*Beep beep*

It's her again.

*Beep beep*

I opened my eyes slowly and turned over in the air, floating comfortably above my bed. I watched the phone vibrate on my night stand, half hoping I wouldn't get to it before it shut off and half apprehensive at myself for even thinking about something as much of a dick move as that. But it was her; I could see the caller ID from here. And I already knew what she would say.

*Beep beep*

It sounds sad… I grimaced at the stupid thought and sighed through my nose once, even though I didn't technically need to breathe. Old habits die hard, I guess.

*Beep beep*

"Pick up, Marshall," I hissed to myself, glaring at the phone. "She needs you."

I still couldn't make myself move. It had been the same thing for about a month now, ever since that had happened. 3 o'clock in the morning, and she would call me, needing someone to talk to, someone's shoulder to cry on. I was the only thing she had left now. And yet, I still was just a friend.

Shut up, I told myself angrily, reaching for the phone in defiance to that single thought. Of course you're just a friend. You've always been like that to her. Always will be, too, if you know what's good for her.

I pushed my internal conversation away, clearing my throat, and sat up, running a hand through my hair. With another fake breath, I clicked the 'talk' button on the phone and held it up to my ear.

"Hey."

"Hey." Her voice sounded tinny and small as though we were talking through two cans connected by a string. She paused for a moment, and I could almost see her face in my mind; the same expression she'd had at the funeral. Broken, and stunned, like the world had just pulled the rug out from under her feet. "I was afraid you weren't going to pick up."

It was my turn to be silent and I pulled one of my knees up to my chest, circling my arm around it and resting my chin on the top. "…I wouldn't do that to you."

"Well, good. That'd be totally uncool." She almost sounded like herself when she said things like that, but it was so different now. I didn't know if she would ever be like she used to. "Hey, Marshall?"

"Mm?"

"Can you come over? Cake's out helping again, and I…" I could tell that she pulled away from the phone, regaining her composure for a minute before coming back. "I don't want to be alone."

"Yeah. I'll be over in a sec." I promised quietly.

"Thanks. Hey…Marshall?"

"Still here."

"Thanks. I mean, for doing stuff like this. Just until I get back on my feet." She breathed heavily, then, like she was trying to keep from crying. "Y'know, just…thanks."

"Yeah, Fionna. I know. What are friends for, right?"

With that, she hung up. I lowered the phone, looking at it dully before turning it off and throwing it at the nightstand, where it skittered before falling onto the floor with a small 'thunk'. Still floating about two feet above the bed, I rolled over and off of it, grabbing my pants off the ground and yanking a random shirt off its hanger from my open closet. I went to pull it on, stopping when I realized which shirt it was.

Marshall Lee, the Vampire King, it read on the front in letters that dripped red. That's all it was, a plain black shirt with writing on it, but I threw it back into the closet like it had been a poisonous snake and snatched another one. I couldn't wear that shirt around Fionna. Not when I knew who'd given it to me. I put on the red plaid one instead, rolling up the sleeves deftly.

A quick run-through of my hair with my hands and I was ready to go, floating quickly down the stairs and out the door, locking it behind me.

It was so quiet, nowadays. Like all of Aah was holding its breath, waiting for something to change. Birds didn't really sing anymore, and even the ghosts and wizards weren't out doing stupid stuff. So quiet, except for maybe the wind through the trees.

The sun wasn't out yet, but I kept my umbrella with my anyways, just in case I had to get back before nightfall.

I looked around, knowing it was all the same scenes. It's gray, too. The thought struck me as kinda odd, but it was true. Even though it was still really early in the morning, it just looked like nothing was as colorful anymore. Just like the people. Nothing was the same.

I finally reached Fionna and Cake's tree house, stopping to peer up at one of the windows. Fionna was in there, waiting. Waiting for someone to make her feel okay, for something to suddenly change for the better. Maybe even for someone to jump out and say, 'Kidding! Everything's fine!'. I felt sorry for her, sometimes, when I wasn't tired, annoyed, and angry at her for being so clingy. Things just hadn't been the same since the day Gumball died, and I knew she was waiting for a happy ending that might not ever come true.

"Hey, whadda guy," I muttered to myself. "No worries, princess locked in a tower, in comes your forever friend-zoned knight to save the day. Again." I knocked on the front door, mentally preparing myself for another day of the same.

Outside, the world ran around and around as though nothing had ever happened and reality stayed the same, stopping for no one, not even if their own, personal world had crumbled to pieces.

A/N: I know Marshall's OOC. I am sorry. I'm kind've trying to play the whole 'this-is-a-different-situation-so-they-behave-differently" card. Let me know what you think of it so far.

So yeah, this is a bit dark and somber, which is kind of alien to me, since I usually write a bit more in the comedic light, so let me know how I'm doing in that department as well.