Murdoc wakes with a wheezy cough that is followed by several more. With a groan, he throws off his blankets and shuffles to the bathroom. Late morning sunshine pours through the gaps in the curtains as he empties a night's full bladder. Everyone else has more than likely started without him, but this isn't unusual. A rowdy nightlife means a late morning, and as quickly as his hangover will allow, he dresses and trudges down the stairs to the rest of the band.

Russell and Noodle are sitting at the mixing desk while 2-D is singing some lines from one of their more complete pieces. After he finishes the last verse and the music is cut, Russel's voice comes through his headphones, "I think we're good, D. Come on out for a minute."

2-D leaves the booth scratching the back of his neck with a furrowed brow. "You did good, 2-D. I think we only need to run through it a few more times, yeah?" Noodle says, smiling at him.

"Yeah, maybe a few more. I wanna try something different at the beginning, nothing too big." 2-D says, but his attention is on Murdoc coming through the door. "Hey, Mudds, did you get all of your beauty sleep?" Murdoc shoots him a glare then speaks to Russell, "Hey Russ," he says, "has anyone got back to you?" Russel shakes his head without moving his eyes from his phone.

Murdoc rolls his eyes and falls onto the sofa with a grunt, taking the entire thing up with his body. "Can I sit too?" 2-D asks, and Murdoc looks up from his cigarette pack to rudely deny him. With a sad sigh and slumped shoulders, 2-D acquires a metal chair from the corner of the room.

"So what's our plan for the rest of the day, Mudds?" he asks, hoping that asking for his opinion might get rid of his bad mood. Murdoc shrugs his shoulders before ripping his cigarette out of his mouth and spitting, "I don't know, Faceache, you three seem to know what you're doing all on your own!" Noodle looks up from a notepad and says, "Don't act like a baby, you know we can't always wait for you to wake up from your drinking! Why are you mad that we're hard at work?"

Murdoc sits up and throws his legs off of the couch, "Well it's my band! How do I know you're not switching up my songs while I'm away?"

"I wrote a whole album for you!" she pauses, "Are you still upset about last weekend?"

Murdoc's mouth opens and then snaps shut, it seems Noodle is right in her assumption. He sits back down and grumbles under his breath. It takes him a moment to realize that everyone is staring at him. "What the hell are you all looking at?" he asks.

"We're waiting for you to tell us your plan for the day." Russel finally speaks, still staring at his phone. Murdoc rubs his eyes and sighs. "What did you just get done doing? Let me listen to it."

Russel finally puts down his phone and replays the audio 2-D just recorded. After it ends he mutters under his breath for a moment and then speaks loud enough for the rest to hear, "Sounds good, redo it a couple of times and it'll be golden!"

"That's what I said!" Noodle says.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway," Murdoc says, "that can wait. I'm doing my chords next." He gets off the couch and throws his cigarette into a metal bucket they use for people going into the booth. As he gets everything he needs ready, the other three watch him grumble and fuss. When he finally notices that the others are staring again, he sneers and moves the microphone so that he is sitting away from them.

"Something strange is going on with Murdoc," Noodle says.

"Yeah, he's not having fun with his antics like he usually does," Russel says as he adjusts a few sliders so Murdoc can begin.

"He's worried about something," 2-D starts to tap the tune of Rock The House whilst lost in thought. Noodle's hand on his shoulder brings him back to Kong Studios, "2-D," his black eyes turn to her, "what is Murdoc worried about?"

2-D Laughs and clutches his stomach, "As if I'd know! If I asked he'd do me in for being nosey!"

Noodle leans back in her chair and stares down at her knees. That small feeling in the back of her mind is growing. Heavy waves of music faintly rise from the headphones around her neck, vibrating against her collarbone.

"Well, whatever it is," Russel says, "I hope it don't spell trouble for us."

Wanting to be alone with her thoughts, Noodle stands and says that she is going to the garden to smoke. Silence follows her exit until Russel speaks, "Speaking of people who're acting different, Noodle isn't as lively as she used to be."

2-D stares at the door she just left through, "I know, the last time we were together was so long ago. That Noodle I knew back then is gone I suppose." his hands instinctively pull out his cigarettes from his pocket and he lights one.

"Yep, she's all grown up! From what she's told me, she went on quite a hero's journey in Japan. You should ask her about it sometime. And on the topic of you," Russel's eyes cut into 2-D's being, "You ain't as skittish as you used to be, guess being in that whale did more than make you smell bad!" Russel laughs and slaps in on the shoulder. "But seriously, I'm glad you're a little more confident now, maybe Murdoc's high horse might get a little shorter." With a chuckle, he turns back to the mixing board and focuses on the band leader's playing.

2-D slides down the chair until he is practically lying in it, and smokes as he stares at the ceiling. He doesn't feel any different, his head is just more clear than it used to be. The smoke slowly rises out of his nostrils as he is trapped in thought, remaining that way for two hours before his back finally bothers him enough to move. As he puts his butt back in the seat and stretches his arms over his head, Russel pulls off his headphones and says, "Hey man, Noodle ain't come back yet. Go find her."

"Alright, she probably fell asleep but since you asked I'll go interrupt her rest." He says, putting the chair back against the wall and heading for the door, followed by Russel's glare.

In the garden, Noodle is lying in the noon sun. her hair is splayed out along the boards; a purple halo around her beautifully hardened features that tell of times when she was happy and times when she was troubled. At the moment, she is troubled by Murdoc's behavior. He is never straightforward with anything, except music. Even still, she feels he has no right to keep playing games with Russel, 2-D, and herself. But she will save passing judgment for another time when things are more clear. He can only keep up the charade for so long.

"Noodle," 2-D sings, "Are you awake?" She smiles but does not open her eyes. Softly he approaches and lies beside her, staring up at the sun. "It's quite warm," he says, "and so quiet."

"Yes, except when a train passes."

2-D stays with her for a moment, enjoying her company in this momentary stillness. He nearly falls asleep before he remembers what he came up here to do. "Oh!" he says, "Russel sent me up to see when you would be getting back?"

Noodle sits up on one hand and tucks her chin into her shoulder, "Aw, I thought you came up here to spend time with me."

2-D's big eyes grow even larger and he sputters out, "I-I didn't mean that-"

She punches him firmly on the shoulder and laughs, "I'm just playing silly! Besides, what's he in such a hurry for?" She stands and stretches her calves.

"I don't know, I guess he's a bit eager what with us being split up for so long. But he's always ready to go it seems, never a dull moment when he's around!" 2-D is on his feet now, leaning against one of the tall pots.

"I'm a bit eager too, having only Murdoc, a drum machine, and a robot to make music with was quite a challenge! Now that we got the real Noodle and Russel this new album will be a breeze! No different than my time in Guadeloupe!" he leans forward and gives her a toothy grin.

She smiles and steps closer, taking 2-D's hand. Being so near to 2-D or Russel is as close to completely safe as she can feel. No one else has done everything in their power to keep her safe and happy. Of course, 2-D couldn't help her when he was in trouble himself, but being together now is more than she hoped for when everyone was split apart.

Her smile fades and she asks, "What do you think is worrying Murdoc?" her hand takes his. 2-D pauses for a moment, squinting one eye. "...I think he's worried we might just up and disappear on him. It's hard for him to find good friends, and we're about all he's got! It could be that he's wanting this album to be perfect, as an apology. Though it won't get him nowhere busting me up in the process."

Noodle sighs in reassurance, squeezing 2-D's hand. "Thank you," she says, just before a train passes by.