SO-SO-SO Sorry for such a late update. Don't really have any excuses, so I'm just glad not to see an angry mob outside my house. Thanks for that. :) Now enjoy!

The sunlight streamed through the snow-caked window as Gumball groaned, waking up at the break of dawn, and giving a very touchy Marshall Lee a start.

"Hey, sunshine." Marshall said groggliy, looking at his pink prince. Gumball sat up, rubbing his neck. He didn't sleep well on such a hard-packed ground.

"Marshall," Gumball greeted his vampire. But as he got a closer look, he saw the dark circles under his eyes, the drooped state of his huddled shoulders that were occupied by the strap of his axe bass. "Didn't you sleep at all last night?" He asked, concerned.

"Nah, but don't worry. I'm fine." Marshall shook his head, standing up and straightening his back. Gumball stood also, unzipping the sweatshirt he was wearing and handed it to Marshall.

"With the sun up, you're going to need this, I suppose." The immortal boy nodded, slipping the jacket on and flipping up the hood. The two walked down the hallway to see their host the snow golem sitting at a table, eating...were those acorns? Whatever.

"Good morning," He said cheerfully, crunching the tree nuts. The fire wolf was sitting on a plank of wood, eating something in a small dish. Probably charcoal or something along those lines.

"Good morning. And also thank you for your hospitality," Gumball answered for them both. There was an somewhat awkward silence. You really don't know what to say to a clump of snow that offered you a room for the night, or to a vampire and a piece chewing gum, do you? Marshall cleared his throat. He wanted out of this strange enviornment. "So, yeah. Do you take cash, or...?" He asked vaugely, reaching towards his back pocket which held his wallet.

Snow blinked, then understood what Marshall was asking. "Oh no, don't worry about that. Just helping two guys stuck outside." He shrugged, munching.

Marshall nodded greatfully, and understanding. Good thing to, he was flat broke, losing his last twenty to a poker game last week.

"Now, did you two want breakfast, or something to drink?" Snow offered, glancing over to what looked like the fridge, which was made of course, snow.

"Oh, no thank you." Gumball turned down the offer, getting a sense that Marshall wanted to leave. However he was quite hungry, and Snow realized this from the quiet rumbling in his gut. He stood from his chair and grabbed two apples from a bowl on the narrow counter.

'Here, then. Just for the road." He tossed them over to the two boys.

"Thank you, sir." Gumball smiled, catching it, but just barely. Marshall let out a snicker, which he tried to cover with a dry cough. He looped his arm around Gumballs, apple in hand, and pulled the bass strap higher on his shoulder. Inching towards the door as politely as possible.

"Thanks again!" Marshall called, and jerked open the door, and squinted at the harsh rays of sun. He leaped off the ground still holding Gumball by the arm. He was glad to be back in the open air, no matter how fridgid it was.

"Marshall, that was kind of rude; just getting up and leaving." Gumball scolded, looking back at the little hut. He adjusted himself so both of his arms were free and Marshall was holding him by the waist.

"How? We said thanks and junk," Marshall answered, but he agreed they should've stayed a little while longer. Something told him that Snow golem didn't get too many visitors, living in the Ice Queen's kingdom and all that.

"Whatever," Bubba brushed it off, and bit into his apple. "Nice of him to give us these, though."

"Yeah, forgot about those." Marshall grabbed his apple from his sweatshirt pocket, and sipped a chunk of red from his, and let out a sigh. He was famished. Soon his apple was a dull grey. He glanced down and Gumball's apple, with just one bite in it, and a shining crimson. "Wanna switch?" He held out his grey apple.

"Ick, its all grey. It's so strange to see a grey apple." Gumball critisized, wrinkling his round nose. You hafta admit, it would be weird.

"Oh shut up. It doesn't affect the taste or anything. Come on, all I get is the color!" Marshall complained.

"Fine," Gumball took the grey apple carefully, and placed his normal apple in Marshalls hand. "Only because I don't care to be the snack again." That hurt Marshall, and he was about to let a stinging insult fly off his devil's tongue until Gumball let out a laugh, and he realized it was a joke. Bubba noticed the affect it had on his friend. "Sorry, Marshall. I didn't mean it."

"No no, it's fine, Bubba. It was a joke, good one." He said, forcing out a chuckle. Too soon.

The ride continued in an uncomfortable silence, wind coasted through Marshall's black hair, threatening to slip off the hood. Gumball bit into his new apple, expecting a bland, lumpy taste. (I don't know what lumpy supposedly tastes like, so don't ask...-.-) He was suprised to find it was just an apple, though. It was gone in a about a minute, and he dropped the apple core into the trees below them. "Oh dear, that will probably give an suspecting squirrel a concussion." He worried.

Marshall laughed, for real this time. "Wow, pretty hard core for a wad of bubblegum, I guess." He grinned. "So do you want to be dropped off at the castle?"

"I suppose," Gumball didn't really want to go home, but he was still tired after a lousy night of sleep. But Marshall needed to sleep now; he was yawning every few minutes.

"Alright then, hold on." Why? Weren't they still like ten minutes away-WOAH! Marshall took a deep dive through the sky, and skidded to a halt on Gumball's familiar balcony. Marshall had to tug Gumball's sticky death grip from his grey hoodie, and was amused by Bubba's stiff expression. He smiled, "Welcome home," He hugged Gumball to bring him back to reality.

"Oh, yes. And thank you, for...you know. Retrieving me from Ice Queen's clutches." Gumball let a small blush.

Marshall Lee slapped the prince on the back with a 'thud' "All in a days work for an adventuress's substitute," Gumball smiled. "Oh, and tell Lord sorry for ditching him, kinda forgot I set him up on tree-house duty."

Bubba nodded, "Alright," He walked towards the glass door. "Oh, and what happened to my door?" No answer. "Marshall?" He turned and the vampire was gone. He sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh yeah, about that. Sorry 'bout that to. Had to get that note some way, didn't I?" Gumball let out a high-pitched yelp. Marshall was floating again, but ten feet in the air and upside down. "Priceless!" He laughed. He waved and called, "See you tomorrow, Gumball!"

Again, the pink prince shook his head, yet expected no more from his undead boyfriend.

Marshall was relieved to be going home. He hadn't been home in over a week, having slept at Fionna's the last few days. Those annoying worms were probably all over his bed. Ugh. But whatever. They usually didn't stick around after he hissed at them a little.

He arrived at the cave, and landed on his feet, pulling off his hood, and slung off his bass. He stepped up the few wooden steps to the door, and opened it. The room was dark, like always. But...it just seemed...different. Something was off, a smell in the air. A chill went up Marshall Lee's spine as a dim lamp was clicked on just a few feet away from where he was standing. A lamp next to his now-occupied red leather recliner.

"What are you doing here?" Marshall growled, his grip on his axe bass tightening.

"Good to see you too nephew, seems like a century since the last time we've met." The man said. "Oh, wait, it has."

"What are you doing here?" Marshall repeated. He didn't move an inch when the older vampire stood up, and walked over to him.

"Oh please, Marshall. Is that really how you greet your old Uncle Xavier?"

DUN-DUN-DUNNNN...Pretty good cliff hanger, huh? Yeah, now I just gave you more of a reason to kill me in my sleep. Lovely. I realize this is pretty short, but don't you worry boys and girls, more will come. And without such a long delay! Love you guys! Review! :D