Left Behind
So this is something I've had in my mind for some time now. Though it didn't really come out the way I'd hoped...=/ I have no idea when it takes place I wasn't specific about what season they were in. This could be somewhere between the second season or the third...maybe more so for the second season I think. Just a small TxC shot for all the TxC fans out there. They really need to hookup now that DuncanxGwen are an item.^-^ That'd be so awesome!
Enjoy!
Courtney sat against the comfy couch in the darkened lobby of the five star hotel her legs pulled up comfortably underneath her.
A faulty guitar note sounded in the air.
She gave a soft sigh, "It needs tuning…" she spoke lightly into the darkened area.
At the other end of the couch, Trent sat, his guitar in his hands slouched uncaringly against the furniture strumming occasionally against the instrument.
He made no reply as he stared dully ahead at nothing; he continued to strum his guitar creating sounds of imperfect music to fill the emptiness of the large lobby.
At the moment they along with all the other non-playing contestants of Total Drama stayed at some hotel awaiting the season's end.
Leaving the confinement of his room he had come out into the darkened hotel lobby to sit, play his guitar and think.
The emptiness of the usually busy hotel was strangely comforting to the musician and he had found himself just slightly content…until she came along.
He didn't know what she was doing out at this time but she had happened upon his isolation casually taking seat on the other side of the couch as though this were a normal everyday occurrence.
He had assumed she had known his whereabouts through the sounds of his casual guitar playing.
They had spoken in polite acquaintance terms.
With questions of why the other was out so late?
What the other was doing?
Why couldn't they sleep?
So on and so forth.
Just little things to keep it social. Nothing more.
For the most part they had simply sat in silence.
Until Courtney had suddenly spoken of his guitar being out of tune.
In truth Trent was very surprised it had taken the perfectionist this long to realize it.
Not that he cared…at least not enough to follow through with her suggestion.
Instead, still staring listlessly into space, he simply replied, "Uh huh…So?"
"So…" She spoke softly her onyx gaze lowered to the ground, "Why don't you tune it?"
He strummed again filling the vast room with sound.
"Don't want to…I guess." His words coming out slow and slightly disoriented. His mind far off someplace else.
Courtney fell silent.
And for a moment longer there was nothing more between them than faulty guitar notes.
Trent blinked snapping out of his dull stupor as he felt a slight bit of movement against the sofa cushions.
His green gaze slide to the side to look to the brunette as she shifted slightly moving to another sitting position a deep frown etched onto her features.
He strums again.
She shifts again.
He strums again.
Her onyx gaze looks to him in slight annoyance then back to the ground and Trent notices the tightness in her jaw.
There is silence for the moment.
He strums his guitar again…almost cautiously…and it's then her anger is ignited.
"Tune the damn guitar!" She screams suddenly her fierce glare on him.
He turns his attention fully to her.
They stare for a moment.
"You don't have to be here." He spoke obviously, "You're free to leave if it bothers you so much."
For a moment she only continues to glare irritably at him, "Or…why don't you leave…?"
Trent's frown deepened. Now that was just plain unfair.
"I was here first."
Courtney's glare darkened, "So be the first to leave as well."
For a moment they hold each other's gaze before Trent looks away lowering his gaze he mumbles something before giving the guitar another strum.
Courtney tenses as her onyx eyes widening slightly, then slowly they narrow dangerously into deadly slits,
"Come again…?"
She had heard what he had said…but she wanted to hear him say it again. She wanted to be sure.
So when she kicked his ass she could accurately justify it.
Trent's green gaze flickers to hers then back to the ground he shifts slightly before quietly muttering,
"Nothing."
But the damage was already done.
She moves again facing her body more toward him,
"No," She speaks daringly, "Say it again. Say what you said again."
"Nothing, I didn't say anything."
He shifts again nervously, aware of her deadly glare focused intently on him, some of the color drains from his face and he swallows tightly.
For a moment longer they are met with silence. Trent didn't even dare strum his guitar again for fear of angering the brunette even more.
Finally Courtney looked away with an annoyed, "Tch…wuss."
And it's with this simple comment that a spark of indignation surges within him.
Again he swallowed before raising his green gaze to her, with just the barest hint of confidence he spoke up,
"I said…I can see why he…broke up with you…"
It wasn't what he had said word for word. But he decided it be best to give her a tamer version.
It didn't help.
Courtney was quick to her feet before meaningfully stalking her way toward him,
"That's what I thought you said!" Trent quickly stood to his feet as well his guitar in hand before clumsily backing up away from the CIT, "You've got some nerve you know that! And for the record I was the one that broke up with him!"
Trent quickly spoke, "I'm sorry! Sorry! You're right I wasn't in the…It wasn't my place to-!" With a start the back of his legs hit suddenly against the armrest of a sofa for one instantly causing him to stumble backwards into the comfy chair his legs hanging over the armrest.
He looked up with a growing fear as Courtney then moved to stand before him a vexing look upon her features she stood placing her hands upon her hips. He sat awkwardly with his guitar still held against him he shifted trying to sit up more properly…it proved uneventful.
He was just about to try and apologize again when suddenly Courtney spoke,
"And you seriously have no right to talk! You got dumped for turning into a weirdo freak!"
Trent instantly found his opening and took it, "Okay! Yes! You're right! Happy now?"
Courtney glowered, though some of her resentment did seem to ebb away.
With caution Trent said, "I was…a weirdo freak so Gwen broke up with me. I'm…no better off than you…I'm sorry."
Her mean glare still in place Courtney regarded him testily for a moment.
Finally she looked away with a light huff her expression still brooding,
"You're pathetic you know that."
Trent's gaze shifted to the side and then back to her, "I'm…sorry…?" He wasn't sure what he was apologizing for this time.
She looked back to him with a roll of her eyes, "You take it so easily…the break up I mean…" With a most belittling look she said, "It makes you seem pathetic."
She made to move away from him. Trent watched her cautiously as she retook her seat against another couch's armrest.
"I…" Trent moved to sit upon the sofa properly moving his legs so that his feet properly hit the floor, "Well I don't know…" He trailed off into quietness making Courtney raise her gaze to him. He gave a half shrug, "Things…just got a little crazy you know…It just…didn't work out."
Courtney scoffed, "You got a little crazy." She said pointedly.
Trent said nothing, his green eyes saddened just slightly before lowering to the ground.
"Yeah..." He muttered, "Yeah…that…that's true…"
Courtney fumed angrily before saying, "But it doesn't make the fact that Gwen broke up with you right!"
He blinked slowly before looking to her.
She stared at him before testily saying, "Do you wanna know why seventy-five percent of today's relationships never work out?"
Trent said nothing.
"It's because people change." Courtney spoke all knowingly, "You see at the beginning of a relationship, when you first start out talking, and dating…people try and act the way they think the other person wants them to act." She gave a light shrug, "But people can only pretend to be someone they're not for so long…soon they begin to show little signs of who they really are. Little by little…until the real you is finally all there."
She gave an all knowing look, "This part of the relationship is crucial, cause then it's up to both parties to try and work through the quirks of who they really are and make the relationship work." She allowed a light nod to her head, "Only then can a good relationship ever work."
Trent stared slightly intrigued; "I see…" was his only response.
Courtney looked away with a disapproving sniff, "You see the reason why you and Gwen didn't work out was because when you became the real you Gwen couldn't handle it. Or didn't want to…"
She looked to him then back to the ground before quietly stating, "You gotta admit she didn't really try all that hard…"
And her tone was something close to apologetic.
Trent's chest tightened with a dull ache as he looked away from the CIT.
"Anyway…you know…that just pisses me off." Courtney said irritably, "To be so quick to end a relationship without bothering to even try and get it to work. And then you," She looked to him with an accusing glare, "You just…let it go so easily you know…as if it was your fault or something." She gave a light scoff with a shake of her head, "But you can't help the way you are…" Trent slowly raised his gaze back to her, "You are who you are. Period. It can't be helped…"
For a moment Trent simply stared at her, and when the silence dragged on Courtney looked to him as well.
Nothing was said. And then Trent spoke up,
"Is that really the reason you think most relationships don't work?"
"I never think." She spoke firmly, "I know."
Trent stared for a minute before moving to sit on the sofa's edge his green gaze locked on her own in such an intense focus Courtney's breath momentarily still in her throat.
She shifted in an attempt to play it off.
"Then what happened with you and Duncan?"
And then she broke her gaze from his.
For a moment she made no response, she gave an uncaring shrug of her shoulders before saying,
"Duncan just…I mean, Duncan and I…our feeling's for each other…" And then she gave a deflated sigh and a light shake to her head. She took her time before finally admitting, "I don't know…I don't know what happened between us."
Trent lowered his gaze to the ground then back up to her, "You wanna know what I think?"
Courtney looked to him.
She made no answer.
Trent spoke, "I don't think that…breakups occur because of people changing…" He looked to the ground, "I mean…my parents…they've been separated for some time now. And…at first yeah…they did hate one another but…" A light smile pulled at his lips, "if worse comes to worst…they'll still always be there for one another."
Trent furrowed his brows, "I don't think people who have a had a strong relationship at one point can ever stop caring for one another…I think what happens is…that one part of the relationship simply…moves on."
Courtney's expression turned questioning and Trent explained, "They simply go someplace the other can't go." He looked to her, "You see sometimes people move on to fast with their lives…and they forget they have someone else in that life as well. So when they finally slow down and take a look around them they find they've left the other behind."
She stared, he allowed a forlorn smile, "Me and you…we were simply left behind…"
For a moment nothing was said between the two.
Trent lowered his gaze to his guitar; he allowed a soft note to sound in the air.
Courtney spoke, "Left behind…?" She gave a soft scoff looking away, "What's that supposed to mean…?"
A sad smile still etched on his features Trent said, "I still care for Gwen…a lot. And I know she still cares for me…" His smile slowly faded, "But she's…at another place right now…" He leaned back against the couch tilting his head back slightly, "I lost her…you know…"
Courtney was silent staring intently at the ground her onyx eyes softening just slightly, "Kinda like…how I lost Duncan…?"
Her voice was so small Trent almost missed it.
He looked to the side then down to his guitar.
"Yeah…like how you lost Duncan…" Trent raised his gaze up to her, "But what I'm saying is…just because you two aren't together anymore…" He attempted a comforting smile, "Doesn't mean he doesn't care for you anymore."
She kept her gaze lowered biting down on her bottom lip thoughtfully, "Well I don't…" She made to stand up before wrapping her arms protectively about herself, "I don't know so much about that last part…" She looked to Trent and also attempted a tight smile, "Duncan and I…our relationship was very different from you and Gwen's…"
Trent allowed a light nod before looking away.
He sure as hell wasn't about to argue with that one…
His gaze snapped back to her as he then heard her soft footfall making its way toward him.
"So," she paused before him crossing her arms against herself, she gave a smile that this time was more warm and real, something not so often seen by the CIT,
"Where are they?"
Trent blinked before shooting the girl a puzzled look.
"If they've left us behind, where did they go?" Her smile softened into something almost nostalgic, "And how do we get there…?"
Trent stared before shifting in his seat, "Ah…this…this is all just a figure of speech Courtney. I don't really-"
"Yeah I know that." She spoke quickly, "But it's a good one. A good figure of speech…I wanna give it more thought." Again she allowed him a small smile.
Trent leaned back against the chair before releasing a heavy sigh.
"Hmm…well I honestly don't know what to tell you…" He gave a light strum to the guitar in his hands before looking to Courtney with a tired grin.
"I mean if I knew where to go to get Gwen back…don't you think I would be there by now?"
She allowed a soft chuckle before giving a light nod, "Yes…that's a good point."
And then suddenly she reached out grabbing the neck of the guitar in a way that momentarily caught Trent off guard and made him hold fast to his beloved instrument.
But upon looking to Courtney he found her looking to him with that same soft and knowing smile. Her onyx eyes just hinting at amusement.
It came slowly, the knowledge that her intentions were not deceitful.
With just the barest hint of uncertainty he allowed his grip on the guitar to ease up…then loosen entirely for her to pull from his grip.
Holding the instrument up against herself professionally she then began the careful work of tuning the guitar every once in a while giving it a little play of her own to make sure she was doing it right.
A slow amused smile then pulled at Trent's lips and he allowed a light chuckle to escape before falling back to lean lazily against the sofa.
At this Courtney raised her gaze up to regard him momentarily before again looking to the guitar in her hands to watch what she was doing.
Minutes passed by and finally Courtney had the instrument sounding perfect…or at least perfect enough to satisfy her.
Gripping the guitar by the neck she then held it out for Trent to take.
A cocky smile on her face which easily read: 'You don't have to thank me…but you should.'
With a look of exasperation but still holding his highly amused smile Trent took the hint,
"Thank you." He replied before reaching out to take the device back from her.
She gave an uncaring half shrug, and her smile turned into a grin, "Don't mention it."
Leaning back in his seat again Trent gave the guitar a note.
And it sounded beautifully.
Courtney moved to sit by his side against the armrest of the one seater as Trent began to play a few chords.
They resorted back to their comfortable silence letting only the music speak its words between them.
Courtney raised her arm up to rest against the backrest of the sofa as she allowed herself to fall against it comfortably, this action also causing her shoulder to bump gently with Trent's own.
Trent's green eyes flickered to her then back down to his instrument.
For a moment more they were shrouded with the peaceful atmosphere which was just the two of them and the notes ringing high.
Finally Courtney spoke, asking the award winning question,
"So…where does that leave me and you…?"
The strumming instantly stopped creating a sharp silence as Trent's head shot up so that his gaze linked with Courtney's.
"What?"
But her smile was kind and her onyx eyes only softened lovingly, "Well you were left behind right…? Gwen's gone. Where are you?"
Trent stared his green eyes slightly widened.
And he was quick to notice how close they were.
He didn't know why he hadn't picked up on it before…
The fact that she was so close that is…
"Um…" Trent lowered his gaze from her suddenly intriguing gaze, "Er…I mean…" He allowed himself a moment to think before looking back to her, "I…in all honesty Courtney…" Her smile grew, and Trent allowed a light grin, "I have no idea."
She gave a small chuckle, and Trent soon followed in.
He looked away his grin easing to a light smile,
"I'm still trying to figure that one out."
Courtney gave a light nod, "That's too bad…" She spoke softly, "For a second I thought you'd be able to help me put things into perspective for my whereabouts…"
He looked to her, she smiled, "I was left too…remember?"
He lowered his gaze with a soft snort of laughter, "Yeah…I remember…"
He began to strum the guitar again as they fell once more into the comfortable silence.
Finally Trent spoke up, "Well…you can be with me if you want…"
Courtney looked to him with a start.
Trent kept his gaze lowered to the instrument as he continued to strum.
"Seeing as we were both left behind…we might as well be left behind together…"
He struck a final chord which echoed and sounded throughout the darkened room.
The noise vibrated around them before it melted into the darkness and disappeared completely.
When Courtney still made no reply he looked up to find the CIT watching him quite curiously.
Softly she spoke, "Oh yeah…?" and there was something in her gaze.
Trent found himself once more stunned, without even realizing him doing so he answered, "Yeah…"
Her smile grew and she nodded slowly, "I think I might like that…being left behind with you…"
Trent swallowed and he was fairly aware of his heartbeat skipping.
And then, as quickly as it had come, the moment was gone, Courtney asked if she could play a few chords on the guitar and Trent kindly allowed it.
They fell into a more friendly role than they had started out with.
Talk came easy and contentedly between the two.
They never again spoke of Duncan and Gwen.
They no longer cared to figure the meaning of broken relationships.
They no longer cared.
And as they sat close together with laughing smiles and kind conversation they couldn't help but notice…they were a lot less lonely than before.
Thank god they had been left behind together.
~Fin~
Lol I just realized I had made a fic called 'Catching Up' a while back and now I have a fic called 'Left Behind'. Coincidence...? It really is.^-^ Reviews would be lovely.
Peace)-AR