Disclaimer: I don't own AT, if I did then jakes tail would have its own mini spinoff

Chapter 11: A Year Later

Solaris POV

"You are truly amazing Finn," I said watching over his training.

"Well it's all thanks to you. You're a great teacher who has taught me so much and I will always look forward to our training together," he said his voice full of gratitude.

"Thank you Finn, but I don't think I have anything left to teach you. You have mastered everything I have to teach."

"Really," he said clearly surprised. "Is there really nothing left for you to teach me," he said with a hint if worry in his voice. "It can't be over already." There has to be something else right. Something more that I can..."

"FINN," I yelled at him snapping him out of his rabbling. "What's going Finn? Why are you acting so scared?"

"Scared," he laughed. "What are you talking about? I'm just fine," he said while pumping his arms in an act to try and look fine. This only just made me convinced that something was bothering him.

"You're such a terrible liar Finn. This is about your past isn't it," I said taking an educated guess. "More precisely, this is about OOO and the people you feel you left behind."

I could tell I hit the nail the on the coffin by the way he put his head down and sighed in response.

"You know me well Solaris," he chuckled humorlessly.

"Do you want to go back Finn? To your old life and the people you once called your friends and family."

"I don't really know," he answered lost and confused. "In a way I do and in away I don't."

"What do you mean Finn," I questioned. I had a hunch what he wanted, but it was better if he told me himself.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I just want to check up on OOO. See how everyone has been ever since I left. Just take a quick look and then leave without anyone ever noticing that I was there. Is this making any sense to you?"

"Of course it is Finn. I understand what you want. You want a sense of clarity and finality. You want to know that you made the right decision by coming here."

"Yeah, I want to know that everyone back in OOO is ok."

"I won't stop you Finn, but answer this. What will you do should you find things aren't perfect in OOO? Will you stay and leave the new life that you have made behind and thus return to your old life. Or will you return here and not let their problems become your own."

At that there was a long pause as he stood to think about what he would do. I waited for his answer, knowing that I couldn't make him stay here like everyone else. He wasn't like them, he wasn't like Lucian.

"You don't need to worry about me not coming back," he finally answered. "I will return here, I promise you that. This is my new life and these are my people. As you said, I just need to take one last look at OOO. I just need to know if everyone back in OOO is ok or not. I can't stand not knowing."

"Alright Finn, just don't be gone for too long."

"Thanks," he said gratefully. "And I won't be gone for long."

Fionna POV

"Ahh, another great day today will be," I said getting up and stretching. "I wonder what today has in store for me."

After I was done getting dressed and doing all my other daily routine. I went to go to the kitchen to eat only to see Finn in the hallway sitting down. I then decided to tip top quietly over to him and snake my arms around him.

"Morning Finn," I said resting my head on his shoulder.

"Morning Fionna," he said not even moving a muscle. "Your lively as usual I see."

"Of course I am. So what are you doing out here in the hall."

"Just preparing myself for a trip down memory lane."

"What do you mean Finn," I asked noticing the worry in his voice.

"I'm leaving Fionna. I have to go back to OOO. I need to deal with my past."

"What," I cried out in shock. "Please tell me you're coming back. That you're not going to leave me."

"You say that like we're a couple," he chuckled.

"I wish we were. If only would just accept my feelings towards you Finn," I said with a pout.

"You know I accept your feelings Fionna, I just don't want to start a relationship with anyone again."

"Is it because your heart still belongs to Flame Princess. Are you perhaps leaving so that you can get over her completely," I said hoping that was the case.

"It's more than that, a lot more."

"Can you at least promise you will come back?"

"I made that promise to your dad, so I can make the same thing to you. I will be back and I won't be gone go long. So don't worry about me."

"Ok Finn," I said as I let him go.

"See you later Fionna."

"Be safe Finn," I said while giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

With that he teleported to wherever it is he was going.

"I really am jealous that this other girl I have yet to meet still has such a tight hold over his heart. She must have been truly special to him to where he won't let her go; even after a whole year of not seeing her and knowing that she has someone else now."

Sighing I looked down at the spot where Finn was noticing a few strands of his golden hair. I then picked one up playing with it for a bit.

"Maybe this will allow him to finally move on. Maybe he will finally be open to being with me after this," I said walking back to my room after having just lost my appetite.

Princess Bubblegum POV

Things are just not the same without Finn. The peace and happiness that once filled OOO is practically gone. It's become anarchy and no one is safe.

"Where are you Finn, we need you," I said hoping for some miracle to happen at this point.

As if in answer, the computer went off. Signifying that the tracker was finally working. Quickly I went over to the computer monitor to see where it had located Finn.

"The Fire Kingdom," I said not totally surprised. "Of course that would be the one place he would show up first. I have to get there fast," I said running out of my lab.

Flame Princess POV

A year. An entire year. Where could he be?

"I wish I could talk to him," I said absentmindedly.

"And what will you say should you get the chance," asked Cinnamon Bun who was standing right next to me.

That surprised me at first, since I didn't realize that I said it to where he could hear. Still, it was better to talk about this then trying to keep it all in.

"I don't know. He probably doesn't even want to talk to me and I don't think I'll even be able to say a single word should I ever get the chance to see him again."

"What prevents you from talking to him?" he questioned. "What is it that makes you afraid to even see him?"

"It's that I've made a lot of mistakes recently. I thought I was doing good with this kingdom, yet it turns out I was doing bad. I am afraid to hear what Finn would think of what I have done to my people. I guess in the end Finn was wrong, I really am evil." I said putting my head down onto my hands and beginning to cry.

"No you're not," said a voice that I thought I would never hear again.

"Finn," I said looking around. Looking around I saw a cloaked figure standing some distance away. While his face was concealed by his hood, it couldn't hide those indistinguishable blue eyes.

Seeing that he was spotted, he instantly started running away.

"Wait Finn," I said chasing after him. He was fast like always and even now jumping from roof to roof, but I knew that I could catch him. Especially here of all places. I then shifted into a wisp of flame so that I could ride the natural heat of this place and catch him. Even in this form I could speak.

"Finn, if that is you," I said catching up to him. "Please don't go again and just let me talk to you. Please don't leave me again Finn."

For a second I saw him falter, only for him to then suddenly vanish.

"No," I cried out. "Don't go," I said changing back into my humanoid form and falling to my knees at the spot where the cloaked figure who had to be Finn was.

Looking at where he vanished, I saw a single strand of unshielded golden hair that refused to be turned into ash. I then grabbed that single strand of golden hair and clamped my hand around it tightly.

"Finn," I cried out while holding that single piece of him that I had close to my heart. All the while I was unaware that from another nearby area, I was being watched by him.

"Never doubt yourself Flame Princess," he said tearfully before he vanished from my life once again.

Well I don't really have much to say on sad face. That was a total filler that was a nice change from all this recent darkness. Other than that, this here isn't the true time jump. There will be another that is even longer coming up. Well then, please review and give me any ideas you might have. And sorry for the wait, real life catches up to everyone.