Author's note: I'm back! School's started and stuff, but now I have things rolling! I'm gonna post two chapters for making you all wait. Thank you!

2D sat on the bed.
He was exhausted really.
Trying to gain Noodle back for the past couple of months was tiring.
Being so worried about her in general usually killed every bit of energy he had.
Things since that night she found out had been very difficult for the both of them.
She'd moved back into her own room the morning after it occurred.
She'd completely avoided him for a while.
Every other night he swore he could hear her crying.
Once he heard her he cried himself.
Every time he heard her sobbing he wanted to hold her.
Tell her things would be ok.
Every time he tried to talk to her she'd try to avoid the conversation.
It would either end with her yelling at him in Japanese or him crying and her just staring at him.
Things were even more odd due to the constant phone calls they'd been getting.
A few times it was Paula calling for 2D.
Every time that happened 2D ignored the call and Noodle wasn't seen around the house for days.
They were usually some guy calling for Noodle.
The same guy.
It made 2D paranoid.
He wanted to fix everything with her.
He'd prayed it wasn't too late.

Noodle came into his room after she'd ended one of her usual long conversations on the phone.
He felt as if a cold chill drafted in as Noodle walked by to return the phone.

"Who called?"

"None of your business."

2D looked at her solemnly.

"Noods...I jus' want to know."

"Well it was for me. Therefore, you don't NEED to know."

"Noodle jus' tell me...can you at least tell me what it was about?"

"2D! Shitsumon o teishi shite kudasai!"

Noodle looked at his pale face which seemed to be decorated in bruises and scars still.
He didn't know what she said, but he took the hint that she didn't want him questioning her.
She hated being this harsh.
She always had a short fuse, but never toward him.
She hated how things were turning out for them.

"Stu...you know we're not together anymore...right?"

The heartbreak in her voice filled the air.
It was almost tangible.

"Noodle...I don' blame yew. I messed up...like I always do."

"Please stop. If you're trying to get me to pity you, it's not going to work."

To be fully honest, she did pity him.
She wanted to comfort him.
Tell him he didn't mess up as badly as he felt he did...but that would be a lie.
She didn't want to lie to make him feel better.
That was the problem in the first place.
Him lying to her.

"I have to get some things ready."

Noodle evacuated the room and headed straight for the shower.
Hopefully that would wash all her problems away.

It was much later in the day.
It was almost 7 in the evening and the house was almost silent.
The sun was sinking as 2D stared into the fridge.
He wasn't really hungry, but he hadn't eaten all day.
Suddenly he saw Noodle coming into the kitchen quickly grabbing a glass of water and drinking it quickly.
She was wearing a black dress that was decorated in red flowers.
The bottom of the dress was pleated and the top of her dress had small straps that hung on her shoulders.
The waist was cinched causing the silky material to show off her petite figure.
Her lips were decorated in bright red and she had a nice layer on eyeliner on.
2D stared at her as his mind continued to be set on how beautiful she looked.
Sudden worry struck him as he realized she was leaving the house.

"Where a' yew headed to? Yew look rather dressed up... an' why on earff is yo' top button on tha' dress undone?"

2D reached forward for the button making Noodle quickly smack his hand away.

"Look, it doesn't matter where I'm going."

Noodle heard the doorbell ring.
She gave the same blank look toward 2D and walked towards the door.

"Thank you Murdoc for helping me!"

"No problem gurly!"

Noodle looked back at 2D once more and the blank stare turned almost...apologetic.
She put on a fabricated smile and walked out of the front door shutting it behind her.

Murdoc walked into the kitchen and shoved 2D aside.

"Move it faceache!"

"Mudz, where is Noodle off to?"

Murdoc browsed 2D's face.

"I guess she didn' wan' yew to know. Some bloke called 'er up this mo'nin' an' asked 'er out. I 'elped 'er get ready."

2D gave Murdoc a vacant stare as if he didn't understand him.

"Firs' of awl...you HELPED someone?"

"Yeh. Anythin' to get er what she deserves. You ain't it. hen again, anythin' to keep 'er happy an' outta the house."

2D gave the satanist an annoyed look.

"Second of awl, she's on a date?"

"Yes. I mean, I's not the first time. She pro'lly just realized she needs someone who's not a bumbling idiot. Act'ually I saw the guy. E' doesn't look half bad. I's the same one that keeps callin'."

2D didn't really hear what Murdoc said after he answered yes.
Actually the only thing he heard after was it wasn't the first time.
He hadn't realized how distant him and Noodle exactly were.

"Murdoc...yew think we're over for sure?"

Murdoc shrugged.

"She still loves ya'. I don' know why. Luckily this guy's been there for 'er. Then again, if e' 'urts 'er I'll beat 'im like I beat you."

"I didn' know yew cared."

"Ey, whatever it takes to keep you guys from ruinin' my band. An' I feel like she's too cute for 'er own good."

"Yeh, tha's the problem."

Murdoc rolled his eyes at 2D's response.
2D picked himself up off the floor and headed toward his room.
Eating wasn't all that important to him in the first place.

Noodle was standing awkwardly next to the boy.
His blue eyes locked into her shimmering green eyes.
He gave her a soft smile as he pushed his hair aside.

"Noodle, I'm glad you finally agreed to go out with me again. I'm really thrilled!"

"Oh...um...no problem."

"Yeah, I thought anyone as beautiful as you wouldn't want to bother with anyone like me. The first time you said yes I was shocked."

A light pink blush spread across Noodle's face.
She watched him as his freckles shifted.
He gave her a wide grin.

"Were you aware that you're very cute when you blush?"

This comment seemed to make her blush even harder.

"That's very kind of you to say Leon."

He shifted toward her and wrapped his hand around hers.
She gave an uncomfortable smile and looked at him.

"Noodle, if you don't want to hold my hand..."

"I do. It's just taking some time to get used to it."

She knew what she truly meant was it was hard for her to hold someone's hand and it's not 2D's.
The way he grinned at her.
The cute cockney accent he had.
Leon was nothing like 2D.
He was much younger and as full of much more bravery.
His eyes were a bright luminescent blue that seemed to see straight through you.
His hair was shorter and straight which made his freckles stand out even more.
He seemed to be much brighter too.
He grew up in America and had the large stereotypical appetite.
He expressed how much he hated cigarettes and drinking.
He was the kind of guy your father would agree to let you marry.
Noodle kind of hated it.

"So umm...let's head toward the reseraunt. Shall we?"

Noodle smiled and took his hand gently as they walked away to eat.

"Goodnight Noodle."

"Goodnight Leon. Thanks for the date. It was very kind of you."

Leon smiled. He leaned in for a kiss. Sudden panic struck Noodle as she put her hand in front of her face.

"I'm sorry to turn you down like that..."

"No it's all good in the hood. I can totally understand."

Sometimes Noodle gave him a strange look whenever he used American slang. It was odd to hear some of the sentences he said that meant something different in British. Sometimes she had to remember Russel had a habit of this and just think of when she talked to him, but then her mind began confusing the guy she was just went out with and her father figure. That overall made her feel uncomfortable.

"Well...Guddonaito."

He smiled once more as Noodle walked inside. It was kind of a bittersweet feeling. He knew the situation. He was falling for this shy young Japanese girl with beautiful green eyes and a remarkable smile. A girl who was funny, smart, and one hell of a guitarist. She'd played for him once. Her humor was the same as his and her laugh itself could brighten his day. Then only problem was she was in love with another man. Leon knew he was a rebound. Sometimes when he held her hand or put his arm around her he could almost feel her lose herself in thought. He knew she was imagining being with this other man she talked about sometimes. Apparently they lived together. He knew she wouldn't still be sleeping with the guy...would she? The way she had described this guy before sounded odd to him. He sounded like Leon's worst nightmare. According to her he had blue hair and no eyes. Not only did Leon have no clue how that was possible, he found it strange. He also knew this other guy was in his mid 30's, smoked, drank, and had issues with child support and women. They broke up because apparently he cheated on her and he slept with another guy that lived with them. Noodle did tell him way too much. There was no way in hell he'd lose Noodle to a guy like that. He'd always tried to catch a glimpse of this other guy. The only person he's seen that she lived with was this strange green skinned man who gave him warnings along with a chilling growl while he toyed with his inverted cross that dangled from his neck. What was his name...Murdoc? That guy scared him to no end. The man was absolutely repulsive so he knew that wasn't Noodle's father...looked old enough though. Was that the guy her ex slept with? Disgusting. Sometimes Leon also swore there was a big mass on the roof that shifted every time he came. Almost as if the house were alive. A lot of things about this amazing girl's life was strange...he just wondered if he could ever keep up and make her realize that he was falling for her. He was in love with her (the term being used as loosely as possible). She was the ideal trophy wife. Maybe that's what he really wanted...a trophy. Someone to look good on his arm. Well, she was the perfect fit for that. Hopefully she would fall for him and that trophy would be all his.

Noodle walked inside and sighed relief. She was glad he didn't kiss her. She couldn't do that to him. Make him think she liked him more than she actually did. Most of their relationship was pretend anyways. Although he was quite charming, she found his humor dry and his personality boring. She laughed anyways to make him feel better. No matter how nice he was or what he did she kept thinking about how awful he was. Once he tried to play guitar and piano for her. He was a crappy musician but at least he tried. Everything about him was very vapid and colorless. Maybe that's why she went out with him. Just because after all this drama she felt like she needed boring. She looked over to see 2D looking at her. She couldn't read his eyes, but she could somehow tell how he was feeling.

"2D, I don't want to hear it."

"Noodle I'm tired of awl this..."

"Of what? We aren't together."

"You and I both know we 'aven't finished wha' we star'ed."

Noodle's eyes became fixed on his.

"It's too late I found someone else..."

"I know..."

2D looked down and began nervously playing with his fingers.

"Noodle, do you really love that guy? I mean..."

Noodle looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. She knew her answer.

"Toochi...I miss you...but what you did..."

"I know wha' I did. I wan' to take ih' back so badly."

2D walked forward and lifted her head. He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"I missed bein' able to jus' look into yo' eyes..."

Noodle smiled sadly. She didn't know how she was supposed to be feeling. Angry at him for making an advance now, or joyous to realize he hadn't given up.

"When I saw yew goin' out I couldn' stop finkin' 'bout 'ow beau'iful yew looked. It killed me to see yew wiff someone else. After tha' I knew ih' was time fo' me to step up an' be brave."

"It killed me to think about how he wasn't you."

2D smiled slightly matching the sadness in Noodle's smile.

"Noodle...yew make me feel like I 'ave somethin' to live fo'."

"Toochi don't say that. You have many things to live for."

2D shook his head.

"Not really..."

"Toochi...please..."

2D looked once more into Noodle's eyes and pulled her in.
Their lips pressed together in a soft and passionate kiss.
Both Noodle and 2D had almost forgotten how this felt.
She thought of how soft his lips were against hers.
He thought of how she tasted slightly like cherries.
Noodle snapped into reality and pushed 2D away softly.

"This is wrong."

2D gave her a confused look.

"If I got back with you I'd be cheating on Leon."

"But Noodle...jus' break up with the bloke."

"I can't do that to him so suddenly. "

2D watched as she was walking out of the room.

"Also I'm not supposed to forgive you so easily..."

"Noodle please."

"No. If I forgave you now, you wouldn't learn anything from it. It would be just like last time when I forgave you."

Noodle left the room. This night ended with a lingering bittersweet feeling for her. So bitter because she couldn't let everything go, but so sweet because she knew 2D hadn't stopped loving her.
2D felt the same, but still felt more bitterness. It was almost like she left him dangling and struggling to gain her back. He knows the mistakes he's made, but he hoped she loved him enough to let it all go. He needed to figure something out. He needed a plan to get Noodle back...too bad his only plan right now was sheer bravery. Something he usually didn't have at all.