It had been six months since their fallout. Marceline had followed Keila's "Back in the Game" plan, that was such a dumb title, but it was there for irony' sake. Thinking back, Keila was a really weird friend, and the way she showed her "master plan" was even more peculiar. Marceline could recall the scene vividly.

It was at least 2AM, the girls were running on some red soda that got them buzzing, and Keila insists on having Marceline listen to her plan.

"Okay but no, see, you haven't even given it a chance yet!"

"Given it a chance? C'mon I know you want me better but this is where I draw the line."

"At least let me explain it to you."

"If I do will you shut up about me dating again?"

"Totes yo!"

So Marceline sat there unamused on her worn out pale red couch waiting for Keila to finish rummaging around her things. Just sitting there you could see random things being tossed out; an old lamp, old cans, even some records, all tossed to the side just so Keila could find exactly what she needed. Then came a loud "Aha!" from behind the wall that separated between them. Keila whips around the doorway and reveals a chalk board, complete with a package of chalk. About five minutes into Keila's lecture Marceline found herself wondering: where the heck did I get a chalk board and chalk? Keila looked incredibly proud of herself as she set up her chalk board and strutted around the room just so she could make a dramatic entrance, something that made Marceline's eyes roll to the back of her head.

"Kay Marcy, now sit tight and enjoy the show!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Okay so here's the first thing, you gotta, and I mean gotta, keep an open mind about this all!"

Marceline's face just added an unspoken response to what Keila said.

"Next, you gotta put yourself out there! To help with that, I can arrange a few gigs. Particularly some in the Nightosphere, you gotta return Marcy we all miss you!"

"Maybe… Only because, well… I wanna talk to my dad about something."

"Woah woah woah wait, hold the front door! Marceline willing to talk to her dad? Someone call the papers yo!" Marceline rolled her eyes again but Keila proceeded to giggle.

"Okay so next you gotta attract who your slice of pie is. I mean, I have a feeling that princess is off the menu, but I mean if you want a dude or a chick. Whatever floats your boat." Keila winked and this made Marcy slightly uncomfortable.

"You know Keila, you don't always have to do that. To me, I don't know, maybe I just like the person ya know? Not the body? I really don't know, nor do I really want to label it as anything, but I also think I don't particularly have a preference."

"Hey Marcy, whatever makes ya happy." They gave each other a meaningful smile. Continuing where she left off Keila enthusiastically introduced the next step in her plan. "Okay! Numero cuatro yo! Perhaps the most important thing in the plan! Be yourself."

"Dude, that is so cheesy!"

"Think of it like this, if all of your friends, all your family, hell, if Bubblegum could love you because of you, then why can't someone else?"

"You didn't…" then she got quiet, "you didn't have to mention her… at least not like that."

"Oh fudge… I'm so sorry Marcy…"

"Keila can I be really honest with you?"

"Always."

"In all honesty, I'm going to have a really hard time with this. I'm not even sure if I can be emotionally invested into someone else as much as I was with Bonnie. I loved her, and a big piece of me is gone now because of that. I know that I can always find a way, to, love someone. But at the same time, you need to realize that I'm not the same person anymore. Whoever I date after this, if I choose to date after this, will most likely not have the same effect of me that Bonnie had. I just need you to realize that. I'm just, I'm just not capable right now."

It got quiet for a moment until Keila spoke up.

"I'll respect that Marceline, but can I ask one thing?"

"Yeah."

"I at least want you to try to attach to someone, maybe not the exact way you did with Bubblegum, but at least try. Because seeing you aimlessly walk through your life, searching for something, that's not the way to live, and I think you know that.

Then Keila walked over to the couch to sit next to Marceline.

"I know, I know."

"Please let me finish okay? Marceline, if you try, if you motivate yourself, I promise you that you can do whatever you want to do. Remember how bad I was after that shifter broke up with me? Total wreckage. Do you remember doing everything that I'm trying to do for you now? Because I do, I remember it all. You know what? I may not have dated anyone after that, but you helped me pick up the pieces. You're a smart girl, you know things that I can't even grasp. I know that you know that you can only do what you want to do."

"Thank you so much for being my friend Keila." With a few tears in her eyes she gave her best friend a long and warm hug.

"I'm here because I'm your friend, because you were there for me. I love you dude!"

"I love you too."

Meanwhile The Lord of Evil was busy creating a plan to clog everyone's sewer system, followed by a master scheme to steal everyone's left shoe. Just thinking about the pure chaotic evil sent tingles racing down his evil spine, giving him an evil laugh, while he evil-ly made a large stacked sandwich. Then one of his small minions walked in.

"Sir Lord Sir Evil Sir, Sir."

"Yes?"

"We've received a message regarding the vampire queen."

"Will you go on?" He looked a little more than slightly cross.

"Well it's just that, she is returning to the Nightosphere sir, for about a week. In about a day or two."

"WHAT MY BABY IS COMING HOME?" He jumped up, and started to squeeze the assistant to near death.

"Y-Y-Yes Sir! I c-can't br-ea-th-th."

Then he dropped the poor unfortunate assistant. For about a couple of minutes he laid on the ground paralyzed, having his leg twitch every now and then. As for Hunson he was busy preparing for his daughter's return, it had been about fifty years since she last returned to the Nightosphere, and he planned a big feast for his daughter's return.

Meanwhile Bubblegum was arranging some events in her kingdom. In the past two weeks she had managed to keep herself busy every chance she had and the only peace she had was when she was sleeping. So far she's had three banquets, one festival, two balls, and four assemblies. With her keeping herself busy to this extent she began to wear herself down. No matter how much she pushed she still ended up looking exasperated by the end of the day. Even though she had that talk with Finn and Jake it still didn't solve her problems, if anything it started a new one, and perhaps this one was worse. There had been multiple attempts by Lady Rainacorn, Finn, and Jake to fix her up and push her to cancel all her meetings, appointments, and events, just so she could take a nap. Even at that, she still pursued her mission to completely distract herself from her problems instead of addressing them, this caused her to believe that they were solved, and that soon she would be better.

Even though she showed to everyone she was working hard to make her kingdom a better place she could not convince herself that she was always okay when she went to bed. Some nights she would struggle to sleep, she would lay there and ponder, no, she would contemplate what her life would be like if she actually did make the effort to tell Marceline how she felt about everything. To her, one of her biggest regrets was not telling her that she loved her. Yet she found no peace in creating a false reality in which things turned out better, if anything it made her feel worse, like she was inadequate. That there must have been something that pushed Marceline away, and every time she thought like this, she ended up crying herself until the pain brought her to a short and unfulfilling slumber.

I want to change everything, how could I have been so stupid to not say how I felt? How could I expect this relationship to work when I couldn't even express how I felt to my closest friend? It's like expecting her to trust me, while I have no strings attached to her. And yet… I feel as if this is not true. It couldn't be, for if it was, I would surely be much better off. It seems much easier not to feel at all. I just wish I could turn all these feelings off. Marceline, if I just had the chance to change things between us, I would take it, and I would never take you for granted.

It was in these times that her late night thoughts would run endlessly and aimlessly through her mind. Not even the warmth of their memories could soothe her heart.

When morning came tomorrow, instantly she was reminded of the pain she had felt.

Her eyes opened dully, no longer did they shine like they had before. Wiping her eye to awake herself and yawning became ritual. However after she sat up she instantly lay back down. She attempted to open her eyes slowly once more. This time she saw her other pillow, laying right across from her, she remembered the many times that her friend had slept over, and more recently, the morning they woke up together as lovers. Those were such fond memories, and she tried her best to reminisce, she tried her best to remember every detail about Marceline's face. How small she looked when she woke up, the way she would breathe, and how even her breath was cold to the touch. She tried to grab the image she had created only to face the emptiness and void that come upon her. She could not stand the pain any longer, she needed to escape, escape from this hole which trapped her.

With a sense of determination she sat up and began her morning routine. She had to face her life and choose to change it, or else nothing would ever truly progress. It was when she was brushing her growing pink hair in the mirror that she knew she had to make a decision. Either she could face Marceline, or, she could choose to grow on her own. She had the option to wait though, wait till the moment was right to make a decision; she did not want to be hasty.

Okay you need to be level about this Bubblegum, what are the pros and cons of each decision? Weigh them and make a choice, if need be, create a different and more convenient route. What can I do to make myself me again?

Meanwhile Marceline and Keila began packing for their trip to the Nightosphere, Keila though had to leave at noon in order to get their ride. While Marceline was packing she happen to find an old box, something she hadn't come across for a very long time. This box had a picture of PB and Marcy when they were friends on top, but it was inside that made her feel nostalgic. Inside was one of their matching amulets, Bonnie would have the other one. Marceline had never been a big fan of jewelry but this particular necklace was one that she took care of. Thinking about it made her remember flying Bonnie around, having her hold onto her body for dear life. But it was never about fear, no, Bonnibel had always been one for adventure, and had enjoyed the heights that Marceline would fly. Back then Marceline was only a demon and could be out in the sunlight. Back then things were simpler. Bonnie didn't have an entire kingdom to take care of, and they didn't have any relationship problems.

Marceline couldn't bear to look at the amulet any longer, so she placed it carefully in the box, like she did so long ago, and put it with the rest of the boxes that she would take with her to the Nightosphere. It would be a bit longer until Keila returned, so Marceline decided to play some music on her bass guitar. Sometimes, even just sitting comfortably and playing the same three or four chords would be soothing for her.

Bubblegum had noticed her hair had grown substantially longer in these pass six months, and something felt like it had changed. No matter how hard she looked in the mirror she couldn't exactly see it, although she knew it was there. In her smallest attempt, she decided to at least go to the vampire's tree house. So she got her royal chariot and began going on her way to Marceline's domain.

On her way there however, she encountered the Ice King flying along, he seemed to be yelling something. This is where gadgets come in handy; she pulled out one of her speakerphonomoblobs which amplified a sound that it was pointed at. She pulled out its antenna and aimed it at the flying king. Then she began to listen intently.

"Maaaarcelineeee, Maaaaaaaaaaarcelineeeeeeee, where are youuuu, come out come out wherever you are! I just wanted to hang ouuuttt!"

What? Doesn't he already know where Marceline lives? I though he visits her often? If he's not going to her—Oh glob! She moved!

"Good sir! Follow that flying blue man in the sky!"

He did so, and they began to rush with the Ice King. Soon enough they reached a swampy cave environment, filled with grotesque creature that Bonnie had become instantly repulsed to. And although she was never too pompous she didn't wish to deign to their level. Sometimes she had to shake off the mud from her pink shoes or slightly nudge a frog from being too close to her. Then she saw a light, and as she moved closer, a pink building. As it turned out it was a cozy two story house, Bubblegum was crossing her fingers that Marceline lived in there. But then she heard a rhythmic noise coming from the inside. It was Marceline's bass guitar!

Instantly Bonnie felt her insides tense up, and her hand began to quake as she reached for the door. It was as if the space between the door handle and her hand had become longer and longer, yet nothing was moving. Nothing in her life had seemed this hard. It was just a door that separated them.

Come on Bubblegum just do it. Just turn the handle. Walk right in, come on, come on you can do it. Don't, you came all the way over here, just just turn the handle!

She couldn't. Bubblegum rushed out of that cave as fast as she could.

Marceline heard some noises outside her house and decided to put up her bass and check it out. As she got up she was humming a tune from a song she had been working on.

Pretty pink face, hmmm that's a great line, I should keep it.

When she opened the door nothing was there.

Meanwhile Bubblegum tried rushing as fast as she could to her carriage without being caught. As she was running she didn't realize where she was going, and she ran into a certain vampire.

Keila had a very good idea who this person was. She had tears streaming down her face, and she couldn't muster up the words to even apologize for running into the vampire.

Keila felt a sort of anger when she realized that this was the girl who had been hurting her friend all along.

"GET OUT OF HERE, NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE! Just… go!"

Those words stung like bees to Bubblegum, and she even began to cry harder and started to run away.

Keila didn't realize what she had done, in her mind it was right, and if Marceline didn't know she was there, then she would not bring it up. Sure enough Keila reached Marceline's place only to find the vampire confused.

"Hey Keila did you see something around here? Like, something not amphibious?"

"Nah, but I got the van yo."

"Cool, let's start heading out."

Once they finished the two girls entered the van and began driving to the larger vehicle portal. However the portal was near the Candy Kingdom, you could even see it in the rear view window. Once they passed it, Marceline's head was filled with Bonnie again, she closed her eyes and turned on the radio. They switched the channel to the classic station, the song, "More Than A Feeling" by some old band named after some old city. But the song was nice, and as they entered the portal, Marceline decided to make the effort to push Bonnie out of her head. She was sure that if Bubblegum truly wanted to be in her life, then in these pass six months she would have at least made some effort to talk to her. There was a sense of disappointment when they reached the Nightosphere, Marceline arrived at the family castle and prepared herself for what was inside.

When Bubblegum returned home, she went to her room and cleaned herself up from all the emotional turmoil that she had succumbed to. Once again she looked in her restroom mirror, once again she had made the decision. In that small room she placed her crown upon her head, and was determined to get rid of everything she and Marceline were from her life. This would be how she would move on.

Facing fear and hardship will never compare to the triumph that they feel in the end.