It was a little after twelve when Murdoc and Stuart came home. "Finally, we're back." said Murdoc. Stuart laughed as Rachel shut the door, a bag of groceries in her hand.

"Alright boys, I'm going to get started on lunch, now be good." said Rachel. She walked towards the kitchen as Stuart and Murdoc headed for the backyard.

"So, what should we do till lunch is ready?" asked Stuart. "Eh, I'm up for anything." said Murdoc. He looked around the yard when he spots a small toy gun. He picked it up to see it shoots soft pellets and smiled.

"How about cops and robbers?" asked Murdoc. "That sounds a lot like fun, what do we do?" asked Stuart. "Simple, I'll hide a piece of loot and you have to find it before I catch you." said Murdoc.

"Wait, so I'm the robber, but you're a trained one." said Stuart. "Ya, but this is a game, plus I get to chase you." said Murdoc. "Alright, what do I need to steal then?" asked Stuart.

Murdoc looked around to smile as he grabs a small gnome. "This, we'll just pretend it's made of gold." said Murdoc.

"Okay, so how do I win?" asked Stuart. "I'll hide the gnome and you find it, if you get the gnome back to these steps before I get you with the pellet gun, then you win and we switch." said Murdoc. "Okay, sounds easy, let's play." said Stuart.

"Alright, count to twenty while I hide this." said Murdoc. Stuart nodded and turned to start counting. Murdoc then ran more into the yard, looking to hide the gnome.

"Murdoc." called Stuart. "Eh, what?" asked Murdoc. "What comes after six again?" asked Stuart. The child rolled his eyes to laugh. "Seven." said Murdoc. "Thank you." called Stuart.

The child grinned more and went to a tree towards the back fence. There, he found a small hole and he put the gnome inside. He walks back as Stuart continues to count.

"Fifteen, fifteen, uh." said Stuart. He was stuck again. "Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty." finished Murdoc. Stuart looked to frown. "Can we just count to ten, it's a bit easier." said Stuart. "Fine, next round, now, you get a five second head start to find the gnome." said Murdoc.

Stuart ran as Murdoc counted to five. Stuart ran around the yard, but couldn't find the gnome. "Five, here I come." laughed Murdoc. The brunette squeaked and ran as Murdoc started firing.

"Stop robber, I'll smoke you." said Murdoc. "No, please don't, I'm not a ciggy." laughed Stuart. The two continued to run around the yard till finally, Murdoc nailed Stuart.

"Aw, I didn't even find the gnome." sighed Stuart. "Well, seeing as it's a great hiding spot, I'll leave the gnome for now, so, let's keep playing, you get another five seconds." said Murdoc.

With that, Stuart ran off. They played five rounds of the game, and Stuart still failed to find the gnome. "Murdoc, I'm never going to find it, where is the gnome?" asked Stuart.

Murdoc sighed before smirking. "It's in the hole by the back tree." said Murdoc. "Seriously, I looked around the tree." said Stuart. "Ya, but you didn't think to look in the hole?" asked Murdoc. Stuart pouted before laughing. "True." he giggled.

The brunette stood up for the back door to open. "Stuart, Murdoc, lunch is ready." said Rachel. "Cool, what is it?" asked Stuart. "Grilled cheese and french fries." said Rachel.

The two boys went in to sit at the table to where their lunch waited. "Sweetie, mommy has some work to do, so I put a movie on for you guys, all you have to do is hit play." said Rachel. "Okay mom." said Stuart. She smiled to leave the dining room.

"What movie do you think?" asked Murdoc, munching on a fry. "Knowing my Mom, probably a Disney movie, she loves those." said Stuart. "Ugh, hopefully it's not a stupid princess one." gagged Murdoc. "Nah, she knows not to torture me with it." said Stuart.

Murdoc nodded to bite into his sandwich.

They soon finished and went to the living room. Murdoc hopes onto the couch as Stuart grabs the remote. He hits play and the film starts. It is a Disney movie, and it starts out at night.

"I don't think I've seen this one, I don't remember any cricket." said Stuart. Murdoc nodded as the film moved on. They were soon at a small shop and they went in. They soon gazed onto an elderly man as he worked on something.

Murdoc was bored but then he froze. The elderly man was making a puppet. 'No, no, no, anything but THIS film.' thought Murdoc.

He was shaking slightly, but the brunette still noticed. "Murdoc, are you alright?" asked Stuart. "Uh ya, course I am." laughed Murdoc nervously. Stuart was confused but looked back to the film.

It continued on with Murdoc's heart beating fast. He wanted to turn the movie off, to smash it, but Stuart might ask questions. 'He can't know about this stupid fear.' thought Murdoc.

Then, they came to worst part.

The evil puppeteer making Pinocchio dance and sign the dreaded 'I go no strings' song. Murdoc couldn't take it and screamed. "No, no, no, NO!" yelled Murdoc.

He jumped from the couch and ran. "Murdoc?!" cried Stuart. His friend was already gone.

There was a slam as Rachel ran in. "What happened, who screamed?" asked Rachel. "Murdoc did, he seemed nervous about the movie, but when the evil puppet guy came on and made Pinocchio sing and dance, he freaked out." said Stuart.

"Oh dear, where did he go?" asked Rachel. "I don't know, but I'll find him." said Stuart. Rachel nodded and went over to the movie that still played.

She turned it off to sigh. "I'll find a new movie, please find Murdoc." said Rachel. The brunette jumped off the couch and ran around the house.

He looked in all the rooms, but couldn't find Murdoc. "Where could he be?" wondered Stuart. He thought for a moment to pause. He didn't look everywhere.

Stuart ran upstairs and entered his bedroom. His eyes hit the closet, he never thought to look their since he never uses it.

The brunette came over to the door and knocked on it. "Murdoc, I know you're in there." said Stuart. "Go away, Stuart, I'm fine." came Murdoc's voice. "Please let me in, I want to help you Mudsy, plus my mom is worried." said Stuart. It was quiet before a sigh was heard. "Fine." said Murdoc.

Stuart opened the door to find Murdoc sitting on the floor with his knees up, face hiding in them. Stuart sat next to his friend and sighed.

"What was that about Mudsy, are you alright?" asked Stuart. Murdoc shook his head and looked up to his friend. "No, it's a stupid fear." said Murdoc. "Of puppets?" asked Stuart.

"Ya, when I was three, my dad would force me to compete in these talent shows at bars, he would always force me to dress up like Pinocchio and sing that damn song, the audience would then tell their kids, and they'd make fun of me." sighed Murdoc. Stuart was upset to hear this as Murdoc wiped at his eyes.

"Those kids were cruel, they'd actually pin me down and tie rope or string around my arms and legs and make me feel like a puppet, and when I got violent with them, they said that I WAS a puppet, always doing my father's bidding." sniffled Murdoc. The brunette hugged his friend as he cried lightly.

"That's why I've got a stupid phobia of puppets, I don't WANT to be a puppet, I want to be my own man." sniffled Murdoc. "But you are, Murdoc, you love music, that's you're own thing, you enjoy being tough, again, you, all the things you've done that makes you happy, that's you doing that, all the sad things was your prick of a dad." said Stuart. Murdoc nods to wipe his eyes again.

"Still, this phobia of mine is fucking stupid." said Murdoc. Stuart smiled to laugh. "It's no more stupider than mine." said Stuart. "Huh?" asked Murdoc. "I'm afraid of whales." sighed Stuart.

"Whales, those guys are the gentle giants of the sea." said Murdoc. "Ya, but when I was three, my parents took me to sea world, they looked away for a second and a killer whale got me, it took all of the staff to save me before it ate me, those things aren't gentle." cried Stuart.

Murdoc blinked to laugh. "So, we both have stupid fears." said Murdoc. "Ya, but you have a good reason for yours, that prick did it to you, he tro, uh, tre, no, uh." started Stuart. "Traumatized me?" asked Murdoc. "Yes, that word." giggled Stuart.

The two friends smiled and laughed. "Uh, sweet Satan this whole thing is stupid." said Murdoc. "Ya, wait, what?" asked Stuart. "Oh, ya, I said sweet Satan as I'm a Satanist, I worship the devil." said Murdoc.

"Really, cool." said Stuart. "Eh, you're okay with it?" asked Murdoc. "Ya, why wouldn't I be?" asked Stuart. "Aren't you a Christian or Catholic?" asked Murdoc.

"No, I'm a Buddhist, I like keeping an open mind." smiled Stuart. "Oh, then no wonder you space out so much." said Murdoc. The brunette laughed as the child smiled.

They got out of the closet and head back downstairs. Rachel is there and looks to Murdoc. "I'm sorry, Murdoc, I didn't mean to offend you." said Rachel. "It's fine." said Murdoc.

The woman sighed and looked at them again. "I still got some work to do, but I put on a different movie, this is an action and adventure one." said Rachel.

"What's it about?" asked Stuart. "Um, an international theif and an international cop I believe." said Rachel. The two boys looked at each other and hopped onto the couch.

Rachel smiled and left, leaving the boys to their film.

*~* GORILLAZ *~*

Dinner had arrived and they family plus Murdoc were eating. "Work was slow today, but at least I got to come home early." said David. Rachel nodded in agreement as Murdoc rolled his eyes. He still wasn't used to this mushy stuff.

Stuart finished beside him to smile. "Mudsy, let's go play outside." said Stuart. "Sounds good." said Murdoc. They hoped from the table and went to run.

"Hold it, you boys can't go outside." said Rachel. "Why not?" asked Stuart. "It's dark out now, which means little boys are to stay inside." said David. "Oh come on, all the best fun happens at night." said Murdoc.

"You boys can't, you might get hurt." said Rachel. "Which would be fun, plus why do you think outdoor lights were invented?" asked Murdoc. "He's got a point." said Stuart.

"I said no, besides, you two got dirty when you played outside today, so it's bath time." said Rachel. Murdoc pulled a face as Stuart whined. "Baths are so boring." groaned Stuart. "Still needs to be done, Stuart." said David.

With that, the two boys were lead upstairs by Rachel. "Wait, we're taking one together?!" cringed Murdoc. "It'll be done faster if you two bathe together, plus you guys will have an hour before bed." said Rachel.

The two groaned as Rachel set up the bathtub. "If we run, how long do you think before they catch us?" whispered Murdoc. "My mom used to run track in school, plus my dad is downstairs." muttered Stuart. The child sighed, so they were trapped.

"Okay, it's ready." said Rachel. She went to the boys but Murdoc held his hands up. "We can undress ourselves lady." said Murdoc. "Oh, but I still need to clean you two." said Rachel. Murdoc groaned, this wasn't fun.

After five minutes, both Stuart and Murdoc were in the tub. Rachel washed their hair and arms before standing up.

"I trust you two to wash the rest of yourselves, I'm going to get some towels." said Rachel. She left and Murdoc hissed.

"This is stupid and degrading." said Murdoc. "Ya, we take this to our graves?" asked Stuart. "Yes, very much so." growled Murdoc.

After ten more minutes, the boys were out and dried. Murdoc was again in the Batman pajamas while Stuart wore his Spiderman ones. "Now, you two have an hour before bed." said Rachel. She walked away as they went into Stuart's room.

"So, what should we do?" asked Stuart. "How about listen to the CDs we got today." grinned Murdoc. The brunette smiled happily at that as his friend went to the radio. Murdoc put the CD in and soon music started pounding through the room.

The two laughed as they laid around, listening to the tunes. "I'm so gonna rule this world with my music." said Murdoc. "That'll be awesome, but I don't know what I want to do." sighed Stuart. "You'll figure it out, we're only five." said Murdoc.

"Ya, but you know what you want to do already." said Stuart. "Well, I'm an early bloomer, what can I say." shrugged Murdoc. The two laughed as they continued to listen to the music.

Soon the hour was up and it was time for bed. Murdoc crawled under the blankets as Stuart shut the light off. He then got into bed next to Murdoc.

"I hate that tomorrow you have to go home." said Stuart. "Ya, but it was a nice break from my place." said Murdoc. The two laid down when Stuart smiled.

"Mudsy, how about every weekend you sleepover, my parents definitely wouldn't mind." said Stuart. Murdoc was silent to smile. "Sounds like a good time to me, I'm in." said Murdoc. Stuart smiled to lay down, yawning.

"Night Mudsy." said Stuart sleepily. "Night Stu-pot." said Murdoc. He laid awake for a little longer till he heard Stuart's light snores.

Home, he was going home tomorrow. Murdoc sighed and looked out the window, too bad the tree blocked most of the view. He didn't want to go home, especially not after the fun weekend he had.

'But, there is always next weekend.' thought Murdoc. He smiled and closed his eyes to sleep. He has a safe haven now, one where he wasn't beat for listening to music or just plain existing.

Murdoc couldn't wait for next Friday.

A/N: And with that, the sleepover is over. But now Murdoc is coming over for one every weekend. As kids, these two are so cute to write. Anyway, what will happen next? Stay tuned and plz review.