Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything!

Noel was woken up the next morning by the sound of someone moving around in the kitchen. he kept his eyes shut for a while, clinging onto the hope that maybe somehow he would be back in his own house; and that person in the kitchen was Dee, or maybe Mike.

This was short-lived, however, because as soon as he cracked an eye open he saw that he was definitely still in the Boosh flat, and the person in the kitchen was Howard.

"Alright?"

Howard almost jumped out of his skin, and swung around to face Noel. "Oh. You're awake."

"Yeah. Hi." He gave a little wave.

"Hi." Howard looked incredibly awkward. "Listen, about yesterday…"

"It's fine. I don't know how I'd feel if I was told my world was created by someone writing a story; I should expect the same reaction from you."

"Yeah, well."

"Naboo and Bollo gone out?"

"Yeah."

Noel breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Bollo wouldn't hurt him, but all the same…it was one thing to act with your mate in a suit; quite another to sit next to an actual talking gorilla. Who was probably strong enough to crush you. Not exactly the most comforting of thoughts.

"So… what do I do today then?"

"What would you normally do?"

Noel shrugged. "I dunno really. Try and come up with new ideas for the Boosh. Hang out with my girlfriend, or my mates. Not really stuff I can do here, is it?"

"Well. I need to open up the shop, so…"

Noel suddenly got a very excited grin on his face. "Ooh, can I come help?"

"Really?"

"Yeah! It'd me genius, imagine me working in the Nabootique!"

Howard looked at him for a few seconds. "You have no idea how strange it is to hear Vince's voice saying work would be 'genius'."

Noel just grinned. He would never have thought in a million years that he would be excited about working in a shop. He wondered if he would have the same entrepreneurial knack that he and Julian had given Vince.

Julian woke up to the very unnerving sensation of hearing himself talking. It took him a few seconds to realise that he could hear a Boosh episode playing, and a few more seconds to realise that this meant his friend was up and watching them on his own.

"Shit." He muttered, dragging himself out of bed and walking bleary-eyed into the living room. The room was bathed in darkness, the only source of light were the flickering images on the TV screen. He could see a hunched figure sat in front of the TV, skip-watching the episode. He would watch for several seconds, then fast-forward for a while, then watch again. Over and over.

"Noel?"

The man spun his head round and instantly jumped to his feet.

XXXXXXXX

"Who the hell are you?" Vince asked, real fear evident in his voice.

Julian frowned. He could tell he would have to tread carefully here. "Noel…"

"No! Where am I, what have you done to me? What, are you stalking me, is that it? How the hell do you have this stuff on tape?!"

Julian glanced at the screen. The frozen picture showed Howard standing on the roof, clutching the chimney for support. He recognised it as just after the kiss scene in 'Party'.

"Noel, hey, try and calm down, yeah? Now listen to me; I keep trying to tell you, this isn't real. Howard and Vince, they're just made up! Look, why don't you calm down, and I'll make you some tea or something, ok?"

"I'm not drinking anything! I don't understand, I am real, I…" he clutched his hair, his face contorted so he looked slightly mad. "I remember my life! I remember it! I remember walking in on my mum after she killed herself when I was 3! I watched it destroy my dad until I was sent away to live with Brian when I was 7. I had my first kiss was with Alice Sanderson when I was 13 behind the caretaker's cottage at school. I left school when I was 16 to go and work in the zoo! I remember all that! I didn't make it up, or read about it, or see it on the telly, I remember it! So I am real! And I don't…" his voice faltered, and his eyes filled suddenly with tears. "I want to see Howard!"

XXXXXXXX

Julian watched him with the strangest expression on his face. This is insane. He thought. I cannot seriously be thinking this! Because a small part of him, right at the back of his mind, believed the younger man.

Howard couldn't help smiling as he watched Noel sat behind the counter. The younger man was looking around him with an expression of complete delight. It had been a busy day so far (the shop had been open 3 hours and they'd already had 2 customers!) and so far Noel had proved to be just as good at charming the customers as his alter-ego. Howard felt a pang of anxiety as he thought about Vince. He couldn't imagine what he must be going through; trapped in Noel's world. Would he understand what had happened? Worse; would everyone else? He and Naboo had the advantage of living in a world of magic; but Noel's world was very much a world of science. And therefore this sort of thing would not be accepted.

"Howard? You ok mate?"

He looked up to see Noel watching him, curiously. "Fine. I'm just thinking about, you know, Vince. I hope he's ok…"

"I'm sure he's ok. After all, he does have my charm doesn't he?" Noel smiled sympathetically, trying his best to reassure the older man. Why though? He wondered. This is in my head; Vince is about as likely to be talking to Ju as I am to win a heavyweight boxing match! When watching Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes on the telly, Noel had always assumed that he wouldn't be like that; that he'd know they were in his head and act accordingly. But it all seemed so real; and basic human instinct was making him act like these were real people…

Won't be updating for a while now as am off on holiday! Hopefully will have lots more to read and review by next week lol. Reviews are love xx