I've changed the rating on this story to be on the safe side, just letting you all know.


"So you and Marceline were getting real comfy on that couch earlier today." Bubblegum looked up from her homework to see her roommate giving her a smug smile from across the room.

"Oh pssh, we were just sitting." She tried to play it off like it was nothing but she knew Lady saw right through her.

"Whatever you say Princess, I saw that look you kept giving her."

"There was no look!" Bubblegum grumbled as she stood up, putting her homework away. "I'm going to go get my laundry. I'll be back." With that she grabbed her laundry basket off the floor and walked out of the room without glancing at Lady, afraid to see the knowing look on the other girl's face.

The Laundromat was a tiny building right next door to the dorms so Bubblegum had no problem just leaving her clothes there to wash and dry. No one usually messed with other people's clothes, especially at this time of night.

She found herself wondering if Marceline was back from her show yet. It's nearly 1 in the morning so surely the show was over with by now. As she exited the dormitory Bubblegum noticed a figure stumbling toward the dorms from a ways down the block. After a moment she recognized the guitar slung across the person's back as Marceline's red ax bass.

She frowned, the girl looks drunk, what the heck is Marceline up to? At that moment Marceline stumbled forward and crashed into the ground landing heavily on her elbows. "Marcy!" Bubblegum dropped her laundry basket and raced over to the other girl.

She leaned down and helped Marceline to her feet, "Marcy are you okay? What's going on?" The girl in question definitely smelled of alcohol and Bubblegum groaned. This was just perfect.

Marceline leaned heavily on her and when she finally looked up Bubblegum gasped because Marceline's lip was split open and bleeding down her chin. "Marceline tell me what happened." She said sternly.

Marceline gave her a small smile, "Hey Bonnie."

Despite herself Bubblegum smiled, "Don't you 'Hey Bonnie' me, I'm trying to figure out what in Glob's name happened to you." Marceline just swayed a bit and leaned her head on Bubblegum's shoulder.

"Bonnie I fell. Is my guitar okay?"

Bubblegum sighed, "Yes it's fine. Let's just get you up to your room." The two started making their way to the dorms slowly and by some miracle Bubblegum managed to get Marceline to the elevator without any problems. On the ride up to their floor Marceline slumped against Bubblegum and seemingly passed out on her shoulder.

Bubblegum gently patted her cheek, "Hey you can't fall asleep on me, we're not to your room yet and you still haven't told me what happened." Marceline just grumbled incoherently but seemed to stand up a little bit straighter.

Once they made it to their floor Bubblegum directed them to Marceline's door but stopped short realizing it was locked.

"Marceline, where are your keys?"

The dark haired girl grinned, "In ma pocket."

"Which one Marceline?" Bubblegum didn't have time for this, she needed to get Marceline into her room before anyone saw them.

"Don't know." Was the only reply she got so she started checking Marceline's pockets which made the girl giggle turning Bubblegum's face red. Finally locating the missing keys in one of Marceline's jacket pockets she opened the door and ushered the girl inside, setting her down on her bed.

Bubblegum gently took the guitar from Marceline and set it against the wall with the other instruments. She turned back to see Marceline flopped down on her back with her eyes closed.

"Oh no you don't! We need to get you cleaned up before you just pass out." Bubblegum pulled Marceline into a sitting position, turning her face to look up at her. "Marcy where are your pajamas?"

Marceline just gazed up at Bubblegum but after a moment she silently pointed to the dresser. Without a word Bubblegum began to rummage through the drawers pulling out an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts, hopefully this is what Marceline liked to sleep in. She walked back over to the bed and handed the clothes to Marceline.

"Alright go change and I'll clean you up when you're done." Marceline just looked at the clothes in her hands and let out whine, offering the clothes back up to Bubblegum.

"Fine, be that way." Bubblegum grumbled. She set the clothes on the bed next to Marceline and gently removed the girl's jacket and shoes. Next, before she could put much thought into it, Bubblegum carefully lifted Marceline's shirt over her head, exposing the girl's flawless pale skin and lacy black bra.

Bubblegum gulped, quickly looking away and tossing the discarded shirt onto the floor. She helped Marceline into the t-shirt before making the girl stand up, now for the hard part.

She held Marceline steady by the shoulders but couldn't bring herself to do what needed to be done. "Marcy, if I hold you up do you think you could change out of your jeans?" Marceline just nodded and proceeded to unbutton her pants and clumsily shimmy out of them.

Bubblegum's face burned as she reached around Marceline for her shorts, purposely avoiding looking at the other girl. She helped Marceline step into the shorts and carefully slid them into place, painfully aware of how red her face was.

Marceline then sat back down on the bed and Bubblegum rummaged around in the bathroom for a wash cloth. When she found one she wet it with warm water and made her way back into the room. She tilted Marceline's face to look up and proceeded to gently clean the cut on her lip making the girl wince in pain.

"Marcy, please tell me what happened."

Marceline diverted her eyes to the side before mumbling, "Someone said some bad stuff and I hit him and he hit me and then I hit him some more and then you found me."

Bubblegum stopped dabbing at Marceline's lip to lean back and give the girl an exasperated look. "Marceline, just because someone says something mean to you doesn't mean you have to hit him."

Marceline just shook her head slowly, "Not me, you."

Bubblegum sat there stunned for a few minutes. Why would Marceline pick a fight with some guy just because he said something bad about her? Marceline didn't need to defend her, but yet she did. She backed away, "I'm uh, I'm gonna get you some water."

She grabbed a cup off Marceline's desk and once more headed into the bathroom. She tossed the bloodied wash cloth into the bathtub and filled the cup with cold water. She returned to the room and handed the cut to Marceline who took a few sips.

Bubblegum sat down on the empty bed across from Marceline, studying her as she drank more water. "Why did you let what that guy said make you so mad? You didn't have to do that." Marceline finished off the water and tossed the cup to the floor.

"Just cause you stopped bein' my friend doesn't mean I don't care about you." She said as she lay down on her side facing Bubblegum, sleepily looking up at her.

Bubblegum felt cold, as if Marceline's words were an ice bucket that had just been dumped over her head. After all she had done to this girl in the past; Marceline still cared for her as if nothing had ever happened. She let out a sob, "Marcy I'm so sorry, I've been a real dinger to you." Bubblegum took a deep breath her mind made up. No more pushing Marceline away, no more hurting her best friend.

"I never wanted to stop being your friend." She began speaking without really realizing what she was saying. "Truth is, I really like you Marceline. Apparently I wasn't very subtle back then and my parent's found out. They thought it was wrong and yelled at me, telling me to stay away from you. You were living with Simon at the time and when I refused to stay away from you my father told me that Simon was one of his employees. He threatened to get Simon fired and told me that if that happened you guys would have no money and you'd have to move back in with your dad. I was so scared because I know how much you love Simon. I had to agree to never speak to you again and Simon could keep his job. I know that probably sounds weak of me but I cared about you so much and didn't want anything bad to happen to you."

Bubblegum stared at her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers nervously as she spoke. "They sent me to this church camp that summer to try to straighten me out. It was awful." Noticing Marceline had yet to say a word Bubblegum looked up at her and her shoulders slumped when she saw the other girl fast asleep, hair falling in front of her face.

She sighed sadly; Marceline probably didn't hear a word of what she'd said. Suddenly Bubblegum felt very tired, mentally and physically exhausted. She leaned forward, pulling the blankets over Marceline and brushed her bangs from her face and tucking them behind her ear. Bubblegum let her fingers linger in Marceline's hair a little longer than they should have before pulling away.

She sat back down on the empty bed and realized her laundry was still in the dryer, it didn't matter though. She sat there gazing down at her sleeping friend with a determined look on her face. Her parent's be damned, Marceline is the best thing in her life and now the two of them have a second chance. She's not about to push Marceline away again.