A/N: Long chapter. Hopefully that makes up for how long it took me to update lol.
4 am Kong studios
A scream sliced through the night. I sat upright, instantly waking from my sleep. I had been sleeping for maybe and hour or two since it had taken me forever to actually fall asleep after helping Noodle. I blinked hard, trying to adjust my eyes to the darkness, there was layer of fear in the atmosphere. Not from myself as I was still to lost in confusion to what had caused that loud scream, if it was just a part of my dream or not. I scratched my head then twisted to turn on the lamp by my bed. It flickered before turning on completely. Bathing the room in an orange glow.
I stood up off the bed and walked to my door, opening it a crack and looking through to the car park. It was pitch black. I couldn't see an inch in front of my face. The only thing I could see in the dark was the white square shape of Murdoc's Winnebago in the distance. I opened my door all the way to throw in some more light to the darkness. Hoping I would be able to see more. I peered into the darkness. The orange light of my lamp bounced off the window of the door across the lot. I could tell that the door was open.
"Hello? Murdoc is that you out there?" When I saw a flicker of movement in the shadows.
I took a step out of my room, the ground was so cold it was painful against my bare feet. That's when I remembered I was only wearing boxers since I had been sleeping.
I heard a creak and I saw Murdoc's head peek out of his Winnebago, he had obviously just woken up also.
"You 'eard that too face ache?" He shouted.
I nodded, scratching my head again "What was it?"
He stepped into the lot, closing his door behind him and stretching, "Sounded like someone screaming."
No shit, I thought. "Where from though? And who?"
"To hell if I know. Why don't you go find out." He snapped.
I saw a figure walk through the doorway to the corridor. Finally the lights flicked on. Noodle was standing by the light switch. Blinking and looking even more exhausted then when I had put her to bed. I was hit with a mix of emotions at seeing her. Worry to see she was up and if she had been the one to scream, a pinch of annoyance that she wouldn't just sleep when I knew she was exhausted. Sad that she couldn't sleep.
I shook my head hard. "Noodle what ah' ya doin up?" I asked.
"I heard that scream, I wanted to see what it was." She said, looking around the car park.
"Why'd you come down here, it sounded like it came from the first floor." Murdoc said.
Noodle took on a face that was no different then an 'oh shit I'm caught' look. Then she said "I-I-I thought I heard it from d-down here." The stuttering made it obvious she was lying.
I walked over to where the two were standing, finding it pointless to stand all the way across the car park. Noodle looked over at me as I walked up to her and Murdoc. She gave me an apologetic smile, I just shrugged, not knowing what the look was for.
"Well it obviously wasn't from down here." Murdoc said, "Who's the only one not here though?" He snickered.
"We all know Russ is a heavy sleeper, he probably didn't hear it." I said.
"Or just didn't care." Noodle added.
Murdoc glared at the ground but nodded.
"What was the screamin'…" I asked, more myself. I glanced around the car park.
"Well maybe if we went upstairs and looked around we could find out? Dumb ass." Murdoc snapped.
I shot him a glare, Noodle kicked his knee. "Ow!" He snapped. Raising a hand to smack her but I grabbed his arm and pinned it down to his side, giving him a death glare. He froze, eyes widening and didn't raise his hand again.
I hid my shock at seeing him actually react to something I did. And not by pounding on me either. "Let's go." I mumbled. Taking the lead to the upstairs. Murdoc was the last follow and shut the car park door behind us, he was dead silent.
While we were walking upstairs it was still pitch black and took some good navigating skills to get around, I had Noodle walking up next to me to help. She pulled on my arm. I could see well enough that when I looked down at her I could tell she was waving me down to tell me something. I bent over so she could whisper in my ear.
"Murdoc is acting weird, since when does he let you push him around like that?" She asked.
"I 'ave no idea, it shocked me too." I said quietly.
"Weird." She mumbled. I just nodded.
We made it upstairs with only a few bumps and bruises, even though they were only on me. Noodle quickly went to turn on lights, I tensed a little when she ran down the hall on her own. Flipping on other lights so the entire floor was lit up. When she came back I quickly pulled her too me. Though Murdoc didn't notice and Noodle didn't seem to care. The scream had put me more on edge, and the fact that it was so early in the morning and everyone was tired and not ready to have to run or fight. I didn't want Noodle out of my sight or away from my side.
"I think we should wake up Russel." She said.
"How come?" I asked, "shouldn't we let him sleep?"
"I'd feel better if he was awake." She said, laughing a little.
I looked at her blankly, not understanding why.
Murdoc laughed, "Yeah I'd feel better if Russel was up to hide behind."
Oh, they wanted him to be around in case there was someone here. I wouldn't protect Murdoc but I could protect Noodle easy, we didn't need him. But I wasn't about to deny that I wanted Russel up just incase either. Not for protection but just because I would feel better if I knew he wasn't in one place while the rest of us were in another if there was something dangerous here.
"Alright. Let's go get him up." I said.
"Thanks 2D." Noodle said, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hall towards Russel's room. Murdoc was following us and I could hear him scoff when Noodle had grabbed my hand. I looked back at him, confused. He just shot me a glare when I caught his eye. I gave him the glare back.
When we opened the door to Russel's room he immediately sprang out of bed. Woken up just by the door opening?
"Russel?" Noodle asked, surprised by his sudden movement. She let go of my hand and walked over to him. I clenched my jaw and followed her. Russel looked at the two of us from his bed, confused.
"Wha do ya guys want? It's late. I'm tryin to sleep here." He said.
"Sorry, we wanted to wake you up and come help us try to figure out what was screaming a couple minutes ago." Noodle said.
"Aw man, come on. It's Kong studios. Just because it's all fancy now doesn't mean it's not infested with ghosts still. It was probably just one of those. Go back to bed." Russel snapped, laying back down and falling asleep almost instantly.
"Wow. I feel like a fuckin' idiot. Can't believe I forgot about that." Murdoc said, slapping his face. "I'm going back to bed." He trudged off.
"Oh yeah." I mumbled, I glanced down at Noodle who had gone stiff.
I shook her shoulder, "Noodle? Ya ok?"
She grabbed my hand again without responding and pulled me out the door, closing it behind us. As soon as it had closed she fell against me. Putting her face in my chest.
"Noodle?" I asked again. More worry in my voice, my heart skipped a beat. "Wha's wrong?"
"I forgot about the ghosts." She moaned.
"Yeah me too. S'not that big of a deal though. They leave us alone fo tha most part." I said, rubbing her back.
"I know, just more that I have to think about." She mumbled, pushing herself up off me.
I twisted my head to the side, "Wha do ya mean?"
She shook her head, "Nothing. I'm going to go back to bed."
"Do ya want me to wait in there wif ya till ya fall asleep again?" I asked, I could tell there was something bothering her again, it had to be more then just the ghosts though.
She looked at me, I could see the green in her eyes from here. "No, I think I'll be okay this time." She muttered.
"Okay, well hope you can get back to sleep." I said.
"Me too." She mumbled.
I gave her a hug and mumbled good night before walking back down to my room. I flipped off the lights as I went. When I got back down to the car park I could hear music coming from Murdoc's Winnebago. I ignored it since it wasn't too loud like normal. But when I looked back at my room I was surprised to see the lights off and the door closed. But I just shrugged that off too, figuring it was Murdoc who had done it.
I went back into my room and went to sleep again.
11am Kong Studios
I could hear people moving around and banging upstairs but I didn't feel like getting out of bed to join them. After all the stuff that happened last night all I wanted to do was just lay in bed all day and relax. I had only just woken up also. I had heard Russel yelling at Murdoc, then Noodle screaming at the two of them for being stupid, something about not being able to make any sort of food without burning it? I couldn't imagine that since Russel wouldn't let Murdoc anywhere near a cooking utensil when he was around. And Russel was a good cook too.
I sighed and flipped over in my bed, pulling a pillow over my head and covering my ears. It helped a bit at muffling the noise but I could still hear everyone talking. I didn't remember the walls being so thin here. I must have forgotten about that.
Another problem with thin walls, you couldn't pretend you didn't hear someone approaching your door. I sighed and sat up just as the door was slung open. Murdoc stood there looking pissed off.
"Get up face ache!" He yelled, "Come tell Noodle to stop with this whining!"
I scratched my head, "Wha she whining about?"
"Food." He growled. "Get UP!" He slammed the door shut behind him, shaking my room with the force. I stared at the doorway in shock.
"Food? Wha bout food?" I shook my head and stood from my bed, getting dressed quickly.
When I got upstairs I found Russel, Murdoc and Noodle all in the kitchen. Noodle was in Russel's face and yelling at him about not being able to make an omelet the right way. Russel was holding a hot pan in his hand and had it raised in the air like he was about to beat Noodle with it. Murdoc was holding his arm wielding that pan down but was failing horribly as he was hanging an inch or two off the ground from his arm.
"Whoa!" I yelled, "Tha fuck is goin on in here?"
Noodle stopped yelling, Russel dropped the pan and Murdoc fell to the ground. All caught off guard by my yelling.
Once all the sound had stopped I could hear one of our old records playing in the background. Tomorrow Comes Today had just started, how were they yelling with that on?
"Russel doesn't know how to make an omelet." Noodle snapped.
"Your just picky!" He snapped back at her.
"Just make me breakfast already the lot of ya!" Murdoc yelled from the ground.
All of a sudden the yelling started up again. Louder then before.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I screamed.
When they didn't listen to me I came up behind Noodle and grabbed her around the waste. She flailed angrily as I shoved her into a chair. I then dragged Murdoc over to the table and let him sit by the leg of it like a dog.
I then looked at Russel, pulled the pan from his hand. Put it on the burner and turned down the stove so it wasn't flaming as dangerously as it was before. I gave Russel a stern look that told him to go sit down by the rest of the band. He did and chose to sit on the other side of the table from Noodle.
I looked at all three of them, thinking that they all looked like five year olds. I couldn't believe I had to tear them all apart like that.
"Please, calm down!" I said.
Noodle looked down, "I just want an omelet. Is that so bad?"
"When your yelling at Russel for it, yeah!" I said, giving her a shocked look.
She sighed.
"You know all you had to do was tell me how you wanted it made, girl." Russel said.
She looked over at him, frowning. "Sorry." Her voice was a mumble.
"It's fine. Now do you want me to make it a certain way?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded.
Russel looked back at me, "There, happy? All worked out, no more yelling."
"The yelling will stop once I get my food!" Murdoc yelled from the ground.
Russel kicked him, "I'll make you your slop too Muds."
"You better lards. Now stop treating me like a little kid!" He snapped, standing up and walking out of the kitchen, "Call for me when the foods done."
I shook my head and sighed, "Since when am I the one to sort ya fightin' out? I thought that was your job Noods."
"Normally it is! Normally I have to yell at you and Murdoc!" She said with a laugh.
I nodded with a laugh too.
"Hey D, what do ya want to eat?" Russel asked.
"I'll make myself somefink." I said, going to the fridge and pulling out jelly.
"Toast? You should make me a piece too, that sounds good with an omelet." Noodle said with a smile directed at me.
"Sure fing." I said.
"Thank you."
I found the bread and popped two pieces in the toaster. Grabbing paper towels to put the toast on when it popped.
"So what happened last night." Russel asked.
"You mean with the screaming?" Noodle asked.
"Yeah, what was all that about?"
"Well there was a loud scream after a louder bang in the middle of the night. And it woke all of us up." Noodle said.
"Wait. A bang? What bang? I only heard a scream." I said.
"Really? It was the bang that woke me up last night. Then the scream made me get up. It was creeping me out." Noodle said.
"I didn't hear anything 'till you guys decided to walk into my room." Russel laughed, "After that I woke up a few times cause' I heard a lot of moaning."
"Moaning?" Noodle squeaked, I looked back at her to see she had tensed up. I frowned, why was she getting so scared at this stuff now? With all the crap she had gone through before this shouldn't be any problem for her.
I jumped when I heard the toaster pop. I span around and quickly fixed a Noodle's piece first. Then mine. I brought both to the table and set it down. Sliding Noodle's piece to her.
"Thank you." She said again.
"No problem." I took a seat next to her.
Russel brought her omelet over onto her on a plate and set it down with a glass of orange juice. "God Noodle, can't you make your own food?" He asked.
"Yeah, of course I can. I just like to mooch." She said.
I laughed and Russel rolled his eyes.
"Thank you though Russ." She said, taking a bite out of the omelet happily.
"Yeah yeah yeah." He took a seat across the table from me.
Wait, what about Murdoc's food? I thought, then realized I really didn't care. I was still made at him for throwing stuff at my head last night and the whole whale incident in the submarine. I didn't give two shits about the green Satanist.
"So do you know about what time you heard the moaning?" Noodle asked.
"It started right after you left my room and went till' I decided I had enough and got up to see what the hell it was." Russel said.
"Then it jus stopped?" I asked.
"Yeah, I couldn't figure out what would be makin that sound."
"That's really creepy." Noodle muttered.
"It kinda is. Reminds me of zombies." I said.
"Of course it does D." Russel said, Noodle laughed.
"Hey, I like zombie movies, wha's the big deal?" I said, shrugging.
"Nothing's wrong with it 2D, it's just funny that you'd think of that first." Noodle said.
"I guess." I muttered, then took a big bite out of my toast.
1 pm Kong Studios
Noodle and I were sitting in that new room with the fireplace watching TV when Murdoc started to yell.
"Where the fuckin' hell is it!" He voice boomed through the hallways, making us jump.
Noodle hit the pause button on the remote. Stopping the random show that she had on at the moment. I had no idea what it was but she had said it was one of her old favorites so I let her watch it without complaining.
"What is he complaining about this time?" Noodle asked me.
I shrugged, then stood and poked my head out of the door way, looking down the hall to my right. When I didn't see anyone I took a full step out and looked down the hall to the left. Shocked to see Murdoc standing right there, glairing at me. I jumped, throwing myself back into the room with a yelp.
"Well. Hi-hi-hiya Murdoc." I stuttered.
"Where. Is. It." He growled.
"Where's what?" Noodle said, appearing at my side and grabbing hold of my arm.
"If ya mean your food we never made it." I said.
Murdoc shot me a glare, "I don't care bout the food, where's my secret stash of poison?"
"What?" Noodle snapped. Taking a step back.
"Rum, whine, beer, alcohol! I had a stash full of it! Now it's just gone! WHO DRANK IT!" He yelled, directing the question to me.
"I didn't touch your stash Murdoc, I promise!" I said
"Then where is it!" He yelled.
"I dun know!" I yelled back.
Murdoc rose his hand, grabbing my neck and shaking me around. Choking me.
"Murdoc!" Noodle snapped and batted his arm away from me. I fell back a few steps myself, coughing and rubbing my aching neck. I pulled my arm from Noodle's grasp and went to sit on the couch, I felt light headed.
"We have nothing to do with your stash! Leave us alone!" Noodle yelled, then kicked Murdoc in the shin and slammed the door in his face. She mumbled some stuff in Japanese as she glared at the door angrily.
"Noodle?" I called, my voice was scratchy and cracked more then normal, "It's Murdoc, that's normal, don't need to get so mad?"
"I don't care if it's normal." Noodle snapped, "He had no reason to go and strangle you like that!" She collapsed on the couch across from me. Grabbing the remote and turning the show back on with an angry click on the remote.
She sat there with an angry look on her face, arms crossed and kicked back in the pillows for a while. I tried to ignore it but I couldn't, I was shocked by how angry that had made her. It was weird, she should have been use to seeing Murdoc torture me by now. Although she should have been use to creepy things by now too. Those couple years away from us had changed her quiet a bit.
After a few minutes of silence Noodle spoke up, "I thought things were starting to change, he seemed to be backing off of you after the whole whale thing in the submarine. You seemed to be standing up to him more. I guess nothings changed though." Her voice was quiet.
"Not really." I muttered.
She sighed.
I dropped my head back on the couch, it was throbbing now. I shut my eyes and tried to block everything out. Relax a bit and hopefully some of the pain would go away.
It didn't last long, the door was slung open and Russel stomped in. Making me jump. When I looked over at the door Russel had already sat down on the couch next to me. Sighing. I dropped my head to my hands.
"Wha's up Russ?" I asked.
"Murdoc's bein stupid again." He said.
"No shocker." Noodle grumbled.
"Somethin botherin ya, Noodle?" Russel asked her.
"Murdoc came in here and strangled 2D for no reason, looking for his stash that we don't have anything to do with. Now he's got a head ache." Noodle said, waving over at me.
I looked up at her, face blank. I was surprised she knew I had a headache without me telling her. Although it was probably obvious.
Russel laughed, "Well that's kinda normal Noods, why ya makin it a big deal?"
"Because he had no reason to do that." Noodle snapped.
"That's never stopped Muds before." Russel said, shrugging Noodle's obvious anger off. "Why wouldn't it be any different now?"
"I don't know." She muttered. Redirecting her attention to the TV.
Why was she putting so much concern to this anyway? She use to laugh with the others when I was tortured like that. It wasn't the first time I had been strangled. In fact Russel had done it himself before. Even if that was a long time ago.
"Why don't you go take something if you have a head ache D? Ain't that what you usually do?" Russel said, giving me a shove.
"He doesn't need to knock the sense out of himself every time he has a headache." Noodle said, I glanced over at her and could see that her brows were furrowed under her bangs.
"I'm gunna try ta sleep it off." I said, standing up.
"Good luck." Russel said, stealing my spot immediately by laying across the couch.
"Thanks?" I said, confused as to why I would need luck to sleep.
I glanced at Noodle once before heading out the door. I dared one last look as I walked away. Noodle had swung herself up to watch me leave, she looked hurt. I flinched at the look but kept moving. What was up with her?
A/N: Oopsies, sorry for the language... Well hope you like :) Please review:) Thanks so much for reading:D