Well, since I felt bad for updating so late the last time, here's another chapter, just four days later!! I hope you enjoy! I feel a little better now about where this story is going, and I hope you will, too!!

But then again…things could change!!

Well, read and review!

Thank you to all of my beloved fans! You guys are what keep me going! Thank you for being faithful and reviewing my work! I'm grateful! You guys are a HUGE ego boost!!

Disclaimer: You all know the drill…

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Chapter 20: No Lost Love

2D, Russ, and Murdoc all sat in the pub, enjoying a few drinks, becoming slightly buzzed. Russ did not drink as much as the other two men, however, as he would be driving them back to Kong.

"Who needs 'er?" Murdoc laughed, punching 2D playfully in the ribs. He sighed and cracked a smile, shrugging.

"I don't!" he nursed his pint of ale, until it was nearly gone. A buxom bartender immediately ventured to them, bending down so that they could see down the crack between her mountainous breasts. 2D blushed, Russ merely looked away, but Murdoc grinned lustily and licked his lips.

"Need a refill, love?" she asked, and 2D nodded, face pink. Murdoc slapped him on the back, shaking him a bit as though to cue him to hit on her. As if the blue-haired man knew what to say. Instead, Murdoc's slaps only prompted a coughing spell from 2D, and the bartender only took the glass and brought it back, filled and sudsy, a few minutes later, setting it down gently.

Murdoc shook his head and sighed lightly, then looked over at 2D curiously. "Oi, where are the little brats?" he asked, referring to Daniel and Oliver.

"They're with a friend right now. I didn't fink that now'd be a good time fer 'em t'be around." He responded, tilting his eyes down. As soon as he had found out that Noodle had brought a man home, he had taken his sons away, not willing to have them experience that—treachery.

"Good move, 'D." Russ approved, smiling. "You could probably get them back now though."

"Yeah, yeah. I do miss 'em boys." 2D sighed wistfully. "But they remind me of her."

"Of course they do, 'D." Murdoc shook his head. "But they've got more'a you than they do'a her."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I do." Murdoc patted 2D's shoulder gently, as the door opened and a familiar frame walked timidly through the door. "What's shedoing here?" Murdoc asked in distaste.

"I—I don't know." Russ frowned. "I'll go talk to her. She looks a bit distraught. Something must have happened." Russ stood and made his way over to Noodle while the other two watched.

"He's always had an intuition about those things." Murdoc noted.

"Yeah, he really has."

"It's a bit of a good thing…"

Russel looked at Noodle, placing a gentle, fatherly hand on her slight shoulder. She jumped a little, but when she saw who it was, fell into his warm, safe arms.

"Oh, Russ." She sighed.

"It's all right now, Noodle. What happened?"

"He—He cheated on me!" she cried, her hands balling into fists.

"Wha—what?!" Russ exclaimed, more than just upset now. He was livid. Noodle looked over at 2D and Murdoc, pulling away from Russ and moving to 2D. She only looked at him with tears in her eyes for a moment.

"2D—I—I know I've done so much wrong by you. And I know there's no way I can ever take it back. If there were some way—but—I just wanted you to know how sorry I am. I am sorry. I did not mean for so many terrible things to happen. I do not deserve happiness. I know this now."

2D, as selfish as he was, heard her inner voice pleading for his understanding, his mercy. Murdoc did not hear it, Russ had not heard the exchange, but 2D knew. He was suddenly pulling her into his arms, shaking his head. "Noodle, Noodle—but—Noodle, what about Robert?"

Noodle's eyes squinched up tight at the mere mention of that name. She pulled away from 2D, her face hidden by her hands as she fought to retain her composure. Russ had returned in time to see what was happening and shook his head. "Don't ask. She'll tell you when she feels it is time."

"Yes. I will tell you everything. Just not here. Not now." Noodle begged, and the men nodded.

"Why don't we just go home?" 2D asked. Noodle nodded.

"I'll just leave my rental here and call the company about it tomorrow." She told them, agreeing to travel with them. The reunion had gone so much better than expected. From past experience, she had expected resistance, a big fight. Not sudden acceptance. It was surprising, and warming. "Thank you, thank you so much." She whispered gratefully, and the three men nodded at her.

Russ drove in silence, flicking the radio on for some white noise. Murdoc looked over at the black man, an eyebrow raised. "Whatever 'appened t'Velvet, mate?"

"She's still off on vacation. She said she'd come back around a week or so. She knew about the Robert thing, and she didn't wanna get involved. She has amazing foresight, really."

"Yeah." Murdoc rolled his eyes.

"I miss 'er." 2D told him, and Noodle sighed.

"I never got to know her, and I'm sure she probably hates me now."

"No, she couldn't hate you. Not if she does not know you. That is not the way she is." Russ reassured her, and reached back to pat her head gently. "You never gave her a chance before anyway, if you give her a chance you'll find you two have a lot more in common than you thought before."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Oy, Russ, could we stop by me mate's 'ouse? I'd like to pick up me sons." 2D spoke up quickly. Russ nodded and drove toward 2D's friend's house, pulling up in front so that 2D could gather his sons. Noodle went along to help carry things, but she was only trusted with the diaper bags and such, not one of the precious twins. He held a hand of each of the young boys as they walked, sleepily, beside their blue-headed father.

"I missed you boys," Noodle cooed, but they looked up at her with distrust in their eyes. She looked to 2D. "What's—what's wrong with them?"

"Nothing. They saw you with that other man. They think you are trying to replace me. It's only a natural feeling." 2D shrugged casually. Noodle's heart nearly broke all over again right there.

"Oh, oh, Ollie, Danny! I would never replace your father!"

The twins remained silent as they took seats in the vehicle, being safely buckled by their beloved father. "Buckle up for safety!" he coached, and they repeated it with twin grins.

"Of course, Daddy!"

"We would never forget!" they cried, and Noodle felt a spark of envy that it was not her buckling her sons in, instead of 2D. She was just the estranged mother now. She had no part in raising them any longer. How could she have let this happen?

Tears sprang to her eyes as she covered her face again. She crumpled down so that her elbows rested on her thighs and she heaved with silent sobs.

"Noodle, Noodle, what's wrong?" 2D asked, concern creasing his face.

"I've—I've lost my sons! They're not my own anymore!" she cried softly, weakly. 2D ruffled her hair affectionately, and looked back at the twins, who seemed both to be on the verge of tears as well.

"Look, you've made them cry!" he told her, and she looked back in time to see the glistening tears on the identical faces.

"Oh! My poor, dear little boys!" she cried in anguish and drew them into her arms, and the three cried together at the valuable time that they had lost. "I missed you so! I missed you! I won't leave you again! I love you! I love you!"

Murdoc and Russ listened to this exchange with satisfaction. It seemed that, once again, Noodle, their beloved guitarist, was going to be a permanent fixture in the Kong household.

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Well, there you go! Chapter 20!!

Now, I've seriously got to get some work done on my Noodle suicide story! I feel bad for not updating that one, either…even though it's not as popular!

You know…I thought of something funny! You know how sequels are supposed to be worse than the original? This is a sequel, and with less chapters than the original, it has gotten more reviews!! XD Isn't that just weird?

Heh, well, that's my thought of the day!

Enjoy!!