A Guardian Angel

Chapter 97

A Tenuous Hold

It was almost six months after they'd come home from the hospital as a family, and Marshall wasn't doing so well. Their contract with Nightosphere had officially run out at the end of March, and already they were behind Lich's schedule. He'd even demanded that they be in the recording studio the day their contract expired.

Marshall had done his best to keep up with the demand of this man but he could barely breathe. It was as if his lung capacity was halved, and coughing violently Marshall gasped for air wondering what the hell was wrong with his lungs. Everything was wiping him out and since he'd gotten out of the hospital, the day they'd brought their daughter home, Marshall felt himself progressively going downhill.

It was two in the morning and Fionna he knew wasn't getting much sleep, between him coughing and the baby crying in the early mornings he knew she had to be just as drained as he was. Making his decision he went to the hospital and checked himself in at the emergency room after feeding Aria and tending to her diaper.

What he had Marshall knew wasn't contagious, because if it was Fionna would be sick too. He had an appointment with his primary in another week and a half and Marshall knew he couldn't wait that long. The familiar drive to the hospital was mercifully short, and parking his car he tried desperately to take in the lungful of air that he needed. It took him almost ten minutes before he could enter the hospital without fear of passing out in the process.

Once inside the doctor took one good listen to his lungs and sent him for an X-ray. Almost immediately they admitted him. Marshall lay there coughing in the hospital bed as he struggled to catch his breath. Honestly, it was the first time that his cancer made him feel like he was dying, because he couldn't breathe. The feeling scared him as he coughed harder than before, this time he couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe. Marshall's heart pounded violently as he tried failing to take a breath before finally passing out.

O0o0o0

Fionna woke to silence, there was no coughing Marshall, no crying baby and it to her was ominous. It was an ominous silence that most new mothers would cherish the sound of…it frightened Fionna. Pushing herself up from the bed she looked around for any sign of Marshall. Walking down the hall and peeking into their daughter's room she spotted their daughter in the crib.

Quietly she walked inside checking on the infant who slept soundly, and with a smile Fionna rested her hand on her daughter's belly feeling the deep breaths she took as she slept. Sneaking away she checked the rest of the house for her husband growing more and more uneasy as she did so. The house was empty of Marshall, so turning around she headed back upstairs and quickly got dressed into a pair of jean shorts and a short sleeved shirt. She was going to look for Marshall, it wasn't like him to up and vanish.

After she was dressed Fionna walked into the baby's room lifting the baby from her crib and lying her on the changing table. Replacing the wet diaper with a fresh one Fionna coated the child in sunblock and put her in a white and yellow polka dot dress, it had been a very hot July so far.

Tugging on the baby's sun hat, and zipping up the diaper bag, Fionna placed Aria in the car seat buckling her in place before slipping her own shoes on and fishing out her purse from the closet. She made her way to the car glad that the weather had been slightly cooler, though it was nowhere near cool. Placing the car seat in the base and hearing the resounding click as it locked in place Fionna hopped in the driver's seat. She had an idea where Marshall was, as bad as he'd been coughing a trip to the hospital would probably be the first place he'd gone.

Pulling into the lot for the emergency room Fionna scanned the rows finally spotting the familiar black car with the tinted windows. Pulling into an open spot Fionna grabbed their daughter's seat and diaper bag carrying them through the doors into the hospital where she was greeted by the hospital staff.

"Has my Fiancé checked in? His name's Marshall Abadeer." She asked watching the woman behind the desk type away at the computer.

"Yes, he was admitted at 2:56 am. You can find him on the south wing room 306A." she said watching the blonde nod.

"Thank you very much." Making her way down the hall Fionna paused at an elevator pressing her finger into the button waiting for the familiar ding of its arrival.

O0o0o0O

When Marshall woke up, his vision was blurry, his chest was sore, and he had probably the worst headache of his life, but he could breathe. Moving his hand to the side of his chest he felt gauze before a hand stopped his from going farther.

"Don't do that you don't want to infect it." It was Fionna, and turning his head Marshall spotted the familiar shape of his wife.

"Hey." He said with a smile watching as she reluctantly smiled back at him.

"Don't you go disappearing on me again like that, you had me worried."

"You needed sleep."

"Yes I did but don't change the subject. You could have told me or left a note or something like that Marshall."

"I know I'm sorry, I just knew I needed to get here, I couldn't breathe."

"I know, the nurses filled me in on what happened since you arrived. You weren't getting enough oxygen so you passed out. It's a good thing that those sensors alerted the nurses because if it hadn't… I don't want to think about that, but anyways they had to drain your lungs, there was a lot of fluid buildup. They said that it was a side effect of the chemotherapy drugs that you've been switched to." She said softly taking his hand and holding it tightly.

"Where's the baby?"

"She's here." Fionna said lifting the car seat so Marshall could see their daughter chewing on her teething ring.

"Good."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I died." He said with a dry laugh.

"That's not funny Marsh, don't joke about that."

"Okay, okay I won't I'm sorry." He said sounding contrite suddenly the sound of fussing was heard from the car seat, and unbuckling her Fionna lifted the baby out of the seat shushing her.

"She hungry?" Marshall asked pushing himself up.

"Yeah."

"It's my turn." He said motioning Fionna to hand him the baby, and with a smile Fionna passed him their daughter as she prepared the bottle. "Oh little munchkin what are we gonna do with you?" Marshall asked gently bouncing the baby in his arm reaching for the bottle that Fionna passed to him. "No need to fuss, Mama made you a bottle so you and Daddy can have our bonding time." Marshall said with a smile as Aria began suckling from the bottle growing silent and content.

"There you go, you just had a hungry belly huh?" he asked softly as Fionna watched with a soft smile. "You're just Daddy's hungry girl aren't you?"

"Speaking of hungry are you?" Fionna asked as she tidied the diaper bag settling it on the chair.

"I am actually, I could really go for a burger."

"Marsh it's a hospital would they even have burgers?"

"You would be surprised what they have to eat." Marshall said coughing once again. Hearing him cough Fionna frowned quickly excusing herself.

"I'll be right back." Heading down the hall Fionna stopped at the Nurse's station.

O0o0o0O

"Wait wait wait, so you're telling me that Marceline got married to Ember's brother." Jake said with a finger in his ear trying to hear Finn better. He was home today with the babies and, Jake jr. who was sick from school.

"Yeah dude and I'm wicked excited for them but Emma's been dropping hints like crazy! Doesn't she notice that any time we take steps towards the future we always break up?" Finn asked running his fingers through his hair almost knocking out the earpiece he was speaking into as he perused the mall looking for an anniversary gift for Ember.

"Nah dude you always panic and mess everything up at the last minute. If you really love Ember tell her, tell her you're worried about things changing, tell her everything." Jake said sagely. "When you get married it's you two together to the end."

"That's some talk coming from the guy whose not married."

"Listen El Blanco Nino," Jake said now laying on the couch holding Charlie up with one hand making faces at her while he spoke to Finn. "I've been in every kind of relationship stage you can think of EXCEPT married, and once Lady picks out the proper temple we're off this, wedded bliss and nothing but happily ever after for the whole lot of us." Now he tossed Viola into the air, the toddler giggling as her father caught her. "Changing the title of your relationship DOESN'T HAVE to change the nature of the relationship." Hearing this Finn stopped.

"Yooooooo, say that again!?" Finn said now hearing the grin in his brother's voice.

"Finn, just because you're changing the title of your relationship does not mean you have to change the nature of your relationship." Jake said now using Viola like a weight and doing chest presses as she giggled, Charlie now chewing the TV remote.

"When the hell did you get so smart?" Finn asked laughing. He had to admit, Jake was always the best person to ask advice from.

"Bro, I'm brilliance incarnate, you've got to know that by now." He said watching as Jackie entered the room. "How you feeling baby girl?" he asked watching as she heaved throwing up in front of here. "I'll take that as not much better, Finn I've gotta go."

"Yeah I heard all of it, later dude."

"Later." His ear piece beeped signaling Jake's disconnect. Looking around the store Finn sighed, Ember was always so difficult to shop for, but maybe it didn't have to be as difficult as he thought.

O0o0o0O

Fionna returned to Marshall with the news from the nurse, he'd be discharged by the afternoon with a prescription for antibiotics. He'd gotten a summer cold and had a touch of bronchial pneumonia. Fionna brought Marshall's things home with assurances from Marshall that he would be home in a few hours, so with that Fionna took the baby home. As she drove home Fionna's mind was stuck on the CD the band was making.

They were running behind on Lich's album, and it was set to release next month, and still three of the songs had yet to be recorded. All of Fionna's work had been accomplished in record time, she had a 6 month old at home and knew that at any time Lich could use her against them. So far they never had to use the panic room though Fionna had used it as a nap room for Aria, they were going to teach her that once she was in that room she had to be quiet.

It was like she knew something was going to happen that day…Fionna felt beyond uneasy, just as she had before their first meeting with Anderson Lich. All day she'd been nervous and feeling more than sick. Just as she climbed down the stairs having put Aria successfully down for a nap she heard several loud bangs on the door that made her heart race. Now she was trying to remember, did she close the door to the room? Did she cover it properly? Would Aria know to stay quiet? She was teething and had been so fussy lately that she'd barely slept.

All that was heard throughout the house was silence as Fionna crept towards the source of the noise. She couldn't hear signs of anyone outside any more… maybe she was being paranoid? That thought however was shot to hell as she saw a blurry figure through the glass of the back door trying to make it's way in.

With her thoughts only on the baby Fionna ran up the stairs. Lich had told them before that he had no problem hurting children, the memory of that encounter while she was pregnant was still so vivid in her mind. Now he'd sent someone into their home.

When Fionna reached for the panel behind the closet the sound of shattering glass met her ears. Slipping into the opening she slid the panel back into place and hovered hear the crib. The baby was sleeping, and Fionna didn't want to wake her by picking her up, it was too soon and she was sure to wake up. The sound of smashing glass below made Fionna jump and she watched as Aria stirred.

"Damn, damn, damn…" the blonde thought patting herself down in search of her phone. Fionna swore silently for having misplaced it; she had no idea where it was. That question was answered as it began ringing loudly in the baby's room. Immediately Fionna watched as Aria's face contorted and she whimpered.

"Damn it, the phone's gonna wake Ari…" Now Fionna chewed her thumb nail. Did she sneak into the baby's room and shut the phone off and hope he doesn't hear it? Or leave it there and hope it doesn't wake the baby and let him think the house is empty?

Heavy footsteps began ascending the stairs and Fionna felt her heart drop as the baby let out a pitiful cry.

O0o0o0

Marshall frowned as the phone rang through to voicemail. It was just after two in the afternoon so Aria should be having her nap by now…at least he thought. The hospital had just discharged him only a few minutes ago, he tried Fionna's cell again, she had the bad habit of leaving her cellphone on vibrate then losing it, that's usually what ends up happening when she doesn't pick up the first time. Heading to his car with the umbrella overhead Marshall was determined to head home and catch up on some work. Lich had been riding them pretty hard, and being admitted last night was definitely a speed bump. Walking over to his car Marshall spotted an envelope under the windshield wiper. Reaching out he plucked the envelope free and hopped into the car folding the umbrella and tossing it into the passenger seat. Turning on the car he set the AC to blasting and proceeded to open the envelope pulling out a white card with gold lettering and a gold leaf embossed quill.

"Write like you're running out of time" The front of the card said spiking the anxiousness Marshall was feeling. Flipping the card open he stared at a blank card with the exception of a set of initials in familiar slanted slender handwriting.

A.L.

Dialing Fionna's phone Marshall listened his anxiety rising with every ring.

It went to voicemail again

O0o0o0O

Fionna's heart pounded violently as she lay beneath the crib trembling doing her best to calm her child. Aria's cheeks were flushed and her face was wet with tears, her cries smothered by Fionna's hand. She needed to do something or he was going to hear Aria. Running through the ideas she had Fionna decided to see if the baby would settle if she sang to her. Luckily Ignitus had been on a Dumbo kick last month.

"Baby mine, don't you cry.
Baby mine, dry your eyes." She sang softly wiping the tears from Aria's cheeks listening as her daughter began to calm.
"Rest your head close to my heart,
Never to part, baby of mine." Fionna didn't know all of the words, so what she didn't she hummed listening for any sound of an intruder as she continued repeating the few verses she knew over and over. Every time she started over Ari's eyes seemed to droop lower and lower.
"You're so precious to me,
Sweet as can be, baby of mine." She whispered listening to her child's slow rhythmic breathing as they both lay silently hidden. Just as Fionna was about to move the sound of the paneling being moved flooded her with fear.

O0o0o0O

Marshall pulled up to the house the same time the police department did, he'd called them as a precaution, and seeing the disarray of the house Marshall knew he was right to have done so. The officers cleared the first floor, and Marshall followed the officer who'd headed up stairs. Quickly he'd entered the baby's room, the officer following having cleared the rest of the floor. Marshall's heart was racing. Was Fionna okay? Was the baby okay? The anxiety was killing him, and as he reached the panel, Marshall found it solidly in place, just as it should have been. Sliding a section to the right he inserted the key listening as the door loudly clicked open.

"Fionna?" He asked into the silence hearing a slight gasp.

"Marshall! Oh my god it's you, I was scared to death." She said lifting the sheet from the rug so he could see her laying underneath the crib. Marshall approached taking the baby from his fiancée and helping her to her feet. Immediately he folded her into his arms.

"I'm so glad you're both okay." He said softly before steeling himself for what he was about to say next. "Fionna, don't talk, just listen to me okay? I'm gonna buy us a house out near your parents, I'm gonna pay for it with cash like pay it all off, and we're gonna take bags of clothes and we're gonna leave. We tell nobody over the phone or through text, we don't tell them where we're going, we're gonna change our numbers get new phones everything, we can't stay here…Aria can't stay here…Not anymore, especially not now." He said brushing her bangs from her watery eyes.

"I'm sorry but we have to leave. We can't stay here, I don't want to leave but we cannot stay here, not after this." he said kissing her forehead gingerly honestly he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Fionna or himself. "I'm sorry but we have to get away from here." He said softly listening as more sirens approached as she let out a pained sob, he wasn't sure if it was the heartache of leaving their home behind, her first home, or the emotional turmoil she was in that had caused her tears, but regardless he wiped her tears away kissing her forehead, then her lips.

"Okay." She said softly as he continued holding her. "Okay, we'll run."