Author's note: Please, please review! I love to hear from you! Enjoy! I do not own Total Drama!
Heather made her way through the hospital corrider, her every step echoing across the empty hallway. When she reached his room, she stopped. Her hand halfway to the doorknob, she braced herself, not quite ready to face him, not quite ready to see the damage and pain she caused. But she has come too far to back down now.
As the door creaks open, she looks into the darkness.
"Heather." His voice rings straight to her skull, cracked and higher than it used to be. The light flickers on, and she finally sees him, his back turned, on the bed. When she opens her mouth to reply, she can't seem to remember how to speak.
"Look who finally came to visit." Alejandro's words are dry, humorless, and he turns around to face her.
"So you wanted to see the pain you inflicted on me in person?" He points to his head. His once thick and glossy hair is patchy, and half of his face is burnt. Her eyes widen, but she meets his gaze. At least his eyes are the same, teal and clear. Beautiful.
"I'm sorry." The words come out softer and squeakier than she intended, but she's amazed she was able to say anything at all.
"Sorry? You're sorry?" His voice rises in disbelief.
"You throw me off of a volcano, and all you can say is sorry? I thought you were better than that."
"I don't think I'm better than anything right now," she whispers, sliding her hand to the burn on his leg. He takes her hand and shoves it off of him with enough force to send his flying. He glares at her crumpled form, fire in his eyes.
"I thought you cared about me. I was willing to give up a million dollars for you," he growls, making her whimper.
"I do care about you."
"No Heather, you don't. I don't know what social skills you were taught, but where I'm from, we don't tell someone we care about them by throwing them off a volcano." His words are mirthless.
"I was stupid."
"Yes, you were. Glad you figured that out."
"The million wouldn't have been worth it."
"A little late for that, don't you think?" He laughs bitterly. "I poured my heart out to you. And this is what I got."
She pulls herself up and crouches next to him.
"You know, I would redo the whole thing if I could."
"What whole thing?"
She twists her fingers. "Total Drama. All of it."
"All three seasons?"
Heather nods. "If I could, I wouldn't be so cruel that time around."
He laughs. "You spent so long building up this harsh persona, and now you're saying you'd give it up?"
"I didn't mean for it to go that far. But once you build a wall, tearing it down is harder than you'd think."
"Believe me, I know."
"You don't know how close you came. I wanted to give in to you so much." It's true. He made every part of her feel like it was on fire, and every fiber of her being had to be on full guard to keep her feelings pushed down.
"Then why didn't you?" He asks, genuinly curious. She's managed to change the topic from what she did, and now they're having a semi-normal conversation. He definitely knows her powers of manipulation.
Heather looks down, a faint blush lining her cheeks. "I don't know. I was scared. I had never had a weakness in the game before. You were definitely my weakness."
"And you were mine."
The words slip out before he can stop them. No. This can't be happening. He can't give in to her. She pushed him off a volcano, for God's sake.
Heather looks up, hope in her eyes, but he turns away.
"I was also scared that you were just manipulating me."
He gives a chuckle of disbelief. "Manipulate you?"
"Well, you did it to Bridgette, LeShawna, and Courtney. Why not me?"
"You were different. I thought you knew that." And he really did. With the others, it was always a game. They were tools, and he wielded them like a king. But with Heather, it was real.
"Different how?"
"Wow, you're really making me spell it out? I loved you. That sounds serious, but I did. I loved you with every inch of me, but look where that got me."
"I loved you too." She says it quickly, like a secret, her eyes trained to the floor.
His heart explodes against his will, to hear her say the words he hoped he'd hear for so long. But his brain is quick to remind him why he can't go down that road again.
"Would you have done it to me?" She asks, searching his face for an answer.
He doesn't hesitate. "Never."
She leans over, and slowly runs her hand through what's left of his hair. "I really am sorry."
He looks her in the eye. "I wish I could tell you right now that I don't forgive you. I wish I could tell you I hate you, and slam that door in your face."
Her brow furrows, and his lips move into a frown.
"But I can't. I want to hate you so badly, and I want to stop loving you even more."
Before he know what's happening, she leans over and captures his lips in the most tender, gentle kiss she's ever initiated. They stay like that for what feels like eternity, and it's nothing like the forced, awkward kiss on the volcano. They mold together like two pieces of a puzzle, and it feels like coming home.
When they finally break apart, arms still around each other, foreheads still touching, eyes still glued together, she gives a little smile. "I love you." It's the first time she's ever uttered those words, but it feels true.
Not breaking her gaze, her kisses her again, and grins. "I love you too."
He clasps her hand both of his. "No volcano this time."
"Nothing."
"I forgive you." And he means it. As hard as it is to let go of the pain and anger pent up inside of him, holding her in his arms just makes it all slip away.
"Thank you." Tears in her eyes, she wraps her arms around him, and buried her face in his neck.
"It's okay, mi amor. You can cry."
And she sobs, soaking his shirt and reaching his soul, he holds her, until she lifts her tear stained face up to meet his eyes. "I don't deserve to be happy."
He strokes her hair. "No, no. That's loco. We're meant for each other."
"I'm a bad person."
"No you're not. You just made some mistakes. But we all do. Your imperfections are perfect to me."
Heather kisses him again, and lets out a small moan. "Never leave me."
"As you wish, mi amor."
He touches her cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
And after all they've been through, as Heather puts her head on Alejandro's shoulder, they know the scars that define them just make them love each other more. Because they have true love. And a love like that never fades.
