A Rocket Through Me is a line of lyrics from Mew's song Special. Still don't own Mew or the song.
A quick note; Rina is said to have gone into D's room before seeing Muds, so the bit after the xXx page break is what was missed while Murdoc was going to bed/falling asleep/aiting for Rina.

"…But that was the whole point! She was there, every time. Black eye, broken nose, Rina was always cleaning me up. So, naturally we stayed in touch the best we could. I guess I thought I didn't need it anymore." Murdoc sniffed, trying to keep his tears at bay. Crying was beneath him. He didn't cry anymore. "And now she's come to find me." He wasn't sure what to say about that. He knew exactly how he felt, but putting it into words, especially without losing his intimidation factor while doing so, was proving to be impossible.

"Are you jealous she spends more time trying to be with 2D then?" Noodle asked. Murdoc snorted.

"No. She can have him, no one else gives half a shit for him," he snarled.

"You didn't answer the question," Noodle said pointedly. Murdoc's face softened, his eyes lowered. "Your silence is revealing." His eyes narrowed, giving him a hopeless look.

"When I made mention of her leaving, it was… unsettling, at best. She's my cousin, the only blood that never tried to kill me. And off she goes trompin' about with Dullard. Tha's not fair. I need help, got everything chasin' after me, wantin' me dead, hell some days I even want me dead." He let out a heavy breath and looked out the window. It was very dark, and he had not yet heard Rina or 2D come back in. "She always went off about wantin' me to press on. She even brought up suicide which is laughable; I'm not that bad off. The world needs someone great." He smiled arrogantly. "Besides that, I wouldn't crush her like that." He heard the front door open, then close, then footsteps. Both sets were headed to the lift, and he heard it move. He frowned.

"She has to come back up, to go to her bed," Noodle offered. Murdoc shot her an angry look. Noodle laughed when she realised why he was upset. "Not 2D, he wouldn't. Not fast like this, He is not like this." Her English could still use a small bit of polishing, but it was much better than it had been so many years ago. That was something Murdoc could not ignore, that she was grown up now. Though she frequently would reprimand him for his behaviour, he was incredibly fond of her. He pushed the thoughts away. Time and a place.

"If he tries anything with her, I'll strangle the bloody git with his own intestines," Murdoc growled. Noodle rested her hand on his shoulder.

"It is late, Murdoc. Perhaps we should worry about sleeping, instead of what 2D may or may not do," she said gently. Murdoc looked at her, his eyes glazed with the tears he'd been wrestling for nearly ninety minutes as he spoke with Noodle. She was smiling at him, comfortingly, and upon seeing how sad his eyes were, she hugged him. He closed his eyes and returned the embrace. When she left, closing the door behind her, Murdoc slipped into bed and rolled over, his back to the door. Part of him had hoped she wouldn't leave, but she was unaware of his feelings and he was comfortably sure she didn't return them anyway. Knowing his cousin was happy, and that 2D was growing happy, and that it was from them being together, stung him more than he cared to admit. He was half asleep when his door opened again, and it didn't register with him to look over at who it was.

"Murdoc? Are you asleep?" Rina. Better late than never. He sat up, looking at her groggily. He didn't speak. "I woke you. You can go back to sleep, I just wanted to say good night, maybe talk for a bit."

"Kind of late on that one Rina," he snapped, squinting at her. He rubbed his eyes, the sleepy haze refusing to let him go. He looked at her again, and she looked a little distressed. "Sorry." Rina just giggled.

"I know, Murdoc. You want me to yourself. And you know I love you, you're the only relative I stayed in touch with, too." She sat on the floor. Feeling guilty for snapping at her, Murdoc got out of bed and sat across from her.

"I don't want to discuss Faceache and my treatment of him," he said flatly. Her smile softened him.

"Of course not. That isn't what I wanted to talk about anyway. In fact, there wasn't anything, but we have been out of touch for nearly two months. Have I missed anything?"

"Eh. We shook the pirates loose, the zeds, whatever the hell was clamoring for MY island. It's mine. They're gone. Don't know or care where," he said proudly, even straightening a bit with the delivery of the news. "It's nice because we can actually go outside. Oh, we lost the Cyborg, basically turned her into a living bomb, tha's how we lost most of the bleeding sods anyway." He waited. Rina bit.

"And how did Noodle feel?"

"Tha's the best part! It was HER idea!" Murdoc was beaming. "It was so sadistic, it was like her killing herself… I dunno, it was just really amazing when SHE sent the Cyborg off to die. I wish I'd video taped it." Murdoc yawned, not surprised at how tired he felt. He was also not surprised that this terminated their talk for now. So Rina stood, and he mirrored her actions, swaying slightly in his exhaustion. She hugged him, which startled him.

"G'night Murdoc. I'll make sure we get time together, ok? Don't worry about that." He rested his chain on he shoulder for a moment before pulling away and slipping into bed, mumbling a good night in such a tone that Rina was reminded of a 12 year old him. She smiled to herself, picturing the awkward, gangly young Murdoc, as she made her way to her room for the night.

xXx

2D and Rina walked into his room. The window curtains were open, and reminder in the form of fear from Murdoc that he was still the alpha dog. As 2D turned on a small lamp, the open curtains caught his eye. The whale swam over, peering into the window. 2D shrieked and scrambled behind Rina, clutching at her shirt. Frowning, she went to the window, banged on the glass (which startled the whale), and yanked the curtains closed. She turned to 2D, who had cowered into the corner.

"Is it gone then?" He peeked through his fingers. Rina stood by the now-closed window, looking at him curiously. She walked over to him, and extended her hand. He looked at her hand, unsure of the offer, but took it, and stood. "Sorry, that bloody whale terrifies me. I 'ate it. But I dunno how to make it leave, Murdoc pays it or sumfink, I guess. I dunno." He sat on his bed, feeling stupid. "I don't even know why they scare me." Rina sat next to him. He couldn't look at her. Just stared at his shoes.

"Why do you have to have a reason? You can't be scared just because that's you?" she asked. He frowned.

"Murdoc says it's stupid," 2D mumbled. Rina laughed a little, offending 2D. "Yea, Murdoc insulting my intelligence is hilarious." Rina shook her head.

"No. The fact that you put stock into what that goof says is funny. Don't listen to him. He hyperventilates when he looks up. It scares him," 2D looked at her.

"Does it?" It made him feel just a little better that Murdoc had silly fears, too. Still, he felt his eyes sting as his mind started throwing recorded sound bits of Murdoc's abuse at him. He rubbed his face. Rina put her arm around 2D, who leaned into her. He had longed for many years now to be held, to be comforted. He wasn't so dense that he didn't realise he only wanted her now because he himself felt wanted. But that wasn't going to stop him from enjoying the affection. She touched his jaw with her finger tips, tilting his head, and her heart broke at his expression. His black eyes were pleading and glassy. A tear fell, she wiped it with her thumb, and wrapped her other arm around him.

"It's really been a long time since anyone hugged me," he mumbled. He rested his head against hers.

"Murdoc makes fun of me, too," she said, trying to change the tone of the subject.

"You? 'Is favourite relative?" 2D wasn't sure he believed it. Rina nodded.

"We used to write a lot, like I said, and I've had a long time to let it simmer with me, but I did tell him that his treatment of you really bothered me. He'd poke fun at me." She tensed a bit, unsure of 2D's reaction. He seemed to just lean into her embrace more. He didn't answer her. He nearly whimpered at her when she let go and stood up. He looked at her sadly.

"Why don't you get some rest, hm? I need to say good night to Murdoc anyway, I'm sure he's already jealous," she said thoughtfully. 2D felt his anger towards Murdoc burn just a bit more. Taking Rina's advice, he slowly got into bed, laying on his back, wincing as his ribs began throbbing. She crouched near him, and he turned his head to look at her. She put her hand on his head, stroked his hair as she pecked an innocent kiss to his cheek. It was borderline motherly. It warmed him. "Good night, Stuart." He was too stunned to answer, and he quietly cursed himself as she left him to sleep.

D'aawwwwww. Anyway, in the next chapter or two, Mudsy will have a fairly large and startling realisation regarding 2D. This will NOT be 2D x Muds, but I think it's fairly obvious where I'm going with this, lol.