A/N: Yes, the bit starting up is from the last chapter, I know. LOL Go ahead and peg me as lazy. But once they get out of the elevator, expect something different.

"…Gumball." She said softly. "…Do…Do you love me?"

Gumball swallowed. "Yes, I do. The two years we spent together… I've never felt so close to anyone. Not even Dar-" The cat stopped and shut his eyes tightly, trying to control his sudden heavy breathing at the pain of memories of his dead brother. The rush of memories was too much…

"Shh…" Carrie laid a finger to his lips and that actually did calm him down. "It's okay, Gumball, I'm here."

"Carrie…" Gumball said quietly, bringing her closer to himself and hugged her tighter, to which the young ghost returned. "Do… Do you think… they blame me?"

She shook her head. "No, Gumball. I'm sure they don't. They love you after all."

"And… Anais…" Gumball sighed heavily, looking away. "She's… in a coma 'cuz of me."

"Gumball Tristopher Watterson, look at me." Carrie said sternly, and he did. "She doesn't blame you, I'm sure of it. Trust me on this, she's your little sister and she will always love you, that I am certain of."

The young cat nodded and Carrie smiled. "And you know what? I love you too."

And it was indeed true. All this time, she was uncertain of her own feelings, but now she knew for a fact that she cared for him in the romantic way. She wasn't sure how long, from when they were kids or from the two years they lived together. However, she knew the love had always been there, she was just unsure if what she felt was true or not. One thing was for sure, she loved him with everything she had.

This time, she leaned forward until their lips met, and as soon as they shared their first kiss, it was like Carrie felt alive again. She felt whole, complete, as if she lacked something and Gumball held she was missing. He completed her. She felt a fire stirring in her body as she wrapped her arms around his neck while Gumball kept his hands on her waist. She gave a soft moan as he traced his tongue across her lower lip and she gladly gave him entrance. Their tongues began to mingle as their passions drew them further, but then Carrie broke off, grabbing his hand. He'd hooked it under her hoodie and had started to lift it up.

"Wait…" She said as they both slightly panted. "I-I don't think I'm ready for that yet…"

"S-Sorry…" Gumball said, lowering his gaze to the floor, embarrassed and ashamed. "I got caught up in the moment."

Carrie gave an understanding smile, kissing his nose again. "It's okay, but…"

She pointed to his pants and it was completely obvious he was excited, Gumball's face went scarlet as Carrie giggled. He honestly had no idea what to do now, so he shut his eyes and leaned his head back in his chair, trying to will away the embarrassment. He tried breathing in and out deeply, calming himself.

"Hey." Gumball opened his eyes to look at her, letting Carrie know she had his attention. She stood up and held out her hand to him. "Let's go home."

Gumball stared at her for a full minute, then took her hand in his, standing up. He nodded, grabbing his jacket as they passed it and accompanied her out the door. Riding down the elevator, Carrie rested her head on his shoulder and kept a tight hold on his hand. For fear if she let go, he would disappear.

When they walked out of the elevator, Gumball stopped at the desk. "Frank, I'll be moving out tomorrow."

Frank nodded, not seeming to care one way or the other. The couple turned to head out, ready to sleep the night's troubles away until…

"Good luck, and stay enlightened." Frank said, and Gumball stopped in his tracks, surprising Carrie when he suddenly went rigid.

The feline turned his head, looking at Frank with a gaze of disbelief. "…What did you just say?"

"Stay enlightened." Frank replied, a vile grin lighting up his once impassive face. Carrie realized why he never smiled, it was downright psychotic. She gripped Gumball's arm in sudden fear.

-Flash-

"Sir, Mr. John Kramer, I need to have a birthday surprise for my brother, Darwin." Gumball rung the bell on the counter. He had recently turned fifteen and it was now Darwin's day to bask in the limelight.

From the back of the store 'Billy the Puppet's Prank Shop', came an elderly male fox who was currently garbed in a black jacket with his hood up. It almost gave him a menacing appearance, but Gumball swallowed the fear.

"I am sorry, Kid. I'm going out of business, I can't help you." The fox replied, dropping the stack of boxes he had carried in from the storage room in the back onto the counter.

"Come on, please? Would fifty bucks make it worth your while? It's all I have, please Sir." Gumball pleaded. "It's my brother's fifteenth birthday party today and I really want to make it special."

Mr. Kramer looked at Gumball for a long minute. "Keep your money, this one's on the house. Might as well do so, I don't want to take your money. This'll be my last job, just for you, Mr…?"

"Gumball, Sir." the feline replied. "Gumball Watterson."

Mr. Kramer nodded, committing the name to memory. He pulled down his hood and scratched his chin in thought, wondering what exactly to do for the child's birthday. He smiled as an idea came to him and he disappeared into the back of the shop again. A few minutes went by with Gumball looking around his shop and he chuckled at the absurdity and slight… macabre look to some of the pranks that were displayed. Some of them looked like they were torture devices rather than pranks. He shivered slightly, but then controlled himself when Mr. Kramer came back again.

He was carrying what appeared to be a ventriloquist doll affixed to a tricycle that appeared to have been specifically made for it. The puppet had a clown face that you would usually see on most entertainers, more or less for lack of a better term, Ronald McDonald. It was dressed in a black tuxedo with a white undershirt and a crimson bowtie. Due to it being a clown, it creeped Gumball out a little.

Gumball looked at it for a minute, then at Mr. Kramer. "What's this, Sir?"

"There here, is Billy." Mr. Kramer replied. "I built him for my son but…"

He trailed off, apparently lost in memories then seemed to remember where he was. "He was never able to receive him."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kramer." Gumball said and the Fox was silent. "No offense, Mr. Kramer, but… why show me this?"

Kramer gave a smile that slightly unnerved Gumball. "This is your brother's present. I'm giving it to your brother."

Gumball was shocked. "Wow, Mr. Kramer are you really sure?"

He nodded. "Yes, May I accompany you to give it to him in person?"

"Uh… sure, I don't see why not." Gumball replied, and Kramer smiled as he placed 'Billy' into a case and carried it out of the store as he accompanied Gumball.

"So how come you're going out of business?" The feline asked.

"Well…" Kramer stopped as he locked up his shop. "Let's just say this last job is going to go out with a bang, and after that, I am going underground."

Gumball raised an eyebrow, not getting it, but at the same time didn't want to bother him any more by asking. They continued in silence, the Feline not really knowing what to say, all Gumball wanted to do was get home and make Darwin's birthday special and a great one to remember.

"So tell me about your family." Kramer said, eyeing Gumball from the corner of his eye.

"Well, my Dad is a stay-at-home parent, he watches over us while my Mom works." Gumball answered. "My little sister is seven years old, she just started her first day of second grade. My mother is basically a work-a-holic, however she does put time aside for the family. And my brother is the best brother ever, that's why I want to make this day special."

"Believe me. It will be." Kramer nodded, smiling. And Gumball still got that creepy vibe from the smile.

"Well, here we are." Gumball said, announcing their arrival at his home. "It's not much, but it's home."

Kramer surveyed the house. "It's a beautiful house."

He gestured for Gumball to continue, and the Feline accepted the gesture, leading the Fox up the porch steps and opened the door for him. Nicole Watterson came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a rag and stopped short when she saw John.

"…Hello." She said in a calm, yet apprehensive voice.

"I apologize for my sudden appearance. Mr. Gumball Watterson here came to my shop asking if I could help with a birthday party. I own - well - what has been 'Billy the Puppet's Prank Shop' down the road, and he came to me asking for help. Since I am going out of business, I offered to do this for free. I come bearing a gift for his brother." Kramer offered the case to Nicole, who staggered slightly under the weight.

"T-Thank you. We really appreciate this." Nicole said as the rest of the family began to file in.

"Happy birthday, Darwin. I apologize I cannot stay longer, but I must be on my way." Kramer excused himself, exiting through the doorway, closing it behind him without another word. Anais, Richard and Darwin all looked at the man, wondering who he was. Of course Nicole would fill them in later.

Darwin opened the case, in awe of what lay inside. It was elaborate, yes, but just… creepy. Anais moved over to Gumball, slightly afraid of the doll, while Richard and Nicole stood next to Darwin as he looked over his gift.

The attire was exactly the same, but the face was now completely different. It was the same pasty white in terms of skin color, but the clown face of 'Ronald McDonald' was replaced with a protruding brow and cheeks that had red spirals painted on them. His red lips formed a mocking, almost sadistic grin. His eyes were black with red irises, and his head was topped with black, messy hair.

Anais clutched Gumball's arm as everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Billy the Puppet's eyes looked between the three people crowded over him and his mouth hung open to give one of the cliché 'Halloween Toy Laugh's, before it closed, the noise stopping.

The eyes moved till they locked with Gumball's and his jaw moved as he said these final words: "Stay enlightened."

With that, the puppet exploded, the shockwave knocking out the living room and the flames from the puppet engulfed the flying forms of Richard, Darwin and Nicole. Their screams were cut off as Gumball and Anais lost consciousness from flying debris.

-Flash-

"…You're…You're with him!" Gumball pointed a finger at Frank, snarling. "You're with John Kramer!"

Carrie looked at Gumball, still gripping his arm, then back at Frank, who was reaching under his desk for something. He whipped his hand up, holding a 9mm handgun, aimed at Gumball's forehead, which the feline knew for a fact due to the laser-sight.

"Carrie…" the feline said through clenched teeth. "Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving, Gumball. Besides, I'm a-" The ghost began to remind him she couldn't die again.

"NOW!" Gumball shouted, pushing her out of the door, ducking as Frank fired off one shot. The feline threw himself over the counter, grabbing the older man's fire-arm hand and attempted to wrench it from him. But Frank let the momentum carry, allowing him to knock Gumball across the face. As Gumball attempted to keep a hold on his gun hand, Frank knocked him across the face again and pressed the gun to his forehead.

"…You're the reason he's dead." Frank snarled, pressing against his forehead with more force.

"He was supposed to be a professional serial killer, how did he get caught?" Gumball shot back. "Besides, what does it matter to you anyway?"

"He was my son, and you had him killed." Frank's snarl deepened.

"An eye for an eye, that son of a bitch killed my family." Gumball shot back, he was really pushing it. Knowing this, he slapped the gun away, hearing it fire right next to his ear. He went deaf his left ear and tackled Frank to the ground.

They wrestled and around the floor, with Gumball punching him with everything he had and all Frank could do was take the hits. Gumball let out all of his anger, past and present, flow to his fists as he smashed his fists as hard as he could. He saw with satisfaction as a few teeth flew from the Fox's mouth. The feline gave him a hard right hook and blood splattered out of Frank's mouth as he went motionless. Gumball panted heavily as he surveyed the motionless form of the Fox, standing up slowly, wiping his mouth as he himself started to bleed.

He turned, seeing Carrie come in and throwing her arms around his neck. "Are you okay?"

A group of people from down the sidewalk came in to look in on the scene and looked from Gumball to Frank.

"Self-defense. He was going to shoot me." Gumball said dryly to the onlookers. The onlooker's simply gasped, and the feline shook his head. "What, you never saw blood before?"

"…He's…" One pointed, and Gumball spun around to see Frank sitting up and aiming his gun at the feline. He fired off three shots, two hitting Gumball in the chest while the third hit him in the throat. Frank smirked, then raised his gun to his own head and committed suicide.

Both men collapsed in a pool of blood, one dead and one dying. Carrie let out a scream as she fell to her knees next to Gumball, attempting to stop the bleeding.

"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!" She screamed at the people who had entered, nine phones were out immediately and all dialed, one got through and asked for one immediately.

Carrie pressed her hands against the wounds, attempting to stop the bleeding but only succeeded in coating her hands in his blood. She took off her hoodie, holding it against his chest. Three of the onlookers, which she realized were the same men from the bar who helped the bouncer, lifted him up and carried him outside as they heard the sirens of the ambulance. Carrie was having a total mind-bending-nuclear-meltdown as he was put on a stretcher, bandages to stop the bleeding were placed over the wounds. They tossed Carrie's bloodied hoodie in a plastic bag for cleaning later and put it aside.

Jumping in with him, Carrie rode with him for thirteen tense minutes to Elmore's ER. As they stopped, with more force than necessary, Gumball groaned and set his eyes on Carrie, who held his hand as they brought him out of the vehicle and wheeled him inside.

"…I'll… be… fine…" he gargled and Carrie choked back a sob.

"I'll wait for you!" Carrie said when the doctors refused her entrance. She phoned her parents and, albeit in hysterics, they got the message and were on their way. When they finally arrived ten minutes later, the Booregards did their best to comfort Carrie. It was to no avail, she couldn't stop sobbing and pacing back and forth.

She would have worn an indent into the floor if it were possible. Two doctors, three doctors, a total of four doctors went running from their other posts (as they had been on break) into the ER to (Carrie assumed) to help with Gumball.

Illusius and Mirabelle stopped Carrie from her pacing and simply hugged her close while Maddie and Abby had no idea how else to comfort their older sister. As they were afraid they would say the wrong thing and cause Carrie to feel worse, so they simply joined the hug.

"He'll be ok, alright Carrie?" Mirabelle told her daughter, and she eventually calmed down enough to stop crying. She had to hope he would pull through.

However…

A half hour later, the head doctor came out, his face grave and he sighed heavily as the Booregard's crowded over him to hear the news. He clasped his hands behind his back as he searched for the right words.

"I am not going to beat around the bush, miss." The doctor told Carrie. "At 2:34 AM, Mr. Gumball Watterson has passed away…"

Carrie's mouth fell open and her voice croaked out. "…N-No… Please no…"

"I'm sorry, miss." The doctor laid what was supposed to be a comforting hand on her shoulder, but it did little to comfort her. "He's gone…"

The young ghost fell to her knees, not caring that people were around as she began crying again. He was gone and now there was nothing she could do. What was she to do now? Her family knelt next to her, starting a group hug as the doctor stood by feeling quite awkward.

"Please… m-may… I see him?" Carrie gasped, feeling weak. The doctor and her parents looked at her then exchanged worried expressions with the other, wouldn't seeing him do more harm than good? But they didn't dare object, so the doctor helped her up and led her to the room where Gumball was being held in.

They had apparently cleaned him up before she saw him. His eyes were closed and he seemed at peace, but she knew that her soul was not. She was broken now, and the part of her that Gumball had would always be his. She would never be complete again, that part of her will always be missing. Carrie took a deep, shuddering breath and stepped up to him, placing a hand gently on his arm as she gazed at his face. She leaned down and gently kissed his forehead, resting hers against his as she began to cry again.

"It's not fair…" She whispered. "It's not fair… Why…?"

"Carrie…" Illusius wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on… Let's…"

"NO!" Carrie screeched. "I'm NOT leaving him!"

She collapsed against him, hugging him close as she sobbed into his blood-soaked shirt. It wasn't fair! Why him? Why did fate have to tear them apart, again? Now she was truly alone and empty.

"Carrie…" Illusius said again, and this time she relented, letting her father bring her into a hug and she sobbed into his jacket instead.

"Why? Why did he have to die, Dad?" Carrie asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "This isn't fair, he… he said he loved me. He was going to come back to be with me…"

Illusius had no idea what to say on the matter, neither did her mother. Abby and Maddie sniffled quietly, tears running down their faces and the doctor cleared his throat.

"I'll… give your family some time alone. I am truly sorry." he apologized again and he left the room without another word. Carrie took a few deep breaths to calm herself, looking at her parents and siblings.

"I'm hungry… Could I have some food?" Carrie asked innocently, and her parents nodded.

"Anything specific?" Illusius asked, and she shook her head.

"Ok, you want to come with us?" Her mother asked, and Carrie shook her head.

"No… I want to stay with him for a bit longer." The young ghost answered and her parents respected that. As the left, Maddie had to use the restroom and asked Abby to accompany her, as she hated public restrooms, much less hospital ones.

"Alright Maddie. We'll be right back, Sis." Abby said, shutting the door behind her and her sister. Carrie stared for a long moment, not believing she was about to attempt what she was going to.

She locked the door to the hallway and gently scooped Gumball up in her arms, lowering him to the floor. She pushed random objects out of the way and laid him down, moving his hands to rest on his chest. Carrie took off her knapsack and dug around inside, searching for her chalk. She growled in frustration as she could not find it anywhere inside her bag.

"Where the hell is- there it is…" Carrie face palmed as she opened her side pocket and retrieved her chalk. She drew a large circle upon the ground that encompassed Gumball, making sure she made it as round as possible. Upon that, she drew a triangle that further closed the space that Gumball lay in. On each point, she drew small circles and inserted the proper runes that she had studied. With the chalk preparations completed, she ran two of her fingers against Gumball's neck, coating them in blood and completed the runes, kneeling next to the circle she had made.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, saying the words required. As the last syllable left her lips, she opened her eyes and was greeted by the same sight as she had left it. No change whatsoever. Closing her eyes, she recited them again and opened her eyes, still nothing had changed.

Screwing her eyes shut, she shouted the words as tears of desperation ran down her cheeks, falling to the floor and splashing against the chalk. There was nothing she could do to bring him back, even the ritual didn't want to work.

She was destined to lose him…

Standing up, she turned around and buried her face in her hands, crying quietly. Was this God's way of saying she should find someone else?

"This is so not fair…" Carrie wiped her eyes, hugging herself.

She felt gentle hands touch her shoulder, grasping her gently while offering a feather-light massage. Carrie assumed it was her father.

"…What's not fair?"

Carrie gasped, spinning around and her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. There, standing before her in a pale ghostly form…

Was Gumball.

"…The ritual…" Carrie whispered, but Gumball shushed her with a finger to her lips, as she had done earlier to him.

"It worked. Yes, I'm really here. I'm not a hallucination, I'm not a dream." Gumball told her, cupping her face as tears flowed down her face. This time, they were tears of happiness. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, he returned the kiss with equal passion, happy as she was that he was (technically) alive again.

They parted after what seemed like hours. "Carrie, I love you so much."

"I love you too, but…" Carrie lowered her gaze to the floor, noticing that Gumball's body was gone. "There's something I need to be honest with you about."

"Go ahead." Gumball replied.

"Well…" Carrie began, but cut herself off as her parents and siblings phased through the door and stopped short as they saw Gumball's form.

"Hey…" The feline said awkwardly, holding up his hand and has a small smile.

"Carrie… you didn't…" Illusius said in a shocked tone, gazing at the markings on the ground, then back up at the young couple.

"I was just getting ready to tell him that…" Carrie took a deep breath and looked into Gumball's eyes.

"This ritual is very special, whoever is brought back from the dead is…" Carrie trailed off, confusing Gumball even more. She regained her voice. "Whoever is brought back from the dead is bound to the ritual performer forever. Which means that… you're bound to me, romantically or otherwise."

Gumball was silent for a full minute, staring back at her, then slowly a smile spread over his face. "So?" he asked her.

"…Don't you realize? Gumball, you're-" Gumball kissed her again and Carrie's face was engulfed in a blush as he had done so in front of her parents. Illusius averted his eyes, while Mirabelle, Abby and Maddie 'Aw'ed.

They broke the kiss, Carrie still flustered. "Carrie, I love you with all my heart and soul. I don't care if I'm bound to you or not, as long as we can be together, I am content."

"…There is a possibility that you could fall out of love with me." Carrie whispered, hurt by the fact that that could happen.

"How about this?" Gumball pulled the small black box out of his pocket, opening it up and showed her a ring that lay inside. He pulled the ring out and placed it on her finger. "This was my mother's… now I'm giving it to you. Let it be a promise that I will never leave you, I will never fall in love with another woman. I am yours, and your alone."

"Jesus… will I never stop crying tonight?" Carrie laughed as she did for the millionth time tonight. She wrapped her arms around Gumball's neck, kissed him once and snuggled close to him.

"Gumball… I do not mean to make you second guess, but are you absolutely sure you are comfortable with this?" Illusius asked, clearing his throat.

"Yes sir, I am. Whether I be ghost, demon, angel or a hybrid of two or all, I am content as long as I am with Carrie. I love your daughter very much, I've given up my life for her." Gumball replied. "…I know it's a little late to ask, but are you ok with me asking Carrie-"

"You have our blessing. Carrie has never really shown an interest in boys. And if she ever had, it was strictly friendship. Needless to say, she cares for you deeper than I have ever seen her care for any of her friends. In fact, Gumball, I would rather not have anyone for her but you." Illusius replied, smiling.

Despite all that had happened, everything was all right in the end. Despite the fact that Gumball's family was broken, he still had Anais. Gumball was finally able to swallow the fact that they were gone. He still had his little sister, and his new family with the Booregards. Carrie was a part of his life now, literally and figuratively, and she always would be.

"Can we go see Anais?" Gumball asked. "I haven't visited her tonight at all."

"That reminds me." Carrie said, bringing out the Daisy the Donkey doll out of her knapsack. "I got this from her bedroom. I figured she'd want this when she wakes up."

Gumball smiled as the Booregards led them to the door, which was knocked on right as they reached it. They let the doctor in, and he stopped short as he saw Gumball. He took a deep breath, sighing as he turned back around.

"Nothing ever makes any sense in this town…" he said before he disappeared.

A/N: And there is the alternate ending. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm so touched that many of you enjoyed this fic. Well, last up is the 'Joke' ending. Trust me, I don't think any of you will see it coming. Maybe you'll pick up on it due to me referencing a character from a famous movie series early in that chapter, and I hope it'll give you a good chuckle at the reference. So till then, later all.