Disclaimer: I don't own the Gorillaz, they are the intellectual properties of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. Support them and buy Gorillaz albums and merchandise. They really are quite fantastic. This fanfiction is for my enjoyment and the enjoyment of others. I gain no reward other than happiness.

Author's Note: This is my take on Noodle's absence between Phases 2 and 3, and I am trying to include as many "true" facts about the band as possible. Please notify me of any story plot-holes or contradictions.

Prologue

Noodle stood in front of Murdoc's Winnebago, knees shaking. Her indigo hair covered eyes, but beneath it was a tear forming in her emerald eyes. She nervously reached her fist up to the door of Murdoc's Winnie, still contemplating if she should carry out her plan. Noodle took a deep breath, and pounded on the door.

"Ugh, what the hell do you want?!" yelled Murdoc from inside. She never replied. "I'll 'ave you know that I'm in pain. Here that, Face ache? Pain! And soon you'll be in pain, you dullard!"

Murdoc opened the door, wearing nothing but a pair of black trousers and inverted cross. He was clutching his forehead, obviously hung over. He was surprised to see Noodle there, instead of 2-D.

"I-I wanted to talk to you about something, Murdoc-san," began Noodle, her high voice trembling.

"Can't it wait for, I don' know, a few hours?" asked Murdoc, wincing in pain.

"No, I need to talk to you about this now," replied Noodle.

Murdoc sighed. "All right, love, give me a mo'," he said. He walked back inside, and Noodle heard him remove a cork, a liquid swishing in a bottle, and the sounds of Murdoc swallowing. "Ahh, that's much better."

"I want to leave the band," said Noodle shyly.

"Wot?" asked Murdoc. He hadn't heard the young girl.

"I-I want to leave the band," said Noodle, a bit louder.

"You want to leave Gorillaz?" asked Murdoc in disbelief.

"Yes, Murdoc-san."

"Why, love?"

"I'm just done, I don't think I can maintain this life anymore," answered Noodle. She had a tear running down her right cheek.

"You don't look so sure, Noodle," said Murdoc.

"I am, Murdoc. I want to leave. I've thought about it for a while, and I want out."

Murdoc scratched his head. He couldn't believe that the little guitarist, his favorite member of Gorillaz, save himself, wanted out of the greatest band on Earth. "Have you talked to the dullard and Lards, yet?"

"No," said Noodle. "I don't want them to know that I wanted to leave." She knew that it would break their hearts, more than Murdoc's, to know that she wanted to leave. Especially 2-D.

"And, what do you want me to do, then?" asked Murdoc, taking another swig of his drink.

"I want you to help me figure out a plan make my…exit…believable," answered Noodle slowly.

"You mean, fake your death?" Noodle nodded. She knew that it would hurt the band by doing this, but she felt that this was necessary.

"All right, love, but only because you asked," said the bassist. "Now, I was thinking that we crash your windmill island. Have a big spectacle, lots of fire."

"Crash the Slowboat?" asked Noodle. Another tear ran down her face.

"Yeah, we'll crash it. Do you remember those helicopters that were chasing you in the, uh what was it, the 'Feel Good Inc.' video?" Noodle nodded. "Well, they're still after it, mainly because they think I'm on it. We could reveal the Slowboat's position, and they can take it down. We can even film it for 'El Mañana.'" Murdoc smiled at his genius.

"What about me, then?" asked Noodle.

"We'll have a parachute that only you and I know about, and you can get away from the burning island that took us so damn long to build," answered Murdoc. He finished that sentence with a bit of edge.

Noodle contemplated this idea. She could go down with her symbol of freedom. The fans could get closure with the helicopters from "Feel Good Inc." And, she would finally leave her family.

"Okay," said the girl. "We'll crash the Slowboat."

"This also works a bit out in my favor, as I will finally get those people off my back so I can continue playing my bass in peace," said the now smiling Murdoc. Noodle giggled at his ability to make their predicament into a win-win situation.

She then sighed, knowing how sad 2-D and Russel will be. They had been the closest people in her life, and she was not only about to leave them behind, but they will have voids in their hearts. Another tear.

"'Ey, love. It'll be all right," said Murdoc, who gave her a light hug. "I'll miss you, Axe Princess." Another tear on Noodle's face.

"I'll miss you too, Murdoc-san." Noodle then walked away and went to her room to pack and cry. She didn't know where she would go after the crash, but she was going to go somewhere. Nothing would stop her.

xXx

Noodle landed about half a kilometer from the Slowboat's crash. She had seen it grow into an even bigger fireball while she floated to the surface than it was when she was on it. She was also surprised that the helicopters had been firing at her, not just the floating island. Noodle turned around to face her symbol of freedom, just in time to see a bomb from one of the choppers fall and explode on impact.

Noodle burst into tears. Her windmill island was gone, her family thought she was dead, and she didn't know where to go. That was when she looked down and peered into her stomach. She hadn't felt it back on the island, but there was a single bullet hole, right in the middle of her abdomen. Noodle felt herself grow weaker by the minute, the pain washing over her small body. She fell down onto the rocky ground of the grey canyon. She was going to die, just like her band mates thought she had.

"Well, Miss Suzuki. Never thought I would see you so early. Or should I call you 'Noodle'?" asked a voice. It was a calm and confident voice. Noodle looked up to see a very dark figure walk toward her. It wore a black cloak and had a gas mask for a face. Its red lenses reflected the damaged face and tears back to the poor girl.

"Who…Who are you?" asked Noodle. She had struggled to form her words, the bullet wound taking all of her strength.

"I am an old friend of your bassist, Noodle. I was hoping that you were him, but your soul would do just fine, my dear," replied the voice.

"Are…are you…are you the Devil?" asked Noodle while heavily breathing.

"No, my dear. I am his Collector, his Lieutenant, and his oh-so humble Servant. Noodle, I am the Boogieman," answered the figure.

"No, God, please help me!" screamed Noodle, realizing that the fictional monster that had scared her so much when she was young and living in Kong was real. The monster that 2-D and Russel helped her fight against was indeed a real entity. And it was right in front of her.

The Boogieman walked closer to the screaming guitarist. He crouched down and a black fog began emitting from the ground. He leaned in close to Noodle's right ear and whispered, "He can't help you now. You're mine now. You'll be of great use to my Master." He then began to laugh a very sinister laugh. The black fog engulfed the two, and they disappeared.