What a mess. Of course Murdoc and 2D's new headquarters would be a mess. Noodle stepped over a few empty whiskey bottles, and pushed some dirty clothes out of the way. It was disgusting. And yet, it was somehow comforting. She looked around the place, took in the nasty but familiar smells and sighed. after four years of hell, she was home.
"So, whaddya think of the place, huh?" Murdoc asked from behind her, "Classy, right?" She turned around, lifting her mask, and stared at him. They hadn't seen each other in ages, and yet he acted like she had just been off at college. She wasn't ready to deal with Murdoc yet.
"Where is 2D?" she asked, ignoring his previous question, " I haven't seen him yet."
"Wha, that old tosser? probably still in 'is room I guess." Murdoc replied, a bit miffed at her lack of enthusiasm, "Ya just gotta take the lift to the bottom. Don't know why you'd want to, but whatever suits your fancy." Noodle found it strange that 2D hadn't left his room, even after all the commotion with her riding on Russel's giant head and landing on plastic beach. Maybe he just didn't hear because the room is underwater. So she followed Murdoc's instructions, taking the lift down to the depths where 2D's room was. There were several doors, mostly closets and storage rooms. She tried the final door, but it was locked. This must be it. She knocked hard, knowing that 2D was particularly good at getting lost in the music he was listening to, or movie he was watching.
"What?" she heard a muffled voice from behind the metal door. He sounded cranky. Probably having a migraine.
"2D?" she called through the door, "Can I come in?"
"Door's locked, Cyborg. Ya know that." he replied. Strange, she was sure he would recognize her voice. And who was Cyborg?
"Can you unlock it?" she requested.
"Ya know bloody well I can't, you bitch!" His squeaky voice was far from scary, but Noodle was frightened to hear these words come from 2D. She had never heard him say anything like that. He was quiet for a brief moment and then his voice sounded again, "M'sorry Cy. I shouldn't'a said that. Ya didn't ask for this neither." What was going on? Why wouldn't he just let her in? She had suffered for years in hell, and all she wanted was to see her friend again.
"2D, it's me, Noodle!" she exclaimed with exasperation.
"Tha's not funny," he said, his voice hurt and cracking, "Did Mudz send you down 'ere ta mess wif me?"
"What? No! It's really me, Toochi." There was another silence, this one longer and heavier.
"What'd ya just call me?" he asked, so quietly it was almost inaudible. Finally at her wits end, she remembered her military training. She took a running start, and kicked down the door with her heel.
The door crashed down, and she walked over it into the room. She really was a spectacle, standing in the doorway, thin but strong body standing tall. Her face covered with a mask, hiding a nasty bruise covering her right eye. Her short dress dirty and torn from her escapades. Even though the room was underwater, her presence made he appear to be standing in a beam of light, with her hair blowing in the wind.
She was surprised to see 2D was wearing a mask as well, resembling a smiling clown. He was sitting in the far corner of his bed with his knees pulled up to his chin, but when he saw her, he took off the mask and slowly stood up, his long body uncurling. He was paler than he was when she last saw him, and somehow even thinner; malnourished. His blue hair was matted, and the dark circles around his haunting black eyes were deep purple. Bruises and scars covered his bare chest and neck, and his hands shook. The two old friends stood staring at each other for a solid minute.
"I-is 'at really you Noods?" he whispered, like maybe if he spoke too loud she would disappear. Noodle smiled for the first time in years and nodded. Slowly, 2D's confused, mystified expression transformed into a giant grin that took the entire bottom half of his face, revealing his missing front teeth. Noodle began to slowly walk towards him, but his strides were longer, and he surprised her with a tight embrace, knocking her mask to the ground. His arms were so long they could almost wrap around her twice, and he held her close to his frail frame. She tried to fight it for a second like she used to when he would hug her as a little girl, but she couldn't help but melt into him. She tried to suppress tears, but they squeezed out of her tightly closed eyes. By the damp droplets on the back of her neck, she could tell 2D was crying as well.
"I knew ya wasn't dead! I knew it!" 2D proclaimed when they finally broke free from the embrace, "Look at ya. You're all grew up!"
"And you look like you have shrunk down a bit," Noodle replied, poking his visible ribs.
"Heh. Yeah, well. Don't worry 'bout me. I wanna hear 'bout you little luv. You're alive! Where'v ya been?"
"I... I am not ready to talk about it yet." She looked down at her feet, trying not to relive what she had only just finished.
"Tha's fine. When you're ready," He looked at her with love, still in disbelief that she was really here in front of him. Gingerly, he reached out and touched the deep bruise on her eye, "You're face is all screwed up. Keep goin' at this rate and you'll look like me!" He flashed his broken smile of missing teeth and eyeballs, and Noodle laughed. If anyone else had said this, she would have gotten angry, but he spoke with such innocence that she really couldn't complain. "I've got somefink that'll help." 2D offered, and he disappeared into his closet, returning a second later with a small white tube of neosporin and an orange bottle of prescription painkillers. He tossed he the pill bottle.
"These usually help me out when I got a really nasty shiner." he said kindly.
"I think you should keep these for yourself, Toochi." she replied. He shrugged and offered her the neosporin instead which she accepted, and rubbed on her sore eye.
"Are ya okay Noodle?" 2D asked, clearing empty pill bottles and crumpled papers off his bed and gesturing for Noodle to sit down, "Ya need anythin'?" She giggled at his attentiveness.
"I am fine," she lied.
"A'right, but let me know if ya-" his voice stopped short when he heard a whale song coming from outside the window. All the happiness and warmth Noodle had caused him suddenly drained from his face, and he jumped to the corner of the bed, putting his head between his knees.
"2D? 2D-san, what's wrong?" Noodle asked, fearful for his frantic state.
"It's gonna eat me." he whispered between panicked breaths, "That bloody whale. It's gonna eat me!" He ran his long fingers through his hair and closed his eyes tight, all of his anxieties rising to the surface, "It's gonna eat me, an', an' Mudz's gonna wallop me for whinin' 'bout it, an' you were dead, an' Russ is gone, an' me 'ead's killin' me, an' there's always that bloody whale an'-"
"Shhh," Noodle closed the curtain so they couldn't see the whale. She had never seen 2D this upset before, and wondered how long he had been living in this state. Moving closer to him, she petted his hair, the way he used to do to her when she had nightmare back when she was ten. He buried his face hands to muffle his crying. "I am fine," She assured him "Russel is fine, he was with me. The whale will not eat you, and I will not let Murdoc hurt you."
"Russ's wif you?" she nodded. "I'm sorry, real sorry," he sniffled, "I've b'come a real mental patient." He wiped his tears and attempted to regain his composure.
"Let's get out of this room. You need some fresh air. It stinks in here." Noodle said, grabbing 2D's hand. His eyes widened, as if this was an outlandish suggestion. But she led him by the hand, out of his room. When they got out of the lift, Murdoc was stalking by, grumbling to himself.
"Oi! Who told you could leave yer room, face ache?" he snapped, and wound back for a back hand. 2D flinched and prepared for the blow, but before he made contact, Noodle grabbed Murdocs wrist and twisted. He yelped in pain as the young woman brought her face as close to his as possible without touching it. She didn't say a word, just stared deeply into his eyes until he broke eye contact. She sharply released his wrist, and 2D stared in disbelief as Murdoc stomped off, rubbing his wrist and muttering profanities. Noodle turned to him, and smiled her most demure smile.
"I missed ya sis," the singer said to Noodle, ruffling her hair. He put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked outside together. Noodle smiled. It was good to be home.