I floated along slowly. The night with Finn had been fun, what with the wolves and the movie, but in my mind, the evening hadn't been worth it. To be quite honest, up until the movie, I had been miserable. After all, it had been spent helping Finn woo the princess. Bonnie was mad, and I knew it. So, I floated toward the castle slowly, my umbrella blocking the light of the rising sun.

I awoke, and a smile did not grace my features. How could Marceline have done that? After what had happened with the Door Lord, I had thought their problem had been solved, albeit through song.
"Peppermint Butler?" I called. After a moment or two, her bedroom door opened, and the small red/white man entered.
"Yes, milady?"
"Tell the Whistle Lord to postpone the death match until further notice."
"As you wish." Peppermint butler left the room, closing the door quietly. A minute or two later, there was a knock on the window, letting me know that Marceline had arrived. I spoke softly, but forcefully, so that only the Queen could hear her.
"I hope you're here to apologize." There was a moment of silence before the vampire responded. She did so by pushing the window open and floating in, her hair covering her face. It took a moment before any noise came from beneath her half-shaved mess of locks.
"Please, hear me out, Bon-"
"No!" I shouted, rage spilling out.
"What the heck was that!? You know as well as I do that Finn is broken up about me. He cares too much about me, and that puts him in danger. I try every day to let that boy off easy, and it is not easy. Not only was he redoubling his efforts last night, but you were encouraging him! "

Princess Bubblegum stared at me, eyes burning with rage.
"You know he and I can't be together. It's not just his age, Marceline. I thought the Door Lord fiasco proved that."
I waited a moment to make sure she had finished flipping out.
"I know that, Bonnie. That's why I did it. Didn't you notice that half of the things he did to get to you were crazy dangerous?"
"What do you mean…?"
"I made him fail on purpose. At the end of the night, when he was desperate, he started trying with me. I turned him down, but I got his attention off of you, at least for a bit."
"Then you did that… to help me?" The anger was gone from her eyes. Her mouth rested in a small, shocked 'o'.
"No, Bonibelle. I did it to help us."
"But we decided-"
"I don't care. We can try again. When we visited my hometown… it reminded me of what we had. What we could have."
"Are you sure you want to do this? After all, The Ice King-"
"His name is Simon."
"Right. You know Simon is just as into me as Finn. You'll have to find a way to stop him. He isn't exactly easy do say 'no' to, what with his ice powers and all."
"When the time comes, we can both let him know. He's an open guy about this stuff, he won't mind." She looked down at her night gown, blushing. For the first time in a long time, I, Bonnibelle Bubblegum smiled.
"C'mere. I have something for you." I floated over at her request. She grabbed my face gently in her hands, and pulled me into a gentle kiss. It lasted for only a moment, then it was done. I opened my eyes, and saw syrupy tears oozing from Bonnie's eyes.

"Marcy, I-" come on, Bonnibelle, say it- "I need you. Here." Damn, it, Bon. I blew it.
"I'm here, always." I saw the sorrow in her eyes. Why couldn't I say it? She needed to hear it more than ever, and I was just sitting here, sobbing like an idiot.

"No, Marcy. That's not what I meant." She pulled away a few inches, hurt and anger making her shoulders quake.

"Say it then, Bon. Please." Tell her you need it, Marce. Just say it. In almost a thousand years, you've never asked for help. Do it now.
"Bonnie, please. Tell me."

I felt it, then. Almost a thousand years of her sorrow, her pain, and her loneliness, all put into that one quavering cry for help. Do it, Bon. She needs this more than the red she eats. Just let her know you care.

She opened her mouth. I almost saw the words about to come out. But she choked.
"Bon, please." Tears were spilling from my eyes, too.
"Just this once, please!" I begged.
"I love you, Marceline. More than anything. I love you, and I need you."