SIMPLICITY

"They were horribly clichéd – the bad boy and the good girl."

DUNCAN / COURTNEY.

ONE-SIDED BRIDGETTE / GEOFF.

A/N Wow. I wrote this a really, really, really long time ago (like, first season, dude. Haha.) and I decided to edit it so it'd be halfway decent. It's set in the first season, during the camping challenge. Also, it is two a.m. I never know if you have to put an extra period after you put a.m. or p.m. if it's at the end of the sentence. It's like the whole smiley face debacle. :)) or :) ) when you put it the end of a parenthesis...and this probably makes no sense. Haha, anyway, enjoy and please review!

Courtney crossed her arms and watched Duncan walking away. "Oh!" she exclaimed, fuming. Of course, it wasn't much to get upset over - it never was, but it was just the way he said it, as though it didn't matter what she thought. Her opinion was just as valuable as his, if not more! After all, she had taken training for this type of thing. All he did before the show was break out of juvie, which she was so sure was harder than counselor-in-training…training.

She decided not to stew over their little spat and walked over to Bridgette, who was looking quite awkward sitting next to an animated Geoff.

"Hey, Geoff! Mind if I borrow Bridgette for a couple minutes?"

"No, no, he doesn't mind at all! Let's go." Bridgette walked away with Courtney before Geoff could respond. The brunette turned back to glance at Geoff, who looked a little crestfallen. Courtney would have to remember to question him about his reaction later.

"Hey, what's going on with you and Geoff?"

"Oh, nothing…it's just…I think he's starting to like me! And…well, it's awkward, you know? I mean, I don't know if I like him back and…it's, it's just really complicated."

"Oh, okay." she replied, knowing fully well that if Bridgette ever liked Geoff, she would come to her for advice on the situation.

"So," Bridgette began. "What did Duncan do this time?"

"How come every time I want to talk to you, you automatically think it's about him? You know, I can totally go a day without talking about him." Courtney huffed, daring not to say the object of her rage's name.

"Okay, okay, sorry." the blonde apologized, knowing that it was easier just to do so than to point out the truth in the matter. She paused. "Well…is it about Duncan?"

Courtney hesitated, before finally muttering a "yes." She hated admitting that. It wasn't as bad as Bridgette made it seem, though. She didn't talk about Duncan all the time…right? But with the way Bridgette had said it, it seemed as if that was true. And Bridgette was never one to exaggerate things. "I don't…Bridgette, I don't talk about him all the time, do I?"

"Um…yes?" she said.

"Really?" Courtney said, her eyes wide with worry. When did she become so fixated on Canada's favorite delinquent?

"Well…maybe you just have to let out all your anger through talking about him. You guys always get into fights and stuff. I mean, it must be hard to just keep all that bottled up," Bridgette said quickly. "So, what did he do this time?"

"Ugh, it's what he didn't do! He doesn't care about my opinions or about what I think at all and just decides to do whatever he wants to. I mean, I know I'm not always right, but he isn't either! He could at least take what I said into consideration, but nooo…"

And so began a five minute rant on Duncan. They were venturing farther and farther into the woods as Courtney vented. Bridgette went into her 'nod-and-agree' mode. Truthfully, she was getting a little tired of Courtney's constant rants about Duncan, but she had nearly given up on trying to convince Courtney to give the guy a chance. Just for old time's sake, she decided to give it one last try.

"Courtney, don't you think that, maybe…Duncan could be a good guy?"

Courtney stopped walking altogether and blinked. "Are you feeling all right?" she asked, putting a hand on the blonde's forehead.

"Really, Court, think about it," Bridgette said, swatting Courtney's hand away. "I mean, he can't be all bad. Have you ever given him a chance?"

"No…" she admitted reluctantly, crossing her arms, before adding on, "But he doesn't deserve it! He never gives me a chance to do or say anything without calling me 'princess' or telling me I've got a stick up my butt!"

Bridgette forced herself not to laugh. "Of course he doesn't. Look, all I'm saying is that Duncan can be a decent human being when he wants to be, okay?"

"I'll believe it when I see it." Courtney said, ending the discussion.

The pair had stopped in a small clearing. Courtney noticed a small bush of berries. Everyone at the campsite was probably starving by now, so it didn't hurt that they had found something (hopefully) edible.

"Hey Bri, help me carry some of these back to the site? It's a better dinner than nothing…" she said, as her stomach grumbled at her in hunger once more.

But Bridgette wasn't paying attention. She had just realized how…creepy, the woods looked at night. As much as she wanted to be there for Courtney, she didn't think having to stick around in the forest was worth it.

"Uh, Court?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm, uh, I think I'm gonna head back."

"What? Why?"

"It's just…the woods! They're freakishly scary!"

"Ugh, fine. Could you at least come back with a basket or something? I'll need something better than my pockets or my hands to get enough berries for everyone."

"S-Sure." Bridgette ran back to the site, not looking back.

"Bridgette? Bridgette! Don't forget the-" Courtney paused, looking at the running form of Bridgette, knowing the point was moot. There wasn't any way that Bridgette would be coming back while the woods were still here. "-basket."

Well, what am I going to do now? she thought, looking around. Courtney looked at her purple shirt and took it off. She then started gathering berries, dropping them one by one into her makeshift basket. The white shirt she wore underneath was a bit sheer, but it wasn't as if anyone was around.

Just as Courtney decided that she had gathered enough berries for her team and was about to head back, she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist and a familiar voice whispering 'boo' into her ear.

She screamed and jumped at least a foot in the air. Miraculously, she was still holding her shirt, only a few berries on the ground. Duncan's arms were still around her waist. Their proximity would have bothered her if she weren't so angry with him. "Damn you, Duncan! Get your hands off of me!"

"What's up, holier-than-thou?" he said calmly, smirking. He was enjoying this.

"Oh, well, geez, nothing much, the sky…me when you practically jumped me! How did you find me out here anyway?"

"Well, dear Bridgette, being the greatest friend in the whole wide world, told me she ditched you and" – he started to use a surfer accent – "totally could not go into the woods again to give you a basket for some berries…or something." he shrugged, and returned to his regular voice. "So, super Duncan to the rescue. She asked me to bring this to you." Lo and behold, there was a small weaved basket in his hands. "Oh, and I like the shirt. I get a way better view from up here." He looked down and grinned.

"Duncan!" she said, aghast. "The nerve! God, whatever. Just give it here." She reached for the basket.

"Hey, hold up, Little Miss Priss," he said, holding the basket out of reach. "How do we know that these berries are even edible? Poisoning the competition, eh?" He handed the basket over anyway.

She rolled her eyes while she filled the basket. "Duncan, I think I have a little more integrity than that. And if I was even thinking about doing that, there are several other more discreet ways to do it."

He looked impressed. "Like what?"

"Well, I don't know. I could've….sent Bridgette back to say I got lost in the woods. And if any of you had a shred of moral fiber, you would come search for me, where I would have already planted several traps that they would just blame on Chris. Everyone would be helpless because the interns get paid less than illegal immigrants and would see it as a chance for them to be in the spotlight and leave everyone to their doom." She shrugged, considering the plan. "I'd come out and act as though I had found everyone too late and Bridgette and I could split the cash."

Duncan blinked. It even made him forget that she wasn't wearing as many clothes as she usually did (and she had yet to remedy this, for which he was glad).

"What?" she said.

"I…just….wow. The details. You evil genius," he smirked. "What do you know? You've got a dark side."

"Hey, you're not the only one with criminal intelligence, all right? I've been linked to some pretty sketchy people myself."

He smirked. "I'm pretty sure your idea of sketchy is still legal in thirty-seven states." He would've said all fifty and Guam, but she was as ambitious as a few dictators he didn't bother to read about in school.

"Well, in any case, I'm hungry and you're hungry, so I propose a…tentative compromise until we get out of this damn forest."

"Still leaves the toxic berries and me being in on your plan for total island domination. You know," he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "We could totally pull this off. I'm no Bridgette, but…I add a certain roguish charm to any plan reminiscent of Ocean's Eleven." He gave her a wink that he knew he didn't pull off.

She let herself smile despite herself and pushed him away. Was this getting along? "Shut up, Duncan. I was merely entertaining the idea. But if I ever employ it, I'll be sure to let you know…once you get out of the bear trap that'll be waiting for you."

He grinned. For once, her response didn't contain an ounce of malice or scoffing. "I'd rather go that way than beaten by some pussy berries."

Courtney rolled her eyes and picked a plump berry from the basket. "Look." She took a small test bite out of it. "Oh, look, I'm still alive! These are actually all right." She ate the rest of the berry and licked the juice off her finger.

Duncan bit his lip. He wondered if she knew what she did to him.

"Anyway, let's head back to camp to save everyone from starvation and boredom. They haven't witnessed the Duncan and Courtney battle royale yet," she said with a mocking 'gung-ho' arm swing. She put her shirt back on (to Duncan's disappointment) and reached for the basket, but not before Duncan grabbed it. "Wha-Duncan, what are you doing?"

"What, princess? Can't have you breaking a nail," he winked, waggling his fingers. "Besides, if we are going to be partners in crime, hypothetical or not, we need to split the work up fifty-fifty. And the least I can do is deliver the goods after you picked them and all." He shrugged and walked away before he could see her eye roll or crossed arms, or whatever she had planned in response.

Courtney considered this. "Duncan can be a decent human being when he wants to be…"

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Maybe she was getting a glimpse.

Courtney caught up to him, bumping his shoulder. "You're not so bad for a brute," she smiled.

"For a goody two-shoes, you're not so bad yourself." They both grinned and walked back to camp in mutual confusion of what just happened and what it meant (they were nice. Willingly. To each other.), but content with not caring.