New years came and went in the blink of an eye.

Courtney's been acting strange along with the new year…

Flashback.

"Hey Courtney, can you believe that the twins will be going to school in a few years?"

Courtney was currently eating her breakfast quietly but her eyes seemed to fill with tears at the word school.

"Yeah, school… great…I'm not that hungry anymore…" Courtney halfheartedly threw her dishes on the counter before dashing upstairs.

Duncan knew something was wrong then, because Courtney would always clean her dishes and put them away before going off to do anything else.

Duncan hurriedly finished feeding the twins, put them in their playpen and hurriedly went upstairs to check on Courtney.

The door was halfway open so Duncan quietly peered in. Courtney was on the floor, clutching her knees to her chest, sobbing. Duncan rushed to her aid and let her push him away before clutching onto him sobbing.

All Duncan could think of was 'what did I say?'

End flashback.

I think it all started after Bridgette had called her last week. Something about Bridgette loving college and becoming a marine biologist and all that cruddy education stuff…

I walked around the house tiredly. Stupid food cravings at ten o' clock woke me up…I walked past the fridge tiredly, but not before catching Courtney on the computer, gazing dreamily at the screen before her. I wheeled around to get another look but she closed the site before I could see.

"What were you looking at?"

She stumbled and got up hastily before stuttering, "nothing!"

"You weren't looking at porn, were you? That would explain the dreamy look in your eyes."

"Shut it!"

We were interrupted by a loud wail coming from the direction of the twins room. Courtney took it as a perfect opportunity to escape, and dashed upstairs in a flash.

Curiously I went back to the internet and checked the browsing history. I found the site she was looking at in a flash. Ha, thought she could stop me, shows what she knows about us ex-delinquents.

As soon as I clicked on the page, sorrow flooded my body, inside and out. It was the Harvard website. So she wanted to go back to school, yet she couldn't…because of the kids.

Well I got her screwed and I got her parents to cancel her tuition, so clearly I had to be the one to make it up to her…but how?

It was still on my mind when I trudged upstairs and threw myself into bed. I heard muffled squeaking noises against her pillow, and a small shaking against her side of the bed. I pulled her over into my arms and stroked her hair gently.

"Courtney, I know what's wrong…"

She looked up at me with tear streaked eyes. "I want to go back to school! Its not f-fair! I was the one that was supposed to go off to a great college!"

Courtney wailed into my arms so hard, I thought she would burst.

"Listen babe, sometimes things just don't go the way you want them. I was thinking of a solution for that. What if you finished high school? Then we could register you for college in the fall. I'm sure you could catch up fast, you're a good student."

She sniffled against my arms and said, "do you really think that would work?"

"Sure, anything can happen. You deserve to go to college."

Every time I say that word it makes me want to hurl. How could someone want to go for more education?

"Thank you Duncan, I love you." Courtney snuggled closer into my chest before falling asleep. I sighed, I was so good.

I would have fallen asleep, but about half an hour later I heard her crying again. If I couldn't make her stop before, there was nothing I could do now except to pull her into my arms and rub her back.

I caught one thing she said before going completely unconscious.

"I want to go to Harvard, I wish I would've gone."

COURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCANCOURTNEYXDUNCAN

"Umm Courtney, I know we are best friends, but could you please GET OFF OF ME!"

I quickly sprang up and examined the room. Unfamiliar classic colors on the walls, and an orderly room greeted me.

"Sorry, Heather."

Wait Heather?! Where did that come from?! She pushed me off of her bed and I fell and hurt myself.

"Oww, where am I?"

She looked at me like I was crazy. "We're in our dorm room silly. You know, in Harvard?"

I sprang up and smiled. "I'm in Harvard!?"

Heather stared at me as if I was from another planet. "Uh, yeah…"

I scanned the room quickly. Certificates of accomplishments that I couldn't remember. No clothes scattered around the room like I had remembered. Everything was spick and span just the way I liked it.

For a minute I considered jumping for joy and singing but then something suddenly struck me.

I looked down and examined myself. My hair was really long again, reaching to my waist, instead of down in layers to my midback. I went to the mirror and realized my 18 year old figure was back.

"Uh, are you done examining yourself? Have you become anorexic or something? Come on, we have to get going, our boyfriends are waiting for us downstairs."

"Duncan's here?"

Heather scoffed. "As if! Why would you still consider remembering that pathetic imbecile? Justin is here along with Noah, you know for our date?"

I was pretty sure I froze in my tracks. "Justin? Wait what happened with Duncan?"

Heather scoffed and scowled. "How could you not remember? He knocked you up, so you put a restraining order on him."

"What? Wait, where are Devon and Alex?"

Heather looked confused and said, "who?"

"My babies?!"

"You aborted them, what is up with you today? I feel like I'm talking to Lindsay again!"

I…aborted…my…babies…Duncan's…babies…I don't believe it!

"Where's Duncan?!"

I quickly threw some unfamiliar skirt and blouse on and some high heels. I was so fast, by the time Heather answered I was already getting to work on my hair.

"He tried to convince you not to abort the rugrats, so he moved into some ratty apartment two blocks away from here. I doubt he's still there. Wait, where are you going?!"

I was out the door in a flash. "To find Duncan!"

She rushed after me, looking mildly confused. "But what about our double date!"

I stopped in my tracks and smacked her hard across the face. "Screw it, and don't ever call my babies rugrats again!"

I left her there, looking bewildered and rushed towards the nearest taxi I could find. I nearly killed myself looking for one, and threw myself in it. I thrust a $50 at the driver and he sped off.

I rushed out of the car, and asked the receptionist if Duncan was still here. Luck was with me, he was. I hurried upstairs and was exhausted by the time I reached the door. I pounded on it and when he opened it I literally fell into his arms.

He dropped me abruptly and I had to stand myself up. He glared at me with such hard, cold eyes, I had to wonder what I had ever did to him. I scanned him up and down, I hardly recognized him anymore. Besides the fact that he looked meaner than ever, his piercings were gone along with any trace of green or a Mohawk.

"What do you want? Come to screw my life even more?"

I was appalled, had I really ruined our lives that bad?

"No, I just came to…oh what happened Duncan? What happened to you, to us?!"

"Oh, I'll tell you what happened, you got screwed, so you got really pissed at me. I tried to talk you out of it, but you slapped me and put a restraining order on me. You decided that your perfect life would be better without me and kids. I hope your stupid school was worth it."

I did that? But I don't remember… "No, Duncan, please I didn't mean-"

"Can it sister, just leave me alone, my life has already been better without you.."

He slammed the door in my face, and I slid down and wallowed in my sorrow. I pulled my knees to my chest and sobbed like I had never had before. I had ruined it all, my life, my relationship, everything. I sniffled and wondered if it actually was worth it.

I didn't come up for another hour, but when I did it shocked me. I was in a bed, and the room was familiar in a way. I sprang up and looked around, clothes on the floor, barely anything in order.

A smile came upon my face as I examined myself. I was thin, but not super thin, and my hair was layered again and reaching my midback.

I scanned the room, but no sign of Duncan was there. I ran around the house and saw the twins sleeping quietly in their beds, in their room. I would've smothered them in kisses, but they looked so peaceful sleeping there I couldn't do it.

I looked around the house for any sign of Duncan, but I couldn't find any. I slumped back into my room and slid down the wall, I couldn't make it any further.

I cried and cried and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't cry my self out. I couldn't get Duncan's face out of my mind.

I cried until I heard heavy footsteps. "Princess, are you okay? What happened? Are you still upset about the school thing, I told you I could fix that!"

He lifted me up in his arms and snuggled me close to his chest.

I lifted my face up and I saw the one thing, that my heart really needed.

I pulled him into such a kiss, that he fell backward and I fell on top of him.

"Duncan! You're back!"

I strangled him and wouldn't let go, not for the world. "Whoa, Princess, why the sudden neediness?"

"I love you, so so so much. I wouldn't change anything that had happened, not for the world."

"Not even Harvard?"

"Especially not for Harvard."

Duncan looked at me confusedly but shook his head and laughed.

"Duncan?"

"Yeah Princess?"

"Hold me tighter please." If Duncan was shocked or confused, he didn't let on. He just he'd me tighter like I asked.

"What happened while you were asleep?"

I smiled and buried my head in his chest. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

I was about to start telling him, but then a yawn came over me and I had to try and suppress it, but with no avail.

"C'mon babe, lets get you back in bed."

I nodded and he gently laid me in bed. He let me go for a quick second, but it scared me so much I held on to him tighter when he was settled.

"That must have been some crazy dream you had."

I nodded and said, "you don't know the half of it. Duncan one more thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Never let me go, in all ways."

He laughed and agreed. "Never."