So… I just sort of realized that Murdoc and Russel haven't been a big part of my glorious little story here so… I wrote them in a little piece. Enjoy!

Murdoc was tired of his possessions getting damaged. Every time he turned around, something of his was broken and needed fixing. First it was that bloody sink… the sodding thing had sprung a leak at the base of the pipe, which required the entire pipe to be taken out. The bassist had been scraping muck off of his boots for weeks. Then it was one of the pieces of the recording equipment. Actually… he still didn't know what the hell was wrong with it, he just knew that it squinked when it should have squonked and hipped when it should have hopped. Murdoc laid back in his plastic lawn chair and sighed. The privacy was nice, no intruding members of the paparazzi or annoying fans… but the downside was that he really was alone out here. The pizza companies wouldn't even deliver out here, no matter how much he begged and threatened. There was no one to fix things either. Murdoc was on his own when his sink and recording equipment tried to retaliate. No one to fix the sodding robot either…

Granted, getting a hole blown in one's head tends to set one a bit loopy, but this was just getting ridiculous. Cyborg-Noodle was currently hooked up to her charging equipment simply because Murdoc didn't know what else to do with her. She wouldn't speak and when she did, the sentences were garbled and unintelligible. Murdoc was no robot brain surgeon, so he was invariably stumped.

The bassist was enjoying the seemingly ever-present sunshine on his deck in the mid-morning. His bottle of vodka sat nearby and his trusty bass sat near the house, looking on with the casual observance one might have of a lover or close friend. He knew he probably should get up and try to fix the cyborg, it's not like there was anything to do now that the album had been released. He could work on new material… no, he wanted a break from his broken recording equipment. He could wash the dishes… no, he didn't want to deal with the broken sink. Murdoc snorted, did he even know how to do the dishes? He scratched his belly and stared contently out onto the beach. It was a pretty place out here, Murdoc had never quite realized the beauty of trash until it was assembled into something he could live off of.

Out on the beach, the birds were playing in the surf. He heard squawks as they frolicked around. He gazed around his empire like a proud king. He wasn't sure if he ever wanted to leave to be honest. Why leave when you had it all right here? And now his band was assembled here as well. He had missed Russel severely, even if he hadn't wanted to show it. The drummer was easily considered his best friend in the band. And Noodle. He nearly had a heart attack when she stepped out of Russel's hand. True, she looked battered and worn and Murdoc wasn't exactly sure what had happened to her, but it was a relief to see she was alive after going missing. He still wondered from time to time if maybe, after all this time, she really had gone to Hell. He hated to think of what they to her did there and he would despise himself even more if she had been there and he had been unable to find her. He was still trying to convince himself that going to search for her had not been a dream. It helped him rest a bit easier if he could believe he actually tried to find her. It made him feel much better to just pretend she hadn't been there at all.

But, how else would she have gotten so beaten up? When she had showed off her bruise, and every other time he caught sight of the bruise, he felt a churning sensation in his stomach. Someone had injured the girl these three poor bastards held up on a pedestal. No one hurt Noodle. No one even touched Noodle without her say so and unbounded pain waited for the rotter who dared mess with her. Murdoc shuddered as he remembered the blood running down her wrist the other day. He hoped to Satan… God… whoever was listening, that she hadn't done it to herself and that he hadn't walked in on her suicide attempt. It was bad enough not knowing that she could have been dead, but if she was… and Murdoc could consider some of the blame to be his…

He wasn't sure if he could ever sleep again.

Murdoc heaved himself out of his chair and leaned on the railing of his balcony. He swept his gaze past the birds and looked out to where the lighthouse poked the sky. He saw the little hillock that the dullard had stupidly dubbed 'Melancholy Hill'. Murdoc snorted, 'what a pansy' he thought. He noticed two figures sitting on top of the hill, letting their legs swing down off the edge of the cliff. He looked harder at them and saw the flash of blue that designated the taller figure to be none other than 2D. He had his arm wrapped around a smaller figure at his side. By the mess of purple/black hair, he assumed the second figure to be Noodle. He watched them disdainfully for awhile. He wasn't sure if he liked them being together. He knew Noodle was an alright girl, but he wasn't sure if anyone, not even his own bandmate, would be good enough for her. Besides, he knew the singer's past better than anyone. Murdoc watched as Noodle seemed to lean away from him and put her hands to her face. Murdoc straightened up, what was wrong with her? His eyes widened almost comically as 2D suddenly pushed her to the ground and settled over her. Murdoc's grip tightened on the railing, what the hell did that dullard think he was doing? He never thought the singer would be stupid enough to try and rape his own bandmate. In a fury that had him growling, Murdoc pushed away from the railing and bolted to the lift, jabbing the button repeatedly with his long finger. After an impatient ride to the entrance of the house, he stumbled out and nearly tripped over his own feet as he kicked up sand. When he found Russel sitting on the far beach, watching the ocean, he was breathless and had to rest his hands on his knees to catch his breath. The drummer turned around in surprise.

"Man, whatchu doin'? Ya look like you've just seen a murder." Murdoc glared up at him.

"Pretty damn close, mate. Pretty damn close. We're gonna 'afta stage a murder after what I saw." As Murdoc explained what he had saw with Noodle and Murdoc, the drummer's eyes grew larger. His expression changed to that of fury and blind rage. He got up, standing a massive fifteen feet tall and looked down at the bassist who suddenly felt very short and tiny.

"He's a dead man. Where is he, Muds? I want him."

When the two finally pulled away from each other, both were fighting to catch their breath. 2D rolled over to the side so he could lay by her. He reached down and tangled their fingers as they looked up at the sky.

"I'll give you one thing, Toochi. You are fairly adept at kissing." 2D grinned and turned his head to look at her.

"Yew too, love. Matter a fact, where didja learn to kiss like tha'?" Noodle grinned mischievously at him.

"I told you I did some crazy things in the Maldives." 2D let the grin play lazily across his face and settled back to watch the clouds.

"Is tha' 'ow yew planned on saving me from my nasty drug addiction? Replace my pills wiff yeh'r mouff?" 2D teased her lightheartedly. Noodle chuckled and reached in her pocket. The blue vial was still there, she had put it in her shorts and she was thankful Sitri hadn't decided to break it. She still thought it could be useful. Noodle showed the vial to the singer.

"This was actually supposed to save you. I'm not exactly sure what it does, but I was told it was supposed to wake you up out of your drug-induced stupor." Noodle ribbed him gently with a smile. The pair lapsed back into a comfortable silence, content to lie together.

"Toochi, do you ever think about… what comes after this?" 2D looked around at her again.

"After this, love? I plan to take yew back up to the house and spread yew across me bed and- "

"Not like that, 2D-kun. I mean, like… after this. After life." 2D blinked.

"Eh… not really, I guess. I'm just sorta 'opin' I get frew this life awright… wot do yew fink's gonna 'appen?" Noodle shrugged.

"Sometimes I just wonder where I'm going to end up. Sometimes… I'm just not sure." 2D raised an eyebrow.

"Noodle, love- yew are one o' the purest people I know. I'd letcha into 'eaven for sure. And if God won't… forget Him, we can make it a party with Murdoc down below."

"Toochi, what makes you so certain you won't make it to heaven either? You're a good person." 2D smiled sadly.

"Not me, love. I've broken too many rules in my old age." His lips twisted up at the last part of the sentence. A voice sounded behind the pair, making them sit up suddenly.

"Think you've just broken anotha rule, mate." Murdoc was glowering at the singer with Russel close behind, looking murderous. 2D sat up more fully.

"Oh hey guys, wos goin' on?" Murdoc grimaced at him and slouched over to where the pair was on the ground. He held his hand out to help Noodle up. When she was standing, she looked at the bassist and her father figure with a very confused expression. She yelped when Murdoc put his hands on her arms and forcibly steered her away from her lover and over to where Russel stood. The two men both glared at 2D without saying anything. He held up his hands in surrender.

"Ok, I give. Wot did I do now?" Noodle looked at the singer with panic and wondering. She didn't know what was going on. Murdoc sneered at the singer and spoke.

"Like yeh don't know. Yeh're lucky Lards and I don't feed yeh to tha' whale." 2D paled visibly and glanced at Noodle. She shrugged under Murdoc's grip. Russel's voice boomed from above.

"Muds says he saw ya attack Noodle-girl." He too glared at the singer. Noodle's mouth fell open and 2D bolted upright.

"Wot the bloody 'ell does 'at mean? I wouldn' ever do a fing like tha'!" He scrambled up from the ground and angrily waved his arms in Murdoc's face. "Yew know I wouldn' do tha'! I love her, why would I-" Murdoc knocked him to the ground with his fist. He cracked his knuckles and glared menacingly at the singer sprawled on the ground. Noodle had a horrible moment when she remembered a scene that went just like this with a certain guitarist on the ground.

"Don't be an arse about this, Two Dents. Yeh're lucky we don't rip yeh'r 'ead off." Noodle's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Sutoppu! What is going on?" The three men glanced at the small guitarist, as if just realizing she was still there. Noodle wrenched herself from the bassist's grasp and walked over to where 2D was still on the ground. She helped him up and glared back at Murdoc.

"Murdoc-san, what is wrong? Did something happen that you have to push him around?" Murdoc swelled up like a balloon.

"Did something ha- I SAW HIM PUSH YOU TO THE GROUND AND LAND ON TOP OF YOU!" Russel growled in response. Noodle looked to 2D with a panicked expression. The singer's features matched her own. They weren't quite ready to tell their bandmates about their new relationship status. However, it seemed they had no choice. After a silent conversation between the two lovers, Noodle looked back at Russel and Murdoc with her face aflame with embarrassment.

"Russel-san… Murdoc-san… what you saw was completely consensual and was not what you think it was." Murdoc's face turned to surprise. Russel slowly sank to his knees, which still had the ground beneath the four shaking tumultuously. The drummer was the first to speak.

"So… you and 'D are… together?" Noodle nodded with a slight smile. She reached over and took the singer's hand, 2D squeezed it gently. Noodle chanced a look at Murdoc. His face was still a comical mask of surprise. Noodle called his name, which seemed to bring him back to the present. He quickly screwed his expression into one of stern disapproval.

"I guess there's… nothing I can do about this, is there?" Noodle and 2D both shook their heads happily. Murdoc scowled. He looked up at Russel.

"Wot do you think about all this, Lards?" The three bandmates heard a loud sigh that sounded very much like a small windstorm.

"Well… I suppose there is no stopping her if she's made up her mind. Are you sure, baby-girl?" Noodle nodded slowly.

"Yes, Russel-sama. I love 2D-kun and… I know he loves me in return." Noodle saw the singer grin at the ground out of the corner of her eye. Russel ran a hand over his bald head. Murdoc scoffed lightly and crossed his arms. The drummer nudged Murdoc, causing him to stumble.

"Alright baby-girl. I guess if you think it's a good idea. But…" Russel pointed a large finger at the terrified singer, "If you hurt her or anything-" Murdoc jumped in.

"If yeh're as much of a tosser as I thought and you lay a hand on her, yeh better start diggin' yeh'r own grave. Cos when I get through with you, death is gonna seem merciful." 2D winced and Noodle chuckled and rolled her eyes. She stepped forward, still holding 2D's hand, and grabbed Murdoc's as well. She unwittingly handed him her scarred wrist. The bassist ran his other thumb over the scars and raised an eyebrow. Noodle flushed and dragged her two bandmates behind her as Russel followed the three to the main house.

…

The minions knew something was up. The air felt different, more electric. The lower-ranking officers watched from their perches as their boss stormed around the place with a maniac grin on his features. Satan still didn't have a new lieutenant, he was still slightly mourning the loss of Sitri, but he had a new plan. And he rather liked this plan. The head of one of the battalions overheard his mutterings as he passed one of the numerous studies scattered about the place. This demon, Raglaw, stepped into the study.

"-so brilliant… might actually work this ti-" Major Raglaw cleared his throat. Satan looked around and Raglaw saw a brief flash of incoherency pass over the man's features. Satan straightened up and offered a nod to the major. "I wasn't expecting you, Major. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Sir, I have heard rumors…" The Devil cocked an eyebrow, gesturing for Raglaw to continue. "They, my sources, tell me that a new plan for the girl's soul is underway. I was wondering if I should ready the troops." Satan stepped forward, eyes flashing slightly. Raglaw felt an instinctive quiver of fear that centuries of service could never quite alleviate.

"Who is your source, Raglaw? I have not told anyone of your rank that would relay that information to you." Raglaw shook his head.

"Again, sir, it was only a rumor. I do not have the names or ranks of the officers, only the information I heard in passing." Satan nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, I suppose it would not hurt to tell someone my wonderful plan. But not now… soon. I don't think I will need the troops just yet, Major. My plan is tailored to ensure my will is not compromised by the stupidity that your men so often display." Raglaw nodded, jaw set. He knew his men could act like morons most of the time, but having his boss point it out was a tad embarrassing. Satan turned back to his desk. Major Raglaw began to say something, but shut his mouth quickly.

"Go ahead, Major. What were you going to say? You have permission to speak." Satan said without turning. Raglaw sighed and tentatively spoke.

"Sir… permit me, but why are you trying so hard to get this girl's soul? She is one of six million souls on the planet, why her soul? I don't even remember such a fuss when we were going after that Mother Teresa's soul." Satan snorted.

"Yes, well, that was a lost cause before we started. And I should have realized how set she was in her ways. I don't know, Raglaw. Quite frankly… I feel like I'm losing my edge down here. I just feel like," Satan shut his eyes, he wasn't used to bearing his intentions like this, "I just feel like if I can get her soul, I still have that…something. I suppose you could compare it to the mortal phenomenon called a "midlife crisis", though I am nowhere near middle-aged." Major Raglaw nodded.

"So… I shall not ready the troops then?" Satan shook his head.

"No offense to your command, Major, but I don't need your men mucking up the situation." Raglaw bowed and exited the study, leaving the Devil to his twisted thoughts. He was nearly ready to put his plan into action.

So much drama! Hahaha! Enjoy, my duckies! Please, do me a favor and review!