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Chapter Text

On a wooden table cluttered with papers with notes and pictures of rental houses, Simon slept soundly. In his lap, he had a small creation made of fabric, which he had been sewing for the last hour. In therapy, he got the idea to start a different activity, beyond his new ideas for a new workplace and home, and he decided that sewing was a good idea. He kept his hands busy and mind focused on making the right stitches, not pricking his fingers and making the shape look decent.

Before continuing with his handwork, Simon had decided to keep looking for a new place to move to. His idea was not to go far away, but to move away a bit so that he could start from scratch in a modern place, adapted to the current era and less... dull. At the end of the day, he was the one who had to adapt. And this time, he was prepared to do better.

Up-Ton was the only place where Simon could really feel a part of something. There were still inhabitants that were peculiar or not one hundred percent human, but the ones that were there made Simon not feel like the fly in the coffee.

His mind was no longer damaged. He could learn all he needed to, but first, he had to find another place to live.

He hadn't talked to Marceline about it. Simon wanted to wait until he knew where he would be and what he would do. He was sure Marceline would start throwing questions left and right, and one of them would be why she was thinking of moving. Knowing her, Simon was sure the vampire's first thought would be that he would be going to another realm, away from what he already knew and where she wouldn't be able to find him so easily. 

Simon thought nothing of the sort. He wasn't even thinking of leaving Up-Ton.

Unexpectedly, the ringing of his cell phone startled him. He straightened up, adjusting his glasses, and held his sewing work tightly. Muttering, he fumbled around the table, looking for his cell phone, and finding it, picked it up without looking to see who was calling.

"Hello?"

"S-Simon?", a soft voice murmured on the other end.

"Bonnibel?", asked Simon, rubbing an eye. "What's wrong, is everything all right?".

"Well... yes and no", Bonnibel replied, half-heartedly. "You see... I was working on a new invention. Since I hadn't done anything scientific in a long time, I wanted to see if I still had the spark. And... It turns out that Marceline offered to do a test and now...".

"Is Marcy okay? Did something happen to her?!", bellowed Simon, being instantly abandoned by sleep, which was replaced by worry.

"No, no, no!" insisted Bonnibel. "I mean... yes, she's fine, just a little... changed."

Simon could almost hear Bonnibel blush.

"Listen, I know it's late, but can you come over? It's better if you see for yourself. Maybe she'll let you approach her."

Simon decided not to ask what she meant by that last. His mind was working nonstop. What had happened to Marceline? Had Bonnibel's experiment hurt her or affected her mind? What if it had transformed her into a horrible looking monster? Would she remember him?

Finding transportation was not difficult. Flying boats down into the forest and traveling between realms were available at all hours. Simon didn't like heights, but this was an emergency. Later there would be time to complain about nausea.

"Hey, can you wait here? I won't be long."

The boy shrugged, though his expression was the same.

"Thanks... I guess."

Simon walked deeper into the cave and arrived at Marceline's lair, now shared with Bonnibel. He knocked on the door countless times until Bonnibel opened, looking extremely shocked.

"Simon, thank you for coming," she said, resting her hands on the older man's shoulders. "I'm sorry for making you leave your house so late."

"Not at all. Don't apologize. I was worried when you called me."

Bonnibel stepped aside to let him pass and Simon scanned the living room and looked into the kitchen. There was no sign of Marceline.

"What happened, Bonnie?"

Embarrassed, the young woman looked down and her cheeks took on a darker shade of pink.

"As I told you, I was working on a new project, completely harmless," she assured him. "It involves a gun-shaped device that would add and remove tattoos from the body and grow or shorten hair."

Simon frowned and looked to the side.

"Does that have anything to do with the time you wanted to get a tattoo and your skin ruined a machine and Marceline's skin regenerated?", he probed.

"I know it sounds kind of ridiculous, but we really wanted a tattoo and the hair thing was more to add complexity", she explained, smiling awkwardly.  "Anyway. I asked Marceline if she wanted to try it first and she agreed. I pointed to her back, where she had wanted to get the tattoo the first time and...".

"And...", Simon exclaimed, encouraging her to continue.

"You'd better see for yourself," Bonnibel concluded, pointing to the stairs that led to the bedroom. "She's upstairs, but she didn't want me to be with her."

"And you think she'll want me to be?", questioned Simon, doubtfully.

"You know how to comfort people better than I do", Bonnibel muttered.

Simon sighed and climbed the stairs, unsure if he wanted to see what was up there. The light was on and the only sound he heard was that of a pencil tracing shapes on a sheet of paper. He peeked out from the bottom steps and didn't see Marceline in the center of the room. He thought she might be hiding in the closet, but the door was open and he saw no shadow. Ruled out.

As he finished climbing up and stood, Simon noticed a tangle of jet black hair on the other side of the bed. He craned his neck and saw a little girl sitting on the floor, a sheet of paper on the floor and a black pencil in her hand, drawing.

"Marcy?", he asked, puzzled.

Marceline turned and Simon came upon the same innocent face he remembered from his last years of sanity before he became the Ice King. Her clothes had changed as well. She wore a red dress with short sleeves and a pair of flowers baked on the front of the shoulders, as well as four small ones in random parts on the skirt. She was wearing black sandal-like shoes and a red bracelet on her right wrist.

Simon was so shocked that he could barely react when the previously very serious and suspicious girl grinned from ear to ear and stood up.

"Simon!", she cried, excitedly. She jumped onto the bed and from there, into her mentor's arms.

Simon received her, still surprised, while Marceline was still laughing animatedly and hugging his neck.

"I'm so happy you're back!", laughed Marceline, wiggling in Simon's arms in excitement.

"But... You... I...", Simon tried to say, not knowing how to continue.

"Simon, what happened?", asked Bonnibel, peeking through the gap in the room.

Marceline turned at the sound of Bonnibel's voice and her smile was immediately wiped away. After giving her a distrustful look, the girl hugged Simon's neck again, facing the other way.

"She must remember moments from her childhood when she was with you, but her adult side may be repressed by the resounding change," Bonnibel theorized.
 
"She didn't recognize you after you tried the artifact?", asked Simon, resting a hand on Marceline's back to better support her.

"No. She started asking who I was and where she was", Bonnibel replied, chagrined. "But then she started asking about you and if you still had... you know what."

Simon gasped under his breath. If that was so, Marceline must have gone back seven years and, from what Bonnibel was saying, to the time when the War had passed.

But if that was so, how could she recognize him if his appearance was so different from what he had when he found her in the rubble of the city? His skin and hair were totally different, but Marceline didn't hesitate to jump on him as soon as she saw him.

"Maybe she just... knew", Simon mentioned, making Marceline bounce slightly.

"Maybe", Bonnibel concurred, not quite sure.

Marceline turned away from Simon and, glancing sideways at Bonnibel, spoke again.

"I want to leave", she exclaimed, half demanding, half asking.

Simon shot a glance at Bonnibel and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I think it will be for the best", she concluded, despondently. "It may take me a few days to fix my invention and I don't think it would be good for Marceline to be with the one she 'doesn't know'."

"Oh. Sure," Simon whispered, understanding Bonnie's sentiment. "Hey, but come over early, if you want. Maybe Marcy will remember details if she sees you and talks to you."

That seemed to cheer Bonnibel up.

"Good. I'll get to work for now. You'll take her home?"

"Yes", Simon agreed, immediately. "Her clothes and things...".

"I've taken care of it!", declared Bonnibel, proudly. She ran to the closet and pulled out a small bag. "It has some clothes in it and a small guitar. You know, for her to entertain herself from time to time."

"Why did you have a conveniently prepared bag?", asked Simon.

"She didn't want me around, so I put this together, shrunk it down and then went out."

Simon spared comment regarding that.

"Okay, Marcy," Simon began, pulling her aside slightly to look her in the eye, "how about we go to my place and let Bonnibel work?".

Marceline nodded, enthusiastically. Simon took the bag and motioned for the girl to come downstairs. At the front door, Simon stood for a moment with Bonnibel and Marceline hugged one of his legs.

"Thank you for doing this, Simon", Bonnibel said, relieved. "I don't know too much about babysitting and if she doesn't want me around...".

"Don't worry, Bonnie. This will be fixed and you'll get back together," Simon assured her.

"Call me if you need help."

"Come on, Marcy," Simon said as Bonnibel closed the door. "A flying boat is waiting for us."

"A flying boat?!" the girl shouted, her eyes sparkling.

Indeed, the boat was still there and the boy was whistling calmly, as if it hadn't been a long while since Simon left. They both got in and Simon asked him to take them back to Up-Ton. During the ride, Marceline was impressed. She got so close to the edge to see how high they were that Simon felt his heart leap into his throat.

They arrived, got off and Marceline took Simon's hand and they walked.

"Simon."

"Yes, Marcy?".

"That girl in pink... Was she your friend?", she asked, earnestly.

Simon pursed his lips, uncomfortably.

"Hm... Yes, she is", he replied. "Lately, we haven't talked too much, but we have history".

Although I don't know if a very good one, he avoided adding.

"I understand...," Marceline replied, hesitantly.

"Come on, honey. My house isn't far."

A few of Simon's acquaintances passed him on the walk and stopped to say hello. Simon did not have long, flowing conversations with the other inhabitants, but he was always friendly to those who wished to converse with him. Ever since his return from the other worlds that citizens had a friendly demeanor with him, happily greeting him and a couple asked him when they could stop by his showplace. Whenever someone stopped them, Marceline remained hidden behind Simon, eyeing the strangers with suspicion and minimal hostility.

Finally, they arrived at the house. Marceline was tired, rubbing her eyes with her free hand and struggling to stifle a yawn.

"Don't worry, child. We're already here", Simon warned.

They went inside and Simon set the bag down near the door.

It was his turn to be babysitter and surrogate father again.

What was the worst that could happen?

Chapter Text

Simon slept on the uncomfortable couch in his living room, covered with a blanket and with a sore neck from the hard cushion. The night before, when they arrived, Marceline was practically sleep walking, so Simon put down the bag and picked her up to put her to bed. Marceline barely protested her temporary guardian's action and as soon as she leaned against Simon's shoulder, she fell asleep. Well, one night sleeping without pajamas wouldn't hurt her. He laid her down on his bed, removed her sandals and tucked her in. Marceline lay on her side, her back to him.

Simon had left the room quietly, hoping not to make a sound as he tidied up the dining room and made his way to the couch. He didn't want Marcy to wake up the next day and find him sleeping in the same bed.

It took him half an hour to manage to fall asleep. Lying down for therapy sessions for an hour wasn't that uncomfortable for him, especially considering he kept himself distracted by talking to Minerva, but it had never occurred to him to sleep a whole night there.

At dawn, despite the drowsiness of being newly awake, Simon had the feeling that he was being watched from very close by. He heavily brought a hand to his face and rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up. He half-opened his eyes and came upon Marceline, lying on the back of the sofa, staring at him.

Simon stifled a scream and rolled over until he fell off the couch.

"Simon, are you okay?", asked Marceline, concerned, climbing down from the backrest onto the cushions.

"Yeah, yeah... My body dealt with worse," Simon mentioned, rubbing his head.

"Sorry if I scared you, I didn't mean to wake you," Marceline said, smiling sheepishly.

"It's okay, Marcy, I still had to get up," Simon replied, smiling affably at her. Marceline showed her teeth and the old man noticed that, except for the typical vampire fangs, the rest of her teeth looked normal.

Simon wondered if her other powers were intact or if with the age regression things like levitation, the need to suck blood or red things and hypersensitivity to the sun were also nullified. He forgot to ask Bonnibel.

If not, could they go out together and walk around town? Or was he supposed to get an umbrella so Marceline could be outdoors without getting hurt? Would she understand that? Or in her latent part of memories wasn't the one of her being the vampire queen? That last one made sense.

A growl brought him out of his thoughts. Simon turned to Marceline, who was still kneeling on the couch, and realized the sound was coming from her stomach.

"Do you want breakfast?", offered Simon.

"Okay. What do you have to eat?".

Simon got up from the floor and checked his cupboards. There wasn't too much: a few packets of flour, unsweetened cereal, cans of tomatoes and bottles of water. He would remember to keep them in the fridge later. He checked his fridge and found milk, vegetables, diet soda and more water. Behind everything inside the fridge, Simon spotted a one-liter bottle of tequila, half of the contents of which were missing. Distressed, he closed the door, not wanting Marcy to see what he kept, and reviewed his options.

The ones he had were not things a little girl could like and, remembering the Marcy he cared for after finding her in the rubble, Simon was sure that nothing he had would please her.

Time to try something else.

"Hey, Marcy, what do you say we change our clothes and go out for breakfast in town?"

"Sounds perfect to me!" she celebrated.

Simon handed her some of the clothes Bonnibel had given him and told her to change in his room. He would do it after her.

While Marceline was in the room, Simon remembered the conundrum of whether the sun should not touch her skin. Simon knew what solar radiation did to vampires' skin and the agonizing pain that coursed through the nerves every time the light touched them. Simon couldn't imagine his little Marcy under the sunlight being slowly and agonizingly disintegrated.

The problem was that he had already told the girl that they were going out and Marceline was not a person who could tolerate being locked up for so long, unless there was a good reason.

Simon thought it best to be cautious and see if Marceline could get out without too much trouble or if they were going to have to find a way to get her out of the house without the sunlight hurting her.

Five minutes passed and Marceline came out of the room wearing dark blue jeans, a brown sweater and sneakers.

Simon had a feeling he had seen her in a similar outfit centuries ago, but he had a little trouble remembering.

He took five minutes to look for other clothes and once he was changed, he opened the door and stopped Marceline before she came out.

"Marcy", he began, dropping to one knee to be at her height, "do you think you can walk safely in the sunlight?", he asked.

Marceline laughed.

"Why couldn't I, Simon?", she exclaimed. Simon wondered how she could not remember that. It made a certain amount of sense. After all, the two of them survived together for days and the sun didn't affect Marceline until later.

"It's just that...".

Simon thought what other way was there to explain to her why he was afraid. If Marceline barely had any memories of their days together once the War was past, Simon theorized that, on a physical level, her powers were gone, so exposing herself to the light and relying on blood or souls to survive shouldn't be a hindrance.

"You see, Marcy, there are many children who are affected by the sun more than others", he explained, hoping to sound convincing and trying not to see in his mind's eye the expression Bonnibel would make. "In those cases, they may need special protection".

"Oh... I understand", Marceline replied, thoughtfully. "I could move my hand closer to the light and see if anything happens", she arranged.

"O-okay", Simon agreed, uneasily.

Marceline stepped in front of Simon and held out her hand to let it into the sunlight. Simon stood a short distance away from her with his arms slightly raised, ready to grab and pull her if necessary.

However, the light did nothing to Marceline's skin and she found herself laughing as she saw that she wasn't 'sensitive'.

"Look, Simon! It didn't do anything to me", she celebrated, showing him the hand she had exposed. "It didn't even burn me."

Simon sighed, relieved. One less worry for now.

"Where would you like to go?", asked Simon, closing the shutter of his house.

"I don't know", Marceline replied. "Where do they make good breakfasts?".

Simon laughed and took the girl's hand.

"Come on, let's walk while we decide which place to choose".

Marceline agreed. Walking hand in hand with Simon, the girl took in the surrounding environment. To her eyes, nothing was like what she remembered, with buildings collapsed by an explosion, people disfigured by radiation, nor desolation of any kind. In this city, people lived happily, going in and out of stores she didn't remember seeing before, parent and child couples running happily, couples embracing or lonely people chatting with whoever they passed along the way. Little Marcy watched the other children and wondered where they had been before. She had no recollection of seeing children their age before or going to places where there were parents with children.

Marceline had no memories of such a populated environment, but of a solitary environment in which she had to move carefully.

"Simon, where did these people come from?", she asked, curious.

"What?", muttered Simon, surprised by the question.

"I don't remember seeing this place before", Marceline replied, observing a mom with her young daughter, who was wearing a hat with bunny ears.

"Well", Simon began, searching for the best words to explain, "a lot of changes have occurred since then and a bunch of people we thought were missing have found a safe place to live."

"What kind of changes?", insisted Marceline, squeezing Simon's hand.

"Like... Technology, jobs and... Ah! Even the places where children play".

"Really?", asked Marceline, interested.

"Of course. If you want, we can go after we get something to eat", proposed Simon, calmer for managing to evade the other issue.

"Great!".

Arriving at the Café, Marceline's eyes sparkled at the sight of the place. Up-Ton stood out as a place, literally, lit up. Since arriving with Simon on the first day, Marceline had been amazed seeing the lights and the stores, as none of them were without good lighting. The coffee shop had white lights that contrasted with the dark walls and tables, giving a not-so-blinding image. There were people sitting at the bar and a couple of families at the tables, chatting animatedly, and two people at different tables, clearly enjoying the solitude with a book (in the case of the first person they saw) and looking out the window (for the one who managed to get a table by the window).

Even though it was early and there was mobilization on the street, there were not as many people as Simon thought.

They approached the counter and were served by a pleasant young woman with red hair.

"Good morning, Simon! It's good to see you around", the woman smiled kindly.

"Same here, Molly", Simon replied.

"Do you want your usual?", Molly asked. She tapped the screen in front of her, ready to send the order to the kitchen.

"Yes, please. Marcy, what would you like to eat or drink?", asked Simon.

Molly leaned over the counter and noticed the girl's presence.

"Oh, dear. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there, little one", Molly said, embarrassed.

"It's okay," Marcy said, quietly. "Simon, I don't see the menu", she protested, standing on her tiptoes.

Simon took her in his arms and Marceline went over the options several times, undecided.

Finally, she opted for hot chocolate and a large vanilla muffin.

Molly told them to take a seat while their orders were prepared. Simon thanked her and chose a table not too far from the counter.

"What do you always order, Simon?" asked Marceline.

"I don't think it's to your liking," he replied. "A strong coffee and some toast with jam. I don't eat too much in the morning."

"How boring is that. Do you at least put sugar in your coffee?".

"Nope. I eat enough sugar with jam."

"My mom didn't like sugar in her coffee either, only in her tea," Marceline mentioned, her eyes wandering. "Sometimes she wouldn't let me use much in tea or chocolate either. She said it was bad for my health."

Simon tensed his body to keep from leaning back. The memories Bonnibel mentioned could manifest themselves when he least expected them. When he had known her as a child (centuries ago), Marceline had not spoken to him in detail about her mother, but expressed how upset and stunned she was that she had left her. As an adult, after years and years of living with wrong thinking, Marceline explained to him what happened to the poor woman; Simon wondered if it would be wise of him to tell her.

But if he was talking about her birth mother, he would also have to talk about Hunson Abadeer.

Gosh, what was I thinking when I summoned him to take care of her?, Simon thought, rolling his eyes.

"Simon, where shall we go next?" asked Marceline, regaining her childish tone. "I want to know more of this world!".

Simon nodded. At the same moment, Molly brought the tray with their orders, Simon thanked her kindly and she left after giving him a smile.

“I want to drink some coffee,” Marceline said, as Simon put his cup on the table.

“Okay, but I don't think you'll like it.”

Simon handed the cup to the girl and she sniffed the contents, frowning at how strong the aroma was. Slowly, she took a sip and her expression wrinkled further.

“How ugly is this!”, she complained, handing the cup back to Simon. She took her chocolate and drank as much as she could to get rid of the bitter taste.

“I told you so,” Simon laughed.

"Forget it. I prefer candy. They taste better.”

Candy…

“Marcy, what do you say we go to the Candy Kingdom?”

Maybe it was the opportunity to offer his little girl a normal childhood, at least temporarily.

Chapter Text

"Marcy, not so fast!".

Marceline walked (or trotted) ahead of Simon, marveling at the Caramel Kingdom. The locals were nothing like the snotty monsters she and Simon encountered in the remains of the city. Everyone there was colorful and cheerful. Marceline's eyes had never sparkled so brightly. Even the air felt, literally, sweet. Some of the inhabitants were oddly shaped, especially those who were soft-sweet, but others, who had heads shaped like cups and bowls, caught her attention and made her laugh slyly.

She stood in front of the entrance to the castle. Its vastness made her feel smaller than she currently was.

"It's so pretty here!", declared Marceline, watching the children play.

"Yes, it is, sweetheart", Simon nodded, staying at her side. "Would you like to walk around here? Then we can see the fountain."

"Great!".

Simon and Marcy walked through the streets of the Candy Kingdom. The little girl was in awe of every thing she saw. Simon hadn't lied: anyone who went in there sure wouldn't want to come out afterward. The stores caught her attention, but not enough to enter. 

The only times she grimaced wasn't because she was cloying at the endless things made of chocolate, seeing her bread lord tear off a piece to throw crumbs at some birds, or seeing some knick-knack she didn't like; her grimaces and grimaces were because she saw some couples kissing and treating each other too affectionately for her liking.

"Eww! Gross. I hope it doesn't come to that", she mentioned, averting her gaze from where two sweeties were canoodling.

"True, they could avoid doing it on the street", Simon agreed, "but that doesn't mean you'll never meet someone".

"No way! Kissing grosses me out".

Simon laughed and then was thankful Bonnibel wasn't around to hear her.

"You're still too young", he pointed out.

Marceline glanced at another couple holding hands and her gesture relaxed. She didn't like public displays of love, to be sure, but there was something about the innocent gesture that made her arch her eyebrows with a hint of interest.

She and Simon ended up circling the castle and sat in a hanging chair, tied to a pink tree.

"People here really like pink", Marceline commented. "Do you come here often?"

"Lately, not very much. Most of the time I'm at home and work," Simon replied, looking up at the clear sky. "But I take advantage of the times I do to clear my head as much as I can."

"It looks like a nice place to spend the afternoon," said Marceline, watching the children play with a ball.

"It is," reaffirmed Simon, looking at the same thing she did. "Why don't you play with the other kids? I'll be right here."

Marceline nodded, hopped off and walked over to the children. It was her turn to meet a friendly group, as they themselves asked if she wanted to play.

Simon watched her every step of the way, wanting to make sure the game was going well. For a girl who ended up amidst the disaster of war and living for a few years with a man who found her alone, Marceline was not shy or wary of the other little ones, but managed to blend in and fit in.

"So what the Princess told me is true," said a thick voice beside her.

Simon turned and bumped into his good friend: tall, stocky and with a long beard that reminded him of the one he had as King Ice Cream in blonde, Finn was watching the kids; or, specifically, Marceline, who was practicing passes with the ball.

"Oh, hello, Finn. I didn't know you'd be here."

"I wasn't planning on coming," Finn admitted, sitting down next to Simon. "Let's just say the Huntress Wizard had other business to attend to. We arranged to go out in the evening."

"That easy?"

"I still value my solo adventures," Finn boasted, slapping him hard on the back. "Anyway, what happened with Marcy?".

"Bonnibel didn't tell you why she went back to being a girl?", asked Simon, quizzical.

"Not in detail. She mentioned something about one of her crazy inventions and then she said Marceline was with you."

Simon briefly explained the age thing and that her memories seemed to have been altered, mentioning that Marceline remembered moments of the War and of her birth mother, and he added a few details that the girl remembered.

"That's crazy," was the first thing Finn said. "Did she adjust well?".

Simon thought about it for a few seconds.

"Actually, since you mention it, she's been pretty quiet," Simon replied. "Right now she is."

Finn looked at Marceline and found himself smiling.

"I only saw her as a little girl once, when Jake and I went into her memories," he recounted, cheerfully. "Despite being in the middle of a shattered world, she found a moment to play and behave like a child."

Simon was puzzled.

"You guys got inside her head?", he murmured.

"Long story," Finn said, waving his hand dismissively. "Her ex-boyfriend was a jerk who wanted to be with her again, so he made us steal the memory of the breakup. In one of those memories we saw her as a little girl, she was playing with that teddy bear you gave her."

"Hambo," Simon recalled, fists clenched. Marceline told him about that fool, but she never mentioned such an aberrant act of manipulation.

Simon felt more like punching that guy in the face.

Abruptly, his posture relaxed and he leaned forward, looking dejected.

"Now I feel guilty for sacrificing her favorite toy."

"Oh, buddy, don't feel bad," Finn said, shaking him roughly against his side. "Marcy would have given anything for you, even her own bass."

That's the most painful thing, Simon thought, loosening Finn's grip on his neck.

"What will you do with Marcy in the meantime?", asked Finn, curious.

"Take care of her and wait for Bonnibel to fix her invention. In the meantime, I'll make Marcy have a normal childhood."

Finn let out a booming laugh.

"I can see why she wanted you for a father."

Simon wriggled out of Finn's grip and, thinking about his words, looked back at Marceline. She and the other children were playing catch. Some were helping her with special skills to dodge whoever the seeker was and she was laughing out loud. His expression relaxed and an affectionate smile tugged at his lips. It was like when it was just the two of them in the middle of the ruins. Simon was making as sure as he could that Marceline wasn't living the day solely with destruction all around her, playing with her at whatever it was, making her laugh and showing her that all was not lost. His first gesture of optimism and improvement was to have given Hambo to her. Simon didn't expect to see her get attached to the stuffed animal so soon, but that was enough for the man to decide not to let anyone or anything destroy the childlike attitude that still remained in the Marceline of that time.

Those were the years Simon remembered most from his struggle against the power of the crown. He was sure that, had he continued alone, his willpower would have been overshadowed by the crown's dominance over his mind.

"I made mistakes, too many, and among them was not giving her the place she deserved when I returned," Simon exclaimed, sadly. "I feel this is a new opportunity."

"For who?"

"For both of us."

Finn smiled, proudly.

"I'm glad to hear that, Simon. Looks like you found another motivation to come and not go to the tavern."

Simon shuddered. As usual, Finn had a great ability to point out facts about people without realizing the impact he could generate. Truth be told, since his affair with Fionna and Cake that he had no desire to visit the tavern or drink at home in complete solitude. Yes, he kept the half-empty bottle of tequila, but it had been weeks since he had drunk alcohol. He was too busy and, honestly, he didn't want to.

"I don't feel like drinking," he assured him.

"And of having another affair with me?", asked Finn, mockingly.

"I'll pass, thank you. I'm too old to die."

"Admit it motivated you to move on," Finn insisted, giving him a friendly nudge.

"It was one part," Simon agreed, half-heartedly.

"That's good enough for me. I love to help."

Marceline came trotting in. Her face was streaked with dirt, as were her clothes. Seeing Finn, she walked over to Simon and leaned against his knee.

"Hello, Marcy," Finn greeted her, casually.

Wary, Marceline looked at Simon.

"It's all right, Marcy. He's a friend of mine, Finn."

"Where's he from?", murmured Marceline, not letting go of Simon's leg.

Seeing the suspicious expression of the girl who 'in the future' would be his friend, Finn sank a knee to the ground so as not to look so imposing in front of her.

"I'm an adventurer, Marceline," he explained to her. "I go from place to place discovering places and fighting dangerous creatures."

"You go on adventures?", inquired Marceline, interested, detaching herself from Simon. "Where do you explore?".

"Everywhere! Mostly, I go to the forest, to visit the Huntress Wizard, and when I go deep, I fight any beast that tries to attack me."

"Unbelievable, nothing should scare you!".

"Fear is the choice I never take!".

Simon put his hands on Marceline's shoulders and just at that instant, she noticed Finn's tattoo.

"Who's the dog on your chest? Is it yours?".

Finn continued to smile at her, but Simon noticed the shadow of regret that covered his gaze.

"Yes, he's my best friend," Finn said, running his fingertips over the tattoo. "Or he was. He's not here anymore, he was too old."

"Oh...," Marceline murmured, taking a step back. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Marcy. It's about life. I know one day I'll see him again."

Marceline looked to Simon for help and the older man stood up, not letting go of her.

"Finn, we'll take a ride. Would you like to join us?", he offered, kindly.

Finn jumped to his feet, suddenly animated.

"Nah. I appreciate it, Simon, but I'll go climb up and see if I can find the Huntress Wizard first. Hope to see you more often! Call me if you need help!".

Finn ran off, shouting about a new adventure.

Simon sighed. Finn still didn't want to talk about the toll Jake's departure took on his life. It wasn't strange that if his friend's name was mentioned, he wanted to stay away until he forgot the sadness. 

"Come on, Marcy."

Marceline, holding Simon's hand, watched the way Finn ran off and a pang of guilt shot through her chest.

"Simon, did I say something wrong?", she asked softly. "Did I make your friend feel bad by talking about his dog?"

Simon stopped and led them to the side of an establishment, not realizing what the place was. He crouched down again to be level with the girl.

"Marcy, you didn't say anything wrong. Finn remembered the friend he misses immensely and nostalgia did its work."

"But he wouldn't have if I hadn't asked him," Marceline pointed out, rubbing one of her arms. "I didn't think his friend...".

Marceline looked away, overwhelmed.

"Honey," Simon continued, holding her by the shoulders gently, "what happened with Finn's friend was inevitable, what happens to a lot of people. And yes, it's a difficult subject to deal with, but it's part of life. The sooner someone understands, maybe they can accept it, process their grief in a healthy way and talk about it when they feel they can. Finn can't do that yet because the pain is so great."

"Did you go through that, Simon?", the girl asked, and realizing it, blushed furiously. "I'm sorry, I did it again!", she bellowed, covering her eyes, embarrassed.

"Marcy, Marcy," he uttered, hugging her. "It's okay, you don't have to apologize."

Marceline hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder, and Simon stood up with her in his arms.

"Why don't we go to the castle and see if the Princess is there? I'm sure she'll want to see you".

"Why?".

"She gets happy to receive guests".

Before they could walk away, the tavern keeper took out the trash and spotted his old customer.

"Hey, Simon. Come for a drink? You haven't seen me again. I've been lonely," he joked cheerfully.

Simon stiffened. Why did Dirt Beer Guy have to walk through the door at that precise moment? Couldn't he have done it a minute later?

"Uh... yeah, sorry, DBG. I haven't been... coming to the kingdom," Simon replied, not wanting to use the word 'drink' in front of Marceline.

"Would you like me to fix you your drink?". Then, he noticed Marceline. "Are you babysitting?"

Simon heard a giggle from Marceline and he rolled his eyes.

"It's complicated," was his only response. "I'm sorry, DBG. Maybe another day."

"Okay."

Simon walked away from the tavern and Marceline spoke again.

"You could get a job babysitting. You're sure to get some good recognition."

The old man snorted and rested his hand on Marceline's side.

"Don't you dare tease too," he warned, twitching his fingers over the girl's ribs.

Marceline let out a squeak, though she didn't try to push Simon's hand away, but hugged him tighter.

The good thing for Simon was that Marceline forgot her earlier grief.

It remained to be seen how she would react to seeing Bonnibel again.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

"What do you mean I can't take her?", asked Simon, on the phone.

Marceline was in the room, watching TV and hugging Hambo. Simon took the opportunity to take a call from someone offering a good place to rent within Up-Ton, but with certain conditions. Obviously, Simon didn't expect one of them to be the 'No Kids' rule. He explained in many ways that he didn't live with children, but was taking care of a little girl temporarily, but the owner of the place was adamant and said he wouldn't make an exception or anything like that. Simon didn't like it, but he was the first one to call him about his rental application, so he couldn't turn it down without even having seen the complex where, possibly, he would be staying.

Resigned, Simon knew he had to get someone to watch Marceline for an hour while he went to check out the place. He tried calling Bonnibel, but it went straight to voicemail and Simon didn't know anyone he could completely trust to watch Marcy for a while.

Until the light bulb went off. Simon told himself that it might be his best option. It would only be an hour and, if he was right, Marceline would be kept entertained while he was gone.

All that was left was to pray they didn't do anything crazy.

He dialed the number on his cell phone and waited.

"Finn speaking, the human!", he announced, elated as always.

"Finn! It's good to hear from you", Simon said, serenely.

"Hi, Simon! What's up, are you ready for another adventure?".

Simon smiled, though he wasn't sure if Finn's words were genuine or not.

"Actually, Finn, I was calling to ask you a small favor. I hope I'm not being inappropriate".

"Not at all, buddy! You know I'm available to help", Finn assured and Simon could only imagine him with a big smile on his lips. "Tell me what you need me for."

"You see, I have to run an errand, but I can't take Marcy with me and I don't think this is something I can put off, so...".

"Of course I'll look after her for you!", bellowed Finn, before Simon could finish.

"Really, you can do that?".

"Sure. I'll be there in ten minutes."

How apt, Simon thought, hanging up the call.

It remained to tell Marceline that he would be gone for a while.

Simon went to his room and saw the girl sitting at the foot of the bed, with Hambo on her lap. He was to explain to her why he needed her to stay with Finn for an hour or so.

"Marcy", he began, sitting down beside her. Marceline shifted to make room for him and turned to him. "I have an important thing to do and I need to leave for a while."

"I understand. Now where shall we go?".

"Actually, honey, I have to go alone", he announced, scratching the back of his neck.

The girl's expression changed, making her displeasure very clear.

"Why can't I go with you?", she asked, disgusted.

I'd like to understand too, Simon thought, holding back the urge to roll his eyes.

"Believe me, I want to take you, but they wouldn't let me", Simon admitted. "I'll just leave for an hour and come back. After that, if you want, we can continue touring the city."

Marceline didn't look pleased, but, fortunately, she didn't argue as Simon thought would happen.

"Will I stay here?", she questioned, frowning.

"Not necessarily. I called Finn to ask if he could stay with you until I get back", Simon said.

"The adventurer?", asked Marceline, arching her eyebrows. "I guess that's okay", she agreed, thoughtfully.

"Me too", Simon agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Marceline dropped back against his side. "If you two go out, I think it would be best if you left Hambo here, so you won't lose it or it will not break."

"Right", she nodded, leaving it lying on the bed. "Where will you go, Simon?".

"Oh... Hmm... I have to go check out a new place of work. I'll just check out what it's like and if it's good for me", he explained briefly. "I have no guarantee of anything, but I won't know until I see it".

"If you end up agreeing, could I go with you?".

"... I'll try to make it happen", he promised.

Simon hoped that by the time it came time for a move, Marceline would be back to being an adult. If there was one place that said 'No Children', nothing took away that there would be more. An ironic rule considering that in Up-Ton many people had young children. He didn't know if Astrid and her parents resided in a house or an apartment; if he found out, he would ask them where, so he could get an idea.

"Simon!", shouted Finn's unmistakable voice from the doorway.

"Come along, Marcy. That's Finn."

They both went to the entrance and saw Finn, standing with his typical heroic man pose.

"Thanks for doing this, Finn", Simon exclaimed, putting a hand on Marceline's head as she held his leg and hid slightly behind him.

"You're welcome, Simon. I said to call me if you needed help, and I stand by my words".

Marceline glanced at Simon and a hint of distrust did not go unnoticed by the older man.

"It won't be long", Simon exclaimed; he wasn't sure if he said it to Marceline or to himself.

Seeing Marceline's wariness, Finn dropped a knee to the ground and smiled amicably.

"Marceline, would you like to accompany me to one of the places I usually go before venturing out?", the blond offered. "If Simon agrees."

"May I come, Simon?", asked Marceline, forgetting her earlier distrust.

"I hope that place doesn't include deep in the woods", Simon said, more serious than Finn ever saw him.

"Of course it doesn't. It's just the entrance", Finn assured him, unconcerned. "What do you say, Marcy, shall we go for a ride?".

"Sounds good to me!", she agreed, peeling away from Simon.

"I may be back in an hour. Until then, be careful. Finn, call me if anything happens."

Simon left on his side. Before he left, Marceline went back inside and reached for her bass. Finn closed the shutter on the place and they left.

Finn and Marceline waited for one of the flying boats to go to the mainland.

"Did Simon tell you that he and I already visited the heart of the forest?", asked Finn, as they descended.

"No, he didn't tell me anything about that!" replied Marceline, looking at Finn with interest.

"Yes! We met by chance and he was a bit down, so I decided to take him on an adventure to make him feel cheerful again", recounted Finn, proudly. "It can't be much different from what you two were doing in the city before, can it?

"I don't know if Simon would count that as an adventure, but yes, you could say that", Marceline replied. "Most of the time we were running from those mutants and Simon was taking them on with... help from the crown", she mentioned, and Finn noticed that her tone became more serious.

"Yes, I knew something, but he doesn't need that crown anymore", he exclaimed, seeking to throw her off. "I don't think he'd even need a power to beat anyone."

They reached dry land and got off.

Marceline knelt by the stream and rested her fingertips, allowing the current to gently push them along.

"Does this place inspire you to play, Marcy?", asked Finn, staying beside her.

"A little, but I'm not quite sure yet", she replied, tuning the bass strings.

"Do you want to walk this way? That way we'd get away from the entrance to the forest".

"Can't we really get closer to look?", inquired Marceline, looking curiously at the path that led into the heart of the forest.

"I'm sorry, Marcy, but I'd rather save myself from seeing Simon upset," Finn said. "Come, let's explore this way."

They walked beside the stream with a desire to know how far they could get beyond Up-Ton. Marceline carried her undersized bass and played light notes with each step, while Finn improvised funny songs with everything he saw around him, the creatures that crossed the path, the odd fish that jumped in the water and so on. The trees kept much of the morning sun from hitting their heads. Marceline commented that it was the good thing about that area, as she remembered Simon's words about the children's sensitivity.

The sunlight was beginning to reflect off the water, creating an effect that Marceline found beautiful. She was encouraged to play high notes and Finn began to improvise a rap; Marceline laughed and told him that this style did not go with his music. Finn teased amicably saying "Who decided that?". During the walk, Marceline had to jog a couple of times to catch up with Finn, who forgot that the girl had short legs and, being that she had no powers, she couldn't fly at the moment or move very fast. On the third, Finn asked her:

"Would you like to ride on my shoulders? It would be easier and I wouldn't lose you".

"Yes, I like that idea!".

Finn lifted her up and sat her on his shoulders. Marceline held her bass better so it wouldn't hit the blond's head and continued playing.

After walking for about five minutes, they ended up next to a tree with a peculiar shape, different from the rest that surrounded them. It was on a small mound and on its branches hung fruits that Marceline described as 'little planets Earth'. The shade it generated and the fresh air that flowed through it convinced them to sit against the trunk.

"Do you think those fruits can be eaten?", asked Marceline.

"If I were you, I'd avoid it, just in case", Finn replied. "Since we stopped, why don't you play a song, Marcy? I'd like to hear you".

"O-okay", she agreed, smiling somewhat sheepishly. "Just wait until I decide which song I'll play."

Marceline concentrated on finding a song that would fit a specific moment. Simon usually did that when he sang one of those rare songs he made up or remembered from an author. For Marceline, the songs Simon chose had a context behind them. The phrases that resonated most in her head were: "Taking a break from all your worries, it sure would help a lot" and "Wouldn't it be nice to get away? Where everyone knows your name." In a world fraught with destruction, Marceline imagined what it would be like to find a nice place where she had friends and there were normal people, like Up-Ton and the Candy Kingdom.

"I think I already have an idea", she declared.

"I hear!", said Finn, pleased.

Marceline cleared her throat and began to play soft chords, generating music laden with easily identifiable emotionality and nostalgia.

I'm not afraid
Of anything in this world
There's nothing you can throw at me
That I haven't already heard

Finn slowed his smile and his gaze was lost in the water of the stream, which was still running in Up-Ton's direction. Marceline's voice sounded similar to what he remembered of her adult singing voice. She knew how to convey the emotion she wanted.

I'm just trying to find
A decent melody
A song that I can sing
In my own company

I never thought you were a fool
But darling look at you
You gotta stand up straight
And carry your own weight
These tears are going nowhere, babe

Marceline kept her eyes on the grass and noticing out of the corner of her eye that Finn's posture was going from holding steady to slumping a bit, as if his muscles were starting to run out of strength.

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
Now you can't get out of it

Oh love, look at you now
You've got yourself stuck in a moment
Now you can't get out of it

Marceline finished with the last notes and turned to Finn. His expression had changed. The youthful, mischief-laden gleam was gone from his eyes.

"It's a very meaningful song", Finn said, in a quiet voice. "How did you come up with it?".

"Well..., I don't really know", Marceline replied, playing a few notes at random. "I never told him, but I used to think that way about Simon, when all he wanted was to find his fiancée. Once I almost asked him why he was so insistent on finding a person who was gone, but I didn't, I thought it would be rude and insensitive of me."

"Wow...", Finn mused, shocked.

"I guess it was all because of how much he loved Betty," Marceline concluded. "Besides, it would be cheeky of me. Honestly, I felt the same way when my mom split up with me. Even after I found Simon, I kept wondering why she left without telling me."

Finn noticed that Marceline's voice had changed in tone. She sounded just like an adult and talked about things that affected her. Her voice was changing from teasing and childish to firm and with a deeper tone.

"I don't think your mother wanted to leave you just because", Finn exclaimed. "I mean...you said she healed you when you were hurt and helped you sleep when nightmares tormented you".

"That's why I have a hard time understanding it", she admitted, setting the bass aside.

Finn sighed.

"You know, sometimes, I feel the same way. I think 'What would Jake do right now?'. He always had an answer for everything and made me feel that no matter how difficult a situation was, it would all work out in the end."

"He sounds like someone cool", Marceline commented, looking at Finn's tattoo.

"He was", Finn said, nostalgically. "And with this tattoo, I feel like I carry him with me at all times, wherever I go".

Marceline, without much hesitation, moved to stand close to Finn and leaned against his side. Measuring his strength perfectly well, the adventurer put an arm around her and they both stood watching the stream.

"You sure are smart, Marcy", Finn commented. "Simon has always said so".

Marceline only smiled.

///

Marceline and Finn returned to Simon's house around noon. The antique dealer was already there, waiting for them. Seeing him, the girl trotted ahead of Finn to catch up with her mentor and hug his legs.

"Everything went well, Simon", Finn declared, arriving with them.

"Finn, I really appreciate it", Simon said, sighing.

"Don't thank me, buddy. We had a good time, we sang and Marcy played a nice song", the blond raved. Marceline blushed. "How did your errand go?".

"It could have gone better," Simon mumbled. "Marcy, go drop off your bass. We'll get something to eat and then do some shopping".

"All right!".

As she left, Simon turned to Finn.

"I went to look at a new place to live, but I wasn't convinced at all. Besides, the owner doesn't want kids living there", he commented, with rejection.

"At least you'll rule out one place", Finn commented, looking on the bright side of the situation. "Marcy sang a really nice song. You should listen to it later", Finn said, suggestively.

"I sure will", Simon affirmed. "Once again, thanks for watching her for a while, Finn. I owe you one".

"Don't mention it. I enjoyed spending time with her, it was almost like old times".

Chapter Text

Simon couldn't help but feel watched as he walked through the city with Marceline by the hand, heading to the store. His acquaintances continued to greet him along the way, and although they did not ask about Marceline's presence, Simon realized that they seemed surprised to see him still with the girl. If they thought he was still 'babysitter', they didn't tell him, which Simon was grateful for. Of course, he hoped it was that.

The man and the girl arrived at the grocery store and Marceline looked at the first aisles curiously, wondering which one would have candy or cookies. Simon took a cart and Marceline asked to go inside it.

“Okay, just be careful not to go over the edge”.

He picked up the girl and placed her in the cart. Marceline stood at the other end, looking down the halls.

“What do we need, Simon?”, she asked.

“We need more milk, rice, spaghetti and cereals with sugar. The only ones I have at home are sugar-free”, Simon mentioned, entering the aisle where the cereals were. “Do you like any type in particular?”, he asked.

“Hmm…”, Marceline thought about it as she looked at the boxes. There were many options and some more expensive than others. She looked at each package, tempted to grab the chocolate cereals, but they were a little more expensive than regular cereals.

Simon noticed that she seemed hesitant. Smiling, he walked over and ruffled her hair.

“Don't think about the price, Marcy. Choose the one you want”.

“Can we bring the chocolate cereal?”, she asked, a little shy.

“Surely”, Simon replied. He took the box and handed it to her. The girl took it and left it behind her.

They left that aisle and Simon took the cart with Marceline to the freezer section. He was wondering if he should buy some chicken too. Marceline wasn't a picky eater, so varying between carbohydrates and protein wouldn't prove to be a problem.

“Marcy, what do you say we bring chicken for the night? We can eat it with potatoes”, Simon offered.

“Yes, I would love to!”, Marceline smiled, almost drooling.

While Simon was choosing a tray of chicken, Marceline noticed a little girl who must have been her age looking intently at Simon. She recognized her as the girl she saw the first day she arrived with Simon at Up-Ton because of her hat with rabbit ears. She didn't notice Marceline's presence as she approached Simon.

“Hello, Simon!”, she greeted him, effusively.

“Oh. Hello, Astrid. How have you been?”, Simon asked kindly.

"Very good! I came with my mom, she is choosing the meat for tonight”, Astrid said, smiling excitedly. “I wanted to ask you when you're moving to open your new museum. I can't wait to find out more!”.

“Well, I haven't decided yet”, Simon replied, smiling awkwardly.

"Pity. Will you let me know when you do it?”.

“S-sure”.

“Ahem”, Marceline snapped, leaning almost on the edge of the cart.

“I'm sorry, Marcy. This is Astrid, a little fan of some of my work”, Simon introduced her. “Astrid, this is Marceline, she is coming with me”.

Marceline looked at the girl, who was smiling confidently at her, and a weak pang tightened in her chest as she saw how comfortable she felt talking to Simon. Also, why did she know about Simon's new project? And why hadn't Simon told her, who lived with him, that she was moving out?

“Hello…”, Marceline replied, just so as not to be rude.

“Astrid, come on. We have to…”, Astrid's mother arrived and upon seeing Simon, she smiled. “Simon! What a nice surprise to see you”.

“Same here, Judith”, Simon said, staying close to Marceline. "If he had known that he would find you here...".

“Would you have avoided us?”, Judith asked, raising an eyebrow mockingly.

“N-no, not at all”, Simon replied, nervously.

“I know, I'm bothering you,” Judith laughed, as her daughter hugged one of her legs. “Astrid was excited to see you. Now that you don't open as much, we haven't had time to talk”.

“It's true that I have been busy, but I will soon be up and running again with my work”, Simon assured.

“We both hope so”, Judith said, in a tone that Marceline didn't like.

Impatient, the raven-haired girl grabbed Simon's sleeve and tugged on it to get his attention.

“Simon, can we continue shopping?”, she asked, in a demanding tone.

“Oh, hello, I hadn't seen you”, Judith said, affectionately.

Marceline was unfazed by the woman's soft words, and instead of answering her, she hid behind Simon.

“I'm sorry, Judith. We must go, but we will talk these days, okay?”.

"Of course. Astrid, say goodbye, we must pay and leave”.

“Yes, mom. Bye-bye, Simon, bye-bye Marceline! Don’t forget to let me know!”.

“I won't!”, Simon promised. He turned to Marceline, pleased. “Come on, little lady. Let's finish the shopping so we can go."

“Y-yes,” Marceline answered, looking where the mother and daughter had gone, while Simon pushed the cart. “I didn't know you and Judith were so close".

"What? No, we are not so much”, Simon said, uncomfortable. “We talked the times Astrid and other people came to the house, but nothing ever happened”.

“Well, they both seemed very comfortable”, Marceline mumbled, resting her arms on the edge of the cart so that her chin rested on them, adopting an apathetic posture.

Simon was so taken aback by Marceline's sudden annoyance that he didn't know how to respond. She barely answered him when she handed her things to put in the cart, and the times Simon offered her a candy or cookies, she rejected most of them, finally accepting a bag of vanilla cookies and nothing else.

Knowing her, Simon could safely bet that the girl was upset. When that happened, Marceline chose to say little. Unlike what he saw of her as an adult, as a child she rarely has angry outbursts and tantrums, and instead, she stayed quiet much of the time and if she responded, it was curtly. That hadn't happened so much in the years they were together, because, apart from Marceline's anger and fear when Simon wore the crown, she never complained or expressed discomfort with Simon's decisions. On the contrary, Marceline felt safe when he made a sensible decision, because it was proof that the crown had not stolen all the sanity he had left at that moment.

“Marcy, is everything okay?”, he asked her softly, as they waited in line; They only had three people in front of them and they didn't carry that many things.

"Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”, she questioned, without looking at him.

“You're upset”, Simon stated.

"I'm not".

Simon sighed and moved the cart as the line moved forward.

“Sweetie, you don't have to deny it. You can tell me".

It was Marceline's turn to sigh. She knew Simon was worried and she didn't want him to think she was upset with him.

“…Are you interested in Astrid's mother?”, she asked, in a low voice.

Simon almost choked on his saliva. He turned to Marceline, his cheeks slightly red.

“None of that, Marcy. We are only acquaintances and we talk from time to time, but I don't and never thought about going out with her”, Simon responded, failing to suppress a note of sadness in his voice. Although he had let Betty go, he wasn't sure he could formalize a relationship so soon. He wasn't even sure about letting anyone else into his life.

Marceline's apathetic expression changed drastically, and she looked embarrassed and, to a lesser extent, mortified.

“I-I'm sorry”, she apologized, looking away. “I didn't mean to be rude. The thing is…".

Simon waited for her to continue as they moved further along the line.

“I don't know what happened to me”, Marceline admitted.
 
“Marcy… Didn't you like that Astrid and her mother were friendly with me?”, Simon inquired, gently, quickly understanding the girl's attitude.

The girl's cheeks turned red and she found herself resting her forehead on her arms so that Simon wouldn't see them.

“I don't want to talk about it”, she exclaimed, still feeling embarrassed.

Simon shook his head and moved closer to kiss her head. Feeling him close to her, Marceline straightened up and leaned against his chest so that Simon wouldn't see her blushing face.

The older man couldn't help but smile over Marceline's head. She had never displayed jealous or possessive behavior, either with him or with Bonnibel or, in due course, with Finn and Jake. Perhaps the only thing she had been reluctant to leave to anyone else was Hambo. As an adult, Simon remembered her as a person who, while she appreciated and loved everyone around her, valued her time alone, so Simon never witnessed her behave in a jealous manner if he or any of the others were around with someone else. However, they didn't run into anyone else before, so Marceline had no real reason to be jealous. She wasn't either when he told her about Betty, but she listened to him attentively and asked him a lot about her, maintaining her classic childish curiosity.

For her part, Marceline couldn't suppress the pang that had squeezed her chest a while before when she saw those two being too friendly with Simon, but that didn't stop her from feeling guilty for having brought up the subject of a 'relationship', for say it in some way. She herself told Finn what she thought regarding Simon's previous goal of finding Betty, but she never told her guardian because she didn't want to hurt him; Suddenly, she felt that she did it by asking him if he was interested in Judith. But she couldn't help it. Besides…

“Simon, why didn't you tell me you were moving somewhere else?”, she asked, hurt.

Simon shivered, forgetting that he was pressed against her body and could easily feel it. He completely forgot that little detail.

“Marcy, I promise we'll talk at home, okay?”.

“Okay,” she murmured.

At the checkout, Marceline was in charge of transferring things from the cart to the checkout conveyor belt and Simon put them in bags after the cashier scanned them. Simon didn't notice that the cashier was smiling, certainly moved, as he approached Marcy to take her out of the cart.

“You have a very pretty daughter, sir”, she commented casually.

Simon came close to drowning again.

“T-thank you, but she... It's... Well... It's complicated,” he responded, as he usually said when his answers felt limited in explaining a situation as they should.

Behind him, Marceline giggled.

“Isn't she your daughter?”.

Simon neither affirmed nor denied it. He took the change the cashier handed him, grabbed the two bags, and hurriedly said goodbye. He left the store holding Marceline's hand, hoping not to run into another person who would ask him that question in front of the girl.

///

At home, Simon put things away in their respective places and every now and then, he kept an eye on Marceline, who was tuning her bass on the couch. He knew they should talk about what Astrid said in the store. The detail was that the red-haired girl was going to know before Marceline that she was planning to move because he told her before the vampire became little again. If he had talked to Marceline before it happened, he might have been aware at the same time as Astrid, if that part of her memories remained in her memory; Simon highly doubted that would have been the case, but at least he would have had the peace of mind of knowing that his little girl knew.

Deciding not to extend the inevitable conversation, Simon finished putting away his pantry and went to sit next to Marceline. The girl stepped aside and continued tuning her bass.

“Marcy, do you want to talk now?”, he asked, not wanting to be invasive.

“I guess…”, Marceline answered, doubtful. Still playing her bass, she asked: “Why didn't you tell me you were planning to move and not just change jobs?”.

“Dear, it has been a difficult few weeks since…”.

Since I ended up on a journey with alternative versions of many I know, you among them, and I understood that I almost made another selfish decision because I couldn't get over an old pain by not talking about it, Simon thought.

“Since I understood that I need to change my method and adapt to what surrounds me”, he explained. “I was going to tell you, never doubt it, but I thought it was best to wait for you to adjust to being here”.

“Did you think I couldn't do it?”, she asked, stopping playing the bass. She seemed offended.

"Of course not. I knew you could, but in no way did I want to pressure you into accepting one thing and then another”, Simon continued, resting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

“Then why did Astrid know?”, Marceline asked, her tone accusatory. “Why did she know before I did?”.

“Because before bringing you here, I spoke with her and others”, Simon clarified, “to explain that I would change course. I wanted to tell you too, but it didn’t seem appropriate”.

Marceline put her bass on the floor and sighed.

“I don't remember how I got to that house in the cave with the pink girl,” Marceline began to say, “and I don't really know where this place came from, but I didn't care because I was with you, Simon. So, if there has to be a move, I know I will adapt if I can be with you”, the girl assured, looking at him confidently. “Is that why you left today? Were you going to see a new house?”

“Yes”, Simon admitted, moved. “But it is not a place that I think is convenient for a move”.

"Why not?".

"It's not important. I was simply not convinced by the place”.

Simon picked up the girl and sat her on his lap.

“Marcy, you know I would never lie to you or do anything to hurt you,” at least not intentionally, “so I don't want you to think I'd walk away from you or put you on the back burner.”

“I know you don't”, Marceline stated, leaning against Simon's shoulder. “I trust you, Simon. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable today. I promise I won’t ask anything that makes you uncomfortable again”.

Stunned, Simon moved her a little to look into her eyes.

“Marcy, no, don't think you made me uncomfortable or said something bad”, Simon rested a hand on the girl's cheek and continued affectionately: “You were curious, I understand. That's not bad at all. I should try to be more direct too”.

Marceline leaned against Simon again and he hugged her warmly.

“Do you want to show me the song you played with Finn?”.

Marceline gave a small, calmer smile.

“Yes, I want to do it”,

Marceline climbed off Simon's lap, took the instrument from her, and cleared her throat before beginning just as she did with Finn. She didn't go on too long with the chords and she just started playing, her singing coming out of her mouth alone. She didn't look at Simon while she sang, since she didn't quite want to know what expression he might make with that song. Her pace wasn't any more relaxed, because she was nervous about what her tutor would say when she finished, but she did her best to sound in tune and not miss a beat with her instrument.

You've got to get yourself together

You've got stuck in a moment

Now you can't get out of it

Oh love, look at you now

You've got yourself stuck in a moment

Now you can't get out of it

The chorus made Simon look forward and meditate. When Marceline repeated it, changing the rhythm, the older man felt a lump in her throat. Stuck in a moment... That's how he felt for centuries, trapped in a place from which he couldn't get out, either because he couldn't or because he didn't want to, because he didn't understand how to do it and even less how to ask for help.

And when he finally got out of there, he stagnated again, lost for a love that went for him, so that he could live. And he almost ruined it completely by wanting to be that man who lived immersed in madness and loneliness, without remembering at all one of the people he had loved most in the world and who helped him find a new motivation to keep going. .

How could he be so selfish?

Marceline finished with a few last soft notes and looked at Simon, self-conscious.

"What do you think?".

Instead of answering, Simon hugged her and kissed her forehead.

“That's the best thing I've ever heard”, he murmured, feeling the pressure of tears.

Marceline hugged him back and buried her face in Simon's shoulder.

A smile tugged at the man's lips as he continued to hold her.

Even with his old regrets and the uncertainty of what his future would hold, Simon told himself that Marceline was the only one he cared about.

Chapter Text

After three days, Simon no longer knew what to do to entertain Marceline. They didn't go out much during those days except to walk around the city, and that short time was enough for her to memorize every nook and cranny. Simon wasn't sure where he could take her to entertain her until the afternoon.

As he guessed might happen, Marceline would get bored watching TV or going for a walk and shopping. With so much quiet and normality around, Simon was almost one hundred percent sure that the girl's memories would end up making her remember the adrenaline rush that came over them when they were alone and running away from those strange creatures. Marceline had always shown herself to be a curious and restless child, eager to know everything around her even if it could be dangerous, but, in Simon's eyes, she was just that, a little girl who needed to be protected from that which caused her so much curiosity and which, for an adult, would only be dangerous.

In the afternoon Simon would have a second meeting for a new rental and, while the owners told him nothing about conditions or strict rules, the older man wasn't sure if he could take Marceline with him. He had forgotten to ask them when they phoned to schedule a meeting to check out the new apartment Simon was interested in.

Bonnibel had contacted Simon the day before to inform him that she had the spare parts she needed to fix her invention and try to return Marceline to adulthood with all her memories; the catch was that Bonnie would have to disassemble and reassemble her contraption and then test it to see if it was safe to test on Marceline. In the meantime, they would continue with the uncertainty of what might happen.

However, without wanting to tell himself lies, Simon could not say that he was in a hurry for Marceline to return to adulthood. Those days he was caring for her were the few that the old man could name as 'different' and, without a doubt, the ones he thought of most fondly. There were blurry moments that Simon related to the crown and the power it exerted over him and his mind, but what he could completely guarantee was that the memories with Marceline, going from place to place, looking for supplies and the times he found to make her laugh and get her to forget the situation they were in back then, were the ones he didn't want to forget in any way and the ones that gave him a motivation to keep going.

Marceline could remember that he had saved her that afternoon when she got lost looking for one of her parents and he found her, but for Simon, Marceline was the one who saved him from losing himself completely in an unknown madness, the one that could have been enough to destroy what was left of the world had it not been for the presence of an innocent person that made Simon force himself to fight against the curse of the crown. There were times when Simon stopped thinking about Betty and only Marceline existed.

At the same time, Simon knew that Marceline could not remain a child. She had her own adult life, her own relationship with Bonnie, and her own activities that did not include being by his side every day. Simon knew it would be very selfish of him to keep Bonnibel from making her grow up again, but honestly, Simon was in no hurry for the Princess to fix her invention. From his point of view, Bonnie could take as long as she wanted or needed.

However, Simon understood that, when the time came, he would have to accept that Marceline would stop living with him and return to her lair to pursue whatever she wanted to do.

He received a message that made him turn around. He read it and it was one of the owners offering him a tour of a small house in town. She was renting it for a price Simon found reasonable and if he had any luck with his next job, it would be more than better. The best part? There was no 'No Kids' rule included. This time, he was sure he could take Marceline with him.

"Marcy, we need to go out. Do you want to...?".

Simon's words were lost as he entered the room and saw the girl lying down, hugging Hambo and sleeping soundly. She must have been bored enough to take a nap.

Simon smiled from the doorway, thinking how she looked smaller than she already was snuggled up and hugging her favorite stuffed animal. He pondered, wondering if he should leave her alone for a while, wake her up, or stay and decline their offer. The owners of the place were not ones who seemed to tolerate cancellations or delays. In the messages, they clarified twice that he had time to go until five in the afternoon. It was three o'clock and, taking into account the location of the place, it shouldn't take Simon more than half an hour. Marceline would surely still be sleeping when he returned.

Before leaving, Simon left her a note on the table, in plain sight, in case she woke up and didn't find him in the house. He returned to the room and kissed the girl's temple, then gently smoothed her hair.

Still feeling worried, Simon left his house and headed with hurried steps towards the rental house, only hoping to return as soon as possible, before Marceline woke up.

///

Marceline awoke five minutes after Simon left. The girl yawned, loosened her grip on Hambo and waited for her vision to clear. She sat up on the mattress and rubbed her eyes, yawning again.

"Simon?", she called after him. She was silent for a moment, waiting to receive the response she always got when she called out to the old man.

But this time, she heard nothing.

Holding Hambo against her chest, Marceline left the room and scanned the kitchen and living room with her eyes, without finding Simon. For a moment, she thought he might be in the bathroom, but that idea was dismissed when no sound reached her ears. Besides, the door was wide open.

While not startled, Marceline couldn't help but feel a little anxious. She wanted to convince herself that Simon must have left because he had something important to do, another errand or whatever, but that in no way put the girl at ease.

Simon would never leave her, would he? Marceline was sure Simon would have told her what he was going to do if she had been awake.

The girl saw the note on the coffee table. Reading it, she learned that Simon had had a new rental offer and that he would probably be back in half an hour.

Great, half an hour to do nothing, she thought, bored. She wasn't sure what to do. She set Hambo down on the couch and decided to eat some chocolate cereal. She pulled a chair up to the counter, climbed up and from there to the cabinet. She opened the first door and, as luck would have it, Simon had left the box nearby. Marceline grabbed it, jumped down and reached into the fridge for some milk. She picked up the bottle of milk and her eyes met a slightly larger bottle. It was glass and appeared to be water. Simon never served water from the fridge, always from the kitchen tap. She didn't get to read the label, but it had to be water.

But she didn't want to drink that. Indifferent, she closed the door and left the milk next to the cereal box. She reached for a bowl and spoon.

As she ate sitting on the couch, with Hambo leaning over her shoulder and accompanied by the silence of the house, Marceline surveyed her surroundings. There wasn't much to do alone, and she really didn't want to sit around waiting for Simon's return. Marcy remembered every place in Up-Ton. She was sure she could pull up the blind and close it to go out and take a walk around town on her own. She liked hanging out with Simon, but she also wanted to have some time to herself by going for a ride.

Okay, a quick walk and I'll be back, she told herself, confident.

She changed clothes, cleaned up after herself, and kissed Hambo's head before heading out. Gathering all the strength she could, the little girl grabbed the blind from underneath and pulled it up. Although her little arms ached for a moment, she did not feel that she had hurt herself. She left just enough room to get underneath and, once outside, closed it again. She took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled.

With confidence, he began to walk through the streets of Up-Ton, observing stalls, stores, jumping and walking on the benches he found. Perhaps it was because of her cheerful mood that people didn't notice her strolling alone.

Marceline passed a place called Cave People. A bearded, gray-haired man was standing at the entrance wearing something resembling a loincloth and holding a wooden shield and spear. Marceline didn't feel like going in, but she was amused by how well characterized the man was.

She walked past Molly's cafeteria, but didn't see her at the checkout; surely she was in the kitchen or maybe she was having an off day. She kept walking and saw a couple of people driving flying vehicles. Marceline had only seen the flying boat and didn't see many more when she walked with Simon, except for occasions when they passed too fast for her to make out what they were.

On another street, Marceline visualized a park. It was a place she hadn't gotten to with Simon yet and the urge to play took hold of her. It was a pity that she had no friends to play with or that the children of the Candy Kingdom were not there.

She approached with light steps and looked at the slides, swings, spinning wheels and hanging bars. Quietly, he walked over to one of the swings, sat down and began to slowly move back and forth, looked up at the sky, thought about what else he would do next or if he had better go back to Simon's house soon. She didn't have a watch, so she couldn't be sure how long she had been gone, though she thought it wasn't long. Simon could fall behind, couldn't he?

"Hello, Marceline!" she heard from beside her.

Marceline turned to the right and bumped into Astrid.

How small the world is, the raven-haired girl thought. Well, right here it is.

“Hello, Astrid,” she responded quietly, almost shyly.

"Are you alone? Where is Simon?”, Astrid asked, looking in various directions.

Marceline felt her jaw tighten for a moment.

“He had to go run some errands. He will be back in a while”, she replied, seriously.

“And what are you doing here alone?”, Astrid insisted, surprised. “I'm with my mom. Do you want us to walk you home?”

“N-no, not for now. I have a while”, Marceline said, watching Judith sit on a bench not far away.

"I understand. Do you want to play?".

Marceline was slightly surprised by the question. In her eyes, Astrid didn't seem like a girl who would offer any other child to play with her. Her mistake.

“Hmm…Okay”.

"Great! Come, let’s go up the slide”.

Marceline followed Astrid and they began to climb the stairs of the larger game. As she climbed, Marceline took a moment to look at the nearby streets and buildings. She smiled as she felt less small. She continued climbing behind Astrid and when they reached the top, the girls stopped on the bridge that separated the climb from the slide. They both held onto the plastic bars and watched Judith and the rest of the people passing by.

“What do you like to do, Marceline?”, Astrid asked, interested.

“Well… Go out, watch TV and… Oh, play the bass”, Marceline replied, smiling kindly. “What do you like to do?”.

“Go out, visit new stores and read. I love Fionna and Cake's stories!", Astrid said, jumping around that moved the bridge they were standing on.

“I think Simon once mentioned them”, Marceline murmured thoughtfully.

"Yeah? That's good. Before he didn't like to do it”, Astrid mentioned, moving forward.

"Why not?".

"Don't know. He just didn't like to talk about it. Now he is a little more open”. Astrid smiled. “Come, let’s go down.”

The girls reached the slide and jumped down one after the other. A strange feeling of amusement settled over Marceline, making her want to do it again.

She followed Astrid the times they went up and down the slide.

On the ground, Astrid touched her arm and began to run. Marceline took a moment to process Astrid's movement until she understood what she wanted to play. Smiling defiantly, she began to run after the red-haired girl. They passed between the swings, avoided some people and continued passing behind the bench where Judith was sitting. Astrid climbed back up to the previous game to escape, with Marceline climbing at high speed.

She's quite nice, Marceline thought, not far from reaching her, but Astrid proved to be agile and managed to dodge her.

A while later, between games and laughter, the girls ended up panting and smiling.

“You're so funny,” Astrid declared, smiling friendly.

“Thank you… You too,” Marceline admitted. Maybe I thought wrong.

“Astrid, we must go!”, Judith warned. “Marceline, don't you want us to come with you? I know it's not late, but it's not a problem."

“It's true!”, Astrid assured.

“O-okay”, Marceline agreed. "Thank you so much".

During the way to Simon's house, although Marceline continued talking with Astrid and her mother, she couldn't stop repeating that Simon had not returned home yet. She wasn't sure if had lingered too long in the park, but if Simon was...

“MARCELINE!”

The three girls heard a desperate voice approaching, when they were a few meters from Simon's house. To the raven-haired girl's horror, the blinds were up and Simon was standing a short distance away, fear etched on his face and his body visibly tense.

Before they could react, the old man reached them, knelt down and grabbed Marceline by the shoulders.

"Where were you?! Why did you leave the house?! I was very worried!”, Simon bellowed, his face white.

“I just wanted to go out for a bit!”, Marceline replied, alarmed by the panic etched on Simon's features.

“You shouldn't go out if I'm not there! I didn't know where to look for you, I...!".

Astrid hid behind her mother's legs, scared by his screams.

Simon rubbed his face vigorously and remembered the presence of the other two.

“God… Judith, thank you, I…” Simon gasped, feeling the adrenaline caused by fear leave him, leaving him exhausted.

“It's okay, Simon”, Judith said softly. “I would be the same if it were Astrid. I'm sorry, if I had known that you didn't know...".

“No, no, don't apologize”, Simon exclaimed. He turned to Marceline and noticed that the girl seemed dazed by the screams and said in a strained voice: “Marcy, I'm sorry, but I was really scared.”

"Sorry, it was not my intention. I thought I could leave and come back before you, but I entertained myself playing with Astrid”, Marceline said, rubbing one of her arms and looking away from her.

Simon ran a hand through his hair, stood up as he smoothed Marceline's hair, and looked at Judith.

“Thank you for bringing her, Judith. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown”.

With Astrid also calmer, mother and daughter left after saying goodbye to the other two.

Simon and Marceline walked in and the girl stood in front of Simon, embarrassed. She got distracted playing with Astrid and forgot the detail that Simon wouldn't know where she was going to be.

“Simon, I can explain…”, she began. “I wanted to go for a walk, but I didn't mean to take that long”.

“Marcy, you shouldn't go out if I'm not there”, Simon repeated, calmer this time, but without forgetting the severity. “I left you a note to let you know she would be back soon”.

“Yes, I know”, the girl sighed, not daring to turn around to look at him. What could she say to him?

She heard a sigh and then Simon dropped to one knee next to her so that he was level with her.

“Honey, I understand that being here and not going out as often can be overwhelming, but we can handle that in another way, by going to the kingdoms or other places. You should tell me if you feel too confined”.

“It's not that, I just wanted to go out to kill time”, Marceline said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “I didn't think I'd run into Astrid and Judith”.

“Even so, never leave here if I'm not there to go with you or, failing that, to tell me”, Simon clarified, serious as Marceline had never seen him before. “I didn't know where to look for you or who to ask”.

“It doesn't seem dangerous here”, Marceline stammered.

“I know not, but risks exist everywhere. Things have changed, but we can't take things like safety for granted. Do you remember the boy who came to the Candy Kingdom? People like that can be anywhere”.

“I understand and I am truly sorry. I won't do it again”, she promised, embarrassed and sorry for the scare she caused Simon.

Simon exhaled slowly and took her into his arms. Marceline put her arms around his neck and Simon kissed her temple.

I'm upset, but I know he didn't mean to scare me. If she was going from one place to another as an adult, it won't be any different as a child, Simon told himself, moving his arms to bounce Marcy slightly. I don't think i should punish her, but continuing to talk to her is not a bad option. I should explain to her some risks and why we parents worry so much.

He would talk to her in a bit; For now, he just wanted to regain the peace of mind that he was holding her, safe and sound.

Am I being hypocritical?, Simon suddenly thought. I left her ages ago when she was a little older, but not much older than she is now. Am I doing things wrong again?

Chapter Text

Marceline couldn't help but think that Simon's attitude had changed since the day she left the house. The girl couldn't define whether it was for the better or for the worse, but it was clear that Simon no longer seemed so relaxed about going out when he had errands to run, and he wouldn't be willing to leave her alone for long either. When they went out, the old man would hardly let go of her hand and if they went into a store, Simon tended to take her in his arms and move around the store without putting her down until they left; occasionally, he would return to the house with Marceline still in his arms.

The child believed that Simon reinforced her vigilance and care because he was upset and did not trust her to be left alone. It would not come out of Marceline to blame him, although she had believed that with the talk they had after dinner the same day she went out without him it served to clear up some points and, at the same time, put Simon at ease. Marceline promised him that she would not go out without him or without warning him again, and Simon, calmer, smiled and told her that she didn't have to apologize. He also didn't punish her or tell her that they would no longer go out or that she wouldn't see Astrid for a few days. Marceline knew that Simon was not the type of person to apply harsh punishments or anything like that. With his talk he had made his points about certain risks clear and Marceline had understood that.

However, the last few days, Marceline had the feeling that Simon's trust in her was shaken by her actions. And that hurt her. Ever since they had met that Simon had taken care of her, but even if he never let her out of his sight, Marceline perceived more confidence about her little person in the post-apocalyptic world, than in that new world full of normal people.
The problem wasn't even that Simon carried her everywhere in his arms or held her hand or watched over her (Marceline would feel silly if she complained about the care she herself craved), but that Simon wouldn't even tell her why he was acting so 'upset'. 

Was there something going on that Marceline didn't know about? A possible threat roaming around Up-Ton? Could it be something like that?

Marceline dismissed the idea quickly. If it had been a new threat, a dangerous monster or a crazy person who wanted to do harm just because, Simon would have told her the first instant he had known.

"Marcy", Simon called to her, entering the room as she played with Hambo.

"Yes?", asked Marceline, hugging Hambo to her chest.

"I spoke to Bonnibel recently and she invited us to... her house", Simon said, hesitating a little on the last words. "It's the house that was in the cave, do you want to go?".

"Hmm... Yeah, sure", Marceline replied, smiling awkwardly. "How will we get there, with the flying boats too?".

"Of course, honey. We'll get there faster. Come on, Bonnibel is waiting for us."

They left the house and, as Marceline expected, as soon as she took Simon's hand, the old man held it firmly, but without forgetting to be gentle. Marceline told herself that he must be afraid of losing her again.

Before they reached where the flying boats were passing, Simon let go of Marceline's hand and took her in his arms again. Marceline didn't protest his action, since, to tell the truth, she didn't mind Simon carrying her, so she hugged him by the neck and laughed when Simon patted her back.

Climbing into the boat, Simon tried to pull Marceline down so she could sit beside him, but the girl hugged him tighter, saying nothing, thus explaining her refusal to part from him. Simon smiled and gently sat up, letting her sit on his lap.

"Simon, how did you meet Bonnibel?", asked Marceline, looking down from the edge, being held by Simon. 

Simon held Marceline better and was thankful the girl hadn't turned to look at him, because his expression would have given away his shock.

"Well... I don't quite remember how I met her", he admitted, hoping to sound less tense than he sounded himself.

"But have you always been friends?", asked Marceline, interested. "I don't know how old she is, but she looks younger than you", she added cheekily.

"You little rascal", Simon muttered, pinching her ribs once. Marceline squealed and shrank into Simon's arms, laughing. "I can't say we've always been friends. In the past, we had our... differences and I could become annoying. But, over the years, we've come to understand each other."

"Do you visit her a lot?".

"Not that much. I have my job and she does her life. Still, we talk from time to time. If we visit each other, we can talk more. It's stopped being awkward".

"Did you two ever go out?", insisted Marceline.

"N-no. Never".

"That's okay", Marceline smiled, strangely pleased with that answer.

For the rest of the trip, Simon continued to hold Marceline on his lap and talk to her and answer her questions. The little girl still held the same curiosity that Simon remembered. He felt that the last few days he was being a bit clingy with her, staying behind her longer to look after her, walking hand in hand or directly going with her in his arms.

Simon couldn't help it. Ever since Bonnibel sent him a message to let him know that she was very close to finishing her invention and soon they could return Marceline to her normal age, an empty feeling came over the older man.

On the one hand, Simon was happy to know that his beloved Marceline would soon get her life back and return to live with Bonnibel to go on her way; on the other hand, selfishly, Simon couldn't say he was at all thrilled to know that Marcy would be gone again and the two of them would go their separate ways. Yes, nothing and no one would stop them from visiting each other, but Simon was aware that their schedules and days would be limited. Knowing this made him sad. However, there was no way he wanted any of the girls to notice or to believe that he wasn't thinking about the girl.

It was quite the opposite; all he cared about was Marceline and knowing that she would be okay once she left his house.

Once at the cave entrance, they got out and Marceline took Simon's hand.

"Bonnie, we're here!", Simon warned once they stood in front of the door.

"I'm coming!", shouted Bonnibel from the other side.

They heard hurried footsteps approach the door and the Princess opened it, disheveled and shaded with dark circles under her eyes.

"Hi! I'm so glad you could come", Bonnie smiled, stepping aside to let them pass.

"Thank you for inviting us, Bonnie", smiled Simon, walking in hand in hand with Marceline.

"Hello, Marceline", Princess Bubblegum greeted her, bowing slightly to her.

Marceline hid slightly behind Simon's legs, though she did return the greeting.

"Hello", she greeted somewhat shyly.

Bonnibel sketched a sympathetic smile and straightened up.

"I made strawberry shortcake and tea. Would you like to eat?", offered Bonnibel.

"Would you like to eat, Marcy?", asked Simon, running a hand through her hair.

"... Okay", the girl agreed.

The three of them went to the dining room and, as when they went to the Candy Kingdom, Marceline sat on Simon's lap to drink the tea and eat. Simon politely declined the cake and drank only tea.

"How have you guys been this week, have you seen Ash again?", asked Bonnibel, with obvious reluctance to talk about that guy.

"Not at all", Simon replied, shaking his head. "We didn't even hear complaints from people about 'a fool on a flying carpet'", he joked. The girls laughed.

"Where do you know that fool from, Bonnie?", asked Marceline, curious.

"Oh... Let's just say he was dating someone very close to me", the girl in pink replied, as subtly as she could be. "He did something that hurt her a lot, so I couldn't forgive him, ever."

"I understand", Marceline said, pushing her cup away. "I wouldn't forgive anyone who did something like that, either".

Simon bounced her once on his lap and took another sip of tea.

"Do you have friends yet, Marcy?", asked Bonnibel now, interested.

"I suppose I have. I was in the park with Astrid the other day and it was fun. We played a lot and she said I'm nice".

"And do you like her?".

"Yes. She's fun".

Bonnibel shot Simon a look and he smiled and shook his head. The old man had told him what had happened with Marceline, about her unexpectedly short disappearance and Bonnibel had been as worried as he was that day, without even being in Up-Ton. Bonnibel asked if he wanted her to talk to the girl, but Simon said it wasn't necessary, he'd already done it.

"What have you been up to, Bonnie?", asked Marceline.

"Ah, I've been working on a faulty invention", she replied. "I think I'm close to correcting all your mistakes".

"That's great!", celebrated Marceline, leaning against the table. "What kind of invention is it? Could I see it when it's finished?".

Simon laughed softly and Bonnibel smiled, friendly.

"It's complicated to explain, but yes, I think you could see it, if Simon agrees".

Marceline turned to look at Simon, thus asking him if she had permission to see Bonnibel's invention.

With a smile that barely reached his eyes, Simon replied:

"As long as we make sure it will be safe, I don't see why not".

The girls smiled.

"In that case, I think I'll finish it in two or three days. I'll keep you posted", exclaimed Bonnibel.

In the middle of their conversation, the ringing of Simon's cell phone interrupted them. The old man looked at the caller ID and saw that it showed the number of one of the owners of the complex where he had gone the day Marceline went out alone. They hadn't come to a fixed agreement, as Simon didn't immediately turn down her offer, but he didn't accept it either, so the owners must have assumed they needed to make 'arrangements' for Simon to accept.

"Girls, excuse me. I have to take this".

Marceline got off Simon's lap and he left the house. The girl sat back in the chair and looked at Bonnibel when she smiled.

"Simon never finishes his errands. He takes his work very seriously", the Princess commented.

"He's looking for a new home", Marceline stated, serious. "He didn't tell me how many places he visited, but I know it hasn't been a few. Most of them don't seem to convince him".

"I see, and he never told you why?", asked Bonnibel, crossing her arms on the table.

"Not really", Marceline replied. "I guess the locations didn't quite convince him."

"True...".

Marceline looked back the way Simon had gone and decided to talk to Bonnibel about her concerns.

"Bonnie, did you notice him a little... different?".

Bonnibel pushed her cup away and leaned in a little so as not to be so distant from Marceline as she spoke.

"Different how?", she asked.

"I don't know. These days, I've felt him more protective than other times, but I don't know if it's because something else happened or because of what...".

Realizing she almost gave herself away, Marceline closed her mouth and lowered her gaze, blushing.

"What is it, Marcy? You can tell me if something is bothering you".

Marceline looked into her eyes and didn't feel that Bonnibel was lying to her. She didn't know her that well, but the girl considered herself perceptive and was ninety percent sure she could trust her with something she herself considered trivial. 

So, summarizing as best she could without leaving any details loose, Marceline told her about her outing the day Simon went to look at a new rental proposal, the afternoon spent going from corner to corner around Up-Ton, and her playtime with Astrid. She got to the part where Astrid and her mother accompanied her to Simon's house and arrived at the precise moment when Simon was outside, desperate, surely thinking where to look for Marceline. The girl told her about some of the things Simon had talked to her about that night and Bonnibel asked her if he had ever scolded or punished her. Marceline looked at her as if that was stupid and denied it, adding that Simon never even raised his voice. She didn't omit that, at times, she felt Simon might be upset with her, but he didn't want to tell her.

"I don't think Simon is upset with you, Marcy", Bonnibel concluded. "Tell me. When you were on your way here, what did he do?".

"Well... he walked with me in his arms, he let me sit on his lap while we flew here and he keeps talking to me with always, calmly and he's never curt or anything."

"So why would he be upset?".

"I know him. He would never say anything that might make me feel bad, but I feel like some of his confidence went away".

"But he's honest with you", Bonnibel pointed out, gently. "Marcy, I know that if he were upset, he would let you know, but never with the idea of making you feel bad or throwing mistakes in your face that children can make."

"I know it's true, he never expressed anger toward me in his normal state, he just barely did when the crown was affecting him greatly."

Bonnibel shuddered in her chair, not having expected those memories to be the ones that lay dormant in Marceline's mind. The Princess had held out a faint hope that such memories were soon after she had met Simon, not getting to the part where he was going mad from the dark magic that object carried.

At least she didn't get to the part where he left to protect her, Bonnie thought, regretfully. But how did she recognize him the first time, if she had met him before while he was very different?

"Girls, I'm sorry. I just couldn't get off the phone", Simon said, once he got back into the house. He closed the door exhaling.

"Was she pushing you too hard?", asked Bonnibel, straightening up.

"Yes. She thought it had to do with the venue arrangements or the price. I just wasn't convinced, that's all".

Simon sat down and they continued talking as they snacked. The old man noticed that a strange air surrounded the girls. Marceline seemed a little discouraged and Bonnibel slightly dismayed. Simon was sure it hadn't taken that long, so he guessed that the minutes he was away were enough for them to bring up a subject that he, at best, didn't know about. For a moment, a feeling of exclusion came over him, feeling like the day he called Marceline while she was getting a tattoo with Bonnibel.

Realizing what he was thinking, he felt ashamed. He had no reason to think that. It was just that the idea that Marcy was hiding things from him that she might not want to tell him because she was afraid of his reaction made him feel bad.

A while later, Bonnibel asked Marceline if she wanted to watch TV and the girl agreed. She got off Simon's lap and went into the living room.

"Bonnie, can we talk for a moment?", asked Simon, standing up.

"Sure", Bonnibel agreed, copying his motion. "Shall we go outside?".

"Yes. Marcy, we'll be right back".

"...Okay".

Simon and Bonnibel walked out of the house and sat on the edge of the dock.
 
"What happened inside, Bonnie?", he asked, softly. "From one moment to the next, you both seemed...changed".

"I know", Bonnibel agreed, sighing. "It's just that Marceline talked to me when you came out and told me that... she feels differently about you".

Simon looked at her, uncomprehending.

"Why different? Did I do something wrong?", he asked, alarmed.

"No, no, she didn't say that. On the contrary, somehow, she thinks she did something wrong."

Simon was even more confused.

"Simon, ever since she left the house and you couldn't find her, Marceline has felt that you're watching her more because you don't trust her. She feels you're being overprotective for that reason".

Simon opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, unable to find the right words to say.

"I... I-I don't distrust her", he finally replied, feeling foolish for using such vague words.

"And I know that, but Marceline doesn't". Bonnibel put one of her hands on Simon's shoulder and continued: "I feel like it's not about what happened a few days ago. It's something else, isn't it? You can tell me, if you want".

Simon sighed, surrendered.

"It's true that I was worried, thinking she might go out again or that something bad might happen to her while I wasn't around, I'll admit that. These days, though, that had nothing to do with it."

"What is it, then?"

"When you told me that the invention is almost finished, I understood that, in a few days, she'll be an adult again." Simon laughed wistfully and recounted: "I remember once, when we were walking through the desolate streets, I offered to carry her and she replied that she could walk and," he laughed again, "she said she wasn't a child".

"I'm not even surprised", Bonnibel smiled.

"I told her she would soon be too big to be able to carry her and to take advantage of the fact that she still could be. If I think about it right now, I wouldn't know if it was for her or for both of us", Simon said, looking at the water. "I want to take advantage of it one more time, now that my head is right. Am I being selfish?".

"Not at all!", exclaimed Bonnibel, vehemently, making him jump. "Simon, I see Marceline is very happy and has been very comfortable with you. She only said that she feels she lost some of your confidence, but it is obvious that she is worried about you distancing yourself from her."

"As soon as we get back, I'll talk to her", Simon assured her. "During all these days, I was just thinking about creating memories of a normal childhood for her, so that when she becomes an adult again, she won't remember only the apocalypse. Do you think she'll remember what happened so far?".

"I wouldn't know what to tell you. We'll only know once she regains her age and powers".

"Sure...".

They went back inside and sat on the couch next to Marceline, who wasted no time and sat on Simon's lap again.

Chapter Text

Simon was walking home with Marceline in his arms. The little girl had fallen asleep during the trip back to Up-Ton and Simon didn't want to wake her up, so he picked her up and as carefully as possible, got off the flying boat and started walking back home. As he walked, he looked up at the night sky and the moonlight helped him make out a figure flying on a flying carpet. He couldn't be completely sure it was Ash, but Simon wasn't going to risk the fool coming over to bother, so he quickened his pace and reached his house.

Accommodating Marceline as best he could in his arms, he opened the garage door and entered quietly, not wanting to disturb the girl. As the first time they arrived, Simon took her to her room to put her to bed, took off her slippers and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead and then quietly left.

In the living room, Simon sat heavily on the couch and contemplated his small space. Once Marceline was an adult again, he had no doubt that his desire was to move out and start over in a different environment. But that no longer crossed his mind as much as it had months ago. He wasn't thinking as much about what his new home would be like, what the rent would be, whether his new job would help him make ends meet, or anything like that.

What he thought about most was the loneliness that would surround him again in a few days.

Bonnibel was optimistic about the progress he had made in fixing the machine.

If it turned out to work in the end, Simon would be happy to have his adult Marcy back, the one who had grown up with the values he had taught her in the years they had been together. Simon would be grateful all his life that he found her when he did. He saved the world from living under the dictatorship of vampires and he saved Marceline from becoming someone she was not. Simon couldn't imagine his tender child again as a deranged killer who enjoyed causing evil.

Well, what would become of him would be how he would explain to the people who knew Marceline as a child, especially Astrid. Simon couldn't imagine telling her that it had all been a misunderstanding.

A scream and a thump made him wake up and forget the tiredness that had been with him since they left the house in the cave. Simon got up and ran to the room. As he opened the door and was guided by the light in the room, he saw Marceline sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks and she was clenching her hands.

Simon walked over to the bed and sat down next to her.

"Marcy, what's wrong? Did you have a bad dream?", he asked softly, not oblivious to the fact that Marceline often had nightmares at night.

Unable to speak, Marceline clung to Simon and buried her face in his chest, sobbing. Simon lifted her up and settled so that he could lay one of his legs on the mattress and sit her in the small hollow, seeking to contain her as best he could.

Simon began to rock her slowly and began to whisper to her, trying to soothe her. He remembered the nights when Marceline would wake up frightened by what she called 'strange dreams', but Simon knew they were nightmares. Given what Marceline had seen in her short life, Simon never believed that these nightmares could be something that would be categorized as 'normal' for children. Marceline told him that she used to talk about these dreams with her mother, and that she always reassured her when she didn't want to sleep for fear of dreaming these strange things.

But the woman was gone. Simon knew why; Marceline had told him months ago, after so many years of mistakenly believing she had been abandoned. Simon wasn't sure if the girl would have memories about that fact. He hoped she did, because the last thing he wanted was for Marceline to have gone on thinking all this time that her mother was afraid of her.

Marceline continued to cling to Simon, feeling her heart pounding violently against her chest. The pounding reminded her painfully of where she was and with whom. She knew she was safe, but that nightmare had felt so real. 

"Marcy, will you tell me?", asked Simon, running a hand through her hair.

Marceline brushed the tears from her cheeks and nodded.

"I was... I was on the same street where you found me that day, but it was dark and... I felt like someone was following me", Marceline sniffled before continuing quietly. "And then... while I was trying to look for someone, you showed up, but you told me you didn't want anything to do with... with a monster".

Simon shuddered.

"And then my mom showed up and she said... she didn't want to see me or have anything to do with me either", Marceline continued, trying futilely to brush away the tears that kept falling down her cheeks. "And you... you were leaving, Simon. You just... disappeared".

Marceline cried again and Simon held her tightly, trying not to break down himself. The old man continued to rock her and kissed her head as she clung to him like a lifeline.

"Marcy", he whispered tenderly, "that will never happen. I would never walk away from you", he assured her.

"But... my mom left before... What if...?", Marceline couldn't continue speaking, thinking her words would offend Simon. "Why did she leave me, Simon? Was it because she was afraid of me?".

Simon managed to separate her a little from him and spoke to her serenely.

"My sweet girl. Listen, I didn't... I didn't get a chance to meet your mother, but one person who did told me something important about her".

"What was it?", the little girl asked, with the curiosity that only an infant can express at such a time.

"Your mother always showed she loved you, no matter what others said or what was going on around you. She just wanted to take care of you the best way she could, but in the middle, things happened that made her have to... leave before her time", Simon recounted, explaining himself in the best possible way. "She wanted to protect you the way she thought best".

"And why couldn't she tell me?", asked Marceline, hurt and annoyed.

"Marcy, sometimes, we adults make decisions that we think are right or, at best, that we think are best. In desperate situations, we rush into things and don't realize what we cause others", he explained, chagrined. "Sometimes, when we want to make things right, we may make bad decisions and hurt those we love, but we never do it with the idea of that happening. On the contrary, what we're looking for is to try to make it all work out".

"Have you ever made a decision like that?".

Simon looked up and smiled ruefully.

"Once. And from there, I made a lot of bad decisions that led me to lose a very important person to me".

"Betty", Marceline uttered, her voice deep.

"Yes. I made many wrong decisions in my long life that took me away from her until she was gone too", he smiled again, this time with some happiness, "but there is one decision I will never regret".

"Which one?".

Simon hugged her again and whispered:

"Don't worry about it now, little one".

Marceline rested her head on Simon's chest and continued to cry softly, finishing her venting. Simon rocked her a while longer before he realized she had fallen sound asleep. But as he tried to move her to lay her down, Marceline clung to her clothes, refusing to let go. Simon let out a chuckle and told himself there was no way he was going to try to let go and risk waking her. He leaned against the back of the bed and stretched his legs out on the mattress. Marceline snuggled against Simon and the older man pulled the covers up to cover her.

He knew his body would resent it the next day, but if it could make sure his little girl would be all right, he would bear it.

///

The next day, Simon and Marceline had breakfast together. The girl was much calmer than the night before and held Hambo in her lap, and Simon felt at peace at the sight of her. Simon thought that in the morning she would be discouraged by the nightmare of the night before or by what she told him, but fortunately, Marceline did not seem sad or upset.

Simon didn't think she had forgotten what had happened, but he told himself it must have been due to the opportunity to get the subject of his mother off his chest. Simon hoped she would remember it when she became an adult again.

Sometime during the previous night, Simon had woken up a couple of times, feeling Marceline move in his arms, but never with the intention of moving away from him or getting off his lap, but the movement always ended up causing her to end up glued to him, giving neither a chance for them to be separated. At no time during the night did Simon ever try to push her away or make any attempt to pull her out of his arms to go to sleep in the living room and leave her alone. Simon felt he could not leave her alone. These would be the last days he would take advantage of having her in his arms. If he could take advantage of it, he would.

Bonnibel texted him and told him that the machine would be ready by that night, hopefully. Simon understood that he and Marcy were just hours away from returning to their routines and all he could do was accept it.

That was fine. As long as he was sure Marceline would be okay, Simon would remain at peace.

"Marcy, we need to do some shopping today", Simon said, leaving the dishes in the sink to clean up later. "It doesn't take much, just a few things for afternoon snacks".

"Okay. So what are we going to do after that?".

"Bonnibel said we can go to her house in the evening, but because of... an inconvenience she had", Simon replied.

"An inconvenience? Something serious?", asked Marceline, worried.

"No, no, honey, nothing like that. She just said she had to talk to us about something important", Simon clarified, calming her down.

"Oh. I understand", nodded Marceline.

"Good. Go change and we'll be right out".

"Okay!".

Marceline ran into the room and Simon sighed wistfully. If he spoke to Minerva again at some point, he would have to assess how he would explain to her that the fact that the girl who raised part of his childhood had recently returned to adulthood saddened him. If he tried to find a logical way to explain it, Simon knew that Minerva would never quite understand. After all, during their sessions, Simon hadn't talked about his past enough to mention little Marceline. If he did talk about her, it was always in regards to adulthood and that was it. Currently, Simon wasn't sure if he could speak to Minerva in the same way about Marceline. The girl was an important part of Simon's life and the last few days, where he could care for her without fear that a dark magic would make him forget the closer moments of his life with her and how happy they were.

He and Bonnibel, too, would have to find an alternative explanation if, for some unknown reason, the Princess' invention did not work and Marceline remained a child. Simon had full confidence in the arrangements Bonnibel made, but they should be open to all possibilities.
 
When Marceline returned, wearing the same dress she had on the day he found her, Simon felt homesickness come over him again. He reached for his jacket and they both left the garage. 

The supermarket was opening relatively early, so they would have a chance to go and not have to wait so long in line.

Simon took a cart, but Marceline decided to walk beside him and help him pick out products Simon remembered needing. 

"Hi, Simon", someone called to him behind his back.

Simon turned as Marceline was choosing a cereal and saw Finn, folding his arms and smiling amicably.

"Finn, what a surprise to see you here". Simon smiled.

"Yes, it's been a while since I've visited Up-Ton, so I thought it would be a good time to buy supplies", Finn said, looking around the place happily.

"Oh, will you be taking a trip?", asked Simon, leaning against his cart.

"Almost completely sure I am", Finn laughed uproariously. "The Huntress Wizard and I will be going together, so we'll go well prepared".

Simon nodded and Finn fixed his gaze on Marceline.

"They still haven't settled that issue, I see", Finn commented.

"Actually, Bonnibel said her invention might be ready tonight, so Marceline will regain her normal age and powers", Simon replied, with some regret.

Finn smiled sympathetically and patted him on the shoulder.

"And how are you doing with that?", he asked gently.

"I'm fine, really", Simon assured him, unconvinced.

At that, Marceline noticed Finn's presence and walked over to greet him.

"Hey, Marcy, how are you?", asked Finn, dropping to one knee so that he was almost level with her.

"Pretty good, how are you?".

"Better than ever! I came to buy things for a trip", Finn replied. "In fact, I might need some help choosing - do you want to help me, Marcy?".

Marceline looked at Simon and he, smiling, said:

"I don't see why not. You two go, and I'll look for other things".

The two young men walked away and Simon continued to wander the aisles looking for spaghetti, coffee, one more bottle of milk, soft drinks... and his footsteps ended up taking him to the alcoholic beverage section. His pulse quickened as he noticed and the temptation to grab a bottle of beer or another bottle of tequila made him shiver from head to toe. He remembered that he still kept the bottle of tequila in the fridge and to think that one day when he and Marceline were about to have dinner he was tempted to take a swig made him feel miserable. He didn't understand how he could have been on the verge of indulging in vice when a little girl was in his care. He didn't understand how he fell into it before. Finn himself said it: Simon practically visited the Candy Kingdom just to go to the canteen. With Marceline at home, Simon knew better than to fool around.

Have I done things wrong?, he wondered.

"You...", he heard from behind him, again.

Simon recognized it instantly. His great memory didn't need to hear it more than twice to know who it was.

Turning around, the old man ran into Ash's grayish skin and ridiculous 'hairdo'. The fool Simon had begun to hate with two encounters for what he did to Marceline.

"Ash", he pronounced coldly. Even he was surprised to hear himself.

"I thought I could finally get rid of you, old man", Ash mumbled, defiantly.

"Funny, I thought the same thing about you. It sure is a small world. Why are you in Up-Ton anyway?", questioned Simon.

"Because I want to", replied Ash, like a total brat. "But if I knew you were going to be here...".

Simon clicked his tongue and decided to ignore him. It wasn't worth wasting his breath on him, least of all when Finn and Marceline could be back at any moment.

He walked by Ash's side and just as he was about to pass him, Ash abruptly rested a hand on Simon's chest, stopping him.

"We still have some unfinished business", Ash declared, viciously.

"We have nothing to-", Simon started to say, but Ash roughly pushed him away and grabbed him by both sides of his jacket.

"Who did you think you were to dare beat me up and steal my stuff?", growled Ash, menacingly.

Simon gasped low as his back hit the gondola. He held the guy's wrists tightly and glared at him defiantly, unintimidated. He'd already hit him in the face once, nothing would stop him from doing it again.

"I know more about you now, boy", Simon replied, trying to break free from Ash's grip.

"What do you know... I know you're a miserable thief...".

"Look who's talking!", growled Simon. "You took from a person an object they loved. You're despicable."

Furious, Ash raised his right fist, ready to punch Simon's face, surely wanting to charge him for the one he gave him in the unfortunate encounter.

"Hey, get off him!", shouted Marceline from behind, jumping up to hang onto Ash's arm and pull him off.

"Get off, you little brat!", exclaimed Ash, waving the arm Marceline was holding to free herself.

Simon took the opportunity to let go of Ash's other hand. In the struggle, Ash roughly moved the arm Marceline was holding on to and threw her to the ground. Witnessing that, Simon roughly pushed Ash away and rushed over to Marceline, who was sitting up rubbing herself where she had been hit.

"Ash? What the hell are you doing here?", questioned Finn, arriving with a bottle of energy drink. His face expressed anger.

"What's it to you", Ash spat towards Finn. However, his intimidating posture disappeared as soon as the blond stood near Simon.

The older man stood up with the girl in his arms and shot him a look laden with contempt.

"He's everything you told me he was, Finn," Simon said aloud.

"Don't mention it, Simon".

A few people stopped to watch none too discreetly at the fight. Marceline turned to Ash and glared at him hatefully.

"Is she your daughter?", asked Ash, disdainfully, "Aren't you too old to have such a little daughter?".

"Don't talk nonsense", Simon mumbled. "Just leave us alone".

"Is she really your daughter? Or is she some sort of companion? My goodness... You sure are strange, old man".

At such an insinuation, Simon's expression warped in anger. He asked Finn to hold Marceline for a moment and not to let her watch. Knowing that Ash greatly underestimated him, neither he nor Finn nor the gossip fanatics who stopped to watch had time to notice that Simon approached Ash and, before Ash could react, Simon had punched him in the middle of the face like the first time he had 'the joy' of meeting him.

Finn made sure Marceline wasn't looking and he made a proud gesture when he saw the bump. Sure enough, most of the people around got upset and that caused security to show up.

"What's going on here?", one of them asked.

"An altercation", an elderly woman replied. "The man over there...", she began, pointing to Simon.

"The boy attacked him first", Finn interjected, not wanting there to be a misunderstanding. "We weren't doing anything".

"He hit me", Ash said, standing up.

"He attacked him first!", said Marceline vehemently, getting out of Finn's arms.

The guards looked at each other, not knowing who to believe.

"The boy said the girl was with the gentleman, but...", the same old woman spoke again, seeming only to want to say something, indifferent whether it was an input or not.

"The girl had come with him before!", exclaimed Finn, unable to believe the absurdity of the situation.

Being watched by many people, Marceline began to feel overwhelmed and, without hesitation, slowly approached Simon, who held her by the shoulders upon noticing.

"Girl, are you from here?", one of the guards asked her.

Marceline evaded his gaze and turned to wrap her small arms around Simon. Without thinking, Simon picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Where are your parents, little girl?", the guard insisted, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"He's my dad!", cried Marceline, hugging Simon tighter.

The people witnessing everything looked at each other and some chose to go on their way. Finn couldn't help a smile at Marceline's words, which was then erased when he saw Ash's expression. Simon patted her back and realizing that the guard still had his hand on the girl's shoulder, he pulled away with an angry exclamation.

"That fool was attacking him!", she continued. "He's done it before!".

The guards looked at Ash with annoyance. Neither Simon nor Marceline knew if he had already gone into town to cause trouble, but if he had, they were sure no one would hold him in good esteem.

"You may go, sir", the guard allowed.

They didn't stick around to find out what would happen to Ash, but they cared little. Simon decided he didn't want to stay in the store any longer.

"I can take your shopping to you later, if you like", Finn offered kindly, as they headed for the exit.

"Don't worry about it, Finn. Thanks anyway, but it's not necessary", the older man assured, still holding Marceline in his arms. "Maybe next time we'll have better luck".

"If Ash keeps bothering us, I'll take care of him myself," Finn said, determined.

"I'm sure. We'll go see Bonnibel tonight", he commented, trying to sound casual. "She said that...she has to show us something".

Finn immediately caught the nostalgic tone in Simon's voice and understood what he was referring to.

"Call me if you need to talk or clear your head", Finn said, sympathetically.

"I appreciate it, Finn. Good luck on your trip".

They said their goodbyes and Simon started walking home. Marceline had refused to let go of him ever since she shouted that in the store and Simon didn't know how to define the feeling that came over him the moment the girl shouted that he was her father. Simon didn't react immediately to the scream, thinking more about what might come to pass and, moreover, getting Marceline away from the touch of a stranger.

Once things calmed down and he decided to leave the tent, the reality of the words spoken by the girl made him feel weak legs and an uncontrollable urge to laugh. And to cry. To cry with happiness. Marceline had actually called him 'daddy'. Assuming she was embarrassed, Simon didn't try to talk to her about it, but he couldn't deny that he wanted to make sure Marceline really meant it.

Was it a cruel taunt of fate? Or a chance for him to hear the most beautiful words he could imagine? Was it a sign? Or something completely random that crossed Marceline's lips because of her stress in the midst of an overwhelming situation?

Simon couldn't tell her clearly, because, honestly, he didn't care.

"Marcy, are you okay?", he asked her gently.

"Yes...", she replied. "The fool didn't hurt you?".

"No, honey. He's just a lout who talks too much", Simon said, settling her in his arms.

"... I understand", Marceline replied, and continued to hug Simon.

Truth be told, in millennia, Simon never wondered if Marceline would see a father figure in him. He knew the relationship with Abadeer was complicated, but Marceline had expressed that the demon loved her; in his own twisted way, but he loved her. Simon never heard Marcy, as a child or as an adult, mention even by mistake that he was like a father to her. Simon's belief was that Marceline saw him as a close friend or guardian of sorts. He had indeed spoken of her as the daughter he never had, but he never mentioned it in Marceline's presence, for fear that she would feel pressured to think the same of him. What a mistake.

Of course, Simon wouldn't mention it to her, unless she herself did so first. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable.

Arriving home, Simon received a message that turned his happiness into regret.

Simon, I did it! The machine is ready. You can bring Marceline in right now.

Chapter Text

Simon knew it was inevitable. He knew that sooner or later Bonnibel would call him to let him know that the device was fixed and they could return Marceline to her normal age. He had gotten the idea from the moment Bonnibel had told him that she would do her best to fix everything. Simon was aware that the message should have made him happy, because it meant that his Marcy and Bonnie would be back together and Marceline would get her whole life back. It meant that things would be back to normal once and for all.

But, on the contrary, knowing that made him sad. Among all those things was the fact that, possibly, the distance between him and Marceline would reappear, either because of what she was doing on her time or because of the time Simon would use for his new job. Then there was the issue of the move, another fact that would rob him of several days to do other things he wanted.

In other words, he was sad to think that, again, he would lose Marceline.

However, Simon didn't want to be selfish. He had made up his mind days ago that, as soon as they had a chance to work things out, he would accept it in order to give Marceline her life back.

His continuing doubt was whether Marceline would remember the days she lived with him in which, in one way or another, she had a brief normal childhood. Then she would begin to worry about how she would explain to everyone else where she was or why she had had a growth spurt if they saw her as an adult, especially those who heard her call her 'daddy' in the store.

Simon arrived home still holding the child in his arms. He knew he had to take her home to Bonnibel's soon, so he decided to get her things: her clothes, the bass and her favorite stuffed animal. He hoped that the affection he felt for Hambo would remain intact when she regained her normal age.

Inside, Simon put the little girl down on the floor and asked her if she wanted to eat some cereal. As he prepared a bowl for her, the old man said:

“Honey, when you're done, we should go see Bonnibel”.

“Now? I thought we were going in the evening”, Marceline commented, sitting down at the table.

“Yes, but... she asked us to go earlier, she didn't tell me why. I just have to prepare a few things to bring her”, Simon replied, putting the milk away in the fridge, quickly enough so Marceline wouldn't see the bottle of tequila he was still holding. He would consider getting rid of it when he got back.

“Here you go”, Simon smiled at her and set the bowl of chocolate cereal down in front of her. 

“Thanks!”.

“I'll get a few things ready and when you're done, we'll be on our way”.

Take your time, Simon refrained from saying.

In the bedroom, Simon began to put away anything that was Marceline's. He folded the clothes neatly, though measuring the minutes so as not to take too long and she wouldn't go to see, and put Hambo on top of everything. Closing the bag, Simon made sure not to snag the stuffed animal with the zipper. He didn't want to risk the threads coming loose. He looked at Marceline's bass in the corner and it occurred to him that it would be best to wear it another time, because it would keep the girl from asking questions he still wasn't sure he could answer.

Is that it, or do you want an excuse for them to meet later?, his conscience asked.

What was the point of denying it? Simon was scared. What if the distance was greater than before? What if Marceline became uncomfortable remembering that she spent all that time with him? It sounded like a silly idea, but Simon thought it could happen, because, after all, Marceline would remember that it all happened in a relatively short period of time. 

What if, when she came of age, she preferred to avoid it? What if she didn't want to talk about it? Simon would never know what she thought. What if she didn't even want to joke about it? Would they lose that spark that used to exist between them? Marceline hadn't even mentioned what had happened at the store. On the way back, she'd been wrapped around Simon's neck and practically refused to leave his side. Of course that didn't bother Simon, but he kept wondering if the girl was uneasy or if she regretted what she had said.

Simon decided to leave Marceline's bass at home and wait a little while before returning it to her.

Perhaps it was for the best. What could he offer Marceline when she was so independent? It passed in front of him on many occasions, but Simon had been slow to take it in, perhaps for a reason he considered selfish or because, in his eyes, Marceline was still the same little girl he encountered millennia ago. Regardless of the real reason, Simon knew he had to accept it: Marceline had grown up, and therefore, she no longer needed him.

Simon finished putting things away and carried the bag into the living room. He set it down near the door and saw that Marceline had not yet finished eating.

Cautiously, Simon sat down with her and pulled his chair closer to Marceline's.

“Marcy, I'd like to talk to you about something,” Simon began.

Marceline turned to him and Simon noticed a hint of embarrassment in her eyes. He thought the girl was expecting a question about what happened at the store. But Simon wanted to talk about a different matter, so he let it go.

“Honey, I was thinking about what we talked about the other night, when you had the nightmare”, Simon began, serenely. “Remember I talked to you about the decisions?”.

“Yes. You said that sometimes we choose what you think is best”, Marceline quoted, nodding.

“Exactly”.

“And you said that sometimes we choose things that hurt others, but that one never chooses that with the idea of hurting those they love,” Marceline recalled.

“Marcy, I'd like to ask you one thing that regarding choices”.

“What one thing?”, she asked, arching her eyebrows.

Simon let out a soft sigh and said:

“I want you to promise me that, when you have to make a decision, whether it's simple or complex, you will do it because your heart tells you it's the best thing to do”.

“But what if I choose wrong anyway?”, asked Marceline, unsure.

“Marcy, every time we make decisions we run the risk of making mistakes”, Simon explained. “It's inevitable that our choices won't affect other people. That's why I want to ask you to try to choose what you think is right, always with the best intentions”.

Marceline looked down for a moment, thoughtful. Then she looked back at Simon and smiled confidently.

“I will, Simon. I promise”.

Taking advantage of the fact that she was close of Simon, Marceline leaned a little so she could lean against his chest. Simon put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

Marceline finished eating, went to wash her hands and Simon left the bowl in the sink to deal with later.

The old man and the girl left the house and looked for a flying boat. Marceline was walking quite briskly, and Simon guessed it was because they were going to visit Bonnibel. Simon wondered if part of her memories retained parts of her moments with the Princess and if, somehow, deep down, Marceline knew what was about to happen. He wouldn't ask her, mainly because he didn't want to find out that Marceline was aware of what would happen. Likewise, Simon convinced himself not to give the matter so much thought as they boarded a flying boat, because if he did, he was sure he would take them back to Up-Ton and write Bonnibel a message expressing that he was not ready to let Marceline go again and that he needed a few more days with the girl.

However, his rational side managed to make him use common sense, because: A) if he didn't, it was possible that Bonnibel herself would show up at Up-Ton; and B) if he denied the obvious choice, then he would be being selfish, he would be taking Marceline away from her already made life and what she wanted. Simon didn't want to do that to his little girl.

Like the last few times, Marceline decided to go sit on Simon's lap, looking at her surroundings. She looked just as amazed as the first time. Simon decided to use that time to hold her better and let her lean on his shoulder.

In the cave, Simon put the girl down and then he went down. He asked Marceline to go a little ahead and when she pulled away, Simon asked the boat owner to wait a few minutes, he would be right back. 

Simon caught up with Marceline and she took his hand to go deeper into the dark, cold cave.

“It never changes around here, does it”, Marceline commented, jumping over a puddle.

“Well, that's up to the owners”, Simon replied. “Besides, it might be nice here for a get-together among friends. No one would come to disturb”.

“Yes, that does sound nice”, agreed Marceline. “Simon, what are we going to do after we leave?”.

Simon avoided looking at the girl, knowing that if he did, she would realize a thousand things were going through his head.

“I'm not sure yet. We can go back to the store and finish shopping. Let's hope no louts show up this time”.

“Fine by me,” Marceline agreed.

In front of the house, before knocking on the door, Simon dropped to one knee and hugged Marceline back.

“You know how much I love you, don't you, Marcy?”, he said, emotionally. “I want you to know that nothing will ever change that, ever”.

“I love you too, Simon”, Marceline replied, hugging him back, “but why are you saying it now?”.

“Because I want you to keep that in mind, sweetie”.

Marceline pondered this for a few seconds as she pulled away from him and suddenly, an expression of fear appeared on her face.

“Are you going away?”, she asked, alarmed.

“No, no, honey. No way. I'm not going anywhere”, Simon assured her, brushing a strand of hair away from her forehead.

“You promise?”, asked Marceline.

“I promise".

Those simple words seemed to reassure her. A pang of guilt shot through Simon's chest. Technically he was indeed saying goodbye, but he didn't want it to be like Marceline thought.

Finally, there was a knock on the door and Bonnibel opened it.

“Hello, friends! Glad you made it”, the Princess said, stepping aside to let them in.

“How have you been, Bonnie?”, asked Simon, setting the bag with Marceline's things on the side of the sofa.

“Just fine, thanks. How about you guys, are you all right?”.

“It was a busy afternoon”, Simon admitted.

“That fool Ash showed up at Up-Ton”, Marceline revealed, rolling her eyes.

“What, really?”, asked Bonnibel, annoyed. “Wow, he never fails to be annoying.”

“Don't worry. I don't think he'll be back”, Simon said.

Bonnibel gave Simon a look that said it all and he nodded.

“Simon, can you give me a minute?”, asked Bonnibel, suddenly looking sad.

“Yes, sure. Marcy, give us a moment, will you?”.

“What's wrong?”, the little girl inquired, alternating glances between Simon and Bonnibel.

“Nothing serious, little lady. Don't worry”.

Simon and Bonnibel left the house, closing the door behind them, and Bonnibel spoke.

“Simon, how are you really?”, inquired Bonnibel, perceptive as always.

It was Simon's turn to sigh.

“I'd say fine, but we both know I'd be lying to you”, Simon admitted. “Yeah, I'm a little sad, but I'll get over it”.

Bonnibel looked at the floor for a few seconds. She turned to Simon and said:

“You know, we can wait a few days before...”.

“No, Bonnie”, he interrupted her, gently. “I can't be so selfish as to take her away from her former life. She deserves to get everything back and get on with her life. I'll be fine, don't worry”.

Bonnibel smiled and reached over to hug Simon, who was quick to reciprocate. The two of them had never had that kind of closeness, mainly because of the past that, to some extent, bound them together. But now, they didn't worry about it.

“Thank you for taking such good care of her, Simon”, Bonnibel exclaimed, shaking him once more before releasing him.

“I'd do anything for her,” Simon said, vehemently.

They broke apart.

“I have the device downstairs, I just need to use it on her and...”.

“She'll be back to her normal age,” Simon concluded. “Can I ask you a favor?”.

“Certainly”.

“Humor me while we go in”.

Not quite understanding, Bonnibel walked past Simon as he opened the door and he pulled out his cell phone.

“Hello?”, exclaimed Simon, loud enough for both girls to hear. “Yes, I'm free... Do you want to talk about it now...? Okay”.

Simon pulled the cell phone away from his ear and covered the screen with his hand.

“Girls, I need to talk for a moment. It's a new offer”, he warned them, sending Bonnibel a look that expressed what he was doing.

Bonnibel nodded discreetly, understanding.

“You may be able to join me this time, Marcy”, Simon said, holding back a grimace of sadness.

“Yes, certainly!”, the girl smiled, encouraged.

“All right. Give me a moment”.

Simon left the house and closed the door slowly. He put the cell phone in his pocket and let out a heavy exhale. It was time to leave.

When he was close to the flying boat, Simon turned back to the house and saw the precise instant when the reflection of a very bright light came through the windows.

That was it.

With regret, Simon climbed into the boat and asked him to return to Up-Ton.

Throughout the trip, he kept himself from looking back.

///

In the evening, Simon finished packing his things for the move. It would not be a difficult, if stressful, task. It was time to adjust to a change. Or another change, rather.

Simon closed the suitcase with all his clothes and left it next to the bed. In the afternoon of the next day they would go help him carry his things. Once he was settled in, he would evaluate how to start promoting his work (Astrid would surely be of great help considering her fanaticism for the modern). And, finally, he would take a few days (or maybe a few weeks) to talk to Marceline and tell her where he would be living.

He looked around the interior of what would soon be his old home and a sense of nostalgia washed over him. How strange it would be to start over somewhere else. Surely he would have to get used to people asking him a thousand questions about his decisions, how he was doing with work, what had happened to the little girl he was taking care of, what he had in mind for the future, and so on. 

At least he could be sure that Marceline would be all right and that she and Bonnibel would stay together without further adversity. 

Simon kept asking himself many questions: would Marceline be angry with him for leaving without telling her? How would she feel to think that he was back to caring for her without the curse of the crown dominating her mind? Would she want to talk about it at some point? Or would she choose to let it go and pretend it never happened? Would she remember that she called him dad and not take it back?

Chagrined, Simon stood up and walked over to the refrigerator. He opened the door and his eyes met the bottle of tequila. The amount of liquid inside had not changed for weeks, or perhaps months. Simon felt the urge to uncork it and take a swig that could pass down his throat as if it were pure water. It was tempting. Marceline was no longer in his house, there was no longer anyone who needed him. No one would see him to judge him or pity him. It was a drink, nothing more. Then he could put the bottle away again and wait months until he wanted to drink again.

He held out a hand and halfway through, he hesitated. Was it really worth throwing away the months he'd spent without alcohol just because he'd be temporarily sad? Simon knew it wouldn't be a permanent feeling. Was it worth giving up and continuing a bad habit?

Not wanting to give up, Simon pulled his hand away from the bottle and slammed the fridge shut. It was a bad time to give in to a vice.

The old man was startled when the garage shutter banged. Simon adjusted his jacket out of sheer inertia and went over to open it. He wasn't expecting visitors that night, no one had told him he was coming.

So he couldn't hold back a chuckle at the sight of Marceline, levitating a few inches off the ground and holding Hambo in her arms.

“Hello, Simon”, she greeted him, smiling sheepishly.

“Hi, honey”, he smiled, happy to see her again. “Come on in”.

“Thank you”.

Marceline levitated in and surveyed her surroundings. Seeing a few boxes in the corner, the suitcase full of clothes and everything neatly arranged beyond what was packed, the vampiress couldn't help her expression from falling.

“So when are you leaving?”, asked Marceline, hugging Hambo carefully enough not to break him.

“Maybe tomorrow at noon”, Simon replied, gently. He sat down on the sofa and Marceline copied his action. “I must return your bass to you so Bonnibel can fix it. I know you'll miss playing”.

“Yes, that's true”, Marceline agreed, laying the stuffed animal in his lap. “But why didn't you take it with the rest of my things?”.

Simon shuddered slightly and then shrugged.

“I don't know, Marcy. I guess I... wanted to avoid having to answer questions”.

“And I had no right to ask them?”, asked Marceline, arching an eyebrow mockingly.

Simon looked at her and, to his eyes, she was not so different from how he remembered her as a child.

“What would you like to know?”.

Marceline changed her expression. She looked straight ahead and asked him earnestly:

“Simon, why did you leave before Bonnie brought me back to my normal age?”.

Simon clasped his hands together, mulling over his answers, thinking what was the most sensible thing he could say to Marceline.

“I guess... I wasn't ready to see you grow up a second time”, he laughed humorlessly. “I think it's a common parental fear”.

Out of the corner of his eye, Simon saw Marceline's cheeks take on a rosy hue.

“Was that all it was? Are you sure?”, insisted Marceline.

“What do you really want to know, Marcy?”, asked Simon.

Marceline let out a grunt of annoyance.

“I-I don't know, Simon”, she admitted. “You know, I do remember the time I spent with you here and the things that happened. I still remember Astrid, I remember that we crossed paths with dumb Ash on two unfortunate occasions, that Finn took care of me for a while because you had to see new places to live... Simon, I remember everything”.

Simon wanted to be glad that it was so, but all the reasons that went through his mind before, that fact made him feel scared.

“Why did you come, Marceline?”.

Marceline turned to him and answered warmly:

“I'm following what my heart says”.

Simon also looked at her and smiled with the shadow of small tears. Marceline leaned over and hugged him, seeking to satisfy the feeling of protection that Simon could give her. It was only Simon who could make her feel protected even as an adult vampire.

“Wow, you do remember everything”, Simon teased, stroking her hair.

“I told you”.

They both stood in the same position for a moment, wanting to enjoy the feeling of being together, just the two of them in the world like it had been millennia ago.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be blunt with my questions”, Marceline said, leaning on Simon's shoulder. “It's just... I had a lot of doubts, I thought...”.

“Marcy, it's okay”, Simon assured her, slowly pulling her away from him. “Truth be told, I left because I couldn't come to terms with the fact that my little girl would grow up too fast for me”, he said. “I felt it was a second chance to take care of you and be able to remember it in detail and, most importantly, offer you a normal childhood, at least temporarily”.

“And it was amazing, Simon”, Marceline replied. “Everything. The walks, the talks we had, meeting other people... and getting Hambo back”, she said fondly, hugging her teddy bear. “I think... deep down, my child self knew that everything was strange, the normal city and the civilized people, but... it was like my subconscious didn't quite want to acknowledge it. Deep down, I feel like I enjoyed being a child again and... being with you”.

“Same here, darling. It's the one thing I don't regret when I think of the crown. Maybe it made me into someone I wasn't and maybe if I hadn't found it, you and I would never have met, and yes, maybe I would have stayed with Betty, but I know that would mean a little girl would be left without...", Simon paused, not knowing what word to use.

Luckily, Marceline finished for him.

“A little girl would have been left without a father”.

“Yes... I suppose so”.

“In that case, part of me is glad you got the crown - but only a small part of me!”.

“It's all right, Marcy, I understand”.

Marceline sat Hambo on her lap and continued:

“Hey, I talked to Bonnie and she's staying at the kingdom tonight, so... Could I stay here tonight?”, asked Marceline, scratching the back of her neck.

Simon chuckled and ran a hand through her hair, becoming tender as she leaned against his touch.

“Of course you can, Marcy. Wherever I am, you're always welcome, sweetie”.

Simon told her he'd let her have the bed, but Marceline turned it down a thousand ways, claiming mainly that she floated and didn't need to lean on anything. The couch would be fine for her.

“Simon, before you go”, Marceline began, leaving Hambo on the couch, “there's something I'd like to ask you”.

“What is it, Marcy?”.

Marceline looked at the refrigerator and walked over to it. She opened it and, without hesitation, took out the bottle of tequila. Simon felt his pulse quicken.

“Simon, I understand a lot of things now and one of them, it's the drinking thing”, she said, sympathetically. “Please throw away the tequila”.

“I was thinking of doing that when I dropped you off at your place”, Simon said, looking at the bottle with some temptation.

“Do it now. Prove you can get over it”, Marceline requested, with a hint of pleading. 

Simon took the bottle Marceline held out to him and looked at it. It was true that the temptation to drink had faded months ago, so much so that he only drank when he felt he had nothing left to do, not because he felt it as a necessity to calm his busy mind and his own sorrows. He was sure he could do it.

Simon took a deep breath and walked over to the sink. He took the cap off the bottle and began to empty the contents, watching it go down the drain. With each trickle that seeped out, Simon felt a tether finally releasing him. He didn't feel sorry that he was wasting the tequila, he only felt guilt for letting Marceline find out. But, at the same time, he felt reassured that she wasn't condemning him for drinking. She wasn't calling him out on what he did or questioning him as to why he did such an action.

For a moment, Simon hated himself for allowing Marceline to become aware of such a personal problem and one that was in no way related to her. Simon berated himself for how irresponsible he was.

Once he finished emptying the bottle, Simon tossed it into the trash can. The sound of glass shattering made them wince.

“How are you?”, asked Marceline, sympathetically.

“A little better, I admit”, Simon smiled wearily. “I appreciate that, Marcy, though I would have preferred you not to have seen me with the tequila”.

“Don't worry, Simon. I know it's hard to deal with the stress”, she replied, somewhat sadly.

“Thank you for pushing me to do it, honey”.

Marceline hugged him again.

A while later, they both went to bed.

At about one o'clock in the morning, Marceline opened her eyes, frightened, and hugged Hambo. Again those nightmares, the same ones she suffered from when she was only a child. The same ones that haunted her for centuries. It was dark, but her newly regained powers helped her to soon adapt to her surroundings. She remembered she was at Simon's house and she was safe. Nothing could hurt her, she knew, but that didn't help her calm down.

Resigned, she decided to heed her wishes and levitated toward the bedroom door. She opened it as slowly as she could, hoping not to give herself away with how heavy her vampiric presence could be. Holding Hambo against her chest, she levitated until she approached Simon's bed and, as gently as possible, lay down next to him, on top of the blankets, since she was not suffering from the cold.

Simon was awakened by the movement and, despite initial disorientation, was not alarmed. He smiled warmly and asked her:

“A nightmare?”.

Marceline made a noise of affirmation.

“Would you find it strange if I stayed here for a while?”, she asked, quietly.

“I don't know, would it be strange for you to feel safe with an old man like me?”.

“Not at all”.

“Then that's fine”.

They both laughed. Marceline put Hambo down between the two of them and Simon moved his hand closer to Marceline's hand. He rested his hand on hers, reassuring her that all was well.

Marceline smiled in the darkness and closed her eyes, knowing she would be safe by her dad's side.