*~*~*
Gwen sat at the edge of the dock, feeling as alone as ever. Trent was gone, there was nothing she could do about it. No one can help her, she'd never be the same. Then a thought came to mind.
She'll runaway. What's the point in staying at the crappy old camp? It had too many harsh memories, and it wouldn't be the same without Trent. Yes, running away would definatley help with the pain she felt.
And she would leave now. She was pretty sure everyone was asleep. She'd pack her things now and leave, simple as that.
So she got up, taking one last look at the horizon, then hurried to her cabin. Both fortunately and unfortunately, someone had seen the whole thing, wondering what on earth she was doing.
"Dude, you goin' to bed or not?" Geoff yawned.
"Not tired," Duncan told them, still trying to process what he'd seen.
"Worried about Gwen?" DJ asked. Duncan didn't answer.
"It's okay dude," Owen said. "We all feel guitly for-" Duncan held up a hand, shuttin all of them up. Gwen had come back out of the cabin, a bookbag slung over her back.
"What is she doing?" he muttered to himself, watching Gwen make her way to the edge of the forest. Then it hit him.
He grabbed his jacket, hs bed's blanket, and a pillow. He was already in his clothes.
"What're you doing?" Geoff asked. He didn't answer.
"Where're you going?" DJ asked. He didn't respond.
~Forest
Gwen was walking silently through the forest, shivering. Why hadn't she thought to bring a blanket or something? It was really cold in the forest at noght, and she was slightly suprised she didn't realize that during the survival task. Then a horrible thought came to mind.
If its this cold, couldn't she catch hypothermia? The thought itself made her frightened and even more cold. She heard a very faint yell behind her. Thinking it was Leshawna and Heather she kept walking, shivering all the while.
Knowing it was late she set down her bookbag at the base of a tree, sitting down next to it. Memories of her and Trent swirled back into her head, not helping her at all. She was all alone and lost in the woods. And cold.
There was the yell again. It seemed closer. She ignored it, being to entwined with memories. It hurt her so much, she had started crying a little.
"Gwen?" the yell was distinguishable. Her name, in a guy's voice. This time she was on total breakdown, tears streaking her face, knees pulled up to her chest to keep in warmth. Her eyes were shut.
"Gwen!" the voice said in relief. She looked up, seeing Duncan's worried expression.
"W-what do you want?" she asked him. He bent down next to her.
"Are you nuts? Running away from camp?" he said, holding out the blanket for her. She simply stared at it. Duncan rolled his eyes.
"Look," he said. "I know the camp is crappy and all, and I know how you feel about this-" That got her attention. "But you can't just runaway from it."
"W-well it looks like I al-already h-have," Gwen said firmly. "S-so leave. I c-can take care of my-myself."
"I'm not going anywhere," Duncan stated. "Just look at yourself! You're freezing!"
"So I'm a l-little cold, n-no big deal," Gwen said.
"Little? LITTLE?" Duncan said. "You're shivering like there's no tomorrow! Take the stupid blanket." Gwen rolled her eyes but took it gratefully either way.
"Why are you here anyway?" she asked.
"What kind of question's that?" Duncan retorted, sitting down next to her. Gwen gave him a look. He sighed.
"I felt the most guilty for Elvis being kicked off," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. Gwen smiled.
"Thanks," she said, getting Duncan's attention, "You're the first and probably only one who's said that to me. Everyone else apologized to Trent." Duncan grinned.
"Yeah, I'm awesome like that," he said. Gwen smirked.
"More like abnormal," she laughed.
"Look who's talking," Duncan retorted.
"Oh very funny," Gwen yawned. A second later she was fast asleep. Duncan fell asleep right afterward.
~Next Morning
Duncan was the first awake. Gwen had her head resting on his shoulder.
"Gwen...Gwen, get up," he said, shaking her arm lightly. She groaned and opened her eyes.
"Do I have to?" she yawned, lifting her head off his shoulder. Duncan grinned.
"Yes, you do," he said standing up. Gwen sighed.
"Fine," she said, standing up with him. She handed him back the blanket, picking up her bookbag. "I'm still tired though."
"Then when we get back to camp pass out in your bed," Duncan told her. Gwen grinned. "Now hurry up, they're probably thinking, 'Holy crap! Where are they? Did they get eaten by a bear?'."
"No offense, but who would care where we were?" Gwen asked. "I mean, we're technically just competiton."
"True," Duncan agreed. "But don't you think at least one person'll be happy to see us?"
"Owen?" Gwen said, seeing the look on Duncan's face. He grinned.
"Bingo," he said. "I seriously doubt he would say, 'Aw man! They're not dead!'."
"I have to agree with that," Gwen laughed. A few minutes later the trees thinned, showing they were nearly at camp.
"Hey Gwen," Duncan said. "I have a deal for you."
"I'm listening," she said.
"You don't tell anyone about last night," Duncan said. "And I'll happily play an insane prank on Miss. Bossy." Gwen grinned mischievously.
"Deal," she agreed. "But you know, I would've let you do that anyway." Duncan nodded.
"Guys you're alive!" Owen's overjoyed voice yelled. They'd been to busy talking to notice they were back in camp.
"Hi Owen," Gwen said as he ran up to them, pulling them into a deathgrip hug.
"Dah man I though you were goners!" Owen admitted, still crushing the two.
"Great-to see you to Owen," Duncan said. "Now please stop suffofacting us."
"Sorry," he said, putting them down.
"Dudes you're back!" Geoff's voice shouted.
"Geoff we're back," Gwen said as he and DJ ran up to them.
"We were looking everywhere for you," DJ said.
"Bet you were the only ones," Gwen muttered.
"Nope, you're wrong on that one," Geoff said. "Chris, Chef, pretty much everyone but Heather were looking all morning. Me, DJ, and Owen were looking all night for you guys."
"Wow," Gwen said. "I never would've thought..."
"Hey! We're good guys!" DJ said.
"Yeah!" Owen said. "Duncan's the awesomest though. He's the one that actually knew where you were and went after you."
"Really?" Gwen asked. She looked at Duncan to see he wasn't looking at her and had his hands behind his back. "Is that true?"
"Well...yeah," Duncan said, looking back at her. "I didn't exactly want you to get lost."
"We'll just go now," Owen whispered, walking away with the other guys.
"You know, that's really sweet," Gwen admitted. "Who knew you had it in you."
"Oh ha ha," Duncan said sarcastically. "Just don't go speading around, 'Duncan's the nicest guy on earth.' 'cause I'm not nice."
"No, you're not," Gwen said. "You're sweet." And she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning and walking away. Duncan, who was stunned at her action, immediatly lifted a hand to his face.
"I'm not sweet," he muttered, grinning his usual cocky, sarcastic, Duncan-like grin.