Left Behind
By: keep.your.groove.on.baby
Disclaimer: No.
A/N: Yay! I think this one's going to be one of my favy's too!
Chapter Two
The days went by slowly after that fateful day November; time was playing a cruel joke…acting as if it was going to stand still but never really stopping and never really speeding up. Just moseying on like a sick jokester. Noodle avoided the car park for almost a year after the incident, bypassing it any way she could and even risking her own life by coming in through the front door and facing off with the zombies day in and day out. It didn't matter to her though, it felt good to take her anger out on anything and everything; she liked the looks people gave her as she waltzed down the street without a care in the world, her scythe slung over one shoulder like a hitchhikers pack. Hell, she had to get in and out of Kong safely didn't she? And she sure as hell wasn't about to leave her precious weapon by the gate: zombies weren't that dumb.
After their abused singer walked out of Kong Studios and out of their lives, Noodle and Russel quickly discovered what had exploded…it was 2D's car…the blue Camaro. Russel had hung his head in shame while Noodle gawked at the burning inferno that was the singer's precious car. Murdoc had stumbled out of 2D's room and collapsed in front of the door, the last time either Russel or Noodle saw the bassist until several months later. It had taken nearly losing one of his arms for Russel to calm down Noodle enough so he could get her scythe out of her hands so she wouldn't kill the bassist. She had snarled at him and claimed that punishment was due but the drummer just shook his head slowly and said, "We already lost 'D, we can't lose Muds, too. Then we'll be nothing anymore." Noodle had dropped the scythe and collapsed into the drummer's arms, screaming to high heaven that "it wasn't fair," over and over again. Russel just patted the young guitarist's head against his chest, rocking her back and forth.
It took Murdoc almost two whole days to recover from the beating Russel had given him. Recover enough so that he could stand from where he collapsed, that is. Once on his feet the bassist stumbled towards the lift with the mindset to give the drummer a piece of his mind. He managed to support himself with one arm against the wall while he leaned over and pushed the button to call the lift. With his head down the bassist waited for the lift but zoned out, not hearing the doors open. When he lifted his head all he saw was a black fist coming towards his face before he was knocked on the ground again. Blood flowing heavily from his nose, the bassist stared at the car park ceiling as Russel walked out of the lift and stood over him, glaring down at him.
"I'm lockin' every entrance from the car park to the upstairs. Call me when you clean this mess up. Until then don't bother trying to talk to Noodle or myself," and with that the large drummer walked away from the fallen Satanist and back upstairs. Once upstairs he disabled the lift and informed Noodle that it wasn't functional and to stay away from the car park. She didn't respond, just looked away. Down in the car park Murdoc came to the heavy realization of what he had done and what it meant for his band. None of them were replaceable, especially 2D. The singer was the total image of Gorillaz, an image that couldn't be replaced by a phony. Also, that sound…that sound that only 2D could make and pull off, that sound was the melody that lifted their fans off their feet and made their bodies sway and their hearts soar. He couldn't replace that…and now he understood how great of an error he made. His band mates were too valuable to risk losing, and Murdoc pushed 2D to the point of snapping, and now he'll never come back.
Murdoc stayed in the car park for almost a year until Russel got a call on Noodle's birthday. Noodle had requested they not celebrate and she didn't explain why, just sulked off to her room to be alone with her memories and her tears. She didn't have to explain why she didn't want to celebrate, Russel knew. They weren't a family anymore, all of them felt widowed somehow due to such a great loss. However while sitting in his room with his headphones on, the large drummer felt something vibrate in his pocket and discovered it to be his phone. He raised an eyebrow curiously at the caller but answered.
"What?" he asked. A voice on the other end spoke quickly and Russel's face lit up with surprise and delight from what was said.
"Alright, man. Be down in a second. Yea, yea, let me go get her." And with that the drummer hung up the phone and grinned happily for the first time in almost a year. He left his room and walked down the hallway into the lobby and into another hallway before reaching Noodle's door and knocking excitedly. In almost the same instant to opening the door, Noodle was being dragged downstairs by the drummer with no explanation to where they were going. When she saw that he was taking her towards the car park door the young guitarist quirked her brow in confusion. Had he not told her to stay away from here? After unlocking the door, Russel opened it and stepped inside the car park in awe.
It was immaculate. Cleaner than how it had been when the incident happened. Noodle and Russel stared in awe, their eyes panning the entire car park from side to side. Blood stains were gone, broken glass was cleaned up, the blown up car was gone with a new one in its place—
Noodle was the first to gasp upon seeing the brand new car. It was exactly the same as the one Murdoc destroyed down to every last detail, even the color made Noodle reminisce on the singer's hair; it's vibrant color, the fresh scent it always seemed to have…
The pair couldn't find Murdoc so they walked together to the Winnebago, which was also cleaner on the outside, and knocked on the door. When there wasn't any answer, they let themselves in and found him past out on his clean bed. In fact…the entire inside of the mobile home was clean. Noodle walked timidly past the big drummer towards where the shirtless bassist lay face up on his bed, snoring loudly. Noodle tapped him on the arm, causing him to choke on his snore and slowly come to. Once he saw her he grinned sheepishly and mumbled, "Anything for you, love," before falling back asleep.
Ever since that day the three remaining band members remained close with each other, grasping tightly onto all that they had left. The years rolled on with small, local gigs here and there; the papers still interested in their missing singer but no longer interested in it as a front page story. Life moved on but that emptiness never went away and no matter how hard they tried that gap was never filled.
Present Day, 2010
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" shouted a young woman as she stumbled around her room, her hair done and stick straight but wearing only a bra and thong. Clothes were strewn all over a well lit room as the woman snarled angrily, flinging clothes around desperately.
"This is ridiculous! Not a single pair!" she screeched. She stopped throwing her clothes around long enough to look at the wreckage she had created. Her shoulders slumped as she gawked around her room. She had completely ripped apart her closet, all of her clothes from the closet, and dresser drawers thrown all over the room…and she couldn't find a single pair of blue jeans. Clenching her teeth the guitarist screamed at the top of her lungs.
"RUSSEL! MURDOC!"
Russel and Murdoc both flinched from where they were across the corridor in the kitchen; Russel cleaning the dishes and Murdoc reading the paper. Since…the incident, Murdoc had been spending more time upstairs rather than holing himself up in his Winnebago. After four years he actually began to enjoy the company of other people and occasionally would even sleep on the couch in the living room. Upon hearing Noodle's angry shout, though, Russel put his hand over his chest, breathing deeply as Murdoc cursed from dropping his cigarette on the newspaper, burning a hole in it and causing the cigarette to fall in his lap. After finally grabbing the cigarette and putting it out in the ashtray, the bassist folded up the paper, sharing a concerned look with the panicked drummer and stood, following Russel across the hallway. Glancing back at the bassist as if to say 'It was great knowin' ya man' Russel gently knocked on the door to the Japanese guitarist's room.
"Come. In." They heard her snarl from the other side of the door. Both of them winced slightly upon hearing this, Russel gently opened the door, gasping slightly as he stepped inside, letting Murdoc in behind him. Her room was covered from corner to corner with her clothes and in the center of it all stood Noodle, wearing only a bra, panties, and an angry glare. Russel glanced back at Murdoc again before clearing his throat.
"You alright baby girl?" he asked timidly, watching her carefully as she seethed in the middle of her room. This was a very, very unstable girl. For four years her moods have fluctuated from good, to bad, to worse and back to good within the blink of an eye. It was as if she was constantly irritated about something and nothing could appease her when she became upset.
Suddenly Noodle sobbed, covering her face with her hands with a groan, "I have a charity performance in less than an hour with Shaun Ryder and I cannot find a single pair of my pants! Not one!" She exclaimed, holding up her index finger.
Murdoc's eyes widened and he bolted out of the bedroom, across the hall into the kitchen, tearing open the dryer and pulling out an armful of blue jean pants. Noodle's eyes widened upon seeing this, the left one twitching slightly as Murdoc came bursting back into the room, past the dumbfounded drummer and up to Noodle, plopping the warm blue jeans down at her feet. Noodle's mouth started to twitch as she stared at the breathless bassist, standing before her, until finally she burst out laughing. Murdoc sighed with relief upon seeing this and laughed sheepishly, the drummer behind both of them chuckling.
Noodle sighed once she stopped laughing, "Did you wash all of my pants, Murdoc?" she asked.
The bassist nodded, "I rememba' yeh sayin' somethin' about yo' pants bein' dirty an' needin' a clean pair for yo' performance so I washed 'em all fo' yeh so yeh'd 'ave a variety to choose from." He said sheepishly.
Noodle giggled, her eyes immediately scanning the pile of pants in front of her then lighting up when she found a light, faded pair of flares and snatched them up and wiggled herself into them before smiling brightly and giving the confused bassist a hug.
"Thank you Murdoc! I appreciate it!" She said with another award-winning smile. The Satanist grinned, a little confused before backing out of the room with Russel.
"We'll be in the living room...when yo' ready love." He said before shutting the door. He paused with his hand on the door before shaking his head and following Russel into the living room. "'at girl's startin' to worry me, Russ." The bassist said, plopping down next to the large drummer on their sofa. Russel grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, "Well, what do yo' wana do about it?" He questioned, glancing knowingly at the confused man. Murdoc snorted.
"Not a damn thing mate…not a damn thing." He said, focusing his attention on the TV.
Inside her room, Noodle slid on a black, form-fitting shirt, adjusting it around her newly acquired bust as she examined herself in the mirror. She frowned at her reflection. The plain shirt and blue jeans was a bit boring but this was one of the few shirts that showed off the fact that the Gorillaz guitarist had in fact grown from what appeared to be a little boy to where she was now: a young woman.
Noodle stared at the plain shirt, "Maybe a low necklace would help." She said to herself. Noodle spun around and walked over to her dresser where her small jewelry box was. She picked up the box and was about to open it when she realized something she'd completely forgotten.
Noodle never wore jewelry. Her ears weren't even pierced. She had one piece of jewelry that was, indeed, a necklace. Noodle's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly: she hadn't worn it…in four years.
2D had given it to her after the debut of her first single, DARE. It was a custom made necklace, but gorgeously casual. The charm, a wooden kanji symbol of the word 'DARE' hung from a long, black satin ribbon that came together at the back with two clasps that were sewn onto the tips of the ribbon. 2D had the charm made but the ribbon he'd thought of himself, sewing the clasps on there himself, which was a feat in itself since no one knew the singer could do something constructive with a needle and thread.
Noodle sighed. Out of anger she had taken off the necklace and put it in the box, turning her back on the gift and vowing to never wear it again because of what 2D had done. Not only had he become a father and was too ignorant to have the decency to tell his family, his band mates, his friends; he had completely snapped and abandoned them, especially Noodle who was beginning to discover her 'feelings' for the blue-haired singer.
The guitarist shook her head and decided to bite the bullet, putting the necklace on over her head, and walking slowly to examine herself in the mirror. She sighed again; the necklace looked perfect against the black, cotton top she wore. Perfect. The charm hung right below the swell of her breasts, swinging independently in the air and barely touching her abdomen. Noodle pursed her lips, grabbing her makeup bag without taking her eyes off her reflection the mirror. Curse that bastard for leaving like that; she thought bitterly, removing the cap to her black eyeliner that no one would see due to her long bangs.
She didn't hate 2D for leaving; Lord knows anybody would snap after years of abuse, but the singer had snapped at all of them and left without any explanation. Noodle frowned at the thought. It was as if the singer had been mad at all of them for what had happened to him. No doubt Noodle and Russel had been pissed at Murdoc for almost killing their singer but it was like 2D was angry at them for—
"Never stopping him before…" Noodle whispered to her wide-eyed reflection. Of course 2D snapped! None of them ever discouraged Murdoc from taking his anger out on the singer; they just turned their heads away and pretended like everything was normal.
Noodle bit her lip at the realization and mentally cursed herself for being so ignorant. Four years and she was just now realizing this crucial information? Stupid.
Suddenly the guitarist heard shouts coming from down the hallway and her eyes widened in fear, shouts of terror and pain reminding her of memories from long ago. Her muscles tensed as she prepared herself to bolt out her door but she heard laughter coming from the living room. She sighed, closing her eyes for a minute to relax herself. It's just the TV, she thought, nothing worth checking.
Noodle glanced at her alarm clock and swore, she had half an hour to get to the mall where this charity performance was being held. She finished her eyeliner on both eyes and retrieved her mascara, quickly brushing her lashes to their full length. She frowned, though, when the voices of her band mates continued at a higher volume. What the hell were they so uptight about? She rolled her eyes, ignoring the drummer and the bassist and walking into her bathroom to brush her teeth before she left. She glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled. She didn't look half bad, good enough for a performance.
She quickly brushed her teeth, threw on her shoes and grabbed her keyboard along with her phone and her car keys. Noodle paused, though, and stared at her car keys. She should probably take the Geep to keep up the Gorillaz image. Tossing her keys on her bed, Noodle shoved her phone in her back pocket and opened her door, walking briskly down the hall into the living room.
"Hey Murdoc, can I take the Geep to the show so I can—" Noodle looked up from her keyboard when she walked into the living room and stopped short, her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide.
Standing with an ecstatic Russel and Murdoc was the love of her life and their long lost singer, 2D. Her keyboard slipped from her hands and fell to the floor with a crash as she stood in awe, staring at the blue-haired man who had walked out on them four years ago. The three men jumped slightly at the crash but 2D just smiled at her.
"'ello love." He said casually.
Noodle frowned, taking a step back into the doorframe, gripping it to keep herself standing. She couldn't believe it. Four years without a single damn word and then all of sudden out of the blue there he is standing in her living room, looking exactly as he did when he left, minus the blood, gashes and torn clothes. She did, however notice a scar on his forehead from the scythe wound.
"Wh-what're you doing here?" she whispered, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
He shrugged, taking a step towards her in which Noodle automatically tried to take a step back into the doorframe, her heart starting to race as she felt cornered.
"I jus' needed some time to recover and then I decided to come back." He said, clapping a hand on Murdoc's shoulder with a grin that the bassist returned gratefully.
Noodle pursed her lips, continuing to frown. This was unbelievable. She didn't know whether to pick up her keyboard and throw it at him or bolt at the door. She could almost feel the anger coursing through her veins at the mere sight of him.
"Where'd you go 'D?" she hissed, "Did you go play 'daddy' to all of your bastard children?"
All three of the men standing before her widened their eyes in shock, the drummer and the bassist glancing questioningly at a confused 2D. He shook his head in disbelief, "'ow….'ow'd yeh know?" he whispered.
Noodle dropped her head to hide her face, her eye closing to fight the tears that threatened to fall and destroy her makeup. She sniffed, "I don't have time for this. Murdoc I need to the keys to the Geep. I'm going to be late for my show."
Russel shook his head, "Wait, hold on a minute baby girl I think we can cancel a performance. I mean…'D's back!" he said with a grin which quickly faded into a confused frown, "I thought that's what you wanted, baby."
Noodle didn't respond but slid down the molding of the doorframe, gently grabbing her keyboard and slowly standing back up, "No, Russ," she whispered, "what I wanted was for him not to leave in the first place. Murdoc, the keys please," Noodle said again. 2D frowned and glanced back at Murdoc who was numbly fishing the Geep keys out of his pocket. Once free from his pants pocket 2D gently grabbed the keys from the bassist, "I'll take her."
Noodle's eyes widened and her nostrils flared but 2D cut her off with a glare that shocked the hell out of her before she could open her mouth to argue. He stalked towards her, standing in front of her with an angry glare, "Shall we?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow mockingly and holding his arm out towards the lift at the end of the hallway. Noodle glanced at Russel and Murdoc, who only stared at the two dumbfounded before rolling her eyes and walking past the singer, down the hallway and to the lift, the door opening for her the moment she pushed the button and slowly entering the elevator, ignoring the singer as he got on with her and pushed to button that would take them to the car park. The doors closed and 2D glanced angrily at her, Noodle looking away from him with a slight blush from the scrutiny.
"So yo' not even 'appy to see me? After four years?" He asked her, breaking the tension in the tiny space.
Noodle snapped her head at him, scowling, "How could you keep something like that from us? And then walk out on us like what happened was mine and Russel's fault!"
He glared back at her, "The kids are none o' yo' business, love, and explain to me why you and Russ let such abuse continue for so fuckin' long?" He spat sarcastically. Noodle looked away, biting her lip. That's what she had realized before. It was their fault the usually gentle singer had snapped when the abuse reached its worse. She couldn't argue with that.
The lift bounced as it reached the level for the car park and the doors slid open slowly, Noodle shooting one last glance at the angry singer before exiting the lift, 2D close behind her. She walked past 2D's new car that Murdoc had blown up and then replaced and she heard his footsteps stop and a low chuckle come from behind her.
"'ow 'bout we take my car? I 'aven't been in this thing in so long…" she heard him say. Noodle stopped, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She wanted nothing more than to ride in his car…or run up to him and hug him forever, but she was too stubborn for that. She wanted him to suffer like she did. Turning around she sighed, "The Geep is one of the few symbols of "Gorillaz." I'm trying to keep up appearances since we haven't been able to perform as a band, thanks to you. You can follow me in your car, but I'm taking the Geep." She said stubbornly.
2D frowned, raising his eyebrow questioningly, "Since when can you drive?"
Noodle glared levelly at him, "I'm eighteen, 'D. I have my own car. Now please give me the keys so I'm not late to my performance," She spat. He clenched his teeth angrily, taking one last look at his beloved car before walking up to her, glaring as he past her towards where the Geep was parked.
"I'm driving," he hissed as he passed her. Noodle bit her lip, her grip tightening on the keyboard in her hands as she turned around and stalked behind him angrily. This isn't what she wanted. She didn't want to argue with him the moment he showed his face, he'd think she hated him and then never bother with her from here on. Noodle sighed sadly as 2D climbed in the driver's seat of their famed Geep. She soon followed suit and climbed into the passenger seat, setting her keyboard at her feet and putting her seatbelt on without a word. 2D didn't address her either, just started the Geep and put it in gear, driving carefully out of the car park and into the afternoon sun, both of them squinting.
The drive was silent and tense; Noodle kept glancing awkwardly at 2D who drove with a scowl. She wanted to do something, anything to let him know she wasn't angry with him and that she had missed him. Glancing down she noticed his right hand resting on the gear shifter, his fingers poised right in front of the CD player and tapping a button occasionally when a song came on he didn't want to hear. Since this was Murdoc's car the only thing playing was their albums and Demon Days was on. 2D went through the track, listening to a small piece of each song before skipping it and moving onto the next song. Noodle's ears perked up when she heard DARE come on and she noticed his fingers move away from the CD player and relax. She smiled softly at this, and gently reached over, placing her hand on top of his and squeezing gently.
"I did miss you…2D," she said above the wind, tears beginning to form in her eyes. She glanced from her hand to him and was relieved to see that his expression had relaxed. Without taking her eyes off his face she felt him take his hand off the stick and entwine his fingers with hers.
She smiled and he glanced at her, rewarding her with a small smile of his own, "We have a lot to talk about," he said with a wink. Noodle nodded, biting her lip and focusing her attention on the road ahead of them. She felt herself blushing slightly and felt like she was going to get scolded when they talked. She mentally shook the thought away…that's ridiculous. 2D may have snapped but he wasn't angry with her. Noodle glanced at their fingers and blushed even more…maybe there was something she didn't know.
They pulled up to the mall and there were already fans lining filling the parking lots. Police escorted them and directed them to a safe entrance at the back of the mall. As they drove past hundreds of fans, people gawked at the blue-haired singer that had practically returned from the dead and the cheers grew even louder.
Noodle snorted, "I'm not the only one that missed you Stuart Pot."
He smirked and squeezed her hand, glancing at her, "You're the one that matters most though," he said matter-of-factly, before turning his attention back to the police car in front of them, not catching the small gasp that came from the blushing guitarist next to him.
Noodle's eyes widened, there was definitely something she didn't know.
A/N: A bit shorter than the first but I'm getting lazy. I still need to update 'Oh Child of Mine.' Hope you enjoyed!♥♥♥
