2D and Noodle embraced each other with such intensity, it was as if they were being reunited all over again. Both of them could never share their feeling for each other until now, fearing the deterioration of the band and their friendship. But now their romantic sides were meeting for the very first time.

"Hi there…" Noodle murmured through a kiss. 2D smiled and held her head to his chest. "Yer always gonna be my girl. No one's eva gonna take you away from me again," said 2D. "Koibito…" said Noodle softly, feeling his gentle heartbeats against her cheek.

Suddenly 2D's expression turned from dreamy to serious. "Should we tell the band?" he asked, looking her in the eye. "Are you crazy?" exclaimed Noodle. 2D shrugged.

Noodle sighed. "What do you think Murdoc would do? He'd lock us both up in that underwater prison cell!" 2D snorted with giddy laughter. "Be serious!" said Noodle, blushing, "OK, scratch that. We wouldn't even be together because…he would feed us to the whale! Separately! And we'd die!"

At the mention of the word 'whale' 2D's face became drained of color. "M-maybe we shouldn't tell the band then…"

"TELL DA BAND WHAT?" came a booming voice from behind them.

2D and Noodle whirled around. The massive frame of Russel had just surfaced from the ocean, and fat droplets of water fell from him like a torrential downpour.

2D's face grew as white as Russel's ghostly eyes. "How long 'ave you been there, blud?" he shouted up at him. "Jus' found you two. I've been lookin for some nonradioactive food. I asked these two fisherman on a boat if they 'ad anything on board, but they saw me and abandoned ship," said Russel sadly.

"Er…they're prolly intimidated by yer superstar status," said 2D awkwardly. Noodle walked to the shore and patted his large hand. "You'll get back to normal once you've been eating normal food for a while," she said soothingly. "And if I recall, your hand looks slightly smaller than it did than when we were at sea!"

"You think…I'm gonna get back to normal?" asked Russel with hope in his eyes. "I'm sure of it," said Noodle. "Thanks baby girl…" smiled Russel. "Ey yo D! Get over here and show me some love, man! An' don't run away like last time!"

2D scratched his back nervously and joined Noodle at the shore. He held up his first for a fist bump, which Russel touched lightly with his pinkie finger. The ice was broken and the two burst out laughing.

"Thanks for lookin' out for Noodle, man," said Russel through peals of laughter. 2D's stomach sank in sudden guilt. What would he say if he knew he kissed Noodle? "Er…no problem," said 2D, staring at the waves lopping at the shore.

"Well it's startin to get dark, I start gettin back to the building," said Russel. "Can I ride on your noggin again?" asked Noodle estatically, "2D you have to try this!" "Hang on!" said Russel as he scooped the two up. Noodle laughed with delight as 2D clung on to her, screaming in terror.

A short wade through the water later, Russel dropped 2D and Noodle off in front of the building. "I want to in go with yall, but, for obvious reasons, I can't," said Russel. "Well we can just stay out here with you," chirped Noodle, "I don't like that building anyway. It smells like rotten fish and overblown ego."

Russel chuckled. "Well I think it'd be safer out here anyways without Murdoc around." "Well he's got emself locked in behind the bookshelf," said 2D, pointing to the building, "So I fink….we'll….." He suddenly went quiet

Noodle took his shoulder. "2D?" Her eyes followed the direction were 2D was pointing.

Through a window they could see the freshly escaped Murdoc pointing back at them.