When everyone got back to the flat they notice that the lights were still on, even though it was close to 7:00 at night, it was very dark outside. They open the door and were welcome by Noodle who was standing in the doorway. They saw she looked worry at first but then her expressions changes from relief to irritability. She was happy when she sees Stewart and Alphonce running towards her. She gave each of them a kiss on the cheek and told them to wait in the kitchen where their dinners were being kept warm inside the microwave. Stewart ran ahead, but Alphonce had a worry look on his face wondering what Jacob might say to his aunt about the real reason they were coming home so late. Noodle was about to ask Jacob but stop when she finally noticed a shaggy looking guest staring back at her. Jacob apologizes to Noodle.
"Sorry, Noodle we had a bump on our plans and we got a bit lost. We'll try to call you ahead next time to let you know if we're coming home late." Jacob starts to explain, but Alphonce came from behind and told her the truth.
"It was my fault Aunt Noodle. I ran away from big brother Jacob and Cyborg. They had to spend all day looking for me, I'm sorry." He told her.
"Jacob, is this true?" Noodle looks at Jacob. He gave her a slow nod. "Alphonce, why did you run away from Jacob and Cyborg? Your mother was getting worry when she saw it was getting late and you and the others didn't come back from the park."
"Everything's okay now, sure he was upset at first but after a little talking I got him to come back to his groups of friends here." Noodle turn her eyes on the shaggy looking stranger as he added, "You can't really blame him. He told me a lot about the trouble at home, not like I was being nosy or something, just lending an ear and shoulder for him to lean on."
Alphonce smiled, "Thank you Mr. Shamus, but I did do bad. I'm sorry Aunt Noodle and I'll apologize to mommy right now."
"Well that'll have to wait until tomorrow. Kim wasn't feeling too good this morning. She caught a fever and went to bed early. Alphonce, you can apologize and tell her what happen, I'm sure she'll be okay and won't be mad. Okay?" Noodle smiles back and gave Alphonce a kiss on the forehead. Alphonce giggled as he went to the kitchen and sits next to Stewart waiting for him. The others soon join them.
"Well, thank you for helping us. Would you like something to drink, Mr. Shamus, something to eat? Russel and 2D ate their earlier and had already left for work." Noodle told him.
"Um, maybe just a drink. Rum?" He asked bluntly.
Noodle looked at him funny, but it was soon filled with a sad tone the way Shamus just blurted what kind of drink he wanted. She climbs on top of a stool, reaches up to a high cabinet and grabbed a box. She pulled out one old worn out bottle and handed it to Shamus.
"You're in luck, we have some. How did you know we would have some?" Noodle asked.
Everyone looked at Shamus, curious to how he knew what they had, only Noodle, 2D, Russel, and Jacob knew where they had stored Murdoc's favorite drink after his death. Shamus takes a big gulp and clears his throat. He sets the bottle down.
"Lucky guess, I mean is this expensive or something? It tastes vintage or something." He answers.
"Yeah, my and Alphonce's dad, collected a large amount of rum when he ran off to some island a few years back." Jacob responded.
He looks closely at Shamus. He could tell Shamus was nervous about something. Jacob couldn't tell if he was tired or not, but he thought Shamus' skin color was unusual. At first, he thought Shamus was tan at first but here inside the flat, his skin color was more greenish looking.
A little while later Jacob took over for Noodle as she went upstairs to get some much-needed sleep. Alphonce and Stewart finished their dinners and hurries upstairs to get ready for their bedtime. Jacob clears the table and put the dishes in the sink, Cyborg offered to help him, but an alarm on Jacob's watch was set off. This was to alert him that Cyborg's battery life was running dangerously low.
"It's okay, I got this, you better get downstairs. Remember we got a big day coming soon and I need you to be fully charged up before I can give you the final upgrade I've made for you." Jacob reminds her.
"Upgrade? What big day? You two dating or something?" Shamus asked Jacob in a curious tone.
Jacob and Cyborg blushed at the last question. Jacob answers, "I know it'll be hard to believe but she's a robot, but she's more than that."
Jacob blushes more as he continues, "My dad built her, although from what I found when I look over her I think he didn't know what the hell he was doing."
Cyborg giggles, but Shamus pointed out, "Hey, she seems to be working great. I'm sure he knew what he was trying to do. We all can't be genius to know stuff like that."
Jacob stares at Shamus confuse. His reaction was something his dad would have said if he heard him talk about his father's so call mechanical skills. Shamus bit his lips and quickly added, "I mean, it's not like I know something like that either, but she looks good. You and your dad did good."
"Well yes at first, she was okay, but he designed Cyborg to be an armed bodyguard." Jacob explained.
"A bodyguard?" Shamus jumps in and asked, "Well then why would he need a bodyguard that looks like that Noodle girl?"
"He used her DNA to make Cyborg look like her, but again my dad wasn't a total genius, just lucky, I mean when I first met her, she was stiff at first but after dad let me do some minor work on her, she got better." Jacob answered.
Cyborg smiled and held Jacob's hand. He blushes some more as he continues, "She's more than just a copy, she's something special and we've gotten along with each other. She's amazing, which is why we have a big day, the final step to complete her transformation."
"Oh, how smart of you." Shamus answered in a sarcastic tone.
"You know Shamus, you sort of remind me of our dad. Well technically he's my foster father but he's Alphonce biological father, maybe you've heard of him, Murdoc Niccals?"
Shamus' answers started to stutter, "W-wha? Who? I mean, yeah, I might have heard about him. He was, what? A talented musician?"
Jacob eyed Shamus, he couldn't shake off the strange feeling he was getting from him, but he noticed Shamus' voice was quite raspy if not a bit gruff. He had long black hair that covers his eyes and had a few grey hairs. It would keep anyone from seeing Shamus' face more clearly.
"If it's too personal, may I ask you a few questions about yourself Shamus?" Jacob asked next.
Shamus got really nervous but gave an awkward grin, "Go right ahead. I've got nothing to hide."
Jacob starts with a simple question, "So what brings you here? Did you live here before?"
Shamus gave a vague answer, "Well, yes and no, but I've been away for a few years and came back here recently. I was up North working my way to get a plane to here. I'm here to look for someone."
"Oh, well do you need help with that? I mean, if you don't mind." Jacob offers to help him, but Shamus jumps in, "No! It's fine. I know where they are. It's just we've got a long time to catch up and the last time we were together it ended badly. Right now, I'm going to spend time with them one by one or just the two of them."
Before Jacob could ask some more questions, his watch set off again to alert him that Cyborg's battery life was getting to the red zone, "Oh, I better hurry with the dishes. Cyborg you better get down to the basement fast."
Cyborg got up from her seat, but before she left, she gave Jacob a kiss on the cheek. Jacob's face turned red. Cyborg smiled and said, "Don't keep me waiting."
She leaves the men alone in the kitchen, Shamus grew a cocky smile on his face as he looks at Jacob, "You heard her chief, don't keep her waiting."
Shamus laughed as he got up next, but stops when he sees Alphonce, all-ready dress in his pjs, coming into the kitchen.
"Big brother Jacob, where will Mr. Shamus be sleeping? Can he sleep in my room?" Alphonce asked him.
"I don't think your mother might like the idea of you sharing a bed with a stranger you just met today, maybe the couch would suit him better." Jacob suggests.
Shamus gave an irritated smile as he follows Alphonce upstairs to gather a pillow and blanket for him to sleep on the couch. Jacob smiles happily knowing Alphonce's guest will be okay sleeping down. He finishes and puts away the dishes and hurries down to the basement. Meanwhile Alphonce was helping Shamus, he stops at his room.
"This is where I sleep. Mommy doesn't mind that I sleep in my daddy's room." Alphonce points to the red door that had the name 'Mudz' spray painted across it.
"You know, maybe it'll be okay for me to find a room here to sleep. My back can get bad if I don't have a firm mattress to sleep on." Shamus points to the other bedroom door across them, "I'll take this room instead."
"No, wait," Alphonce whispers harshly trying not to be too loud to wake anyone from hearing him, but it was too late. Shamus opens the door but stops and stares from the door to see another body had already taken possession of the room. He watches blankly seeing her breath quietly in her sleep, each breath she takes in and exhales out, making the covers that surrounds her body move up and down. Alphonce looked at Shamus, he was watching his step-mother Kim, who was fast asleep and was unaware of her two guests standing at her door. Alphonce walked up and gave his sleeping step-mother a gentle kiss on the cheek. Then he grabbed Shamus' hand and pulls him out of the room.
