Marshall drummed his fingers on the table as the florist shrugged. "I'm sorry buddy, but she's just not interested."

"She... how do I win her over?" He demanded.

The florist shrugged again. "Your guess is better than mine. Sounds like you need to apologize."

"But she won't talk to me."

"Then wait."

"No, she's still going to hate me... and I can't be alone."

"This seems to be more about you than her."

"It's... no. I need her, okay? She's amazing. She's strong, and sweet, and kind, and tries to help everyone all the time, and she's beautiful, and she is genuinely the best person I've ever met. And she genuinely cares about me, or at least she did, and I love her. I-I can't lose her, okay?"

The florist shrugged. "Fine, but she keeps refusing all deliveries from my shop, so that's clearly not going to help. If you feel that strongly about that, you need to get her attention somehow. Now, unless you're going to buy something, please leave."

Marshall nodded and left, thinking about it. If Fionna wouldn't talk to him, maybe the Shieldmaiden would talk to The Demon... but if he was just running around wreaking miscellaneous havoc, she'd ignore him. He'd have to make it personal, but still forgivable... hm. Maybe Gumball could-

Oh. Oh, that was a bad idea, but so tempting at the same time. And besides, she forgave him for trying to take over the world. One friend won't compare. And besides, he'd understand.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I thought you stopped doing stuff like this." The Shieldmaiden said, leaning on her good leg. She had just gotten her cast off when he had put his plan into action.

"For you. And you wouldn't return my calls, so I had to get your attention."

"Right. 'Cause this makes me trust you even more, knowing that you'll kidnap my friends if I don't talk to you!" She growled.

He winced. "I just needed to talk to you." Then he noticed her leg. "Oh, geez... look at you. You're still hurt, and you're still coming out here."

Gumball, who was tied to a chair, used this opportunity to knock against The Demon with said chair. The Demon held him in place, focusing on the Shieldmaiden. "Come on, I'll take you back. We can do this again some other time."

"I don't need your help. I'm fine!"

He stepped towards her slowly. "I'm not. I don't like seeing you hurt, Fionna."

Gumball shot The Demon a suspicious look, before struggling.

"Then why did you abandon me?!" She demanded. "You-you promised!"

The Demon took another step towards her. "I know."

"Stay back!" She drew her sword. "You're being really-"

He picked her up bridal style again. "Creepy? Yeah, I know. This wasn't the best plan I've ever had. But it's better than doing nothing. Just let me apologize."

She struggled. "Actions speak louder than words, Marshall. Now let me go!"

"After you hear me out, okay? I'll do anything to get you back. If I wasn't holding you like this, I'd be down on my knees begging for you to forgive me. You hear me? Begging. Because no matter what, you are the most important thing to me. And I messed up, and because of that, I almost lost you."

"It's not about whether or not you almost lost me, which by this point, I think that you kind of have, it's about keeping your word."

"Take me back." He begged. "I'll never betray you like that again. I'll always keep my word. Please. I'm not sure if I can live without you."

Gumball rolled his eyes, and the Shieldmaiden softened, before countering, "And what if I don't? You're going to go nuts again, try and take over the town? Kidnap bystanders again, just to get my attention?"

"No. If you truly don't want me, I'll... I'll leave you alone. I'll hang up my mask, The Demon will die and Marshall will take his place." The Demon swallowed. "But... if you do want me... I'll be a good partner. I promise. Hell, I'll even be your goddamned sidekick. Just smile at me again. Talk to me. Kiss me. Love me."

"That's not the issue. How do I know I can trust you? That's the problem."

"I have no way of proving that. You're just going to have to give me another chance. But living without you... that almost broke me. I'll do anything you say at this point. Fionna, I'd kill for you if you wanted me to!"

Gumball shot him an incredulous look, but the Shieldmaiden sighed. "I don't want anyone to die... I just... if I give you another chance, I might die, Marshall."

"I won't let that happen. I promise. I'll be right by your side, through all of it. I won't- I won't let anything happen to you. Not again."

The Shieldmaiden hesitated. "You get one more chance, and a trial period. If anything goes wrong for the next few weeks, if I can't trust you... I'm out. Forever. And nothing you can say or do will change that."

"Understood." The Demon grinned, before kissing her. "It's crystal clear."

"Better be." The Shieldmaiden muttered.

"Come on, your leg looks like it needs to be put up."

"It doesn't-"

"Sh. You don't have to save the world all the time. Evil's kind of scared of you right now. And I've finally got you back, and I kind of want you all to myself..."

Gumball shot them another incredulous look, then started to panic as they began to walk off without him. "Mmm! MmmMmmm! Mmmm mmmmm mm mmmm!"

Neither of them paid him any attention, and he began to freak out even more. The policeman who found him the next morning was unable to get anything helpful out of him before Gumball strode off, ranting about stupid demons and girls who are not supposed to take them back under any circumstances.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mm..." A few weeks after the incident regarding Gumball and the 'kidnapping', Marshall rolled over to feel something warm next to him. He opened one eye to see a mound of blonde hair on the pillow next to him, and smiled, closing his eye again.

He pulled her closer. "You're so warm. This is the best I've slept in a long time."

"Shh... I'm sleeping." She mumbled.

He rested his head in the nook of her shoulder. "This is nice. I wish we could do this everyday."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to get married? When you're done with college, I mean?"

"If I say yes, you have to let me sleep." She murmured.

He grinned and buried his face in her hair. "Fair enough..."