Love and Madness
Chapter 9 Self Doubt
By: Major144
Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time. This is just a story for fun.
While Bubblegum was helping Magic Man rebuild his machine at his house, Betty stayed with Marceline at her place. The vampire was happy to have the magic women with her, but seeing Betty struggle with the madness that was slowly taking root in her mind brought back memories of Simon's own plunge into madness. Sometimes Betty seemed sane and happy and other times she was either laughing crazily or crying. Marceline did the best she could to help the women, but she feared it would only a matter of time before she went over the deep end.
One day Marceline found Betty sitting at the kitchen starring intently at the table. The magic women looked up at Marceline.
"Marceline...can I ask you something important and I need you to be honest with me." Said Betty.
"Sure go ahead." Said Marceline as she sat next to Betty.
"You think...Simon's condition is my fault?" Asked Betty.
"What no! Betty why would you think something like that?" Asked Marceline with a concerned look on her face.
"Well...if I haven't jumped through that time portal, I could have stayed in my own time and maybe I could have helped Simon in the past before the madness of the crown took a hold of him. I could have kept the crown away from him. Instead I traveled to the future and caused Simon a lot of pain and loneliness. When I first came I was happy to be reunited with Simon who was back to his normal kindhearted self, but he was dying. I just couldn't stand the fact that he was dying and when he learned that his life could be saved by restoring his magic and turning him back into the Ice King. I set out on a magic carpet with Simon to defeat Bella Noche and Simon kept pleading with me not to do saying he didn't want to go back to being the Ice King forever. Simon looked so pale and so weak, he was at Death's door, but I convinced him to let me restore his powers to buy him more time so I could figure out a way to restore his sanity and keep him from dying. When we got to Wizard City, Simon only had seconds left of life and he asked me to just hold his hand to my face and let it be the last sensation he felt in this life...before he died. I denied him that, told him not to be a wimp, and told him to give me a second. I...hate myself for calling Simon a wimp. Things were crazy and I was desperate to save him. In the end I managed to restore his powers, but at what...cost? Simon's soul could have finally been at peace yet I denied him and forced him to be the Ice King again. I thought I could figure out a way to save him but, I'm further away then I was in the beginning. It's my fault his like this!" Cried Betty as she broke into tears.
Marceline wrapped her arms around Betty and held her close.
"Betty what happened to Simon was not your fault. I didn't want Simon to die that day either and in a way you saved his life. Simon believed that you could save him, so he let you restore his powers to buy him more time. I know what it's like to blame yourself for something that isn't your fault. When I was with Simon after the war, he raised and protected me. Every time we were in danger, Simon would hide me someplace safe and put the crown on to defend us. He knew he was endangering himself with the crown, but he wanted to protect me. Simon sacrificed himself for me and for several years I blamed myself for what happened to him, but then I remembered that's the kind of guy Simon was. A kindhearted selfless man, who loved others and he wouldn't want me to blame myself for what happened." Said Marceline.
"It looks like you learned a lot from him." Said Betty with a little smile.
"What can I say...Simon was a good teacher and...a good parent. I will always love him." Said Marceline.
"Alright let's you and me make a promise. Will stop blaming ourselves for what happened in the past and look forward to tomorrow. We're going to save Simon." Said Betty as she held her hand out to Marceline.
"It's a promise. No more self doubt." Said Marceline as she shook Betty's hand.
It was a tender moment for both women who loved the same man. One love the man and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and the other loved as a father. Both Betty and Marceline were determined to help each other out and save Simon.
To be continued.