When Russel got sick the first time with Noodle around, it was hectic. The girl wanted to stay around him for as long as possible, but Russ wasn't risking her health, no. So, since Murdoc is being an utter dick and hiding in his Winnebago, "Can't risk getting ill, no, that's not right," he'd said; so this just leaves Stuart to take care of Noodle by himself for an undisclosed amount of time, much to his excitement and dread. Especially since Murdoc had threatened serious bodily harm to anyone who attempted to enter his 'safety zone'. Since poor Stuart doesn't know how to care for a child, it should be quite an interesting experience.

After Russel had hoarsely explained to 2D that Noodle's not allowed around him while he's ill (for her own good), and then shutting and locking his door to prevent any mishaps, Noodle was extremely distraught. And when she's distraught, it means that tears and screaming is plentiful, much to 2D's dismay.

"Want. A. Rus-ol!" Noodle shrieks, banging on Russel's door with every word.

"Noodle, stop! He's ill, Russ doesn't-- doesn't feel good!" 2D repeats loudly for the third time.

Noodle whimpers, flopping down onto the ground and kicking at the door rapidly. Stuart groans a bit, bending over and pulling her away from it. "That's so rude! If, um-- If Russel doesn't get rest, he won't get better, and then we'll never see him! We don't want that!"

Noodle begins to cry, not able to understand why Stuart isn't letting her come into Russel's bedroom and see him. It's not fair; she wants her Russel! Why isn't he letting her in?

"Oh, oh no, I didn't-- didn't mean to upset you!" 2D's voice shakes as he bends over to pick her up off the floor. "Don't-- don't cry, please.."

Noodle buries her face in the young man's bony shoulder. "Why?" She asks between sobs; the only thing she knows he'll understand.

"Um, um. Because I'll cry too, um." Stuart slowly begins walking away from the door towards the kitchen. Maybe if Noodle eats some breakfast, it'll help her feel a little better.

"Why?" Noodle asks again, shaking her head at his answer.

2D is silent. "Um, well. Because I don't like seeing you so sad, luv. Makes me sad too." He walks into the kitchen.

Noodle doesn't reply, instead trying to make sense of 2D's answer. In that time, her cries cease to the occasional hiccup; the tears only coming down her cheek once in a while.

"Noodle, luv, what do you want to eat?" 2D looks down at her.

Again, no reply, only a hiccup.

"Well, um. I don't really know how to cook like, um, like Russ can, just toast; is that okay?" Stu admits. "I can try to make, uh, something else, but only if you want it."

The silence is broken by a zombie groaning in the background, but that's it.

"Come on, luv, talk to me," he urges.

Still nothing comes from Noodle.

"Well, I'll be making toast, then. Do you want to get down?"

She shakes her head in reply, finally. A sigh of relief escapes 2D; he was afraid that she hates him. So now he's trying to grab all the ingredients of toast in one go. Mainly the stale loaf of bread, (which is still good enough for toast), jam, and some butter. However, this doesn't go as planned and so he ends up dropping the bread and losing his balance. Before he can stop himself, he's fallen onto the floor.

For some reason, this causes Noodle to burst out in giggles. "Um! A Toochee fall!" She says between laughs.

"Yes, yes, I seem to have fallen! Whatever shall I do?" Stu grins at Noodle as he picks himself off of the floor and resumes the process of preparing some breakfast.

"Um!" Noodle starts, "Toochee. Uhh, is, um. A good, hai?" She asks, patting his cheek.

"Oh, yes. This happens often, I'm just fine. You aren't hurt, right?" He checks her over frantically, sure to pay special attention to her legs; they would be most likely to have gotten injured.

Noodle looks confused. What does he mean? "Why?"

"Because I want to put bandages on your, um, your hurts if they do hurt." He explains.

Noodle's still not sure what he means by that, but nods her head and says, "Ohh."

Stuart is sure to set Noodle on the countertop before attempting to make the toast again. Not taking any more chances. "Good, you have no hurts on your legs. Heh, I. I was a bit afraid that if you did have one, Russ would break my nose." He starts putting slices of bread in the toaster. The bluenette is trying his best to not burn himself or the bread.

"Rus-ol.." Noodle looks down, her lower lip trembling. "No a Rus-ol, is gone.."

Stuart squeaks a bit, rushing back over to her and wrapping his lanky arms around her. "Oh, oh no, don't be upset, luv, Russell is only- is only resting! He's not gone!"

She sniffles a bit, but decides she doesn't want to cry since it didn't work last time. It made her nose all runny. However, she's still missing Russ. This is the first time since she'd arrived at Kong Studios that Russel hadn't been there to wake her up or vise-versa, and that's very upsetting. "Toochee.." She returns the hug, at the same time glad that she's not stuck with Murdoc in this situation.

"Ssh, it's all right. Let's, um, get your milk, yeah? Chocolate? D'ya want chocolate milk?" 2D asks, trying to get her mind off of Russel's absence.

Noodle makes a humming sound, sliding down from the countertop and rushing over to her calendar, the one on the refrigerator. She takes the marker stuck to it off and draws an 'X' over yesterday's date. "Um. Toochee, read?" The child points to the day's title.

"Oh! Um, it. It says, Wednesday." He explains after making his way over.

"Uh? Is a.. Um. A week-and?" Noodle asks him.

"No, not today. There's," Stuart counts quietly, "three days until weekend."

"Ohh. Umm! Rus-ol say. No shocku-let milks, uh. Uh, no shocku-let milks, only. Uh, week-and." Noodle explains. "Um. Strob-uree milks."

"Oh, you get strawberry milk, then, today, yeah?" Stu nods. "Okay, I'll check on the toast and then you can have some strawberry milk."

Noodle nods rapidly before heading back to the countertop. "Um, uh. Um, Noodle up?" She points to it.

"What? Oh, yeah, just a moment, please," he picks up the slightly scorched bread from the toaster, then setting it on a plate quickly after it burns his fingers. "Ow!" He complains before going over to Noodle and lifting her back onto the counter.

"A ow?" Noodle asks, taking his hand and examining the reddened fingers. "No good." She presses a small kiss to each burn; much like Russel does when she's gotten hurt. "Is, um. Is fix."

Stu giggles. "Oh, how cute!" He pecks the top of her head before turning back to the toast. "Much better, now."

Noodle grins slightly at 2D before resuming her sullen stature. "Wants a Rus-ol."

"I'm sorry, luv. He'll be back before you know it!" 2D grins at her. "But we'll have fun today, how does that sound?"

Noodle just nods even though she has no idea what he means. It's a cycle, she's noted, and not one she likes. The only person she can remotely understand is Russel, due to the fact that he's got a clearer way of speaking and no confusing British accent. The Brooklyn accent isn't a problem; it's calming to listen to, although she likes the other two's accents, as well.

"Here's your milk, little luv." 2D hands her a cup of pink milk. He'd mixed in the powder stuff he had found in the cupboard.

"Hmm, thank." Noodle sips at the beverage. "Is a good, yeah?"

"It smelled good, yeah! I'm so glad you like it." Stu puts two plates stacked high with toast on the table. He then gets Noodle off of the counter and carries her to her chair; the one across from his. They've all got designated seats, though it's unspoken that they're actually designated. Russ usually sits next to Noodle, Murdoc sits on the edge closest to the refrigerator, and Stuart's directly across from Noodle on the farthest side from the bassist.

Of course, Murdoc doesn't often come up to eat with the rest of the family. Instead, he tends to eat frozen box dinners in his Winnebago. That is, it's what the others think he does, since he never seems to eat at all.

Noodle takes a bite of her toast, deep in thought. "Uh, um. Pu-lay with Noodle? Uhh. After." She points down at the plate of food.

"Yes, of course! We can play all day today! Well, Russ said that you have to work on your English, um. But after that, we can play more!" 2D looks excited; this will be a fun day! "And watch zombie movies; you like that idea?"

"Oh, a good." She says with a hum. Her mouth is full.

Stuart grins. He loves the idea of a day filled with playtime. Again forgetting to take a bite of the food in front of him, he gazes at Noodle. "Oh, how lovely! I think that we'll have so much fun together! What do you want to do first?"

"Um!" Noodle appears deep in thought. "A... Shirt. A day, no night no more. See?" The child points to the window. It's dreary outside, as it always seems to be around Kong Studios, but that's no matter. After all, they've got sunshine inside in the form of Noodle. Or sunshine in a bag. Take your pick.

"Oh, right. Changing from your pyjamas? Good idea." 2D is in pyjamas, himself, but he doesn't normally remember to change clothes unless a certain drummer threatens him with bodily harm, death and dismemberment, etcetera. Or if Noodle asks him to.

Noodle nods again. "Uhh, um." She points at his food. "Toochee eat."

2D looks confused for a moment before he complies. "Right, eating. Got carried away without, um. Russel to remind me. Thanks, luv!"

The girl grins at him. "Good, good. A good Toochee." She compliments. "Does a.. Does a Noodle hair? Help? When done, uh. Done eat."

"What? Oh! Yes, I can try to. Um. Will do my best." 2D replies, setting down his fork. He's only eaten half of the meal,.but hardly does eat more than that.

Her gaze rests on his plate momentarily before she pushes half of hers away, too, just to mirror him. "Is done, all done. Bye bye a food."

Stu notices this. "Oh, already? Guess you weren't too hungry?" He doesn't realise, however, that she's just doing it because he's doing it. After all, it's not like he knows how a child's brain works.

"Um. Hai?" Noodle seems confused, sliding down off of her chair. "Um. Del. Del play, um. With Noodle, um. And a Toochee?"

"Ha, okay! We can call for him later on, but now we get, uh. Get clothes on and brush your hair." Stuart nods, a front-toothless grin on his face.

Noodle does a thumbs-up, humming. "Go does a thing?"

"Yeah, I'm done. Off we get."

2D had ended up doing some strange hairstyle where there's a pigtail on top of Noodle's head and one on the side, but she loves it.

So, in turn, Noodle's convinced Stuart to let her paint his fingernails. After all, it isn't as if there's anyone else around for it. Murdoc sometimes lets her, but right now the man is, er, absent. Anyhow, she's sure that he'll look just as pretty as the Satanist does with his nails done.

Eventually, when she's finished, Noodle giggles. "A good! Nice, uh. Nice Toochee, yeah? Um. Colour. On a, umm, hand!"

"It's really lovely, yeah! I think the rainbow colours are gorgeous; you picked perfectly." Stuart agrees. It's a genuine compliment, too, even if she had painted his fingertips along with the nails.

"Um. Noodle hand? Toochee color, um, uh. Colour Noodle hand?" The Japanese girl requests, grinning widely.

2D hesitates. "Um, well. Can give it a go, but. It, um. Might not be the best. Heh." He warns, attempting to get one of Noodle's nail paint bottles opened without smudging the wet polish covering his nails. Of course, he eventually gives up and then resorts to using his molars to open it, which works a bit better.

"Alrighty, then! Here we are." He's a bit shakey, but that's normal for him.

Noodle nods encouragingly, a smile growing on her lips. She watches Stuart as he carefully paints her nails, focussing on keeping steady as she can. After all, she doesn't want to mess him up, that would be rude.

Eventually, he's done. "Oh, I did lovely, didn't I? How pretty they are!"

Noodle laughs. "Hai, Toochee a good girl." She uses 'good girl' as a compliment. It's what Russ does when Noodle's succeeded at something, after all.

"Oh? I'm no girl, silly! I'm a boy!" 2D laughs. "Do I look like a girl?"

Noodle tilts her head, confused. "Um! Is Toochee." She answers, scratching the back of her neck.

A nod. "Yeah, that's right. I'm 2D!"

"Toochee. Um. A good girl."

"I'm not a girl, but thank you!" He grins, his front teeth gaps showing.

"Nnn. Um, play, uh. Play more?" Noodle makes grabby hands at Stu, and he picks her up carefully.

"Yeah! Unless you want to work on your English now?" He suggests.

"Hmm. Hai. A, um. A word." Noodle nods.

Stu nods back. "Okay, so. Russ said that you need to learn counting, at least start today."

Noodle tilts her head. "Huh?"

"Um. Numbers. Y'know, one, two, three?" He tries.

"Too..chee?" Noodle asks.

"Yeah! Like.. One, 2D, three!" He jokes.

The child processes this. "Uh! Wan, Toochee, free?" She attempts.

"Close, try again. One. 2D, three." The bluenette grins.

"Wan, Toochee, free." The girl repeats.

Stu giggles. Shrugging, his grin widens. "Eh, close enough. Want to make a song to help you remember?"

"Hai, a Toochee sing." Noodle agrees, her head resting on his shoulder. "Noodle a gui-tor?"

"You want to play your guitar? That's a great idea!" 2D replies. "You want to go get it, luv?"

Noodle grins. "Hai! Um. Toochee, uh. Pia-nou?"

"Sure, I can get my piano! This will be fun; much better than school."

"Huh?" Noodle tilts her head again.

"Um. Nothing. Guitar?"

"Oh!" Noodle slides from his lap and runs out of the room at full-speed. This is exciting, she gets to write a song with 2D!

She's back quickly, though carefully. Doesn't want to hurt her guitar. The girl grins when she sees Stu messing round on his Casio; doing randomised chords.

She'd forgotten that chords could be done on pianos. "Oh! A good, Toochee play, um. Cord." He'd been playing a 'D' most recently. She can tell by ear.

"Yeah! Same as guitar chords. Only. Piano. Heh."

"A good. Toochee play a, um. Gee?" Noodle does a 'G' chord on her Fender.

Immediately, Stuart does the same.

"Um.. A eee? Um. Eee, uh, um Minor?" She requests.

The young man pauses. "Um. Don't remember that one. I don't have my piano chord dictionary. Lost it years ago." Stu seems a bit embarrassed.

"A.. Buy it? Um. Uh. The pia-nou, cord, um." Noodle shrugs, not knowing how to pronounce 'dictionary'

"I'm broke-- say, that's not bad! Won't you buy me, piano chord dictionary? Rhymes well. Very." Stuart beams.

Noodle nods. "Oh, um. Wan, Toochee, free. Diku-naree." She points out.

"Yeah! One, 2D, three, won't you buy me, piano chord dictionary? I'd better write that down, yeah?" Stuart grins.

"And, uh. Sing. Wan, Toochee, free? Sing it, hai?" Noodle requests.

"Can't yet, I don't have a melody in my mind. Think you can, um. Can play something on your guitar?"

"Ohh! Hai, play on Noodle guitar." The child begins strumming, humming along a bit of a vocal melody. "I Toochee," she hums, "wan you buy me, pia-nou cord, diku-naree?" She sings, eyes looking faraway as she improvises.

Stuart nods along. When she softens her strumming, he then improvises a simple piano solo. "One, 2D, three... One, 2D, three," the bluenette repeats. He then goes into the chorus.

"I'm 2D," he hums, "won't you buy me," another hum, "piano chord dictionary?"

Noodle grins widely. "Wan, Toochee, free.." She repeats, their voices seeming to flow with the guitar.

Twenty seconds of pure instrumentals later, they finally end it smoothly.

There is a moment of silence before they talk again. "You know, it sounds great! Almost like it's 'want to be free'."

Noodle nods. "A good! Pre-tee. Toochee again?"

He laughs. "Of course! We'll practise once more and then record it for the other two guys?"

"Hai!! Oh, Toochee sing. All, umm. Uh. Words. No Noodle sing."

Stuart frowns. "What? Why not? You sound so lovely!"

Noodle shakes her head. "No good. Hears.. Um... Sounds.. Uhh, a bad, Noodle."

"That's not true! But. I won't force you.. But your voice is very good, don't think otherwise!" Stuart sighs, still frowning.

"No! No sads. Toochee sing, Noodle guitar." She reiterates.

"Okay. Let's give it another go, yeah?" 2D finally smiles.

Hello, all! This is based from another string of YouTube comments; this time from the song '12D3'. It's, again, written and performed by the Gorillaz!!!

My trip to Jamaica was great! I've just been so busy! I've got a week or two before I start back up with college.. I hope I can stay motivated to update this fanfiction..

Hope your summer's been going great! Any highlights so far?

Until next time,

Liz