Chapter 10: Hide & Seek

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

"Follow me."

I turned. There was a woman standing there, her eyes dark and serious. Her outstretched hand was placed on mine and 2D's. She looked off compared to the other people in the crowd; her clothes were stained and frayed, a far cry from what most would deem acceptable to wear in public. Her narrow eyes darted from side to side, scanning the busy street. "Quickly," she urged. "They've almost caught up."

I stepped back, tugging on 2D's hand. "How do I know we can trust-"

"We can trust her," 2D interrupted. His hand tightened around mine, but his eyes stayed fixed on the woman's. There was no doubt in that stare.

The woman nodded, then strode towards a nearby alleyway. 2D followed her, his hand pulling mine forward.

We arrived at the mouth of the alleyway. As soon as she had rounded the corner, the woman broke into a sprint, shouting "Come on!" over her shoulder. 2D pulled me along.

"2D," I panted, my breathing still uneven from our previous run, "Are you sure about this person? She could be leading us right into the people we're trying to avoid!"

"I'm – gasp – positive," 2D wheezed as he chased the woman into a gritty side-street. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead, but he powered through relentlessly, explaining as we ran, "There was – gasp – no harm in her eyes, she – gasp – she's here to help, I know it."

2D's hand left mine. He clutched his side, his breath wheezing through clamped teeth.

"2D?"

"I'm fine," He hissed, "fine… just – a cramp – ah!"

His legs buckled beneath him. I grabbed his waist, slowing his descent as he dropped to his knees.

"2D!"

His eyes were clamped shut, tears forming at the corners as labored breaths scraped out of his throat. His arms trembled as he grasped my shoulder for support. "Noodle – I – I can't – "

"What's wrong?" The woman had returned, her eyes nervously skittering across the street. "We can't stop. We have to get to the safe place!"

"2D can't run," I hastily explained. "He's been bedridden for days. His legs aren't strong."

"Here then," she said, ducking and wrapping an arm under 2D's opposite shoulder, "We'll have to pull him along."

I propped myself under 2D's other shoulder and we started back down the street.

We were moving much slower now. The woman kept shooting glances behind us as we stumbled down the street. 2D was a deadweight, his arm slung heavily over my shoulders and his sweat-slick shirt pressed into my side. We careened into a smelly alleyway filled with dumpsters. At the opposite end was a busy street. "We're just a few blocks away now," the woman said. "We're almost –"

The woman's speech cut off. Somewhere behind us, I could hear footsteps pounding.

The woman swore. "Dammit, they're here!"

I glanced backward. Our pursuers hadn't entered the alleyway yet, but I could hear them getting close. They would round the corner any second.

I glanced at the woman, the stranger, the person 2D trusted on some intuition I had yet to understand. I cursed under my breath.

"Hide," I rasped, shoving 2D and the woman between two dumpsters. "I'll lead whoever's following us elsewhere."

"Noodle!" 2D gasped, reaching out.

His eyes were wide and pale, grasping me with their intensity. For a moment, I froze.

The moment ended quickly when woman yanked backward, pulling him against the wall and ducking low. "Meet me on that block in a few hours," she said, nodding towards the busy street. "If they don't catch you."

2D continued to stare, his mouth working frantically.

"N-noodle, wait – "

His eyes were pleading. It was hard to look away. "I'll see you soon, 2D."

I ran, pausing when I reached the end of the street. As I looked back, a man appeared at the opposite end of the alleyway, flanked by three other figures wearing an assortment of St. Patrick's day scarves, beards, and bandannas. With a shout, the man and his cronies darted towards me.

The brisk wind brushed my empty hands as I leaped into the next street.

. . .

These guys were good.

They had spread out through the crowd, slinking in and out of sight so that I could barely pin down any two of their locations at once. I was pretty sure they were all still behind me, unable to outmatch my pace without drawing attention from the lunchtime crowd breezing in and out of the endless pubs and restaurants lining King Street. I cantered swiftly, keeping my head low and looking for a spot where I could take cover without being cornered.

A figure wearing sunglasses and a green gingham bandanna was keeping my pace a few meters to my left. I strode faster, earning an odd looks from families I rushed past. Up ahead, I could make out a few police officers chatting with a shop owner. Maybe if I could get to them…

A man stepped out of a shop between myself and the police officers. He leaned casually against a wall, pulling out his phone and shooting glances my way as he tapped the screen.

Damn – there's more of them.

There was a thick crowd outside a pub called The King's Flagon, thick enough that you couldn't see the people inside from the outside. I squeezed into the throng of people, a few of whom glared at me crossly as we bumped shoulders. For the most part, however, they ignored me, choosing instead to fix their eyes upon a large TV screen where a Real Madrid match was playing.

As I made it inside the pub, a flustered server stepped in front of me, snapping, "Sorry ma'am, the bar stools are full and there's a 2-hour wait on tables – "

"That's fine, I just need to use your restroom." I assumed a pinched face and shifted my legs uncomfortably. "Please? It's an emergency."

"O-oh," He stammered. "Of course… It's, er, just past the stools, take a left and you'll find it."

"Thank you," I replied with a smile, dashing away.

There was a small line outside the restroom. I crouched low against the wall and pulled out my phone, dialing Russel's number. Holding it close to my ear, I heard it ring once… twice…

"Hey, Noodle! I saw your note –"

"Russel, has anyone come to the house?"

"Uh… no. Were you expecting someone?"

I glanced warily around the pub. "Russ, people have been following me and 2D. I don't know who they are –"

"What!? Are you guys okay?"

"2D is safe; I'll be safe as soon as I can shake off whoever's on my tail."

"You guys SEPARATED!?"

"2D's safe; he'll be fine."

"What about you?"

"I'm a highly trained super-soldier, remember? They won't catch me."

I heard Russel groan on the other end. "I don't like this, Noodle."

"I know. It's not ideal. But we're going to meet up soon. I was told to meet someone later today on King's Street, near the center of town. Can you get here? I'm worried that whoever's following us might target you next."

"Yeah, of course. Should I… Should I pack a bag?"

These people hadn't shown at our house yet, but I feared it was only a matter of time. "Yes. Pack 2D's new pills and anything else essential. And try to disguise yourself before you leave the house."

"Got it. Where should I meet you?"

"The King's Flagon – it's a pub on King Street."

"Alright. See you soon. Stay safe!"

"You too, Russel."

I hung up.

I leaned back into the wall, breathing deeply. I could feel my pulse pounding in my throat. The bar around me was calm and warm, a blunt contrast to the chill of worry creeping through my blood. I wanted to close my eyes and relax, to take a moment to order my thoughts and meditate. Instead, I continued to scan the bar warily.

Pull yourself together, Noodle. I watched the new patrons come in, each person who stood from their table, anyone who so much as glanced my way. Leave out the bathroom window, make sure no one catches you leaving, and you're in the clear. I froze as a man walked in my direction, only to relax as he put some coins in a jukebox and returned to the bar. Stay calm. Don't draw attention to yourself. You got this.

My hands tingled, empty and cold. I remembered how, just hours before, I'd been smiling, laughing, holding 2D's hand in mine as he smiled with me. I wanted him to be safe, but I couldn't help wishing I wasn't alone.

That woman had better have taken you someplace safe, or she'll have hell to pay when I find her.

I leaned my head back and sighed. 2D had thought she was trustworthy, and his judgement had been pretty sound this morning, right? I hadn't made a mistake in trusting his judgement? In trusting that his recent burst of coherence wasn't just a fluke?

But what if he'd been wrong?

What if we'd both been wrong?

I let my head fall between my knees.

Keep it together. Trust him. Trust yourself.

"Miss?"

I looked up. A lady was peeping out of the restroom, looking down at me with concern. "Um… There's an empty stall in here; are you waiting for one?"

I let out a breath. "Yeah, thanks for letting me know."

I stood up, stretching my legs as the lady disappeared behind the restroom door. I could definitely use a rest stop.

I strode calmly into the restroom.

No sooner had I noticed that the restroom only had one stall than the door slammed shut. I spun around as a heavy blow hit my shoulder, causing me to stumble back into a wall. The lady was there, clutching a shining blade which she extended towards my throat.

The lady smirked. "Check mate," she said.

I ducked quickly. The lady slashed wildly, managing to catch my cheek with the edge of the cold steel. I hissed at the sharp pain on my face, gritting my teeth in pain and anger.

Keep it together, Noodle. You're a super-soldier. You're strong.

The lady cursed as I hopped out of her blade's range, only to grin as I bumped into the sink – this space was too small for effective dodging.

The lady stepped forward. "Look, just tell me where your boyfriend is, and I won't have to hurt you."

Fat chance.

Faster than she could blink I thrust both of my hands forward, locking tightly around her weapon-hand. She yanked her fist away but I held on, using all my strength to try to pry her fingers off the knife.

Her knee flashed toward my stomach. Before it hit me, I used my leg to sweep out the lady's other foot, sending her toppling to the floor with me above her. In her shock, the lady's hands went slack. The blade was mine.

I snatched the weapon from her hands, touching its sharp edge delicately to her throat. She looked at me in panic.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Her expression hardened. "Someone you don't want to mess with."

"Who do you work for?"

"Someone you don't want to mess with."

I growled, pressing the blade against her skin. She flinched.

"Why are you following me and my friend?"

She stared coldly, saying nothing.

She's not going to say anything… Maybe her friends have a strict you-squeal-you're-finished policy. I considered my options. I don't know if she contacted the rest of her group before luring me in here – they could be just outside, so I need to get away fast. My gaze flickered toward the bathroom's grimy window. Looks like it's back to plan A. But I can't just let her follow me… I glared down at the lady.

Slowly, I removed the blade from her throat. The beginning of a smile crossed her lips before I knocked her in the head – she wouldn't wake up for a while. I quickly frisked her, hoping to find some form of identification, but she didn't have so much as a spare dollar on her. I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture – maybe I would have a chance to identify her later.

. . .

An hour after I crawled out of the bathroom window onto a (thankfully) empty street, I lounged in the lobby of a boutique clothing store. I had spent the last of my cash on a new outfit, complete with a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and a shimmery gray scarf to cover my face – hopefully, my pursuers wouldn't recognize me so easily if we crossed paths again. The store's staff didn't disturb me; I had told them that a friend would be driving by to pick me up soon. Now, I stared out the window, waiting for –

My phone buzzed.

At a stoplight. I'm almost there, Russel's text alerted me.

Good, I texted back. Remember, go to Bethany's Boutique. The pub is NOT safe.

Got it. See you soon.

I stowed my phone back into my pocket.

Russel and I had been texting nonstop since I reached the boutique. He was worried, and I couldn't blame him, considering I could still feel a faint sting from the shallow knife wound on my cheek. I was worried too, but not about myself.

I had left 2D's safety in the hands of a complete stranger. Russel had found 2D's phone in the back of a kitchen cabinet, so there was no point trying to text the singer. Nevertheless, I had to fight the urge to try to call 2D.

I hate this. I should be there to make sure he's safe. What if I can't find him later?

I ran a hand through my hair, skewing my hat as I tried to breathe out the tension in my chest.

He'll be okay. We'll all be okay. Trust him.

My phone buzzed again. I'm here.

I stepped outside the shop, repressing the urge to glance nervously about the street, and walked towards the beat-up gray Lexus parked on the curb. Russel smiled at me through the window; I could make out his chest sinking as if he were releasing a sigh of relief.

I climbed into the car. "Nice fedora, Russel."

He gave me a tired chuckle. "Nice hat yourself. Now, how are we going to find 'D?"

In a few minutes, our car was crawling down the crowded King Street. In the aftermath of the parade the roads were no longer blocked, but traffic still proceeded at a pitifully slow pace. I kept my face low as we rolled past The King's Flagon, wary of being spotted by my pursuers despite my disguise. The streets became familiar. Soon, I spotted a familiar dumpster-filled alley.

"Pull off here. This is where I last saw them."

"Sure thing. Urgh… I hate parallel-parking."

Russel cut the engine then turned back to me. "Should we wait in the car, or go out there and try to find this woman you were talking about?"

I leaned back, thinking. It might be difficult for the woman to find me hidden inside the car, wearing a disguise. Then again, the car and disguise were also protecting me from the pursuers. I felt my cheek throb and tucked the wound deeper into my new scarf. "The sooner we find 2D, the better," I said. I'm going to stand outside the car, if you see anyone approach me –"

My voice dropped off as I saw an unfamiliar figure approaching the car.

The air seemed to grow cold as Russel's hands tightened around the wheel.

"Turn the ignition on," I told him.

The figure continued to approach.

As the car's engine rumbled to life, I saw the figure slow down. He pulled a paper and a Sharpie out of his pocket, scrawling a few quick words before placing the paper on the ground, pinning it to the sidewalk with a rock, and backing away a respectful distance. The man looked at me imploringly, glancing towards the paper then back at my face.

"Noodle, should we go?" Russel prompted.

I hesitated. "I think I need to look at that message… He could know where 2D is."

"Or he could be luring you into a trap!" Russel insisted.

"I can get myself out of a trap, but I won't be able to find 2D on my own," I replied. Russel groaned as I opened the door.

I approached the paper, keeping a wary eye on the mysterious man, who smiled at me.

Picking up the paper, I read:

"Someone told me his friend might show up in a car like yours. Are you Noodle?"

I sighed. This was the best chance I had.

I motioned for Russel to join me. As he turned off the car once more, I approached the mysterious man, who continued to smile encouragingly.

"Can you take me to 2D?" I asked.

His grin widened. "Right this way, miss Noodle."

. . .

He led us farther down King Street, into a less crowded area. We turned the corner at a Chinese restaurant and slipped into an alleyway lined with worn doors and barred windows – low-income housing. Our guide approached one of the narrow apartments, pressing the buzzer next to a faded maroon doorway.

"Who's there?" a tinny voice sounded out of the buzzer's speaker.

"It's Dev. I've got our guests with me."

"Excellent. Come on in."

The door clicked. Dev pulled it open and motioned for Russel and me to enter.

I gazed into the dim interior, squinting as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. With a resigned sigh, I spared the smiling Dev one last unsure glance before stepping forward. I heard Russel's heavy footfalls muffling on the thin carpet as he followed me in.

The wet scent of mildew hung heavily in the air. I scanned the derelict scene of peeling wallpaper, tattered carpets, and grimy brass light fixtures. The décor probably hadn't been updated since the house had been built; it held the impression of a great-great-relative's home which hadn't been touched since the first owner's death.

Dev followed us into the building and beckoned past the foyer. At the end of a short corridor was a heavy wooden door covered in chipping white paint. Once again, Dev opened the door for us.

I stole a quick glance at a homey-looking kitchen before something – someone – crashed into me.

"NOODLE!"

My breath caught as thin arms wound tightly around my waist, squeezing the air from my lungs. As soon as I registered the startlingly blue hair of my captor, I returned the embrace, throwing my arms around him and burying my face into his neck. "2D! You're okay!"

"You're okay!" He responded joyfully, leaning back to face me with a broad smile.

I looked into his gleaming eyes, feeling the fondness and relief in 2D's earnest grin before Russel chuckled, "Hey, I'm here too!"

"Russel!" 2D released me to lunge toward Russel with another big hug. "You made it here too!"

Russel laughed, patting 2D heavily on the back. "Man, for someone who spent a week sick in bed then got chased around by evil goons, you seem pretty lively!"

2D laughed back. "Yeah, it has been a weird day, hasn't it?"

"That it has," spoke a familiar, friendly voice from the kitchen table.

Russel and I whipped our heads in synchronous surprise. "Dr. Khalan!"

The old woman nodded, wrinkles forming on the edges of her bright smile, eyes twinkling as she watched us. Sitting with her at the round table were three other people, all of whom wore worn, tattered clothing. I recognized the woman who had guided 2D and I through the streets earlier that day; she cast me a swift smile of recognition. The other two were watching me and my bandmates with calm curiosity.

"I believe we have some introductions to make," Dr. Khalan spoke. "Please, sit down."

We joined Dr. Khalan at the table, Russel and 2D sitting on either side of me. Behind us, Dev strode forward, plopping beside the woman from the street and kissing her on the cheek. The woman smirked. "Cut it out, Dev. This is serious."

"And I did a seriously good job finding them, didn't I?"

The woman rolled her eyes.

"Russel, Noodle," Dr. Khalan started, "I'd like you to meet my good friends: Devante – "

"That's me!" Sung Dev.

"Alicia – "

"Hey." Greeted the woman from the street.

"Tyler – "

"'Sup."

"and Donna."

"Yeah."

"It's nice to meet you all," I said, meeting eyes with each of them in turn. Russel hummed in agreement. I returned my gaze to Dr. Khalan. "So, this is where you've been hiding out? You know the police have been trying to find you, right?"

Dr. Khalan sighed. "Yes; I'm afraid I had to make my escape rather quickly, and I couldn't risk dragging anyone else into this or giving away my position. There are bad people trying to find me, and you as well. It's fortunate that your address isn't well known. I'm sure these people have been trying to track you down for a couple of days."

"Do you know who these crazy stalkers are?" Russel asked.

"Not exactly, but I think I know what they want," Dr. Khalan responded. "Do you remember the story I told you about the woman whose withdrawal I tried to treat, but found murdered, with her pills stolen? And the homeless man who kept saying that he had been trying to hide her from 'THEM'?"

Russel frowned. "You think that the same people who did that are in on this?" He asked.

Dr. Khalan nodded. "A few hours after I left your house that night, when I had just finished running some tests on 2D's pill, some people cornered me in the hospital's parking lot. They demanded that I hand over the pill. I'm not sure how they knew I had it… Maybe one of the technicians who were helping me gave information to the wrong person. Anyway, when I told them that I had deconstructed the pill to run tests, they were about to kidnap me. Fortunately, Donna, Tyler, and Alicia were nearby – they had been hoping to catch me on the way out of work to ask if I could stop by and do something for Devante's cold."

"Dr. Khalan is the best," Dev interrupted with a grin. "She's always been willing to check in when someone who can't afford a cab finds theirself bedridden. And look at me now, good as new!"

"I'm always happy to help," Dr. Khalan replied with a smile. "And it really was fortunate that the three of you were there that night. With Donna and Alicia creating a distraction, Tyler was able to help me slip away and take me here."

Donna smirked. "We pretended to be drunk chicks fighting over a guy. Those poor goons didn't know what hit them when we got into their faces and asked which of us was prettier!"

"I liked the part where you got mad at the one who said I was prettier and punched him in the throat," Added Alicia. The two women exchanged a fist-bump.

"Since then, I've been hiding out here," Dr. Khalan said. "I considered sending someone to your house to make sure you were safe, but I didn't want to lead the bad people to you. Also, I didn't know if 2D would be well enough to travel, given his condition."

2D hadn't said much throughout the conversation. I cast him a curious glance. He was gazing down at his fingers as they drummed on the table. There was a faraway look in his eyes and a slight frown on his face. "Yeah, it probably wouldn't have been a good idea to move me earlier this week," he conceded.

Dr. Khalan nodded. "I asked Alicia, Devante, Donna, and Tyler to keep an eye out in case they saw any of you. And now, here we are."

"Mission successful!" Dev cheered. Alicia rolled her eyes once more, but didn't hold back a smile.

"Alright," Russel said, "so there's a group of people out there who are obsessed with these pills, and will go after anyone who's had contact with them. Is that what they're after? The pills?"

"A good high will sell very well if you know the right people," Donna said. "I've had too many friends caught up in drugs over the years… Well, it wouldn't surprise me if these people are hunting the pills to sell them for big money. Didn't you say they seemed pretty valuable, Doc?"

"Very potent, very addictive. They would sell for a very high price," Doctor Khalan agreed. Then she frowned. "I know we discussed this briefly before when I visited… But could you tell me anything more about how you got those pills? Have you had a chance to speak with the person who supplied them to you?"

I grimaced, thinking of Murdoc in jail. "I'm afraid not. The situation with our supplier is a bit complicated right now."

"Hey, 'D, are you alright?" Russel asked.

I turned to look at the singer. He was still staring down at the table, but his fingers had gone still. His face was oddly pale, a bit sickly even, and he didn't seem to have noticed Russel's attempt to get his attention.

"Yo, 'D? You hear me, man?"

2D started, his eyes flicking up suddenly. "Oh… Um… Yeah, I'm good. Just… Lost in thought…"

The singer looked back down at his fingers. Russel and I shared a concerned glance. I could tell that the table's other occupants were curious, but something in the stiffness of 2D's shoulders told me that he really didn't want to talk right now. "So," I equivocated, "These people we keep running into are most likely in some sort of drug-dealing ring. A very dedicated one, considering they're willing to kill people." I shuddered at the thought of the dead woman Dr. Khalan had described. "Shouldn't we inform the police about this?"

Tyler shook his head. "I've seen the cops try to take down drug rings," he said. "It's easier said than done. You find one dealer, you miss ten."

"Yeah," Alicia agreed. "From what I've seen, this particular group seems very skilled. Their members blend in with a crowd. I tried to track a few suspicious figures while I was out looking for you guys, but they know how to get out of sight. Besides, aside from the night they threatened Dr. Khalan, I haven't been able to catch them doing anything incriminating. We've got no proof, and we've got no way to track them."

"And what we really need to worry about," Dev tossed in, "Is that if we squeal to the police, these people will find us. After all, they found out that Doc had a pill while she was at the hospital; chances are, these goons have eyes and ears everywhere, including in the police force. If the cops know where we are, the goons will too."

I groaned inwardly. We really are stuck in a big mess, aren't we?

"Damn," breathed Russel. "Does this mean we gotta go into hiding or something?"

"I would advise it strongly," Doctor Khalan confirmed. "Alicia, Donna, Dev, Tyler, and I have talked about this. You can feel free to stay here until we have a better plan to get these pill thieves off our case –"

"No."

We all turned to look at 2D.

The man flinched, his shoulders curling inward and his eyes low. After a quiet moment, he stammered, "I – I just – I need to get out of here. You guys are great – this place is great – but I've been stuck for so long, I've felt trapped for so long. I – I just need to get out."

I could feel the tension and fear rolling off him in waves. Gently, I placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it in small circles to try to soothe his tight muscles. I opened my mouth to speak, but Russel beat me to it.

"'D, man, we all want to help you feel better. Goodness knows you've been through hell… But we also need you to be safe." 2D's shoulders were trembling, his fingers were creeping to dig into his arms. "You know we'd never do anything to hurt you, but the way I see it, lying low here is our best – "

"Actually," I interrupted, "I have to agree with 2D on this one." Russel gawked at me in surprise, and 2D looked up with a hint of hope in his eyes. "I saw 2D try to run today, and I can guarantee that his physical fitness is terrible. If we keep him cooped up in this house, he'll only get worse, and I don't want to have to carry him around anywhere if his legs start to atrophy." 2D blushed slightly, glancing downward with embarrassment. "Besides, mental and emotional trauma are a real threat. With his medication changing, 2D's already going through enough. If he feels trapped, then we need to help him feel free."

Russel looked uncertain. "What about those people out there? 'D's not going to be very healthy if they catch him. For that matter, none of us will be very healthy when we're dead."

"We'll find a way," I said. Turning to the table's other occupants, I added, "Have you guys got any advice?"

The others turned to Dr. Khalan. I silently begged her to side with me – safe or not, I could tell that 2D needed this. "Well," she started, "you'll be safe as long as they don't know where you are, or if you leave whatever area their drug ring has control over. If I were you, I'd get out of town."

I smiled. "That sounds like a fantastic idea."

Russel wasn't convinced. "How will we know when we're out of the drug ring's range?"

"Well," Dr. Khalan said, "It's unlikely that wherever you end up will have as many of those goons as this city does right now – from what I've seen of their numbers, this could very well be their home base. I'd say that as long as you keep your heads low, wherever you are, you'll be safe."

. . .

"Thanks for siding with me, Noodle."

2D and I were sitting on the edge of a bed in a room that our new friends had loaned us for the night. Russel would be joining us when he finished his shower; there simply wasn't enough room in the small apartment for all of us to spread out. He would likely be in the shower for a while. Russel always took longer ones when he needed to de-stress. The lights were turned off. 2D and I were staring at the room's small window, catching whatever gleams of light made it through the drawn blinds (closed for our protection). "No problem, 2D," I responded, playfully bumping my shoulder into his. "To be honest, I didn't like the idea of being trapped here either."

2D smiled, but the expression seemed forced. He glimpsed toward me, his black eyes catching the shining outdoor light for a moment before going dark again. "Noodle, you don't think… Do you think… Russel might be mad at me?"

I met his gaze steadily. "Why would you think that?"

2D's smile faltered. Slowly, he raised his hand from the bedsheet. I watched his pale fingers as they moved closer, floating ghost-like through the air before softly brushing my cheek. I felt my breath catch as his thumb grazed my skin, trailing gently over the sensitive stretch of flesh. My skin tingled wildly in its wake; I was so caught up in the feeling that it took me a moment to realize that his thumb had traced the course of my new knife wound.

"They did this." It wasn't a question.

Hesitantly, I raised my own hand, pressing his warm palm against my cheek and holding it there. "This isn't your fault," I reminded him.

2D gazed at me sadly, his eyes reflecting the sight of my hand on his, before dropping his eyes to his knees. "I'm going to put us all in danger again," He said. "We really ought to stay here. It's safer."

I could feel a slight tremor in his hand. "Do you really think that?"

He sighed. "Noodle, be honest," he asked. "Am I being stupid about this whole thing? Should I just get over myself and stay here where we'll all be safe?"

I smiled softly at him, rubbing the back of his hand. "'D, if there's anything I've learned today, it's that you have pretty good judgement when you're not doped up." He smiled a little at that jibe. "I wasn't kidding earlier when I said that your mental health matters. I hate knowing you feel trapped."

His gaze softened. "Thanks for understanding," he murmured. I felt his hand going slack. I let it lower until it reached my shoulder and wrapped around me. Instinctively, I leaned into his sideways embrace.

I smirked. "By the way, I wasn't kidding about the exercise either. Next time I go to the gym, you're coming with me."

2D laughed. The sound was short-lived, but it seemed to lift some of the darkness from the room. "I can't fight you on that one. I felt pretty guilty with you and Alicia trying to drag me through those alleyways."

"Don't worry, I'll whip you into shape in no time."

We sat there in comfortable silence for a while. I watched 2D's face, striped with the light seeping out of the closed blinds, and couldn't help flashing back to the nervous, sick look he bore when we were talking about the pill thieves. "You know you can tell me anything 2D, right? Even if you're just stressed and you need to vent. I'm here to listen."

2D bit his lip. "Yeah…" His hand tightened momentarily on my shoulder and I leaned further into him, wrapping my own arm around his waist. "It's just – it's hard to hear about all this stuff, especially… especially the p-pills. I – I can still feel cravings… I think about them, off and on – like – I felt pretty good this morning, being at the parade, being with you, having fun, but when Alicia brought me here, and I was just sitting, and waiting… They were all very kind, they were talking to me and trying to distract me, but I was so stressed, and I couldn't stop thinking about them… I was craving them so badly…"

2D shuddered, his whole body shaking as if filled with chills. I massaged his back in a way that I hoped he would find comforting. "I'm scared, that if I stay here, I'll keep feeling like that, more and more…" There was a slight sob in his voice. "I'm scared it'll drive me crazy. That's why I feel like I need to get out of here, even if it's dangerous. I can't keep feeling like this. I just… I can't. I won't."

"That's fine," I whispered. "We'll get you out of here. I'll be with you every step of the way."

He tried to smile only for his face to fall once more. "And another thing… You know my head's been different today. It's… It's clearer, clearer than it's been in a long time, but it's confusing, because there's so much that I can't remember, this whole, huge chunk of my life… And there are parts that I can remember, little parts scattered between these long stretches of not knowing, and it freaks me out. Everything I can remember since… Since the pills started… There's so much confusion, and pain, and there are a few good parts, but most of it is strange and hard to understand."

There were tear trails on his face. I felt moisture pricking at the corners of my own eyes. I pressed my face into his shoulder. "If you ever want to talk through those memories, I'm here. I'll try to help you make sense of the parts you don't understand, and I'll listen to the parts that you just want to talk about."

2D sniffed. "I'd like that," he said. "But first, can we talk about tomorrow? There's something I've been thinking about, with… with where we're going next."

I was curious. "Is there someplace specific you wanted to go?"

He nodded, then laid his head gently on top of mine, his warm cheek pressed into my hair. "One of the things I keep thinking about, that's sort of nice to think about, is the way things were before – well – before everything, all of this, the pills, the band…" He breathed deeply. "I… I haven't seen my parents in a long time. Or my hometown, or my friends. I keep remembering more and more… I had so many friends, and I haven't spared a single thought for any of them in years."

I smiled. "I guess we'll have to fix that."

His fingers twitched. "But… do you think it's safe? We need to go somewhere the pill thieves won't suspect. Wouldn't my parents' house be a bit – eh – obvious?"

I shrugged as much as I could with my head tucked into 2D's shoulder. "You haven't seen them in years; I doubt anyone even knows who your parents are. It doesn't seem likely to cause trouble to me."

Admittedly, it was slightly risky, but there was something in his voice when he talked about going to his parents' that felt bright and hopeful. I thought back to the night, days before, when 2D had told me about the pain of not being able to remember his past… Reuniting him with that lost part of his life would be well worth the risk.

"Are you sure, Noodle?"

"I'm positive. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll take the car and drive straight up to…"

"Crawley."

I smiled. "Crawley it is."

I could feel his face moving against my hair – smiling, I hope.

"Do you still want to tell me about those memories you were having trouble with?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "It's a bit confusing… I think they're mostly memories from the time I stopped taking pills after the band formed."

I nodded slightly. "Russel told me about what happened after Demon Days."

"Yeah, I've got a couple memories popping up from that time. But the weirdest memories are from right before I started taking pills again… they… they're more confusing, and… harder to think about. They're hard for me to describe. But… I'll try. Um… This might sound a little incoherent; the memories aren't very clear…"

"That's okay. Take your time."

. . .

Safety. A safe place. No pills. Lots of distractions. Lots of headaches too…

Don't think about headaches – today is a good day.

And now it's a bad day.

In my room, head pain, looking out through the window.

Something smells funny…

TRAPPED.

Confusion. Darkness. Bad smell.

I'm in… A box? A suitcase?

For days…

My head hurts.

SUNLIGHT.

The sky is blue, the ground is blue.

The ground is pink.

The sky is green.

"FACEACHE."

He's here, they're not.

Still no pills, but TRAPPED.

They're not here.

"2D!"

They're here.

Airplanes.

The Pills.

. . .

Coming Up Next: 2D is going home… for better or for worse?

Much thanks to all the reviewers who've been supportive while life's kept me too busy to add chapters!

How do you guys feel about this new Gorillaz stuff coming out? I loved désolé! It makes me wish I knew more languages. According to Google Translate, "désolé" can mean "sorry," "desolate," or "afraid," all of which feel like they could fit the tone of the song. I know he's only a fictional character, but after watching that music video, I can't help wondering if Murdoc is okay…

No promises, but I'm going to try to write another chapter before spring break ends! Keep an eye out for it!

Peace!