Murdoc wakes bright and early one morning. He yawns and stretches, reaching his hands up to the ceiling, and cracking his spine loudly. Dropping his hands limply onto the top of his head, he smacks his lips and roughly ruffles his hair, trying to wake himself up. It's been almost six months since taking charge of the comatose Stuart Pot, and Murdoc has found the joke has worn quite thin. All he really wants to do is get his life back and leave the whole sorry situation behind him. Thirty thousand hours of community service seemed a bit harsh to him as well. Of course if you'd asked others, they would of told you it was barely enough to cover the damage the young man had done. He drags his hands down his face and shakes the last traces of sleepiness, from his head. Now wide awake, he finally gets out of bed and heads for the bathroom.

2D was resting comfortably, for a comatose patient, in his bed at the hospital. When Murdoc walks in and sighs heavily. The old man in the other bed looks up at him and shudders, picking up the magazine he'd been reading and hiding behind it. Murdoc grins as the man peeks cautiously over the top, to be sure the horrible green man, wasn't heading in his direction.

“And goooood mornin' to you to. Tosser.” The Bassist chuckles at the old man, then moving towards the side of Stuarts bed and tearing the blankets from the boy. After the typical struggle, which usually signaled the start of the unconscious boys day. Murdoc places him in a wheelchair and steers him from the ward. He passes the front desk and smiles at the pretty nurse at the station. “Just takin' the kid out fer the day. 'Kay?” The nurse stands and calls Murdoc back.

“Excuse me. I have a few questions for you about Stuart.” Murdoc balks and shudders, steering the wheelchair back to the station, being careful to put as pleasant a smile on his face as he can. 'Questions? This can't be good.' He thinks.

“Sure luv. Fire away.” He smiles, leaning his arm against the top of the large desk the nurse almost seems to be hiding behind. He watches as she shuffles a few papers and studies his dirty talons, almost impatiently sighing as she is cutting into his valuable time. Stuart was already doing that as it was, and he didn't see why he should allow anyone else the privilege. She looks up at him sharply on hearing him sigh, and slits her eyes angrily. Picking up a folder and opening it, she pulls out a report and begins to read it out to him.

“Since being here and in your charge. Stuart appears to have sustained the following injuries.” Murdoc listens as she reads off the number of bruises, cuts and abrasions, some minor, others a little more substantial. After a while he becomes bored with this, and waves her off, shaking his head.

“Tsk! Luv, luv. Now calm down. Look at the kid.” He steps back and gestures with open arms at Stuart, inviting her to stand and look over the desk at him. “Now that, is a boy on the move. Exclude the fact he's not only a vegetable and in a wheelchair, and what have ya got? A young man who's going places. You have to understand that life just don't stop ticking when yer stuck in a dark place. It carries on, and that is exactly what young... err? Stuart should be doing as well. You can't deny the young man a bit of fun. Can you?” Murdoc looks at the young nurse harshly. She looks the young man up and down, then turns her eyes towards Murdoc, who folds his arms over his chest and gives her an accusing look. She blushes and sits down again, re-shuffling her papers and trying to look busy.

“It doesn't exactly explain the injuries Mr Niccals.” She croaks, clearing her throat. Murdoc sighs and shakes his head, looking down at his feet as if disappointed at her. She turns her eyes up at him briefly, then back down to the list of injuries. “How exactly, does a comatose patient break his collar bone?” She continues, holding up the list and pointing it out on the page. Murdoc steps back and rolls his eyes.

“That! Probably happened when he fell off the bridge?” Murdoc explains with a shrug. The nurses mouth drops open in shock and she slowly lowers the list. Her mind realing as she tries to work out if Murdoc was serious or not. Realizing he was, she shuts her mouth with a click and slaps the list down on the table. Standing up quickly and with her eyes blazing picks up the phone.

“I'm reporting you to the police! You can't get away with this.” She snarls, dialing the number. Murdoc startles and steps quickly forwards, taking the phone from her hand and replacing the handset in it's cradle. She steps back expecting the worst. But Murdoc smiles pleasantly and lowers his voice.

“Aww. C'mon luv. You don't think I intentionally hurt the little fella now, do you?” He coos. She eyes him suspiciously and steps forwards again. Murdoc takes a deep breath and continues. “Lemme explain what happened. You see, I was taking young Stuart for a walk, it was a lovely day and I thought it would be nice to go see the swans down the park. Now we were standing on this stone bridge and I realized that because of how low the wheelchair was, he couldn't see over the wall. So I thought I'd help him up. I lost my balance and he just toppled over. It was an accident, and I felt really terrible about it. Honest.” He gives her a soulful puppy dog look, and the nurse softens a little. She looks back down to Stuart in the chair and then sharply back up to Murdoc, once again slitting her eyes.

“But he's unconscious? He couldn't of seen the swans anyway?” She questions, placing her hands on her hips and tipping her head to her shoulder. Murdoc s eyes travel down the line of her uniform and over her hip, to her legs. A shock of sexual excitement, at what he sees, runs through him and he licks his lips. Clearing his throat, he moves back over to Stuarts wheel chair and takes hold of the handles.

“Luv. Maybe to you and I that is the case? But who knows with him. Fer all we know, he's taking all this in. So I'm not going to waste anymore of his time. He and I have a date with destiny, so ta tah fer now. Unless you have any other plans this evening that is?” Murdoc pauses long enough to see whether his ruse worked. The nurse looks in puzzlement at the boy and back up to Murdoc. She shrugs and sits down again, deciding the devious Bassist was right. No one really did know if people in a coma really were aware enough to know what was happening to them. She sighs and waves him on, writing a short note on the list stating that the injuries were mere accidents. Murdoc grins and wheels the boy from the ward and out to the waiting car. Happy that he'd managed to worm his way out of that situation altogether. Little did Murdoc know, his claim that he and Stuart had a date with destiny, was soon to become very true.

A few days later, Murdoc is driving the comatose Stuart through the streets of Nottingham. He is just passing Tescos, when he hears the screech of car tires, and looks over into the car park. Some young hoods were, tearing their cars round the almost empty allotment, pulling fish tails and doughnuts. Really tearing up the tarmac and showing off to some very nice looking girls. Murdoc can't resist, and pulls the car sharply round, cutting off another car that is following closely behind him, and almost causing an accident. He gives the angry driver behind him a two finger salute, and pulls into the parking lot. Leaving the car engine running, he watches as one of the goons finishes his routine and moves away. Seeing the gap, Murdoc drops the clutch and screeches forwards. The wheels smoking behind him, leaving a filthy grey cloud trail, as he tears into the open area. He looks out his window and sees the girls hooting and cheering. One of them lifting her top and showing him her bare breasts. With his adrenaline now pumping madly through him, he turns to the unbelted Stuart and smiles.

“Buckle up Faceache. Time to show these morons what a professional can do. Mawhaw, haw, haw.” He chuckles and speeds the car forwards. He hits the brakes at the end, and tears the steering wheel sharply round, making the back of the car drift round, and end up facing the way it had just come again, without letting it come to a complete stop. Stuart is flung with the momentum, from one side of the back seat to the other, his face coming to rest on the side window. Murdoc hits the accelerator and moves forwards again, the engine screaming, as the tyres desperately try to grip the oil covered surface. Stuart drops almost to the floor, his face between his knees. Murdoc gains speed and moves into the middle of the open area, turning the wheel sharply to full lock, he begins a series of doughnuts, his arm hanging out the widow encouraging the audience to cheer. The crowd roars as they count the number of time he makes the car come round, before it manages to find traction. Not satisfied, he roars up the straight again and drifts the car again. The unbuckled young man drops sideways, between the seats. Murdoc revs the engine and stares at the open area, like a matador to a bull. He drops the clutch again and stamps his foot hard on the accelerator, the car screaming forwards again. Murdoc blows a few kisses at the girls as he sails by, leaving a large fishtail behind him. Not seeing the steel bollard up ahead. He lets go of the brake and the car speeds forwards again. The Bassist looks up, just in time to see the bollard, but not enough time to do anything about it. The car slams into it at speed. Suddenly Stuart flies forwards, between the seats, passing by Murdoc s shoulder. His head hits the windscreen and his body passes through the shower of glass, over the bonnet and disappearing from view. Murdoc stops and still gripping the steering wheel tightly, slowly begins to chuckle.

“I did it again.” He roars with laughter at the thought, that this was now twice he'd bounced a car off the boys head. The back of a blue head suddenly appears over the bonnet of the car. Murdoc stops laughing, as the boy slowly stands and turns around. Murdoc watches the scene in slow motion. This tall lanky youth, turning like a zombie towards him, looking at him with two black-hole eyes. A sparkle of thought grows in the uncaring Bassist, as he stares intently at the blue haired young zombie-like God. He reaches over to the car door and opens the door, stepping out for a closer look at the being he had just created. 'Amazin'. Truly amazin'. That is exactly what I need.' He thinks to himself.

“Ya right there mate?” Murdoc asks the confused young man. Stuart looks up at the Bassist, squinting hard and trying to get his eyes to work. Murdoc isn't too sure whether to approach him fully or not, and remains back from him a short distance. Stuart shakes his head and reaches up to rub his eyes, finding they aren't where he last remembered them to be. He searches a little and finds they have been pushed back further into his head and panics a little, struggling forward on weak legs to the side mirror of the car for a closer look.

“Wot happened? Where are me eyes?” Stuart squeaks, searching in the mirror for them. He can just see them back there in the darkness, the whites of his eyes gone and replaced by an inky black fluid. He looks up at the silently chuckling Murdoc, who immediately stops chuckling and looks back at him innocently.

“I saved yer life. Git in the car.” Murdoc grunts and shoves the boy aside, opening the drivers door and climbing back in. Stuart scratches his head and shrugs, not really having any idea what else he could really do and not even knowing where he was. The last thing he remembered, was standing in Uncle Norms, and something shiny and silver coming towards him at great speed. Murdoc reverses the car, the sound of scraping metal and crunching, filling the cabin and making Stuarts head pound even more.

“Awww, my head really hurts.” He groans, and curls up in his seat. Murdoc rolls his eyes and pulls the crumpled car out of the parking lot. He reaches across the car and yanks open the glove compartment, pulling out a small bottle of pills he'd been given. He tosses them carelessly into the boys lap and returns his hand to the steering wheel.

“Yeah. Take a couple of them and stop yer whining. I've got summink to show you.” He replies. Stuart, opens the bottle and shakes a couple of pills into his hand. Tossing them back and replacing the lid, he looks around for something to wash them down with. Murdoc sees him out the corner of his eye and nods towards a bottle of Scotch on the floor at the boys feet. Stuart looks down and reaches for the bottle, taking a large gulp and choking down the painkillers.

“Where are we goin... err? Sir?” Stuart asks, squinting at the blurred scenery as it rushes by. Murdoc overtakes a slow moving car ahead, and indicates to go round a corner, taking it so sharply, he makes the car behind him blare it's horn.

“Oh fuck off you moron. Learn to drive!” Murdoc snarls and speeds up again. “The names Murdoc. I'm yer legal guardian ya might say, and I'm taking you to where we first met. Now shuddup and let me drive.” Stuart mouths a silent 'Oh.' And sits back in his seat, not too sure if he really trusts this strange, green man, but seeing he had very little choice at the moment. He closes his black-hole  eyes and sighs, opening them and poking at them with a tentative finger, silently lamenting how he  looks right now.

A few hours later, Murdoc pulls up out the front of the now derelict Organ Emporium and shuts off the engine. He unbuckles his seat and looks over at Stuart, who is staring absently into space. He stops for a moment and studies the boy, poking him in the arm with a finger and trying to get his attention.

“Oi. We're here.” He says, waiting for a response. Not getting one, he jabs the boy sharply again. Stuart blinks and looks over at him quizzically. “We're here. Doncha go slippin' back into a coma again, because I'm tired of wipin' yer backside. Git out the car!” Stuart complies and steps out of the vehicle, looking over at the now boarded up building with shock.

“Wot happened? It wasn't like this before?” The boy asks, walking round the car and into the road. A car moves quickly towards the dazed youth, and Murdoc grabs him by the arm, sharply pulling him back and out of the way.

“What the fuck are ya doin'?! Tryin' ta git yerself killed or summink?! I'm not wipin' you off the road either. That's twice I've saved ya now! C'mere.” Murdoc grabs Stuart roughly on the upper arm and checks the road, finding it clear of traffic, he drags Stuart across and deposits him safely on the other side. Stuart blushes and cringes from the angry man, waiting to see what to do next. Murdoc rolls his eyes and walks over to the boarded up hole, where his stolen Vauxhall had, just six months before, sailed through. Tearing the board from the building, and propping it up on the wall, Murdoc steps through and into the devastated interior, closely followed by the young man. After walking around a while and telling a very bored Murdoc, what he used to do, and where he used to stand when he'd worked there. Stuart once again approaches Murdoc.

“But that woz like yesterday, or sumfink, how did it get ta be like this?” The young man asks, tipping his head to his shoulder and scratching his arm nervously. Murdoc sighs and lights up a cigarette. I crashed into it and that wasn't yesterday neither. You've been in a coma fer six months.” The Bassist answers, blowing a smoke ring into the boys face. Stuart squints and waves the ring away.

“Whaddya mean? I don' understand?” Stuart complains in frustration, he turns away slapping his hands over his ears, not really wanting to hear the answer. Looking now silently over the broken glass, and splinters of wood. Police tape gently waving in the breeze that is blowing in through the broken shop window. His mind strains, trying to fit the fractured memories together. The sound of a roaring engine, and the smell of gasoline cutting through his mind. Tinkling glass falling down like stars and a brilliant white light, that makes his head ache even more than before. He shakes his pounding head and moans softly, gently kicking a broken plank of wood out of the way, with the toe of his sand shoe. Murdoc walks over and slaps his hand on the boys back. Steering him back to the hole and almost shoving him through it.

“I'll explain it later. C'mon, we have one more stop to make.” Piling the youth back into the car and driving him back home to the Winnie, he stops the car and gets out. Stuart climbs out of the car, and looks at the mustard colored wagon smiling, he points at it and laughs loudly.

“Wot a piece of rubbish that is hey? I wouldn't wanna live in dat for all the money in the world.” Stuart chuckles, covering his mouth with his hand and slightly doubling over in giggles. Murdoc draws his lips back over his shark-like teeth and takes the keys from his pocket. Approaching the front door of his beloved Winnie and unlocking it. Stuart gulps loudly, realizing his minder IS the owner. “Sorry. I woz only...” Murdoc cuts him off with a vicious look and a guttural growl, pointing the way inside sharply. Stuart cautiously approaches and reaches up for the door frame, stepping up and inside the wagon he is immediately hit by the smell. “Pwoorah. Worra stink!” Murdoc shoves the boy in the back hard, making him stumble into a heap on the floor, and follows him in.

“Shuddup! Ya not makin' this any better ya know.” Murdoc growls, slamming the door behind him. The young man scrambles to his feet and covers his nose with his hand. Murdoc glares at him and moves over to one of the wardrobes, opening it and pulling out an organ, he'd picked up a few months back. He sets it up in front of the boy and sits down. Waiting to see what Stuart would do. The young man looks from the organ to the Bassist, unsure what was meant to happen and shrugs. Murdoc slaps the keys and encourages the boy, with a grunt, to play. A few seconds later, the interior of the Winnie is filled with a glorious sound, as Stuart plays like a chorus of angels. Instantly, Murdocs head fills with the sound of hundreds of cash registers. KA'CHING! Bonus. The boy can play. Suddenly, the Bassist hears something else. Singing? He opens his eyes, and looks with surprise towards the direction he can hear the singing coming from. Stuart is singing to the song he is playing, and doing it extremely well to. Double bonus! He smiles broadly at the boy and rubs his hands together. Everything had finally fallen into place, he had a singer and keyboardist in one. Combined with his Bass work. Now all he needed was the rest of the band and his dreams of fame and fortune would be fulfilled.

“Kid! You and me are gunna do some amaaaaaaazin' things together. Fer one thing, you can move in with me. That bench seat folds out to be a bed.” He smiles, pointing at it. “Lemme tell ya about me dream.” Murdoc sits the boy down and explains everything to him. How he'd gotten several bands together, and how hard he had worked trying to get things organized, and how they, through their “lack of talent”, had ended up spoiling it for him. Stuart sits quietly listening. As far as the boy was concerned, this wasn't exactly how he'd planned his life. He'd always wanted to make and produce movies. But something about Murdoc make him shiver inside, and he didn't feel he really wanted to say no. Something about those shark-like teeth, said he'd eat the boy if he did. He nods and agrees, deciding that if it didn't work out, at least he could always make movies later.