Disclaimer: I do NOT own Gorillaz or anything about them—they are fabulous. But they belong to Jamie Hewlett & Damon Albarn, ladies and gents. I only play with them. Therefore, please do not sue me; you won't get a dime, trust me.

A/N: Here's chapter 10! I want to say it's fabulous but I feel like that'd be untrue. Anywho, I'll let you all be the judges of this chapter's worthiness!

'Thoughts' Flashbacks "Talking" Everything else

Oh joys arise

The sun has come again to hold you

Sailing out the doldrums the week

The polyphonic prayer is here, it's all around you

It's all around you, out here

~Empire Ants—Gorillaz ft. Little Dragon~

Canvas of Imperfection

Noodle felt drained beyond anything she'd felt before, limbs aching and head spinning as though she would soon get a migraine. Her world seemed fuzzy and she couldn't seem to place where she was at the moment, unsure of her surroundings. All she knew was that the bedding beneath her was comfortable, lulling her into a state of slumber she hadn't experienced in years. She felt warmth circulating through her until it seemed to settle against her back where it was the most concentrated. It was in those seconds of realization that she now could feel the imprint of hands on her back through her clothing, hands that were definitely male, hands that were strong. She blushed to the roots of her hair as the memories came flooding back from her journey to Essex and back to Plastic Beach with 2D accompanying her. Her anxiety began to rise when she discovered that they were safely back in his room, lying on his bed, snuggled under the covers while 2D's chest rose and fell from the steady rhythm of his breathing. He was in a deep almost trance like sleep, obviously exhausted from whatever they had done or talked about on the way back home. Sighing, Noodle couldn't make up her mind on whether to carefully extract herself or to sink into the warmth of his embrace. However, the decision was made for her seconds later when 2D groaned and pulled her closer to his chest, locking his arms around her slim frame. Her cheeks flamed.

'Did we…no…we couldn't have! 2D would never do that without my consent!' Her mind rattled off reasons as to why they couldn't possibly have slept together, each sounding more ridiculous than the next when she knew he would never do such a thing by force. He was aware of her bouts of lucidity, wasn't he? Biting her lip, Noodle remained perfectly still and pliable in his arms as she contemplated the various scenarios and outcomes of what could occur should he wake up and find her, too, awake. Shrugging it off, she decided to enjoy the brief moment of comfort while it lasted. When he awakened she was sure he would be disgusted given how much she'd melded with the Android. It was something that, as time passed, she became more and more unsure of whether it would change. She felt her blood run cold at that very thought but knew that saying anything at that very moment would change nothing for her current situation. With a heavy hearted sigh she sank back into 2D's embrace with the silent vow to truly enjoy what he was giving before he woke up. She didn't want to think about what the rest of her band mates were doing let alone where they were, presently.

She could hear the whale swimming around outside 2D's bedroom window, massive girth anything but silent in the fluidity of the ocean water. However, this did not disturb the vocalist's slumber, which she suspected was heavily induced by his medication and their journey back to Plastic Beach. She didn't remember much of the actual trip back but she did recall falling asleep on the bus, head on 2D's shoulder and feeling comfortable, calm. Aside from the panic that occurred moments ago, Noodle now felt serene in his arms, a sense of silence that accompanied contentment reaching her scarred soul as she lay there. The dread that had caught hold of her was gone now, replaced only with a feeling of dampened happiness. It stuck to the threads of her thoughts, tendrils of muted emotions that lay there upon her skin like fragmented stitching. It felt surreal to be where she was now and remembering where she'd been years ago, wishing and waiting for something she wasn't sure would ever happen. Yet here she was now, warped and twisted but in a place she'd only ever really dreamed of in the solitude of not only her own room, but her own thoughts as well. She would never be able share these feelings with Russel or Murdoc unless she wanted 2D to be bludgeoned to death by her onii-san's fists. The thought was frightening if not a bit comical in retrospect. Nevertheless, she laid there, a thin and hesitant smile on her chapped lips. She only wished the moment would last longer so she could imprint it in her memory if things went awry. As it was, 2D was still, clearly, knocked out if his light snores were any indication of how deeply he was asleep.

Curiosity suddenly got the best of her and she managed to wriggle an arm free from his grip, not that alarmed when he didn't even flinch at the movement. He slept like the dead zombies back at Kong, maybe even worse. Raising her fingers to his face she gently traced the contours of his pale flesh, stopping at the miniscule scars that were easily disguised up by cover up and such when they had toured. His eyelids fluttered a bit when he fingers lightly trailed over them but they remained closed, which she was thankful for. His blue hair fell over the middle of his face, the spikes beginning to lose their stiffness and the gel wearing off now that he had been laying down on it. It was still soft to the touch, however, and Noodle rolled a few of the fine strands between his fingers before returning them to their proper place. Her exploration didn't end there, her emerald gaze focused on his sleeping features as she simply stared at him while he slept, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. These were the moments she had missed so dearly during her time in Hell, the moments she cherished and what she clung to in times when she felt like ending it all. It wasn't a pleasant thought, the notion that she had considered giving up; but it happened. She couldn't deny that those times had been some of her darkest contemplations nor could she deny how aggravating it was to deal with the dark times now. Everything should've been better but it wasn't. Reality wasn't kind to her, she now knew.

She was so lost in thought that when 2D's hand moved to her arm she practically jumped out of her skin. "2D-san!"

He gave her a lost look. "Lil love, yew sleep at all?"

Composing herself, Noodle nodded very slowly as if she hadn't quite understood the question. "Hai, I did." His face remained expressionless but he tilted his head to the side. Noodle blushed. "I…how did you sleep?"

He let out a yawn at this and stretched his seemingly endless limbs in all directions. "Awright, lil love."

She watched in fascination as the more he stretched the more scars were revealed on his pale skin. His lanky frame didn't hide the bruises or cuts either but she suddenly found herself really wanting to trace every one of them with her hands. In fact, she found herself increasingly interested in touching him without a real reason. Upon realizing the proximity she knew that it'd be a good idea if she decided to back away and leave at that moment. Yet right as she made a move to do so, legs starting to slip from underneath the cover, 2D's arm went back around her, eyes still sleepy despite appearing to be awake. The urge to touch him only intensified with this action and Noodle found herself suddenly pinning him to his bed, her smaller body atop his. 2D's wide eyed gaze did little to deter her and Noodle wasn't sure if it was her or the Android who was in control. Part of her was suddenly aching to strangle the crap out of him or, at the very least, play mind games while the other part was willing her to kiss him. The push and pull between her feelings and the Android's thoughts caused her to hesitate, her face screwed up in confusion and debate. 2D gaped.

"Noods…yew…wot yew doin…?" His puzzlement hung in the air between, so practically tangible that Noodle could swear she tasted it. His lips pursed when she said nothing, one of his hands rising but whether to push her off or pull her closer, the purple haired woman did not know. His abyssal eyes gazed up at her questioningly. "Noods…?"

"I…sumimasen, 2D-san, I don't know…I must go." With slow, languid movements Noodle slid off his bed with glazed eyes, something that signaled she was not completely there again. Her mind felt foggy all of a sudden, like her mind had drifted behind a curtain of sheer silk just thick enough to blind her more coherent thought process into nothingness. As it was she didn't trust herself not to do something she'd regret later. Sighing, she turned back to his doorway with an eerie slowness that made her feel like she was having an out of body experience. "See you later."

2D stared, dumbfounded, after the door had been closed. There was an odd sensation settling in the pit of his stomach that made him want to bolt after her yet warned this was a terrible idea given her current state of mind. He had already kissed her once and it hadn't ended well. This time, if it was to happen, he knew he'd have to wait for her to come to him and do it of her own volition. It was awful, the ache of how badly Noodle herself wanted to taste his lips again, hot, sensuous, powerful against her own in the dim lighting of her remodeled room. Something told her it was not a prime idea no matter how much she wanted it. Her mind felt cloudy again, confusing her for a moment as to which button she should press on the lift. Eventually she settled on the Studio area since she figured it was early enough that Murdoc would still be in his lair, and Russel wouldn't be in the recording area. It wasn't exactly 5:00 AM or anything but even 9:00 AM was too early for the band of drunken misfits, at least in Murdoc's case. Russel would eventually stir due to a rumbling stomach with the intention of, more than likely, making waffles or pancakes for whoever happened to be awake at the time. Normally, it was just her and Russel eating together.

Sighing, she made her way to the synthesizer where 2D would usually try to come up with new melodies and such for their songs. Her fingers hovered idly above the black and white keys, unsure of whether she would bother to try and play something at that moment. Her heart ached in a way that left an unexplainable feeling swirling about her, a feeling that seemed to penetrate every fiber of her being to a point of pain. It was a constant heartache, one that settled in the pit of the organ and would not budge for anything; it palpitated. It grew, festering like a diseased wound for the entire world to see, except no one saw. Choking back what she considered a practically pitiful sob Noodle swiveled around to face the brightly lit walls of Plastic Beach's new, improved studio, courtesy of the Satanic Bassist. She couldn't honestly say she didn't like the way it looked but it was so foreign to her that a mere glance at it made her want to break every light bulb and tear down its walls. Sighing, she brought her attention back to the synthesizer with her fingers hovering over the keys once again, unsure if she should play something or try to even create something. The hollowness she felt, the emptiness that had begun to eat her up, tearing at the fragile seams of her consciousness was becoming a bit too much to bear every day. As result, she figured it was why the Android took over so much and left her with blanks in her memory, left her with moments of lucidity she could only attribute to her psychosis.

'But what psychosis is it? If I'm aware that I have moments of lucidity and the Android wasn't, technically, a part of me…what's the matter with me?' Frowning, Noodle pondered these questions over and over again until they became a broken record in her mind, causing her to pull her hair in frustration. She didn't have amnesia nor did she believe that she had a split personality disorder or anything of the like. And the knowledge of this made her more and more antsy, uncomfortable and unsure of whether she'd ever fit in again. Staring at the black and white keys before her, Noodle's fingers slid until her arms were hanging at her sides in despair, eyes burning and tired from unshed tears. She felt like the world was closing in on her, like the walls were going to swallow her whole in their unforgiving, unrelenting arms and suffocate her until she breathed her last breath. Times like this she wished she had some kind of sick habit like smoking or drinking—she wasn't exactly thrilled about other negative coping methods. At least there might be the off chance of her enjoying drunkenness or marijuana laced intoxication, though she highly doubted it. Part of her personality was to never be caught off guard, and substances that hindered awareness were not high on her list. As it was, she was having issues with feeling like she wasn't herself, and knowing that her mind was a muddled mess of thoughts and memories she wished she could erase.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't even hear the door to the studio crack open. She practically screamed when a hand landed upon her shoulder but her current state of wonder caused her to merely look over in blatant yet dulled surprise. Murdoc stood there, mismatched eyes looking hazed over with a hangover and breath smelling like scotch or some other dank alcohol. Noodle eyed him warily if not confusedly, as if she was wearing a pair of opaque sunglasses clouded with grime. There was no disgust on her face. Simply puzzlement. Almost as if she did not recognize him at all. He felt concern make its way up his throat and thought to say something nice but nothing came out. As if sensing something was off the young woman shot him another curious look before sliding off the stool as if her legs were made of Jello before slinking out the door to leave him standing shocked in the middle of the studio. Outside the now closed door Noodle's heart was pounding in strange fright from Murdoc's sudden appearance, as if he was terrifying when she surely knew he wasn't. 'So where is this coming from?' She glanced around the empty common area, noting the dull thrum of the jukebox. The window covers were shut to block out the light and she knew it would be safer to return to her room than to remain where she was currently standing.

Moments later she was in the lift, riding it down to her floor while she bounced, anxiously, on the balls of her feet. There was a sudden itch in her fingertips to access a laptop to search for an answer to why she felt like her mind was not her own. She had not ever believed that there was the possibility of having a mental health disorder, as it was so commonly referred to—but lately, she was beginning to find no other explanation. She could not begin to fathom what was happening to her other than the feeling of loss and confusion that rattled her mind. She knew she was not schizophrenic but she couldn't think of any other disorder she may have. 'Perhaps seeing a therapist or something would be a better idea.' It was strange that she would be considering, for her, a non-traditional approach to solving her issue—usually mediation or training would help ease her mind. But if she was indeed going mad then a possible shock to her normal methods might be the wiser choice. This decision did not come easily and Noodle figured it was best to keep such from 2D and Murdoc. However, she knew she would need to inform someone and that someone would be Russel. The drummer was more than capable of dealing with her, not to mention she was far more lucid around him than the others. She had, briefly, noticed she'd spiral out of control far more often when the vocalist or the bassist was present. Sighing, she resigned herself to the pathway she'd chosen and carefully made her way back up to the living area to find Russel. Instead, she found him perched at the stove in the kitchen cooking.

"Russel-san…I have a favor to ask."

Turning around slowly the drummer glanced at her, his white eyes wide and curious. "Baby girl…?"

Noodle clutched the table, her grip so tight her hands turned white. "I need you to take me back to land. I need…" she paused. "I want…I want to see someone."

"See someone?"

She nodded, lips in a thin line. "Yes. Please, can we go today, while it's still early?"

With a spatula in hand, and a half cooked piece of ham sizzling in the pan before him, the drummer still agreed, his head inclined in consent. "Yeah. Jus' lemme get da boat."

A couple hours later found Noodle and Russel sitting in a comfortable, cozy looking office with soft, classical melodies playing in the background. The chairs were soft, plush and they made Noodle's back ache for a slightly more firm backrest. She twiddled her fingers and Russel thumbed through a rather boring magazine with blatant disinterest. There was a large moniker hanging outside the office, the first thing they'd seen after their long journey, welcoming them in soothing colors. Noodle had to blink a couple of times at the name of facility. Cherry Tree Therapy Centre.* She had repeated the phrase to Russel in slight wonder, unsure of what to make of such a name. Cherry blossom trees, or Sakura trees, were a common symbol in her Japanese culture, speaking volumes about the human life cycle, she was unsure of its meaning here It appeared as though Russel had even less of a clue and they had proceeded in with general caution and discomfort. They had quickly filled out the paperwork, even given aliases instead of Noodle's real name though she doubted anyone would recognize her anymore. Now they were sitting, waiting in anticipation to be called. She was nervous, the feeling of dread and uncertainty slithering up and down her spine like a snake. It was as if every molecule was multiplied and she could feel every minute change filtering through her system, not unlike the odd sensation that resurfaced when she thought of hell.

So focused on what she was feeling Noodle almost shot out of her chair when the door opened and she heard someone call her name. When she brought her attention to the doorway there was a petit woman standing there, her auburn hair falling to her shoulders in ringlets. Noodle blanched. The woman's face was soft, round and seemingly clear of imperfections with a pair of 50's style glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. To her benefit the woman didn't appear over 40 years old, her clothes casual, relaxed and loose. A cream colored blouse hung loosely over a gray pencil skirt—she looked like a 50's housewife thrown into modern day times. Yet the woman offered her a warm smile and walked the short distance between them before extending her hand in greeting.

"Hi, you must be Asa. My name is Lisa and I'll be meeting with you today to discuss why you're here." She glanced over at Russel with a warm smile. "And you must be her friend, Randall." The drummer nodded. "Have you ever been to a place like this before…?" When both shook their heads Lisa simply smiled again. "Well, in that case, let me tell you how today will go. Asa, I will meet with you for about an hour. We will fill out a few more pieces of necessary paperwork, and then we can schedule another appointment if you feel ready to come back. I'm afraid you will have to wait here, Randall. Is that okay?"

"Yes," Noodle croaked in semi-fear. She hadn't done this before and it irked her. She quickly turned to Russel and gave him a small nod. "I will be back."

He just stared at her, which she took as acknowledgment before disappearing behind the wooden door with Lisa. She followed the woman into an open office furnished with more plush couches, a couple side tables and an automatic coffeemaker. The young Japanese woman wrinkled her nose at the acrid aroma of the coffee, preferring black teas and such to the caffeinated beverage. As if sensing this, Lisa carefully extended Noodle a steaming cup of water and a tray of assorted teas. Noodle blanched as she picked one and took a seat across from the woman, eyes wide.

"So, Asa…tell me why you're here." Lisa's cheerful smile felt genuine.

Noodle shifted uncomfortably in her seat, unsure of whether or not this was a good idea. But it was too late, and she was there. Sighing, she brought her gaze to Lisa's. "I think…I have a personality disorder." She, also, figured there was no point in hiding what she felt and thought was going on with her. "I have moments of lucidity. Some days I just…feel like I'm missing information, things that have happened. It's as if…I have another person living inside my head."

Lisa cocked her head to the side in interest. Noodle prickled. Immediately Lisa smiled again. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I am simply astounded at how easily you've told me this. Please…continue."

With another sigh, the olive skinned woman kept talking. "I go days without eating because this other person doesn't require sustenance the way my body does. She…she requires malice." Looking to the side, the hot steaming cup cradled in her hands, she spoke some more. "She is a part of me but…I don't know how."

Interest piqued, Lisa nodded to her. "Does she have a name?"

"Yes. It's Android Noodle. Or…it was…" Noodle trailed off.

"Was?"

"Yes. She was…thrown overboard into the ocean. I surmise that she will rust before too long and be rendered completely useless." When Lisa gave Noodle a blank look, the younger woman elaborated. "She's…she's not a living person. She was kind of like…a cyborg. Something created by a crazy man from my very DNA." The psychiatrist blanched, her collected, professional composure broken for a moment as she attempted to understand exactly what was transpiring in her patient. Noodle let out yet another sigh at the expression on Lisa's face. "Let's just say that…the person who made it was…less than okay upstairs. We can just call him…Mike. And Noodle and I…we became close when I returned home from a rather long…absence. As a result we melded, or, at the very least we certainly became like a part of each other. It's as if she's in all my thoughts, possibly controlling them to a certain extent. And I have…ceased to be, at time. Or so it seems."

"I see. And this Android Noodle, she was a physical, tangible entity?"

Noodle nodded slowly; as if she was unsure agreeing with the statement was a wise idea. "Yes. She was not an ethereal part of me. We were never in the same body. She was made of metal, of alloys and bolts, of oils and wiring. I don't know how but we could understand each other. Perhaps it was the DNA or some form of madness. I can't say. That is why…I'm here."

Lisa stared at her patient with more than slight shock. She had yet to encounter someone so fascinating and interesting and utterly broken. She could see the confused, wandering soul in the young woman's emerald eyes. "Asa," which Lisa began to believe was not the woman's name, decided that it would be good to continue having sessions, and figured doing a background check was a good idea. While it was not protocol, and maybe even against the rules, she just knew that there was something different about this case. Nevertheless, she wanted to help her and not just because her patient was a potential case for a thesis and such. Asa seemed to really need help. Resigned to this, Lisa handed Noodle a tissue. "Well, Asa, it seems as though we have a lot to discuss. Or mostly, I have a lot of listening to do. When would you like to setup another session? Let me know what times work for you and I can check my schedule to see how we can work this out. Does that sound like a good plan, for you?"

Noodle offered her a slightly apprehensive look, her mind twisting back and forth in discomfort at the sudden headache that began to threaten to take over. Something told her that the Android was not happy about what she'd just done and was trying, persistently, to take over and voice her opinions. Feeling a bit of panic drift into her system, she quickly took another gulp of tea and motioned to the door. "I'm sorry, but I think I need to leave now. Can I call you to setup a time?" Lisa nodded, quickly offering her a card with information on it. Noodle thanked her hastily and practically bolted out the door into the waiting room where Russel sat staring at his thumbs. Upon hearing her he looked up, white eyes wide as she pointed to the door, a strange calm starting to settle over her stress addled mind. For the oddest reason Russel always had this effect on her. "We ah, we should go now Russel-san. Please. Back home."

Moments later they were gone. In the back office Lisa jotted down notes and hoped she'd be hearing from the mysterious Asa.

The ride home was more or less silent with Noodle staring out the window in what looked like boredom but most certainly was distress and uncertainty. Russel said nothing for fear he might startle her out of whatever reverie she seemed so stuck on at the moment. Seconds passed before she turned to face him, bright emerald eyes slightly glossy to alert him she was semi-lucid at the time. Smiling in a deranged manner Noodle leaned back comfortably in her seat as though she'd suddenly lost all her bone mass. Her eyes were glued to dashboard of the Stylo as if curious. He already knew he was going to have a lot to deal with since he didn't exactly ask Murdoc to borrow the machine but he didn't care. If the bassist made the slightest stink he would gladly break the other man's nose again. They were nearing the point where the car would soon become an underwater boat of sorts, courtesy of Murdoc. It was designed to change when it hit the water but the prospect of diving into the water to initiate this change never did sit well with either Noodle of Russel. Only the Android and 2D seemed unaffected though they'd venture to guess 2D was unfazed due to his lack of attention and the constant intake of drugs.

He heard her sigh next to him and wondered what she could possibly be thinking. It was mere moments before they reached the water's edge to go into the murky ocean, moments until they'd reach the plastic, faux beach they called home. It appeared as though Noodle was still with him, all parts of her mind. It was refreshing, at the very least, to know that she was able to retain part of herself in the moment when he thought she'd fail. The therapy session, it seemed, had gone relatively well and he was less concerned than he originally anticipated he would be; she'd been calm. Instead she remained in her seat with her hands folded neatly in her lap, suddenly looking more like a Japanese doll than the Warrior Axe princess she was. It did irk him but he refused to interrupt her. The smile on her face had softened from deranged to contemplative with a hint of discomfort. But anything was better than her looking maniacally at everyone around her. He shook his head when they slowly crept into the ocean's water edge, inching in slowly to start the process of the Stylo changing into an ocean bound vehicle.

Seconds later the drummer was maneuvering through the dark, murky blue water with a carefulness that signified he was weary of their surroundings. Noodle was staring out the window in curiosity, looking very much like the child she no longer was with her hands and nose pressed against the glass and a comfortable smile on her lips. He could see jellyfish floating about and was more than thankful for the metal barrier between them and the dangerous creatures. Soon they'd be encountering other sea life and then, finally, Plastic Beach would spring up before their eyes. Their home was anything but ideal and, truth be told, he hated it just as much as Noodle did. Neither had become quite adjusted to the place but it was their new home. Kong was gone and this was how it had to be now. It wasn't much longer before they had docked into Plastic Beach, and Noodle had walked inside resolutely with her hands behind her back. Russel followed at a much slower pace behind her, hands at his sides while they both listened for anything that might be happening in the upper reaches of their home. While both had been against leaving 2D with the bassist alone, the vocalist had survived quite some time without them and it seemed he'd be fine. It was then that they heard the racket above.

"Yew wasn't supposed ta tell'er nuthin, dullard!"

2D's confused voice could be heard responding. "Muds, I wosn't gonna lie to'er anymo. Yew fink she's stupid?"

Noodle raised a brow at this, clearly irritated that this conversation was happening while she wasn't around to defend the less coherent man. Russel cracked his knuckles in response as they took the lift up. The lift's noise alone alerted the other two that both of them had returned and they listened to the footsteps coming towards them. When they stepped out of the tight space Noodle immediately grabbed 2D's hand and dragged him away from the bassist into the recording area, surprising both of them just in time for Russel to grab Murdoc by his collar and drag him up to the studio patio. Neither ever looked back.

Once in the odd calm of the recording area Noodle pushed 2D down into the nearest seat, ignoring that fact that such a gesture made him cower a little. She didn't wait for him to get comfortable, delving head on into her interrogation. "What happened at Kong? I can't remember everything."

The semi-sinister look on her face, the ever-present hints of the sneer of the Android made him cringe. "Wot yew talkin' 'bout lil love?"

Frustrated, she shook her hands in the air. "What happened on the bus ride? Don't act daft, Stuart."

As realization dawned on him, a small relieved smile broke out on his face. "Oh. Nufink. Yew fell asleep."

"I didn't say anything, didn't do anything?" She questioned in curiosity. "Nothing at all?" He shook his head, confirming. "Oh…" she took a seat across from him, shoulders slumping though whether in relief or despair he didn't know. "That's…good then."

It was silent for some time, the quiet stretching between them like elastic until the point where Noodle thought her head might burst. But she was not mean to be the one to break the silence. 2D's eyes darted to hers. "So…where'd yew go wit' Russ?"

Noodle felt her cheeks flame at the inquiry, suddenly knotting the tissue in her hand, unaware that she'd still had it. "I uh…I went out to take care of some things. Spending time with Russel…errands…" She trailed. He didn't seem to believe her and she floundered for a better explanation. "I just can't talk about it right now, 2D-san. Please understand."

He shot her a slightly confused but forlorn look, ultimately agreeing to it and turning his head to look at the keyboard before him. Noodle felt her throat tighten at the action but waited patiently for his next move. He quietly turned the keyboard on, fingers splaying across the keys to play off key tunes and spinning them into something beautiful, something magnificent. It made tears spring to Noodle's burning, tired eyelids. She hated that he didn't even realize how talented he was, how much he made the Gorillaz what they were. Murdoc may have been their lead but the insufferable man was not the face of the Gorillaz themselves—the bassist had been smart in that aspect. Wanting nothing more than to curl into herself and vanish into the never ending depths of the ocean surrounding them, Noodle did little more than continue to stare at 2D as he hummed along with whatever tune he was playing. His fingers slid across the keys again and again only to drag out a sweet melody that felt like velvet slipping delicately, trance-like over her senses. It was only moments later that she realized he was playing the soft melody of "Sound Check (Gravity)" from an old album of theirs when she was just a girl. It made her fingers clench in uncertainty and a sudden fear that she was about to lose her cool and fall into despair before this very eyes. The Android's voice was starting to surface and she tried desperately to keep it beneath.

As if realizing what could happen, though she had no idea how, 2D stopped playing the keyboard and turned to her with a smile on his face. "Noods?"

She snapped from her reverie. "Yes?"

"Did yew…wanna go fo' a boat ride o'sumfink?"

The question caught her completely off guard to the point where she would have toppled from the stool she was currently seated on; but she stilled. Nodding slowly, she offered him an uneasy smile. "Um…yes…that would be quite nice. When would you like to go?"

"Now," he replied quickly hopping off the seat with a newfound fervor and determination that Noodle found quirky if not entirely unnerving and uncharacteristic.

She began to eye him suspiciously as if he were an alien who had grown three heads. Was this a trap? Suddenly the Android's paranoid thoughts began to interfere and she bit her lip in an effort to skirt the poisonous thoughts away. Only then were they able to proceed to the boat in relative peace. They both could hear Russel yelling at Murdoc but neither thought it wise to even venture into the fight. Noodle, for one, didn't feel like saving the bassist this time after everything that had happened. She figured he deserved to suffer a bit and if 2D's soulless gaze was any indication, it only reinforced this thought.

Out on the sparkling ocean the water rippled pleasantly, silently beneath the boat's weight. Noodle's chin rested comfortably on her palm, elbow sitting upon the edge of her knee while she gazed out onto the endless distance before them. 2D had stopped paddling to let them float about the peaceful water. Plastic Beach wasn't too far away from them but far enough that Noodle suddenly forgot they lived out in the middle nowhere. She let out a heavy sigh as 2D's blank stare continued to gaze out into the open ocean water. She couldn't tell if she was okay with how he was now, nor would she ever be. It was something she was slowly coming to terms with and it was not getting any easier by the day. Already her thought process was ridiculously train wrecked when she went down the road of trying to make sense of whatever her psychosis was surrounding the Android. As it was, the machine wasn't even physically around anymore so why was she freaking out about it so much? Looking into the inky depths she wondered how far it had sunk below the surface of the water, curious as to when it had actually been disposed of. Russel had only mentioned that he'd made the bassist throw it overboard but nothing further, and not even the location of where it happened.

"Lil love?"

Wincing a little at the nickname she had once prized as special, Noodle brought her eyes to his hollowed, blackened pair. Nodding, she gave him a small fake smile. "Yes, 2D-san?"

"Do yew…is'ere someone yew…like?"

The question threw her into a state of confusion and she arched a brow. "Is there someone I like?" He shook his head. "I…do not understand. Where is this coming from, 2D-san?"

Fingering a bottle of newly produced medication the blue haired singer fiddled with it in feigned interest, which the Japanese guitarist could blatantly see. "Well…yew know…yew're an…attractive young woman. I fink s'normal to fink someone might…yew might be…yew might like someone."

If it had been any other time and she had been in any other mindset she would've laughed herself off the small boat they were currently drifting in; but she only frowned. "I…there is…someone." She hated how her voice cracked but she looked imploringly into his eyes, hoping that they would convey what she felt but unsure whether this was the right method. 2D looked relieved for a moment before he averted his gaze back to the ocean. "2D, is there someone you like at this time? It has been…many years. Surely there is someone?"

He blinked at her in surprise. "No…"

"Oh," she replied quickly, a blush rising to her cheeks just as he looked away again. It felt odd being there in a blanket of uncertainty with fear and anxiety coursing through her veins from the Android and a leftover therapy session she didn't know how to process. Her mind and body suddenly felt very heavy. Letting her fingers trail in the water in an attempt to calm herself, Noodle scowled. "2D-san…"

"Yeh?"

"Can we go back to Plastic Beach now, please? I have something I need to do."

He nodded and reached for the paddle. Moments later after a joint effort in paddling—2D had encountered an enormous of trouble doing it alone—they were back at Plastic Beach with Noodle taking the steps two at a time. 2D noticed this right away and quickly followed after her as quickly as his gangly, awkward, medication ridden body allowed. For all her anger and sudden complacency Noodle was still gracefully quick, ever the Axe Princess. 2D stumbled after her, tapping his foot impatiently when the lift had closed in his face. He had a pretty good idea where Noodle had run to and he had decided that enough was enough and he wanted—no, needed now—to know what was going on with her. He needed to know where she had gone and what she was hiding. It was no longer an option to just leave her be and hope she came to him. Granted it had been that long and he knew he needed to proceed with caution he still wasn't ready to let it go either. When the lift finally released him onto the common area floor he bolted to the recording studio door, throwing it open just in time to almost mow Noodle down. The things she had in her hand fell to the floor in a loud clatter. Shrieking, she knelt down in a spastic manner trying to retrieve all the items back into her arms before he could see. But 2D had already grabbed one of the LPs with his picture on it. Curious as to why she was taking them from the recording studio, he brought his eyes to the rest of the LPs in her arms. They were all of him, all signed, all with pictures of him on the front. They were his. Eyes widening to the size of saucers, he looked at her horror stricken features.

"Noods…?"

She stuttered, seemingly at a loss for words. "It's…it's not what you think, 2D-san?"

"Are yew stealin' LPs?"

His incredulous tone made her wince. "No, no, I'm not stealing LPs from our band. I…" She couldn't seem to figure out how to get the words to make sense of what she was doing. It was seconds later that his expression hardened and Noodle found herself in full blown tears at the accusation. "I swear I'm not stealing them!"

"Then where yew goin wit'em?" His voice was rising and Noodle choked back a sob. "Lil love, where yew takin those? Wot's wrong wit' yew? Yew been actin strange fo' a while. Yew an' tha Android…yew been actin' mo' like 'er! Like a monster! And now yew're stealing stuff? 'ho the 'ell are yew anymo'? And lyin' 'bout liking' someone? Yew fink I was bo'n yesterday? I kno' yew like Muds!"

His words cut deep and Noodle suddenly threw the records to the floor in surprise, anger, then distress, tears now flowing freely down her scarred olive skin. Her lips trembled as she tried to speak and 2D suddenly had the urge to slap himself. Had he gotten it all wrong? Noodle threw her hands up in the air in defeat when he said nothing further.

"You, you…you IDIOT!" She finally shouted, jabbing her finger into 2D's chest. "Muds? Murdoc, you think I like Murdoc? You're the stupidest man I know, 2D-san!"

Irritated and feeling nauseous the vocalist roared back at her. "Yeh? Well if not 'im, then 'ho?"

"You!" She shrieked back. "I like you, idiot!"

A quick, awkward silence enveloped them and Noodle clapped her hands over her mouth, tears still falling over her red rimmed eyes as she stared, wide-eyed and shocked, at 2D across from her. His own eyes had widened at the statement, hands falling to his sides in utter surprise as both face each other unsure of what to do. The choice was taken from him as Noodle jumped to her feet and all but literally threw him out of the recording studio and locked the door. Even in his shock 2D managed to start banging on the recording studio door, not sure what he was going to say now, but not about to ignore what had just happened. Upstairs he could hear Murdoc yelling at him to stop all the racket but he didn't care. He kept on hitting the heavy door, pleading with her to let him back inside. Noodle tried hard to ignore the shouts coming from the other side, her eyes burning as she hung her head in her hands, back to the studio door while she sobbed. His shocked face had said it all, had answered the one burning question that she had been wracking her brain about for the last 7 years. With another deep, choked sob, Noodle curled into herself and fell to the carpeted floor. She had never felt so alone and this time, even the Android's biting words did nothing to soothe her.

TBC

(Hey all. Finally done with chapter 10. I'm think this will be completed in about 3 chapters. At least this story arc. Not sure if I'll make a sequel since this took SO long. But it will be done soon. Sorry about the wait. Thanks to everyone who had read, reviewed, and is still doing all that. I appreciate all your support.)

~Sadistickunais