to wake him up. God how I've missed this feeling. I have Jake back, and I have Fi back. My friends are talking to me, and Ember isn't a problem anymore. Fi moves in her sleep, and I hold my breath. I smile when she lets out a small sight as she searches for my arm. She grips my arm and pulls it to her face. I roll my eyes, and lay in bed, staring at the celling. About twenty minutes pass before my eyelids are pulling themselves closed. I finally give way to the endless pull of sleep with a smile on my face.
*Fionna POV*
I wake up and stretch, hitting Finn in the face. He jolts up, and gives out a small yelp of surprise.
"What was that for?"
"I was stretching, and your face just so happened to be in the path of my hand." Finn gives me a questioning look, and I smile sweetly. I jump out of bed, and promptly instruct him to cover his face. He turns around and pulls the covers over his head. I walk to the drawer and pull out my clothes. They've got holes everywhere, and my shirt is ripped and dotted with acid stains. All of them. I pull on my most decent shorts, and the shirt that's not ripped to show case my bra, and sigh.
"It's okay Finn. You can turn around now." Finn pops his head out from under the blankets and smiles. He gets his clothes changed as I'm turned around, thinking of where I could possibly get new clothes.
"Fi, I need new clothes."
"I think we all need new clothes."
"The nearest town is home, and I don't think I can handle seeing mom and dad… undead or not undead." Finn's face drops with my stomach and I hug him tightly. He leans his head on my shoulder. We stand there for a few minutes, and I rub his back lightly, tracing small circles into his torn shirt. Marceline taps on the door and I let go of him.
"We'll find new clothes. I promise."
"Okay Fi…" We walk out of our room and find Marcie draped fetchingly on the couch.
"Are you derps ready to go?"
"There's been a change in plans. We're going to town."
"That's suicide!" Marceline flies to her feet and points at me. "That's the most stupid idea you've had! Where do you think all these zombies are coming from? Towns. But you want to go to the center of all this shit? And for what? Probably something totally bunk!"
"Marcie! We need new clothes, and I don't think you or Bubblegum are too keen on sewing, am I right?"
"Well yeah but-"
"But what Marcie? Are you scared?"
"Marceline Abadeer isn't scared of anything!"
"Prove it!"
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We pass the welcome sign to Candi City, the biggest city for three counties. Slowly we make our way through the shadows, trying to be as quiet as we can. So far we haven't seen any zombies, but we have seen a lot of this pink stuff. It's everywhere; stuck to the sides of houses, trees, bushes.
"What is that stuff?" Finn asks.
"I don't know, I'm gonna' lick it!"
"No! Jake, you can't just lick stuff!"
"But how can I figure out what it is?"
"We don't need to know that badly. I don't want to lose you again."
"Okay Finn."
We walk down the street until we find the ashen remains of an outlet store. Cautiously, we make our way through the debris of the once, ever populated store. It takes about five minutes for us to find the racks that used to hold clothes. Some are melted to the ground, some are still standing. The only thing I can think about right now are those reports of tornados on the news. How one house will be completely gone, with only a few pieces of wood and shattered glass left behind, while the house next to it is unscathed.
I shake my head and quickly pull myself back to the now.
'It's dangerous to lose focus out here Fionna.' I mentally scold myself as I scan the clothes, trying to find anything near my size that doesn't have charred holes, or is torn apart. I find three new pairs of shorts, two pairs of jeans, and some sweat pants. Along with those I find some long sleeved shirts, tank tops and T-shirts. I shove them into my bag, making sure to keep my knives and on top. I nod my head in satisfaction and find Marceline with her arms full of clothes; blacks, reds and purples mainly. I shake my head.
"Are you sure you can carry all those back home?"
"I think I'll manage."
"Let's just hope we don't need to you kick some ass." Marceline laughed.
"Yeah, I've already saved your asses once too many times."
"Once! It was only once!"
"Okay. You believe what you wanna believe, I'll believe the truth." I roll my eyes and spot Finn's golden head about sixty feet away.
When out of nowhere a blur of red rushes Finn. He's thrown to the ground him, and whatever is attacking him, are rolling in the fallen concrete and drywall. Marcie and I run as fast as we can, as I swing my backpack around and pull out knives. I throw my backpack down, Marcie already threw her clothes down, and we try and pry off the attacker. The attacker, not a zombie, but a guy, about are age from what I can tell, pushes us off. He then starts trying to attack us. I shake my head and stand up. This guy is insane. I can't see his face, he's wearing some stupid bat mask. I mean, if I'd have seen him wearing that before this shit happened, I'd probably think it was scary or creepy, but compared to what I've seen so far, it's like looking at a puppy. I crouch down, taking my position as Finn creeps silently from behind him. Marcie stands on his left and to his right is a fair sized piece of wall. The boy takes his stance, and for a moment everything is still, the air crackling with electricity. This fight will be someone's last.