Chapter 12

Noodle awoke in a strange room. The walls were painted a vile off white and she was surrounded by bright lights.

"Where am I?"

"You're in hospital love."

Noodle looked round. Where had that voice come from?

"Over here love."

Noodle looked to her left and saw a nurse fiddling with a drip at the side of her bed.

"Welcome back."

She stopped fiddling with the drip and felt Noodle's forehead.

"Mm, you're warm."

The nurse took on of the sheets from Noodle's bed and disappeared out the room. Noodle continued to gaze around the room. Who'd brought her here? How long had she been here? Her thoughts were interrupted by footsteps outside.

"Baby girl."

"Russel-san!"

Russel came into the room, closely followed by Murdoc and 2-D.

"What am I doing here?"

The guys all took a chair at the side of her bed.

"I'm surprised you've not noticed."

Murdoc leant over her and grabbed her arm gently.

"Does this ring any bells?"

Noodle looked down at her arm and sighed. She could see the bones sticking out and her elbow stuck out alarmingly.

"I see."

She sobbed slightly and tears began to form in her eyes.

"I can't keep putting you guys through with this."

Noodle tore the drip from her arm and threw it across the room.

"Just let me die."

"Noodle STOP!"

2-D yelled at Noodle and ran to retrieve the drip.

"We've got some good news for you."

Russel took Noodle's hand and held it tight.

"What?"

Noodle was crying and her voice has harsh.

"We've caught him."

"Who?"

Noodle's expression puzzled.

"Alberto Kossington. Your rapist."

Noodle went white.

"That's impossible. How did you find him?"

"You're gonna hate me for this Noods, when we bought you your mobile for your 13th birthday we had a tracker installed in it. Whenever you went out alone we could track your location and make sure you were where you said you were. We followed the tracker and found Alberto hiding in an abandoned factory in Wales. The police have him behind bars. You're safe now."

Noodle continued to cry. She couldn't believe they'd found him after all this time.

"Come here love."

Russel knelt down and wrapped his bulky arms round Noodle's small frame.

"It's gonna be alright now."

"How's the baby?"

Noodle looked down at her stomach.

"The baby's fine Noods."

2-D fixed the drip back into her arm and sat down on the end of the bed.

"We've got to get you better first though."

"How long have I got to stay here for?"

"Until you reach 7 stone. Maybe a while. You only weigh 5 stone 5, and that's including the baby."

2-D looked worried.

"You've got to eat Noodle. Do it for us."

He gestured round the room.

"Do it for her."

He rubbed her stomach protectively.

"I'll try."

"That's all we ask."

An hour or so later a nurse appeared with a dinner trolley. She pulled the side table over Noodle's bed and positioned a small bowl of tomato soup and a slice of white bread. She also put a large mug of warm milk.

"Try to eat some of it. OK love?"

Noodle nodded and the nurse left the room. All eyes fell on her. She gulped and stared at the soup. She'd avoided eating for so long. The thought of putting something in her mouth and making it disappear seemed almost alien.

"Come on Noods."

Noodle looked up and saw 2-D looking at her longingly.

"Just try a little bit."

He pressed the cold metal spoon into her hands. Noodle dipped the spoon in the soup and swirled it round. She couldn't do this. She just couldn't. She felt herself start to cry again. Tears fell down her face and into the soup. She hid her face and continued to cry.

2-D was losing his patience. He couldn't lose Noodle like this. She needed to eat- now. He picked up the spoon and put a small amount of soup onto it.

"Noodle?"

He brushed the hair from her face and wiped away her tears with the back of his hand.

"Please love. I can't lose you like this."

Seeing 2-D like this hurt Noodle greatly. 2-D brought the spoon up to her face, she shook her head.

"I can't."

2-D was trying to be patient.

"Think of the baby Noodle, you're not only killing yourself. You're killing her too."

2-D's face was threatening tears. Noodle couldn't take it. She faced her demons and opened her mouth.

2-D looked at her. Was she serious? Tears were still flowing down her face. She nodded. 2-D slowly put the spoon to her lips and tipped the now cold soup into her mouth. Noodle clamped her lips shut. This was weird. She closed her eyes tight and swallowed. The soup was gone.

"Well done love."

She opened her eyes and saw 2-D was crying.

"Can you have another spoonful?"

Noodle nodded weakly and opened her mouth for the next load. She kept it in her mouth, her brain was telling her to spit it out but another voice was begging her to eat it. She swallowed hard. It was gone.

Over the next two months things slowly progressed. Noodle began to eat more with each coming day. She stopped making herself sick and began to enjoy been alive. She was closely observed by the hospital staff and was released in July. She now weighed 7 stone 5 and was sent home to relax before the baby was born. She'd been through so much. The guys were over the moon and as a final homecoming party; they decided to go on a shopping spree.