Disclaimer: I don't own AT, if I did there would have been a war like this

Chapter 13: True Feelings part I

Flame Princess POV

I had finally arrived at Finns Kingdom along with a few Flame Guards and my Knight Cinnamon Bun. I knew Finn would not be thrilled to see me and even less Cinnamon Bun, but I needed to bring him because if I got the chance to set things straight with Finn. Then I would need Cinnamon Bun to help explain what he meant when he said he loved me. I walked up to one of the guards at the gate of the Kingdom and was a little hurt to see that it was one of my former Flame Guards. He didn't look pleased to see me here and looked as if he wanted me to go.

"What do you want my former ruler. If you're here to meet with my new King then I suggest you just leave. He is busy right now planning our next defense against The Goo Monsters. Besides you aren't welcome here and I know you weren't invited here again like you were during the wedding of Simon and Betty."

Steeling myself from his harsh words I replied. "That's exactly why I'm here. I have heard about these recent attacks and have come to offer my aid to Finn. Can you please let me through so that I may speak to him."

"If that is what you're here for then I guess I can see if he will speak with you. Wait right here until I return with his reply."

As he left to see what Finn would say I was hoping that Finn would say yes to speaking with me. I could only wait for a reply now.

Finn POV

It's been a few days since the last attack from The Goo Monsters, why they haven't returned yet worries me. They must be planning for one final assault on my Kingdom and this time they won't show any mercy I bet. I already have more defenses set up and a battle plan for when they return. Hopefully it works and we succeed at defending our home. If not we are done for. I then heard a knocking coming from my bedroom door.

"Come in," I said. Entered was one of my guards with news that I almost considered to be as bad as The Goo Monsters having returned. Apparently Flame Princess had discovered that I was under attack and had come here to talk about helping me to defend my Kingdom. Why this had to happen was beyond me. It's funny though how it seemed so long ago whenever I heard FP had come to visit I would start jumping with joy. Now whenever I hear she is near I start shaking with anger. I have got to hear what in the world she can possibly say to convince me to allow her to help.

"Tell her to wait in the throne room and that I'll be there in a second." With that he nodded his head and left to deliver the news.

As I got dressed I thought about what she would say to me to try and convince me to allow her to help. I knew that the most likely possibility was that she would say she cared about me and that she wanted to be here to make sure I was ok. That or it was that she was hoping that by doing me a favor, I would owe her one later. Heck it could even be that she was doing this to return the favor of all that dam stuff I did for her like saving her life from when we first kissed. Whatever the reason, I wasn't about to let her run this meeting and would make it clear that if she wanted to help, then it would be on my terms for once.

I had finally arrived at the throne room and was ready for this little chat. I looked down at her and could see she looked to be somewhat nervous. Then I looked to see that her lover Cinnamon Bun was right next to her, how I wish he wasn't here. I walked up and shook both of their hands to show some formality. There was some sick irony here that I was able to touch Flame Princess and not get hurt, yet at the same time I wasn't even enjoying it. Fate really loves to grant us our greatest wishes when we no longer want them. I now really wish that I didn't know what it was like to finally be able to touch someone that I could never be with. I then took my seat on the throne and began to speak.

"My guard tells me that you wish to help me defend my Kingdom Flame Princess. Is this true?"

"Yes it is I want to help you Finn."

"So if you want to help me then why did you bring your boyfriend with you? Is he here just to remind me that I lost to him?"

"No he's here because he's the smartest strategist of the Fire Kingdom and I need him if I'm going to be able to help you."

Looking down at her with soul searching eyes I knew that there was something she was hiding. "And why do you want to help me exactly, I thought you had your own Kingdom to worry about. After all the last time we had a real conversation with just the three of us was when you asked me to help you get back your Kingdom. Are you doing this to return the favor I guess or is it something else. Please tell me what you hope to gain by helping me, the man who broke your heart and who you now see as just a Friend."

She looked visibly hurt from that and seemed like she was about to cry. Cinnamon Bun had to whisper a few words to her to keep her from crying. Seems she wasn't prepared for such harsh words. Not like she even cares about how her being here affects me. "Fair is fair," I thought.

"I just want to help you Finn, I'm not here for any selfish reasons or to repay some debt."

"That still doesn't tell me why you want to help. Are you perhaps trying to keep a secret? And here I thought you hated secrets. Guess you finally learned that no secrets and total honesty doesn't work in the real world."

Again she looked hurt from what I said. Sadly it didn't get her to leave.

"I want to help because I care about you Finn, I don't want anything to happen to you. I just want to make sure you are ok."

Ah I knew that would most likely be the answer, time to set some ground rules then.

"I see Flame Princess. Well if you want to help then I'm going to say to you what you once said to me. This will be purely about needing help and no personal issues will be addressed here starting now. Like how you didn't want me getting personal when I last helped you, you won't get personal now that you're helping me. If you can't do that then I suggest you leave."

At that she gave a slight bow that said she would do just that but also hinted that she wished she didn't have to. As she left the mask I was wearing broke. I fell to my knees while clutching my chest as I let out a torrent of tears. Talking to her like that was so hard, but I couldn't let things get personal. I couldn't let myself think that there was any hope for me getting back together with her. I had to be harsh so that she wouldn't realize that I was still clinging to our past. I had to make her think that like her, I too didn't have any interest in rekindling our romance. I had to lie to her again. I wish she had instead just left hating me, at least then I wouldn't have to worry about her being killed by those horrible Goo Monsters and finding out that I was still the dump Hero who wants to still be together with her.

"This has been one of the most hardest moments of my entire life," I cried.

Back to Flame Princess

After entering the guest room that the guards led me to and Cinnamon Bun leaving saying that he was going to try and talk to Finn, I just broke down thinking of what just happened. He didn't even show any signs of wanting my help. All he showed was that he hated me and that he was only willing to tolerate me helping him. Was there anything left of the once kind hearted Finn who enjoyed spending time with me. Was the only thing left a man who hated everything that had to do with his past especially me? I then heard a sudden knock on my door.

"Come in," I said thinking it was Cinnamon Bun only for it to not be him. At first I didn't know who she was until I recognized her as Betty. The women whose wedding I had been invited to along with all of the other royalties of OOO. Just what could she possibly be doing here?

"You've been crying haven't you," she said.

"No," I lied. I didn't want anyone knowing about this.

"I can tell you're lying by the dried tear streaks on your face. It's about Finn isn't it?"

"How did she know it was about Finn," I thought. I couldn't let her continue to think that. "No its not, it's about something else."

"Oh really," she said with a smile that said she knew I was lying. "What about."

Quickly I said the first thing that came to mind. "Love," I said. At that I instantly put my hand over my mouth cursing myself for what I had just said.

With that she smiled at me knowing perfectly well what this was all about. "Love you say, I suppose you wouldn't mind talking to me about why love is bothering you. And please don't lie to me anymore about this not be about Finn, I know that it is."

Seeing that I was cornered and had no way out I told her everything that had just happened and why it hurt me.

"Why are men always so difficult when it comes to admitting the true feelings," she said.

That instantly got my attention, what did she mean by true feelings. Seeing my confused expression she continued talking.

"Despite all the things he said to you Flame Princess, he doesn't actually hate you. He's just sad and angry at himself for the things he did that caused you two to split up. Behind all that anger and frustration is a man who still loves you and wants to be with you more than anything. All that needs to happen is Finn needs some time to calm down and then you will be able to talk to him. Give it some time Flame Princess and don't make the same mistake he did by trying to rush ahead to fix things. You two will make up one day that I'm certain of."

I was in complete shock at hearing all this, that Finn still loved me and that he still wanted to be with me. I was so happy that if I still had the same level of powers that I did before, I'm sure I would have went straight through the earth again. Yet I needed to know why she would tell me all this.

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because Finn helped me to reunite with the man that I love and I want to help him to be reunited with the one that he loves. And I know that you love him as well and want to be with him to."

I instantly ran to her and hugged her for telling me all of this.

"Thank you," I said. "Thank you so much."

"Love Flame Princess, it's one of the most beautiful things in the world and should never be denied. You have the chance to make it work and so does Finn. Just believe that everything will be alright and never give up on it. You will be the most happiest person that you can possibly be when you finally achieve it."

This is probably one of my most emotional chapters yet. Next chapter Finn gets his own wakeup call and I'm hoping I do well on it. Please never stop telling me what you think and please never stop giving me some ideas.