Hi Guys! Thanks for the reviews:3 sorry I didn't update last week, been so busy -.-. I'm so glad you guys liked the story. I knew there were some people out there who liked some serious angst ;)

~it'll get pretty R rated towards the end of this one, just a heads up

Alone with No Light from the Tunnel

Marshall crashed on the bed. This could be good for me, the start of something positive.

Who was that girl? That Long silky ebony hair filled his mind, her eyes, confused but still beautiful was all his mind's eye could envision. Why hadn't he noticed her before?

Oh yeah. Ashley. Ashley was his ex-girlfriend. She had pale gray-ish skin, long almost white, blond hair. She was gorgeous; she had long legs and mysterious eyes that beckoned to be looked into. She wore dark blue tops and dark wash jeans, usually carried around a small little sack where she kept her money and her "magic powder" aka; cocaine, and a pack of cigarettes, usually Marlboro's. She was a bit of a mooch, very moody, and a class-a bitch at times. Marshall didn't care though he was in love with her.

She was so amazing. Marshall would come home tired and she'd be there with hot tea and give him a comforting look softly saying "long day baby?" "I'm sorry Marsh" "you work too hard baby" as she made him tea and padded over to the couch where she would nuzzle under his arm.

Ashley distracted Marshall from his childhood memories. Terrible memories, they all made him cringe and confused him, made him cry but at the same time made him feel like he was about to rip off someone's face. He found it hard to look back on them, but what he remembers was difficult. His father deserted him with his mother, a crazed alcoholic woman. She wasted all their money for food, heating bills, or electricity on liquor. All her boyfriends were abusive, and didn't think twice about hitting Marshall. They would lock him in dark closets with no food or water for hours leaving 5 year old Marshall starved and alone. They'd beat his mother unconscious, and get forgiveness without a second thought when they whispered insincere apologies in his mother's ear the next morning. Marshall would sit and wonder why his mother didn't love him enough to help him, to protect him from these people that would beat him and kick him, make him starve and scream and cry. She never cared, she'd let them do what they wanted to him and her. She let his grades drop in school so he could go make her extra money to support the house along with her addiction. She let him live a life of solitude to take care of the shitty apartment they lived in, he never had a friend his whole life, and she let it all happen. Ashley made him forget that his mother's neglect, the hours he spent starved, the days he spent hiding from his mother's boyfriends, she made it all go away and he loved her. He loved her so much.

The feeling when he left at age 18 was like no other, finally free. He hadn't seen his mother since his eighteenth birthday party, and frankly he didn't give a shit.

He met Fionna and PG, played bass and made money to support him, met people, laughed, went out, bought drinks, and had parties. He loved it.

He met Ashley and she was his drug, his emotional crutch that made him forget the pain. He was infatuated. He melted at her gaze, and fell into her dark eyes, lost in her mind.

Ashley was so passionate, always speaking up for what she thought, always showing her full emotion. She would him gently with care and harshly with want. She was a spitfire, filled with lust, spirit, emotion, daring anyone to just try to tie her down.

Marshall took that dare. It was beautiful at first, she made him feel loved and fearless, like a newborn child ready to take on the world and crush who ever stood in the way.

However it wouldn't be long before things started to morph and crumple. And again he started to feel confused, as he did when he was a child.

It was so often she would come home, Marshall so happy to see her, she'd give him the cold shoulder and snap at him. He would ask where she was, she would go on the defensive and say "why are you always asking? Huh? Don't trust me? I thought we were past this Marsh!" he would stutter and say something reassuring he wasn't accusing her of anything. She would snap and say "then stop interrogating me. GOD, can you handle leaving me alone for two seconds?" She would stomp off leaving him confused and alone in the dim light of their dingy kitchenette. The only thing accompanying him was the slow rattle of the subway trains and the rumble of the city below.

Then everything he knew came down on him on a March night. Ashley was out all day and night. When she finally crashed at 3 am, leaving Marshall alone and confused yet again, he decided he needed a smoke. Lumbering over to the cabinet he realized he was out, he waltzed over to Ashley's bag and searched for a pack of Malboro's hoping she wouldn't care too much if he bummed a smoke from her. While searching he found something odd. It read "women NOW clinic" he fished it out of the bag. He though since when does Ash go to check-ups? Then his eye caught the word "abortion". His heart beat faster as he learned why she was gone for so long.

He needed answerers. Done with walking on eggshells for her.

He stormed into their bedroom, fuming.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?" holding up the document.

Groaning "what Marhall?" she answered shortly. When she saw the paper her eyes widened, then she narrowed them "what the hell were you doing going through my fucking bag?"

"DON'T. try and turn this around! WHAT IS THIS?" he screamed.

Looking angry she opened her mouth only to get "MARSH-" because he was already screaming questions

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF ASKING ME? YOU DIDN'T THINK I WOULD CARE YOU'RE PREGNANT? WHAT IF I WANTED A KID? WHAT IF I WANTED MY KID, HUH? WHAT THE FUCK ASHLEY!"

She looked at him and started laughing darkly. Marshalls heart dropped.

"you think it's yours?"

"wha-"

"God, you wonder why I've been out? You wonder why I haven't wanted to fuck? You are so fucking stupid, open your eyes, the kid wasn't yours."

She laughed as Marshall stood there stoically.

"I thought you loved me." He said softly

She laughed again "you're so blind. How could I ever love such a fucking loser."

"get out." He said almost in a whisper

"what? Marshall it's 3:30am I'm not leaving now."

"I SAID GET OUT."

She got up and marched over to him "you think you can control me? It's my house too, I'm not leaving."

He grabbed her wrists eyes watering "DON'T FUCKING PUSH ME. GET THE FUCK OUT. GET OUT NOW." He shoved her back and she stumbled.

"fuck you, Marshall."

He said almost in a whisper "I have done everything for you, I've housed you, loved you, took care of you, why? What did I do? Huh? WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO ASHLEY?"

She cackled "you think I loved you? You think I gave a shit? Marshall open your eyes. I don't give a shit. I've been cheating on you for months now, it would of taken a monkey to figure that out, but you're so needy and pathetic you don't want to see. You're too busy whining about your mother and clawing at me to notice I don't give a shit about you anymore."

And with that she stormed out the door and slammed it, leaving Marshall with a gaping mouth, and a quickly crumpling face.

Alone in his apartment he shuddered at the memory and tried to focus on other things. He lumbered over to his bass and started absent mindedly strumming as he sat on his comfy chair. His thoughts led him again to the girl at the bar. After eight months of feeling alone and scared, and Fi and PG pushing him into the dating scene again he felt somewhat ready.

He smiled dumbly she was pretty. He glanced over at PG sprawled out with Fi snuggled next to him on his couch, and continued to think. Should I call her tomorrow? Where would we meet up? Does she think I'm creepy? Then shook his head god I'm like a fucking 5th grader… He felt around for the crumpled piece of paper in his pocket and looked at the feminine script. She had big royal looking curive letters. She has pretty handwriting… He shook his head again before dozing off on his big chair.

Marceline awoke the next morning with a pounding headache, overjoyed to find herself in her own home. She lazily lumbered out of bed and walked to the bathroom, her eyes were red-rimmed and her throat was horse, her hair disheveled. Don't I look just peachy? She smirked to herself. She brushed her teeth and splashed some cold water on her face before grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting on the couch, feeling grateful she didn't have work today.

She turned on the news and sat quietly sipping her café Verona Starbucks blend. Her thoughts drifted to her nightmare last night.

She was snuggled against a body, it was warm and was rubbing small circles against her arm with its thumb. She looked up and squinted, making out a face, trying to identify it. As her eyes adjusted she saw it was a man with jet-black hair and light skin. "shh, it'll be okay Marcy, I won't let him hurt you" he cooed. She felt safe and she decided to cozy up to his chest, but before that could happen he started to morph. His hair suddenly turned icy-blond and his white skin had a gray complexion to it. Before she knew it there was a crooked smile on his face, and she recognized Ash. 'miss me baby?'. She screamed and got up to run to her door but when she opened the door she couldn't walk out. There was nothing but black outside the door. She whipped her head back around to find Ash behind her. 'Where are you going Marcy? Thought we could have some fun" he grabbed her wrist and shoved her against the wall. He pushed his body against hers and she started to cry, he groaned. He let go of her wrists and slipped his hands under her shirt. 'Filthy slut' he barked as he probed her body with his icy hands. "Please stop, please," He then slowly took out a something long and smooth from his back pocket. He smiled darkly 'you're mine.' and pushed it against her skin. She felt a sharp sting as he started to carve into her. She screamed and it was over.

She cringed, and she noticed her heart was beating quite fast, her hands were trembling.

The phone went off and Marceline jumped, her coffee flying everywhere and the mug shattering on the ground. 'shit' she muttered to herself before briskly walking to the phone.

"H-hello?"

"Hey! It's Marshall, we met at the Blue Moon last night?"

"oh.." Marceline remembered the boy with the bass-like hers- who had stopped some drunken man from hitting her "-y..yeah, uh, hey, w..what's up?"

"you alright? You sound a little shaky.."

Marceline realized that she sounded scared, shit, "oh, no, I'm fine, thanks though" trying to sound normal.

"oh, okay cool, uhm, I was wondering if you wanted to meet up? Maybe play some bass or something, there's this really chill café by the Blue Moon I know.."

Marceline felt a blush creep up on her cheeks I feel like such an idiot, since when do you get crushes Marcy? She tried to come up with a response "oh..uh, erm, yeah, sure, when?"

"tomorrow cool?" he replied

"uhm..sure, I get off work at like 2, so maybe like 3:00?"

"sounds good, it's called sweet bites, it's a couple doors over from Blue"

"okay, see you then"

"see you"

She heard a click and hung up the phone. She couldn't help but feel her heart flutter and she smiled a little.

She paced down the stairs and brought up her mail.

Her heart dropped when she read Ooo Penitentiary –Ash Ragwizert*

She fumbled open the letter and read

Hey baby,

I miss you, I know you'll wait for me. We'll be together soon. I know how scared you get so I have a couple of my guys looking out for you. Don't stop waiting for me. I can't wait to see you. I can't wait to feel you again. I know you won't but don't try anything, you'll regret it.

-Ash

Fuck. She thought. She then realized her mistake. She knew she shouldn't of said yes to meeting up with that guy, she shouldn't be out at Blue Moon, she had forgotten how many connections Ash had. She forgot that when he gets home he won't think twice about punishing her. She trembled.

Shit, Marshall.

Soooo? How'd you guys like it? I know it got a little awkward describing Ashley and Marshall's Mom, but I hoped you guys like it. Let me know if I should continue and please Rate and Review :3

*Ragwizzert=Rag wizard, I tried to do a play on words kind of thing, not sure if it worked hahaha

If I don't see you guys before the holidays please have a very happy one Happy Kwanza, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad! And Happy New Year! 3