Well, here's another crappy chapter!
Later that evening, the two had gathered around a campfire inside a small house. The clouds in the sky had warned them earlier that it was going to rain, and it was doing just that. The flame in the fireplace was barely keeping Simon warm at all, a few blankets provided by Marceline keeping him just above freezing.
"I hate how the weather fluctuates." He mumbled, wiping his blue glasses on one of the blankets, shivering slightly. Marceline came to his side, leaning her head against his shoulder, a sigh escaping her lips as she drew her arms around him. Simon froze, looking down at her, knowing he would have to eventually stop this. Now was the time, if ever. He didn't want to do this, but she had to go eventually.
"Marcy… I don't think we should…"
"Yes?"
"I don't think you should be in this relationship… with me. Because you eventually have to go back to your time. I'm just a memory, Marceline. You can't hold onto me forever."
Marceline jerked her arms away from him, wincing, looking as if she had been slapped in the face.
"Marceline, I'm really sorry…" He whispered, watching her as she drew back.
"No, Simon." She hissed venomously, "That's not fair."
"What's not fair?" He asked quietly, watching as she stood up.
"It's not fair that you can let me go! I grew up without you for over a thousand years! I missed you, globdangit, and you shouldn't be allowed to say I can't love you!" She yelled, surprising Simon.
"Marceline! You know you have to go back! You can't stop that from happening!" He said back, his voice rising with anger, beginning to become upset.
"I won't go back!" She yelled, acting like a spoiled child. "I'll just come back and—"
"Marceline!" He yelled, causing her to stop. "You can't stay here. I don't love you!"
Marceline stopped, staring at him, before floating away into a corner and pulling a blanket over herself. She decided not to argue any further, letting herself simmer, thinking over everything that has happened so far. Simon stood from his blankets, stepping away from the cold fire. He began to reach for her shoulder, to comfort her.
"Marceline, I'm sor—"
"Go away." She hissed, jerking away from his touch, sensing his comforting hand.
Simon sighed, pulling his hand back, walking back to his pile of blankets. He took one and threw it over the vampire, and curled back into his pile, trying to stay warm. He closed his eyes for half a second, lulled by the crackling of the fire and the work of the day before suddenly snapping awake. He stood, stretching out, wincing as something popped in his back. He stepped over his blankets, glancing at where Marceline was supposed to be.
But she wasn't there.
"Marcy?" Simon whispered, pulling the blankets from the corner, looking around the room for the vampire. Grabbing an umbrella from his backpack, he stepped outside into the rain, the umbrella keeping him dry. She was nowhere in sight. Stepping down and jumping over a missing step, he began looking around the block, becoming increasingly worried.
"Marceline?" He yelled out, now jogging, his umbrella forgotten behind him. He was soon drenched to his bones, his glasses immediately becoming useless as they began collecting water. He ran for what felt like an hour before tripping over something, most likely a pot hole, and stumbling behind a car. Only then did he stop a second, hearing the moans. He froze, cornering himself into the car, listening for the direction of the moaning. It appeared to be coming from a nearby park, which was known to have a forest and a children's playground. Simon stood, following the sound, immediately greeted with the sight of Marceline kicking one of the moaning mutants in the face. They appeared to be everywhere, one of the monsters able to reach up and grab her hair, pulling her down. She shrieked in anger, shoving the monster down, slicing it with her nails where it was supposed to have a face.
"Marceline!" He yelled, beginning to go for his Ice Crown, knowing she was needed help.
"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT CROWN, SIMON." She shrieked, her body seeming to twist in odd angles, terrifying the man below. It appeared she began to turn into a monster, smacking most of the mutants away from her, causing them to splat onto the ground. She began literally ripping them apart. All the while Simon's hand was halfway to the Ice Crown, frozen in place as she fought.
Eventually the mutants stopped coming, and Marceline went back into her original form, barely glancing at Simon before stomping out of the forest.
"Marceline, wait!" He began, running after her. He found that she had stopped, but most likely not for him. Around them was what he could only call a massive grave. There were many bodies around them in white body bags, appearing as if they were supposed to go into one massive grave. There were many individual graves, some actually filled and others exposed. The smell of rotting corpses was engulfing, causing Simon to retch. Marceline, however, had smelt this before in the Nightosphere. It was familiar.
The two began walking around, stepping around a sandbox and a half-torn apart slide. This was the children's playground part of the park. Simon felt something sour in his throat, akin to sadness.
They eventually stumbled upon a large grave site. It appeared that many relatives had been buried in the same place. Simon sighed, shaking his head. Marceline seemed somewhat reserved.
Eventually Simon stopped; his breathing apparently had slowed to a point where Marceline was afraid he had stopped.
"What is it, Simon?" She asked, setting down onto the ground, looking from the white-haired man to the grave they had stopped in front of. It was a large stone, appearing to have some sort of inscription on it. Luckily the moon was out, otherwise she would not have been able to read it.
Good Night, My Princess
BETTY
Marceline looked from the grave to Simon, increasingly worried, understanding what it meant. This was Betty, the woman that Simon had and still loved. She had died… somehow. And for Simon's sake, she wished she hadn't, or at least had died a painless death. She wrapped her arms around him as he shook, tears training down his face. She had forgotten about her anger at him and their fight, all she wanted to do now was to comfort him.
They stood there for many minutes, too many for Marceline to count, before Simon finally stopped shaking, his breathing becoming normal. He allowed himself, to hug Marceline back, but leaned back somewhat to look at her.
"Marceline… what happens in the future?" He asks somewhat abruptly. Marceline was surprised. Why would he be asking about this now, in front of Betty's grave?
"Simon, we can talk about this later… We're here at Bet-"
"Marceline, please. Just… answer my question." His voice was harsh before he apologized, smoothing her hair apologetically.
"…. Simon… I… You… You won't like what you hear."
"Marcy." He looked at her gently, firmly. He knew he could take it, or at least, he hoped he could. He was surrounded by the past, and knowing that Betty was at peace somewhere helped him a little.
"You… you forget everything, Simon. You survive past all these years but you forget every little memory with me. It's that crown, Simon, that globbing crown. You're… nuts… and I try to help you, but you never come back. I was giving up when I came here, Simon. Please know that I tried, Simon. I really did try." She seemed ashamed, lowering her head. Simon took this in hesitantly, closing his eyes. It was the crown that was making him crazy, he knew that. Couldn't he just hold on for her? Couldn't he try to remember her?
"I'm sorry, Marcy. I'm so sorry." He hugged her tight, receiving a hug back. They stayed another few minutes like this, comforting each other, happy that they were able to share in their sadness. They eventually separated, sitting beside Betty's grave. They began to talk about nothing in particular. About the number of stars in the sky (that they could actually see) and when the rain was going to stop. Eventually they laid down together. Simon brushed the hair from her eyes, caressing her face.
She took hold of his hand, "I thought you didn't love me."
"I… I was trying to protect you, Marcy. I thought if you… didn't love me… or hated me, it would be easier for you to go back." He admitted somewhat bashfully.
"Well, it wouldn't." She pouted somewhat before surprising Simon with a kiss. He sighed, kissing her back, not at all bothered he was kissing someone else beside his past loves grave. He felt as if Betty were okay with it. They laid there until the sun began to rose, in which they had to run back to the house, where they slept the rest of the day. Together in each other's arms.
TBC!
