Chapter Text
The pain only grows worse with each step he takes. He knows he needs to get back. If only these damned spots would go away. He should be there by now. Why couldn’t he focus? As he trudges forward, he bumps into the barrier. A smile of relief graces his face for but a moment as his exhaustion catches up to him. The darkness claims him.
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Hunson lifts his head and turns to the direction of the Candy Kingdom. “Well, shit.” He says as he starts to walk to the borders of the Ice Kingdom. Marceline then turns in the same direction and sprints past her father. “Simon!!!!” As she starts taking flight, she comes to the border to see the crumpled and marred form of Simon. She reaches forward and finds her hand touching the barrier. With a frustrated growl she punches the barrier as Hunson walks up to the two. “He controls the barrier, Marceline. He will have to wake up to allow us to get to him.”
Simon groans as the voices pull him from the darkness. He mumbles. “I’m tired, please just a bit more.” Marceline leans against the barrier. “Papa! Put down the barrier so I can get you! Then you can sleep!” Simon winces as he pulls his right arm from under his battered body. Once done, he then draws a rune on the barrier causing a small opening to appear. Taking her chance, Marceline tries to be gentle but quick, pulling Simon through the opening just as it closed back up.
Hunson grimaces at Simon’s condition but rolls his eyes as he sees Marceline pick the man up. He had lost consciousness again as she had pulled him through the barrier. Taking off, Marceline rushes as fast as she can to the others. Bonnie may be able to fix any damage done to Simon. Everyone gasps in various stages of shock as she appears with Simon in her arms. “Bonnie! Please! Help!” The Candy Princess nods as they rush into the Ice Palace. Marceline allowing Bonnie to cling to her back as she flew them all up.
Hunson sighs as he returns to the large mass of mortals and looks at Finn. “I don’t see why she’s panicking; he’ll be fine.” Finn frowns turning away from Hunson. “He looked pretty bad.” The demon huffs. “Pfff. He’s survived worse. He isn’t even dying; he just needs food and sleep. He’ll be right as rain; I think the humans say.” Finn shakes his head as he and Jake rush to the palace to see if they can help. The other concert goers talk amongst themselves and a few talk about how typical it is for a demon to be insensitive. Said demon rolls his eyes and pulls out his phone.
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It had been close to 2 weeks later and Marceline paced the room back and forth. Simon still hadn’t woken up yet. Bonnie said that it was due to a mix of factors, but all his scans and vitals came back good. Right now, he was on IVs to keep his nutrition and hydration stable while they waited. A knock on the door drew her attention. Lifting her head just in time to see the ears on Finn’s hat. “Oh hey, Finn.” She says absently as she goes back to pacing. A frown forms on the boy’s face. “Marceline?”
“What is it, Finn?” She sighs out.
He approaches as he begins. “You’re angry?” She nods as she looks over at Simon’s sleeping form. “Simon…he just keeps putting himself in harms way. He doesn’t…argh! Why? He didn’t tell me about my mom, or his connection to me. He didn’t tell me about the Lich. None of it!” She flops down into the chair by the bed. Then sadly looks at her hands. “He must think I’m weak.” Dejectedly she states.
Finn shakes his head. “PB said she’d been doing some research to get a better understanding on humans. She said human instinct makes them reckless when it comes to their kids. She didn’t say anything else, so I asked your dad. Hunson told me that not all humans are as protective as Simon is, but that it is within normal human behavior. He said Simon is more protective because you two are the last of your family.”
Marceline shrugs and looks back at Simon. “But I’m grown up now. I can handle these things. I could have fought by his side. But he pushed me away.” Finn nods and pulls up his own chair from across the room. Marceline rolls her eyes at the boy's behavior. Once Finn is settled he says. “Well, my brothers won’t let me do certain things even now that I’m a teen. I know it’s because they worry. Maybe Simon didn’t want to risk the Lich getting to you.”
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A few days after Marceline’s talk with Finn she looks up from a song she started working on. She lifts her head at the faint groan coming from the bed. Seeing Simon begin to stir she calls out. “Time to open those eyes, ya old sleepy head.” Her jest is met with a sleepy chuckle.
Simon groans as he looks bleary at Marceline. “M-marcy…” She smiles as she cards her fingers through his hair. “Ready to wake up?” His lips quiver as he looks at her. “You look like her…” Tears fill his eyes. “You just have your father’s coloring and…and…” He sobs. Marceline gently pulls him into a hug and allows her anger and insecurities to fall away. She understands what her dad meant about her uncle not intentionally keeping secrets from her. Simon cries so hard he eventually falls asleep in Marcy’s arms. She holds him close as he sleeps. She was still upset, but at least she knew why her uncle didn’t speak of her mother. “I don’t know if I should keep calling you Papa or call you Uncle now.” She thinks to herself as she waits for him to wake up once more.