Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Not much time had passed since the date of 28th, a month or two at most, and already things were back normal. Well, as normal as things could be for the band, that is.

 

Marilyn was still the same 4 year old that she had been then, just less frightened it seemed. She spoke more often, even if the others couldn't understand much of what she said, and she didn't cry or hide as much as she used to. Now instead of crawling on the couch and attempting to hide herself behind the coushions or stare at you longingly when she thought you weren't looking, she'd simply sit next to you normally or ask for your attention. She didn't seem like such a feral kitten anymore, and the others were greatly relieved at that. However, they weren't out of the woods just yet, and that was made evidently clear by the by the old English book Murdoc dropped on the table with a loud thud.

 

Yep, they had to do this all over again.

 

"¿Qué?" Marilyn hesitantly asked with a jump and gasp from the sound, looking up from the paper she was doodling on and eyeing the book carefully. She looked confused, and Murdoc only shook his head. He certainly was not looking forward to this.

 

"Oh no!" 2D wailed, dramatically wringing his hands in the air like an actor before plopping in a chair next to Mary in Kong's cafe which was (selfishly) adorned with their own faces everywhere. Marilyn's confusion didn't cease. "Not again!"

 

"¿Qué otra vez? ¿Qué es eso?" Marilyn asked again, looking between her father, 2D, and the book all with confusion. Hell, she even looked at the cat that lived in this place for help. He only stared off into space with that thousand mile smile, listening to "Left Hand Suzuki Method" as he had been doing for the past 5 years. She was sunk.

 

"This is what we have to unfortunately do, love." Murdoc sighed, sitting defeatedly across from her and pointing to it. "Inglés. It's time to learn, niño."

 

"I don't see how this is gonna work, Murdoc. She can't even read yet." 2D shrugged, looking at the girl with a frown.

 

"You don't see anything. How would you know?" Murdoc replied sarcastically and cruelly before looking back at the child. "Listen, not that we're annoyed or anything," Murdoc began already in a lie. Technically they were, and by they it's just Murdoc for being bothered to translate 24/7, but still. "But only me an' Noodle can understand you. Russ and Dents over there are kinda at a loss when you open your mouth. You gotta meet us halfway here."

 

Marilyn looked at how big that book that obviously was checked out of a library that never got returned to was with a shudder. It was thick. Big. Lots of words... Words she couldn't read... She looked frightened.

 

"You're not gonna do the whole fing!" 2D said quickly, putting his hands up in reassurance. "Wiv Noodle- Because Noodle is bilingual too y'know- Wait actually did you know she speaks Japanese and everyfing else now too? I didn't but when she came back-"

 

"Oh for Satan's sake- Shut up!" Murdoc snapped, wacking the man on the back of the head and making Marilyn cringe and shrink back into her seat. That looked like it hurt. "Either get the train on the tracks or park it!"

 

"Ack!" 2D winced at the impact. "Tosser..." He murmured, rubbing his head before looking back at the girl. "Anyway, when we taught Noodle we only did a few words at a time for emergencies an' such 'cause we needed to know if she needed the toilet or whatever. Basic stuff like how to say 'Im hungry' or 'I feel sick' or 'Murdoc is a twat'-"

 

"That last one isn't going into your vocabulary." Murdoc said, eyeing 2D for a moment before looking back at his daughter. "But yeah, the idea is still there."

 

"Oh..." Marilyn hummed, looking at the book with some degree of concern still. "Uh... ¿Quién me está enseñando?"

 

Both of the men looked at each other. 2D because he didn't understand a word just being said and Murdoc because it was a damn good question. He hadn't thought of that really.

 

"Huh... Well, I guess all of us." Murdoc shrugged, watching Marilyn's eyes widen in curiosity.

 

This wasn't going to end well.

 

________

 

"For the last time I am not sending her to some daycare for her to learn how to say a few words in English! We did this with Noodle! We can manage!" Murdoc huffed, wanting not only to keep his child's identity and the secret of his scandal safe, but his pockets too. "We'll be fine!"

 

"Noodle could read though, Mudz! This is gonna be a hundred times harder! It already is!" Russel sighed, running a hand down his face. His back ached from sitting in the floor with this little girl for the past 15 minutes, trying to get her to repeat one word, just one word, in English. "Why am I doing the first lesson anyway? I can't speak Spanish to know what she's sayin'."

 

"No es divertido..." Marilyn whined with a nod, looking a bit uncomfortable and annoyed herself. She wanted to drink juice and watch cartoons. She didn't want to do this! Why couldn't everyone just learn Spanish instead of her having to learn English? There was a brilliant idea.

 

"Isn't that a required thing for like high school in the US?" Murdoc asked, ignoring Marilyn's whines and keeping his attention on the drummer.

 

"I took Japanese not Spanish, and if you remember I forgot almost all the Japanese I took and had to re-learn it for Noodle. I doubt if I had taken Spanish I'd remember any of that either." Russel sighed, shaking his head. "All those years blend together for me. I'm lucky I remember to do basic math."

 

Murdoc shook his head. Incompetent. Everyone around him was incompetent! How'd this band get along without him? He doubted they could even so much as make breakfast without his expertise here to supervise!

 

All of that was totally wrong but to Murdoc it seemed right.

 

"Maybe we should just wait until she's a bit older? I can pick up some words in Spanish I think. I dunno 'bout 'D, but she never goes to him for stuff anyway." Russel said, looking at the little girl with a frown. "I think she's just too little, man."

 

"I... I dunno- have you picked up any of this?" Murdoc asked, looking at Marilyn with a raised eyebrow. "A word, a sound, anything?" He asked, looking and sounding a bit more desperate then he intended to come off as. He really didn't want to play translator anymore. "C'mon you can understand it, why not speak it, yeah? Anythin'?"

 

"U-Uh... Y-Yes?" Marilyn asked, looking between the two worriedly. Was that Sí in English? She felt her nerves wrack her little body as she waited, before a cocky grin grew endlessly on Murdoc's face. Was she right or was she wrong? Why wouldn't people just tell her?!

 

"¡Diablos, sí!" Murdoc grinned, and Russel motioned for her to turn around and gave her a high five. Marilyn thought this was good, right? Everyone else was smiling so she smiled too. She learned her first word! Yes! She could say yes!

 

She forgot it 5 seconds later, but baby steps.

 

________

 

"Right, so uh, we need to know some basic stuff, y'know?" 2D asked, sitting in the floor with her while Marilyn laid on her belly, kicking her feet in the air absentmindedly. Having 2D teach a class was like having a toddler try to be president, but everyone else was gone on shopping errands, so that just left Stuart, Marilyn, his old hound dog Prince, and Cortez eyeing the whole thing from a curtain rod like Edgar Alan Poe himself had put him there. Truly an interesting classroom.

 

Marilyn nodded for him to continue.

 

"Now you 'ave days like me where you just don't feel good, y'know? Except mine is my head and yours is your tummy and such from anxiety. Well we kinda need to know when those days are so we're not draggin' you 'round, stressing you out, making you sicka, and having you outta commission for a day or two. Happens to me, and it's no fun." 2D said, making animated gestures while he talked that made Marilyn giggle.

 

"Eres gracioso. No puedo entender bien tu voz, pero eres gracioso." She said through her giggles, and 2D didn't even faulter.

 

"I don't know any of what you just said. But anyway!" He said before grabbing something and sitting it in his lap. Marilyn was beginning to get bored and look around mindlessly.

 

"So I was- Oi! Pay attention!" 2D said, waving a hand in front of her face. Okay maybe the floor of his bedroom wasn't the best place to have this lesson... To put it lightly: 2D had so much shit in his room it was more like a museum than a place to bed down. She was looking at every keyboard, every monitor, every tiny object, every shamelessly full ashtray, and making grabby hands at Prince who happily trotted over to her and flopped next to her, nuzzling her side with a playful whine and huff. 2D sighed and attempted to continue.

 

"So I had dis idea here last night that I fink- Please don't do that-" 2D said, gently snatching a small melodica she was mindlessly pressing the keys on (that obviously weren't playing anything due to the lack of air in it) with another huff before continuing. "That I fink will work." He finished finally, holding an mp3 player up with a missing tooth grin.

 

Oh boy. This should be interesting.

 

2 hours later Marilyn could successfully say she either did or didn't feel good in English in case of bad days or should flu season strike hard. When asked how he, of all people, achieved this, 2D only shrugged.

 

"We listened to Feel Good Inc. 17 different times."

 

________

 

Murdoc rolled his eyes so hard they practically rolled out of his head. They had been here for two hours, tempers and emotions running high, and relationships on the brink, all because Marilyn refused to speak for Murdoc after he yelled at her. Lovely. Truly the father-daughter relationship for the history books.

 

"Goddamn, kid." Murdoc growled, lighting what felt like his 4th cigarette that afternoon and wanting to bang his head against the wall. "I wasn't so sure you were my kid a month ago but now I'm pretty damn certain you are. Quit bein' so stubborn!" Murdoc snapped, almost as if he had room to talk.

 

Marilyn, who had been sniffling and sobbing on and off for the last hour, only looked the other way with her arms crossed, making Murdoc groan and blow smoke out all at the same time. He looked like a dragon doing that to Marilyn, and if she wasn't so busy being mad at him she would have laughed at it.

 

The arguing and tears has been relentless for the past hour, and Murdoc knew this was something the stupid nannies on TV would classify as a near traumatic moment, but he didn't care. She pushed him! She knew she did! She may have been 4 and just fussy and nervous, but Murdoc was convinced she totally knew what she was doing and was doing it maliciously.

 

"Fuck it! If you don't say something in 5 seconds I'm dropping it and you're losing TV privileges, right?" Murdoc said firmly. He wouldn't really take away her ability to watch cartoons because they kept her from bothering him, but he'd give some punishment of some form.

 

Marilyn was nervous and jittery, her feelings still hurt from his words, and she wanted something to eat and to go to bed. She had enough.

 

"Fuck you!" Marilyn snapped before jumping off the chair and running off to who knows where, leaving the bewildered green-ish grey-ish brown man alone at the table with a bit of a stunned reaction on his face. Screw the punishment, she had won.

 

Murdoc simply crushed his cigarette and looked at the door she has scurried out of in a fury for a few moments. He was impressed, really. He felt his voice sound a bit hose as he choked a bit in response.

 

"M-Muy Bien..."

 

________

 

Russel long since had slumped over asleep on the couch, remote in hand has some Spanish-English cartoon played on the TV that attempted to teach Spanish-speaking children some English words. Marilyn understood why he was sleeping too. It was boring as sin! He payed money to rent this VHS? Marilyn stuck her tongue out. He should get his money back.

 

His deep snores were more entertaining than this.

 

However. Marilyn knew he meant well, so she wouldn't balme him.

 

Somebody else however, would.

 

"This shit's mad boring, huh?" a deep male voice called, making Marilyn smile a bit. Immediately a blue ghostly individual swirled out from Russel's left ear and in front of the little girl, making her cover her mouth as not to squeal and wake Russel up. "Straight borin' you to tears, eh?"

 

Marilyn nodded quickly, she looked up at him with a pure smile. She liked Del a lot. She couldn't understand what he was, but she liked him. By some ghostly magic, or because he took it in high school before he died, Del could understand Marilyn's Spanish. She felt fully free around him.

 

"This they teaching you ain't even useful, lil girl." He said, phasing into the TV and popping up on screen, fooling around with the people on screen and glitching the tape before ejecting it and popping out of the slot with it. Marilyn giggled even harder behind her little hands. Del grinned at it. "Trust me, you could be sayin' way more useful stuff than that."

 

Marilyn tilted her head, as if to ask "like what?"

 

Del's sharp toothed grin grew wider and his eyes narrowed. Russel wouldn't like this at all... But the big dork shouldn't have fallen asleep, now should he? Tisk tisk. It's almost as if he wanted Del to take over today's lesson. Ah well. Del would help out his friend, now wouldn't he?

 

"I liked your display the other day with your old man. Real classy. Socked 'em where it hurt, ya feel me?"

 

Del was a ghost and Marilyn couldn't feel anything about him, but she shrugged it off and let him continue.

 

Del practically looked like The Grinch as he smiled at her and floated closer, flicking the TV off with a simple and dramatic snap of his fingers.

 

"How about we ditch them goodie goodies and I teach you some more sayin's like that, hm?"

 

Oh Marilyn was in.

 

3 days later in another argument with Murdoc Marilyn used words in English that even Murdoc himself hadn't used in a fairly good amount of time.

 

Marilyn got put in time-out and when Russel finally realized where the child had learned said words Del wished he was able to die. Again. A second time.

 

Quickly.

 

________

 

"Alright! No more hurdles, no more unnecessary curse words, and no more arguments!" Noodle announced as she picked Marilyn up and sat her gently on her big soft bed with a smile before crawling up herself and sitting at the head of the bed. Noodle never let anyone in her room except for 2D and that was just to play video games one time, so this was an honor.

 

Noodle had her bangs pulled completely back with a headband and the rest tied back in a very small twin ponytails, showing Marilyn her warm and friendly green eyes. She had bits of acne here and there that her bangs naturally hid, but that was just apart of being 16. She gave her an almost prideful smirk as she took the notebook the others had been using to write stuff down and uselessly show her words she couldn't read and tossed it, watching it skid across her wood floor. Then she reached over the edge of her bed and fished around underneath it a bit before pulling a smaller scale keyboard out with a smile and nodded her head to the guitar beside them.

 

"Welcome to the school of Noodle! Here we do things fun, differently, and most of all..." She said as she slid the guitar around her body and played a chord on it with a smirk. "Right!"

 

Marilyn smiled and giggled happily.

 

She liked this already.

 

________

 

After not being able to find either of the girls in about around an hour, Russel decided it was time to check on them. After all, Murdoc's lesson the other day didn't go over very well at all, and Marilyn didn't seem all that keen on starting one today. Even with Noodle. In fact, she seemed so opposed to it Russel wouldn't be surprised if the two had just long given up and were playing now or something. It was slightly concerning. Curse Murdoc and his mouth.

 

However, when Russel got closer to the girl's room he could hear a tune coming from inside, peeking out just through a crack in the door. It was a repeated strumming sound in a rhythmic way, making him fight the urge to tap his foot as he stood by the doorway and listened. It wasn't until he listened good enough that he could hear what was happening.

 

Noodle would strum a rhythm-like pattern on the guitar and say a word in Spanish, pause for 5 seconds each time while keeping a beat going to count each second, and at the 5th beat Marilyn would reply the English version of the word, then Noodle would have her say it with her at the same time in Spanish to fully implement what the word she had just said meant in her own language, then the previous rhythm would start again and this would repeat just with a different word. Russel was floored. It was working. It was actually working. Marilyn was repeating words quicker and quicker now. It was genius.

 

Noodle knew what it was like to be a scared little kid trying to learn something big and new, and she also knew as wild as 2D's Feel Good Inc. escapade was, it worked and Marilyn found it fun. So why not run with the song idea just with her own twist? 2D was hella smart when people opened their eyes some.

 

Noodle learned life through the lens of music. That's just what spoke to her. So, even if Marilyn's passion wasn't music, Noodle wanted to share something with her that was not only important to herself, but she knew she could do well if she tried.

 

Russel could only grin at it as he pushed the door open some and leaned in the doorway, watching the two with a chuckle. He even hit the doorframe some in beat to add a little distant percussion to this lesson. Noodle knew he was there, and only looked up briefly with a smile before continuing on what she was doing with a slightly more noticeable bounce in her playing.

 

Oh sure, this may be unconventional, but it worked, and that was just how Gorillaz rolled. They were like an unattractive soccer team that somehow manages to win every season. They won ugly and strange, but a win was still always a win. Marilyn began to learn this too. Weird wasn't so bad, it just was different, and if different worked who was she to judge? She wasn't all that normal herself anyway.

 

Yep. Marilyn knew from that moment on for the rest of her life:

 

She was going to fit in just fine here.

Chapter Text

Just a 2 hour session, that's all it was meant to be. Just a measly 2 hours to practice and finalize a set for their upcoming live show, that was it! But midway through testing the instrumental of Feel Good Inc., Noodle decided she wanted to change her cords around and that took a whole other hour and a half to work around. As a plus, Russel and Murdoc had to change their parts around as well to accommodate for the switch-up, so quickly 2 hours turned into 3, which turned into 4, which completely turned out to be a whopping 5 and a half hours of practice and recording, making the entire band exhausted by the end of it.

 

Even Murdoc had to admit, as annoying as it was to change, the song sounded much better afterwards, even if it was exhausting and draining to make. But being tired wasn't the only problem. The problem was Marilyn.

 

Originally, Murdoc's plan was to have her take a nap and while she was asleep having the band finish the song without having to worry about her running around Kong Studios by herself and getting into God knows what. Kong Studios was very easy to get lost in, even as an adult, so one could only imagine how it would be to a child, making the group very weary on leaving her on her own. But when the changes to the song took far longer than the band expected, a twinge of guilt and worry plagued the greenish-brown man deep down in his chest.

 

It wasn't like they meant to! Time just got away from them was all! But he supposed when you were a parent to a small child, room for accidents was no accommodated for, and this time was no acception.

 

The minute Murdoc opened the studio door he was immediately met with the sight of a small girl sitting on the outside of it, a sad look on her face as she was surrounded by a few of her stuffed animals on the floor, her duck Webkinz Russel bought her in her arms. Murdoc felt like someone had stabbed a knife in his tarnished soul.

 

"I told you to take a break and go check on her, man." Russel said, frowning at the scene in front of them sympathetically.

 

"Yeah yeah, can it. I didn't mean- 'Ey!" Murdoc grumbled before Noodle shoved him out of the way. She was oddly strong for a young teen.

 

"I'm sorry we got so busy... Are you okay?" Noodle asked the girl softly, smiling at her in a friendly and sympathetic manner as she sat down on the floor next to her.

 

Marilyn shook her head, tears still staining her cheeks. "Lonely..." She muttered, crawling closer to the guitarist with a frown. "Big place... Couldn't find people..." She said, looking at the teen with tears starting to form in her red eyes again.

 

"Aw love, we didn't mean to! When we start workin' we forget where we are sometimes!" 2D said, carefully moving past Murdoc and joining the two where the girl immediately latched onto him like a magnet and he picked her up.

 

If there was one thing this band noticed about Marilyn, it was the fact that this had to be the clingyest and saddest child they'd ever seen. She had no sense of personal space and constantly wanted to be hugged or held or carried. As annoying or uncomfortable as it could be sometimes, Murdoc couldn't help but wonder if this was normal child behavior, or if she was soaking up what that crazy woman of a mother deprived her of.

 

It worried the man and kept him up on some occasions.

 

"Sorry kid. I didn't know you'd wake up." Murdoc said, attempting to get close to her when immediately she rejected it. She just snuggled closer into 2D's grasp, burying her face in his shoulder, and refused to look at Murdoc entirely.

 

There went another knife into his chest.

 

Murdoc froze for a moment, unsure of what just happened or what to do. He felt many emotions but for once anger wasn't one of them. It was pain.

 

"Come on Noodle, lets go get her a snack, yeh?" 2D asked, ignoring the crestfallen look on his bandmate's face and gesturing for his little sister to follow him. Noodle obliged and quickly hopped up, grabbing the rest of the plushies, and running off to catch up with 2D.

 

Russel, however, immediately picked up on the body language of the bassist and sighed. "C'mon man, don't take it to heart. She's just upset and moody, she'll get over it. She's a kid." Russel shrugged, giving the man's shoulder a quick squeeze in attempts of comfort. "I gotta go see what they're doing in there. Those two would set fire to a pb&j somehow." Russel said in a weak attempt at humor before walking off, leaving Murdoc on his own.

 

________

 

How? How did he fuck up already and this quick into fatherhood he wondered. Murdoc couldn't figure it out as he sat in his winnabago, surrounded by messy laundry and more. He really needed to clean this place.

 

For once in his life, guilt knawed at the man and sat heavy in his gut like a sickness. He never had felt this before, but the feeling prickled through his greening skin like chills and it drove him mad.

 

She hated him now. That was it. There was no convincing him otherwise. In his mind he made one mistake and now it was over. Even if it wasn't true, it was the gospel for as far as Murdoc could figure for now. He had been so adamant about being better than his father, yet here he was. Images and memories of his childhood flashed in his head and made things worse then they had been before. He was spiraling again.

 

He felt jealousy too. Jealous that 2D forgot her as well yet she clung to the vocalist like he was her father. Jealous that she always clung to 2D like a lifeline instead of him. He was her father, not that twat! What did bloody Dents have that he didn't?

 

A gentler disposition maybe? Gentle body language? A nicer voice? The voice in Murdoc's head was giving out words and ideas again against his will and he couldn't turn it off. Jealousy turned back to hurt again as he realized that maybe she did like 2D better him. His hurt turned to anger again when he mulled the thought over more.

 

He was a mess. But deep down, as much as it would kill his soul to admit, he knew what he had to do... Apologize.

 

________

 

Russel, after cleaning up jelly that 2D had somehow gotten on the wall, couldn't seem to shake that mixed look he'd seen Murdoc give earlier at Marilyn's rejection. It was slightly haunting. Russel was sure he'd never see the day Murdoc looked generally guilty yet here we were. He looked over at the girl in Noodle's lap who was currently tearing into her sandwich and decided to get some answers.

 

"Mary, kiddo, why'dya act that way to your dad earlier?" Russel asked awkwardly, walking over and sitting at the table with the others.

 

"'Cus he's an annoying old goth?" 2D asked before the child got an opportunity to speak.

 

"I wasn't asking you." Russel said, shaking his head and holding back a chuckle. Just because 2D was right doesn't mean he should laugh and make Marilyn think it was okay to think that way.

 

"He said he'd be there when I woke up. He wasn't..." Marilyn mumbled, frowning a bit. "It was dark. Scared. I call for him but he didn't come..." She said in broken English, finishing off her sandwich with a frown.

 

Russel sighed, He couldn't believe what he was about to do, but he was about to defend Murdoc Nicclas. God knew what the world had come to now.

 

"He didn't mean to, we all got kinda busy." Russel shrugged. "We had to fix one of our songs and it took awhile." He said, Noodle nodding as he spoke.

 

"Yeh, we got in the zone." 2D said, chuckling a bit. "Murdoc included."

 

"I know... I knocked on door but no answer..." She said, taking one of Noodle's hands that were wrapped around her body for support and inspecting the colorfully sparkly blue polish the girl had put on them.

 

"The door is thick so we probably didn't hear it." Noodle said, smiling at the girl admiring the glittery decoration that was on her nails.

 

"Oh... I'm still upset... He promised..." Marilyn mumbled nodding knowingly, snuggling into Noodle's arms comfortably.

 

"That's okay to be upset, just don't stay upset, okay? Accidents happen!" Russel said gently, ruffling her hair lightly, watching her nod at him with a half smile.

Score! He still had it!

 

_________

 

Murdoc finally came back into the house after a few hours, worry and guilt still sitting in his belly uncomfortably over the whole thing.

 

The minute he walked into the living room however he was startlingly met with a hug around the legs from someone short. He looked down to see Marilyn hugging up and looking up at him with a small smile, seemingly happy to see him and motioning to be picked up.

 

Murdoc rolled his eyes and picked her up, hiding how much he truly enjoyed being needed and wanted by someone deep down. Quickly she wrapped her arms around his neck with a hum and snuggled into him, making him chuckle that weird laugh of his.

 

"Heh, I came here to apologize but take It you forgive me?"

 

"If you play Barbie with me and 2D."

 

"Fine. But I get to be Barbie."

 

"No! 2D is Barbie! You're Stacy!"

 

"Fucking again?!"

 

________

 

Bonus:

 

"Uh... How ya doin'?" Murdoc asked 2D's Barbie doll with little to no enthusiasm as he made the doll walk in the dollhouse's kitchen.

 

"Papá, say it in your girl voice! I don't want to keep asking you!" Marilyn protested, slamming her own doll down on the carpet in an upset manner.

 

Murdoc sighed and rolled his eyes before giving in. "Ugh, Fine!" Murdoc growled before turning over and pointing at 2D. "Look away Faceache." he grumbled before grabbing the doll and doing the gayest voice known to man.

 

"How ya doin'?" He said, immediately turning red when 2D began to physically wheeze and laugh hysterically, tears painfully forming in his black eyes.

 

"The fuck are you laughing at?!"

 

"C-Cus you went: 'How you doin'' HEHEHE-"

 

"Oh shut up before I shove this doll up your a-"

Chapter Text

"Christmas!" Marilyn squealed as she watched Russel carry a fake, glittery, multicolored tree from the attic with a small smile on his face. He couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Marilyn bounce slightly on her heels in living room of Kong studios excitedly over a simple 9 foot tree. It was nice whenever she got excited as it wasn't a very normal occurance for the child. You'd think Santa himself had just walked through the door.

 

"Not yet! We have another 12 days until then!" Noodle said, picking the child up from behind with a giggle and pulling her over to the couch in her lap.

 

"Yeh! Like the song!" 2D said, carrying a box of ornaments from the attic behind Russel, wobbling and almost falling down the stairs.

 

"Remind me why I let you carry the breakible stuff again?" Russel asked, steadying the man with his free hand before setting the tree down in its desired location. He grumbled something about a mess and shook his clothes as a cloud of glitter surrounded him. "And also remind me why glitter belongs on trees?"

 

"To be magical." Noodle said, chuckling as she squeezed the giggling child in her arms some more.

 

"And to be annoying." Russel said, chuckling to himself before fluffing the branches out some to make the tree look fuller.

 

"We never had glitter on our trees. We always got ours fresh growing up. We just had a lotta needles." 2D said, setting the box carefully down on the sofa next to the girls. "We 'ad a squirrel in our house one year because of it."

 

"Did you keep it?" Marilyn asked, looking at her uncle with wide and interested eyes.

 

"For a day or two! Then Mum made us release it. Squirrels don't like bein' kept in old fish tanks." 2D said, shrugging.

 

"Out of all the random stories you've told me, the one that sounds the fakest I believe the most." Russel said, shaking his head and plugging the tree up, praying the thing still worked even with the frayed wire. "Hah! Let there be light!" Russel said, chuckling to himself again and giving a small smirk when he watched the thing flicker to life.

 

"Decorating time!" Noodle cheered, hopping up and going to the tote of ornaments with 2D, leaving Marilyn to watch the lights like a cat watching birds out the window. She was about to say something when the door opened and Murdoc walked in, thankfully wearing pants this time around.

 

"What are you lot doin' now?" He asked exasperatedly, already not looking impressed with it all.

 

"Hi!" Marilyn said, jumping down off the couch and into the man's arms, making him smirk slightly and roll his eyes.

 

"Jeez, I just woke up. Do I not get a few seconds to myself?" Murdoc said, seeming annoyed but everyone knew he enjoyed every second of picking her up and carrying her. It was almost comical how bad he couldn't keep up that facade. He just ruffled her curly black hair and walked over to the group. "Isn't it a bit early for all this holiday rubbish?"

 

"Mudz, it's less than two weeks until Christmas." Russel said, raising an eyebrow. "When do you suggest we start?"

 

"The 26th." Murdoc said, shaking his head and sitting on the couch, his daughter sitting happily in his lap.

 

"Stop bein' a killjoy Murdoc! Just 'cause you don't celebrate Christmas don't mean you still can't 'ave fun!" 2D said, handing Noodle a red guitar ornament from the pile of newspaper-wrapped decorations in the box.

 

"I can do whatever the bloody 'ell I want!" Murdoc snapped back with a growl. "Christmas is just another 25th day of a month. Nothin' to celebrate or get all giddy over." Murdoc grumbled.

 

"Momma said the 25th is the birthday for Jesu-" Marilyn began before Murdoc cut her off.

 

"She's wrong." Murdoc interrupted, sternly.

 

"Mudz," Russel said, taking on a stern tone of his own. "Let the kid believe in what she wants. We don't tell you what to think." Russel said, eyeing Murdoc like a mother would her child before grounding them.

 

"I'm her father, it's different." Murdoc said, eyeing the man back, but not with the same look of anger. Ever since the incident in the bathrooms, Murdoc was honestly afraid of Russel. He was the only one he didn't try to antagonize because of that.

 

"I bet your dad didn't stop you from doing your ritual crap through." Russel shrugged, putting an ornament Noodle gave him on a higher branch where the girl couldn't reach.

 

"My dad was never around to." Murdoc snapped, making the whole room go completely silent for a moment before Russel cleared his throat and spoke again.

 

"Okay, well, just don't force her. Don't be the thing you hate, man." Russel said before turning around to help Noodle again.

 

"Yeah! And get in the holiday spirit!" Noodle said, swinging a ornament around her finger at him. "Don't be a Scrooge!"

 

"Bah Humbug." Murdoc grumbled, running his fingers through his daughter's hair again absentmindedly for comfort as he shook his head.

 

12 days. He just had to get through 12 friggin' days.

 

Thank God for alcohol.

 

________

 

"Dee, this is the last time I'm tellin' you. Get outta the cookie dough!" Russel said, shoo-ing 2D's hand away from the bowl.

 

"But it's good Russ!" 2D protested, eating another handfull of dough like it was going out of style.

 

"If you keep eating it we we won't have any for the gingerbread women!" Noodle said, pointing a spatula at 2D and smacking him in the arm with it. Not enough to hurt but enough to get her point across.

 

"I thought they were gingerbread men?" 2D said, raising an eyebrow and leaning on the countertop a bit, watching Russel sprinkle the dough with flour.

 

"We made both! Women are cooler though." Noodle said, chuckling to herself as she watched her niece, who was perched on the table, excitedly nod. She seemed content as she and rolled out the dough,

 

"They taste better too." Murdoc said, leaning on the kitchen doorway with a smirk. He chuckled that odd laugh of his as he dodged a whisk being thrown his way by Noodle.

 

"Stop being creepy! They're cookies!" Noodle said, shooting him a look as she got one of the cutters out and pressed it into the dough.

 

"I don't get it?" Marilyn said, looking confusedly over to Russel then back to Noodle, cuddling her Christmas Snoopy plush tightly before setting him in her lap to 'watch.'

 

"Good." Russel said, smiling and patting the plushie on the head like a real dog before getting another cutter to help Noodle. "I thought you didn't want anythin' to do with Christmas?" Russel said, smirking and eyeing Murdoc from the doorway.

 

"I don't, but food is good." The man shrugged as he walked closer to the group to watch and gave his daughter a little side hug. It was a bit awkward but the sprit was there. Murdoc honestly hated physical affection but tried his best to give it to his daughter at least. Just because he was deprived of it as a child doesn't mean his little girl had to be as well.

 

Marilyn stuck the plushie up in Murdoc's face with a slight smile on her face. "Say hi." she said, almost offended thatt he hadn't greeted the doll. The plushie was one of Snoopy but in his "Joe Cool" outfit with a santa hat with mistletoe on the end of it. The little thing just screamed smugness even without a mouth.

 

"Oh, uh, Hello Snoopy." Murdoc said, shaking the small thing's hand awkwardly before looking over at the others. "Why does he look like that? Bugger looks like just stole my bitch and is mocking me for it."

 

"Do dogs usually steal your dates?" Russel asked, raising an eyebrow, sarcasm obviously evident in his voice as he held back a laugh.

 

"I wouldn't be surprised." 2D said, giggling to himself like a child before earning himself a smack from Murdoc across the face.

 

"Consider that your Christmas present Dents."

 

________

 

"So kiddo, what'reya asking Santa for Christmas for?" Russel asked Marilyn, attempting to get some last minute info from the child before all the prices went crazy.

 

"I don't know why you're doin' this. I thought we agreed we weren't doing the Santa bit with 'er." Murdoc said, looking up from his bass which he was practicing with.

 

"Santa is not real...?" Marilyn asked, turning around to face her dad and looking a bit heartbroken. Russel was doing the cut-off motion with his hand behind her to Murdoc.

 

"Yeh, he ain't...?" 2D asked, looking over at Murdoc too, his deep black eyes looking a bit heartbroken himself.

 

"Stuart. You're in your 20s."

 

"And? Is he real or not?!"

 

"Oh for the love of-"

 

________

 

"So which character am I again?" 2D asked, sitting in-between Noodle and Marilyn as the group sat on the couch and watched "A Charlie Brown Chirstmas" on Christmas Eve, per the request of, surprisingly, Russel.

 

"Charlie Brown. You're nice so is he." Marilyn said, snuggling sympathetically into his side and hugging his arm. He smiled a bit at her and looked back at the screen. "Noodle is Snoopy. She's the best."

 

"I feel very offended right now." Murdoc said frome one of the chairs.

 

"Truth hurts." Noodle giggled, sticking her tongue out at him and making him roll his eyes.

 

"Watch it or your guitar gets a new residence in the snow." Murdoc growled in a half joking manner, shaking his head.

 

"Who am I?" Russel asked Marilyn, finding pure amusement in the situation.

 

"You're Linus! Smart! Nice!" She said, smiling at him. "And He is calm."

 

"Yeah Yeah, whatever with him, who am I?" Murdoc interrupted, looking over at the girl with a genuine look of curiosity on his face.

 

"You're Lucy." She said, causing the group to burst out laughing and Murdoc to turn a bit red.

 

"Lovely."

 

________

 

Murdoc sighed that night, the hours late into the night, or more accurately morning, of Christmas Eve, his eyes and heart heavy. It was a cold and snowey night so he decided to stay in the house and sleep in his room tonight instead of in his winnie. He sat in bed, wide awake and buzzed from God knows what all he had drank, making his thoughts and perception messy and weak at the moment. Although it wasn't enough to wash away the memories that crept on his back and weighed his chest down.

 

The memories of his childhood, the memories of his father, all of it came back to haunt him in an uncomfortable manner. The memories of how he and his brother were yelled at for asking for Christmas presents, the memories of the jealousy and pain he felt as he watched all the other kids talk about their families and what they were doing with them for the holidays, the memories of the cold nights spent alone wishing for Santa to come and make it Christmas, but never came. All of it. It haunted him. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the past, but something was making his stomach cramp up and spikes of nausea wrack his belly.

 

He sighed and shook his head, looking over in the doorway and nearly jumping out of his greening skin when he saw his daughter standing there, holding something in her hand. He quickly sat the bottle down and sat up a bit, ignoring the sloshing protest from his gut.

 

"Uh... Why are you up?" He asked, attempting to keep his voice normal and straight. Sure, this wasn't the first time she had walked in on him drunk, and it definitely wouldn't be the last, but he still felt guilty about it.

 

"I was waiting for Santa." She said, walking in a bit. "You look sad. I'm giving you a Christmas present early!" She said, crawling up on the bed and handing him a drawing.

 

Inquizitively and silently Murdoc picked up the picture and lookd at it, instantly feeling his heart melt. It was a drawing of him and her next to a Christmas tree and with Santa hats on. On top there was handwriting that was definitely not hers that said "Merry Christmas Daddy!"

 

"Noodle wrote words for me." She said, crawling next to him in bed and looking at him confusedly. "Do you like it...?"

 

Murdoc honestly felt himself getting a bit choked up, the alcohol letting his emotions run a bit more freely around. He had to physically fight tears as he cleared his throat and opened his arm to let her lie closer to his chest.

 

Finally, after a few moments of silence he finally mutters out a response. "I love it... Thank you..." He says, kissing her on the forehead before covering her up with the comforter and flicking the lamp off next to them quietly. He sighed, holding her next to him gently, the drawing still clutched in his other hand.

 

"Goodnight Daddy." She yawned, curling into him with a small sleepy smile.

 

"G'night..." He muttered before finally admitting a quiet "Feliz Navidad, cariño..." to her, squeezing her gently with his arm. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit when he saw her smile whenever he spoke to her in Spanish.

 

Maybe... Just maybe... Christmas isn't so bad afterall...

Chapter Text

"Draculara! She's my favorite!" Marilyn said, holding the doll up triumphantly as she happily crawled in Murdoc's lap, who was laying on her bed watching her play while he fiddled around with lyrics on a piece of paper.

 

"Mhm. She's cute." Murdoc said, looking up at the pink doll with a half-interested chuckle. "Why's she your favorite?" He asked, flicking the doll's hair around with his finger.

 

"Pink!" Marilyn said, twirling the doll around in her hands with a giggle, curling up in his lap more, making him roll his eyes with a smirk. He set his stuff down before squeezing her playfully. She squealed at this and seemed to like it, so he was doing something right. Noodle always liked being played with like that too.

 

Murdoc would rather die than admit it, but he didn't mind this as much as he used to. He tried hard around the others to be tough, but something in him relaxed a bit when he got around her and he didn't have to be his regular self. He was tough and cold around the others but when the doors were closed wasn't all that icey.

 

The only problem about this situation was that she still wasn't speaking full sentences in English. They'd been working ever since she got here on her vocabulary, but it didn't seem to be doing much. What baffled Murdoc was her ability to understand English but inability to speak hardly any of it. She thankfully had shown some improvements however since Noodle started helping teach her little daily lessons. He figured it had to do something with the fact that both Noodle and Mary didn't have English as their first language, so they could bond a bit over it. But hey, progress was progress.

 

He sighed internally and decided to shake that thought off for now. She'd progress naturally and they weren't gonna mess it up yet. He picked the doll up and examined her gently with a hum instead.

 

"She looks a bit fruity if I'm bein' honest." Murdoc said, taking his finger and running it through her highlighted hair again. It felt strange, like all doll hair, and he quickly stopped doing that.

 

"¿Qué?" She asked, looking up at him confusedly and reaching for her doll back.

 

"Gay. Like, y'know, when two girls like each other or somethin'? Not a bad thing." He shrugged, handing her the doll back and smiling a bit as he watched her hold it to her chest like a baby.

 

"Love?" She asked, hugging her doll still like an old friend and playing with her bangs. Her face was slightly red as she looked at the doll.

 

"Yeah I guess. Why? You got a crush on the vampire girl?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning a bit as he eyed her mischievously.

 

"No!" She said, looking away and shoving his arm away while he laughed.

 

"You do, don't you? Eh, she's not so bad. I could see it." He joked as he watched her squirm away and argue with him in Spanish.

 

"If you and the vampire get married are me and Lagoona invited?"

 

"No!!"

 

"Harsh."

 

"Lagoona! No you!"

 

"Harsher."

 

________

 

Russel shook his head with a chuckle as he sat in the living room and watched Murdoc grumble to himself with a pair of scissors in hand. Who needed a TV when this family was all the free entertainment one could need?

 

Murdoc was currently seated on the floor, his daughter in his lap as he cursed under his breath, saying something about toy companies in a growl.

 

"How the bloody hell did you get this in your hair?" Murdoc asked under his breath, attempting to cut a ZhuZhu Pet free from his daughter's head, it's motors caught in her hair.

 

Marilyn giggled and shrugged, leaving Murdoc to sigh again like an exasperated teen and attempt to free any of her hair without cutting any of it. He grumbled again as he loosened it strand by strand.

 

"Where did you even get this thing anyway? I don't remember buyin' you this soddin' hamster." He said, looking a bit triumphant as he loosened a good portion of her hair.

 

"I bought it for her. My sister recommend it." Russel said, smirking a bit as he watched the man struggle as he held back a laugh. He would normally feel bad, but Murdoc had been insufferable as of late, so he saw as a dose of payback instead.

 

"Does she know they get caught in kids hair?" He asked. rolling his eyes as he attempted to free more of it from it's small little white gears. "And drive the parents insane?"

 

"That's why she recommended it." Russel said, grinning as he watched Murdoc glare at him for a moment and pick the scissors back up again.

 

"If you weren't so strong and such a good drummer I'd stab you with these."

 

"Yeah, but you won't."

 

"Yet."

 

________

 

"What are you two doing?! You're supposed to be playing with her!" Russel said, standing in the doorway of Marilyn's room and watching the utter chaos unfold before his eyes.

 

"We found a new use for Weeble-Wobbles!" Noodle exclaimed, picking up one off the ground and lobbing it Murdoc who barely dodged it with yelp.

 

"Yeh! They're more fun if you throw 'em!" 2D said, smirking and tossing another one towards the man with a laugh. "Let's see how you like not 'avin' eyes!"

 

"Lord gimme strength..." Russel muttered, scooping Marilyn up and grabbing a stuffed animal or two before leaving the room with a sigh. Murdoc's screams were still audible as he went down the stairs.

 

"Let's let the kids hash things out while we watch cartoons like real adults. Deal?"

 

"¡Sí!"

 

________

 

Marilyn sat snuggled on the couch next to 2D and Noodle, watching a Disney movie with the group as she shared her Cinderella blanket with her Uncle and sister with a smile. They were watching Mulan, and the group seemed to be oddly invested. So invested in fact they didn't even notice Murdoc walk in the room.

 

"More Princess movies? Love of Satan, don't you get tired of them?" Murdoc asked, looking at his daughter with a raised eyebrow. "And Dents you're in your 20s, why are you watchin' this?"

 

"It's cool." 2D shrugged, not taking his eyes off the screen.

 

"She's Noodle!" Marilyn exclaimed, watching Mulan do some tricks on screen to beat up the huns.

 

"Why? 'Cause she's Asian?" Murdoc asked, crossing his arms and looking at the screen inquizitively.

 

"No! She's cool and can kick your butt!" Marilyn said, hugging onto her sister's arm with a giggle, watching the girl stick her tongue out at Murdoc mischievously.

 

"Oh really? I'd like to see her try." Murdoc said, sticking his tongue back out at the teen like the mature 30 year old man he was.

 

"Strong words coming from the man who just got beat up by a Weeble-Wobble." Noodle said, giggling and smirking at him, watching his face flush embarrassedly at this and his arms cross even tighter.

 

"I- You- Oh sod off the lot of ya." Murdoc grumbled, walking out with an embarrassed pout.

 

"What's wrong?" Marilyn asked 2D, pointing the the doorway which Murdoc had just left from.

 

"Eh, don't let 'im get to ya, love. He never grew up."

 

"Says the 28 year old man watching Mulan."

 

"Hey! Stay outta this Noods! Its cool!"

 

"You're 28!!"

 

"Let me enjoy myself!"

Chapter Text

When it came to grandparents, Marilyn had no clue. She never brought it up or asked since, well, frankly, no one had ever brought it up around her.

 

Everyone in this small misfit band came from an odd past. Noodle from a government run child agent project in Japan, Russel from a dark situation in America, 2D from a happy life turned upside-down, and Murdoc from... Well... Stoke-on-Trent. The group all had their pasts and lives that were so deeply shrouded in mystery for the small girl that she couldn't even begin to understand, even if she tried, so she simply didn't attempt to.

 

Until today.

 

_________

 

"Come on, leave the kid with us, okay?" Russel said, seemingly pleading with the green man who was shakily pacing around the room in a mix of anxiety, anger, and fear. "We've watched her before, we can again.”

 

"Correction, you've watched her before. Those two haven't for more than an hour in their sodding life." Murdoc grumbled, wobbling a bit as he walked, He'd wobbled many-a-time in his life, but this time he wasn't drunk. He was scared.

 

"If you were stayin' then I wouldn't 'ave given this another thought, but you 'ave to go to that bloody thing for bands or whatever." Murdoc growled, feeling his stomach tie up in knots.

 

"I can cancel." Russel said, shrugging. “It’s just a meetup of different people and friends in bands. It’s nothing important.” 

 

“No. Go do your thing. She was gonna have to meet him at some point anyway.” He muttered, shaking his head before sitting in a chair opposite of the drummer. “I just didn’t expect her to so soon…” he sighed, his harsh gruff tone in his voice gone and melted away and replaced by a quieter tone of sorrow as he took a deep breath and looked at the floor. 

 

“Are you sure?” Russel asked, softening his tone as well. As much as a dick Murdoc could be, Russel knew just how hard the man was suffering right now, so he attempted to show some kindness to him. 

 

Murdoc nodded with a sigh. “Yeah. I am. Better to get it over with than prolong it, eh?” He said, giving a weak, humorless chuckle. “If he lays a hand on her though he’s dead. Broke or not he is dead.”

 

“Good. Just be careful, okay? New bassists are expensive to replace.” Russel joked, patting the man on the back before getting up and walking off back through the hallway, leaving the man alone by himself.

 

 

”Yeah… Let’s make this quick.”

 

 

________

 

Murdoc knew the minute he unbuckled the girl from her car seat that this whole trip was going to be a mistake. He had gotten off the hook from the constant “where are we going”s the whole drive by simply just remaining quiet and giving short responses. He didn’t want to snap at his daughter just because he was tired and nauseous from stress, but with every question from the child it was getting harder and harder. 

 

With a sigh he carefully lifted her up and put her on the ground before going to the trunk and getting a small suitcase full of his and her stuff. Admittedly he should’ve packed more, but he didn’t have the time nor patience to do so. With any luck they’d be leaving here in a day or two. With any more luck the old man would die the minute they walked in.

He wasn’t banking on that possibility however.

 

 

”¿Dónde estamos?” Marilyn asked, looking up at her dad with those ever curious red eyes of hers, holding onto the hem of his shirt since both his hands were full. She knew something was wrong, and her dad’s odd lack of any emotion was making it obvious. 

 

He took a deep sigh before walking up on the porch. “Your grandfather’s house.” He said as he sat the bag down by the door and knocked on the door. Referring to such a man as his daughter’s grandfather and his father left a sour taste in his mouth, but maybe he could pretend for a few seconds that he lived in a world where the man earned that title and where coming home was a joyful occasion. Maybe, just maybe.

 

Until the door opened and the familiar face made him want to physically recoil.

“So you decided to come after all, eh? Didn’t expect it.” The man said, shaking his head with a raspy chuckle. 

 

“I came because I had to, not out of choice.” He said, looking at the elderly man with a look of disgust, the slightest bit of unease on his face as well. “Now move, I have to get in the bloody house.” He muttered, a bit of anger in his tone. 

 

“What a warm welcome for yer old man.” He said, his tone also shifting to anger as he moved aside and walked back into the house to what appeared to be a living room. He froze however and pointed to Marilyn, who still clutched onto the hem of Murdoc’s turtleneck. “Who the bloody hell is that?” 

 

 

“My daughter.” Murdoc said bluntly yet hesitantly, his voice wavering for a moment after saying it. He sat the bag down on the floor and looked at the small girl, whose body language screamed discomfort, and frowned. He gently pried her little hand off of his sweater and offered his own hand to hold instead, which she happily took.

 

 

“So you finally got married, eh?” The man asked, examining the small girl with confusion and attentiveness.

 

 

”No.” Murdoc said bluntly, keeping his answers short and turning around to face the man, still being mindful to be careful with the girl.

 

 

”Oh, so it was an accident. I Knew this would happen eventually. If it wasn't gonna be yer brother who knocked some poor woman up I knew It'd be you.” He said, smiling a smug grin in response as he shook his head. “You never were responsible. Surprised ya even took the thing in.”

 

 

Murdoc wasn’t sure how he felt about his daughter being referred to as an “accident” but at the same time he wasn’t sure if there was any other way to describe her. He hadn’t been expecting her and she certainly wasn’t planned, so there wasn’t any other thing to honestly call her. It still angered him a bit. “I had to. The Mother gave up custody.” He said, looking at the girl and picking her up after she motioned for him to. She was uncomfortable and he could tell by her little body language. He felt guilty for bringing her all over again.

 

 

”Ah. You still could’a put 'er up for adoption.” He said, slowly walking in the living room and sitting in a chair across the room. 

 

“I didn’t want to.” Murdoc said, sitting on the couch and sitting her in his lap, where she still clung to him. She hadn’t said a word since they walked in, and he knew why as well.

 

 

"Don't tell me you're gettin' soft after all these years." Sebastian said, giving another raspy laugh which evolved into the kind of cough you can only get if you smoked 3 packs a day religiously. "That 'celebrity' life musta changed ya after all."

 

"It hasn't." Murdoc said, making his grip on his daughter a bit tighter. "I couldn't just send a 3 year old off on her own or in some blasted orphanage. I'm an asshole but I'm not a monster." He said, practically talking through his teeth at this point.

 

"Whatever." The man said, waving his son off before looking at the girl again, taking notice in her appearance and actions. "She's awfully silent. Can she talk yet?" He asked, looking at Murdoc briefly before back at the girl.

 

"Yeah, just not much English." He said, looking down at the girl with the slightest hint of a smile, looking at her hold onto him tightly.

 

"What else would she speak?" Sebastian asked, looking at the child again, this time with a slightly judgemental look. Murdoc reeled himself mentally, knowing this would be a problem.

 

"Spanish. She's Hispanic." He said, praying to Satan this wouldn't end poorly.

 

"God's sake boy, don't use that political fairy talk in my house. Just say shes Mexican and move on." Sebastian said, waving the man off again with a sigh. "Does she 'ave a name or did you forget that part?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

Murdoc, who was honestly surprised that went over so well, quickly found his voice again and muttered a quick "Marilyn." out to his father. "The Mother picked out the name, not me."

 

"Oh. She's a clingy bugger, isn't she?" He asked, his tone sounding judgemental again, making Murdoc's anger rise again. That tone of voice always found a way to get under his skin.

 

"What's wrong with that?" Murdoc asked, his voice a bit sharper. "She's 3. Shouldn't she want affection or somethin'?" He asked, looking at the man with a frown.

 

The conversation pandered out in Marilyn's head as she sat against her dad's chest, her head leaned downward, focusing on the rhythmic thumping of Murdoc's heart and the steady rise and fall of his stomach as he breathed. Murdoc's heartbeat was much like it's owner however and was unnaturally violent, so with each beat it felt like the organ was going to jump out of his chest. She didn't mind however. She wanted something to focus on and drown out the noise.

 

Marilyn was worried. Something was wrong with her Papa and she didn't like it. He was tense and quiet as if holding back, and seemed to be on the verge of yelling at all times. She could feel him hold his breath every few seconds, as if holding back, and it also was worrying. She wanted to hug him and make him feel better, but at the same time knew she'd only make things worse if she did. It was a struggle to remain silent, but it was for the best.

 

Sebastian, or her grandfather, was an odd man who she already didn't like. It was like a weight had been put on her body the moment she saw him for the first time, and she felt a bad gut feeling around, so she stayed away at all costs.

 

But over time that proved to be easier said than done.

 

________

 

Marilyn sat on the floor, playing with her Draculara and Clawdeen dolls that she brought quietly while Murdoc was trying his best not to rip his hair out while going over payment records with his father.

 

The best of hobbies.

 

"What I don't understand is how they haven't taken the soddin' clothes off your back by now if you've somehow missed 8 payment in 3 years. All over the repairs ya had done 'ere. If that can even be considered repairs." Murdoc said, gesturing to the half-assed job that was done to the roof and windows by unknown workers Sebastian had hired.

 

"'S not my fault them Mexican Wankers I hired were shit. Couldn't find anyone else." Sebastian said, shrugging. "They did little-to-no work and overcharged. I payed them what they deserved." He said. "I wanted my own bloody sons to come work on their childhood home but your brother was in jail again and you were off somewhere on a gallyvant with that 'band' of yours. Never even picked up yer phone!"

 

"I was in jail, that's why." Murdoc grumbled, shuffling through more papers. "I was there for a few months so I didn't have a form of contact." He said, not looking up from the table, almost as if he was afraid of his father's gaze.

 

"That how you got her?" He asked, gesturing to Marilyn who was trying her best to immerse herself in her own little world. She wasn't very successful.

 

"Not exactly. It was during that time though." Murdoc responded, noticing his daughter perk up at that. He held back a chuckle at this. She was trying so hard to act like she wasn't listening, but she wasn't a very good actor. He just smirked and rolled one of the papers up loosely and tapped her on the head with it. She looked up at him with a giggle, him chuckling that odd laugh of his himself before shaking his head. "Stop listenin' in, ya little rat!" He joked, generally enjoying himself before freezing and remembering where he was. He quickly sat back into place and put his normal face back on.

 

It was too late however.

 

His father just shot him a look and Murdoc took a deep breath, really hoping that the old man would keep his mouth shut for once. Luckily Marilyn interrupted before Sebastian could start, holding up her Draculara doll in a different outfit, this time in some crop top and bootcut jeans. "Look!" She said, practically shoving it in Murdoc's face by accident.

 

"Cute." Murdoc said, shoving it out of his face and attempting to put on the tough love front he did with everyone else. "I'm busy love, so if you could just-"

 

"What the hell are you buyin' her?" Sebastian asked, pointing at the doll with a look of disgust. Oh Lord, here we go again...

 

"What about it?" Murdoc asked, looking at the doll with genuine confusion. There wasn't anything wrong with the Monster High toys. Honestly even Murdoc found them pretty cute, even if that stupid theme song and commercial jingle was forever engraved into his brain.

 

"Look at what they're lettin' kids toys wear nowadays! They're just letting little girls grow up to be whores at this point." He said, grabbing the toy from the girl and looking at it before Murdoc ripped it from his hands and gave it back to his daughter. Murdoc had to physically bite his tongue to stop an argument. Marilyn held her doll protectively and backed away, now seated at a further distance than before, making the man frown as a twinge of guilt knawed at his chest.

 

"Whatever. The doll isn't hurting anythin'. Now lets get this done so I can leave tomorrow." Murdoc growled, glaring at Sebastian sharply.

 

"Believe me boy, no one wants you out of here faster than I do."

 

________

 

Marilyn woke up to being gently prodded by Murdoc, looking around the room, realizing she was in a bedroom. Murdoc's old bedroom to be precise. She must have fallen asleep last night and he put her to bed. It didn't look to be morning out and Murdoc was still in the same clothes he was when they arrived, indicating he hadn't been asleep yet.

 

"Qué ocurre...?" Marilyn asked, rolling over and looking sleepily at him.

 

"Bad news, love. We have to stay 'ere for a few days until the bank and insurance company approves the check because apparently dear ol' dad has a spendin' problem and will try to cancel it and use all of my money to buy alcohol. Caught 'im in the act of it a few minutes ago. So guess who gets to stay." Murdoc said with sigh, rubbing a hand exhaustedly down his face.

 

"Oh no..." Marilyn said, sitting up a bit with a yawn.

 

"Tell me about it. Hannibal is coming in too for some god-forsaken reason and will be here tomorrow. So you get to meet or uncle too. Lovely, isn't it?" Murdoc asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm and annoyance.

 

"I like Dee better." Marilyn said, pouting a bit.

 

"I can't believe I'm sayin' this, but me too love. Me too." Murdoc said with a groan before standing up with a sigh before leaning over and coaxing her to lay back down again. "Sleep. You're gonna need it for tomorrow." He said, kissing her on the forehead.

 

"Are you staying?" She asked, looking at him worriedly.

 

"Yes, but I have to... Go for a walk for a bit. I'll be back in an hour or two. Don't worry he's out cold down there so he won't bother you." Murdoc said, flicking the lamp off and walking to the door, his boots clunking as stepped. "Don't get up and he won't bother you. He can't climb stairs anyway." Murdoc said with a dry chuckle before opening the bedroom door and turning around.

 

"Que duermas bien, cariño." He said softly, his Spanish was rusty, but it made Marilyn beam nonetheless. His face in the feint light showing the best smile he could muster at the moment. It wasn't much, but the thought was there. He shook his head before beginning to close the door, lastly muttering out a quiet and exasperated:

 

"You're gonna need it for tomorrow."

Chapter Text

Marilyn knew her father had a brother. Did Murdoc ever talk about Hannibal? No. Did he even ever think about him? The answer was possibly the same: No. Marilyn never asked either. Honestly, she didn't care, but she figured he had a reason to keep all of this hidden away deep inside so she never poked the metaphorical bear.

 

Until today she learned her suspicions were correct.

 

The first think she did that morning after waking up and changing her clothes was immediately dashing past the living room where she knew her grandfather was and to her dad in the kitchen, who was currently grumbling something about his father being a tightwad. Murdoc "Don't-touch-that-damn-thermostat-if-you're-cold-go-to-Russ" Niccals was one to talk however.

 

Murdoc sighed and shut the cabinet door, not entirely sure what he expected to find in there. Elderly people's cabinets either were neatly orginized and fresh or messy and still had food in there from before their own children were even born. Sebastian's cabinet was the second option. Murdoc was certain George Washington was still leading the American troops when those crackers were first purchased.

 

He shook his head and looked down at the little girl who was looking up at him with wide, curious eyes. He threw his hands up in exasperated gesture to the kitchen that looked like it hadn't been touched since 1978.

 

"I can't find anythin' in 'ere that doesn't classify as a science experiment!" He said, leaning his head out of the open doorway to the kitchen where his father was fooling around with something or another. "Everything in here is expired. The hell do you eat?" He asked, looking generally confused.

 

"I buy food." He responded bluntly. Well, that just solved that didn't it?

 

"Everyone has to buy food. I meant how do you eat meals daily if everythin' in here is older than I am?" Murdoc said flatly, crossing his arms and leaning on the doorway. Marilyn stayed hidden in the kitchen. She felt extremely uncomfortable when he was around. It scared her.

 

"Why's it matter to you?" Sebastian responded agitatedly and Murdoc quickly dropped the subject, shrugging and quickly turning around into the kitchen again. Nope. Not today.

 

Murdoc scooped Marilyn up again and sat her in a chair by the table, looking at her and the doorway for a intense moment before turning his back to look through one of the drawers for something. It was just out of curiosity now. It had to be. There was no way he generally thought he'd find something in there. He looked nervous. Marilyn wondered if he was doing it because he actually was curious or to occupy his time and mind with something mundane. She didn't question it. She didn't dare.

 

"What are you looking for?" She asked, her little voice barely above a whisper. It surprised Murdoc for a moment. Generally he didn't think she was going to speak at all today so this was a surprise.

 

"I don't know." Murdoc grumbled defeatedly as he closed the drawer and leaned on the kitchen counter, looking at her with a tired pair of eyes. "You wanna go home, don'tcha?" He said, his voice matching the state of his eyes.

 

Marilyn nodded, looking at the dust that was on the table and drawing a little cat creature into it with her finger. "Dee.." She muttered and Murdoc shook his head. Of course she missed 2D. That dumbass might as well be her father for the way she fawned over him so. Didn't she know he was a moron? Why did the kids always go to 2D? It sickened the bassist with jealousy.

 

"Mhm." He said flatly, watching her draw little patterns in the dust with slight interest. "I figured." He said before taking her hand and stopping it. "I uh, wouldn't do that. You don't know what was on that table before the dust sat in." He muttered and watched as she silently obeyed and sat back in the chair more. At least she listened well.

 

"How long until home?" She asked, her little broken English was endearing to Murdoc oddly enough. It reminded him of Noodle.

 

"Two days, love. Two days." He said with a sigh as he rubbed a hand down his face. "Think you can make it that long?" He asked, this time a slightly playful undertone was in his voice, almost as if he were trying to be funny but just unable to make it work. She appreciated the effort at least.

 

Marilyn had one question for her father herself this time when she saw him jump as the door knocked, obviously laying way that someone was here...

 

Can he?

 

________

 

Marilyn had experienced a lot of odd first impressions of many people before in her life. 2D had blue hair and voids for eyes, Russel had no pupils, Noodle never showed her eyes for some reason, and her father was a sickly greyish-green color. Needless to say she was used to odd introductions and had seen it all...

 

Until she met her dad's brother.

 

Hannibal was something she wasn't exactly prepared for, and she could tell her father wasn't either.

 

When looking at Sebastian Marilyn could see a few similarities between him and her dad. Their eye shapes, skin colors, hands, even body builds were a bit similar based on what old pictures Marilyn could see barely hanging on the wall. But with Hannibal it was like seeing a younger version of Sebastian and she didn't know how to feel about it. She simply hid behind her dad's legs while he stiffly stood there for basic and awkward greetings.

 

"Last time I've gotten a chance t' see you was on one of your little music videos." Hannibal remarked, his tone sounding at least a little friendly. His accent was stronger than Murdoc's she noticed, making some of his sentences hard to understand. Accents aside however, he didn't pose as a threat like Sebastian did. Sure, he wasn't Stuart by any means, but maybe he was nice?

 

"You look uglier on screen." He said with a chuckle, making Murdoc roll his eyes and cross his arms tighter.

 

Or not.

 

Hannibal was about to say something else when he noticed the child hiding behind his younger brother with a confused look on his face. "Oi, is that-"

 

"Yes. It's mine. Don't ask it's a long story." Murdoc muttered, gesturing behind himself for Marilyn to stay there. He knew she didn't like people and didn't want to flaunt her around like she was some doll. She had enough stress put on her as of late, she didn't need anymore.

 

"Huh. Didn't expect you to ever have kids." Hannibal remarked, looking at what corner of the toddler could be seen from behind Murdoc. "Shes tiny." He said, this time with a less harsh tone. It still sounded rude by all means, but it wasn't hurtful at least.

 

"I wouldn't. At least not on purpose." Murdoc replied, turning around and picking the girl up, walking with the man to the living room. Okay, there's where things hurt. Marilyn resented her father saying that, but she didn't dare speak. She didn't want to.

 

"Eh, thought I was the same but got together with this woman an' that kinda changed." He shrugged, getting a better look at his niece. She looked a lot like her father, but at the same time totally different. It baffled him slightly.

 

"Don't tell me you're married." Murdoc said, looking at his older brother with a raised eyebrow. Hannibal? Married? Someone check hell and see if it froze over. Since when was he the type to fall in love?

 

"Kinda. We're not married or anythin'. Just kinda together and livin' together." He said, looking back at Murdoc. "We got two kids too, just one o' 'em is hers from another relationship."

 

"Never expected that from you. You used to terrorize them at schools or in public." Murdoc said, holding back his chuckle at the memory of his 15 year old brother, who was supposed to be watching him at a park, scare some 7 year old so bad they fell off the climbing wall like Mufasa fell off the cliff in The Lion King. It was one of the few memories of Murdoc's childhood that he didn't mind when It popped up in his head again.

 

"Where'dya meet her anyway? Don't tell me this is some sappy love story." Murdoc said, the two of them opting to just stay in the hallway. Neither of them wanted to go in the living room where their father was and it showed.

 

"God no. I met her in prison and our sentences ended at the same time so we just stayed together afterwards." He said, leaning against a wall as if he were a stereotypical cool guy in an 80s film. "Nothin' fancy."

 

"Ew. Send it to some stupid white publisher. You'll make millions." He teased, actually seeming to enjoy himself a bit. Sure, he didn't like his brother, but after not talking to him for over 20 years really seemed to make a difference in their attitudes and conversations.

 

Hannibal chuckled and rolled his eyes before looking at the girl in his brother's arms again like a lightbulb went off in his head. "Y'know, I just came by 'ere while I was out an' about. I got one o' my kids with me, she's only a little older than her too. Wanna see if they'd get along?"

 

Instantly Murdoc knew this was not going to work out. Marilyn wasn't like normal kids, and being his child Murdoc'd be surprised if she was. She was anxious and shy and practically crumpled around other people. Murdoc was certain this child would melt if some stranger so much as looked at her funny. But before he could disagree Hannibal was already off, making Murdoc sigh.

 

This should be interesting.

 

________

 

And interesting it was. Murdoc sat on the couch, scooted far away from his brother and even farther away from the opposing chair on that same side that his father sat in, and watched these two interact. It was downright comical.

 

Marilyn was so shy and quiet, obviously scared, and her cousin, who Murdoc learned was named Abigal, was the complete opposite. It almost would be funny if Murdoc didn't secretly feel so bad for his daughter. Poor thing had to do her and his worst nightmare: Socialize with the family.

 

Things went fine for awhile. Abigal never shut up while Marilyn never spoke and the two seemed to get along fine until they had to play together. That's when they clashed.

 

Marilyn liked to have everything a certain way. She liked her dolls to keep their clothes and hair neat, she liked her Play-Dough to not be mixed, and she liked things quiet. Abigal was the exact opposite and for the first time since they were there Murdoc watched his child show another emotion besides fear. Who would've guessed?

 

"I'm playing with this one!" Abigal announced, grabbing Draculaura and instantly Murdoc knew this wouldn't go over well. Part of him wanted popcorn. God he was a bad father.

 

"No... She's special." Marilyn said, grabbing her toy back. She had an odd attachment to that doll. Probably because Noodle gave it to her and she seemed to look up to the guitarist a considerable amount. Girls stuck together Murdoc guessed.

 

"Why? It's just a doll. Be the other one." She protested and Marilyn just held the doll ever more.

 

"No. Please, be her. This one is important." She said, clearly struggling with her English here. Murdoc was a bit proud of her though. Turns out she actually was listening to their lessons.

 

"Fine." Abigal sighed, taking the other one with a slight pout. Once again things seemed to go fine. Fine enough in fact that Murdoc dropped his guard and actually started answering his brother's questions about his band and bandmates. Everything, for awhile at least, had the delusion that everything was okay in this house and it wasn't a mental and Physical Prison.

 

Until someone had enough.

 

Due to Murdoc's chatting with his brother he hadn't seemed to notice how things were going with the girls, and that wasn't well. Turns out Abigal liked to play rough with things, and Marilyn was not used to this at all. Sure, 2D had grabbed her and Noodle and spun them both around until they all saw stars or Murdoc or Russ had play-fought with her and Noodle before, but this wasn't something she was used to, and being Murdoc's daughter she didn't take it laying down.

 

Abigal had gotten upset over the way Marilyn played and two got in an argument, but with how quiet Marilyn was you couldn't tell the two were fighting. It just seemed like banter between the two playing so the adults didn't mind to look up.

 

Until it got noticeable enough.

 

Marilyn's hair, albeit short, was curly and noticeable enough to the opposing girl to use as leverage in her argument, so when Marilyn gently shoved her cousin off the girl just ripped some of it out for seemingly no reason. Marilyn didn't scream but she did whine tearfully and shove the girl off more roughly this time. Why couldn't they all be Noodle? Maybe this is what her dad was talking about when he said kids suck.

 

Marilyn was a very timid and shy little kid, and not wanting to be hurt again she just got up and went to her dad, hiding in his arms with a small huff. Murdoc, who had no clue what had even happened, just looked a bit confused before scooping her up and sitting her back in thee floor again. Marilyn looked actually betrayed by him.

 

She looked briefly over at her grandfather, who was silently watching this whole thing go down as if he were watching a program on television, and frowned, quickly looking away. Was everyone in this house evil?! She wanted Noodle or 2D again. They actually knew how to play with you and not hit you.

 

She had no clue how long this would last, or how long she'd really be here, but she was so tired of it. She felt scared and overwhelmed. She felt upset and angry. She felt oddly protective over her dad even if she knew she couldn't do anything to help him.

 

And she felt rage for this child and if touched her again she was going to hit her like she had seen her dad hit other people. If it made them leave him alone maybe it'd make her cousin finally cut her a wide path.

 

Marilyn didn't know. She wanted to home, she wanted her family back, she wanted sleep, she wanted to feel safe again and every second spent in this dingy house made her want to explode. She wanted home so bad. This place may have been where her dad grew up, but this wasn't home. She hated it.

 

She absolutely hated it here.

 

She wanted to go home.

 

Maybe home would be a thing tomorrow.

 

________

 

Marilyn had enough. After an entire evening of being yelled at, her stuff touched and moved, her body hit, and her hair pulled Marilyn was fed up. She was absolutely done and she wasn't taking it anymore.

 

She looked over at her cousin who was currently roughly playing with her doll and she couldn't take it anymore. That was where she snapped.

 

Murdoc barely had time to turn his head before he saw his usually quiet and calm child take a heavy book off the coffee table and wack her cousin so hard with it she actually knocked the girl over. He also barely had time to stop the laugh that erupted from his throat at the scene. Sure, it was wrong and he needed to scold her, sure he shouldn't laugh and reward her for that, and sure she didn't need to settle it by possibly wacking her cousin cross-eyed with a hardback book twice her size, but God was it funny.

 

Two things were definite here: One being that this absolutely was Murdoc's child and she unfortunately got his temper, and Two that Marilyn was being pushed to her limits here. Murdoc figured she outta join the club by now. The illusive and hidden third thing was that the both of them needed to leave soon. This was taking a toll on the both of them and Murdoc found himself counting down the seconds like a child counting down the days until Santa's arrival.

 

Oh well, it was like the both of them were secretly hoping in their minds and souls:

 

Maybe tomorrow home would be a thing...

 

Maybe...

Chapter Text

It wasn't long after Murdoc and Marilyn's rather dejected return that Noodle announced filming for the music videos for Demon Dayz. After all, it was skyrocketing in popularity, and because of Marilyn they'd pushed the videos back as long as they could. It was time to get back to work.

 

Back to the grind!

 

Unfortunately not the type of grind Murdoc liked.

 

________

 

2D knew working with children on a set would be difficult and had been mentally preparing himself for days, imagining having to be around 15 or 20 something little Noodles from back in the day, but to his surprise it really wasn't that hard. Two teachers from the children's choir class were supervising the children, a few parents came to do so as well, and the kids just seemed to be interested in playing in the sand and complaining that it was hot anyway. Really, 2D felt a bit cheated, as if all his preparation was for nothing. Ah well, he supposed this was better than pure unbridled chaos. Maybe.

 

Two kids ran by throwing sand at each other, a little girl held some sort of lizard up like a prize and was showing it to her classmates who all were oooing and awwing at it, a boy got dared by his friends to eat a beetle and he did, and a group of kids made a sand castle, or more accurately due to the lack of water, a sand lump. The effort was still there and 2D gave them a thumbs up as he walked by, wiping sweat off his forehead with a sigh. It was indeed hot out here. And all he was wearing was pants, boots, and a helmet. He wasn't sure how the others were surviving. However, watching all the children be, well, as one would except kids to be, was rather entertaining to the singer. He sat down on a chair just off set and slumped back comfortably, playing around with his necklace while he waited for the crew to announce filming. He looked up briefly in search of a certain kid in specific, his niece, but he couldn't seem to find her anywhere.

 

Until he looked down and saw her sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest on the mat of sorts his chair was on. Her hair was too short to be fooled with yet, so it was just left down, but she did have a little headband in it. She was sort of matching the rest of the band's look with the almost military-esc clothing, hers being similar to Noodle's as a pants-shirt-boots combo, but she had a little yellow bandana tied in her hair as a ribbon-like headband curtsey of Noodle. She had begged and begged to have a necklace similar to 2D's, so she did. Her's just was patterned and had Hello Kitty on the front. Noodle had grabbed it for her in a mini mart on the way when they stopped for a bathroom break. She absolutely loved it too. You'd think you gave her a million dollars or something. She just was staring out at the others, looking sad as she always did. She perpetually had big sad eyes like those pound puppy plushies from the 80s. 2D often wondered if Murdoc had eyes like that too, just hidden by his thick bangs. He wasn't so sure he really wanted to know either.

 

"Marilyn? Why aren't you wiv the others?" 2D asked, nudging her with his boot. She only huffed in reaction to it.

 

"I don't want to talk to them." She murmured, her voice quiet. Her English had been getting better lately, which was good, she still just had a bit of an accent however. She pronounced her words similarly still like someone would pronounce Spanish words, but 2D figured that made sense.

 

"Why not? They seem nice. Are they mean or-" He asked, looking a bit confused.

 

"No. I just... Don't." Marilyn said, slightly louder this time. Her gaze didn't break away from the distant view of nothingness ahead of her. "I... I talk funny, I sound weird, and I just don't want to talk to them." She replied to herself. "Loud."

 

"Well kids are supposed to be loud. Noodle was." 2D shrugged. "You're the only kid I eva met that was super silent."

 

"'Cause I sound weird." She replied, trying to stop her voice from dipping or rolling her words together in a way that would be hard to understand. She seemed self-conscious about it.

 

"You don't sound weird!" 2D protested before looking at her gently. "I sound kinda funny, but ya don't see me shuttin' up, do ya? What about Noodle? She has a real noticeable accent too, y'know. And Russ, and Murdoc, and Del, and-"

 

"I know." Marilyn cut him off. "I'm weird and I don't know much. I couldn't have a conversación." She muttered looking the other way. "And they are so so loud, 2D... So loud and so many... No me gusta todo este bullicio..." She mumbled, almost shuddering at that. 2D found her so bizarre at times. She was the only kid who got scared at places most would be estatic about. "I... W-Where is Noodle?" She asked finally, as if she'd had enough of this nonsense and wanted her sister again. It was rather cute in a way.

 

"She's uh, at the second studio sight, love. That's way over there. You can't go over there alone and I gotta stay 'ere in case it's time to film." He said in an almost apologetic tone. "You're just gonna have to stick it out, I fink."

 

"B-But it's so loud! I just want..." She said in an almost panicked voice before letting out a whine sound and burying her face in her knees. 2D frowned nervously. Maybe she couldn't tough it out after all...

 

Marilyn rose to her feet for a moment before looking back behind her where 2D claimed the other spot was, and running off before the singer could stop her. Great! If she got lost Murdoc was gonna kill him! Literally!

 

Marilyn ignored everything and dashed off. She needed to get away from all this noise. It was too much happening at once for her brain to handle. She couldn't process every person in the area. They all blended together like a blur. It made her sick. She needed to get away. She had to. She just wanted to find the others. She knew they'd be calm. They're familiar. Familiar is safe. She wanted to feel safe desperately.

 

However this was a big area full of all of the same looking sand dunes over and over again, and she had a feeling this wasn't the best of ideas after all... The familiar panic hit her like a ton of bricks, and she couldn't even see 2D and the others again. She felt dizzy. Why'd she have to be like this? Why couldn't she be a normal kid like everyone else?

 

Marilyn kept wandering around however, sniffling to herself in defeat at letting herself get so lost, before she finally saw something familiar: The van thing that the others were going to be driving, and a director looking guy or two! Thank God she wasn't lost. She was about to give up and lay in the sand for the rest of her life and live with the lizards and other creatures like a western Snow White. She was glad she didn't have to do that. She wasn't the biggest fan of sand anyway.

 

"I was thinking we could do that too, however I think if we change the shot..." Noodle negotiated, directing the others around like she ran the place, but considering it was her album she kind of did. A least Noodle was politw about her changes. Murdoc just straight up told people they were morons and he could do better when he was making videos back in 2001.

 

They went through a lot of directors that way...

 

"Like this?" One of the men asked, angling it better through Noodle's gesture.

 

"完璧！" She announced, looking pleased. "I think we're se- Oof!" Noodle was cut off in her speaking by a familiar frantic child clinging to her as if she were everyone's only hope left in the world. The familiar little hands grabbed at the fabric of her outfit, and clung to her as if they wanted to fuse with her. She didn't have to look down to see who this was, but she did anyway.

 

"Marilyn? Why are you- You're supposed to be with 2D." Noodle said, rubbing the child's back lightly. "Did he lose you?"

 

"I left!" She cried, clinging onto her desperately. "I cannot take the noise and then I got lost and I didn't know where I was going and- ¡solo queria estar lejos!" She sobbed, not taking a single breath that entire sentence. Her eyes squeezed shut as she cried into Noodle's arms, shivering from nervs as if it were were winter outside instead of hot summer. The guitarist only sighed and gently lead her over to where the others were, slightly sympathetic and slightly annoyed. She knew she shouldn't be, Marilyn couldn't control her fears and rampant anxiety, but sometimes in moments like these she wished she either could or Murdoc would just hire a baby-sitter. She was difficult to deal with, to say the least.

 

________

 

Murdoc sighed to himself, having to hold the child in his arms while she sniffled and whined from her previous breakdown. He knew he should have had more sympathy for the thing, but he just couldn't. He was already tired of dealing with these at home, and dealing with them in public was just worse. It felt embarrassing, having to sit there holding your child while they cried over god knows what while people stare. He hated it. Usually Murdoc loved having people look at him, but when it's not for that reason it seemed pretty pointless to him. He could tell Noodle in a deep down way felt similar about all this, just probably not to the same extent as him.

 

They were behind schedule now because of her.

 

They were always behind schedule because of her now.

 

"Come on now... Stop that. You're alright." Murdoc said, his voice a mix of soft and exasperated. He patted her back a bit harder than he ment to and she pushed his hand away, burying her face in her hands with a shuddering breath. She knew she was causing them problems, and she felt so guilty from it she wished she could disappear. Part of her wished she had stayed out in the sand dunes now. She felt like they would have preferred that too.

 

"Lo siento..." She murmured, her voice muffled from her hands. "Me iré..."

 

"Leave? You don't have to leave, kiddo." Russel, who had learned a little bit of basic Spanish words recently to help, replied, eyeing Murdoc. "You don't have to leave at all."

 

"I do... You are busy..." She replied softly, looking up from her hands. "I know my way back."

 

"You just cried 3 minutes ago about bein' lost on the way here. You definitely don't know your way back." Murdoc said, shaking his head. "I should've known you wouldn't be able to handle all that yet at once." He sighed. He almost looked guilty. "I keep forgetting we're not dealing with a normal kid here."

 

Marilyn blinked at that, her eyes feeling how wet they were from her tears earlier, and she wiped them away with her sleeve. She crawled off him at that, feeling somehow worse than she did before she came over here. Even her own dad didn't think she was normal. That's why she couldn't face those other kids again. They all were normal and regular old kids. They'd think she's a freak. And who was she to argue? She was, wasn't she? She sat down in a corner of the van, surrounded by random junk she didn't feel like asking about, and she pulled her legs up to her chest again and wrapped her arms around them. She'd stay here, away from everyone, so nobody would have to look or deal with her again. She felt awful. Suddenly, not even her Hello Kitty necklace could solve her problems. Not anymore.

 

Noodle frowned. She felt slightly bad now about being annoyed with her earlier. She really was struggling, and anytime someone suggested she go back to the other kids a look of fear was in those eyes. Sure, she claimed she could go back so the others could work, but they knew she couldn't. She was a mess, and everyone being so unkind and exasperated with her wasn't helping. It was just making her shut down.

 

"She can stay." Noodle announced. "As long as she's careful and stays out of shots, I don't mind if she stays." Noodle said, walking by and patting the girl on the head gently as she did so, sliding the gloves back on her hands. "Murdoc doesn't want her privacy invaded by her being in the public eye, correct?" She asked, turning her head around to face the man.

 

"Yeah. Don't want the kid gettin' harassed or anything. Creeps, weirdos, the like." Murdoc nodded. "Or the public to know I have a kid." He shrugged. Marilyn looked a bit hurt at that last statement, figuring he was just ashamed of her, before she looked at Noodle and murmured a thank you in Spanish.

 

"No hay problema." Noodle replied with a smile before before continuing on, the group getting ready to begin filming. Russel let Marilyn sit up with him in the passenger's seat so she wouldn't be alone. Due to how big the chair was and how small she was, if they angled it right you wouldn't see her at all. It was perfect, and she didn't have to be alone. Marilyn appreciated the gesture.

 

The red smoke from 2D signal gun could be seen up ahead, so the cameras began rolling and the van was put into motion. Marilyn shrank down in the chair, hoping this was over soon enough and she could go home. She wasn't finding this fun like everyone else.

 

________

 

Marilyn remained in the van while the others did their thing; stepping out for shots and posing, doing as the director told them, and genuinely just wandering around really in a way that made them appear cool. Marilyn ventured from the front seat to the open back of the vehicle and sat on the edge, her legs dangling off the side as she watched her surroundings tiredly. However, 2D's dancing did get a giggle out of her.

 

She watched 2D dance around, Noodle and Russel chat a bit with the kids for scenes, Murdoc make eyes at the parents off set who wouldn't give him the time of day, Bootie jump around the dunes and say some lyrics for shots, and the director boss them all around, talking about the visionary or whatever of things. He interested Marilyn. Hewlett? Was that his name? He kept eyeing her with a look of confusion at times, almost as if she wasn't supposed to be here, or he just couldn't place her face. She felt embarrassed at that and crawled back deeper into the van, sitting where she thought nobody could see her.

 

Until...

 

"Hey!"

 

Marilyn jumped harder than a cat at the sudden voice and sound of footsteps. She turned around and saw a little blond haired boy who had crawled into the van when she wasn't paying attention, navigating his way through the mess inside before he plopped next to her with an interested look on his face. Marilyn didn't say anything.

 

"Why're you in here? I thought you were supposed to be with the class." He shrugged, his voice was friendly if not curious. He sounded a bit like if Linus from The Peanuts didn't speak so proper. Lisp and all. He had an American accent.

 

"I'm not with the class." She murmured, feeling nervous at speaking. She didn't even know if she was saying words right anymore. She hated English. Why couldn't everyone speak Spanish? She knew that language well.

 

"Oh, you're not?" He asked, sitting up a bit more. "I wondered why I didn't reconize you."

 

Marilyn only hummed in response.

 

"So... If you're not from a class, why are you here?" He asked, sitting crisscross now against the wall with his hands fiddling with a piece of rope.

 

"Uhm... My dad works here." She replied, watching him play with the rope absentmindedly. He tied it into a little bow. She wondered how he did that with one piece of string. It was rather impressive. Ah well, at least that wasn't a lie.

 

"Couldn't your mom watch you?" He asked, smiling at his work and sitting it down in front of her, as if he were giving it to her. Marilyn took it with a smile.

 

"I don't have a mother." She replied. "Not anymore."

 

"Oh. I'm sorry." He frowned, expecting the worst. Marilyn quickly shook her head.

 

"She isn't dead. She didn't want me." She replied, shrugging. "It's okay."

 

"Why didn't she want you?" He asked, looking genuinely confused.

 

"I don't know." Marilyn replied, looking down at the floor for a moment with a frown. The boy frowned too and just remained silent for a minute before deciding to change the subject quickly.

 

"My name's Daniel. You?" He asked, smiling again cheerfully. Marilyn looked up at him embarrassedly yet with a smile of her own. He didn't find her strange. Not yet at least.

 

"Marilyn." She replied, scooting a bit closer to him. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all?

 

"Okay Marilyn, come on!" He said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her up to her feet before practically dragging her out of the van. "I want you to meet my friends!" He said, completely ignoring Marilyn's squeak of surprise and slightly fearful look as he dragged her along with him, a look of excitement on his own face.

 

Scratch that. It was awful.

 

Well, only kind of.

 

________

 

The kids were nowhere near as scary as Marilyn expected them to be, however she found solace in hiding behind Daniel anyway. They still were noisy, and there were far too many of them for Marilyn's own liking, but she made her way through. Somehow.

 

However; Marilyn's eyes couldn't seem to tear away from a girl about her age in a little pink dress, far too fancy to be worn in the dessert, and a smile on her face. Her eyes were brown and looked friendly and her face was littered with freckles. In fact, her arms were too. And her legs. Her skin was pale and her hair was fluffy blonde. She seemed sweet, and Marilyn's heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she sat next to her gently.

 

"Hello!" She said, sitting properly with that same smile on her face. Marilyn forgot how to breathe. "You're Daniel's friend, right? So am I! I'm April."

 

"M-Marilyn..." Marilyn murmured, grabbing handfuls of the sand nervously and letting it fall through her fingers. Over and over again.

 

"Pretty!" April giggled and Marilyn's face wouldn't look up to meet hers. It felt too warm to. "I like your outfit. It's better than mine." She mused, smiling still. She looked like the smiley face sticker the doctor gives out when they give you shots.

 

"I think the dress is bonito." Marilyn shrugged. She looked up and saw the confused look on her face and cleared her little throat nervously. "P-Pretty." She corrected.

 

"Oh! Thank you! I guess so, but dresses are all Mommy puts me in. I don't like them very much." She murmured before shaking her head. "I think it's the fabric."

 

"Would fabric bother you?" She asked, parroting the word back with a slight struggle in her tone.

 

"Sometimes. If something feels too... I don't know. It does on- Oooo are those your teeth?" She dropped everything from earlier and her eyes sparkled as she pointed to Marilyn's mouth. Marilyn covered her mouth with her hand and squirmed a bit uncomfortably. She hoped no one would ask about that. She felt tears burn in her eyes.

 

"Yes... They're-"

 

"So cool!" April cut in, scooting closer to Marilyn and putting her hand on her wrist. "Can I see? Please?" She had a begging look in her eyes. Marilyn paused for a moment before pulling her hand back and opening her mouth. Two rows, on on the top and one on the bottom, lined her mouth with tiny little triangles in the exact places regular teeth would be. Her little tongue looked slightly off too, but nothing to write home about. Marilyn felt ashamed of herself while April was mesmerized. She poked at her teeth and Marilyn quickly pushed her hand back. She didn't say you could stick your finger in her mouth!

 

"Gross..." Marilyn murmured, looking the other way. "I am."

 

"No you're not! You're cool! I think you are!" She exclaimed, shaking her head. "I think you're uh... What's the word you said earlier?"

 

"Gross?" Marilyn asked.

 

"No, the one before that."

 

"Bonitio?" She asked, tilting her head a bit.

 

"Yes! It means pretty? In what language?" April asked, her face softening as she spoke. Her voice was high pitched and a bit loud, but Marilyn didn't mind.

 

"Español. Spanish." Marilyn said, shifting a bit. "I am from Mexico."

 

"Like Dora?" Another kid nearby asked, and Marilyn looked the other way. No not like Dora. That oddly annoyed her greatly. She wasn't some annoying kid who screamed all the time with a monkey. She was herself.

 

"Is that why you talk different?" Another kid cut in, and Marilyn gripped at the sand tighter. She couldn't help the way she spoke. She tried her very best.

 

"Wasn't Deigo from Mexico too?" The kid from earlier asked again. Marilyn wanted to scream.

 

"That's why you don't use full sentences, right? My teacher and mom get mad when I don't speak in full sentences!" Sentence? What's a sentence? What's a full one? Marilyn was speaking words, wasn't she? Was she messing everything up? Marilyn gritted her teeth together and clenched them.

 

"Stop asking so many questions!" April snapped, pointing at the three kids just rambling away. "You're scaring her!" She said, patting her friend's hand gently. Daniel nodded in her defense and joined April and Marilyn in the sand.

 

"You have red eyes you know." Another kid chimed in, crouching beside her. "Kinda like our Rabbit's." She added. That wasn't necessary.

 

"Yeah! It's kinda weird!" A boy behind the girl added.

 

Marilyn had enough.

 

"Stop!" she snapped harshly, throwing a handful of sand at the kids before running off to the van again. She shouldn't have left it. There was no reason to. She was too different to be with the other kids. She was dark, and had weird teeth, her eyes were scary. she talked funny, and nobody else was like her. One other kid had darker skin, and his was like Russel's, not like hers. She wanted to crawl and hide in all the equipment so nobody would have to see her ever again, until familiar footsteps filled the ground outside in front of the open back to the vehicle. She liked those footsteps, but she hated this situation.

 

"Oi. What happeneded?" The familiar voice of Murdoc filled the space. She buried her face in her knees so she didn't have to look at him. "Come on. No more of that. I can't take anymore bawlin'." He sighed, bending down slightly and crossing his arms, leaning them on the top step of the entrance and laying his head in them, his eyes watching her.

 

Silence. Murdoc rolled his eyes.

 

"I don't really care, y'know. Just if you're gonna get sand in some brat's eye and have the mum come over to yell at me I'd like a reason to give her." He sighed tiredly, watching her grip her legs tighter. "Actually they all think your Russel's kid so he's getting the lovely feedback. Which is weird considerin' you're obviously not black and haven't interacted with him once in front of this lot." Murdoc lifted his head up and shook it. "I guess they just see brown and assume. As always. Nevermind you 'ave my hair color and my eye color."

 

"They don't understand me..." Marilyn whispered, her face still down on her knees.

 

"Well when you whisper like that, it's pretty hard for anyone to." Murdoc jabbed.

 

"No. Me." She said, looking up. "Nobody is like me." She said, pointing to herself. Murdoc got the message finally.

 

"Ah." He said, looking over to the mess that was left behind from Marilyn's little outburst. Thank God they were taking a break from filming. "So you threw sand in some kid's eye 'cause they don't understand you?"

 

"They think I am scary." She replied, looking slightly deadpan. Why wasn't he getting this?? Was he paying attention??

 

"Well tossing sand in sensitive areas will certainly make that rumor vanish." Murdoc said sarcastically, reaching into his back pocket and pulling a cigarette out and holding it between his teeth while he fiddled for his lighter in his many pockets. "'at can't be 'e only 'eson." Murdoc said with a cigarette still in his mouth, making it hard to speak properly.

 

"They said I am Dora. Cartoon." She shook her head. "And that I talk funny." She frowned. "It hurt."

 

Murdoc lit the cigarette finally and blew smoke out, thankfully in the other direction. He nodded this time and understood. He pulled away from leaning against the van and shrugged. "Fair enough. I would too,"

 

That was it? He was letting her off the hook like that?!

 

"I'll tell Russ. Get 'em off the hook from some brat's mum." He grinned. "I gotta be the peacemaker again, eh? The hero?" Marilyn stuck her tongue out in heavy disagreement and Murdoc rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Stay here if you want come out if you don't. I don't care." He shrugged. "Some kids're lookin' for you though."

 

Marilyn perked up at that. "Kids?"

 

"Two blonde kids. Girl an' a boy." He said, taking his hand and gesturing behind him before walking off, leaving Marilyn with a decision to make.

 

After two minutes of debate, Marilyn slid off the step and walked out again, the shaking in her chest ceased.

 

________

 

The rest of said filming session went fine. Marilyn got to watch her two friends and uncle sing, avoid the kids she didn't like, and keep herself relatively in check.

 

Until some little boy was looking up a girl's skirt and she kicked him in the back with those heavy boots and made him cry. Murdoc only snorted at it. He could've sworn they got that on video, and he hoped they kept it in too. Oh well. One shot wouldn't hurt her or him. Not like anyone would notice she wasn't really with the other kids anyway.

 

The time came for the kids to pile into the rescue vehicle and Marilyn actually seemed a bit content snuggled up to her two friends as the bus went in motion. She knew she'd probably never see them again, but she could try to enjoy what they had now, right?

 

Thank goodness the dune buggy was going. She was hot, and hungry, and-

 

The vehicle broke down. Great. Turns out Russel accidentally left it running. For two hours. They were out of gas. And stranded for real this time. Great.

 

"Uh... I-I can use me signal gun!" 2D said, voice full of nervous optimism in the situation at hand.

 

"Oh shut up." Murdoc sighed, glaring at Hewlett who seemed to be laughing outside with his camera. "This all your fault! Wanker." Murdoc grumbled like a grumpy child.

 

"What're we gonna do with this many kids? They're bound to get bored." Russel said, watching a few of them already begin to complain. "Or already are..."

 

"I suggest you start reading!" Noodle said with a grin, tossing a book Marilyn had brought in Russel's lap with a smug look on her face. She knew what she was doing. "You do the crime you do the time!"

 

Russel sighed and looked at the practical sea of children with nervous, almost tired look.

 

"Aw man..."