(Haha...your little update cheer made me smile. :) Well, so far I haven't had too much writer's block with this story. Unfortunately, I just deleted my Red Eye story because I realized I was getting no where with it. After I finish this story I'll probably start a new Red Eye story. :) Thanks for reading:D)

"Oh shit," Murdoc muttered as he stared down the hallway the young girl had disappeared into.

"Now look at what you've done," Russel accused.

"Look at wot I'VE done? Are ya kiddin' me? I've done absolutely nuffin' wrong! So wot if I'm actually happy, huh? Wot if this is wot I want?" Murdoc shouted back.

"What, you want to die? You're an idiot. First of all, you wouldn't even have this problem if you didn't insist on fucking everything with a pulse!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" 2D shouted as he jumped in between the two of them.

Murdoc and Russel parted, but continued to glare at each other as 2D started to speak again.

"Look, it's not your business Russ, it's jus' not. This is between me and Muds. I made a choice. He made a choice, now let it be."

Russel found his eyes wandering away from the Satanic fool on the other side of him and landing on 2D. He was amazed as he listened to him. He'd never heard Stu talk about anything in such a mature and caring manner before. Surely he knew 2D had to be capable of such thought, but, in all honesty, he really didn't give the kid any more credit than anyone else did. He just liked to pretend he did.

"Ok," he suddenly replied, not even thinking about what he was saying.

2D nodded and grabbed Murdoc's arm.

"C'm on, let's go," he urged as he led the bassist back to his room.

"Wait," Murdoc suddenly stopped him.

"Wot?"

"We should really talk ta Noodle."

Russel felt all of the anger leaving his system as he started to put the situation in perspective. There was something different in the way the two of them were interacting, and it made him think that maybe, just maybe, Murdoc wasn't trying to hurt D. Maybe they really were in love...

"Ya. We should, huh? Wot do we say, though?"

Murdoc shifted, unsure of an answer.

"Do you need me to come with you guys?" Russel offered.

"Wouldja?" 2D asked, a forgiving smile offered.

Russel nodded and semi-smiled back, "Yeah. I would."

2D nodded and, again, grasped Murdoc's arm and led him along.

—Meanwhile—

Noodle was sitting in the middle of her floor, absolutely hopeless feeling. This was awful. Two of her best friends were killing each other slowly, and she wasn't sure what purpose it served either of them. It most certainly didn't serve her. She needed them, and they were just stealing one another away from her.

A knock at the door.

"Go away!" She shouted at the door, knowing very well that they would come in anyway.

"Noodle, don't be like that. Come on now, Girl. We all want to talk to you."

"No! I tried to talk to you before and you wouldn't even tell me what was going on! You didn't want me to know! You didn't think that I deserved to know!" She sobbed.

"That's not true! Now open up!"

She folded her arms and put on her most sour face before going over to her door and opening it.

Russel was about to say something to her but she simply turned and walked over to her bed, sitting with her back facing all of them.

Russel was surprised at her sudden display of childish manner. She'd always seemed so adult to him. However, she'd never really encountered something this serious before, and it would be intense even for the most mature of people.

"Lookit here, Noodle, c'm on...turn around," Murdoc urged as he sat on a chair beside her bed, carefully watching her.

"No. You can talk, but I'm not looking at you."

God. She could certainly be stubborn when she wanted to be.

"Fine, alright then. But you have ta listen, ya hear?"

She nodded and looked at the blanket on her bed, studying the patterns on it.

"Okay...now, here's wot happened, and I'm telling ya everythin', okay? I'm leavin' nuffin' out."

She nodded again and Murdoc took in a deep breath, knowing that the story would be news to Russel, too.

2D sat down beside Noodle on the bed and watched Murdoc carefully as he spoke.

"Ok, now, here's wot happened. I went ta the doc's a few months back ta get my blood tested and all of that, because...well, I dunno. He said I should so I did. Anyway, then I came down wit this flu and everything and D started to sort of...take care of me I guess...and, well, we wound up sleepin' wit each other and all. It jus' happened."

Russel eyed Murdoc, seemingly angry again, but the Satanist paid no attention and went on with is story.

"Anyway, I had no idea I had the HIV until Russel made me visit the doc again. Then he told me and I told Stu when I got back. Stu was real broken up about it so...I offered to take him to the hospital ta see if he was ok. He took me up on the offer and then...he said it didn't matter if he had or not because he was goin' ta git sick anyway. D'ya understand? He wants ta be wit me, so...he's giving me his life..." As he was speaking he realized just how much 2D was giving up to be with him. He knew, of course, but it hadn't really hit him until he found himself explaining everything.

Slowly, Noodle turned her body around and looked at the three of them, tears pouring out of her eyes. They all waited in a tense silence for her to speak.

"I'm going to miss you!" She suddenly shouted, tears spilling harder, before throwing herself in Murdoc's arms to cry.

Murdoc tensed up at first, but then slowly patted her back, looking absolutely unsure as to what he should do. Russel patted his shoulder, though, and 2D scooted closer and hugged him and Noodle, smiling softly. Things were going to be okay. For now.

(This isn't the end...There is going to be one more chapter, maybe...MAYBE...two. Not sure. It should be up today though!)