Heh heh, my word document file of this chapter says it's exactly 2,666 words long. What a coincidence! Enjoy!
My arms were wrapped tightly around Noodle. I didn't want to hold her. I really didn't want to. She made me, though, and I couldn't go against her will.
My hands were on her shoulders as we both looked at the destroyed wall in her room. Rubble lay all over the room, especially around the hole in the wall. Noodle's room, or what was left of it, was taken over by foliage and the storm brewing outside looked as though it was going to further replenish the growing nature.
She sighed loudly, and grabbed my hands, moving them down around her body.
It felt so awkward. I had the hugest urge to just pull away from her. But, at the same time, I liked holding her, which was really odd. I never honestly liked holding anyone else. She was comfortably warm.
"Noodle..." I brought my head forward over her shoulder so that she could see the side of my face. I looked at her from the corner of my eye, then back at the huge chunk of missing wall. "We'll fix it, luv, all right? I promise you."
She shook her head and turned around in my arms. She pressed herself tightly against me again, hiding her face.
"Noodle..." My grip on her loosened then tightened. "Don't cry again. Please."
She pulled back from me slightly and moved her hair out of the way of her eyes. That electric green burrowed into my mismatched eyes. She closed her eyes tightly and rested her head against my chest. I pet her head softly.
"Noodle," I said softly, once more.
She never replied, but I didn't need her too. I didn't have anything else to add, either. I could only say her name and that was all.
X X X
I woke up on the couch in the main floor lobby. My head was on the rest and it ached from the hardness. My chest was hurting too and I grunted lowly at the pain. I looked down at my stomach area with tired eyes. Innocently enough, Noodle was found in my arms.
I snickered. Russ would've killed me.
She was sleeping soundlessly. Her chin was placed right in the middle of my chest. That's why it hurt so much.
Her face was blank as she slept nestled against me. She wasn't smiling, but her face remained so—so... beautiful.
I flinched and closed my eyes.
Oh no, no, no. Did I just say that?
She stirred slightly, rolling over on her side in my arms.
She isn't beautiful, she's pretty! No! Er... cute? Agh! God! Why am I thinking about any of this? I can't be thinking this! She's so much younger than me!
But, still, she is pretty...
Oh, sweet Satan!
I rolled my eyes and looked back down at her again. My right hand slipped away from her waist and with the back of my index finger, I brushed it along her cheekbone. At this, I pulled away quickly and bit into my knuckle. Her skin was really soft. I bit harder. I wanted to touch her again. I tasted rust. I pulled my finger out of my mouth and my knuckle was covered in blood. I started sucking on it. It seemed I'd forgotten that my teeth were sharp.
I sighed, dropping my arm at the side of the couch. My hand with the bloody knuckle scraped against the carpet's rough surface. I curled it into a fist, suddenly feeling a bit angry. I clenched my teeth until I felt a clambering hand against my face.
Noodle was looking up at me with sad eyes once again. Why were they so friggin' sad?
"Luv..." I mumbled, pulling my hand off of the carpet. I was about to touch her face with my knuckle, but I then remembered it remained bloody. It was still close to her face when she noticed it. I pulled it away. "Sorry... I bit it."
She nodded, her chin digging into my chest.
"Is there somethin' wrong, Noodle?" I asked quietly. "Why aren't you talkin', luv? 2D wants to hear you. I want to hear you."
She looked a little shocked by my comment.
I then sniggered. "Throwing you off?"
She nodded.
"Of course I am. How silly of me," I chuckled out.
Then something that threw me off was the fact that a little, tiny smile had danced onto her lips—a small smile, which was hardly noticeable. It made me even smile a little.
"That's more like it, luv. I want to see you smile."
She nodded slightly, turning back on her side. She rested her head down on my chest once again. Her chin wasn't digging into it anymore, which let me breathe easier. But... this way, I couldn't see her face.
"Oh, shit. You just reminded me, luv..." I grumbled, sitting up a little and resting an elbow back. She looked thrown off again, but all she did was sit up a bit, too. She was still leaning against my chest in a heavy manner. She must have been really exhausted. "I need to call Russel."
She nodded.
I pulled out my phone and dialled his number. It rang twice and he picked up.
"Hello?"
Russel, all right.
"'Ey Russ. It's me, Murdoc."
"Murdoc? Is tha' really you?" he asked quietly.
"Of course."
"Noodle's there?"
"Yeah, we got back yesterday, actually," I mumbled back.
"And you didn't call me yesterday because?" Russel growled into the phone. His rumbling voice triggered my consistent angry thoughts.
"Speaking of things we've supposedly fucked up on, why the fuck did you leave only three months after we did?" I hissed back and Noodle flinched at my tone.
"How the Hell could I stay there? You an' Noods were gone, which only left me and friggin' 'D! I can't live without the girl and you know that!" Russel hollered in response. "Jeez, you don't know how much it hurt. You just don't understand..."
"Why the fuck not? I mean seriously, Russ... I love Noodle as much as you do! Of course I fuckin' understand! That's why I had to get her back!"
"We made you get her back! Me an' 'D!" he grumbled.
"B-but... I was gonna get her anyway without you guys tellin' me t' do it! I was!"
"Fine."
"Fine," I murmured back gruffly, but also in a weak manner. "So... when are you coming back?"
"As soon as possible. I'm looking and I don't think the next plane for Britain leaves for three more days though. So, three days is my deadline. An' I swear to God, when I come back an' she's missin' again—"
"She won't be," I growled lowly. "I can take care of her."
"All right," he said lowly and he hung up his phone.
I sighed, shutting my phone. I closed my eyes tightly and shoved it back into my pocket. Out of exhaustment, I collapsed onto the couch and Noodle followed suit resting on top of me yet again.
"'M sorry again, luv. I keep yelling," I muttered, shaking my head.
She nodded at me, her chin rubbing against my chest.
"Russel is coming back in three days. 2D is comin' in a week," I sighed, looking at the ceiling. "Can you wait that long?" I then asked, looking down at her again.
Noodle smiled and nodded at me. She then rested her face against me again.
"Noodle," I chuckled, biting my lip. "You don't know how happy..." I trailed off, laughing to myself.
She looked up at me questionably, waiting for the rest of the sentence.
"... they're gonna be. They're gonna be happy."
She nodded and then reached up, touching my nose. I crossed my mismatched eyes, looking at her fair skinned finger.
"... Yyyes. Me too." I said slowly. "I am too, luv."
She smiled widely, showing her teeth in that brilliant smile of hers. She hid her face in my chest, holding my shirt sleeves tightly.
I smiled slightly and rolled my eyes. She was so cute. Still like her younger self, expect she was taller and she... was a woman now. Er, kinda weird thinking about it since I never really had before.
Abruptly, her stomach growled loudly and I widened my eyes.
"Oh, shoot... you must be really hungry," I mumbled, looking down at the mess of her purple hair.
She nodded up at me.
"Here, luv. I can carry you up to th' kitchen..." I grumbled, pushing myself up a bit from the couch's cushions.
Noodle shook her head and got off of my stomach herself. From what I believed, she looked at me from under her bangs as I struggled to get up. I swung my legs off of the couch, resting my hands on the cushions, and I stopped. I slowly looked up at her with slightly narrowed eyes. I then laughed, looking at her face.
"How in the Hell," I paused, as I pushed myself up, "do ya see outta those things?"
She shrugged as we walked over to the elevator. She pressed the button and the doors shortly opened after Shaun did his thing. We walked in silently and I reached over, pressing the Floor 1 button.
"I mean, I like yer hair an' all, but I like yer eyes even more," I teasingly smirked, looking down at her face waiting for a reaction. She suddenly blushed. The red lightly tinted along her cheekbones. At this, I grabbed onto her shoulder, spinning her towards me as a said, "Here, luv."
My tongue stuck out between my lips as I began to part her hair down the middle. The elevator dinged, announcing to us that we were able to go into the lobby, but I ignored it. I then finished parting her bangs right down the middle.
Her bangs still covered half of her eyes but at least I could still see some of her beautiful emerald eyes.
"Tha's bett'eh," I mumbled, smiling crookedly. "You shouldn't be hidin' 'em."
She nodded, blushing again. I laughed lightly as the two of us dragged our bodies towards the kitchen.
I wasn't hungry. Just tired and weak. And relieved. And happy. Let's just say I was everything. On the other hand, Noodle was probably starving her arse off.
I leaned against the counter, watching her as she pulled herself onto the hard surface. She stayed on her knees as she opened a cupboard. I chuckled, watching her pull out some probably expired cereal. I thought the food would've been all gone. Stolen by demons or rats or something.
"Man," I sighed, leaning more heavily against the counter. My eyes met the ceiling. "We're home."
Noodle didn't answer, which I knew she wouldn't. She probably nodded; I don't even know.
"I-I didn't think it would'eh happened like that. That easily. Seriously..." I murmured. "I jus' like bein' here. I'm happy." I shook my head, then looked away from the ceiling to Noodle.
She was watching me as she set two bowls onto the table.
"Oh, luv, 'm not hungry."
Noodle tilted her small head.
"Really."
She continued looking at me, her eyes growing worried. Her eyes said, 'Oh, you have to!' but I shook my head, throwing my hands into my pockets. My eyes glued to the ground.
"Luv, luv, luv," I mumbled, chuckling lightly. I wouldn't let her see my eyes. "'M good. But I really need a fag..."
I looked up at her for a moment before slumping over towards the glass door. I grabbed the handle, turned it and opened the door. I walked outside and quietly closed the door behind myself. I sighed, dragging myself over to the balcony's railing. It creaked, as I rested my left arm on it. That was definitely a warning that I needed to buy a new railing.
I pulled my box of fags out of my pocket and then rested my right arm on the railing as well. I swear to Satan that the iron bars were gonna snap underneath me. I shrugged, and with both of my hands, I fiddled with the box of cigarettes.
There was one left and I sighed in relief. Thank God... for once.
I put it between my lips and my mouth pulled up into a lengthy smile. I pulled out my lighter, which was located in my back pocket and I went to light my cigarette. As I was doing this, someone tapped my shoulder. I jumped, my mouth opening up in shock and the cigarette flew out of my mouth. When I reached up for the fag, my other hand fumbled with the lighter and they both plummeted into the land fill. I leaned way over the railing at least trying and failing to reach for the falling cigarette, and the person behind me grabbed my belt.
I sighed, letting my body dangle loosely over the rickety railing. Honestly, I almost felt like sobbing, but all I did was pout. I hadn't had a cigarette in days. It was really aggravating.
"Wot th' Hell do ya want?" I moaned, as I pulled myself back over the railing. I turned around angrily and I growled down at Noodle. "I told ya I wasn't hungry."
She looked taken aback.
"Look," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "I'm sorry. 'M jus' friggin' pissed 'cos I woz savin' this one an' haven't had a smoke in months an' it makes me mad. They calm me down, make me feel better an' now I feel even more like shit... Ugh, luv, I can't really explain any bett'eh than tha'."
She nodded slightly, trying to see where I was coming from. She then grabbed my hand, dragging me towards the door.
"Noodle... c'mon," I mumbled, feeling sick, irritated and upset.
The door slammed shut after us and she pulled me over to the kitchen table and forced me down into a chair. I growled loudly, absolutely frustrated of her big, yet quiet attitude.
I supported my head with one hand and snarled down at the dry cereal that was tossed in front of me.
"Do I have to...?" I asked gruffly, looking up at her with angry eyes.
She stiffly nodded at me and plunked down in the chair right across from me. Her eyes watched me the whole time while she ate. I rolled my eyes, eating reluctantly afterwards.
"Happy?" I grumbled, pushing the empty bowl away. I licked my lips, narrowing my eyes at her. She nodded excitedly, her teeth showing in a wide smile. She grabbed my bowl and hers as well, bringing them over to the sink.
I watched her from behind. She had a small frame for being seventeen. My eyes travelled down her body until I got to her arse. I pulled my eyes away. Can't be checking out my guitarist. Can't. Ever. That's a big no-no. She did have a nice arse though...
I started choking on my spit and I leaned over in my chair, holding my chest. I hacked and hacked and I felt Noodle's hand on my back and I saw her legs in front of me. She had nice legs too...
I choked even harder.
Oh, shit. Why the Hell am I liking her all of a sudden? This really ain't supposed to happen...
Tear poured out of my eyes.
Maybe if I wasn't friggin' checking her out, I wouldn't be choking on my extra friggin' drool!
My coughing calmed down and I sniffled a few times, wiping away at my mouth. I swallowed loudly and Noodle pulled me up into her chest. My eyes widened, then closed tightly.
"... S-sorry..." I mumbled. "... I was choking. On my spit."
She didn't make a sound. I expected her to giggle or make fun of me, but she was silent.
I cleared my throat and gazed down at her questionably. "Have you lost yer voice, luv?"
I pulled away from her arms, eyebrows raised at her. She only looked at me with questioning eyes as well.
"I mean, aren't cha gonna laugh at me? Or somethin'?" I murmured, still looking up at her.
She shook her head, hugging me tightly again.
"Noodle..." I whispered. "Please talk ta me."
She didn't answer but I knew she shook her head.
"Fine. Whatever." I pushed her away from me, getting up from the chair. She looked slightly hurt. I ignored her sad looking face, which made me cringed a little on the inside. "Well, I gotta head out," I said quickly afterwards.
She titled her head at me, seeming a bit interested.
"To town." I smiled slightly. "Ya comin' or wot?"
Updated: January 3rd, 2009
Well, last update before the winter holidays are over! Merry belated Christmas and New Year! Hail Santa!