2D carefully walked through the crowd holding a paper plate of food, carefully avoiding people who were dancing about. The sun had already set, but the sky was still a deep orange, fading into a dark blue gradient, welcoming the night sky. He made his way to the shore side, where the tide slowly drifted back and forth from the shore. There were some, couples and groups of friends, who were sitting near the shore as well. While most of the partying and dancing was taking place farther up on the beach, some chose to sit on beach blankets and talk, drink, and smoke. Noodle was sitting on a beach blanket a bystander so kindly let them use, just looking out at the sea. 2D sat next to her and handed her the plate.

"They let me take some food! Pretty cool blokes around 'ere, even if they are a bunch a' hippies…"

Noodle looked at the plate.

"Ey…you gotta be hungry…you haven't eaten in…"

Noodle quickly snatched the plate away and sank her teeth into the burger, chomping away.

"Uh…days…" 2D scratched the back of his head.

"What is this?" Noodle asked with her mouth full of food.

"Veggie burger. S'good yeah?"

Noodle nodded, swallowing and then busting open the little bag of potato chips.

2D just watched her for a moment, happy that she was finally eating. Noodle noticed this and swallowed again.

"What?" she asked.

2D blinked, realizing he was staring. "Oh, uh! Nofin'…uh...you got somefin' there…" 2D couldn't help but smile at Noodle's messy face. He reached his hand out a gently wiped a glob of ketchup from her cheek with his thumb.

And that's when Noodle actually smiled.

"Thank you." She said.

There was a small silence between them for a moment. The waves lapped at the shore as the moon rose, at its fullest tonight. People were laughing and dancing to that one Sugar Ray song…just having a good time. Finally, 2D managed to speak up.

"So…uh…are you, uh…" 2D shifted. "Are you gonna be awright?" He really didn't know what else to say, but he wanted to ask anyway.

Noodle looked down at her lap, and then back up at the sea.

"I'm…sorry…." She looked at him. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. I must have looked so stupid…"

"Huh? Nah, you didn't look stupid…"

"Oh come on." Noodle protested. "Running around like a crazy person and crying like a baby…"

2D's eyes softened. "Not at all love."

Noodle managed to let out a small smile again. "You always were the sweet one you know."

2D's cheeks flushed for a moment. "Huh? Oh, nah…I dun' fink so…" he nervously scratched the back of his head.

Noodle only smiled, followed by a sigh. "It's just….hard, you know?"

2D looked up again. "Whad'ya mean?"

Noodle looked back down. "I can't explain it…you will…"she sighed again. "You will probably think I am crazy…."

"Ey, I'd never fink' that…"

"Okay….well, I've just been having nightmares. And then this stupid thing…" she looked at her wrapped up ankle. "I feel so…helpless." She said the last part quietly.

2D could only look at her. She looked so tired and conflicted…

"Noodle…." He spoke up. "Wha' exactly 'appened to you these pas' few years?" he spotted the bruise on her face.

And that's when Noodle poured out everything. About the windmill crash, Hell, The Boogieman and his minions, her constantly being on the run, and Murdoc. 2D listened closely, trying to understand everything she was telling him, which, at some points, was quite a lot to handle.

"So…you made a deal wif' Murdoc?" he was still trying to fully wrap his head around this.

"Yes…" Noodle looked down at her lap again. "But you have to understand…I just wanted out. I had enough of Murdoc's shit. With his crooked ways and the bad luck he's put upon the band…I was finished. So after I did one final thing for him, I would be free to go. Of course Murdoc being the sly one he is, I should have known better." She shrugged, shaking her head. "After that, there was the windmill crash. Lucky for me, I did have a parachute and all, but I was still pretty banged up. And then all of the other events quickly followed….so, you get the picture."

"Damn Noods…no wonda' you got nightmares." He paused. "I'm sorry love."

"Hey, it's fine…I'm fine…" She ran her hand through some sand. "Heh. Who am I kidding…"

"All these years…man…we all 'fought you were dead…." 2D actually felt a small twinge of guilt in his chest. Noodle had been alive all along, but she really was living in hell. And there he was out and about, not even giving it a second thought. Sure, it wasn't his fault that he had no knowledge of Noodle being alive, but even so, he felt guilty that the poor girl had to go it all alone for so many years.

"So…what brought you back?" he asked.

Noodle continued to fiddle with the sand between her fingers. "Well…I figured I had some unfinished business to take care of with Murdoc. After I heard about Murdoc's new album, and that…Cyborg…you being locked up on that island….well, it was time. I had met up with Russel shortly after my ship was attacked, as you know, and it turned out that he had a score to settle with Murdoc as well. So we headed off to Plastic Beach. I had no idea what would happen when I got there of course, but I had to face him." She sighed. "Of course even now I still haven't truly confronted him, and I know for a fact that he does not give a flying fuck about anything that has happened."

2D kept listening. He was, at the least, happy she was talking to him finally. Though there were still some things about her that took some getting used to; her older figure, her smoking habits, she even swore a bit more, some of the words she tried not to say before, well, she was definitely using them now.

"And then I saw you flying through the air like that…and I got worried."

This caught 2D's attention again.

"Me?"

Noodle nodded.

That's right. If it wasn't for Noodle, he would have probably either been whale poop, or drowned at the bottom of the ocean somewhere.

"Noodle….I…" he looked at her. "Fank you…for saving my life…."

At that moment, Noodle put her finger to his lips. "Shhh. You saved mine too. We're even." She smiled, and that said it all. Everything that needed to be said was finally said.

"Okay…" 2D said softly as Noodle removed her finger. At that moment, something began to flutter inside of 2D. He didn't quite know what it was, so he decided to disregard it. This whole night was so heavy to begin with, so maybe it was time to lighten up a bit.

"I'm a bit thirsty. You want a beer?" he asked.

"I could go for one." She leaned back onto the beach blanket as 2D stood up and looked around. There was beer practically everywhere. He wandered off for a few minutes before bringing back a few bottles of beer.

"So they jus' gave me free beer." 2D laughed as he sat next to Noodle again. "I swear ev'ryone's stoned as fuck."

Noodle only smiled as 2D handed her a beer. She was back to feeling normal, well, as normal as she could feel for now. She really had gotten a lot out of her today, from punching Murdoc to venting to 2D. All of that must have helped somehow. There was still a lot she had to face off with, but for now, she might as well just chill out. Her best buddy was here, and that was all she needed.

"Do you have a bottle opener?" she asked.

"Uh…" 2D sort of looked around for a minute, a little dimwitted.

"Are you wearing a belt?"

"Yeah…?"

Before he could say anything else, Noodle had lifted his shirt and snapped off the bottle cap off on 2D's belt buckle. She handed the bottle to him, and then opened her own; once again, on his belt buckle. 2D only blinked.

"Um, sure, you can use my belt." 2D said jokingly.

"Thanks." Noodle said as she took a swig of beer. 2D only looked at her and shook his head while smiling. She was coming back; slowly but surely.

The two ended up spending most of the night on the beach as the party went on late. They mostly just sat and talked and had a few drinks. Noodle decided to eat more food, and it got to the point where 2D wondered how someone so little could eat so much. They talked with a few of the others who were sitting around nearby, just relaxing. Before they knew it, a few hours had passed, and the two were lying on the beach blanket, looking up at the sky. 2D was lying opposite of Noodle, so their heads were right next to each other. There were a few empty beer bottles surrounding them in the sand.

"I wonder how many stars are up there. How many do you think Toochi?"

"Er, I dunno, prolly a zillion or somefink."

"A zillion isn't a number, dummy." Noodle chuckled.

"Ow' do you know, Einstein?"

"Because I know everyyyythinggggg." Noodle waved her arms in a silly manner as she made a "spooky" sounding voice.

2D turned his head towards hers. "Awright. If you know evry'fing, what am I finkin' rightttt….now?"

Noodle turned her head as well and leaned in, causing their foreheads to touch. This only made 2D laugh out loud, partially from the pills he was continuously popping, as Noodle closed her eyes in concentration.

"You are thinking about….Murdoc. And how he's a bumhole."

2D only snickered again. "Do go on."

"You are thinking of a certain cheeseeee."

"What?"

Noodle only giggled. "The cheese has holes."

"Yer' a goof, ya know that?" 2D shook his head while smiling.

"Yes. Well…." Noodle only laughed again.

"I fink' you 'ad enough."

"No, I am a-okay!"

"Nah ah. Yer drunk."

"No I'm not 2D! I only had…I don't know, but not enough to get drunk yet." She playfully nudged him. "At least I'm not completely baked like you."

"I ain't baked."

"You are." Noodle got close to him and whispered in his ear. "Like a potato."

This only caused 2D to spit out whatever he was drinking at the time and laugh out loud.

"A potato?. Okay, yeah, I'm high as fuck right now. Shit Noods, you crack me up doll." He chuckled once more.

Noodle smiled and rolled her eyes before looking back up at the sky. "It's so beautiful." she reached her hand up. "Out of my reach though…"

2D only watched her as she rambled on about the sky. There was something about the way the moonlight hit her. She really did grow up to be quite pretty.

"Yoo hoo! Mr. Pot!"

2D blinked, snapping out of his thoughts to see Noodle up in his face again.

"Well hello." He said, with their faces incredibly close. "How can I 'elp you t'day? Here ta' buy some strings?"

"Who's the goof now you junkie?"

2D only giggled like a school girl. Noodle then moved a bit closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hey…" she said softly. "Thank you."

2D raised an eyebrow.

"For…coming after me I guess." She pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "And I guess…well, listening…I know I have been acting like a complete spazz lately…and I…"

2D interrupted her. "Ey…no one's callin' you a spazz. You act 'owever you want love…you been through a lot…I dun' mind it. Jus'… do me a favor…and dun' run too far next time." He gave a sweet grin, causing Noodle to smile back.

Then she paused for a second, before leaning in and planting a kiss on 2D's cheek. For a moment, he froze up, while also blushing a bit. His heart had nearly skipped a beat.

It was probably the pills…had to be the pills.

"Well wow, what was tha' for?"

"That was a thank you kiss." She said nonchalantly as she sat back up on the blanket. She looked at him and smiled.

2D sat up as well. "Well if yer' givin' out kisses, ow' about one 'ere? Make it even?" 2D pointed to his other cheek.

Did he really just say that? And did it matter? He wasn't exactly in control of most of his words right now anyway.

Noodle gave him a look. "Now don't be a pervert 2D." she said, causing 2D's cheeks to, once again, stain with red.

"I wasn't bein' a…"

2D was cut off by Noodle's laughter.

"Well, it is getting late. Maybe we should start to head back?" Noodle asked.

"Oh, uh…yeah…wha' time s'it exactly?" 2D asked, still a bit dazed out.

Noodle looked down at her cell phone. "It's nearing four."

"In tha' mornin'?"

"Yes!" Noodle giggled.

"Awright, awright. I suppose I should be getting' you back anyways. You gotta sleep off this beer."

"Psh!" Noodle waved a hand at him. "I'm totally fine!" Noodle got on her feet and stood up, as did 2D. 2D wobbled a bit, almost falling over again like the klutz he was.

Noodle giggled at this, but only for a moment before she tumbled forward. Luckily, 2D had his arms out.

"You awright?" 2D had his arms around her as she leaned into his chest, feeling a sharp pain in her ankle.

"I'm okay." She flinched.

"Is it yer' ankle?"

Noodle only let out a groan.

"Well, that's what ya get fer' not listenin' to the doc. You been on it all day missy."

"Granted, I was in the house all day for three days…"

"Okay, fair enough." 2D scooped her up in his arms and began to carry her back to the beach house.

"Hey!" Noodle's stomach was a little shaken up at the sudden swooping off her feet. "I said I'm fine!"

"Calm it girl, we're already halfway there." 2D chuckled.

Noodle puffed out her lower lip and groaned.

"Dun' gimme tha' look. Yer' buzzed up and 'ave a bad ankle."

Noodle only shrugged while she kept her arms locked around 2D's neck. She watched other people slowly beginning to disband into the early morning, while some just decided to pass out on the beach altogether. At this point Noodle was really beginning to feel the after effects of the day.

"I'm tired…"

"I know love…"

It wasn't long before they made it back to the house, greeted by a large snoring Russel, who was leaning against a palm tree sleeping.

2D's ass would be grass if Russel knew Noodle was out and about like this. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to give her alcohol under the circumstances, but from what 2D saw she was actually acting way better then earlier. Not that he was some psycho-therapist or something, but he knew her. She was definitely doing much better. She needed to be out in some fresh air, eat some good food, and loosen up with a couple of beers. She needed to punch Murdoc, and most of all, she needed to let out all of that stuff she had told him, even if he didn't fully understand it all.

2D carefully got them through the front door and shut it behind them. The house was still pretty dark and quiet, and 2D assumed that Murdoc had not come home. He gently carried the dizzied up girl inside, when she insisted that she could walk fine now that they were home. But she didn't go to bed.

"I'm tired, not sleepy." She protested.

2D shrugged, still a bit baked, as he invited her into his own room. Little did he know that she wanted to prolong having to sleep due to the nightmares she's been having every night.

Noodle sat on his bed, watching some late night comedy show on cable. She didn't say much, only laughed at certain points of the show, but mostly just sat snuggled with a pillow to her chest. 2D laid on the bed, messing around with his iPad and continuously shaking his head as everything in his vision began to skew. After about an hour or so, it was nearing 5 am, and 2D's eyes began to grow tired. He looked up at Noodle, who was still watching the TV.

"You gonna be awright love?" he spoke up as he reached for his pack of cigarettes on his night stand.

"Oh…um…yes. I'll be alright." She said it, but not so reassuringly. 2D popped a fag into his mouth and held out his pack to her, offering her one as well. She accepted the offer and took one, leaning forward as he lit the end of her smoke.

"Shouldn't you be gettin' some rest?" 2D blew out some smoke and nonchalantly flicked some ash onto the carpet. He took notice to her eyes, which looked like they were about to droop shut at any given moment.

"I suppose I should…"she shifted nervously, taking another puff of the cigarette.

"Wha' is it?"

"2D…could I sleep here tonight?"

2D only blinked for a moment. She was asking him if she could sleep in here? He coughed and put out his cigarette. Why was he feeling nervous about this? It was just Noodle. Maybe she should stay in here tonight, so he could make sure she was alright.

"Uh…okay…sure." 2D shrugged.

Noodle's face relaxed, looking somewhat relieved. And just like, she immediately laid back next to him, snuggling into the covers and making herself comfortable. Now, 2D's bed wasn't all that spacious; just a normal double sized bed that could fit two people, but would still be a bit, well, cramped. 2D looked down at Noodle. He didn't have the heart to say no. But he couldn't help but feel a sense of boundary between them now. When she was younger, Noodle sleeping in his bed would have been nothing. But here she was; a full grown and, dare he say beautiful, young woman laying next to him in his already cramped bed. Something inside of him felt strange about laying so close to her, much like a few nights before.

He looked at her again. The poor thing was definitely exhausted, and so was 2D. It really had been a very long and heavy day, but at least Noodle was finally coming around again. He looked at her as she began to sleep, and gently pushed a piece of hair out of her face, revealing her soft and lovely features.

Whatever weird thoughts were going through his head right now, it was all probably drug induced nonsense. Noodle was his friend, his pal, and his mate. So what if they shared a bed? It wouldn't have been the first time anyway…

2D crossed his arms behind his head and relaxed. He took one last look at Noodle, who was now peacefully fast asleep. After that, 2D closed his own eyes and began to drift off. As long as Noodle was okay, then he would be okay too. He had to make sure she was happy…he had to take care of her.

He owed her that much, even if they were declared "even".