5:56 PM.

Murdoc Niccals was going between flicking his eyes from the clock in his block's common room and one of the security camera. It was the big night tonight, the night where he would finally get out of this disgusting, horrible, obnoxious prison.

After talking to some of his favorite fans, he convinced them to hack into the prison's security system tonight at 6:00 PM. At that exact time, if everything goes as expected, the security cameras will turn off and the doors will unlock everywhere in the prison. Also, with his professional planning and help from his fans, at the same time two of the most dangerous inmates will start a fight on the other end of the prison and the riot sirens will go off, making most of the guards rush to that area.

Murdoc is expecting at best the rest of the inmates will use the opportunity to start a riot, killing some of either the guards or inmates which will give him at least a month for them to notice he isn't here. At worst the guards will stop the fight and make everything go back to normal in an hour, giving him maybe a day or two until they notice.

If he has more time he would be able to get a lawyer and fight the first arrest and pray to Satan that they don't give him more time for breaking out of prison, he's already supposed to be there for life. With less time he might have to use most of that time to run, maybe find a boat or plane and go back to Plastic Beach. He hoped to never have to be stranded at the damned island ever again, but it might be his only choice if the law comes looking for him. He knows he doesn't want to see the bastards that make up his band just yet.

The bassist tapped his finger against his leg nervously. Normally he would dig his nails into his skin until it hurt when he was nervous like this, but while he was incapacitated at the infirmary the bloody stupid nurses cut his nails down to his fingertips. They claimed that having nails that long and pointed were too dangerous. He would have been more flattered at the if he didn't just lose a fight.

The absurdly loud siren made him flinch out of his thoughts. The man scrambled out of his seat, stood there like the rest of the inmates in the common room, and looked at the clock, 6:00 PM, showtime. The camera was now uselessly dangling there like a cheap cat toy. The guards ordered them all on the ground. Murdoc complied, but as soon as they were face-first on the ground the guards left to where their radios said the commotion was. He along with the other inmates stood back up and scattered once they discovered the doors were unlocked. It was now or never.

It is 8:00 PM.

2D was sitting on the end of the bed when the alarm on his phone went off in his hands. He didn't really need to set an alarm it seems because he's been paying attention to the time all day. The singer sighed, got up from the bed, and went to the hotel room closet to put on his jacket.

He waited specifically for now to head out because Russel, Noodle, and Ace said they were going out to have fun around 7:30. It was Ace's first time in London and the two of them wanted to make it memorable for him. They offered to take 2D with them, but he said that he just wanted to relax tonight. It was a bit ironic because right now he was far from relaxed.

2D had been planning to do this as soon as he heard that the band would go back to the UK on tour. He knew that if he chose to tell the others they would be worried about him, so he didn't. He couldn't blame how they would feel though, he's a bit worried with himself as well. He shouldn't want to do this, but he needs to for some unknown reason to the singer.

Rushing out of the hotel lobby, 2D could smell the familiar scent of fresh rain against the pavement. The taxi that was waiting for him honked their horn while he took in the familiar sight of London at sunset. He had prepaid the taxi driver, so he wasn't that worried about their impatience.

Nonetheless after his moment of basking in the sunset, 2D rushed into the cab and gave the man a little nod. The driver didn't say anything other than a quick hello and pulled away from the hotel. With a small sigh, 2D took his phone out of his pocket and started scrolling through twitter. He has almost two and a half hours before he gets to where he's going to. It better be worth it. This little trip might not even do anything for him, but he prefers to be an optimist about stuff like this.

9:48 PM is what the car's clock says when Murdoc reaches his planned destination. He taps the steering wheel in thought. He can't keep this car, he hotwired and stole this car from the parking lot at the prison. Angrily, he slams his fist on top of the steering wheel. This isn't how it was supposed to go; he was supposed to be enjoying his freedom, not worrying about everything. He puts the car back into drive and parks it a few blocks away from his old house. It's not great, but he doesn't want the neighbors to see the car in front of his old residence.

As soon as Murdoc left the car he began sprinting to his house. He was still wearing his prison uniform and didn't want his neighbors to see that either. Stoke-on-Trent seemed to be dead tonight, so it looked like he was in the clear for now. After looking behind him to make sure no one was around, he reached on top of the doorway and felt for the spare key he kept for times like this.

He flung his arm off as fast as he could when he felt something large and furry, "Fucking hell!" he said louder than he would have liked. Murdoc glared as hard as he could at the spider that was now scampering off his small porch. When he got his key this time he went inside and closed the door behind him. Leaning against the door he put his hands over his face and sighed.

He couldn't stay long. When the prison eventually notices that he's missing this would be one of the first places they'd look, other than the band of course. He's had this small house since before he started Gorillaz. It was his first real house. 2D used to stay here for hours when he was still a vegetable. He actually still came over for hours after he wasn't a vegetable anymore. In fact, some could say that this was the house where Gorillaz was born. When it was just him and Stuart, eventually 2D. He couldn't ever bring himself to sell it, and now he just uses it as a shitty place to stay when the band comes to England.

It's a good thing he never sold it, because now he has nowhere else in England to go other than back to prison. After all the work he did he was not going back to prison. His plan worked perfectly resulting in him sneaking out of the building with ease. Admittingly, he should have had an escape vehicle ready, but he'll have to worry about disposing of that later.

After pushing himself off the door, Murdoc half-ran up the set of stairs. Once in his bedroom he stripped off his prison uniform and threw them in the corner of the room. He's going to have to burn those, or maybe he'll keep them as a souvenir to remind him how much he hates the government. Yanking open his dresser drawers he finds something decent to put on for now; that being his black skinny jeans and his black sweater from a long time ago. He took his upside-down cross, put it over his sweater, and then adjusted his hair in the mirror.

The bassist scowled at his reflection. He could still feel the dirt from prison clinging on him even if he couldn't see it. Should he risk getting a shower? There might not be any shampoo or soap for him to use, but at least he'd feel a little less dirty. Years ago, he wouldn't really worry about being dirty or smelling bad, but after his multiple times in prison he's come to appreciate those that keep themselves hygienic. Satan knows that he's had enough of smelling those sweaty meatheads.

Deciding that since his plans have gone without a hitch, he will go for a quick scrub, no longer than 10 minutes. Stripping off his clothes once again, he made his way out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. Showering in the dark will not be fun, but he can't turn the light on and risk being seen.

2D watched nervously as the taxi drove away. With a quick glance at his phone he noted the time, 10:40 PM. About an hour ago he sent a message to Noodle saying that he was going out after all. They will definitely come back to the hotel before he would. He'll need to find another hotel room somewhere in this city, because it would be very late in the night if he went back to his original hotel room and he really doesn't want to stay here. 'Here' being a worn-out looking house in Stoke-on-Trent, Murdoc Niccals' house specifically.

The house looked ominous in the dark; only the streetlights are illuminating it. The singer truly didn't know why he felt the need to come back here. He hasn't been to this house in years, but it was where he spent most of his time in the year after a car hit him in the face. Some of those months he doesn't remember, but the ones he does remember made him actually feel alive for the first time.

2D stopped playing with his hands and moved up to the small porch. He can do this; he had spent months locked in a sea prison. If he could do that than he can do anything. Hopefully the neighbors don't think that he's breaking in. That is if they're still awake and don't remember him from about 20 years ago.

After swiping away a few spiderwebs, 2D found the spare key that he's seen Murdoc grab for countless times when he was drunk out of his mind. What is he looking for in here? Some clarity hopefully. He wants to stop feeling lonely every time he looks at Murdoc's face. Noodle, Russel, and his fans care so much about him, so why does he still miss their bassist? Maybe he'll find out tonight.

Putting the key in the lock, the singer was surprised to find that the door was still locked. After another try the door opened, did Murdoc forget to lock the door the last time he was here? If that was the case, then he wouldn't be surprised if all of the bassist's stuff was stolen by now.

2D put the key back above the doorway and went inside the house, closing the door behind him. The first floor of the house looked almost exactly as he recalled it, maybe a little cleaner than the last time. It also smelled the same, not a good smell, but not an unpleasant smell either. It smelled like someone's home. The living room which he was now standing in had a TV that looked stuck in the 90s and the same old leather couch. There were a few keyboards and other instruments strewn about the room. The kitchen, which he could see a little bit of from where he was standing, was the same unattractive off-green color that it had in 1997. Coming into this house was like stepping back in time.

He remembers passing out on that kitchen floor one night after Murdoc took him to a club. Murdoc claimed that he needed a taste of the rock n' roll life before they become famous. He passed out that night alone but woke up the next morning with Murdoc sleeping on him and drooling on his back. That really didn't seem to scream out 'rock n' roll' to 2D however he went along with it anyhow.

Everywhere he looked old memories would pop into his head. It was a museum dedicated to 2D and Murdoc's past, both good and bad memories were made here. Murdoc was his kindest to 2D in this house, maybe he felt bad for giving him brain damage… twice. That was doubtful, more likely would be that Murdoc was using him to make a name for the band. 2D still couldn't help but miss that Murdoc; the Murdoc that didn't emotionally damage him, the Murdoc that only hit him as a joke, the Murdoc that saw him as a god, the Murdoc that he saw as a god.

Forcing those thoughts out of his head 2D took the steps upstairs two at a time. His counselor said that he needed closure. He isn't completely certain how to get closure, she probably told him how to, but he wasn't listening. His mind wanders when his counselor brings up Murdoc, it really shouldn't because that's when he should have paid attention the most. She told him a lot of things in regard to Murdoc Niccals, a lot of which had to do with what he should do if he ever wanted to reconnect with him. He promptly told her that he never wanted to talk to him again. Not sure why she didn't seem to believe him.

At the top of the stairs the first thing that stood out to him was the stains on the carpet. 2D doesn't remember these stains, but Murdoc had returned to this house a few times after Gorillaz started so it isn't that odd that there are new-ish stains here.

The next thing that stood out to the singer was when he tripped on the edge of the stairs. The singer landing with his palm directly on one of the stains. The trip wasn't the weird part, he does that all the time, it was that the stain was still wet. He lifted his hand off of the moist carpet with disgust evident on his face. Giving his hand a quick sniff, 2D detected no odor. That at least made him feel a little better about this predicament.

He wiped his hand on his pants and stood back up. Cocking his head to the side in thought, 2D noticed that the wet stains lead between the bathroom and Murdoc's bedroom. Was someone here? The singer tensed immediately at the thought. The front door was unlocked. Maybe the house was in the process of being robbed. 2D shook his head at the thought, no, if it was they would have heard him fall. He would have also heard them moving around when he came in.

After shaking off his nerves, 2D slowly pushed open Murdoc's bedroom door. It was a bit darker in here, but after a moment his black eyes adjusted. The stain continued in here but stopped in front of the dresser and mirror. His eyes narrowed at the lump of orange cloth that seemingly called out to him in the corner of the room. Slowly 2D moved to the cloth and kneeled down to pick it up. His hands stilled when he saw the numbers on what he now knew was a prison uniform. 24602 was printed on the orange shirt.

2D dropped the shirt and stood up swiftly. Putting his hand on the wall to steady himself he had to take a moment to catch his breath. His heart was thumping rapidly in his chest. This wasn't possible… Murdoc wasn't supposed to get out of prison for a long time. How long has he been out? Was he in this house right now? He swallowed the bile that was building in the back of his throat. Don't panic, 2D, now isn't the time to panic. Did he escape or was he let out? Should he call the police?

A groan brought him back to reality. 2D twisted his body around so fast he was surprised he didn't give himself whiplash. He now noticed the lump on the bed that gradually moved up and down. Murdoc is in this room with him right now, sleeping.

Despite his conscience and his nerves telling him not to, 2D moved towards the bed like he was in a trance. He just had to see it for himself. There on the bed was indeed Murdoc Niccals. His face looked completely relaxed, peaceful almost. His hair was still wet and dripping onto the pillow, his bangs stuck to his forehead. 2D resisted the urge to touch him and make sure he was actually real and in front of him.

Every anxious cell in his body was telling him to run, get away from the man that hurt him so severely. However, his mind told him to stay; this was his opportunity to get closure. Tell him off and then call the cops. Everyone will be so proud of him for sticking up for himself, he can do this.

Not giving himself much time to prepare, 2D reached out and gave the sleeping man a firm slap to the face.

Murdoc's eyes shot open and he sat up so quick that 2D had stumbled back a step. Murdoc instantly felt panic and reached under his bed for a shiv that wasn't there. When he realized where he was the bassist felt a new panic and looked up to his supposed assailant. At the sight of his singer looking both scared and angry he furrowed his eyebrows and tried to calm down. What the bloody hell was he doing here?

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Murdoc asked as soon as he stopped panting. He put his hand over his heart in an attempt to stop himself from getting a heart attack.

2D flinched at the tone of Murdoc's voice. He didn't sound angry, he didn't actually know what emotion the bassist was feeling right now, fear? Each of 2D's thoughts ran into each other so he couldn't find something to say that would make sense. He played with his fingers fretfully. "I uh… I just… um-"

Murdoc threw the covers off of him and stood up, eyeing the singer as he did so. He wasn't sure what to do. Before now he was angry at his bandmates, especially 2D, but now that he's in front of him Murdoc feels conflicted with himself. Why does he feel almost relieved that 2D is here? He should want him dead for all of the things the singer did while he was locked up. "Is this some kind of withdrawal related nightmare again? Are you here to tell me nobody loves me? Well tough shit because-"

"I don't appreciate the way you make me feel," 2D interrupted the Satanist. He finally found his voice. He thought back to his sessions with his counselor. She told him to tell Murdoc his feelings when they saw each other again. The singer didn't expect to see him at all again let alone tonight. He kept telling himself not to back down, he needed this for his closure. He needed to stop missing Murdoc. He felt tears building in the corners of his eyes but willed them back, he cannot show weakness.

Murdoc scrunched his face up in confusion and looked around his room, expecting more unexpected sights, but found none. The only thing here that didn't belong was the singer. "You aren't real, are you?" He asked. The bassist reached out to touch 2D to see if the man was actually there.

In response 2D took another step back, "Don't touch me." He took in a few shaky breaths, "You will listen to me… Or I'll… I'll call the police."

Murdoc's eyes widened at his threat. He searched 2D's face for any signs of him bluffing. He swallowed and gripped the edge of his nightstand, "Go on then."

2D didn't expect him to actually listen to him. After a moment of thought and Murdoc just staring at him, he nodded and straightened himself up. "Good, uh…" All he has to do is tell him how he's feeling. "You've hurt me, Murdoc. Really badly," looking back up briefly he saw that Murdoc was still paying attention, "And you never said sorry and you made it seem like it wasn't a big deal, but it really was. I can't… I can't sleep without thinkin' of the ways that you've hurt me. I go to counselin' now because of what you did."

Murdoc had his arms crossed but kept paying attention to what 2D had to say. He knew what 2D was talking about, the whole kidnapping thing. Admittedly that was a bad move on him, their collaborators seemed fine enough with it though. Murdoc knew that 2D was afraid of whales, so he used that to his advantage, but what else could he do? Everyone wanted Gorillaz back and it wasn't Gorillaz without his front man! Murdoc kept his complaints silent, not wanting 2D notifying the police about him.

The singer shifted on his feet, not used to the lack of fight from the bassist. He had to keep going, "Everybody online treats me like a bird whose boyfriend abuses her, and she never leaves because she's afraid of him, and… and I think they might be right! I'm afraid of you Murdoc! Even my counselor says that you abuse me and use me for money. Would you even care about me if I couldn't sing no more?"

Murdoc scowled deeper. "Can I answer now?" He asked with a hint of venom in his voice.

"If it's going to be filled with insults and your usual tactics then no," the singer replied.

Raising an eyebrow at that the Satanist began, "Well, Stuart, without you there wouldn't be Gorillaz, so yes you are very important. If you found out about my plan today and just followed me here to get some self-validation, then you should go back to your 'counselor'."

2D felt stiff at the other man's mocking, "That's not why I came here, I didn't even know you'd be here! And I didn't mean what I meant to Gorillaz, I want to know what I mean to you."

"What you mean to me? That what you want?" Murdoc threw his hands above his head for emphasis, "You mean a lot to me you little twat! Is that what you want to hear? Why else would I keep you around for so long?"

"If you're tellin' the truth then why do you hurt me so much?" 2D and Murdoc were practically screaming at each other now.

Murdoc paused at this, "Because... Because" Because why? If Murdoc could get used to being hurt all the time, then why can't 2D? He ran a hand through his hair, "Because I thought you could handle it."

2D scoffed at this, "I don't know who you think I am, but no one should have to go through what I did." He has never been able to talk to Murdoc with him not being black-out drunk or getting furious with him. It made him feel just a bit more confident, more than he normally would have when talking to Murdoc.

Murdoc on the other hand can't believe he's being so… submissive right now. That was the only word he could describe this as, submissive. If the threat of going back to prison wasn't on the table, he would probably fight back. He really isn't liking how 2D keeps pressing his buttons without him being able to fight back, usually the only person who talks to him like this is himself when he's alone. "Listen, mate, I'm sorry alright? I really am," Murdoc said softer than his previously yelled statement.

"I don't forgive you and I also don't believe you," The singer replied, now crossing his arms as well. By now he's pretty sure Murdoc is just telling him what he wants to hear. Honestly, he doesn't want a quick half-assed apology from Murdoc, he still doesn't know what he really wants. He's feeling a little better surprisingly from this conversation, he likes talking without the fear of being smacked.

He still isn't satisfied? What does he want from this? "Well then what do you bloody from me?" 2D is beginning to test Murdoc's patience.

"I want you to stop bein' an arsehole to everyone… and I don't know stay away from me."

"Stay away from you? Are you mad?"

"No, I want you to stop hurtin' me and I don't think you can do that!"

"Then why did you come here!?"

"To stop missin' you so much! I don't want to want you around anymore!" 2D shouted. He was taken aback at Murdoc's reaction.

The tears crept up on him before he could stop them. Quickly, he wiped them away with his hand and prayed to Satan that 2D won't mention it. It seems like every one of the other man's words pierce him in the chest, each hurting worse than the last. Why does it hurt so much? He usually never feels this way so quickly. He only feels real dread and guilt when he's alone at night with his thoughts, which he's had a lot more time to do in prison. "Leave then," he wiped away more tears that were coming, "Fucking leave. You don't need me anyhow."

"Murdoc-"

"Shut the hell up, Dents! Leave already!" Murdoc snapped at the singer.

2D flinched but didn't move to exit the room, "No." He doesn't know why, but somehow, he feels that maybe Murdoc does care about him, why else would he be so sensitive now? He hopes he's right.

Murdoc could feel himself exploding inside from all of the unnecessary emotions that he felt. Why can't he just let him be a mess by himself, he just said he doesn't want him around anymore. "What do you mean 'no'?"

2D fidgeted in place. If this just gets him hurt again then he'll never talk to Murdoc again, but if he can somehow help Murdoc along with helping himself, maybe something beautiful will come of it. "You need help, Muds. I still care about you, you know? Will you let me help you?"

Murdoc thought that at that moment 2D was the stupidest bloke that he's ever met in his entire life.