2D took my hand and pulled me toward the door. He placed a slender finger on his lips and quietly shushed me even though I was making no sound. He pushed the door open a crack and peered into the study. My heart was sprinting in my chest and my thoughts were racing a mile a minute. If Murdoc was in the study how were we going to get out? We were in almost the top most part of the building, it wasn't like we could open a window and climb out. What if Murdoc decided to check and make sure that damn Android was ok or that she had finally finished us off?

I looked back at the gun, still abandoned across the room. I considered going back to get it but two things held me back. The first was quite literally 2D, his fingers tightened around mine as if he knew of my intentions, the second was pretty obvious. While I had been able to completely mutilate the robot I doubted I could stick a gun in Murdoc's face and pull the trigger once, not even considering the three extra times I did it to that Droid. My stomach rolled at the thought of his blood spattered against the wall behind him. I forced myself to think of something else.

2D's hand pulled away slightly from mine. I looked up at him, tearing myself away from my thoughts. He had his finger pressed against his lips again and then beckoned me forward with his head. Slowly, one foot in front of the other, we made our way into the study. I looked around cautiously even though I knew that 2D had checked extensively for the Satanist before taking the risk and jumping into the fire.

The routine was set, 2D would force himself in front of me with a look in his eyes that said 'I'm not going to let you both get hurt' and I would follow anxiously behind him like a lost lamb. We would pause at the slightest creak or rumble before finally unfreezing from our terror and taking a few more cautious steps toward the door. From there he would peer out into the next room for what felt like years before slowly edging himself into the room and beckoning me in once he was positive the coast was clear.

For a moment I let myself believe we were going to get away, even though everything was counting against us I let myself believe that 2D and I were going to get away and start a family somewhere far from Murdoc and his damn island. I let myself believe that everything was ok when deep down I knew it would have to get a lot worse before it got better.

From the time Murdoc left the recording studio he knew they would survive. He was beginning to see the big picture now. He assumed it was because he was going a little crazy and crazy people can always see the big picture, that's what makes them crazy.

No, Murdoc knew they would survive because in a story like 2D and Elle's they were the protagonists. They would fight every battle completely unprepared, expecting to die and they would still manage to win. Somehow, when he was leaving his Droid to take care of them, he knew he would never see that little Noodle clone ever again.

For one small moment he was ok with it. Let them escape. Let that disgusting creature in Elle's belly grow into a child and then into an adult. Let Elle and 2D get married and grow old together. Let them be happy because they were protagonists and Murdoc was nothing more than the psychotic antagonist who had no chance at a joyful life.

And then, after that small moment, something in Murdoc clicked into place. He had tried to get rid of 2D to help Elle see that he, Murdoc, was the right one for her. He had tried to get rid of both of them because they were both a waste of his time but he hadn't just tried to get rid of her. He ran the situation through his head. It would be a win/win for him. Not only would he finally be rid of the object of his unreturned affections, he would also be able to see 2D in pain hardly bearable to live through.

He looked up at the ceiling of the Droid's cupboard. He had retreated there because sometimes claustrophobia kept his head from spinning off his shoulders. Murdoc strained his ears and over the muffled banging and clanging coming from the dim-witted builder and his frying pan or whatever in the hell he said he needed to fix. For a split second he swore he could hear the muffled footsteps of two people trying to sneak away unnoticed but then the builder swore loudly as he slammed the bent frying pan accidentally onto his thumb.

Murdoc rolled his eyes and leapt to his feet. If there was any time to do finally get rid of his desires it was now. He grabbed an extra gun (honestly, where did his Android get all of them?) off the floor and jogged back into the elevator without so much as a 'hello' or 'goodbye' to the builder, who had looked up to see what crazy thing his employer was doing now.

2D knew that what he needed to be focusing on was getting Elle and himself out of the building he had been imprisoned in for months and into the open waters before Murdoc could notice that not only had Elle single handedly destroyed his precious android but that they had managed to get away without so much as a scratch. But despite how much he knew he needed to be focused on their survival his mind couldn't help but wander back to other thoughts.

Like fatherhood.

I'm going to be a dad. I'm going to be a dad. I'm going to be a dad. It was like a heartbeat, a rhythm, a way of life. In just a few hours, in just a handful of words, that little baby growing inside Elle, his Elle, had wrapped 2D around its little finger.

Will it have blue hair like mine? Or will it be blonde like Elle's? What if it has brown hair like I did before I fell out of that tree? What if it doesn't like music? 2D scoffed at his last thought and he heard Elle gasp.

"What? Did you see him?" She hissed, placing a hand on her chest.

2D turned back to look at her. He placed a kiss on her lips and smiled at her.

"No, my mind was on other things, sorry. It won't happen again." He whispered to her, rubbing a thumb across her cheek.

She stared at him for a moment and then let out a sigh and shook herself out. "Let's just get out of here."

He chuckled and nodded before pressing the button to the entrance on the elevator. He had no idea how they had gotten there but somehow they had. They just had to get past Tattoo and then they would be home-free. He turned back to Elle and placed a finger on his lips. She rolled her eyes at him, nodded, and (for good measure) mouthed 'I know' at him.

They linked arms and strutted past Tattoo as if they were actually allowed to be leaving the building. He just smiled at them and gave them the usual retort.

"The lift boss, the lift!" He exclaimed pointing to the elevator they had just gotten off of.

"Yes, thank you Tattoo," Elle called back over her shoulder, "I think 2D and I will just take a quick walk around the beach."

"The lift boss, the lift!" Tattoo yelled back at them as the door closed.

2D let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. After one heart-stopping moment where he couldn't find their get-away vehicle he finally located it, drifting in between the submarine and the pirate ship.

"Come on Elle." He whispered, even though he knew they could probably shout and still be able to hop into the boat and get away without Murdoc catching them.

2D stepped forward to make his way down to the boat but something pulled him back. Elle wasn't moving which was odd; she had been following him since they had snuck out of the recording studio. Why was she so against escaping now?

For a moment 2D thought his heart really had stopped. Spinning wildly around to face his frozen girlfriend he let out a silent yelp. Murdoc had somehow snuck out behind them and, while 2D was contemplating his surroundings, he had placed a cold, shiny gun against Elle's temple and his left hand against her mouth.

"You know I realized something, Face-ache," Murdoc murmured, a maniacal gleam in his eye, "Do you know what I realized?"

"Wh-what's that, Murdoc?" 2D asked staring into Elle's tear-filled, frightened eyes.

"To get rid of both my problems all I have to do is kill her." Murdoc pushed the barrel of the gun harder against Elle's temple. She gave a muffled scream of terror.

"B-both your problems? What do you m-mean?" 2D murmured, forcing himself to look away from Elle and into Murdoc's eyes.

"Don't pretend like you don't know!" Murdoc said laughing, he pointed a finger at 2D, "I've hated you from the very beginning. You're a great singer, I'll give you that, but you are nothing but a stupid, sad excuse for man! I don't know what you see in him, luv, when you can have me."

He had turned his attentions to Elle, who was trying hard not to cry. She looked up at him and then back at 2D. A look came over her face and he realized she had a plan.

"I'll stay with you." She said quickly to her hostage taker. "Just let 2D go and I'll stay. You can have me. You win. I'll stay with you."

2D nearly tumbled over the railing in surprise. "WHAT? No, Elle, you can't do this I won't let you!"

Murdoc was as surprised as 2D, he stared at Elle as if waiting for her to shout 'April Fools'. When it didn't come he spoke up. "Really?"

A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she nodded. "Yes. Just let 2D go."

Murdoc looked up at 2D as if just remembering he was there. 2D hardly noticed. Elle was determinately not looking at him and he felt as if his heart was breaking in his chest. Then a deep rumbling laughter broke the silence.

"I have a better idea, luv," Murdoc said, "How 'bout, I shoot your boyfriend and keep you here as my prisoner forever?"

He raised the gun to 2D's forehead.

"Now, I'm going to pull the trigger in three seconds. Do you want to see the light leave his empty eyes or not?" He asked Elle.

She mouthed wordlessly, staring at 2D. Murdoc chuckled.

"Time's up." He murmured before pulling the trigger.

Man oh man do I love cliffhangers.

Hey guys, how is everyone? That's good. I chose tonight to write another chapter for you lovely people instead of study my Spanish three stuff or my APUSH stuff so congrats, you guys get priority. I'm probably going to fail at life in the future but hey, who needs a career and a house and running water?

I was going to write a chapter on Monday, I stayed home sick then, but I ended up taking this gigantic five hour nap and then I had homework so I couldn't sqeeze it into my schedule.

Tomorrow is homecoming for my school. Go Firebirds! I hope we win. Because it would be embarassing if we lost at our own Homecoming.

Stay classy my friends.