The notice said they needed to be moved out the next day. Which is how they ended up with almost all of their stuff shoved in a storage unit, with them renting hotel rooms for a few nights. There were two rooms, and it was planned to be Murdoc and 2D in one, Noodle in the other, with Russel staying around the area of the hotel. However, they hadn't really thought the Murdoc-2D situation out.

"GE' BACK 'ERE, FACEACHE!"

2D sprinted into Noodle's room, jumping over the room's bed to hide behind. "Save me, yew guys!"

Before Russel could ask what was happening from the window, Murdoc stormed in, a snaggletooth snarl on his face. "Where is he, Russ, I swear ta Satan, I'll kill the li'l bastard."

"Wait, dammit, wait a second," Russel shook his head. "What'd he do?"

Murdoc roared, "'E threw my bass on the floor!"

2D popped up from behind the bed, to Noodle's distress, and said, "I di' not! I tripped ove' ih', 'cause yew -"

He was cut off as Murdoc lunged over and punched him in the face over the bed, and was only stopped from further assault by Russel's big hand reaching in the window and grabbing him. "Calm down! Go back and retune your bass, it's not a big deal, man." With that, he tossed the angry, cursing Satanist back into the hallway and closed the door.

"Are you alright, D-san?" she asked, already kneeling by the injured 2D. His eye was probably bruised, but it was hard to tell yet. He blinked and lifted himself up onto his elbows, as if trying to clear his vision. She reached out and lightly touched the growing bruise concernedly. It seemed to rouse him, and he winced a little but smiled weakly at her.

"Well, the ol' git can still hit pretty 'ard," he muttered. Then he seemed to notice Noodle's look of worry. "Oh, don' worry, luv, I'm awright. Black eye ain' bad. An' fanks Russ," he said, raising his voice to the massive man outside the window, "I was finkin' 'e was gonna kill me."

Russel rolled his eyes, though no one noticed, what with his white eyes and such, and said, "No problem, D, jus' as long as ya'll don't kill each other."

The big man walked off, leaving 2D on the floor with Noodle. She looked at him again, and felt anger rise up in her. Why was Murdoc constantly hitting 2D? He never meant it, even when he did bad things, so why did Murdoc always turn it into an excuse to beat him? Her thoughts were interrupted by 2D's groan of misery. "An' now, I got'a go back and share a damn room wif him... "

Noodle stood up and offered him a hand up as she spoke. "You could stay in this room, and I will stay in the room with Murdoc," she offered.

2D laughed as she helped him up (he really didn't weigh much) and said, "Nah, I coul' nevah do tha' ta yew, Noodle."

"Well, then, stay in here with me?" she inquired, and her heart jumped.

He glanced around, considering how it would work. "'Eah," he sighed, "I coul' sleep on th' floor, jus' 'ere. Woul' I bother ya?"

She shook her head emphatically. She was going to suggest that he didn't have to sleep on the floor, they had a bed after all, but she didn't have the courage to say it. Next thing she knew, 2D was picking up the hotel phone. "What are you doing?"

"I was gon' get us room service," he said, smiling at her, "Wot yew want fo' dinner?"

They settled on simple hamburgers, and began the waiting game. As they waited, 2D looked around the room. "'oly shi'! Tha' shower's huge!" he exclaimed as he poked his head in the bathroom. "Ih's like a whole 'nother room in there!"

Noodle laughed, walking over to look. "It is not that big," she said, looking at the glass box. It was slightly longer than a bathtub, and about as wide as two put together, but it was flat like a shower floor.

"Oh, 're yew serious?" 2D said, staring wide-eyed at the thing on the other side of the room. She didn't look immediately, getting caught up in the way his eyes turned white with the lighting in the bathroom for a moment.

"What?" Noodle asked, finally looking that way. She didn't believe it either: It was a jacuzzi, about big enough for four people comfortably. She knew Murdoc had gotten identical rooms, and apparently he wanted a jacuzzi.

"I din' even know 'otels could 'ave jacuzzis!" 2D ran over to it, but before he could mess with it, there was a knock at the door. "Oh, tha's th' room service, I fink," he walked out of the bathroom with Noodle and went to get their food.

They were met with a man who set their food on the table in the main room. As they thought he was leaving, he set three large bottles on the table, and, with a look of suspicion at 2D and Noodle, retreated. "Wot? We din't..." 2D trailed off as he realized the man was gone, back out the door with his small cart.

"Why do we have these?" Noodle asked him, looking at the bottles.

He shrugged. "'Well, tha's Vodka, whiskey, and wine. I guess we got part a' Murdoc's order." A sinister smile came across his face. "Well, tha's three bottles of alcohol 'e won' be gettin'."

Noodle laughed. "What are we going to do with it? We should give it to him."

"No way," 2D emphasized, "I plan on drinkin' ih'. Screw Mudz." He grabbed one of the glasses that came with the bottles and poured some of the whiskey into it as they began eating.

Partway through the hamburger, he downed the small glass in one gulp. He set it back down and as he was pouring a second glass, Noodle spoke up. "Are you not going to pour one for the lady?" she asked sarcastically.

2D looked up in surprise. "Well, I woul' luv, but yew're awful young ta be drinkin'. Don' wanna end up like me, or Murdoc," he shivered at the thought.

I am not a child! she thought. Frustrated, she grabbed the bottle after he finished pouring and took as big a gulp as she could stand. It was not the first time she had had alcohol; Russel had let her have a sip of brandy during the recording of Demon Days, but that was barely anything comparatively. The burn of the whiskey made her force herself to swallow it, and as she tipped back down and looked at 2D, the world spun.

"Oh, uh, Noodz, I don' fink tha' was a good idea..." he looked at her carefully.

She smiled and blushed, the alcohol making its way into her system. "Why not? I am not a little girl," she said, setting the bottle down.

2D looked distressed. "Well, yeh, I know, but tha' was a pretty big swig ya jus' took, and this's pretty 'eavy alcohol -" He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Oi, did you two get my damn booze?" Murdoc asked through the door.

Noodle said loudly enough for him to hear, "No, Murdoc-san, we don't have any alcohol here," then giggled lightly enough that he couldn't hear it.

2D had to restrain a laugh as well. "Damn it, fuckin' 'otel staff musta screwed it up..." they heard him mutter, and then the slam of his room door.

They both burst into laughter, 2D wheezing as he mocked Murdoc, "Fuckin' hotel staff musta screwed ih' up," he said in a rough voice, and that made them laugh even harder. After a bit of steadily decreasing laughter, Noodle hiccupped, making them repeat the cycle until they were both completely asphyxiated. They sat up from on the floor and 2D poured them both a glass this time.

"To trickin' Mudz," he said, raising his glass unsteadily, "An' stealin' 'is booze."

Noodle raised her glass, still slightly giggling, and clinked it against his. She thought as she drank it, Well, I never expected this would happen. But she was happy it was.