Sorry about the lateness. It's been crazy. Hope you enjoy!

My eyes slowly work themselves open. I slowly sit up and look around my room. Yawning, I float out of my bed and toward the kitchen for breakfast. This is going to be a totally dull day. I was going to visit my dad today, but he said he had some "serious biz" going on today and couldn't do it. He's been picking up a lot of phrases from Finn recently. I have yet to decide if that's good thing or if it's just embarrassing. I twirl an apple on my finger, trying to decide what I want to do today. It's a nice, cloudy day and I don't want it to go to waste.

"I can't go bug Bonnibel, she's away on "royal matters" or something like that..." I say, casually drinking the color from the apple in my hand. It sucked, as I really did have something to discuss with her. She always was better at helping people out than I was. I may be over a thousand years old, but there are some areas that I've never been great with. Getting along with people was one of my main offenses. Sure, I have friends now... But, they all met me under bad circumstances. Most being my own fault. Finn first met me when I stole his house, it used to be mine, and attacked him.

"Not one of my better introductions." I say to myself. I'm lucky he managed to interest me that day. I would have been out a really great guy… I shake my head.

"Friend. Just a friend." I say to myself. I have to admit that in my long lifetime, Finn had intrigued me more than anyone I'd ever met. He was kind and gentle to all he protected, but, at the same time, fierce and courageous toward anything that sought to hurt those that he held dear. I'm honored that I could be one of those people. I smirk.

"I've really gotten soft over the years, haven't I?" I say dryly.

Lately, I've been wrestling with a notion in my head. I had watched as Finn went through relationships. He always managed to land on his feet when they didn't work out. While me… Well, I've just been stuck in the same position I've been in since I ended my relationship with Ashe. I've been thinking that it's time for me to find someone. It's time for me to land on my feet. My dad is always saying that I should find someone and I guess that got me thinking about this. Of course, I would never let him know that. I'd never hear the end of it from him. But, since Ashe, I've become incredibly picky when it comes to this. I don't want another Ashe…

"It'd have to be him, wouldn't it?" I say with a smile.

I frown. My dad would never allow it. We're vampires and he's a pretty traditional kind of person when it came to courtship.

"Did I just say courtship?" I wonder aloud.

I need to talk to someone about this. I feel like it's been a long time coming. My interest in him has always been there, but the feelings that I've felt for him are something new. He's not in a relationship anymore and neither am I. But, would he be interested in someone like me? Wherever he is, he's not at home. I decide to visit his brother. I need someone to talk to, but no one seems to be here today.

"At least it's cloudy..." I say, floating in the sky towards Jake's house. Jake has become easier to talk to, the more I got to know him. I don't scare him anymore because he knows who I am. What I am. He's actually wise beyond his years, even if he is a bit of an idiot sometimes. I see him playing with his pups outside; Lady watches from the porch. He sees me and waves. I float down to him.

"Hey, there. To what do I owe this visit from the mighty vampire queen?" He asks, giving a fake bow.

"You know I hate it when you do that." I say with a grin.

"I know. Did you need something?"

"Could we talk about this…. Without an audience?" I say, looking around at his pups who are now staring intently at me.

"Oh. Of course. Hey, Lady! Could you play with the kids for a second?" He calls out to his wife, who flies over to where we are.

"물론, 얘야. 뭔가 잘못입니까?" She asks him.

"No, everything's fine. Marceline just needs to talk to me about something."

Lady smiles and leads the kids away, leaving me and Jake alone. I curl my hair around my finger nervously.

"Now, what's this you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I just have a question about Finn…"

Jake raises his eyebrows. He knows exactly what I'm going to say, but lets me say it.

"What does Finn think about me?" I ask quietly.

"Hmm, well… He talks trash about you all the time."

I look at him with a confused expression.

"Nah, I'm just joking. He doesn't shut up about you, sometimes. When you guys go on an adventure, it's all he talks about for days. Before and after it's finished. You saying you're interested in him?"

"I… Yes."

"Alright, Marcy! Back in the dating game, huh?"

"I think it's a good time to come back in."

"Well, it's good to see you guys starting to take the first steps. You talk about each other a lot. Me and FP were just talking about it a day or two ago…."

A few days ago…

Flame Princess and Jake are sitting with Lady at a table. Jake looks at Flame Princess.

"Shouldn't Finn and Marceline be a couple?"

"Yeah, they talk about each other all the time…"

"I don't know where he is, though." I say.

"Well, if he's not at home, he's probably patrolling the grasslands."

"I'll have to go-"I start to say. I'm interrupted by a loud boom off in the distance. Jake sniffs the air.

"I don't like the smell of that…" Jake says cautiously.

I feel a chill run up and down my spine. I've got a terrible feeling about this for some reason. I see Lady leading the kids into the house. She looks back at Jake with concerned eyes.

"Don't worry, babe. We'll be back in no time." He says reassuringly.

Lady nods and follows the kids. Jake turns his attention back to me.

"This chat will have to wait, we've got to go check that out. Come on." He says, expanding his height and walking toward the source of the noise. I follow alongside him.

"Are you picking up anything, Jake?" I ask.

"Smells like smoke…" Jake says.

"Wait… Aren't we around Flame Princess's house?"

Jake is silent. As we arrive at Flame Princess's house, the destruction is strongly evident. The house is in shambles, the ground scorched from heavy fire. A few small flames still sway in the grass, greedily eating it and slowly growing larger. Jake proceeds to stomp them out and then looks back at me.

"Looks like a flaming tornado hit this place…"

"What do you really think happened?"

"Obviously, FP was entertaining unwanted guests…"

"But, where is she now?"

"That's what concerns me…"He says cautiously.

"She can't have gone far. She's probably still in the area…"

I hear a weak groan from inside the ruined house. "You'd be right…"

We run inside and see a badly injured Flame Princess pinned under some rubble. Jake moves it aside and tries to help her to her feet. She hisses in pain as she works her way to a standing position. She's covered in blood and the wounds are still letting loose a consistent stream of blood. Her body is covered in deep scratches and what look to be attempted bites.

"What happened to you?" Jake asks.

"I told him not to do it… Not to trust him…" She says groggily.

"She's losing a lot of blood. Let's get her to the hospital." Jake says, carefully picking her up.

"No, you don't understand… He's in danger!" She manages to say before passing out.

"Who's in danger?" Jake asks.

"We'll have to ask her later, right now we need to get her medical attention…"

Jake nods and we start moving toward the only hospital in Ooo. I still can't shake the terrible feeling I had back at Jake's house. I look back at the destroyed house. In the shadows, I see red eyes glare back at me. The figure starts to walk away. As soon as I blink, they're gone.

"Who was that?" I murmur, wondering if I really saw that.

"Marceline! You coming?" Jake yells back to me. I shake my head and follow him.

At the hospital, Flame Princess has been bandaged up and awoken from unconsciousness. She immediately calls us over from the bed she's on. She is still too injured to move.

"You have to save him. That evil man did something to him…"

"To who?" Jake asks softly.

"To Finn! He turned him into a monster! He tried to kill me, Jake! There was no remorse in his eyes; I was just prey to him!" She yells, tears forming and flowing down her eyes. She quivers in fear as her voice starts to break.

Jake holds onto her hand. It's a sweet gesture that seems to calm her down a little.

"Who was this man?" I ask her.

"Hunson Abadeer." She says, her eyes filled with fear.

Hearing that, I understood why she was scared.