1-Back to Basics

"Come on, Duncan!" Gwen shouted, banging on his bedroom door. "Open the door!"

"You can't ignore us forever!" Taylor screamed through the wooden door that was separating the girls from Duncan.

"He's a vampire." Phoebe told her cousin. "Of course he can."

"You're wasting your time." Rebecca told the girls. "He hasn't come out of his room since...You know..." No one wanted to speak of Courtney's death. It had been a month since the fateful day and a black cloud had hung over Scarlatina since that day.

Duncan had retreated back to his bedroom the moment Courtney's funeral had finished. He couldn't bare to live his life without her in it. It was hard enough when she left for the academy, but now she was gone for good. As far as Duncan was concerned, she was never coming back.

Gwen banged her fist against the door again. She wasn't going to let Duncan waste his time in his room, especially when there was a war to prepare for.

"I am not going away until I get the tiniest hint that you're alive, Duncan!" The goth girl yelled.

"And we're back to HE'S A VAMPIRE!" Phoebe shouted.

"WHAT!" Duncan swung open his bedroom door. His eyes were red, but not the kind of red he gets from being a vampire. He had shaved in weeks, so he had stubble and hair growing at odd angles across his face. He didn't look too happy with the girls.

"We want to help you." Taylor told her cousin, but Duncan couldn't see it that way.

"Help me with what?" He asked, not giving the girls time to answer. "My life is over, end of story!" He slammed the bedroom door shut again, leaving the four girls standing on the landing.

"Just leave it guys. He'll come to terms with it in his own time." Rebecca told the other three, before walking off to her own bedroom.

"Beck's, he needs help!" Phoebe called after her sister.

"He need's to be alone." Rebecca replied before shutting her own bedrooom door.

Back outside, by the usual fountain spot, the group were sitting around in silence, patiently waiting for Gwen and Taylor to return. The death had affected them, too. They were all lost without Courtney by their side. She was always the one who brought the life back to them. When she had been at the academy, everyone had been miserable, too. There just wasn't any point.

"Any luck?" Bridgette asked as Taylor and Gwen took their seats.

"He says his life is over." Taylor told them.

"Can vampire's lives end?" Trent asked, wrapping his arm around Gwen.

"Meterphorically they can." Gwen told him.

"Why won't he come out?" Bridgette cried. She was one of the worst affected people by the death. Courtney had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. Bridgette had never thought about a life where she would never be able to see Courtney's again. It hurt her so much to be apart from her best friend, let alone a whole death relm away.

"He's lost the only person he really cared for." Geoff spoke up to the group. "You can't blame him for wanting to be alone." Silence. Everyone understood.

"It's unhealthy for him to be in there." Ellie whispered.

"Like he cares." Taylor told her.

"But we need him if we even want to stand a chance of winning the war." Leah said. Everyone wanted them to win the war. Everyone wanted to be free from the Trackers.

"Tell that to Duncan." Trent muttered.

"I doubt he wants to think about the war, right now." Geoff told the group.

"He must want revenge." Bridgette mumbled.

"If he wants revenge, he can get it. We're not going to stop him." Ellie said.

The sun went down and the moon came up. Darkness felw over Scarlatina. The stars weren't shining out, the only source of light was the moon and the distant glow from the Scarlatina Palace.

In the center of the town, just past the fountain, was a golden statue. Not a regular golden statue. It was the staue of Courtney's Black. She had been laid to rest in the town center, where Duncan and Nigel had constucted a headstone for their darling Princess.

The engraving on the statue read;

Courtney Black

Aged 17

A great sorcerer

Daughter of Nigel Black

and One true love of

Duncan Hudson

Silently, a dark figyre rushed down from the side of twon to the center. Stopping as they reached the statue. He took a seat on the floor, revealing his identity as the the moon reflected off the gold.

"Hey, Princess." Duncan smiled weakly. "I've been thinking about you today." He was feeling stupid talking to himself, but he thought Courtney was listening to him. "Today I was thinking about all the good times we had together, we have so many, it's hard to pick a favorite." Duncan let out a deep sigh. "But I loved every moment when I was with you. I don't regret any of it." A stray tear appeared in Duncan's eye. He hated crying, it showed he was weak. But without Courtney he just wanted to pour his heart out. "I love you more than anything in the world. And I wish I had stopped you from going to fight Heather by yourself." The tear fell from his eye and rolled down the tough boy's cheek. "And if I could turn back time, I would make sure this whole thing never happened. I would make sure I never told you about the academy. I blame myself for it all." It was getting harder and harder for Duncan to speak. His words were coming out chocked and he had no idea where he was going with his one-sided conversation. "If I hadn't told you about the academy, then you wouldn't have gone and Heather would have left you alone. You would still be here with me." A few more tears fell. "I miss you more and more everyday-" A cracking sound and a few bushed rustling came from behind Duncan. "I've got to go. I'll be back to see you tomorrow, Princess. I love you." Duncan got up and ran back to his house in the darkness of the night.

Duncan quietly tip-toed into the house, making sure he didn't shut the door too loudly. He quietly walked up the staircase, making his way back to his bedroom, where he would stay until the following night.

"Where have you been?" It was Phoebe. Duncan shot his head around in shock, but then narrowed his eyes on his baby sister.

"Shhh!" He hissed, not wanting anyone else to wake up. "I went out, okay? No biggie."

"I only want to help, Duncan." Phoebe's voice was small, like a child who knew they were in trouble.

"Well, unless you can preform miracle's, then I don't want, or even need, your help!" The angered teenager spat. "Good night, Phoebe." Duncan ran up the rest of the steps and slammed his bedroom door shut behind him. He really just wanted to be left alone.

A/N: Hey hey hey!

I'm back again! LOL!

Do you like this so far? I think it's not too bad ;) LOL!

How do you think it's going to play out from now on?

No Courtney? No Duncan? The teams falling apart!

Well, I hope I can drama this story up a bit ;) LOL!

Thanks for reading, please review :)

Love, ChloeRhiannonX