Russel had just put the left over dinner in the fridge when he heard another frustrated yell. Paige and Noodle had been at a game of Pong for almost two hours, pausing it only to eat quickly and run back down to 2D's room in the basement. He sighed, closing the fridge door.

"Go up! Up! Yes!"

"Mmmm. Ha! Take that!"

"Too easy."

"I'm not trying!"

Paige and Noodle sent the little circle back and forth across the screen. Noodle was in the lead, but Paige wasn't about to give up. The scores were 90 to 84 and the game was going to be played up until 100 points were reached. 2D just sat and watched on as they both made crazed efforts to move their respected rectangles up and down. In the end, Noodle won the game and Paige made a promise to practice and get better. Noodle left the room and said a "good night" as she headed back up the lift.

Paige smiled and sighed, lying down on the bed.

"She's really good, isn't she? Not just at games but she's a good kid, y'know?" 2D smiled as he thought about it. Noodle was a good girl, and she was very talented. She was the little sister that Stu never had and he could always confide in her.

"Yeh, Noodle's just a good person." They both were silent for a minute. They had nothing really to say. It was strange being in a new place with such kind and welcoming people (excluding Murdoc), but Paige felt this out-of-the-ordinary feeling. Possibly guilt? She didn't really know. Paige turned on her side and looked at 2D, who turned his head to look at her. She looked away at first as a reaction to meeting eye contact with him from what she could tell.

"Umm. I just wanted to… to say thanks. For everything. I don't know how to repay you guys for this. I don't even think I deserve to be here." 2D just smiled reassuringly.

"Don't wowry. We all like you, so there's nufink' t' feel bad 'bout, y'know? And your good an' stuff, so tha's always sumfink to 'memba I guess. Don't get sick over it." Paige just laid on her back and sighed again, looking at the ceiling. 'But what if I'm not as good as you make me out to be?' she thought. Paige had a habit of being modest, mostly when people praised her for doing anything well. It was hard taking in the fact that she could work with not just celebrities, but peers, her inspirations. But the question was "When are they going to do recording? There's been no news about it, so why stay if I'm not working?"

Paige stopped her thinking, since it only made things more complicated. She sat up and looked over 2D.

"You feeling any better?"

"I guess I'll be awright. It's just bruises and some scrapes is all."

After hearing this, Paige felt some what better about receiving good news (even if she was certain he wasn't in the best state). She left the room and returned a few minutes later in pajamas and her glasses. It was about twelve thirty but Paige felt tired already. Walking in the room, she noticed that 2D was only in his boxers and was pulling his shirt over his head. Paige now saw the bruises on his legs and knees that she hadn't noticed before. She just wanted to hug the poor man, and that's exactly what she did.

"Um, Paige? Wot's the huggin' for?" 2D whispered as he looked down on her curly and golden hair. She smiled and buried her head under his neck on his collar bone, not noticing the bruise she was pushing on. He didn't say anything about it though, best not to be rude or to let the warm hug go.

"I just thought you needed one and all. Look at you; you're covered in black and blues! My mum always said that 'love is the best medicine'." Paige let go of 2D and went over to her bag. Next to it she saw her cell phone, but didn't think much about it (obviously forgetting her conversation that morning). After putting things away and moving around for a while, she sat on the edge of the bed. 2D took a glass of water and swallowed a few much needed pills.

"Today was kinda long, huh? It might not matter to you, but I'm counted the sheep." She rested her body under the sheets, placing her glasses on the night stand.

"I'm actually pretty tired m'self." Stu replied as he stood watching her blankly. Paige saw his blurred figure and could tell he was looking at her. 2D just stood for a good four seconds, looking at Paige unconsciously. The pause was quite awkward. Paige finally shook her head and buried it in the pillow.

"Then turn the light off and go to bed." 2D didn't react at first but soon did what he was told, even though any other person would have done something so simple without instructions. It was quiet and Paige had just closed her eyes when she heard the high pitched whisper of the man next to her.

"Why'd you 'ave Murdoc's cross this mornin'?" Paige replied with a hummed 'What?'

"Y'know, the whole reason I got beaten t' a pulp."

"Ohh. I don't really know. Just woke up with it on, and my shirt was backwards for some reason. It was … strange. But really, I have no idea how it got around my neck." 2D took the answer and nodded his head, even though Paige couldn't see it. Once again, it was quiet and Paige was closing her eyes and getting comfortable when the sing-song voice came again.

"Do you remember anyfink from las' night?"

"Not that much, why?"

2D paused. "I fink you thought tha' Murdoc wos Kris Kringle, and you grabbed me at one point. Right?" Paige thought about it.

"Hmm. I actually kinda remember that. I did grab you, your mouth to be exact. I think I was making fun of your tongue… maybe?"

"Yeh, my tongue."

It was quiet once again, and Paige was now about to get relaxed when, once again, 2D spoke.

"Paige, do yo…"

"What!? What is it now!? Can I go to sleep!?"

"Err. Emm, Ay ya uh … I, I'm sowrry." 2D replied in a small voice. Paige sighed. 'Why does he have to sound so cute?'

"Sorry, 2D. I'm just tired. Will you PLEASE let me go to sleep?" 2D hummed an 'MmmHmm' and sighed, burying his head in his pillow and trying his best to get some rest. Paige replied with a yawn and a small "Night".

The silver car drove smoothly down the dark road. It was shady and the only source of illumination was the headlights, giving a view of the long and straight rode ahead. Behind the wheel was Paige, both hands on it, and she had a stone-like emotionless face. In the distance there was a figure of a person, a black shadow that began to grow bigger as the car moved closer. Paige didn't stop or slow down, but only accelerated faster.

The car sped down the road, closing in on the black silhouette. Closer and faster the car approached and Paige's face continued to stare on the road with out a flinch or even a hint of emotion. Then the silhouette came into view to reveal an older teenage boy with spiked dark brown hair and wide green eyes. The terror and shock on his face was illuminated by the car lights, but the boy didn't move an inch. Paige didn't even make any effort to stop the car from hurtling into the teen. She didn't even seem to care she was about to hit her dear friend, Greg, with the front of a car.

At impact, blood splattered the windshield and Greg's face was pushed against the glass. This was all right in front of Paige, who still held her solid and blank expression. Hitting the brakes, the boy's body went hurtling forward toward the pavement with a sickening thud. The lean woman sat still, looking uncomprehendingly at the crimson windshield, took the door handle, and exited the vehicle.

The broken and disheveled body of Greg lay on the floor. Paige peered over the body, looking at the blood, cuts, and skid markings on the friend. Her left eye let one tear escape; the salty water ran down her face and dripped off her chin. As soon as the water touched the ground, the asphalt disintegrated and sizzled forming a gapping hole. The ground crumbled beneath the two and the cracked pavement was about to give way. Paige gave an eerily wide and cynical grin and a horrifying laugh was heard.

Then the floor gave way and everything went black as she fell into an infinite abyss. The laugh echoed on in the darkness.

She awoke, panting and sweating, grasping the sheets with white knuckles. Paige's other hand held at her chest in an effort to slow down her breath and heart beat. These dreams always haunted her. Almost once a week, the horrible image would come again and the false but terrifying focus of, "I murdered Greg, and I didn't think twice about it." But it never made sense to Paige why she had the dreams. It didn't matter; it wasn't like she could stop them. Getting herself out of the bed, Paige felt her throat was dry. She searched for her glasses on the night stand she had put them on but couldn't find them.

"Shit." She whispered under her breath. Paige gave up and stumbled blindly and with terrible vision out of the room. After taking the lift (she wasn't even sure what number she had pressed) she walked into the car park (which she didn't know exactly was the car park). Her feet patted against the chill cement floor as she walked towards some kind of object. Paige felt along the outside of the object, which could have possibly been a wall. But it was no wall. That's when she found a handle of some kind.

Murdoc was sitting at his table in the Winnebago's makeshift kitchen, reading some article in a month old magazine. He slugged another sip of beer and placed in on the table, also putting his feet up. There was a sound, a tapping one that encircled the vehicle. Murdoc didn't think of it at first, until he heard tugging on the door handle.

"Hhmm… Who could that be?" he swaggered over to the door, pulled it open and was greeted to Paige falling on the steps like a sack of potatoes.

"Fuck! Oww! What the …" She looked up the see the blurred outline of a man.

Leather Cuban boots. Dirty Jeans. Shirtless. Greasy black mop-top.

Murdoc.

"Uhh … What am I doing here?" Paige asked, looking up at the Satanist. Murdoc looked down at her. He blinked.

"I wos 'bout to ask you the same. Y'know, get up, get up. Come in, come on!" He hoisted the woman off the floor and closed the door. Leading her to sit down, Murdoc picked up his beer and took another swig of it.

"So, luv, wot brings you 'ere?" Paige squinted in an effort to see her speaker's face better but failed in doing so.

"I just had a bad dream is all. I was thirsty so I got up and now, once again, I'm lost."

"Again? We really go'to get you a map of the place."

"More like a seeing eye dog. I couldn't find my glasses so everthin's all blurred." Murdoc sat next to her and put his hand in front of her face.

"How many fingers am I holdin' up?" Paige made a "how stupid can you be" face.

"When you're that close, I think a blind person could answer that question. Four."

Murdoc backed away, holding his hand up and farther away.

"How many now?"

"Three."

He moved back some more.

"Two."

Murdoc stepped back for the last time. Paige couldn't tell exactly how many fingers he had up, but she was sure it was less than four. Squinting, she had a better idea. Her face became angry.

"Hey, flipin' the bird, huh? Two can play at that game!" Paige flung up her hand, middle finger standing tall. Murdoc chuckled.

"Yeh, 'Fuck me' I know." He turned around and picked a pair of jeans off the floor, his rear facing towards Paige. She snickered.

"I can see your brickies cleavage from here, too. Wish I hadn't."

"Wot?"

"Your arse crack, Murdoc. I can see your arse."

"Did you like it?"

Paige was flustered and blushed.

"… No."

"That's what I thought ya ought t' say." Murdoc sat himself down and grabbed the almost empty beer from the table. Mid-sip he stopped to look at Paige who looked on at him holding the drink to his lips. Her throat was still dry and lips chapped.

"Need anythin'?" Paige shook herself from the sleepy and thirst driven trance.

"Uhh. I'm parched. Maybe somethin' to drink." Murdoc got up and walked over to the small fridge, peering in to get a drink.

"Water?"

"Yeah. That's good. Thanks heaps." Taking the water bottle from Murdoc's hand, Paige opened it eagerly and drank about a fourth of it. It was quiet for a minute. Murdoc sat himself down across from Paige, the wooden plank of a table between them.

"Wot was this dream 'bout?" Paige crossed her arms on the table, an elbow in each hand. Her head was turned to the side.

"It was a nightmare, no dream. I… it … was nothing really." Murdoc leaned forward.

"Really? And this nothin' nightmare woke ya up? I'd say i's more than tha'." Looking up, the Australian sighed. Shaking her head she mumbled under her breath.

"I don't usually talk to people about this stuff so take this as somethin' spiffy, 'k? It's just this thing where I kill a friend of mine. Usually it ends in this horrible way." Murdoc looked at her in some interest.

"And it's the same thing; I'm driving and I see him but I don't stop. I don't even think to stop, as if I want to kill him. The worst is the end. It changes every once and a while. Sometimes I get out of the car, while other times I just drive right over the body. I don't understand why I have these dreams."

"So you killed Greg in your nightmare?" Paige nodded, but then shot her head up with wide eyes.

"How did you know it was Greg?"

"I was lis'nin' when you told us about 'im. I guess the dreams are 'bout guilt, y'know. Like, maybe i's something about before 'e died. Hmm, I don't know. How did the dream end this time?" There wasn't an answer right away, but Paige got her voice back even if she was a little shaky.

"The ground fell apart and I was laughin' in this crazy and hysterical way. Then the floor fell beneath us and we disappeared." Murdoc looked at her face and studied how she said this. He thought for a minute, scratching at his chest hair. Then he pointed at her and gave his opinion.

"Your feelin' trapped in some way, luv. And by coverin' it ain't makin' it better. I got a feelin' this guy wos really somethin' t' ya."

He had read her mind and she was shocked. Paige gawked at his for a minute and tried to defend her self.

"What are you? Telling me what my dreams mean? … Oh, wait. Your soul belongs to the devil; I should expect more of someone like that." The bassist raised an eyebrow under his mop-top.

"Who's does your soul belong t'?" Paige laughed. God, of course. But she didn't tell the Satanist this.

"No one. Even though Richey thought it did."

"Richey?" Paige cursed herself in her mind. 'Why would I mention him? Oh yeah. I was covering up for the whole 'God' thing.'

"My –ex. The dick! Cheated on me, but was actually happy when I found out. It eased me up a bit to know that I really hadn't lost anything but a whacker."

"So wot kept you with 'im in the first place?"

"I'm not even sure. We really never agreed on anything. It was always a battle with him to make a decision. We'd fight and yell and scream, and than an hour later we'd be pashing on and you know the rest. 'You' obviously know the rest." Murdoc chuckled.

"And I thought you were a virgin. 'ow old are you, twenty…?"

"One. And no, I'm not a virgin. Haven't been since I was seventeen." Murdoc lifted his eye brows again.

"Mmmhh. Illegal, in the States if I'm right. So who was the lucky guy to get you going?" Paige's face went pale to red.

"Murdoc! Ugh, how did we get to this subject?" Murdoc laughed again. He was enjoying her frustration.

"Just answer the question, luv." Paige buried her mouth in her arms.

"Youalreadyheardofhim."

"Wot?"

"We were just talking about him."

"That dick?"

"No. The other one." There was a pause. Murdoc just looked at the young woman while she just blankly stared at the table. She noticed all the writing and carvings in it, trying to erase the words she just said that were echoing in her head. Trying to erase the fact that she had told him one of her precious secrets.

It made sense now. Paige said that Greg had died a few years back when she was seventeen. She must have had sex with him not long before he died, meaning they had something going on together. They possibly were more than friends. Or maybe she had sex with a ghost? Murdoc stopped his mind from wondering too far. It was hard to think of something to say. The silence was eerie and agitating to the bassist's ears. He had to think of something to say.

"Sooo, you like bassists?" Paige's jaw dropped, her eyes widened, and she gave him a death glare.

"You! Ww… Why wwould you say somethin' like that?"

"Was it even good sex?" Paige's face reddened more.

"I don't really remember. I was pretty drunk, actually. I want to say it was good: It was my first time, it should have been! I just remember waking up with him wrapped around me and I felt so secure and safe. It was a pretty awkward situation. He had liked me the minute he saw me. I think that was when I started in the new American school in 7th grade. We were really close friends, and getting that close was what we needed, I guess." Murdoc sighed.

"Thanks for all the mushy lovey pink shit. So how many others have you shagged?" Paige was flustered at the question but thought to herself 'He's not going to lay off on this. Might as well just tell him. Not like it would matter, anyway.'

"I think three. Well how about you?" Murdoc just looked at her with a sneaky face and Paige really couldn't tell until she moved a bit closer.

"Oh. Why the hell would I ask you that? You're a bike, everyone gets a ride. I doubt your counting" Murdoc took her hand in his, giving her a seductive eye and a tug at her wrist.

"Well I'm a well made bike, tha's for sure. Could be all those skanks plus one if you wouldn't mind to take a joy ride." Paige pulled her hand away and her face was red and hot again.

"Umm, no thanks. Don't want to know what vile things reside in your daks." Murdoc laughed maleficently.

"You're a funny one! Don't worry, luv, I'll grow on ya." Paige laughed. Why argue with him? She left the conversation at that.

They both continued to talk about each other's respected bands. They found some things in common, like their own interest in grunge, metal, and dark music.

"Y'know wot I, like, always felt was amazing? Tha' screamo shit where the people are all like 'Rawr rawr rawr! Fuck you, motha fucka, DIE!'. Right?"

Paige nodded her head in agreement. She smiled.

"Hey, Murdoc. Can I knock your socks off for a sec'?"

"Yeh, Paige. Go for it."

"I can do that whole screamo thing." Murdoc shook his head and chuckled. Paige looked at him confused.

"What?"

"I don't believe you." Paige slammed her palms on the table, standing up.

"I'll prove it to you! Give me something to say." Murdoc scratched his chin as he thought of something for her to say. He snapped his fingers as he got the idea.

"Murdoc is God." Paige rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but it's not gonna sound that good. It's been years since I've done it." He just nodded. Paige cleared her throat and made some strange noises.

She looked at him for a second and nervously asked him, "Murdoc, can you turn around? I really hate when people see my face when I do this." Murdoc turned to the side.

"I'm not looking, and I'm still waiting." Paige cleared her throat one more time, gave a little cough, and then began the scream.

"WOooohhh! MuuurdooociiiissGooooooood!"

The Satanists was practically knocked off his ass.

"Sweet Satan! I didn't think you 'ad it in ya!" Paige coughed again, rubbing her throat. She grabbed her water and had a sip of it.

"Me either. I really haven't done that in a while. Hopefully I didn't wake anyone up."

"Uhh, no Paige. This thing is practically sound proof. Maybe even bullet proof." Murdoc replied, knocking on the wall. Paige noticed bullet holes in the wall a foot away from Murdoc's hand.

"So what's with the bullet holes? I thought it was bullet proof?"

"Ohh, these. I did that. There was a walkin' dead bloke in 'ere so I blew 'is block to bits." Paige made a disgusted face.

"Sounds like the bee's knees."

It was about five in the morning now. Murdoc hadn't slept at all but it didn't matter since he had slept all day. Paige, on the other hand, had been up most of the day and was lacking in the sleep department. She yawned with a hand over her face, trying to hide the fact that she was tired. This failed though and Murdoc noticed her fatigue. 'Maybe I should bring 'er back to the dullard?', Murdoc thought but the after thought was, 'Why would I want to do that?'. Paige buried her face in her crossed arms on the table, falling asleep.

"Luv, you can't sleep on the table."

"Why not?", came the sleepy and muffled reply. Murdoc walked over to her side and helped get her standing. He led her to his bed and she stumbled and struggled to open her eyes. When she did and she saw the bed, some life came back to her mostly fear driven.

"Nonononono! I'm not sleeping with you!" Paige pushed herself away from Murdoc and smashed face first into the wall after turning away.

"Oww!" Paige fell at the impact and Murdoc couldn't help laughing, but lent a hand for her to get up off the floor and sat her on the bed's edge.

"I'm not bleedin', em I?" Paige asked as she poked her sore nose. Murdoc rested his hand under her chin, tilting her face up and got closer to get a better look at her nose.

"Nope, no blood." Murdoc was standing above Paige and still held her chin in his callused fingers. Their faces were closer than comfort (for Paige, anyway) and Murdoc just looked over her face and smiled when he found her delicate pink lips, slightly parted to reveal the tips of her white teeth. Very tempting.

"Paige. If you'd kiss me now, this would be like one of those chick-flick film scenes."

Paige didn't move away at this strangely. She was tired and the warmth of his fingers was comforting in a bizarre way. 'Murdoc' and 'comforting' were two words that you rarely heard together. Murdoc slowly pulled her closer by her chin but Paige reacted by pulling away; something she should have done after Murdoc had even said 'kiss'. Murdoc grunted and disappointedly walked away. 'Should 'ave expected tha'.'

Paige just sat awkwardly on the bed. 'Was I about to …? No, I wouldn't have wanted to … That's just … I mean it's Murdoc! But … what just happened there? Paige! You're loosing it!' Shaking the thoughts out of her head, the Aussie looked to the spot where Murdoc was standing, lighting a fag and puffing out a cloud of smoke. Paige sighed in frustration, yawned from tiredness, and struggled to get her words out.

"Mu, Murdoc? I'm just gonna sleep, ok? I can sleep on the couch since I …"

"Just sleep there. It's alright."

Paige listened to what he said; she was tired and not really thinking. The bed was tempting. Lying down, she looked out to see Murdoc pacing back and forth in the kitchen. Then her eye lids felt heavy, putting Paige into a peaceful sleep.

Her eyes opened to a hazy darkness and a small amount of light shone through a window of some kind. Paige half opened her eyes and started to remember where she was, mostly do to the stench of smokes, booze, and a forty year old sex machine. The woman shot up in the bed, and threw the sheets up in the air. She checked her whole body. 'Shit! Shit! Shit! Pants, underwear, shirt; good. No visible bruising or pain; even better.' She sighed in relief, forcing her limbs to move her out of the bed and into the kitchen.

Looking around, she noticed that Murdoc wasn't there. Paige searched around the kitchen, checked the bathroom, and looked back in the room. She noticed a black mass on top of the driver's seat. At first, she suspected it was Cortez, but moving closer she was sure it wasn't. Paige stood next to the seat now, looking at a slumped, heavily breathing, and sleeping Murdoc.

Paige sat at the kitchen table, not really thinking or looking at anything. It was hard to see when everything was a big blur. Paige hated not being able to see and just wanted to find her glasses or put in her contact lenses. It was about twenty minutes of sitting that Paige decided to wake up the sleeping man. She shook his shoulder, whispering his name. This didn't work so she shook him harder and said his name louder. This didn't work either, so Paige really got a hold of him and yelled into his ear. Murdoc abruptly woke up and bumped his forehead right into Paige's.

"Fuck!"

"Oww!"

"Wot the hell are you doing, ya git!?"

"I'm not a git! God, Murdoc. Sorry I had to wake you up. I just kinda want to get out of this rat's nest." Murdoc rubbed his sore head and rubbed his eyes of the morning fuzz as well.

"Alright. Let's get you the hell out of 'ere." Both of them exited the Winnebago and Murdoc led Paige into the right direction. It didn't even take a minute until they got to a door that read, "Sod off 2-D!" in bright painted letters. Opening the door, Murdoc led Paige down the narrow spiraling stairs to 2D's room. They stopped at the door and just stood in the darkness for a minute.

"Paige …"

"Thanks, Murdoc. Uhh. See you later I guess." Paige quickly grabbed for the door and slipped into the room, closing the entrance behind her and fully separating herself from Murdoc.

Murdoc's face was drenched in frustration and confusion. He walked back to the car park, thinking about what happened a few hours ago. It seemed that this girl was either really thick headed or just not fazed by his natural charm. As he laid on the bed, throwing darts at the ceiling he thought the same thought over and over again in his head.

"I should of just fucked her while she was sleeping."

Hey, This is FIM as you might know. The author of "Ants on Life Support". I just wanted to say thanks for anyone who is reading this but I'm also going to ask you a favor. Can I get at least 2 or 3 comments on the story before i post the next chapter? I don't care if it is a critique or a compliment but I'm only asking for 2 or 3. I'm not saying i wont post the next chapter, but a lack of c&c might cause the next chapter to be pushed back. This is an experiment to see if people are actually reading to story, and if they are, do they enjoy it. Peace!

*F*I*M*