Chapter 5

Guess whos back! Back again! RFFR's back! Back again! Sorry for the long long long long wait! Lately, Ive been doing some reading and some researching and some planning for my novel. Update for those who have read it, after writing 21 chapters, I had to scrap the entire thing because it lacked planning. Months of work down the drain.

Anyway, I decided to make writing my main goal in life. I even quit school for a semester to practice more writing, so Ill try to get this done as fast as I can, but Im more focused on my novel so the updates may be slow. Months possibly. Its almost been a year since I've updated this. So I hope you enjoy. Let me know if my writing has gotten considerably better, because Im working on it.

Some noteworthy changes:

- Marshall and Fionna's daughter is no longer named Faith. Her name is now Nathaly, because I love my friend so much. XD

Anyway, enjoy!

Inside the dark cave, where Marceline's house stood was now a family… Marceline had gifted the house to her brother Marshall and his wife Fionna when they had their baby daughter. Marceline had decided to take the Treefort off of their hands and make a comfortable use of it, turning it back into the home she used to have hundreds of years ago. The house had been redecorated, making it much more livable for a family of three. The walls had been repainted blue and an extra room was built for the girl. The ladder leading up to Marceline's old room had been replaced with stairs and the entire house now consisted of a four bedroom complex and a single bathroom. Each room had its own use as well as its own characteristics: Marshall and Fionna shared the master bedroom that had been painted and redecorated. The other room was devoted to Nathaly, and had always been hers from the moment she was born to where she was now and had been painted over numerous times. Another room was for Marshall's own private music studio, which had stayed the same constant color over the years and its only change was the equipment inside. His axe guitar was his only constant possession. And finally, the last room had been converted into a guest room when Cake had passed. Other than these additions, the house has stayed relatively similar.

Marshall Lee had awoken that morning to find that his wife wasn't in bed beside him. He never woke up in the mornings but since he started to date Fionna, he had decided to begin living in the daylight. The night life wasn't all that great if she wasn't around with him. He groaned and attempted to go back to sleep, but before he could, the door opened and his daughter ran inside, jumping on the bed. Despite being well over fourteen years old, Nathaly still had the mindset of a child with the battle prowess of both her mother and father. "Daddy! Daddy! Wake up!"

Marshall could only groan in response. "Five more minutes…"

Nathaly pouted and scrunched her eyebrows in opposite directions. "But Daddy! It's important!" He groaned again, smiling this time as he pulled his daughter down and began to tickle her. "Ah Daddy! Stop!" She giggled uncontrollably.

"I gotcha now!" Marshall laughed. The tickle fest managed to go on for a few minutes, with Nathaly kicking and screaming and Marshall struggling to hold her down, before Fionna began to call for him.

"Marshall?" Fionna flew through the door. "Marshall get up! There's something you need to see!"

Nathaly looked at her father, smiling. "I told you it was important."

He sighed sat up, shaking his head and allowing his locks of raven hair to flow freely. "Alright what is it?"

"We have a distress call…"

"A distress call?" Marshall stared right at his wife, unbelieving. It had been a over a thousand years since the last distress call, when Princess Bubblegum was still alive. "From Marceline? What does she want?"

Nathaly shook her head. "It's not from Aunt Marcy. It's from Aunt Bonnie."

His eyes widened. This was unbelievable. "What!? That's impossible!"

"I know…" Fionna sighed. "But the distress call is legitimate. It even has Bubblegum's trademarks and signatures."

"So what the hell is going on?"

"I don't know… It was very vague. But she has requested a meeting with all of Ooo's warriors."

Nathaly looked at her father with worry. "Daddy, is everything going to be okay?"

"I'm sure it will be sweetie…" He hugged her. "I'm sure it will be…"

Finn awoke that morning, bright and early. Beside him, Marceline slept quietly with her arm wrapped around Finn's chest. Thank glob the curtains are covered, Finn thought. He tried not to disturb her as he tried to escape her grasp, but failed when she awoke. "Morning honey," she said happily. It was almost as if they were never separated. To them, their love was undying, unwavering.

"Hey babe…" he leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. Marceline's only response was to squeal. It was then that Finn pulled her close, never wanting to let go. "I love you… and I wish we didn't have to do this…"

Marceline snuggled into Finn's chest, the exact spot where she had scarred her imprint. "Finn… no matter what happens, we will be together, okay?" She was done crying. She was tired of it; in fact, they both were. Crying wouldn't make the situation any better, so they can only hope that they wouldn't die, or die together. "Promise me you won't ever leave me again."

Finn stared into her eyes, her beautiful red eyes just staring back at him. "I promise…" He gave her a peck on the nose before sitting up to stretch. "So exactly what has happened since I left?" he wondered.

This question left Marceline to ponder for a while. For the past thousand years, she didn't know of Finn's existence, and had a hard time recalling what Ooo was like before Pendleton's destruction. She shrugged as a response, unable to think of anything different. "I guess you'll just have to find out when we finish."

Finn nodded and turned to the side of the bed. The scars that had littered his body from his imprisonment were still vivid, especially the heavy scar encircling his neck. It brought Marceline shivers just thinking about the ten years he had to live without him, and then just finding him afterwards littered with nightmares and marks. She didn't want to thinking about it further. "Do you remember what happened when you gave yourself up?" she asked.

He knew what she was talking about, but he pretended not to know. Not for her sake, but for his. The truth was that he did in fact remember… he had wished he didn't. "Um… no. Nothing at all…" He shook his head abruptly, and Marceline took notice. Maybe he didn't want to be troubled with such topics, especially during a time of pressing matters, so she didn't push.

"I see…" She said as she too got up and stretched, allowing the blanket to fall, revealing her breasts. "I guess we better go see if everyone is here…"

"Good idea…" Finn said as he jumped to his feet. He searched the area, looking for his torn and tattered clothing. "Where are those pieces of junk…"

"You know…" Marceline smiled devilishly. "You can wear some of my clothes… I mean they are pretty unisex."

"You mean skinny jeans and super tight t-shirts?"

"Exactly…"

Finn giggled a little bit, assuming it was a joke at first but when he saw Marceline's cute pleading expression, he knew she was serious. "No…"

"C'mon!" She pouted. "It would look so cute on you!"

"I don't want to look cute for the meeting!" He detested.

"So you'd rather look torn and beaten?" She was right. At least one of the options made him look semi presentable. The other one… well it wasn't even worth mentioning.

Finn groaned as a response, but smiled shortly afterwards. "Alright… what do you want me to wear, your highness?"

Not fifteen minutes later after Marceline had managed to fit Finn into a pair of black, skin tight jeans and a blue, button up shirt, there was a knock heard at the door. "Breakfast is ready!" Said the voice of the candy monarch from the other side.

"Oh shit!" Marceline whispered. "What am I going to tell her!?"

"I don't know!? The truth maybe?" Finn whispered back.

"Oh fuck, she's going to kill me!"

Finn fluffed his hair before shoving his head into his bear cap. "Well… Talk to her. For all you know, it might go better than you expect."

Marceline sighed and slipped into a pair of skin tight leggings and a band shirt. "I guess so…" She stood up from the bed and reluctantly made her way to the door, but Finn stopped her before she could touch the handle.

"It's okay." He said. "We're together now…"

His words did have a comforting affect on her, and she leaned into his embrace. "I love you, and only you." She said as she leaned up to peck his lips. She could remember when he was shorter than her.

"And I love you too." He smiled, showing his slightly crooked teeth, which Marceline found beautiful. "Now let's go. We have a lot to do today."

Inside the prep room of the castle, men, women, and children all alike are preparing for battle. The sight was disgusting to Finn because it reminded him of their battle with the Lich that happened so long ago before his imprisonment. The swords and battle axes could be heard clanking as candy citizens picked them up. Form fitting high tech armor that suctions itself until it fits snuggly on the people. It seemed lightweight, but not interesting enough to pique Finn's interest. Princess Bubblegum had already prepared her bow, which was much more high-tech than Finn remembered. Marceline had already walked over to her and Finn stood nearby. Although Marceline was his, he had no right to intervene in someone else's kingdom. "Bonnie…" Marceline said quietly.

"Save it, Marceline…" Bubblegum's remarked coldly as she holstered her bow and explosive, tracking arrows. "We shouldn't be bothered with this trivial love triangle gunk. We have work to do…"

She had a point, but she could feel some tension in between them now. It was normal. After all, Marceline just cheated on her. She walked back to Finn, finding her high tech suit hidden amongst the rubble. "How did it go?" Finn asked.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He nodded silently and waited for Marceline to finish dressing up in her battle gown before walking her over to the dining hall, where the others were already having breakfast. Even Beth had been fully healed thanks to the healing powers of the Cyclops tears. After grabbing a plate of food, he and Marceline sat down beside them. "How are you doing?" asked Beth as she took a bite of her food.

"Pretty good." Finn responded. "You?"

"Amazing! I had no idea that the Cyclops Tears had such healing powers!" She smiled and took another bite. Finn could see Chris scowling out of the corner of his eye. He would probably have to watch out for him later. He seemed like a total hothead.

Everyone else had a rather dread look. Even Plum. Danny was thinking about Catbug, about where he was, and that he could be helpless. No one felt like eating much because of the immediate sense of dread. Tomorrow, they all might be dead, and there was no escaping it. So most of them just stirred the soup around in their bowl anyway. Even Marceline wasn't that hungry, despite being given a hearty red breakfast. "Where's Jake?" Finn asked.

"He's out getting his lady." Said Wallow glumly. Sounded like Jake. He would have wanted one last perfect night with his kids and wife before anything happened. Before anyone would lose their life.

Finn frowned, thinking of their times together, about the times when they helped each other. And now, his own brother didn't even recognize him. Maybe it was better this way. It would make it a lot easier for him if Finn died in this upcoming battle anyway.

No one said anything to each other during breakfast afterwards. Even the halls Finn wandered afterwards were silent. Only the wind blowing from the balconies made the only noise left in the world. He hadn't felt this sense of loneliness ever since… he didn't want to think about it.

He leaned over the railing of the balcony, staring into the deserted kingdom like the night before. The streets were empty, as if the place had been abandoned. Scraps of paper, candy wrappers… every thing that will last longer than any person ever would stood erect. As if everyone had just vanished…

Something burning hot stood beside Finn. Ember. The Flame Queen. Or King. Depends on whether or not she likes you. "Hey," she said.

"Hey…"

Silence. There wasn't much to talk about.

"I feel like I know you, Pen."

"Do you?" He didn't bother to look away from the city. He didn't want to look back at Ember. He could already feel his heart sink further, if that was at all possible.

"Yeah." She turned to look at him and her elbow leaned against the railing. "For some reason, I feel you and me go way back."

"How far back?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I don't remember building that house by the water alone. I also don't remember my father letting me out of the glass container. There is random splotches in my memory that are missing. For a moment, I thought I was going crazy but…"

"You're not crazy," he admitted. "Hotblooded, shortfuzed, frightening sometimes… but not crazy."

Her gaze transfixed onto him. "How did you know so much about me?"

"Hunch I guess."

"Don't lie, Pen," she said sternly. "If that is your real name."

"Why would I lie?"

"I don't know. Maybe because you think you're protecting others."

He chuckled.

"You know what happened to my memories."

No answer.

"Tell me, Pen!"

"Why?!" He finally turned to her to meet her gaze. "So that it would be that much more painful when we lose each other again?"

Her eyes widened. "W-What are yo-"

Now it was time to come clean. "I loved you, Ember. The reason why you have missing chunks in your memory is because you shouldn't be burdened with me."

She had to step back a bit to catch herself from falling. "What do you mean… are you saying that all of the blanks in my memory were with you?"

"We dated for a time…"

Her eyes darted right, though not particularly looking at anything.

"We fell in love."

Then left.

"I proposed…"

Then right.

"You said yes."

Left.

"And before we got married…"

Her eyes now looked down, and she recoiled backward against the railing and held her mouth in her hands. She shook her head. She knew, and he still said it.

"The Lich killed you…"

She said nothing afterwards. Her entire body shook and whimpers escaped her lips.

Finn turned and walked into the other direction and cursed himself. It was a few more hours before they had to leave, and he already wrecked the emotional state of more than half the leaders.

So leave a review! Has my writing gotten better? How's the plot? Ill be back soon enough!