Disclaimer: I don't claim any ownership over Total Drama Island or Total Drama Action. It belongs to Teletoon, Cartoon Network and those who are associated with it.
Note: Just a little one-shot I decided to write. This one-shot takes place during the episode "Million Dollar Babies," so there may be some spoilers if you haven't seen the episode yet, you've been warned. The main pairing is Harold/Heather, probably my favorite crack pairing. I wish it was canon. Oh well. Please review, I would love to hear from you. Well, I hope you enjoy!
Chapter One and Only: Someone Does Care
"And the winner of the challenge is…The Killer Grips!" Chris announced loudly.
Justin, Lindsay, Beth and Courtney began to cheer.
I sighed. It had been the first time in a while since we had lost an elimination challenge. The Killer Grips were smart in cheering for Chris.
LeShawna's cheer was nice; it made me feel a bit better about myself. Everyone was mad at her for telling it like it is, but I really wasn't. Today, we seemed to be on good terms, which made me happy.
I didn't care for LeShawna at all, don't get me wrong, I hate her, but in my current position: no friends or alliance, it was nice to have her away from my throat for once.
And, I was nervous for myself this time, I had no idea who would go home.
"Get my bed ready LeShaniqua, your trash talking cousin is coming home," LeShawna said sadly. I rolled my eyes. Of course I accepted LeShawna's apology, but it looked like everyone else did too.
She wouldn't be the one going home, it would be me. I knew it for a fact. Duncan didn't like me, neither did LeShawna. Harold wouldn't vote out LeShawna, the only other option would be me.
Chris told us to meet him at the award ceremony tonight, like he always did to the losing team, but I just ignored him. It didn't really matter.
Whether LeShawna really knew it or not, she was safe and I wasn't.
Later that night, I had given up trying to eat Chef's disgusting and inedible food. So, I decided to pack my stuff. It didn't take long since I hadn't initially brought a lot of stuff to the show, believe it or not.
After that was done, I sat outside the girl's trailer, sulking. I wasn't really sad about leaving, it's not like I would miss anyone, nor would anyone miss me, but, I really wanted to win that money, who didn't? And I really didn't look forward to seeing all the other losers, especially Gwen.
I was so lost in my own thoughts; I didn't hear my only friend approach me.
"Heather, what are you doing?" I heard Harold's wheezy voice ask me. I looked up at Harold who was standing over me.
As a natural reaction, I glared at him.
"Nothing," I snapped in reply. I saw Harold wince back and I felt a little bad. My expression softened, a little. "What do you want?" My question still sounded rude, but it didn't have as much bitterness or malice as my last statement did.
"I just wondered why you weren't eating with us," Harold told me.
The dweeb surprised me. It seemed no matter what I did, he was always trying to befriend me. Everyone else shunned me, like I was some sort of disease, but, no matter how mean I was, no matter how many times I insulted him, he just kept coming back.
"Well, I really can't eat Chef's gross excuse for food," I told him, still bitter. He laughed, thinking that my comment was actually a joke. It wasn't, Chef's food really wasn't a joking manner, it was sick.
"And I decided to pack my things," I continued. He stopped laughing and looked at me.
"Why are you packing?" he asked. "You saw what LeShawna said; I bet she'll go home tonight."
I eyed him as if he were crazy. Harold was crazy for LeShawna, in the literal sense of the word. He wouldn't vote off his sister with attitude love. He was just pitying me, trying to make me feel better so I wouldn't be so upset when I got kicked off.
"Harold, shut up, you like LeShawna, you won't vote for her," I told her, my tone gave off that I was a little depressed. I didn't like being pitied or lied to. Ironic, huh?
"Correction, I liked LeShawna," Harold corrected me with a matter-of-fact tone. I looked up at him confused. "After all those things she said about me, I don't really think she's the one for me anymore."
Something in me was actually happy that he didn't like LeShawna anymore. Harold was my only friend and the fact that he didn't love my worst enemy anymore made me feel better. I wanted to tell myself that's why I felt better, but it seemed to be a bit more than that.
"But you've been chasing after her since this season started," I accused, still a little surprised. I stood up so that I was facing him.
"I know, but after she called me deluded, I was pretty hurt, gosh!" Harold exclaimed. I could tell he was upset, if I was in his position, I would be too, I guess.
But, it still didn't matter to me. Duncan and LeShawna would still vote for me and I didn't think Harold had it in him to really vote for LeShawna still.
"Well, thanks, I guess," I said. "It doesn't matter; I bet the others will still vote me out anyways." Harold offered me an encouraging smile.
"Don't be so sure," he replied. He then turned and walked off. I watched him walk away before I turned and headed back into the girl's trailer. Once I was inside and was sure I was alone, I couldn't help, but blush lightly and smile.
I guess, Harold wasn't so bad.
It was later that night, LeShawna, Duncan, Harold and I sat in front of the stage at the Gilded Chris ceremony. After that stupid introduction theme, Chris walked onto the stage in that blue tuxedo.
"Well Gaffers, you've casted your votes and made your decision," Chris told us what we already knew. "I would've had you used the voting devices, but someone took them. Anyways, the cast mate who doesn't get a Gilded Chris must immediately leave in the lame-o-sine forever!"
LeShawna sent a glare at me, while I glared back. It seemed she voted for me, regardless of cheering for me earlier.
"Duncan, you're safe dude," Chris called out as Chef Hatcher, dressed in that old, ugly pink dress threw him an award. Duncan smirked as he caught his reward.
It was obvious he was happy so he could continue to harass Courtney.
"LeShawna, you're safe too," Chris announced a little surprised. Although I knew I would leave, I was surprised she wasn't in the bottom two.
"Yes!" she exclaimed happily as she caught her award.
It was down to me and Harold. I knew I would be the one to go home, by the calm and controlled look on Harold's face, it seemed like he knew it too. I couldn't help but take deep breathes, nervous for the outcome anyways.
"Heather, Harold, this is the final award of the night," Chris told us slowly, trying to raise our anxiety. I was never worried in these instances, but for some reason, I didn't want Harold to go, I knew he wouldn't, but I didn't want to leave my only friend either.
Duncan smirked at Harold, he was the reason the dweeb had gotten any votes probably.
Chris held the last award and took a big breath, trying to increase the suspense.
"The final award goes to…" Chef began to play the drums, doing a drum roll.
"Heather."
I was shocked, but caught my award. Duncan and LeShawna seemed to be shocked too. I couldn't believe it. How was I safe?
It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense right now. I looked at Harold who just nodded, seemingly accepting his fate. I also noticed he had his stuff ready. His luggage packed and his keyboard in hand.
He started down the walk of shame towards the lame-o-sine to leave the show. Duncan and LeShawna were yelling about how something was messed up and how I should've been the one going, but I tuned them out.
I quickly got up and ran after Harold.
I called out his name and he turned as he opened the door to the old limo. "Yeah Heather, what is it?" he asked me as I approached.
"What did you do?" I wondered. "Duncan and LeShawna definitely voted, there's no way you should be leaving. I should be leaving!"
"Well, I guess something happened to change that," he told me with a smile. "I told you not to be so sure you were leaving. You deserve to be here more than I do."
I knew that last statement was completely and totally not.
"And mean queen bee or not, I really like you," he continued. My mouth dropped. "I may a nerd that a girl like you wouldn't give a chance to, but I think that deep down under all that mean on the surface is a really kind and caring girl."
I didn't really know what to say. No one had really cared like that before. I was at a total and complete loss of words. So I did the first thing that came to mind.
I leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.
"Awesome," he said dreamily as he fell back into the lame-o-sine. Then, the door shut and the limo took off away from the set. I stood there watching it go, I couldn't help, but feel bad. No matter how geeky and weird Harold was, I missed him already.
I turned and headed back towards the trailers, ready for a good night's sleep. I knew how much Harold wanted to prove himself in this season, but now that he was gone, he couldn't.
As I walked I still heard Duncan and LeShawna's complaints, but they didn't matter to me anymore. I would make it up to Harold no matter what the cost.
And, in an attempt to make me feel bad, Chris brought me into the recording room to show me the voting off confessionals.
(Confession Dressing Room)
Duncan: "Well originally, I was going to vote off LeShawna, but that cheer, well, we counted her out, but she showed me that she had heart, guts, grit, and a bounce that won't stop. And besides, Heather is basically the most useless person on the team!"
LeShawna: "Well, after my trash talking, I know it'll be my loud mouth butt in the lame-o-sine, but I asked the others to vote out Heather, so I hope they listen to me. With any luck, Heather will be out tonight and I can stay to make it up to the others!"
Heather: "It's not like it matters, but I vote off big, loud and proud."
Harold: "No matter how mean Heather is, everyone deserves a second chance." \Harold opens the ballot box and takes all the votes out and stuffs them with votes with his name on them\ "Good luck Heather."
Chris smirked as he taunted me, trying to make me feel guilty. I couldn't believe Harold did that. I was supposed to be the one leaving, he knew it, but he sacrificed himself for me.
Everyone was against me and everyone would probably accuse me of the cheating tonight, but that didn't really matter to me. Whether it was cheating or not, Harold had done the noblest thing ever.
I would never forget tonight. I would never forget the harmful jokes and taunts; Chris tried to offend me with. I would never forget Harold's words to me. And I would never forget what he did.
That was the sweetest and most thoughtful thing someone had ever done for me.
Someone really did care.
Note: Well there you have it! A short, rushed attempt at a one-shot. I hope this was somewhat enjoyable. I hope I didn't write Heather too out of character. I would've added some more in there about Heather softening up and eventually coming to like Harold, but, I didn't want it to become too lengthy. No matter how bad it is, I am pretty proud of it. Please review, I would love to hear your opinion.
Also, I understand Harold isn't eliminated in "Million Dollar Babies." This is just how I wished it would go. But, the Gaffers do lose in this episode and Heather is eliminated in it. Sorry for the spoilers and I did borrow some lines from the actual episode, so those aren't really mine either.
This is dedicated to my good friend "The Flying Red Panda!" We both love the Harold/Heather pairing so I thought I would write up a small piece for it. I hope you all liked it.