A/N: Ooh! So Will Duncan's stubbornness keep Courtney from helping him? C'mon I think we both know by now that these two are inseparable. Enjoy!
Chapter 3: I Want You to Come Back
When they had been together on Total Drama Action Courtney had to admit to herself that a part of her had become more concerned about the money than her relationship. At the time a million dollars seemed like a dream and it nearly cost her. Luckily Duncan had found her wildness and competitive streak more appealing than she would've thought, sure he had been mad at her for the number of times she left him behind just for her own benefit, but he had forgiven her in the end because ultimately she had come to love him even more. She had realized just what a good thing she had and had nearly lost it until she apologized to Duncan. In the end neither of them had won the million dollar prize, but they went home feeling like winners.
Duncan had moved out of his parent's house to move in with Courtney while she attended law school. From there things continued to be wonderful, but things can only be so good until they go bad.
"Courtney?"
Courtney blinked a few times before realizing she had just drifted back into old memories. "Sorry Bridgette, I'm just…I'm so confused." She had been talking to Bridgette on the phone. It was hard keeping in touch with everyone from the reality show but when Bridgette and Geoff got married a year ago it had been like a huge reunion for everyone. Courtney was happy to have saved Bridgette's number, because she really needed a friend to talk to.
On the other line Bridgette nodded. She had always thought that Courtney and Duncan were right for each other in that weird opposites attract kind of way. Courtney needed someone to be her kite while Duncan needed someone to be his rock. They worked like day and night and in the end were a perfect dysfunctional fit.
"It's OK Court; I know it must be hard for you right now. Are you really going to give up the case?" Bridgette asked.
Courtney sighed heavily bringing her hand to her forehead. "What else am I suppose to do? He doesn't want my help and I can't do anything for him if he wants to be a stubborn jackass."
Bridgette giggled. "Yeah but you're pretty stubborn yourself, I think you're just looking for an excuse to get out of this."
Courtney rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Of course I'm looking for an excuse out of this! I didn't want to take up the case in the first place."
Now Bridgette rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh, so why did you take the case?"
Courtney put the phone on speaker and walked into her kitchen to get a drink. "Because Logan wanted me to and I respect Logan." Courtney took out the ice tray and before she knew what she was doing she was slamming the tray against the counter.
"Right…that's why you're slamming an ice tray against the counter, this has nothing to do with Duncan," replied Bridgette sarcastically. "Courtney you've never had trouble saying no to people, you just have trouble saying no when it comes to Duncan."
Duncan had one of those faces. The face that he used to manipulate his way out of things, the face that said "I'm charming and you're going to forgive me no matter what I do." It was that very smugness that had kept her so close to him for so long, it had been the thing that had first drawn her in.
Courtney exhaled slowly. "Yeah I know…that's why I have to start saying no now."
-With Duncan-
"You're a fucking idiot!"
Duncan didn't even look at his brother as he continued to yell at him. He was too busy staring at the wall and thinking about Courtney.
One thing that had always been a kind of intimacy for them was fighting. It was always a battle that seemed to say all the words they were too stubborn to actually say. It was arguing that had first brought them together, that had first sparked something. It seemed strange to him that fighting had suddenly taken an ugly turn. Instead of being flirtatious and fun like it use to be it was now cold and upsetting.
He had been even more puzzled by the fact that Courtney had given up so quickly. He'd known her for so long and knew how she loved to win, have the last word, get her way. Instead she had walked out and given up on him. She really was different.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" yelled Logan hitting him across the head.
Duncan glared at him and replied, "Hey, can't you see me ignoring you?"
Logan threw up his hands in frustration. "I can't believe you chased her out!"
Duncan cracked his neck and went back to reminiscing on old and some what painful memories. "I didn't chase her out, she walked out. She's good at that," he bit back.
Logan laughed bitterly. "Yeah and I'm sure you did nothing to stop her from leaving."
Duncan got up from the couch and began moving to the spare bedroom. "Why the fuck do you care! Consider yourself lucky, now you won't have to worry about paying her," Duncan seethed slamming the door behind him.
"I never was going to pay her!"
Duncan was getting ready to hit the sack and completely forget about Courtney and the rest of the day when his brother's words stopped him dead in his tracks. He slowly opened the door to find his bother staring at him with a serious look on his face. "What do you mean you weren't going to pay her?" asked Duncan knowing that that was a stupid thing to consider doing to a lawyer, especially with Courtney.
"I mean I offered to pay but she said no bro?" Logan stated.
Duncan scoffed at his brother thinking he must've been stupid or deaf. "She said so herself, that you were going to pay her!"
Logan let a moment of silence pass before finally replying, "She lied."
Duncan stood there completely shocked and watched as his brother moved away before he managed to form a sentence. "Why-why would she lie?" he asked frustrated by what he was hearing.
Logan looked at him as if he were stupid. "Because she was trying to be professional so she could help you. If she had started getting too emotional she wouldn't have been able to be rational or helpful. She did it so things could be easier, but you just had to go and push her buttons didn't you?"
Duncan ran a hand through his hair and sighed loudly. He had been so convinced that Courtney really had no compassion that he didn't stop to think just how hard it was for her to see him again. Of course she had tried to cover up her feelings. Getting all dramatic at this point wasn't going to help either of them out.
Duncan snatched up the phone.
-With Courtney-
Courtney had tried falling asleep, but over the last few years she had found it impossible to fall asleep alone. She had grown use to some things being alone, but sleeping was still not one of them. Courtney was also disturbed with thoughts of Duncan; he was going to go to jail.
She couldn't believe how badly she had failed Logan, how she failed herself. How she failed Duncan…again.
She gritted her teeth. They might've failed in their relationship but they were not going to lose this battle! Either he was going to rehab or she would kick his ass into it.
'I know I told Bridgette that I wouldn't do this, but…I need to.'
Just as Courtney was about to pick up the phone it started to ring. At first it had startled her but she quickly brought herself together and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey princess."
Courtney's heart skipped a beat before she managed to choke out. "I told you not to call me that."
"Oh sorry," said Duncan mentally kicking himself. A long time ago that probably would've been appropriate but now….
"What do you want?" asked Courtney still thrown off by the fact that he had called her.
She heard him sigh and even heard his feet shuffle. "I wanted to…apologize."
"Apologize for what?" asked Courtney not in the mood for guessing games even though she had a good idea to what he was referring to.
"I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time about….about everything." He paused a moment before adding. "And I'm willing to go to rehab."
Courtney's eyes shot open and she sat all the way up in her bed gripping the receiver so hard her knuckles turned white. "W-why the sudden change of mind?"
She heard him sigh. "Because you're a little liar."
Courtney's brow furrowed. "What-"
"Why didn't you just tell me you were doing this for me and my brother? Why'd you lie about the money?"
Courtney closed her eyes and buried her head in her hand. 'Stupid Logan and his big mouth!' She finally answered, "I just didn't want this to be difficult."
She heard him chuckle. "I think I kind of screwed that up," he said playfully.
"You bet you're ass you did," she answered back in the same playfulness.
He laughed lightly before exhaling. "So are we OK to go?"
"You mean am I ready to come back to argue and bicker with you until you realize I'm right and do whatever I say because I know better?"
Duncan snickered. "Yeah, the usual routine."
Courtney laughed softly. "Sure I'll come back if you need me to."
Duncan was silent for a moment before responding, "I want you to come back."
Courtney swallowed the lump in her throat before saying, "I'll be there in the morning and I'll bring over all the legal work we need to review."
"While you're at it why don't you bring back my shirt you're wearing right now?"
Courtney blushed madly before puling off his old skull t-shirt and scurrying into her nightgown. "I'm not in your t-shirt!" she said defensively.
"Not anymore," he said smugly, fully knowing that she just changed.
Courtney let another wave of embarrassment wash over her before saying, "Good night Duncan."
"Good night Courtney."
Courtney hung up the phone and smiled against her will and replayed the strangest part of the conversation in her head. "I want you to come back."
A/N (sighs) OK enough of the mushiness. Next chapter is going to be much better! So review and stay tuned!
